She is just special

Abby is having a rough week. She was on her way home in a few days. Yesterday morning after her morning medicines she had a allergic reaction to one of her medicines. Poor thing started vomiting, her eyes and lips swelled up, she got weak, her throat felt like it was about to swell up, then her blood pressure dropped. She was sent down to ICU to get stable. There was talk of her being put back on a ventilator again since her throat was closing. They were able to get her stable with medications and no ventilator, Thank God! They figured out what medicine caused the reaction and she was stable.

This morning she was still stable just very sleepy. She had gotten orders to get out of ICU and go back to a regular room. However, she started vomiting, throat closing, no swollen face but her blood pressure dropped so low and so quick, they started on IV medicine's again. It took a while for her blood pressure to get stable again, but it finally did. Now that she has this allergy, she is limited to what blood pressure pills she can get. The reaction is usually caused by a gene disorder. She actually has a lot of test out right now and we are waiting for the results. The gene disorder is very rare. Her Dr. said she has weird things going since her blood disorder is rare too but me and Memo say she is just special.

I will be honest the last two days have been hard for Abby and for us. She seemed so weak and fragile. I was real discouraged but only for a minute. My friend told me she just delicate and she has to be handle like a delicate treasure. My grandma called me and told me to put her in God's hand and He will be good. My sister's Christina and Rosie, told me she's a fighter and will be fine. My other friend told me she has unusual things going on, so when God heals her no one can take the credit but HIM. That's the boost of faith I needed.

Yesterday, her throat was hurting so much she would write stuff down instead of talking. The first thing she wrote was where is my dad then when Memo got here, she wrote where is Elisha? We don't bring Elisha when she is in ICU, so I reminded her about that, then I ask her do you miss him. She wrote just a little. Typical big sister. When her lips swelled up all the nurses told her people pay a lot of money to get there lips that big and you got them for free. After a lot of sleep, Abby got up this afternoon and slowly is acting herself again. She watched Animal Planet and of course George Lopez. She finally looked at me and smiled just a few minutes ago. I haven't seen that smile since Sunday. That smile let's me know she is okay! That smile gives me peace and she is so pretty when she smiles.

She will probably be in ICU for a few more days as they get all these issues worked out. We know she's at the best place with the best doctors and staff. Continue to pray for her health. She might of had a set back this week but she will get through it!

I wanted to thank her School Patterson Elementary, teacher Mrs. Hicks and friends for being so supportive. They sent her a huge Valentine box full of goodies. Her class is wearing green bracelets bands for her and they sent her a big card today that made her so happy. Many of the teachers and parents have been so supportive and it's a blessing to our lives, we are touched by your kindness so thank you.

Thank You to all her followers and all those who pray for her. I'll keep you updated on her progress.

"Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it" Helen Keller

BINGO

Hello Dear Friends, Thanks so much for keeping up with Abby's blog. It really means so much. She was not able to go home this weekend after all, but possibly this week. Even though we all want for her to go home, we know she needs to be stable first. She did have a complication this week. She See's little black dots. Abby's kidney failure causes high blood pressure which lead to Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES for us simple folks) which is where the seizures came from. PRES also causes swelling in the back of the Brain but it's totally reversible and in time the swelling will go away on it's own. All that being said the back of the Brain that has the swelling also effects our vision. The dots can either be part of the healing process or a possible non reversible scar to her vision. Please pray and believe God with me that Abby will be completely healed from the PRES with no permanent scars to her vision. I know God can do anything. Luke 11:5-13 is a passage about prayer. It tells a story about asking persistently gets you results and that's how we should pray. Abby's vision will be clear again and this is just part of the healing process. Ask and you'll get, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be open Luke 11:9. Sometimes in life there is nothing else we can do but pray. I've learned that a lot the last eight weeks.

