Lost count

The update from the last 3 treatments is all pretty good news. Since Gabi had the MRI in March we saw that her malformation of veins has significantly reduced. We still have a way to go, but we are making good progress. It's just not as fast as we would like it. Gabi is still as strong as ever! Every time we go to Colorado I am i impressed with her maturity. She is the model for the perfect patient, all the nurses love her and tell us how smart and adorable she is. She is very wise and will ask them how they are doing. She is so caring of others and so grateful for everyone around her. She makes sure that I let everyone know she is doing well and she has such an optimistic attitude about the progress in her recovery. She is excited when she can touch her lips together. She is excited about being able to play with Violet. She is excited to have both eyes open. She appreciates the smallest things that most of us take for granted. She only complains when something like pain or nausea becomes unbearable. This was the first treatment that she requested to order a meal in the hospital before she was discharged. It was funny to see her look at the menu and ask for the phone to order. Her order included, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, green beans, chicken strips, and apple juice. She ate all of it! She is just amazing and I hope that I learn whatever it is that I am supposed to from this experience.

First pit stop at the "Best Truck Stop in the Nation" according to some TLC show...can't remember which one.

Violet was so excited to get out of her car seat! She was such a trooper staying in her car seat for hours and hours and hours. Poor thing! She is so sweet, I just hated having to put her back in so many times.  It ends up being driving in the van for pretty much 3 days straight, and then when we are not in the car it's the hospital or the hotel where we don't let her crawl around...horrible. 

Ben pretty much loves to drive and drive and drive....actually not, but I hate it too, so he ends up driving 80%-100% of the way.  It's OK though because he has a hard time trusting all the others on the road when I am driving so it gives him more peace to just drive himself.  I am good with that. 

 If driving to Colorado has taught me anything it's how to sleep in the car...FINALLY!! A talent I have been trying to learn for years!

Gabi has mastered the art of traveling.  She is very low maintenance while traveling.  All she needs is her music, Gatorade, a few snacks, and her tablet and she's good to go!  Also she can fall right asleep, no problem!

This treatment she received 11ml of alcohol.  Se felt quite well afterwards.  Enough to order her first lunch after a treatment.  She was so hungry she ordered chicken, potatoes and gravy, corn, green beans, Gatorade, apple juice, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  Oh and before her food arrived she requested a purple Popsicle.

Mandy is one of Gabi's P.A's and she absolutely loves her.  She thinks Mandy is the best!  She has the best nurses and doctors!  They take such good care of her.

Gabi was so excited when she woke up in recovery about being able to close her mouth and open her eyes.  She gives us all more courage, she is amazing!

We love you Gabi Girl!

New News

We just finished treatment #27.  This time around was a bit different in the fact that we took Baby Vi with us.  It was her first long road trip with us.  She was soooo good!  She is the baby you want to take on road trips.  Gabi was excited to have her little sis come along.  It helped ease her anxiety.  

We made decent time to our hotel.  Ben took Gabi swimming while Vi and I watched.  We all got to bed pretty early, our lives are on a bit different schedule with the baby now; but it was great.

Morning came early as usual but both girls were troopers.  It helped Gabi to have baby Vi there to take her mind off everything.  She was more concerned about holding her and loving her than what was coming.

I held her as I do each time she goes under general anesthesia.  She has been doing so well with it the past few treatments.  She just grits her teeth and squeezes my hand until she is overtaken by the drug and slips into a deep sleep.  Ben stayed back at the hotel with Violet while I stayed in recovery with Gabi.  The past few treatments have made Gabi pretty nauseous even into the next day.  It makes her sick and she's not able to hold much down.  We called the PA Kelly, and she got a prescription called in to a pharmacy along the way home.  Once we had her take some she was night and day better!

When Dr. Yakes was done with this treatment he gave us a call as he does each treatment to let us know how things went.  The conversation is pretty short, mostly, "She did great, I used X amount of alcohol, she'll be in recovery in 15 min."  That is about the extent of our conversation.  Well this time he added an exciting statement.  "I am having a difficult time finding areas to treat, I would like her to have an MRI next time."  That was so exciting for us to hear.  I know it's not much in the fact of knowing when or how much left, but that can only be good news...right??  Well I guess we will find out in another 6 weeks.

2 weeks after this treatment she drew this picture and wrote about her feeling.  It says, "I don't like Colorado because of the doctors.  They make my cheek big and fat."  

Oh how I long for the day we are DONE!