Abounding In Hope

In typical Rancourt fashion, today was all about dividing and conquering.  This happens frequently when you have two little girls who need to be at two different doctor appointments on the same day.  I volunteered to take Lily back to Washington DC for her post open heart surgery check-up, while Jacques took Mackenzie to her ear appointment.

Let's start with the good news...no, no, no...

make that AMAZING news!!!

The nurse practitioner said that Lily "looks great"!

Her right lung is still partially collapsed.  I didn't think about it at the time since I was so excited to hear the words "Lily" and "great" in the same sentence, but I wonder how long it will take for this lung to mend itself!?  Lily has a little bit of fluid in her left lung, but nothing to be concerned about, and very common after open heart surgery.  Her blood pressure was a little high, which I am not too thrilled about since she is on a medication for her arrithmiyas that lowers blood pressure...hmmmm!  Last but not least, Lily's oxygen is still low...like mid 60's, low 70's.  This explains why our little Empress is very blue a lot.  

A sweet little boy (maybe 4) asked her today at the hospital if she was wearing lipstick.  Lily looked up at me, and I said, "Nope, God just made her extra beautiful don't you think?"   He agreed.  

Lily will return to see her cardiologist on Thursday, August 16th.  Jacques and I have a million questions to ask her, but for now we are content.  Our hearts are overflowing with praise to the One who fearfully and wonderfully made our little girl....inside out and backward!

Sisterly love...

the best medicine money can't buy!

So, what is the bad news you must be asking yourselves?  Yup, you guessed it...Mackenzie's left ear is still showing no signs of improvement.  As a matter of fact, the last time I posted about her ear we were hopeful that the infection was beginning to respond to the treatment.  Unfortunately, this pesky resistant bacteria became resistant to the antibiotics she has been on and now her ear looks just as bad as before.  The doctor gave us a script to take her in to have a CAT scan to get a better look at what is going on.  To say that I am frustrated would be a total understatement.  We have decided that after 11 1/2 weeks of being home with aggressive treatment, it is time for a second opinion.  

I want so badly for our little girl to be able to hear clearly.  I want her to be able to mimic the words we are saying, and be able to express herself to us through verbal language.  Mackenzie has come such a long way over the past couple of months, and she tries so very hard to speak and pronounce things clearly.  She went from saying, "Ma" and "Ga", on Gotcha Day to saying many two to three word phrases.  Jacques, the girls, and I definitely speak, "Mackenzie", although you might struggle if you are not around her a lot.  

Our family is filled with so much hope for both Lily and Mackenzie.  God has shown up in so many big and amazing ways already, and we know that he is not finished with us yet!

 

 May the God of hope

 fill you with all joy and peace in believing, 

so that by the power of the Holy Spirit 

you may abound in hope.  

Romans 15:13