Micah's Surgeries Day 4 & 5

Day 4: 
What a busy couple of days! Monday was a tough day off and on between Micah waking up hallucinating, trying to rest and visitors, etc. She was becoming more and more uncomfortable as the day went on and I believe much of the stress was mounting the closer we got to surgery day #2. The fact she couldn't really rest and didn't get much sleep the night before only added to her disorientation and discomfort, I think. Despite it all, she has handled it so well!
My sisters Jessica and Abby came with my nephews and brought yummy lunch and snacks and were a great distraction for a while! Micah was very happy to see her aunt Abby!

Many other friends came by for a visit Monday as well: My in-laws pastor from Scotts Hill made the trip in to pray for Micah, my cousin Maggie brought Elijah and my Aunt Polly and my sweet Oma who made sure to tell Micah several times to rest rest rest! Maggie also brought Get Well notes from she and Elijah along with flowers and a bag of treats! My close friend Lawanda came by again, this time with quite the surprise for me:

Oh yes folks, that there in that paper sack is.....GARRETTS popcorn!!! My FAVORITE ever since Lawanda introduced it to me when she brought me some from Chicago. She asked her cousin to bring some for me when she came back from Chicago this weekend just so she could surprise me! So.stinkin.delicious. I can make myself sick off this stuff. And well, I have. The Edible Arrangement is from my sweet friends Leigh and Mrs.Sally. Yum! Don & Phyllis McKenzie came by for a visit along with Gary's buddy Al and my Dad.
Angie Davis brought Dalton and Hailey Ellis by with the most awesome gift from all the elementary kids at Great Commission Church:

 Absolutely awesome! We hung it up so Micah could see it from her bed! She loved it!
Gary came by for the evening and agreed to stay the night again with me up here. He also brought me dinner AND a special thoughtful treat to brighten my day:

 GiGi's cupcakes! So thoughtful!

Micah's evening wasn't so awesome, and it was the first time she got truly agitated and upset. I can't imagine what her little body must be going through and she really hasn't been in her right mind. Its been so frightening to watch and I'm glad it has decreased a little. Praying for rest...

I feel like I'm leaving something out or not mentioning something someone has brought us but know that all of it has been appreciated! I'm just not functioning on all 4-cylinders! And I also don't even know what that means...

Day 5: Surgery #2
Up early!!  Preparation for Micah's 2nd surgery started so early today! She was so uncomfortable and very upset all morning but tried to make the most of it! The epidural turned off in the middle of the night, so the effects were beginning to wear off and though she still had some morphine in her, her anxiety was mounting. She would become upset and anxious anytime someone began messing with her arms for fear of getting yet ANOTHER shot or IV and I don't blame her! They finally pulled the 5th IV this morning as well because her arm was starting to swell on the left side this time. Poor weak little veins! But this time they promised not to put another one in until she was asleep.
To help with this process, I read her some of the notes people have been leaving her when they come visit. What a testimony to Micah of how much people love her and what a great testimony to the nurse working with the IV of how God is showing His love to Micah through our family and friends. I pray it impacted her life as well in some way.
We made it down to the pre-op area and poor Micah was just so over it. They gave her the Versed to relax her. We saw sweet Paige who was on duty in the ICU the night that Micah was admitted for the first time way back in October of 2001 and has maintained a connection with us over the years. She brought Micah a fun gift too! :) Micah wanted me to sing to her so I did a little while we waited and it calmed her down. Well, that and the Versed. They prepped her, talked to us, and wheeled my baby off!
They kept us posted all day and she did GREAT in the surgery! It took less time than the first surgery but was a much bigger operation they said. They put in 20 screws along with the rods and sewed her back up. They took the chest tube out, re-did the epidural and foley and gave her bigger stronger IVs that will hopefully last...Here's hoping.

Here is our little fighter before they wheeled her down to pre-op!

While she was out, Chris Bishop brought us lunch, my parents came by, Anna brought sweet Lucy Kate to see us (with a treat for ME and bread for us to snack on!) and Mandy with a bag full of goodies (including duck tape which will thrill Micah to add to her duck tape collection!!!! haha). 

When Micah was finally back upstairs, she was way more awake than anyone expected but eventually settled down and has been sleeping most of the evening. Gary and I were able to go downstairs to eat, thanks to Mom for sitting with Micah and then we were able to just relax and watch a movie while Micah slept on. I guess I am bracing myself for the harder days to come. Lord give me strength and patience and energy to help Micah recover! She is my little hero! I hope she hears me when I keep telling her this and I hope she remembers..

Oh one more cool thing, just a testimony of how giving Micah is! She had her soft blanket on her because she was so cold when she came up (they have an ice vest on her, cooling her torso to prevent high fevers from the surgery) but tonight when the nurses were checking her back, she asked them to give the blanket to me because I was cold. I mean, really?? Love this kid.