Mavery's Moments

If you missed my "technical details" post, please scroll down for information on Maverys surgery. So after they take us in the room and deliver the news to us, I go to our room where they are just wheeling Mavery in. She was sound asleep and just looked so little laying there on that big bed. They had her swaddled up like a taco and oh my heart wept just seeing her. All this news the doctor had just told us, and I look at her perfect little face and can't believe that she is so sick inside! You know, I was not excited about having to go to Childrens Hospital. Simply because it is huge, of course and I just like small. But the nurses we had were amazing. One was with me when Mavery came in and I am crying and I told her, "just not the news we expected, BUT, Thank the Lord she is home from China and we can fix her", and the nurse starts bawling with me.

They tell me that they are going to rush and have a lung profusion test done before she wakes up, as they are certain she is going to wake up very soon. They said they had to give her the highest dose of drugs to keep her under. As I am sitting there waiting she is talking in her sleep and she says mama. She is still out, but it sure did my heart good. This little girl who just 3 months ago did not know what a mama was, and under drugs she is calling for her mama.

They take us downstairs for the scan, with extra drugs in hand because the scan is kind of like an mri with a machine spinning around her chest. It took 2 nurses and us to hold her still AND those extra drugs. She was throwing her arms around, talking, fun times. The scan measures blood flow to the lungs. I really do not get this part, but know they said they will do another one after surgery to compare.

Back upstairs where she is waking up more and more. Our other nurse was SO sweet to. She stayed with us half the day getting Mavery to lay still. Let me tell you, this was not a one man task. She had to lay flat, on her back. You can imagine how much fun this is for a 3 year old. So one person basically gets to hold pressure on the surgical site to keep it from bleeding. If it started bleeding, we started over again with the laying flat. So even if it would start 5 hours in, you lay for another 6 hours. This was high motivation for us to keep her still. Mark and I were pretty sure we were back on the airplane ride from China, which if you remember was MISERABLE. She just could not sleep in a strange bed I think. The nurse said she had never seen anything like it and was pretty sure that the doctor hearing mavery scream was motivation for him to get them some better drugs after a cath! We kept telling them if they thought Mavery was wild, they should see her sister! ;0) Can you even imagine keeping Sage down for 6 hours? Though Sage will watch tv, Mavery NOTHING. Plus, she was SO drugged. She saw lots of people dancing on our ceiling in our room. She called out for Sage many, many times.

We were very thankful for Ms Jenny who would have stood on her head if it would have made Mavery happy. Or me happy for that matter! ;0)
Along with all our family that was there praying with us and for us and those of you who were praying at home and all the encouragement you sent. Thankful for Megan here watching the kids, and our parents taking them for tonight and tomorrow so Mavery can stay quiet. We feel very loved that is for sure.

While it was not fun watching Mavery so MAD and upset and I shed many tears as she is crying to be "fixed" but really she had no idea what she wanted, at least there were alot of comical moments. Since she was so drugged just when I would be so sad, she would do something goofy that would make me laugh like pointing at Mark and calling him a horse and him imitating one for her (oh picture it, the neighing and all!) her singing her heart out "I know, I know what I stand for, I know, I know what I believe". Or HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUUUUUUUUU!! Even her slapping me and telling me to go away was funny because it was just not her. Peeing on Mark, pointing at things that we can't see, telling the nurse NO, THAT's MINE in her slurred words.. Lots of things that just made us giggle. And my favorite as we are leaving she says as clear as could be (and alot of her words were very slurred) "I want Mc Donalds!" That is my all american girl! Drugged or not, we know Mc Donalds makes it all better!

A very long emotional day. In some ways, pretty much a waste. They could have skipped this and just done surgery. But I know they hoped this would fix it. We prayed this would fix it. And while of course I was upset and sad and worried and anxious and all those things, God whispered over and over, "this is why she HAD to come home and be yours RIGHT NOW". If Mavery had not been put on a list to be adopted, she would probably not have lived long in China. The fact that she lived long enough for them to take her to a doctor and then that they did her heart surgery, a miracle. The fact that she came home now, not next year, another miracle. The fact that I found her, that God is letting me raise her, that I get to be a part of her healing, all miracles.

Now of course, my prayer is that He, who knit her little heart together, would perform a miracle once again. That He will somehow stun those surgeons when they go in there and that aneurysm will be gone, and that it will not be a big deal at all to widen those arteries. That her little bump on her chest will be fixed so she does not have to worry about that as a teenager. Most important that we would walk with Him and trust His plan.

Oh so sweet moment.. Megan had said Sage was sad today and worried about Mavery. So on our drive home we decided we would drive by my parents house, they are keeping the 4 all night. We just wanted them to peek in at Mavery and know that she is ok. Now, let me add that the nurse was just SURE that Mavery would be asleep as soon as we left the hospital as she had not slept all day. So she was awake & loopy for sure. We get to their house and the kids come out and I said, ok, lets be really quiet and just go tell Mavery hi. Well Sage sees Mavery and starts squealing and screaming, "MAVERY, HI MAVERY" w/ her little giggle. SO, so sweet the bond that is forming so strong between these 2. That was my first question for the nurse today, can my other kids see her after surgery. I do not think Mavery would do well with out them for a week or vice versa. And thankfully after she is out of the ICU they will be able to say hi. I can promise you that Childrens Hospital won't ever forget the Laxton family! ;0)

Keep on praying with us. We know that He hears our prayers.