The Little Heart That Could

Camdyn's six-week post-op follow-up appointment was on Thursday.  We went into it hopeful, wondering if it would be the long-awaited day that she we all would regain a little more freedom, but not so hopeful that we could be terribly disappointed.  We barely muttered those words of hope to each other, and definitely not within earshot of our little loves (why get her hopes up to have them shot down?).  But, hey, it was her six-week post-op follow-up.

Waiting at the lab and taking X-rays like a pro! 

We followed the same drill as before:  pack breakfast, fill up our coffee mugs, leave the house no later than 8am, hit the Lab for blood work, swing by Imaging for X-rays, then head to the Cardiology Clinic.  While there, they did her EKG and sent us to the Testing Dept. for her echo before returning.  All in all, it was a pretty smooth transition between everything, given the combination of crazy energy levels of our littles (a little boy, in particular) and the wait times in between.  

Sitting in our room at the Cardiology Clinic and a trip to the Big Red Heart!

After reviewing everything, her cardiologist determined that she looks great...that it is the best case scenario all around.  The BEST CASE scenario.  Praise God!!!  No fluid build-up, clear sinus rhythm, good blood pressure and muscular movement, normal diaphragm and BUN (blood work).  Her sats were registering at 98!  Her incision and other scars/scabs are healing nicely.  Next, we discussed the near-future plan for her recovery.  At her request, we can now offer her up to one liter of fluids per day (which is another very tall glass, or a bowl of frozen yogurt).  We have a plan for decreasing her lasix over the next 3 weeks (so now she will be off of them right before school starts).  We no longer need to hold her back from full-fledged playing (unless she begins acting/responding abnormally).  And the best part?  We can ease her back into being in public again.  This means that we can return to church (which we VERY HAPPILY did yesterday!), go out as a family (somewhere other than the hospital), and she can see her little friends...just as long as we are careful to do our best with keeping her healthy and not have her around anyone who is sick (a cough or cold could still cause fluid buildup and a return trip to the hospital).

We can return to "normal life" as a family.  She's the "Little Heart That Could," completely and solely by the solid grace of God.

Her diet is still restricted, and will be for some time, but she is now almost back up to her pre-surgery weight, and she never complains about missing out on food...and all the while, eating like a champ!  If you know our Camdyn, you know what a wonderful surprise of a treasure that is!

What was the very first thing she wanted to do with her our newfound freedom?  Select new paint chips at Lowe's, of course!  Some days, I think she'd rather do that than go to a candy store.  (Can you say "mommy's girl?").  She flitted around like a butterfly picking out her colors...I think I made her stop at 10.

So many colors, so little time!

We've often discussed the fact that those six weeks and two days of surgery recovery were the longest weeks ever...and at the same time, it flew by.  SO.  MUCH.  HAPPENED.  It really did drag on many most days, but we blinked and it was gone.  That's so crazy when we think about it (do I sound crazy?), but it really is true.  All the talk for so many months, several years, really, and it's behind us.  It's already behind us.  And we're planning our next trip to the coast for later this week!

God knew all along how everything would turn out, what it would all look like on the other side of this. He designed it.  He ordered it. He got us all through it.  What an amazing, awesome, divinely-inspired JOY it is to be looking back on it already, and in this way.  He was our bread, our air, our hope, and our strength through it all.  He used others to bless us tremendously (and He continues to do so).  We sought Him each step of the way and we were never given a single day without the reminder of His sovereignty in some way.  Jeremiah 28:13 says, "You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart."  It's true, friends.  Search for Him.  He may not answer when or how you expect, but rest assured that He will answer.  We are so grateful that His will included a steady, solid recovery for Camdyn.  SO GRATEFUL.  He never left us or forsook us.  Great is His faithfulness.

The challenge now is to remember those blessings and acts of grace each day going forward as we did so vividly then.  I don't want to take anything for granted.  I don't want to think in a few months how I've become desensitized just because it is far behind us.  I want to embrace each day as it is, blessings and difficulties.  I want to end each day thanking God for all of it...for the blessings He allows us to enjoy, and the difficulties He uses to make us grow.

Embrace today...and search for Him with all your heart.