Isabelle Update

I know I have not posted on the blog much lately. I'm sure you all understand why. The past month has been a whirlwind, with having a new baby and then getting Isabelle's diagnosis of Leukemia three weeks later, we've kind of had a lot going on. I have been doing most of my updating about Isabelle through facebook, but I realize that we have some family and friends who don't use facebook, so I thought I would post the same update here. I do have some other "regular" posts I would like to do, but those may have to wait until things calm down a little. There have been a couple days where I barely found the time to take a shower or sit down and eat in peace, and that was even with someone here helping me!! Hopefully we'll find our new "normal" soon. Anyway, here is the update I posted on facebook today:

Isabelle did very well at her treatment today. We’re hoping to get the results of her bone marrow biopsy back tomorrow (the doctor said she would try to rush them), b/c otherwise we may have to wait until after the holiday to get the results. She actually did NOT have to have chemo put in her spine today like we had thought, and she won’t have to have that next week either. They did still put her to sleep for the bone marrow biopsy and they gave her a round of chemo through her port while she was asleep. Also, the steroids have been making her very moody and we’ve had a hard time getting her to take a bath, so we asked them today if we could wash her hair while she was asleep. They thought it was hilarious and said it was a first for them, but they were very accommodating! J Next week the only thing she will have done is the chemo through her port and we won’t have to put her to sleep for that. (I guess we’ll have to bathe her at home next week! LOL)

Also, we checked with our doctor today about the St.Jude’s option. She received her training at St.Jude, so she knows a lot about it. She said we would not be eligible at this point b/c we have already begun treatment. Also, even if we had been referred there right after diagnosis, they probably would have referred us right back home b/c the type of cancer she has is very common and treatable and can be easily treated right here at home. She said that if our daughter had something very rare or if she felt she needed to be sent somewhere else, she would be the first one to send us. We feel very confident about the doctors that we have here at Carilion, and have heard nothing but wonderful things about them. They are a part of the same Children’s Oncology Research Group that St.Jude is a part of, so they get all the up-to-date information about children’s cancer research. They and all the nurses and child life specialists have been WONDERFUL with Isabelle and with us. Two of the doctors have even given me a shoulder to cry on a couple times. We feel that we are in very good hands. Also, I know for a fact that at least two of them claim to wear the name Christian, so that means they are looking to God for guidance, and I like HIS hands even better!! Also, the stress of traveling back and forth with a sick child and a newborn would just be too much right now, so we have decided to stick with the doctors we have where we can stay close to family and friends and keep life as normal as possible for Isabelle. If something changes in her situation, our doctors will send us where we need to go.

Thanks again for all the prayers, cards, gifts, help, and encouraging words! Each day seems to get a little better and hopefully soon we’ll have established some sort of a routine. We know there are going to be good days and bad days ahead, but we also know that God, along with all our “prayer warriors”, is going to get us through it, and someday it will all be a memory. I’m sure we will have lots of stories to tell. Most of all, we want God to be glorified through it all.

We LOVE you all very much with the love of Christ.

Philippians 4:13- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

The Many Faces of Isabelle

Just a few pics of Isabelle making silly faces with Daddy.

(Just FYI, there are a couple of new posts below this one.)

This last one is what she does when one of us is being firm with her. I guess she thinks if she hides her eyes we'll go away. :)

Fall Fun

The weekend before Jeb was born, we went over to my mom's for our annual bonfire and hayride.

I dressed Izzy up in her Halloween outfit for the occasion. (The skirt was made by my wonderful and crafty friend, Amber. I think she needs to start her own business, don't you?) The hat belongs to Aunt Tootums.

Family pic on the hay bales: Yes, I did go on that hayride and everyone got a good laugh at my expense, but to my dismay, it did not send me into labor.

My camera batteries went dead about that time so I didn't get any more pictures, but the following Monday, we went with some family and friends to the Pumpkin Patch, and I got some good pictures there.

There were lots of animals.

Check out the gigantic gloves she borrowed from one of her friends:

I thought this was so cute: in the pigpen, there were three little houses: one made of straw, one made of sticks and one made of bricks.

There were these "Cornundrums" posted everywhere that I thought were really neat. Can you figure them out??

They had this cool little game where you had to pump water to make your duck float down to the other end.

Then we went on a hayride (yes another one that did not send me into labor.)

The hayride took us to a small corn maze that we had to walk through to get to the pumpkin patch. (They also had a HUGE one that takes like 2 hours to get through, but I was not trying to have a baby in a corn field.)

We all got to pick our own pumpkins to take home.

Then the tractor took us back to the main area.

The cow train:

The corn pit: this was great for the little kids. Isabelle would have stayed there all day.