Okay back to Abby now. She did talk to her best friend Genesis on the phone the other night and it made her so happy. It was so cute to see her smiling so much on the phone. She can't wait to go home, so Genesis can spend the night. She also looks forward to seeing her little cousin Ezra come visit her. He makes her laugh by doing the moon walk and tries to bet up her dad. Visitors mean so much to her, I can't explain it but it does. She could be having a bad day and be sleepy but when she knows a visitor is coming it perks her up. All of you that have came to see her thanks! Today one of my co-workers came to see her and her son was really touched by Abby. He sent a text out to all his friends telling them about her. How awesome is that. She inspires people just being her self.

This is how she inspired me this week. Friday, Abby was real tired and had no energy. I had been trying all day to get Abby out of the room, but she just was not feeling up to it. One of the Child Life Specialist Miss Destiny came and got Abby to go downstairs to play bingo. Miss Destiny was in need of Abby's assistance for her bingo cards. Abby went downstairs thinking she was doing Miss Destiny a favor, but little did she know what was going to happen next. She won bingo 16 times, you heard it right 16 times. What a smile on her face. Here is the best part. The final game of bingo was black out and Abby had her eye on the grand prize a huge dog stuff animal. She was not the winner of the black out game, but the little girl that won the huge dog stuff animal approached Abby when it was all over. She wanted a monkey that Abby had won in exchange for the huge dog stuff animal. I couldn't believe it, the monkey was like 4 inch big compared to the huge dog stuff animal. The girls exchanged and Abby was a winner again. I learned something that day, sometimes we have to put aside how we feel even when we have every good reason to say no, but take time to go help someone else out and there is a blessing on the other side. Abby really went to bingo so Miss Destiny wouldn't go alone and in return she was blessed. It's so neat how in any situation we can learn something. It made Abby perk up and ignited some energy in her. Abby ended her night by watching the movie Whip It. It's her new favorite movie. I think she wants to be the next babe ruthless. She is eager to break in her new skates now from Santa.

Abby being sick has allowed us to see the kindness of others. From her grandma's daily visits, to her uncle Huero's three phone calls a day to check on her just (SWEET) or the daily text, emails and facebook post I get from my sisters, family and friends asking about her, gives us the strength to get by. Our lives have changes so much these last eight weeks and everyday it changes more and more.

"When life is uncertain live in the moment, and make that moment the best you can!" Bridget Ornelas

Smile

Abby has officially been out of ICU for three days now. She is doing really good. Her Blood pressure is stable, dialysis is going great! Being in ICU for nine days, we seen a lot of sad situations. When you think your situation is bad, there is always someone else who situation is worse. It makes you see that in everything give thanks. We did see some good things too. For example, a little baby was taken off a ventilator and start breathing on it's own. How amazing was that! Returning back to 3P(the name of the floor Abby is on) she has seen so many familiar faces. One of the nurses told her she could of just sent a note if she missed them so much, she didn't have to get admitted again. FUNNY!

On Sunday, some new friends from HPC came to visit Abby. It was so heart touching. This couple and thier two little girls, had never meet Abby before. They heard about her, and felt in lead in thier heartS to come see her. They brought her cards from some of the kids from HPC school. It was so SWEET! Abby has recieved cards, blankets and gifts from people that she has never met. These kind people have heard about her courage and strength and wanted to do something nice for her. People's kindness amazes me everyday. We appreciate everyone who has been praying for her daily, we know it's the prayers of others that get us through each and everyday.

Now that Abby is out of ICU, she has been walking around all over the hospital. We found which floors have the best play rooms. She was even in a Mardi Gras Parade today. FUN! She has kept herself busy with UNO, Jenga, and operation. Every time someone enters her room they can't help but compliment on how bright her room is. Pink and red everywhere. She watches faithfully the George Lopez show every night and constantly says "I got This." George Lopez is so cool to her since she found out he had a kidney transplant. She has also became a fan of the Price is Right and wants to go see it live, on our next vacation to Calif. She is too much. She loves to have visitors, so she can crack up with her never ending laugh. She is quite the jokester around here. She imitates the pants on the ground song from amercian idol. Her nurse tonight told her "I was looking foward to coming to work tonight, so you can make him laugh." SWEET! She is constantly tricking me by saying "mom come here hurry," in my mind I'm thinking something is wrong but she just wants to give me hug and kiss. SUPER SWEET! It's those sweet moments as a parent you never want to forget.

