Back to School, Back to School...

Everyone Loves a Skibness

The girls were feeling a little left out with everyone's first day of school photos so we decided to pretend they were going to school too.

ENJOY!!

Cecilia Hope, Isabelle Grace, Zoe Elizabeth

Standing, Eye Balls and Weight Gain

Only in the Skibness Household ...

August 21, 2015 - Cecilia stands up

Only in the Skibness Household would you hear discussion of bloody eye balls and strategy to most effectively gain weight along with a celebration for someone standing up!  

She Did It!!

We took a trip to visit the farm up in Northern Minnesota for our cousin's wedding (she looked beautiful by the way), and upon our arrival, Cecilia decided to surprise us.  After 25 months, after six hours in the car, Cecilia decided she was ready to stand up completely unassisted!  Tears and celebration were immediate!

EYE BALLS

Momma & Zoe at her Pre-Op Appointment

Zoe was scheduled for her fancy eye surgery on Wednesday, September 9, 2015, in Rochester.  Grandma Jan made the journey with me on Tuesday, September 8 for Zoe's pre-op appointment with Dr. Brodsky.  

Zoe Waiting for Surgery

Then bright and early Wednesday morning, Adam and I packed the car, ready to potentially spend yet another night in Rochester, and grabbed one of our children, this time Zoe, to travel for yet another surgery.  

We had been told to be prepared for Zoe to be black and blue with bloodied eyes for 4 - 6 weeks, which put us right up to my sister's wedding - EEK!!  We met with the surgeons and anesthesiologists, again, and then settled in to wait.  

Waiting this time was much more challenging this time for me.  Something about the eyes really just makes me uneasy.  I worried.  The worst case scenario (other than death) would lead to Zoe being blind.  Of course Dr Brodsky assured me that this was just a routine procedure but nothing seems to be routine in our world.  

Zoe's Eyes Following Surgery

Dr. Brodsky was going into work on Zoe's eyes - both of them.  He would be tightening up two muscles on each eye to help Zoe see and track better.  It is my understanding that very surgeons in the country will tackle this surgery like he did.

So I paced ...

Finally, we were told Dr. Brodsky was ready to meet with us.  I was nervous (so was Adam but he won't admit it).  Dr. Brodsky joined us and said Zoe was a rockstar.  She did fabulous!!  The only hiccup was she had been under for longer than they anticipated because he had been able to look at her retinas (remember one detached and we flew to Michigan), inspect her eyes for a status update on her glaucoma, and he performed a full eye exam while she was under.  

Dragon Zoe & George
Driving around Mayo

Given all of that, along with Zoe's fragile lungs and her dislike for coming out of anesthesia, Dr. Brodsky felt more comfortable keeping her overnight for observation.  Also, she could have her first follow up appointment the next morning to see if the muscles had slipped (if they slipped we would be going straight back into surgery).  

So we settled in for another night at Hotel Mayo - They really should have a rewards program for us!

Fast forward, two days and Zoe looked fabulous!!  The blood inside her eyes was almost gone leaving just a pink residue and Zoe was an active happy kid again.  

September 10, 2015 - Zoe at her Post-Op Appointment

Dr. Brodsky and his fellow, Dr. Nash, truly do care for Zoe.  Each checked in on her multiple times and reached out to us following surgery to ensure she has been doing fabulously.  We are truly very lucky to have such caring doctors.

We return to Rochester in November for her final surgical follow up.  It is anticipated however that Zoe will need at least one more surgery of this nature to properly align her eyes.  

   

Baby Got Back  :)

Momma is proud of me!

Cecilia is gaining weight!!  

You have no idea how happy this makes Adam and I - we have been dealing with pessimists and negative nancies who simply refuse to believe Cecilia can survive in this world without her G-Tube.  Well guess what - they are wrong!!

Cecilia had a follow up appointment with Dr. Haigh to monitor her weight post-surgical closure of her G-Tube site on September 30, 2015, and she gained weight!!  Cecilia was up another 600 grams giving her a weight of 8.4 or 18 pounds, 8 ounces!!  

We are so proud of our little peanut!