Surgery Complete!!!

After a VERY long day, Brayton is resting comfortably. The doctors decided to do double stage which means that he still has a trach and a stent was placed to hold the airway open. The 1st stage is complete. The 2nd part will be Monday. This is when the stent will be removed. When the stent is removed, we will know a little more. Right now all looks good. There is a small, loose piece still in his airway right above the trach. They will not know if it will be ok or if another graft will have to be made. We will know more on Monday, but they said it could be fine on its own.

There are so many possibilities right now. I will not mention them all because that is all they are: possibilities. Nothing is definate right now other than my little man is okay! The main step is removing the stent. Then they have us scheduled for a scope on the 22nd. After this scope, we will plan for the near or far future. 

We MIGHT get discharged before the 22nd, but they want us to stay close until then so we will stay here in Cincinnati.

THANK YOU ALL for the prayers! I have never felt so lifted up before. God has blessed us with some awesome people in our lives! We love you all!!!

Power in Numbers...

As I was lying here awake, I looked over my Facebook. Amazing, technology is!  I have been looking at pictures from a scrolling marquee at Vicksburg mall, to a softball team wearing "Pray for Brayton" bracelets, to posts and messages from people. My family, Brayton especially, is blessed to have SO many people praying! People we know, people we just met, and some people who just happen to know someone that we know are all praying for us! This makes me cry with happiness and also helps give me strength for what we are about to face this morning! I decided to look up "bible verses on the power of numbers and came across this article on "The Power of Numbers." (The web site is listed at the end is where the article is from but will not take you to the exact article.)

Power in Numbers

I believe the Bible teaches us that when we join together the impact is multiplied far beyond just the addition of those who join together.  One plus one equals far more than two.  Let me show you what I mean.

In Deuteronomy 32:30, it says,

How could one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had surrendered them?

While this verse deals with Israel's disobedience to God and subsequent retreat from their enemies, think of what might be possible when God's people obey Him!  It says that one could chase a thousand, but two could put ten thousand to flight.

While one person can impact a thousand, two people can impact ten thousand.  That is a ten-fold multiplied effect!

Leviticus 26:7-8, when God was giving promises to His people if they would walk in His ways, states this,

You will chase your enemies, and they shall fall by the sword before you.  Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight;  your enemies shall fall by the sword before you.

Notice God says five will chase a hundred, and a hundred will chase ten thousand.  By increasing the number of people times 20, their effectiveness would increase times 100.  Again, that is a multiplied effect.

You have probably heard of the Clydesdale horses, those big, strong workhorses that can pull a lot of weight.  One horse by itself can pull two tons, but if you yoke two together they can pull 23 tons!  That is incredible!

And that is how it works when we pray together with one another.  When we join our forces in prayer and connect with heaven, that is what happens.  There is a multiplied effect. 

Www.christianrevivalnetwork.net

Reading this, all I have to say is WOW and thank you all for lifting us up! 

Believe... In love, in faith, and WATCH this miracle! "If you can believe, ALL things are possible!" Mark 9:23

Major Surgery Quickly Approaches....

I have been reading my past blogs and crying. Who would have thought that my own words and past experiences would calm me down so much from the anxiety I have been feeling! Starting yesterday, I started to feel really anxious. Not just nervous before a big game or singing in front of church, but REAL anxiety. Luckily for me, I am pretty good at appearing strong when I am not. Today, I started reading through my old blogs. My own words reminded me, "God was there. He was, He is, and always will be!" Praise God! Why should I be anxious when my God is here? He has gotten me through so much already. Why should I doubt Him now? The answers are simple: There are NO reasons to be anxious or doubtful. God is already there. He is past, present and future. I have nothing to fear!

As I continued reading old posts, a sense of strength came over me. If I can get through the past 2 years, I can make it through this too! My God will not forsake me! 

The Lord replied, "I will personally go with you, and I will give you rest - everything will be fine for you." Exodus 33:14 (NLT)

God, please continue to heal Brayton's airway perfectly and completely!

Surgery in 12 days!!!

As the surgery draws closer, several songs have been in my heart. Blessings by Laura Story, Only A Mountain by Jason Castro, and Even If by Kutless. In that particular order, I am reminded that...

1. Blessings come in many shapes and forms. Each pain and heartache is a revealing of a greater hope that we can't comprehend. And through all the tears, I know God is real now more than ever! I have been blessed beyond measure! "What if trials of this life, the pain, the storms, the hardest night, are your mercies in disguise"

2. Faith can move mountains! "This is only a mountain. You don’t have to find your way around it. Tell it to move, it’ll move. Tell it to fall, it’ll fall. This is only a moment. You don’t have to let your fear control it. Tell it to move, it’ll move. Tell it to fall, it’ll fall."

