Home

Hey Everyone!  Were home and Mc is running around the house like nothing ever happened.  It is amazing.  I'll blog more about the experience later... Daren and I are super tired.  But, I just wanted to let you all know we made it!  

Thank you so much for all your prayers and sweet notes over the last few days!

RP

Much Improved

McHaney has calmed down and is doing much better. My dad called me and let me talk to her. I got to hear that sweet little voice say, "hi, LaLa". It feels so good to know she feels better--I can't imagine the relief Rach and Daren must feel. There was a complication with the cath. in her leg earlier in the afternoon--dad said her leg turned blackish, and it was pretty scary, but the doctors got it under control. Her voice is a little hoarse from everything, but she is feeling and sounding much more like herself! Yay!
-LHK

step down room

I think the last few hours have been pretty tough. They woke McHaney up from surgery but have been having to re-sedate her because she can't be still. She has her IV in and has to be watched carefully, so they are moving her to a "step down" room. My mom said she asked for a pacifier which she hasn't used in a long time, so I think she must be pretty confused and upset. Rachel and Daren have been in the room with her for the last 3 hours. We are excited the surgery went well, but keep praying that she will feel peaceful.
-LHK

She's Out!

Mc is out of surgery, and the doctors said she did well. Yay! The surgery didn't take very long at all. The hole was bigger than they originally thought, but they said there were no problems. I think that Rachel and Daren will get to see her in the next few minutes. She is still in recovery and will need to be still when she wakes up.
-LHK

Update 1

McHaney is in surgery right now. They are updating our family via a monitor in the waiting room. They just put her IV and cath. in. They are getting ready to put the device in her heart. Rachel said that Mc started crying when they pulled into the parking lot this morning and was pretty upset for the next couple of hours until they gave her some medicine that calmed her down before taking her back to the operating room. Dad says they have taken over the waiting room--there are 23 people there!!
-LHK

McHaney's Surgery

Friends and Family,
This is Lauren writing, Rachel's sister. Today I'll be giving updates on how things are going for McHaney. Rachel and Daren just arrived at the hospital at 9am. McHaney's surgery will be from 11 to 4, and they will keep her for at least 24 hours. As I hear more news throughout the day about how the little one is doing, I will write new blogs. Thanks you all for your support!
-LHK

It's Time

Well, the day has finally come.  Miss Mc's surgery is scheduled for tomorrow at 11am.  We will be there until at least Friday night.  To say I'm nervous an understatement, but we're making it.

The Seester will be updating my blog throughout the day tomorrow, so I can keep you all posted.  Please pray for a few things for us.  Please pray for McHaney.  Pray that God will hold her in his arms and that he will guide the surgeon's hand.  Pray that she will come through the surgery with flying colors.  Pray that she will be returning home with us, in perfect health on Friday night.  Pray that she won't endure much pain, that she won't be scared, and that she won't remember what she went through.  I also ask that you pray for Daren and I.  Pray for piece of mind, for comfort and strength.

Lauren, the seester as most of you know her, sent me something yesterday that really gave me comfort:

"Child of my Love!  Lean Hard!  Let Me feel the pressure of your care.  

I know your burden child... While she leans on Me, this burden shall be Mine, not hers.  So shall I keep My child within the circling arms of My own love.  Here lay it down.  

Do not fear to impose it on a shoulder which upholds the government of worlds!  Yet closer come!  You are not near enough!  

I would embrace your burden, so I might feel My child reposing on my breast.  

You love me! I know it.  Doubt not, then.  But, loving me, lean hard!

I'll be in touch soon,

RP

Back at it

Well, I made it home and this surgery, so far, has been the easiest... which is a good thing b/c Mc woke up this morning with a fever of 102 and limp as a rag doll.  Once again, no, I'm not kidding, and yes, she is supposed to have HEART surgery in less than a week.

