Rebekah's surgery

We spent the morning  of  Rebekah's heart surgery holding her tight and meeting the team that would be taking care of her during the procedure.  They explained their part in the event and answered any questions that we had. 
I am sure that May 9th is a date that will always stick out on the calendar to me.  It was the day that I had to watch Trey hand our precious baby girl over to the nurse who would then walk her into the Operating room for her balloon valvoplasty.  All Trey and I could do was hold on to each other, turn our backs and walk away.  Although she seemed to be a very sweet lady, she was still a stranger that we had met only a few hours before. This was by far one of the hardest things I have ever had to do! Still weeks later it brings tears to my eyes and I get a giant lump in my throat just reliving the moment.  I am so thankful that I had my faith and my wonderful strong husband to hold onto during that time.   
When we left Rebekah we headed down the elevator to the waiting room, where our sweet friend Paula met us. There we sat and first thing we did was get online to send out updates.  I was immediately overwhelemed by the numbers of people that we saw that were already lifting up our girl and her procedure.  What a comfort God's people were to me during this time.  Just knowing that we could join together in prayer, no matter where we were,  and pray for Rebekah and that a living God was hearing my prayers... Such comfort!
We waited for our hourly updates.  Not only were we delighted to hear that things were going very smoothly at hour 1 but we were elated that at our 2 hour update the team had completed what was estimated to be a 3 hour procedure.  We were moved into a meeting room to have a personal update from the surgeon himself.  He explained all they did and gave us her new pressure levels as of post op. Praise the Lord that they were able to fix her valve so easily.   He then instructed us to wait for one final call that they were ready for us up in recovery.
We held our breaths for just a few more minutes and then recieved the call to head upstairs to be with our baby girl.  We walked to her bed to see her laying there, waking from anesthesia, white as a sheet.  I was so glad to see her little face but she looked so pitiful.  The nurses immediately let me hold her then I handed her off to Trey, Shepherd needed to go potty :) We then spent the 6 hours of recovery taking turns holding Sweet Rebekah while the anesthesia wore off.  She started to perk up at about hour 4 we were released after 6 hours of observation. 
We are thankful that the surgery went so smoothly and without any complications.  I know that the Lord used this event to bring Himself glory.  I am honored that the Lord not only used it in my life,  but we also know that He used it in the lives of others that we know.   

Rebekah's surgery consult

Trey, Rebekah and I left Corpus Christi the early on the Monday morning after Easter.  The big kids got to have have their first visit at MeMe and PawPaw's without us.  We left them there for a couple extra days because #1 my mom and Dad where willing to keep them and #2 we had a couple of Dr. appointments for the babies that we could not take them to. 
On Monday afternoon we had our first appointment with Rebekah's surgeon at Texas Childrens Hospital Downtown.  The appointment went GREAT, it was long but that was to be expected. They did an additional chest X-Ray and then with had the consult with Dr. Petit.  We also met with his nurse after we visited with him.  All of the information was communicated very clearly and consisely.  They called us the very next day with the date of her procedure.  I am very thankful that my parents watched the kids b/c the waiting would have been stressful with the additional kids tagging along.  Here are some pics for the appointment. 

In the waiting room.  One of the nurses fell for the adorable smile and brought Rebekah out a teddy bear.  I dont judge her that smile gets me ALL the time.

Playtime with Daddy while we wait for the Doc.  I love that man! The one in the picture not the Doc :)

Congenital heart defect

At our sweet Rebekah's routine 9 month check up, our doctor heard a heart murmur.  We have been waiting to have our first appointment with a pediatric cardiologist at Texas Children's Hospital.  She will be 11 months old next week, yes we had to wait a LONG time to get in.  I was waiting to post because it could have been nothing. 

We had our appointment last Thursday and it turns out it may be the first of many appointment. 

We had been told the murmur was loud but oh, how we wish it was NOTHING.  That is not the case.  Rebekah was diagnosed with Pulmonary Stenosis (PS).

From the American Heart Association:
The pulmonary valve opens to let blood flow from the right ventricle to the lungs.  Narrowing of the pulmonary valve ( valvar pulmonary stenosis) causes the right ventricle to pump harder to get blood past the blockage.  Moderate to severe PS will require treatment with heart catherterization or surgery. 

Rebekah's pressure level is high, at a little over 4. Which puts her in the upper moderate to severe level.  Her valve only opens about 20-30%. 

She will require a procedure called a Balloon Valvuloplasty.  This is a procedure done in the cath lab at the downtown TCH. 

We do not know the date or much about the procedure yet.  We will have a consultation down at the Med Center, hopefully within the next week and then the procedure will follow. 

We would definitely appreciate your prayers and I will keep you update the best I can. 

I am truly thankful for God holding her little heart  in His hands.  I am also amazed and SO thankful that she is not exhibiting symptoms.  From what I understand, once symptoms start to show it can be a sign that the defect has progressed to the point that permanent damage may have been done to the heart. 

Here are some pictures from our visit:

Beautiful girl as we were heading out the door to the appointment

oh, that face :)

Wonderful Daddy praying for his little girl

Daddy holding his baby girl, trying to get her to sleep for the echocardiogram

And she's out safe and sound in her Daddy's arms

Getting hooked up for the EKG

"Mama?!"

"What is all this?"

Precious girl sitting still for the test

Fear rushes over me

Hannah has been acting a little "off" today. She had no appetite and commented that her tummy hurt several times. I thought she was just constipated. After nap her checks seemed red and she was very lethargic. She just laid in her bed, in the kids bedroom, while Samuel and Abigail played during what we call "room time". I finally had her come and rest in her Daddy's recliner and then decided I would take her temperature. Long story a little shorter. Hannah is running a fever 102. degrees.

