Sunday, April 15, 2007

Sick Kids ~ Toronto




We have had a long week.

Many of you know that our youngest daughter was awaiting surgery at the Hospital for Sick Children to correct a problem with her hip and pelvis. We have been nervous and anxious about the surgery since we found out it was going to happen for sure, and I'm glad to report that the surgery was done last Tuesday morning, and we came home from hospital on Friday night. It is so hard to see your child in pain, but I have to say that it was incredible to be at such a fantastic hospital for the experience. There are things you will see there that will break your heart, and parents who are going through so much more that we were dealing with. There are lots of children who will be returning to the hospital many, many times over the course of their lives, and even more heartbreaking, there are children who won't leave the hospital. I can't help but think of how lucky we are to have a situation that is easily corrected, with very little trauma or post-operative care needed. After our daughter is out of her spica cast (a full body cast from the chest to the toe) we will be able to get on with our usual routine.

We had the most amazing nurses, (Mike, in particular!) who treated us like gold, and who were so good with our little patient. I am so thankful that she was treated so well there, and that we are on our way to recovery. For the parents and children I met, I will be praying for all of you, and hoping that all of the kids are healing well.

I want to make sure I thank all of our family and friends who have been so generous with their time, gifts and prayers. I also want to thank my friend Yolanda Rowe (also a photog!) from Tennesee for the gorgeous bouquet of flowers, the teddy and all of her kindness shown to Tanis, and to me. :) Also, the long distance friendship award definately goes to my photog friend Emanuelle Leblanc, who travelled bearing gifts all the way from Halifax to T.O. to visit us at Sick kids. :) Okay, she came with her husband who had an important appointment in T.O., but I know she secretly came to see us! ;) Thanks friends!

So, if you've tried to reach me in the past couple of weeks, and I haven't returned a call or an email, please know that I'm working my way through everything, and that I will be in touch
very soon. :)






2 comments:

Anonymous said...

gerri, your little girl is beautiful. i hope her surgery goes well. we h take a lot for grznted when we see others so much worse. we are so lucky. heather

Anonymous said...

Your daughter is so cute. I have a daughter who is only one month old and she is also in a spica cast. She was diagnosed with hip dysplasia at birth and we still have yet to find out if surgery is required. She is now in her second cast as she grew out of the last one. We have encountered many different problems with this second cast, one of them being that urine leaks into the cast due to her legs being elevated . She still has to be in this cast for two more weeks and she has been in this for 2 weeks already. It breaks my heart to see her like this and I feel so helpless. We did not go to Sick Kids as she was treated where she was born and service was not what we like to experience at all. Our family doctor is trying to get us into Sick Kids but we were told it may take months. Keep tough and this will be over. At least this is what I tell myself everyday. If anyone wants any tips of how to care for an infant in spica cast, I am more than happy to share.
Winnie