Thursday, November 4, 2010

A quick trip to Westmead this week. Ange and Georgie flew down on Monday morning and I drove.
Em and James stayed back at Dubbo.
Tuesday evening Georgie had her central line out.
We were able to go in with her and i while they did the anaesthetic and into the recovery afterwards.
The surgeon said it all went very well and just a little tug and out it came. That part of the procedure he said took only about 48 seconds! No Adhesions. No clots. Very little bleeding - so was all very straight forward.
What a relief! We had a peace that all would be well although the Dubbo Dr had told me she could NEVER have it removed as it would have grown over and could not be taken out again Ever - would have to live with it for life, she would not handle the anaesthetic, she would bleed to death etc etc. There was such a peace at the hospital when we arrived in our room and for the whole time we were there. Some lovely friends we made down there kept us almost constant company, First Mirrie Dawes our dear sister was there just after Ange arrived - to make her feel at home and then Serah who now works in the theatre section, (Serah who once went to sleep so low in life and who received a vision of Jesus standing at the end of her bed showing the nail holes in his hands and who awoke changed and never been the same again), then our lovely friend Iris May from the volunteer police office in the hospital, also a strong believer came for a cup of tea. Kathy Bates a pastor from parramatta baptist came along also and encouraged us. (Parra Baptist still pray for Georgie and us every week). Surely they will be rewarded for their faithfulness. Hospital staff came down from the CT ward where Georgie stayed for a year after she left ICU. Anges folks came down for the afternoon also.
The neurologist now the chief epileptologist came and did an examination of Georgie and organised an EEg scan and various blood tests etc. All in all it showed that she is in better health overall than when she left Westmead 2 years ago. A credit to Ange and the nurses up here and God who sustains her by His loving kindness. The 20 minute EEG scan showed that there is still lots of little epileptic firings going on in our little possums mind. Unfortunately not much else they can do with any medication but fiddle around the edges.
The Neurologist said that this kind of condition is becoming more widespread around the world yet they are still not much closer to working out the puzzle. What causes it , what does the damage and what could stop it. They are thinking more though that there is some kind of immune response to a virus. In all cases children are previously well - usually very healthy and all around the same age of 8 to 12.
He also said some positive things for us in that despite all that has happened to always talk to her as even what she has suffered she will still be hearing and probably understanding. He said there is no reason at all to assume that she cannot hear. (used to make me so mad when drs would stand over her and say all kinds of stuff about her dying etc etc)
He said the brain is just so complex that even say when one sense becomes damaged the other senses often then increase and that the brain is not always the same eg she will have periods when she does seem to be interacting and others when she's not. This was very affirming as we have often felt like there are days or times when she is "right there" and others when she's not.
Everything went to plan - the operation nearly didn't happen but some staff pulled some strings and made sure it went ahead.
They also got the OT's to come in and look aher hands and feet and make a consulting report to Dubbo to get them on the job to try to help her more.
The hospital staff just loved seeing Ange and Georgie again.
At 5am wednesday morning the Ambo's arrived at the hospital and took Ange and Georgie to the airport and they flew back home. Amazing. Down and back in less than 48hrs.
Well all a very positive time.
Thanks so much for your prayers.