As I walked back into the living room, after taking Hannah's temp and giving her Tylenol, my eyes moved toward Rebekah in the bouncer. Fear immediately rushed over me. I could feel the anxiety starting to build. Rebekah is still not 6 weeks old. If she starts running fever we will be headed back in the ER again. Just the thought of going through that whole ordeal again, her little body being poked and prodded all over again and more days and nights in the hospital, sent me over the edge. Fighting back tears I immediately asked Trey to pray and intercede because my fear was getting the best of me. I started repeating "Be anxious for nothing but in prayer and supplication make your requests know unto the LORD." ..."Be anxious for nothing..."

So, if you are reading this and you pray to the one true God, My Father in Heaven, Please lift up our Sugar Plum Rebekah. Please pray that she will remain fever free. Also, please pray for our little Pumpkin Hannah, that she will get over this bug quickly and not pass her germs to the rest of us.

Trusting in the LORD and hoping for a smooth night.

Moments

I really need to do this more often, Share the sweet and funny things my girls say. They really are great talkers. We have some fantastic conversations! Here is one from this morning.

I was helping Hannah in the bathroom...


Me, "Hannah you already have your panties on?!"
Hannah,"Yes while you were sleeping, cause I didn't want to wake up my baby hiser"
Me, "What a big girl!"
Hannah, "I am ready for my baby hiser to come out!"
Me, "Smoooooch, You are precious in my sight!"


Lord, Thank you for My precious precious children!

* I am including this adorable pic of her with her Daddy from this morning. She feed ALL her babies on the couch and then piled all of them on her Daddy's lap. She told him..

Hannah, "Now dont get up cause they will fuss."

Daddy, ... BIG smile

Baby Girl #3

Baby Girl #3 officially has a name. She will now affectionately be known as Rebekah May Krum. Oh, how i love her so! We saw her move for the first time on my birthday night :) Happy Birthday to me!



I am getting excited about pink again, I think that I am actually going to make a girly nursery this time. Wow, I know a little crazy for me. I am VERY practical and frugal, I have always done unisex bedding with primary colors. Now don't worry I am not totally off my rocker, I am going to reuse some stuff. But I am throwing in some pink and I think that I am going to use the yellow gingham curtains that were in the girls room. The girls room is turning into the kids room, brother will be joining the mix. I will post pictures of the transformations once they are complete.



I go to the Dr. again next week and will update with more news then. That is the latest on our little Rebekah May. Please keep her in your prayers.

Its a .....

Went to the Doctor today. I was a little off on my time I am 19 weeks Friday, further along than I thought. Almost half way there. Thankfully the nausea has subsided for the most part and fatigue and occasional head aches are my only enemies now. Well that and some food cravings :)

Baby looks great!!! Saw all four chambers of the heart, arms, legs, feet and much more. Doc said everything looks fantastic and we got some really clear pics.

Drum
Roll
Please..............................................................................................................................!





Its a ........................................Girl! There will be another sweet little pink thing around here in a few months :)

The growing secret

Monday I was trying on dresses for the cruise. Abigail stopped and looked at me and said," Is there a baby in there, because your tummy is big" Don't you LOVE it!! I just looked at her for a minute not sure what to say. Because, the answer is YES :) but Trey wasnt home to share in the news delivery and we have been waiting to tell the girls until I was in my second trimester.

In June I had what I call an unexpected miscarriage, not that any are ever expected. By unexpected I mean that after having 3 healthy children, 2 with which were not high risk, I kinda thought I was out of the woods. The fear that followed from the 2 miscarriages before Abigail had passed. So we told the girls very early, with the last miscarriage, about their brother or sister to be. They were delighted about having a baby and even more devastated when we had to share the sad news of the loss.

So, all that so say that we decided, to protect our little girls this time. We told no one for a long time in an effort to really keep it a secret. Abigail picks up on everything!! But you can only hide a growing belly for so long. Especially the growing belly of a young Mama on pregnancy #7.

I am 14 weeks now and things are looking good. Very different pregnancy for me this time. We would love your prayers for our little one and be expecting more news and updates on Krum baby #7 in the coming months.

Again

We are sick again! Please pray for us. Really hoping it is just a short stomach bug. Samuel was sick on Wednesday night. I was sick last night and this afternoon and Trey threw up this afternoon. There is no fever and the girls have a birthday party tomorrow afternoon that they are really looking forward I guess we will have to wait and see.

Prayer time

Tonight we went through our normal Saturday night routine. Dinner, baths for Church, and then bedtime. We spent some time brushing hair for church in the morning. I brushed Abigail's and then she brushed mine, while I brushed Hannah's and then we let Hannah brush her own for a few minutes. We talked about how pretty we all looked and then moved into our nightly prayer time. Our nightly devotional time is so precious. We all choose who want to pray for and the girls often interject requests as Trey prays. So sweet to hear what is on their little hearts. Tonight's was too funny not to share. As a book that I am reading calls it "true unadultarated humor", straight from the mouth of a adorable little girl.

As Trey is praying ...
Hannah adds, "and thank you for my hair"
Abigail then says," and pray that you (Daddy) will grow hair so that I can brush it someday!"

Controlling my laughter was very difficult!For those of you that don't know Trey, he is slightly balding. He shaved his head most of his college years but has just been keeping it short the past couple years. He just shaved it again this morning because I think he looks like a hunk bald! Thank you LORD for laughter and for the sweet children that bring us so many laughs!!!