Our Pediatrician's office is open on Saturdays, so we went, but they think it must be a viral infection instead of bacterial (ie- 

no ear infection, strep, bladder infection, etc.) or, it is just too early to tell.  So, we're playing a waiting game right now.  We just have to see how she is Tuesday and go from there.  If she has a fever, they will more than likely postpone the surgery.

Anyway, we cancelled our plans to lay by the pool today and opted to lay around at home instead.  Here are some funny pics Mc took of herself  throughout the day:

Seriously?

Okay, seriously... I went to the doctor today and have to have surgery tomorrow.  No, I'm not kidding.  Apparently, one of the smaller stones off of the big one they broke up last week is stuck in my tube and holding up a bunch of other little stones from passing, so they have to go in and pull it out.  

Fantastic.  

Just how I want to spend the three day holiday weekend before my daughter goes in for heart surgery.

The Franklin Rodeo

Last night Daren and Mc went on a Daddy Daughter date.  I love it when they do that, nothing warms my heart more than to see them spending time.  (I was supposed to go, but I had a little more trouble with this litho than I did the first and just wasn't feeling to up to it.)

So, Deda and Big Mc headed out last night to go to the RODEO!  We all know how much McHaney loves horses and donkeys, so this was right up her alley.  They met Grammy (or Nana as Mc is now referring to her) and the Captain and had a big time.  Here are a few cute pics from the night:

Twins...

Too cute, aren't they?

Having too much fun with Grammy & The Captain!

Lovely

Here's a picture of the nice bruise left from my lithotripsy.  I had a matching one on the left side, but it's cleared up.  Between the bruises and the whelps left from the stickers used to keep track of my vitals, I look like someone's been beating me.

Lovely, huh?

Hopefully, this will be it!

I'm headed in this morning for my last and final surgery/procedure to take care of my kidney stones  After that, all should be well for a while.  

They said it took about 5 years to get the ones I currently have so big.  So, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for at least another 5!

Say a little prayer that all goes well!

I got a Mac!

I'm still learning how to use it, in fact I'm planning to take some classes once all our stuff is over, but I couldn't help sharing this pic we took on vacation from my "photo booth"

PS-  Check out McHaney's expression in all the pics.  Hilarious!  She was obviously very serious about something else and couldn't be bothered.

A Few Fun Things

My blog's been such a downer lately.  We're really not that pitiful, and we do have fun stuff going on everyday.  So, I thought I'd share a few fun pictures from the last few days to prove it!

Kissing DeDe's new puppy.  

He was fun and fluffy!

(DeDe refers to cousin Mandi, who got married a few weeks ago)

Modeling the new Braves hat PawPaw HAD to buy in Atlanta.

Thanks PawPaw and Gimmy, it's too cute!

Update on McHaney

Yesterday, we went to see McHaney's Cardiologist.  They told us it is finally time.  The left side of her heart is getting bigger and she needs to have her surgery pretty soon.  So, we took the first available time slot with one of the two surgeons we requested.  So, May 29th is the big day.  

As soon as they told us the date I started crying.  it just made it seem so real.  I have to say, we asked for the first available date, I little selfish on my part I'm sure, but I'm just ready for it to be over.  I don't want it looming over my head anymore.  I want to be on the other side of it and know she made it through fine.  When we are walking out of that hospital with our healthy little baby with her healed heart, then and only then, will I feel this huge burden I've been carrying lift away.  

I ask that all of you keep Big Mc in your prayers over the next few weeks.  Just pray that all goes as planned and that she comes through it fine; that God will guide the surgeons hands and cradle her in His arms throughout the whole procedure.  She has no idea it's coming, but I need strength and peace.  So, if you don't mind, pray for that too.

I promise to keep you all updated.  We go in on Tuesday before the surgery to meet the surgeon, have some blood work drawn, etc., etc.  We should know even more about what will be happening then and I'll let you all know what we know.

Thanks, in advance, for all your prayers, emails, and such!

A Few More Beach Pics

I couldn't resist posting a few of these as well:

On the beach with Adam and Jac.  I loved this pic.  

