Friends!

Friends make everything better! We are so grateful for friends. We have been brought meals, cards, and special visits. Thank you to you all! It has been so helpful.
Luca seems to be getting better every day.  He is more comfortable in his wheel chair and just doing what he can. Last night, we had our first real outing since the surgery. My parents and I took the kids to go to a special event for kids and families with special needs hosted by the Jewish Community Center on Mercer Island. It was GREAT. Lots of fun crafts, a science project and big balls to crash into in the gym!
Today was great because Luca got to go back to school! How wonderful that was for everyone. He got to ride on a bus with a special ramp and rode in his wheel chair. He said it was like being on a roller coaster (not that he has been on one but he imagines I am sure.) It was a very nice break for the rest of us at home too.
Now that school is under way hopefully time will move a little faster for him (and us). He did say tonight, "I have to wear this cast for 6 weeks and I can't walk!" and I said, "Luca only 5 more or till Dr. Mosca says it is time!" He said "really, it has been a week!" Oh, yes it has! This has been a big week.
We have his recasting scheduled for a week from tomorrow, Tues. March 4th. Luca will go back into the operating room to get his cast changed and his foot stretched more and put into a better position. We will most likely be spending most of the day at children's hospital but will not have to spend the night, thankfully!!
Juliette has a little cold so we are praying that Luca does not get that so he can get the cast changed as planned next Tues. She woke up this morning much less congested though! Yay.
This process has been a lot of work but I am grateful for Luca's positive attitude. It is humbling to feel like I can't take care of my own two children by myself (unless they are watching TV). It is hard to need help but I am learning how to gracefully receive.

 Sabine cheering up Luca's day!

 Surprised face- Sabine and Luca

 Playing under the table of course

 Scarlett brought two boxes of sitting down games! How fun!

 Scarlett and Luca playing trains. Great idea, Alicia, and I did bring some up from the basement. Not sure why our train stuff has been down there for a year but at least it seems "new" now

 Tsien Whai, a friend from the playgarden preschool came over for some train fun too!

 Reading books with Cozy Nana. The kids love her, of course. No one reads bedtime stories like Cozy!

Our fire cracker.... Juliette just keeping us on our toes. She dressed herself in this and tried to go out the front door. John stopped her just in time to get this picture and some more clothes on her.

Luca's surgery update

We are HOME! We are thankful to be home. Luca and I (Katie) took naps as soon as we got home around 1 pm yesterday. We all slept very well last night too. Luca's is not in pain and he is learning to make his way around the house using his wheel chair and scooting on his bottom.

We had a special visit from Jamie, Maya and Anya this morning. Thankfully my parents took Juliette this morning. She is proving to be a challenging dynamic as we get out feet under ourselves so to speak. She wants to get into "her wheel chair" or "push Luca" while he is in his wheel chair. She is also sweet and cheered us all up, but grateful Popeye and Nana are close by right now!

Here is a little summary of our stay at the hospital and surgery:

We arrived at the hospital Tuesday at 6:15 am. Luca was a champ getting up early and was in good spirits. About a mile from our house he said, "I use to be scared of my surgery but not I am not scared anymore" This is a huge answer to prayer, and put us all at ease.

Once we got to the hospital, he followed the space themed follow decals to the re-op room. Got a tweetie bird gown and a warm blanket and watched Ella the Elephanton TV for a little while. The anesthesiologist was so great with him and she could not have been geared more for kids when she explained what would be happening. She related it all to being an astronaut since that is what Luca told her, he wants to be when he grows up.

While he was still awake I carried him back to the OR. "space station" He was calm and peaceful the whole time. He was fine with the mask being put on but then after about a min with the mask on, he got really upset and yelled, "take it off".That was hard for me to see. The Dr. assured me this was normal as his brain activates before going to sleep, I guess. They said he wouldn't remember it. Then John and I spoke with Dr. Mosca for a few mins. He seemed like a morning person, very perky and looked ready to go.

Luca got an epidural at the beginning of his surgery that was taken out Wed. am. John and I got to meet Brooke, my college roomate, who works at Children's while we were waiting for Luca to come out of surgery. She gave us a tour of the floor she works on and helped me feel calm while we waited. The surgery was done around 11:30 and we got to see Luca around 12:30. He came out surgery calmly (we heard from him) and he said he did not feel yucky afterwards. 