Abby had a student nurse this morning, and the nurse was impressed by how well Abby took her medicines and took the initiative to weigh herself after dialysis. We are learning how to give Abby shots. OUCH! We do not look forward to it at all. Again she thinks it's so funny. They have us practing on a orange and she critiques us every time. She says " I'm going to laugh when you really have to give me a shot ." Talk about NERVOUS!!! Lord Jesus help me..

So continue to pray for Abby, She may be able to go home this weekend, if she continues to do good. Thank you for following her blog, it means so much to her and our family. God Bless..

"Life is like a mirror, we get the best results when we smile at it." unknown

Happy Abby

Today has been four days since Abby has been off of the Ventilator. She had a rough few days, since the medicines left her mind very foggy. We worried there for a little while because she was of out of it. Like always Abby has pulled through. She is much better today, fully alert and acting like her happy self again. We are just waiting for her blood pressure to get under control, so she can get out of ICU. Her dialysis is going great, and now that she is more alert, she has been cracking up all the nurses with her humor.

This blog is all about Abby, so I want to share some of her funniness with you. Well those that don't know, Abby has a phobia of male nurses. She has had a few male nurses since she has been hospitalized and they all have been great. She did have a male nurse the other day. Well being in ICU, Abby has a bed side commode. When it was time for to use the commode, she told the male nurse "Can you please leave, before I go all kinds of Mexican on you." (something she heard from Beverley Hills Chihuahua). Kids will say the darnest things, especially those medicated.

This time being in the hospital, Abby really misses her little brother Elisha. He is such a sweet brother too. I guess she realized that she has been mean to him in the past (something all big sisters are guilty of) and called him to tell him how much she loved him and how much she misses him. It was so sweet. When Elisha finally got to see her yesterday, he pulled me to the side and said "Mom, what did the Doctors give her for her to miss me so much, you should take some home." Brother and sisters will always love each other no matter what.

We have read all the comments from her blog to her last night. Some made her cry with the kindness of the comments. She said "People are so sweet." Abby is a sweetheart. She endlessly tells me and her daddy how much she loves us, her family and friends! She has been laughing so much. Most of all she keeps making us laugh. Someone once said laughter is the best medicine in the world. Please keep praying for Abby, she has a long road of head her, we know with all her friends and family supporting her, she'll be able to keep laughing! Here is a poem I read to end today's blog.

The Sound of your Laughter

The sound of your laughter is

what pulls me through the harshest winter

The sound of your laughter makes

every bright summer day brighter

The sound of your laughter is what

gets me up in the morning

with it

I can take anything life may bring

Not to make much out of it

But to me

Everyday is a good day to live

to the sound of your laughter

_-Ronberge (anno primo)-

Don't Pity Me

Today has been a rough day for Abby. After being taken off the ventilator she is not quite herself yet. Her head has been foggy from all the medicines used to sedate her as well as from the after effects of the seizures. After 24 hours of no real sleep, Abby is sound to sleep in her room her in ICU. Her Dialysis is going great and that's a blessing! we know tomorrow will be a better day.

Well I bet your wondering about the title of today's blog. I wanted to share a little bit on how strong my baby girl is. Her hungry to be independent is so awesome! Since she has been sick, she has not once let anyone feed her but herself, she will get mad at you if you try to help her. Even today she has she has no access to use her hands due IV's, she would not let us help her. Even with her foggy head. She hates if you cry for her. She told me a week ago "I don't like when people treat me like a baby, because I'm sick." For the two weeks we were home, she was determined to organize all her medications. If a pill was too big to swallow, she'll go it cut herself before I could. She helps me keep track off all her monitored restrictions. She doesn't complain about her strict diet, even when her most favorite thing to eat is on her no no list. She doesn't complain when her feet are so swollen that only one pair of shoes fits her. She doesn't complain when she so swollen her clothes are too tight. Instead she laughs at the situation likes it's a funny joke. When she was told that she could still swim this summer, she was so excited that she could still do one of her favorite things. She takes it like a trooper.