That's their Lab, Georgia, in the right corner,  Cash, the other dog, sadly didn't make this snapshot.

Watching "Word World" in the mornings; I'm, not sure who enjoyed it the most:  check out Adam's big grin.

6 months pregnant and straight out of 1976. 

(Yes, I had permission to post this!)  :)

The only pic we snapped of the 5 (or should I say 6) of us! 

I know my face looks swollen, but I've been doped up on pain meds and had about 6 bags of IV fluid run through me so I'm dealing with it.  :)

The last night... "cleaning out" the fridge.  It was disgusting.  And, Adam was quite concerned about one particular tub of meat he really wanted to take home.  So, that stayed... everything else was a free for all.  

They were disgusting.

Florida... We Finally Made It!

Well, we finally made it to the beach to enjoy some much needed R&R.  Tuesday, after my lithotripsy, Daren had Deb bring big Mc to the hospital and he loaded me in the car (yes, straight from the hospital) and we headed to the beach.  I was doped up on the previous anesthesia, hydrocodone, turdol and phenegran, so to say I don't remember much of the trip down is an understatement.  

I was glad to get there though.  We arrived late Tuesday night and were able to stay until Sunday. I had a little bit of pain, but nothing like I was having before and it was definitely worth the wait to be able to actually enjoy the vacation instead of feeling like I was dying every second.  PS-  Never let them put a stent in you.

Here are a few of my favorite pics from the trip:

typical Mc at the beach

Mc giving Deda a sugar kiss (so sweet!)

Building a sandcastle together

Putting shells in her pockets

Bubbles... a nightly affair

I Made It!

Just a quick update... I made it through surgery yesterday and am feeling much much better!  I am so glad to have the stent out and other than a little soreness and a headache that wont go away, I am no worse for the wear. (other than the tangerine sized purple bruise on my back, but that's another blog!)  Anyway, got to go, but wanted everyone to know I'm okay!  Thanks for your prayers~

Falling Apart

I really can't seem to stay out of the hospital.  Thursday night I woke up in the middle of the night with a really bad pain in my back, left side.  Went to the doctor on Friday, they said I was fine.  Friday night, woke up in the early morning with the same pain and by 8:00 was in really really bad pain.  I knew I had kidney stones from a cat scan last year, and have had them flare up in the past, so I just thought that's what was going on.  

I called the doctor and she said I should go to the hospital, not a 24 hour clinic, the nearest emergency room; "just in case".  So, it's Saturday morning, my Dad has just left for the Ukraine and I call mom and ask her if she could run by and take me over there, leaving Daren at home with Mc.  I'm totally calm... I'm thinking, I'll go in, get a scan, they'll tell me I have stones, I'll get some pain meds, and we;ll be on our way to Florida.  That's right... Florida, we were supposed to go early Sunday morning.  

Anyway, they shoot me up with some drugs and I'm feeling pretty good.  (They were really quick; I had drugs within 30 minutes of arriving!)  I think, "this is going really smooth.  I definitely made the right decision to come over and get drugs."  They give me a few xrays, a cat scan and send me back to my room.  Then all h--- breaks loose.  The ER doctor comes in and says, "well, do you want the bad news or the bad news. You don't have kidney stones, you have kidney boulders."

Apparently, an extra large kidney stone that is hard to pass is like 5mm.  I have a 7mm in my left kidney and a 10mm in my right, oh and ps, the one in the left kidney in lodged in my tube and my kidney isn't functioning.  

Hence, Sunday morning when I should have been headed to the beach, I was having emergency surgery to open my kidney up.  They put a stent in and I have been in pain ever since.  They released me late last night and I'm just staying drugged up.  Tomorrow I'm going back to have an outpatient surgery to bust up the stone in the left kidney and remove this d--- stent.  (I hate this stent.)  Then, next week I'll have to go in and have another surgery to bust up the right one.  Unfortunately, you can't do both at the same time.

Fun huh?  Wasn't it this time last year I was having my gallbladder out????