Surgery

We said YES to Chapman

though we didn't know exactly what her medical needs entailed

We had suspicions

And we knew it could involve surgery

BUT we knew she was ours AND we knew her medical needs were correctable 

 Wednesday, October 19, 2016 came a bit faster than we anticipated

Barely 5 weeks home and just as we were beginning to get a handle on our new family

 Chapman's spinal cord was tethered and in order to prevent any damage to her nerves or kidneys or bladder function, surgery was imminent as her cord needed to be untethered yesterday.....

 This baby is a treasure

A true blessing to all who have met her

She was all smiles and sweet sleep unless you were coming towards her with a thermometer - we all still pause and question why the thermometer was so unsettling to her as there was no pain at all involved in taking it under her arm.

 For 48 hours, this sweet girl laid on her back and never once fussed about it! Seriously.

 Bless.  48 hours later and she was able to get up for the first time.  We were all so excited yet I am pretty sure she would have preferred us to just leave her alone.  She was quite happy and in no pain just hanging out in her bed.  

 Surgery was on Wednesday, one night in the PICU, two nights in the "intermediate" PICU and we were on our way home!  

 Nothing made our hearts more full than to see Miss Chapman with her sisters and brothers.  They all could not get enough of her and she was all smiles as she began her recovery at home.

So thankful this surgery is behind us.  The surgery itself was not bad but the first week home was nothing for the weary.  Chapman hates to take medicine so wrestling her down every three hours for pain meds was no fun.  And then the bandage.  Ugh.  I had no idea what I was doing and I was so afraid she was going to break if I turned her the wrong way - not to mention she screamed every.single.time we had to change her diaper.  Finally, Friday came and the clouds began to part and the light shone through!  It was an amazing day filled with Chapman walking and playing and smiling and her little personality that we knew was in there began to appear again!