1st Time

Joel and I haven't been to Disneyland in almost 3 years and I have to admit, it's a WHOLE NEW EXPERIENCE with kids. It was Brennan's first time! He loved it. He just had a hard time with the "waiting in line" thing :) We got season passes so I think the more we go, the more he will get used to it. Faith was great the whole time. She took great naps in the stroller and hung out in the sling most of the day. We had a great time and can't wait to go again. Brennan keeps talking about his favorite ride: Buzz Lightyear, he says he wants to "shoot the monsters" again :)

Qualifies!

We got our CT Scan results today. Brennan qualifies for the ear canal surgery, other wise known as atresia surgery. We have lots to do within the next 6 months to schedule it. In the meantime, we will be researching the surgery as much as possible and try to get in contact with families who have been through this before. We would love to talk with parents whose children have had it done and find out about how the surgery has improved the hearing in their children. We also have lots to work out with insurance...that's when the fun begins :)

We will probably schedule the surgery right after Brennan turns 3. The doctor is a brain surgeon up north in the Stanford area. It's an out-patient surgery that involves drilling a hole through the skull creating an ear canal and using a skin-graft to create an ear drum. The surgery will help Brennan hear from his left ear and help him with sound localization.

Thank you for all your prayers and we will keep you updated!

A Long Day

Well, we did it. Brennan's CT Scan is complete. Let's just say we are so glad it's over. We left for Children's Hospital in LA at 5:30am to get there for our 7:00am appt. Overall things went pretty smooth. We filled out paperwork and were in the prep room by 7:30. Brennan started screaming and crying when they were simply trying to weigh him, so we knew this was going to be a difficult process. It was obvious he knew something was up. Thankfully Joel's mom came along to take care of Faith so Joel and I could both be there for Brennan. Brennan's audiologist, Naomi Smith, from the Early Start Program came to lend her support and be there for us. It was truly a blessing to have her there with us to help through this emotional time. Once he was in the prep room, they attempted to do the IV in his hand...twice. It was difficult for Joel and I emotionally because we had to hold him down as he was screaming and crying. He just kept yelling, "All done!" and "Daddy, I don't want to!" After what seemed like an eternity, the IV was in. It took a while for B to calm down and relax so we sang songs, showed him pictures and talked with him about things he loves as we were waiting for his turn in the CT scan room. Once it was ready, Joel carried B into the room and I went back to the waiting area. Joel was there when they put the "white liquid" into the IV and B went limp. Joel came back to the waiting area and we sat and waited with our pager. It was only 20 minutes but the longest 20 minutes of our lives. We were finally able to go into the recovery room and be there when he woke up. He was groggy and hungry, but he didn't cry and was back to his usual self within minutes. We left with two CD's of the scan and immediately sent one up north to his Dr. We should be getting the results by next week.

Thank you for all of your prayers. Going through this has prepared us more for the next stage in Brennan's surgery process. We are learning more about trusting God through all of this and growing closer as a family.

Lastly, walking the halls of the children's hospital has again opened our eyes more to how truly blessed we are for our children's health and our own.


In the car at 5:30am...still in his pj's, he has no idea what is going on



Walking in with Grandma

Our little P-nut, along for the ride

In the waiting room

Still waiting...

He wasn't digging it at all

Not too happy

Not too sure why we are here

Putting on the gown

Going into the prep room

After the IV was put into his right arm and a few minutes of screaming and crying... now just waiting for the next step

Listening to Bible songs on my phone and singing them to Brennan, trying to calm him down

All done!!! After he woke up from 20 minutes of sedation and sharing juice with his monkey

Wed, Nov. 11th

Tomorrow, November 11th, we go in for Brennan's CT scan. We have to be at Children's Hospital in LA by 7:00am. We have been waiting a long time for this day. We are not looking forward to Brennan being starved of food past midnight and sedated for the test, but we are looking forward to getting it over with and finding out the results. It is the first big step into deciding what we will do next: hearing aid or surgery and reconstructive surgeries in the future. We will be sending the CT scan CD to a Dr. up north and we will hopefully have the results within days. We will update with the news.
Thank you for your prayers.

Bath Buds

Finally, they can take a bath together now!!! It's so fun for them and easier for me!
Few interesting things happen though...not too fun when the little one decides to poop in the tub (B doesn't understand why I rush them out, save all they toys, clean out the tub, then fill it back up again and start over) or when B says "where sissas pee pee go?"...hmmm...how to explain that to a 2 1/2 year old...... oh the great memories we are creating :)

I'm Special

I'm Special

On my way from Heaven,

God delayed my trip that day.

He said that I was special,

and then sent me on my way.

But not before he kissed me,

Right upon my ear

He left his blessed mark

to carry with me here.

He whispered in my ear right then,

that He loved me without doubt,

and then He closed my ear up tight,

so the whisper won't get out.

He told me both my legs were strong

and would help me stand up tall.

He told me both my arms would work

to catch me if I fall.

My eyes would catch my memories

to store within the pages of my mind,

My heart would fill with all the things I would love,

so many things, I would find.

He told me I could fall asleep

to my Daddy's bedtime tales,

and listen while my Mother sings

of seas and boats with sails.

One ear, He told me, could hear the sounds

that little birdies make.

The other ear was His gift to me,

a blessing for my sake.

For when I'm feeling sad, He said,

my other ear would hear,

His whispered words of eternal love,

left waiting for me there.

(Author Unknown)

CT Scan

We have a CT scan set for Brennan!!! It's been 2 1/2 years of waiting and praying for this very meaningful day. It's set for November 11 at Children's Hospital in Los Angeles so if you could please continue your prayers, we would really appreciate it.

The day Brennan was born we knew he would have a few surgeries in his near future. One of the first things that needed to be done early in the process was a CT scan. We quickly learned that the best time for him to have a CT scan would be at 2 1/2 years old. The inner ear structures are more developed at this age and show a more clear picture of the inner structures of his ear. It seemed so far away then but after several hearing tests, speech evaluations, therapy sessions and visits to various doctors who specialize in his condition, the fun begins. As a result of God's goodness, it appears as though Brennan has not been affected at all by the little ear (and hearing loss) he was born with. He continues to impress his teachers, doctors and family with his vocabulary, speech clarity and yes, if you know him too, his personality.

Ultimately, the CT scan will determine if he qualifies for atresia repair surgery, otherwise known as making an ear canal (ear hole) and an ear drum. If he qualifies, he will most likely have the surgery around 3 years old (in 6 months). If he doesn't qualify, we will start the process for a hearing aid. We are also beginning the process for his ear reconstructive surgery that will take place when Brennan is around 3 1/2.

This process is something we have been researching, praying about and waiting for. Now that the time is near, we are almost dreading it. Surgery, especially for a 2-3 year old, is a delicate and fragile process. Atresia repair is also a very risky procedure. Of course we want to help Brennan hear better and help his "little ear," we just dread watching our little guy going through the surgeries. Please keep our family and the doctors in your prayers. More updates to follow...