They called this the "mine shaft". It was a giant corrugated tube buried underground and you slide down on a potato sack. Uncle Chris took her down.

This was the first time we had been to that pumpkin patch, and it was awesome. Maybe when the kids are older we can take on the corn maze. :)

First days at home

Just wanted to post a few pics of Jeb's first week at home.

The first day we were home, Isabelle loved getting to show him his new room.

Big Yawn:

Getting ready to go to the dr. for his weight check. (He was 7lbs, 12oz. last Monday. We'll have another weight check this Thursday.)

Nannee came over last week one a couple of nights that Ben had class.

Watching TV before bedtime:

Tuesday while Ben was in school, Mimi came over and took Isabelle to Bubblecake Bake Shop or "the cupcake store" as Isabelle would call it. This was such a special treat for her.

And Mimi brought back special treats for Mommy and Daddy too! (thanks, Mimi!)

After his first bath at home:

What a great big sister!

VT baby:

Saturday was a really pretty day so for dinner we picked up some food and went to "playpark". (Sorry no pics.) Then when we got back Daddy and Izzy carved pumpkins. She wasn't too sure about the slimy stuff inside.

My TWO babies in their jammies ready for bed:

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,The fruit of the womb is a reward. (Psalm 127:3)

Jeb's Arrival

I know most of you have seen these pictures on facebook, but I thought I'd post some on the blog too, and share all the details with you.

We went into the doctor last Thursday (the 15th) for the weekly checkup and my blood pressure was up so they decided to take some blood and then send me over to their other office to listen to the baby on the monitor and take my blood pressure again. Baby's heartbeat and movement were good, but my pressure was still up, so they went ahead and scheduled me to induce on Monday, which was exactly 39 weeks, but wanted me to come back the next morning at 8:30 to check my blood pressure again, and not eat anything before coming(bummer). Friday morning we went totally prepared to be induced that day if needed. My pressure was better but my blood count from the day before was low, so they sent me over to their office at the hospital to see the doc on call and get my blood work done again. We ended up waiting around the office until around noon to get the bloodwork back. My blood count was back up a little closer to normal, so the doc said it was not necessary to induce that day, but that if we wanted to do it she would call the hospital to see if it was okay since I was not exactly 39 weeks until monday. She pulled some strings for us and the hospital allowed her to induce labor that day! We went straight up to labor and delivery and got things started. I was induced around 12:30, and at 8:20pm that night, Jeb Alexander Simmons joined our family! The anesthesiologist had to redo the epidural THREE TIMES and it NEVER worked. When he finally got back to redo it, it was too late. Jeb was ready to go. So this little 8lb, 3oz baby was born all natural, but thankfully he came quickly and seeing his beautiful little face made it all worth it!

When he first came out, we thought his hair was bright red, but now it's looking a little more brown but still looks red in certain lights. Isabelle's didn't start out bright red either.

This is Dr. Sadek. She was awesome. I love her. I want her to deliver all my babies.

He is such a calm baby (so far anyway). He only cried for a few seconds when he came out and then was completely calm.

Father and Son:

Isabelle got to stay with her cousins and Aunt April and Uncle Chris for the two nights we were in the hospital. She came Saturday morning to meet her little brother. We took Jeb to the nursery before she got there and then we all walked to the nursery to "get" him together.

Then big sister helped us push him back to our room.

She thinks he is the coolest thing ever. She is just giddy every time she is near him and has already said she wants to go back to the hospital and get another one. I think it'll be a few more years before we do that again. :)

Some of Jeb's first visitors in the hospital:

Nannee

Cousins Ainsley and Sienna

Aunt Tootums

Aunt April

Uncle Chris

Mimi

Pawpaw and Grandma Sherry came from WV to see him.

Uncle Donny

Aunt Suzanne

We had a really good experience at the hospital where we gave birth. The second night they set up a special dinner for us. We got to choose between steak or lobster tail, and either cheesecake or tiramisu for dessert. It was really nice.

Sunday morning we got take our little boy home.
We picked up Isabelle and all went home together.

He and big sister are doing great so far. He is nursing REALLY good. (This is something I prayed about for a while before he got here. Thank you, God!) Of course he still has his days and nights mixed up a little but there have been a couple of nights where he slept for about 4 hours so that is great!! Isabelle is adjusting well to being a big sister. I think she's feeling a little insecure right now because her routine is all out of whack, but we will get a new routine going soon. She got to go back to church this morning with Daddy which she was really excited about. She even took a picture of Jeb with her to show to everyone at church.

Next post I will put up some pictures of his first days at home. Thanks for all the prayers and well wishes. Love you all.