Pictures of Sarah in August & September 2008

I really like driving this car.


Anyone want a hug?

How does this work?

This is fun.

Thank you Aunt Dee for this beautiful dress.

Sarah's Surgery Update

Sarah's palate surgery was Monday, February 2. She slept all the way to the hospital, so we didn't have to worry about her asking for something to eat. As soon as we registered, they took Sarah back to prepare for surgery. We had told Sarah she is having surgery on her mouth, so her mouth looks like Mom and Dad's. The nurse put a name band on Sarah, Stephen and I. We told Sarah this tells the doctor and nurse that she is Sarah and that Stephen is Sarah's Dad and I am Sarah's Mom. She likes to repeat "Sarah's Mom or Sarah's Dad. Stephen and I told her we would be waiting for her to return after her surgery. Sarah was setting up in the bed, no tears as the nurses wheeled her away to surgery at 10 am.

Dr. Stewart said her palate is wide, but he was able to do the palate repair procedure he wanted to close her palate. The surgery was about 4 hour and ear tubes was also placed in her ears.

We want to say, THANK YOU to Pastor George and his wife, Joretta and a dear friend, Helen as well as Susan, Andrea and Douglas for being with us; AND to all our family and friends that prayed for Sarah and us.

Sarah was in arm restraints in recovery, but it wasn't long after they allowed me to hold her, they she slipped out of them and her gown. She couldn't stand to be confined. I wrapped her in her own blanket and held her. After she was in a room and the anesthesia wore off some, she let me put her own pj's on. She wanted her own blanket and pj's not the hospitals. I explained that if she touched her mouth, she would have to wear the arm restraints again. She never put her hands close to her mouth.

We thought Sarah would be in the hospital until Friday. The packing in her mouth was removed Wednesday and she ate broth, jello and milk at lunch time. She was discharged from the hospital about 2 pm.

Sarah is on a liquid diet. This is hard for her to understand. She thinks eating is chewing food, not drinking broth, ice cream or jello. I am straining soup for her so she is doing better each day. I had cleaned out the food cabinets before we went to the hospital, but I missed some crackers. She found them. It breaks our heart when we have to tell her "no, not until her mouth heals". We explain when the stitches heal, she can chew food again. Today, when she woke from her nap, I asked what she wanted to eat. Sarah went to the refrigerator and opened the meat bin and removed a package of bacon. Ugh! something else, I forgot to hide.

We do not have any pictures of Sarah's hospital stay. The camera fell out of my purse in the trunk of the car on the way to the hospital. It was dark in the hospital parking garage and Stephen didn't see the camera. We found it when we returned home and emptied the car.

More Ice Storm Pictures

A tree fell on Douglas' car. Stephen took the chain saw over to cut the tree down. Since Douglas has electric, Sarah and I went too. Sarah was missing her KET cartoons and I needed to see the news. The warm house was a great treat.

Sarah did great without electric. She loves playing with flashlights. In fact, we were unable to find some that she hid or she took apart.

Ice Storm January 2009

Does Sarah look warm?

Our House and back woods

Front of Andrea's

Our Pink - UK Fan

I wanted to get Sarah's blog updated before today, but time got away from me with the Internet problems, snow and ice storm. Our electric went off 8:30 pm Tuesday, January 27, and back on Friday, January 30 at 1 pm. Living in the city, we were never without electric longer than 24 hours before. A whole new experience for us. We were thankful to gave gas logs in the basement and running water. My brother-in-law gave us a propane camping stove Thursday. Andrea, my sister-in-law stayed with us since her home is total electric. She fixed manwhich for dinner and we had hot chocolate afterward. Friday morning Stephen fixed pancakes, eggs and bacon on the camp stove. The hot meals helped our moral, but getting the electric back really made our day! Some of our church family only got their electric back today and other are still out.

We were the most concerned because Sarah is having her cleft palate surgery Monday, February 2, 2009. The surgery date was made early December 2008, and if she is sick we will have to wait longer. Thankfully, we kept her warm and surgery is still on. We are to be at the UK Hospital at 8:45am. Ear tubes will be placed in her ears first, then the cleft plate surgery. We hope to be home with her by Friday. The doctor said to plan on a week, but hopefully sooner. Then two weeks liquid diet for her. Please keep Sarah in your prayers.