Hello all. Peter’s done a good job keeping you all informed about the big picture, but I’m going to throw in a quick closeup, consisting of Mommy’s perspective. Our little Nelly was a real trooper through her ordeal. She didn’t like the IV and wasn’t crazy about the tongue stitch, but those two annoyances aside, she was a lovely baby. The nurse said she could have the award for “most compliant baby,” and I have to agree. Just imagine being put through all that, and then the phlebotomist arrives–at 5:00 a.m. the next morning, thanks a lot–and has to wake you up after you’ve only been solidly asleep for about three hours, and turn on lights and flip you over and poke you and squeeze out blood and make slides all over again. And still, she hardly fussed at all.
My favorite moment was this: Later on the day of the surgery when Michelle was still pretty uncomfortable and preferred to be lying on someone’s chest, we discovered that singing was a good thing to do. I could tell by the way she rocked her bum back and forth that it was helping. So we sang her song, and then we sang our family favorite, “Christ the Lord is Risen Today.” We sing this every morning in family worship, and every week as part of our church liturgy, so the kids know it well. Much to everyone’s delight (she’s only done this rarely, and this was the first word I remember her speaking after surgery) the first round elicited from her a sturdy little “‘Men!” And then she went one better and started singing it with me. Little sweetie’s lying on my chest; she’s just had surgery; she’s hooked up to about five monitors and an IV; she’s got a stitch in her tongue; she doesn’t know how to talk; and she’s singing along and saying Amen. She sings it, by the way, quite well for a one-year-old: not hitting the notes exactly, but approximating the intervals with decent accuracy. (It’s all sung on “ah,” in case the musical aunt wants to know. It’s like this: “Ah-Ah-Ah-Ah,” and then a muddy bit involving some grimacing and shorter Ah’s, and then a truly high “Ahhhhhhhh!” and then “‘Men!”)
So, all to say, she’s been great. Now, if she can put up with wearing arm splints while she sleeps for two more weeks, she’ll be home free.
I’ll add my thanks to all who have been praying. We appreciate it so much.
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