News, Surgery, Baby, Prayers......

This picture is from last summer at Lake Tahoe.  My girl is brave.

This morning was the meeting between all the specialists at CHKD who were going to look at Ella's case.  As I anticipated, I got a call from Dr. Fox shortly after she got to work which coincided with me just sitting down and explaining Ella's health issues to my OB.  I took the call while with my OB just long enough to get the major gist of the meeting which was:  All of the doctors there, including the one who specializes in kidney tumors etc. all concur that what is there is not a malignancy but rather a localized abscess.  Still I feel nervous about that, but this news kept me on a high for most of the day.

Then we called her back to talk about the next step.

Ugh...... So the next step just didn't seem like it could be THAT bad.  Infection/abscess seems like something you can just take antibiotics for or like something that a lay person like me would assume would not be a big deal.  But I guess like an abscess on your toe or mouth, it would need removed.

As it is still a better option than her having cancer (PRAISE GOD for that! )  It is going to require a major surgery.  Excuse me if none of what I say from here on makes sense, we have a TON of questions and it is all overwhelming:

She needs a partial nephrectomy. (removal of part of her right kidney)  Sometimes this can be done laparoscopically but because the abscess goes inside of the kidney,  Dr. Fox said that eliminates her as a candidate......?  So they will have to make an incision which would be about the size of Ella's hand, under her rib.  (My girl is itty bity and so are her hands, but relative to her little body her hand is quite large. ) The surgery is a big one.  There are risks.  Blood loss being one, long term urine leakage, blah blah what?!  I think it's the risks that are making me nauseous.
She could be in the hospital several days recovering.  She could have a stint for a month after.  She will probably have a spinal or epidural in order to keep her comfortable for a couple of days after the surgery.  (Unfortunately I've explained what an epidural is to her because I plan on having one when this baby comes....I suppose we will leave out that detail when it pertains to her)

Dr. Fox will be performing the surgery, and because it's a big surgery she won't do it alone, she will have at least one other urologist with her.

Jon and I are writing down our thousand questions.  We will talk with Dr. Fox again tomorrow to ask them.  Ella can have the surgery as soon as Aug 15th.  (One week from today)  That allows for two weeks before school starts.

Let's not forget the kicker.  Who here is due to have a baby in 9 days or less?  Part of the wonderfulness of this pregnancy and part of the reason we are having another child is because of Ella.  Her desire and begging for a baby brother or sister was one of the reasons that pushed us over the edge to decide to do so.  The other beautiful thing is her love for this baby. Her excitement and understanding of the miracle of life growing inside me is simply so wonderful.  She is SO excited for her brother to come, and so excited to be there when he does.  Of course she won't be in the room when he comes out, the plan was immediately afterward, but she needs to be there and she needs to have a chance to bond with him before she goes in for surgery.   I feel that also, after surgery, during hard times, babies simply make things better.  I know that for Ella who adores babies beyond anything in the world, this would be a benefit to her recovery...... Problem currently is that I'm not dilated.  Cervix is thinning, but that's about it.  My Dr. (Dr. Busche) is awesome.  She said if I come in next week and ask her to examine me she will strip my membranes and induce me.  She said I have a good reason.....criteria is that my cervix be "favorable".    Ideally, this baby comes tonight.  God's plan though.......

So that's what I know.  Likely makes very little sense and I'm sure I left a ton out.  We are so grateful for your prayers.  We are so lucky to have an amazing support network of friends, family, navy family, neighbors and church family.  We do ask for continued prayer for all of us.  Prayers for Ella and for her little brother to arrive sooner rather than later.  It's game time yo.  We want this behind us.

Side note about Baby Boy, if you want to pray for him, his name John Frederick.  Freddie for short.  After his great-grandfather.