Hives :(

Just when we thought things were going well after this surgery...Kelli broke out in hives on Saturday.  Benadryl has helped take away some of the itchiness, but not the redness.  Today I took her to our pediatrician.  The recommendation is to give her benadryl every 4 hours during the day and another prescription medication at bedtime.  Doctor said this could last for several weeks.  :(

Being Silly

This lasted for at least five minutes.  You can tell she's feeling better when she's acting like this!  (Yes, she made up the song herself....and she gets her taste in music from her daddy.)

Recovering

lounging with her puppies

homeschooling

coloring

playing with her favorite toys

dinner time

Countdown

When we met with Kelli's doctor earlier this spring, she had said that after the surgery Kelli would either be in a custom made brace for two weeks or a pillow-type brace for six weeks.  The doctor chose the custom made brace, so we are all hoping that Kelli will only have to wear it for two weeks.  However, after the surgery, the nurse did say that the doctor will assess Kelli at her follow up appointment in two weeks and then decide what happens next.  Please join us in prayer that her doctor will decide on July 7 that Kelli no longer needs to wear the brace.

Success

Kelli's surgery was a success.  It started around 9:30 in the morning and ended about two hours later.  The plate was pretty embedded in the bone, so the doctor had to dig it out.  It took her awhile to wake up from the anesthesia and she was a bit grouchy at first.  After taking some more pain medication, she went back to sleep for awhile.  This time she woke up in a much more pleasant mood.  Overall she has been doing well.  Our only concern is getting her to use the potty.  Hoping we don't have a repeat of the problems we had last summer!  Thank you to everyone who has been praying for her!

Daddy held the posicle for me.

making silly faces

Finally relaxing at home

Surgery Details

On Friday, June 20, Kelli will have the plate and four screws removed from her femur.  These were put into place during her superhip surgery last summer.

After the surgery, she will have to wear this brace for a little over 2 weeks.   While I don't know all of her restrictions yet, I know she's not allowed to stand on her left leg.

Upcoming Surgery

Five years ago when I first met my little peanut, I had no clue how much this amazing child would be able to accomplish.  However, she was blessed with a strong dose of determination that helps her overcome the obstacles that she faces.

Since she ended physical therapy in November, she has been running, dancing, and climbing.  Her new-found thrill is climbing up the slide part of the slide (the steeper the better!) and learning how to swing by herself on the swings.  She has mastered riding her tricycle and loves to dance during worship.

Today was her last day of pre-kindergarten, and because she has done so well, she is going to be starting first grade in the fall.   She has already learned to read, loves to make up math problems and solve them, and has somehow taught herself how to tie her shoes!

Medically, she has had much to deal with so far this year.  Because she has frequent bouts of bronchitis/respiratory infections, her pulmonologist recommended that she have her tonsils and adenoids removed.  However, in order to do this, ear/nose/throat doctors and the insurance need confirmation of sleep apnea before performing the surgery.  As you can well imagine, being hooked to all kinds of monitors during the sleep study to test for sleep apnea did not make her a happy camper.  However, she managed to get through the test, which turned out to be negative.  We will be going back for a follow up in August to talk about what to do next.  Until then, she is on a medication that is supposed to reduce the size of her tonsils and adenoids.

Sometime in March, Kelli started to have urinary issues as well.  Her pediatrician needed to take a urine culture to check for an infection; the catheterization really scared and upset her.  Luckily, this test also turned out to be negative.  When the symptoms continued, her doctor sent her for an ultrasound of her kidneys and bladder.  Because medical procedures cause a great deal of anxiety in her, the technician was only able to get pictures of her kidneys and not her bladder.  Fortunately, her kidneys appeared to be fine.  At this point, I was starting to believe that her symptoms had more of an emotional basis and not a physical one.  I mentioned it to her counselor, and she has been working with Kelli on her anxiety issues.  Because her symptoms persisted, Kelli was sent to a urologist.  When a urine culture was taken this time, it showed a trace amount of blood and an elevated protein level.  However, further testing was within the normal range.  She will have a follow up appointment in August, and until then we are to increase the dosage of her laxative a bit and help her find ways to lower her anxiety levels.

Kelli's next surgery will be on Friday, June 20.  This one will be to remove the plate and four screws that were placed on her femur last summer.   This procedure should only take about an hour and a half.  Afterward she will be in a hip abduction brace for two weeks.  During that time, she will not be allowed to do any weight bearing on her left leg.  Her doctor will see her again on July 7, and if all is well, Kelli will be able to start walking and enjoying the rest of her summer.

I appreciate all of you who are and have been praying for her!
James 5:16  The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.