Luca wanted the cast off right away. The cast was his major complain the first 24 hours but he was not in pain. The surgery sounds like it was pretty successful  Luca did not have enough skin to stretch the foot as much as Dr. Mosca wanted so we have to come back in one or two weeks and he has to go back under general an. and will have his foot stretched and recasted. Luca did not have enough skin to get in the best position during the surgery on Tues.  This may need to happen two more times total....so that is going to be long for us all to go through but hopefully the foot can get to a great position by the end.  Hard to even think about how we are going to explain that to Luca...and we haven't yet but will get there.

Luca picked Seahawks colors wrapped on his cast. Green on the bottom, blue on top. Brooke stopped by again during her lunch break to cheer us up and see how we were doing. It was so nice to see her! Mari came by with a bag full of treasures and made a Hawaii party! Popeye came with whipped cream, M and M and balloons! He played Go Fish with Luca. As did Sabine and Ingrid and really cheered Luca up! Tia came too and thoughtfully got presents he could play with sitting down. So great to have visitors to cheer us up!  At the hospital: Luca slept from about 10:30 pm to 5:45 am, soundly. He was really upset about his cast and being there so the hour before he fell asleep was a hard one. Then his epidural pump beeped for about 2 hours 11 pm to 1 am till they finally turned it off. It had not been working properly. Thankfully luca slept though all the noise and didn't wake up in a lot of pain. I was quite frustrated. He is now on oral pain meds and is doing fine. He really is impressing me with how well he is coping and he was happy Wed. morning at the hospital. We got his meds. and wheelchair around 12 pm and then got discharged. 

 Tia! So thankful for her! Luca is very lucky... who else has their very own nurse:)

 Watching a show with Sabine and Ingrid

 Hawaii party!!!! Thanks again Aunt Mari!

 Luca cheer!

 Bubbles with Aunt Mari- made Luca smile!!!

 Maya and Luca's map to show how many scoots it takes to get to each room in the house! Great idea Jamie!!!!

Happy to be home. Luca's new blanket from the hospital (that he loves) and Seahawk's colored cast. Watching TV

Luca's upcoming surgery

Luca is going to be having surgery on his left foot this coming Tuesday morning. Dr. Mosca is going to be doing a procedure that takes a bit of bone out of his heel and he will cut some of the tendons and ligaments on the other side of the foot to correct the foot position. He thinks Luca is at a great age for it and will help his foot grow stiff and straight; instead of stiff and curved (as it currently is.) Dr. Mosca thinks this will really help correct the left foot and that Luca won't need to have surgery for a long time after this. (let's hope right!) 

For the surgery, Luca will stay overnight in the hospital and be non weight bearing for 6 weeks. Then he will have a walking cast on that foot for two more weeks. Dr. Mosca does not want to do anymore serial casting as we did when Luca was younger. He thinks it is a waste of everyone's time and won't be useful anymore.

We will have a wheelchair for after the surgery until he is in a walking cast.

Things I am thankful for:

That we already have a van!

For such an amazing community around us that is wrapping us in care, love, prayers and support as we go into this surgery.

That my parents are here as we will need a lot of extra care for Juliette during this time and for Luca. For extra breaks and hands to help John and I.

For supportive preschools that are willing and able to having him back during the time is is non weight bearing

That John and I can both take time off work to be with Luca during this time and with each other

For Juliette as she can bring a lot of joy and laughter to Luca when he is sad.

That he does not need this done on the right foot and can use that leg to stand on or his right knee and hand together when he is sitting on the floor, drawing, playing or eating.

Things to be praying about:

For Luca as he goes through this experience. That he would not be discouraged or depressed about it and not being able to walk afterwards. i am praying that he feels loved and supported by us and others as well!

That the surgery would go smoothly and there would not be any complications or infection.

For patience, energy, and strength as John and I we care for Luca during this time

Luca loving the snow fall last Sat. night before bed! 

Birthday celebrations!

Juliette's party on Monday

 right before dinner while coloring I heard, "mom, Juliette is coloring her lips with blue..." from Luca. This is what i found:)

 It snowed on Sunday, Juliette's real birthday, how fun to have snow to play in all day! (even if it was only 2 1/2 inches!) Luca said, "I have been waiting all year for this! I am so happy!"

 Pesto and green beans, Juliette loved eating up!

 Book from Grandma Martha

 Cake! Family pictures are a little hard to come by these days! Thankful for this one!

 Feeding the kitty some milk! "kitty so cute!!!!" is what Juliette kept saying!

Tea party time!

Juliette turns 2!!!

Happy Birthday Juliette! We had such a fun day of celebration at the playgarden! And then a little family party when we were all off work and you loved it all! You are a big fan of presents and playing! We love you so much Juliette! You are a sweet, spark, energetic, adorable two year old!