All of Me

We are nearly 5 months post-surgery, and Squishy is doing a phenomenal job recovering.   Within the first 4 weeks post-surgery, she had gained 3 pounds, and grown about 3 inches in height.  She's now hovering around 20 pounds, and she turned 19 months old a few weeks ago.




We saw a new cardiologist, Dr. Kiel, back in April, and we really enjoyed him.  He seemed a bit out there, but he entertained Ash, and by the end of her checkup, she was trying to mimic his Donald Duck impersonation.  We don't go back until mid-October for more tests, including another echo and EKG.  Her last checkup showed a gradient of about 30% in her subaortic membrane, and about a 11% in her mitral valve.  Her coarc has been healing beautifully, and her aortic valve was flowing wide-open on her last echo.


We've been working on settling back into our routines, too. Jeremy came off active duty orders at Barksdale mid-April, and has been back at the S.O. full time since then.  He still does Reserves, for the insurance at this point.  Squish's hospital bills alone for the procedure at Arkansas Children's has totaled well over $120,000.  We paid nothing out of pocket.  Locally, her cardiology appointments and prescriptions have been in the $3,000 range, and we've only paid $100 out of pocket.  We can't afford to give up Tricare, and at this point, I wouldn't want to-it's been such a huge benefit to have it through all of this.


April flew by-we got to experience our first motorcycle officer's rodeo with Jeremy in Texas.  Seeing him ride was incredible!  I've never been more proud, and I got to see how talented he is on his motorcycle.


Cait and Bub are doing well, too.  Bub finished his first year of preschool, and asks at least once a week if today is the day that he gets to go to school.  August can't get here soon enough.   Cait graduated middle school, and has officially moved up to junior high, making the dance team along the way.


 Summer has been off to a busy start for us.  We had Jeremy's mom, step-dad, sister, her husband, and our nieces come down from Milwaukee and spend a few days with us.  I've never been more tired in my life, but I wouldn't trade those 4 days for the world.  It was so fun to see our kids meet their cousins, and have them running crazy in our house, outside, and playing on the inflatable slide.  Bub turned 4 in May, and we had a dinosaur-themed party, again.   The kids have been swimming machines-Ash didn't enjoy it at first, but she's turning into a little water bug, right under my nose.


I haven't been doing as much studying as I would like, but I have been listening to a lot of music at work, and I heard the song "All of Me" by Matt Hammitt the other day.  Oh, my goodness.  He wrote the song when his child was diagnosed with a pretty significant heart defect, and the words just hit home. 


That's pretty much all that has been going on for us.  God's still working His wonders, and He's got big plans for my family.  I can't wait to see what comes next!


-K


"All of Me" by Matt Hammitt


Afraid to love, something that could break
Could I move on if you were torn away?
And I'm so close to what I can't control
I can't give you half my heart and pray He makes you whole

You're gonna have all of me
You're gonna have all of me
'Cause you're worth every falling tear
You're worth facing any fear

You're gonna know all my love
Even if it's not enough
Enough to mend our broken hearts
But giving you all of me is where I'll start

I won't let sadness steal you from my arms
I won't let pain keep you from my heart
I'll trade the fear of all that I could lose
For every moment I'll share with you

You're gonna have all of me
You're gonna have all of me
'Cause you're worth every falling tear
You're worth facing any fear

You're gonna know all my love
Even if it's not enough
Enough to mend our broken hearts
But giving you all of me is where I'll start

Heaven brought you to this moment, it's too wonderful to speak
You're worth all of me, you're worth all of me
So let me recklessly love you even if I bleed
You're worth all of me, you're worth all of me

You're gonna have all of me
You're gonna have all of me
'Cause you're worth every falling tear
You're worth facing any fear

You're gonna know all my love
Even if it's not enough
Enough to mend our broken hearts
But giving you all of me is where I'll start

You're gonna have all of me
'Cause you're worth every falling tear
You're worth facing any fear

You're gonna know all my love
Even if it's not enough
Enough to mend our broken hearts
But giving you all of me is where I'll start
Is where I'll start