June 2nd Doc Appt

In this pic, you can see her with her little hands to the side of her face. She has her pointer finger up. How precious! You can also see her cleft lip a little in this pic as well. We just love her sooo much!!!

This is a side view and if you look at the bottom back of her neck, you can see the bubble. They did say that it will not grow bigger.

Well, we had a doc appt at 8 am Tuesday. We got some good news and some bad news. They did a full ultrasound. A level 2 and a 4D. The 4D was so neat to see. She would move her hands in front of her face and feel the side of her face. Then when the tech was trying to look at her heart she would take her arms and put them on her heart. The tech would wiggle around trying to get her to move it, so she would move it for just a sec and put it right back up there. It was so neat to see.

The bad news is that her bubble is full of brain tissue. That is the one thing that we didn't want. There is also a small area in her brain that has a little more brain fluid then what it is supposed to. (More brain fluid also means brain damage) They are not sure what part of her brain will be affected but, yes, there is brain damage. They are not sure how bad. We have been praying for just brain fluid in the bubble, but I guess God has other plans. Lenny asked how he knew for sure it was brain tissue and nothing else. Well, he had told us at the last appt that her head was a little smaller than normal. So, he said that that was one sign. He also said that it wasn't fluid as fluid looks different. So, me (trying to look at the positive) asked him if it could be like a non-cancer tumor or just a big mass. He told me very unlikely. I asked him if I would carry her to term and he said, "Very much so, as you are doing everything for her, her body is under no stress."

The other thing he said is that he thinks her bubble is higher than her brain stem which is great. At the brain stem, is the part of the brain that tells us to breath. He said that if that part of the brain was in the bubble, she would have no chance. He did say that her bubble is close to the brain stem but that that part of her brain, he's almost sure, is not in the bubble. He said that there is a slight chance that the bubble is so close to the brain stem that the surgeons will not want to do surgery as it could lead to death. He said that that is for them to decide, not him. That will not be decided til after she has arrived into the world. Pray that it isn't that close and that they will do the surgery.

The good news is that her chances have gone up from 21% chance of making it, to 80% since that part of her brain isn't in the bubble. He is asking us to go to visit Hospice for newborns, just in case. He wants us prepared. He said that you never know what is going to happen after birth or while in brain surgery in such a small baby. (Anyone actually)

He said that he will be getting a whole team ready for the day of her delivery as a lot of people need to be there so she can go right to surgery. So, he wants it scheduled in advance. That also gives me time to tell my daycare parents what day I will not be here. My mother/family have told me that they would help with daycare while I am up at the hospital but we think all family members should be up there the day she is born, in case she doesn't make it.

Please pray that all will go well. The picture of her with her hands to the side of her face, just makes us melt and cry. We just love her already!! We are just praying for a miracle. God has given us many miracles, we know. One miracle God has given us already is by upping her chances of survival. We know God will be with her and us during all of this. Everyone wants a healthy baby and it is sad when you are told that that is not what you are going to have. But we do not care what she is like. We will accept her no matter what. We just want our baby girl. I think God is going to do great things with her. We have had people tell us that we shouldn't put us, our family, or this baby through any of this and that we should get rid of her. WHAT?!?!?!?! She is a gift of God. God NEVER makes mistakes!!! Seriously, some people have no trust in God. We have drawn closer to God and no matter what, we will be there for her. God has a purpose for her life. We do not know what it is, but there is a purpose for everything.

Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, " plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Thank you ALL for the e-mails, cards and posts on facebook. They are so encouraging. We have saved/printed every single one of them and put them in her book that we are making. Add us on facebook (Staci Van Der Hart Arnett Sassman)if you would like as we update that often or e-mail us anytime. We love getting your encouraging words or any questions that you have. Please let us know if there is anything that we can pray for in your life/family. We have a long prayer list and would love to add you to it also. I know we are not the only ones out there that need prayer! slsassman@iowatelecom.net

On a side note, God keeps our lives full and interesting. Lenny was gone on Saturday, up in northern Iowa, working on a friends semi and Brady went with him. My sister and her family came by to see if we wanted to go eat with them. The two oldest boys (13 & 11) didn't want to go and wanted to go with Jared's friends and ride bikes on the bike trail. I let them. Well, while I was eating, Dan,11, called my sisters phone (Mine was in my purse under the table. Not smart.) He said, "Mommy get home, I think I broke my wrist." I got up to leave and my brother-in-law thought he better go with to help me out. (THANK YOU!!) We took him in and sure enough his wrist was broken in 2 places. His brother and friends had left ahead of him so he walked/rode his bike all the way home with a broken wrist. Newton hospital said that they couldn't do anything about it until at least Monday, but DSM would be able to treat him right away. We wanted to drive him up there ourselves but Blank Children's hospital, said no as they wanted him on an IV and morphine before he got there. So, he had an ambulance trip. Once he got there they put him out and fixed it. We got home later that evening and he has a lovely pink cast. Yes, pink. He wanted that. The doc was kidding around with him and asked if he broke his wrist playing hopscotch. They were great up there!!

While was typing this I had a friend stop by and ask what we found out. She said that she was woken up at 2 am with a heavy heart to pray for us. See, God isn't finished with our baby girl yet! She has people praying for her and God will and is doing GREAT things!

We go back June 30th for another full ultrasound and see if we can talk to one of the surgeons. Please pray for a miracle!!!!! I will keep updating as we get news. Aain, thank you for ALL your prayers, e-mails, cards and words of encouragement. They help us get through this. We know there are people out there everywhere praying for our little girl. Please pass this web site out to anyone that would pray for her.Please continue to put her on your prayer chains at church. God is great!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!