At first, I though like any other parent would. Why does my baby girl have to suffer, why out a million people does she have to be the 20 people that have this rare blood disorder. Why does she have to have Kidney failure. Why, Why, Why....the truth is I don't why. I just know God has a plan for her life, and with great suffering comes get Victory. I don't pity Abby, I draw from her ability to be strong. Her strength makes me strong everyday. What Abby has taught me is feeling sorry for myself isn't going to get me anywhere, it's all about being in a bad situation and having the strength to get out of it with a smile.

ABBY THE FIGHTER

After being home for almost 2 weeks. Everything was going good. Abby started not to feel good, and said "she was scared because she felt sick like when she was in the hospital". I layed her down for bed. When her daddy checked on her about fifteen minutes later, she was having a seizure. We called 911 and was taken back to Cooks Hospital. She was placed on a ventilator for a short while then taken off. Her blood pressure was extremely high and caused her seizures. After a day a monitoring in ICU she starting having a seizure again, which was yesterday.

Her seizure was so strong that the medicines to stop the seizures made it hard for her to breath on her own. She was placed on sedation, a breathing ventilator, feeding tube and a surgical placed blood pressure moniter. She received a MRI to check if she had any brain damage from the seizures. We ask everyone we know to bombard the heavens for her, we asked for the Zoe life of God to enter into her. We played continous worship music at her bed side. The doctors said she would have to be sedated on a ventilator for a few days.

While the next day, which is today. The MRI showed no damage to her brain and some swelling of the brain that is totally reversible and will heal itself. After talk of one to three more days of sedation on the ventilator, and people praying for Abby she was taken off the ventilator as of 4:00 pm today. She is a little groggy but breathing on her own, talking and making her daddy laugh. Her blood pressure is stable with medicines and no seziures in the last 24 hrs.

Yesterday was so hard as a parent to see your child go through so much and not be able to do anything for her. I believe God allows us to go through those situations to stretch our faith and call on the one that can make a difference. Abby is still going to have battle, but my little girl is a warrior and is going to get through this with VICTORY!

Who is Abby?

Who is Abby? Abby is my little girl, until recently was your typical 8 year old girly girl with a punch. Her very sweet, outgoing but I'm not a pushover attitude makes her loved by many. She most definitely has a eye for fashion, she actually has a better eye for it than some adults. Some of her favorite things to do are dance, swim, go to church, sing, and of course fight with her little brother Elisha. Her love for animals, inspires to be a veterinarian one day.

This last Christmas break, Abby was not getting to enjoy her break like other kids. She was not feeling good at all. After finishing up antibodics with no improvement, we took her to the ER. Never expecting what came next.

After some blood work, the Doctor came in and told us that Abby was severely anemic and her kidneys were not working. All kinds of questions and concerns ran through our minds. The doctor sent us to Cooks Children's Hospital so she could get the care she needed. I got to say being transported by ambulance scared me but Abby thought it was very cool. Once she was placed in ICU, the test of faith all began. Everyone treated her so sweet at Cooks. After many test, they found that Abby has End Stage Renal Disease, 90% of her kidneys do not function, caused by rare immune disease called microscopic polyangiitis. Basically her antibodies in her blood attacked her kidneys. 20 to 30 people out of a million get this rare disease. The plan is to get her blood disorder is on remission for six months, then Abby can be a candidate for a kidney transplant.

The next four weeks in the hosiptal, Abby has became my inspiration. She was poked and pricked so many times. Under went three surguries and became a expert at taking medicine. One night she told me Mom "When I grow up and have kids, I'm going to tell them how I got sick, and rode in the ambulance and was in the hosiptal. How everyone gave me flowers, ballons, gifts and my family and church prayed for me and I got better." She didn't know how much faith she injected into me that day. Another night she was having a bad day and felt yucky. I told her I wished I could be sick instead of you. she said "No mom, its okay, I don't want you or anyone to feel this bad." After many weeks of procedures and test Abby finally got to go home.