July in review

So my goal was to make a post every week. Well...that obviously didn't happen! All I can say is life has kept me away from the computer! So here is a summary of July:

6/24 - We went to Rehab to pick up Ali's power chair! WooHoo - new driver! I made cookies for all of Ali's therapists and nurses at rehab - just another little treat and 'thank you' to everyone. We practice using the power chair almost everyday, Ali can control the chair with sensors in a head rest and Shawn & I have a joystick (at almost 300lbs, it is kinda heavy to push in a manual mode). Ali will be able to take this chair to school - it will help her to socialize, participate with her classmates and be somewhat independent. I can't believe she is going to school at the end of August!
7/2 - Ali went to Build a Bear for the first time and loved it! It was for her friend Lili's 4th Birthday!
7/4 - We went over Mammie & Dia's house for a cookout! Took Ali's power chair and she drove it all over the back driveway!
7/5 - They Darmour's from the Cinci area were in town and came over for a cookout! We had a blast! Uncle Charlie, Aunt Sharon, John, Dominic also came over!
7/8 - Gavin's last swim lesson - he had a great time and even earned a certificate!
7/11 - Charlie Massi's wedding in Fremont - it was a very hot day and Ali was not holding up so Ali and Shawn drove back home and Gavin and I stayed for the reception then went home with my parents! It was so great to see all of our out of town family! Congrats Charlie & Mary!
7/12-19 - My mom stayed in town to visit and help with a garage sale! Thanks Aunt Diane for all your help too! (Thanks Dad for dropping off and picking up Mom!)
7/20-24 - Another week full of therapies. Ali is getting so strong! She is even starting to crawl again! We are also starting to wean her from the vent - slowly!
7/27-31 - A full week of therapies and doctor appointments. I'll be happy when the weekend comes!
7/28 - Gavin and I went to the Splash Pad at the Park - Hayden and Parker were there too! The boys had fun in the water!

Looking ahead, Ali is scheduled to have a surgery for tubes for her ears on Monday August 3rd. If you remember, this was scheduled for the beginning of June, but Ali spiked a temp when we checked into the hospital so we cancelled the surgery and went home! I hope this doesn't this time - although I do think that Ali gets PICU induced fevers, she just doesn't want to be there! (Can't blame her, neither do we!) We are planning on a Wed. discharge - I will keep everyone updated - I promise! :)

Click HERE to see pictures from the July!

Thanks for all the continued thoughts and prayers! We are so happy that Ali is getting stronger everyday!

The curls are gone!

Gavin had his first hair cut yesterday. Shawn and George took Gavin to Ron's Barber Shop - the local barber down the street. Ron has cut 4 generations of Kimble men. Gavin was such a good boy in the big chair! I can't believe how long his hair was until he came home with his new do. So my little boy is a little man - no more mullet! Click the 'Family Pic' link on the right for more pictures.

Ali si doing well. Still a little congested but better. I still have to call the ENT doctor to reschedule the ear tubes surgery, it will probably be in August or September. We are so excited that ALi has been so playful and happy this past week. It is so nice to see her having fun and smiling!

A fever...seriously!

So we arrived at the Cleveland Clinic at 12noon today to check in for Ali's PE tubes. Went up to the PICU to get settled in, of course I packed like we could've stayed a week or so. Ali's nurse Mandy did an awesome job starting an IV, even though Ali was restless because she missed her nap. Still unhappy, Dr. Dad (aka Shawn) felt Ali's forehead and decided she had a temp. Now everyone knows that if you have a temp the day or night before a surgery, you are probably not going to have it. So we had the nurse take a rectal temp and sure enough Ali had a temp of 39 (102.2).  We talked it over with the PICU doctor, Dr. Dan and he called ENT and they said that they would have to cancel the surgery! Oh well, we'll just have to reschedule.

At least we had a nice 7 hour visit with the PICU nurses. They were all happy to see Ali doing so well and couldn't believe how much she has grown! I realized anyways that I don't think I am ready for Ali to be in the hospital again, even for a routine elective surgery. I want to keep my baby home! It was last year on June 14th that Ali was admitted to the Cleveland Clinic - the start of her 9 month hospital stay that included a 7 week trip to CA for heart surgery. So needless to say it was very weird to be at the Clinic today, in June, and actually to be in the same room we were in then too! I have goose bumps!

So back to the cold...Gavin is getting his 'I' teeth in and I thought I had allergies but apparently the three of us are sharing a cold (but Gavin is cutting two teeth!). After a dose of Tylenol at the hospital, a nap on the ride home and already asleep by 9pm, the princess is feeling better.  We'll see what tomorrow brings!