3. God is still good through it all no matter the outcome. The hardest lesson I have had to learn: "Lord we know Your ways are not our ways.

So we set our faith in who You are.

Even though You reign high above us,

You tenderly love us. We know Your heart, And we rest in who You are.

EVEN IF THE HEALING DOESN'T COME, And life falls apart, And dreams are still undone, YOU ARE GOD, YOU ARE GOOD, Forever faithful One

Even if the healing, Even if the healing doesn’t come!!!

You’re still the Great and Mighty One

We trust You always. You’re working all things for our good. We’ll sing your praise! EVEN IF THE HEALING DOESN'T COME."

God, continue to heal Brayton's airway perfectly and completely!

News from Cincinnati!!!

I FINALLY talked to Cincinnati today! The nurse hasn't called because the doctor was trying to make a final decision. Basically, the plan to have Single Stage LTP has changed. The Aerodigestive Team decided that Double Stage LTP might be better for my little man! However, when the surgery starts and the surgeon looks inside, the plan could change back to Single Stage.

The surgery is basically the same. Both take rib cartilage to reconstruct the airway. Here is the difference:

Single Stage: The surgery is done, trach comes out, ventilator (life support) goes in to act as a stint for the airway, he is in a medically induced coma in ICU for 7-10 days, we stay in Cincy up to 4 weeks, come home TRACH FREE!

Double Stage: The surgery is done, trach stays in, stint goes in to hold the airway open, we stay a week, come home. 6 weeks to 3 months later, we go back, stint comes out, trach comes out, we stay several days to make sure all is well, come home TRACH FREE!

I fully trust Dr. Cotton and his team! I feel like they truly have Brayton's best interest in mind. I do not have a date yet, but I will by tomorrow even if I have to call every hour!!! :)

Please pray for the team as they make decisions! Pray for Luke and me as we work with the doctors! Pray for Brayton that God CONTINUES to heal his airway perfectly and completely!!!

Love you all!!!

Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” (Mark 9:23 NKJV)

My 2nd Mother's Day...

As Mother's Day approaches, I have been thinking about how blessed I am to be a Mom. And not just any mom, a TRACH mom! When this all first happened, I never would have considered being a trach mom as a blessing. However, I have grown so much because of my little miracle! I have learned to put someone else's life ahead of my own. I have learned to fight and stand firm. I have learned patience (still working on this one). I have learned that there is a bigger picture. I have learned to smile through every circumstance (this, Brayton taught me)! I have grown wiser. God has shown Himself to me full force through my smiling angel. God knew what He was doing when He sent Brayton to me. And it has been the greatest adventure ever!

I have also gained a new respect for my mother! She has been my rock, my friend, my counselor and so much more! Words can't describe how much this amazing woman means to me!

My mother in law has been amazing! She keeps Brayton instead of traveling with her husband so that I can work and is always there when I need her!

I am blessed with two wonderful motherly examples! Having Brayton has made me respect each if them so much more! I would not have made it this far without them!

As we continue our journey, I am blessed, loved, and taken care of! And most importantly, Brayton is blessed, loved, and cared for!

Happy Mother's Day to ALL! 

God, continue to heal Brayton's airway perfectly and completely!!!

Results...

Ok, friends, let me start by saying that I going to explain this the best I can considering I am pretty much exhausted!

Dr. Cotton won me over when he said in his British accent, "There are no stupid questions. Your son is your most prized possession, and you are giving him to us to take care of. That is how we will treat him too."

The GI and pulmonary doctors said everything on their end looked good. Each doctor did tests and results will not be in until next week.

ENT, Dr. Cotton, said there is no reason that surgery can't be done. So, as soon as we can get it scheduled, Brayton will be having a Laryngotracheoplaty (LTP). There is a single stage and a double stage. Dr. Cotton thinks the single stage will be the best for Brayton. Basically, we will come back to Cincy, and will be here for 3-4 weeks. They take cartilage from Brayton's ribs and use it to create an airway. they will also remove the trach. He will be sedated and intubated for 7-10 days following the procedure. The tube for intubation will act as a stint for the new cartilage. When the tube comes out, we will be trach free!

The procedure can fail. But if that happens, we go back to the trach and we figure something else out. However, Dr. Cotton, the "inventor" of the surgery, is very confident that all will go well.

They only issue we should have when it is all over is that his voice will be very hoarse and raspy. It will take a while for him to speak well though. But I will take hoarse and raspy over nothing ANY DAY!!!

I will have full details next Thursday of the plan changes after the test results come in. The following week, we should have a date!!!!

PRAISE GOD FOR ANSWERED PRAYERS!!! Keep praying as we still have a long road ahead of us!!!