Doctor visits coming up

We will be visiting the doctor a few times these next two wks and I will add the results to the blog next wk.....

-Mianna has her VCUG Friday at Children's Hospital to see if she still urinary reflux. Pray for her that it goes well. She has to get a catheter, which is never fun! Were hoping she doesnt have it so she can discontinue her daily meds!

-Hadley gets her cast off Thursday the 16th! Were getting it done locally!

-Right after Hadley's cast removal she has to have an ultra sound of her kidney's. A year ago they did one when she was diagnosed with infantile scoliosis and it showed one kidney being larger than the other. The doctor said it was nothing to worry about right now, but we should do a follow up to look at them in a year. We attempted to have that done this wk, but the ultra sound tech couldnt get to her kidney's with her cast on!

If you think of us those days, say a prayer that all goes smoothly :)

Mia riding her new big girl bike

Mianna has been super excited about her new bike. On Monday we let her ride it to the park as we coached her along. She did very well! Were so proud of her :)

A birthday Party from Grandma and Grandpa Rorabeck

Last Weekend, Grandpa and Grandma Rorabeck threw Mianna an awesome birthday party. They made it a little early in the month so that her Uncle Timmy could come otherwise he had National Guard training the other wkds.
Grandma got Mianna a princess cake and tons of princess accessories. She decorated like crazy for Mianna. I have to say, Mianna felt super special that day :)
Mianna got a brand new big girl bike as well! She was super surprised! She also got a learning video game player, a barbie computer, a princess tutu with more princess accessories, some shirts, puzzles, and a few more goodies. She's been wanting to stay home all day so she can play with it all!

I just want to say Thank you so much Rorabeck Family for loving our little girl with all your heart and treating her like a little princess!

Our trip to the pumpkin patch

Over the summer, Mianna was in a reading program at the library and after so many books she got read to her, she got a coupon to go to Pleasant Valley Llama Farm. Included in her coupon was a hayride to get her pumpkin, a pumpkin, a ride on a train, a corn maze, and some jumping in the moon walk. And thats just what she did. Last wkd we finally got there and it was a beautiful day! We had a lot of fun doing everything. We got to spend the day with My sister and husband and their daughter, Brianna(Mianna's best friend).

Hadley taste testing the gords


Mianna guarding the pumpkins


Andy getting lots of kisses from the Llama


On the little train

I sqeezed in a little seat with Hadley so she could ride too

Getting ready to get our pumpkins

Mianna found hers

And Hadley got hers!

Pretty in Pink

Awhile ago, my friends and I were talking about the few choices of colors you get to pick from for a cast. The only two girl colors are purple or hot pink. Other colors are a dull blue or army green. Not a wide selection. We didn't understand why they all seemed to be so bright and vibrant and they didn't have any choices such as a pretty pink or lavender. Somebody suggested maybe it's so people are aware of the cast and are more careful. Another person said maybe thats just all they can make with that material. Both could be true, but who really knows?! Anyways, after thinking about the conversation, I had thought about it... And I really don't think people care so much about the color of the cast as to whether it's doing the job. At least, that is my opinion! Whether Hadley has to wear a hot pink, neon yellow, or puke green cast, I could really care less as long as it is straightening her little spine and doing it's job!!!

So, anyways we asked Mianna what color she thinks Hadley's cast should be this time and she picked pink so thats what we did. And you know what? I actually think Hadley looks extremely adorable in a hot pink cast! I couldn't be any more proud! :)

Here she is showing it off:

Hadley's 3rd Cast

We got back from Chicago a few hours ago and are doing pretty good....
We went down last night and got there a little bit late... around 8:30 or so. We just hung out in the room letting Hadley run around naked and then gave her a bath. She is still not a fan of bath time. Actually, she hates it and will not sit down. She'll only go in if she's standing up. So anyways, it ended up being a super late night since Hadley slept all the way there and wasn't tired till really late.

Then this morning(Thursday) we got up around 4:45 am and got ready to go to the Hospital. Everything went very well. There were only 2 kids being casted so it went smoothly. The hardest part was in the pre-surgery room when they gave Hadley some medication to make her a little sleepy so departing from Andy and I wouldn't be so hard. Well, it didn't work. The nurse took her from my arms and Hadley immediately started screaming. The nurse went quick so the less hard it would be, but watching Hadley as they left the room was so hard. She was screaming holding her arm out to Andy and I and we felt so helpless. I wish they would have waited 10 more min. and I would have probably had Hadley asleep. But anyways, it was a good 2 hours before we got to finally see Hadley again. She was crying when she came out of the recovery room, but after we held her, she was fine. We gave her a juice box and cracker right away and she wanted more! She was starving. Last time she had her cast on, she wouldn't take anything but Popsicles for the first hour, so this was an improvement. I think she's starting to get used to the whole process! So after feeding her a little bit, they took her IV out, and she didn't like that too much. Then they taped her up and we were pretty much on our way.

On the way home, it was pretty rainy and we were all exhausted. So we decided to stop and nap in the car. We all ended up falling asleep for 2 hours. Like I said, we were exhausted! Then we stopped for dinner. Hadley ate very good and her mood was great. She was very unstable though and her lungs were still froggy from the tube going down her nose, but she was doing great!

She's doing ok now. We gave her some Tylenol because she's very fussy. It might be a rough night, but thats to be expected. Im sure she's very sore! She's been through so much today, I can't blame her! Were just going to take it easy this wkd so she can readjust to her cast again. Walking is a little unsteady for her, but she's doing ok. She just gets very frustrated when she cant do the things that she could do with her cast off. Its hard to see her struggle with that.

So ANYWAYS, if you want to know the RESULTS....
She had an Xray before they casted her and her back was at 39 degrees. This means she went down 8 degrees! We are in the right direction! A lot of kids don't show any improvement within 8 casts and Hadley's gone down 35 degrees in only 2 casts. I call that a miracle from God! Then they took an x-ray in the cast and they manipulated her little spine to be less than 5 degrees! Amazing! Thank God she is so flexible. But no wonder she is so sore! So, we are praying that her little spine holds more and more each time without ever needing surgery!

Thanks again for all your prayers and thoughts! It is so greatly appreciated! Hadley will get another x-ray in 4 wks to see how the cast is holding and will next be casted at the end of October.

Praise God

I just wanted to praise God for first of all, the week break he gives Hadley and us with her cast off; and second, the beautiful weather he gave us to enjoy it with the things we don't normally get to do with her. Its just amazing how beautiful it's been since the day after we got Hadley's cast off. It's been super hot and perfect beach weather. And if she was in her cast in that weather, we would have to be indoors in the AC all wkd. But today and the rest of the wkd is supposed to be cooler and rainier. He made that perfect for her. Thanks God for the little things you do in our lives every day and for the breaks in this world you give us. You are a loving and gracious God!

Tomorrow Hadley is casted at 6 AM. Please keep her in your prayers that the process goes well. And also for Andy and I emotionally. We've been loving every second of snuggle time we've gotten this past wk with Hadley. I think it might be hard again to adjust knowing what we are missing with her cast on.

Water, Sand, and FREEDOM

We've been having a GREAT time with Hadley's cast off! We've been going to beaches, playing in the sand, swimming, eating messy foods, and doing tons of snuggling. Hadley is still not a fan of baths. She hates getting water over her head. But she loves to play in the water at the beach. Here are some pictures to see! I am so thankful that God allows this wk without a cast. I absolutely am loving the feel of snuggling up with Hadley at every second I can catch her :)