For the Love of Ivey

Thanks so much to everyone who is bringing a meal this week. Special thanks to all of the faithful blog readers who continue to pray for the Sirmans family and write notes of love and support.

Just a little update on Ivey. Ivey is still in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Scottish Rite. It is still estimated to be a two week stay. Ivey does have a trach and is currently on the respirator. She is still on a paralytic, which paralyses her body. This is to prevent her from pulling on her new trach. She will be weaned from the respirator sometime within the next two weeks. Also, she is still heavily sedated; therefore, no pain. This trach business is all new to me also. I have had 24 hours to read a little; here is a short overview. A tracheotomy is a surgical procedure where an incision is made in the trachea (windpipe). This procedure forms a temporary or sometimes permanent opening in the trachea. A tube is inserted through the opening to allow for air and the removal of secretions. Basically, Ivey will breathe through the tracheostomy tube rather than her nose. I would love to try and explain the problem that the surgeons found in her trachea; however, a diagram w...

Today Ivey went into the operating room for surgery at 7:30 am. Within 20 minutes, the plans for the day changed. The surgery team found that Ivey's airway was unattainable. A deformity of Ivey's airway was detected, something that we were unaware of until now. Therefore, the primary surgery for the day was to perform a trachaeotomy. After the trachea was inserted, the craniofacial surgeon did elect to perform her lip surgery. She also received tubes in her ears. Ivey now has a sweet complete nose and mouth. Currently, Ivey is in the PICU here at Scottish Rite (Children's Health Care of Atlanta). She is under heavy sedation, a drug has also been administered to paralyze her tiny little body, along with this she is receiving medication/antibiotics. Sedating and paralyzing Ivey will ensure that the trachea will heal properly. She is also on a respirator. Ivey will remain in this condition for one week. The physicians indicate that Ivey will be here in the PICU for at least tw...

I really wanted to sit down and let you all some of the thoughts and emotions that have been hanging around my head in the past week; but honestly, I am just too tired. Pretty much, I am at the point where I can not think in a coherent pattern. The best way to sum up this week is to say we are just moving on. As of Monday night, we are in a new house. It does sound insane to think we moved the weekend before Ivey’s surgery - many boxes are yet to be emptied. Personally, I think it has been great timing. There have been too many things to do; therefore, to much to do to keep me from lingering on the week/weeks to come. Matt and I will take Ivey to meet with the surgeon tomorrow for pre-op. Her surgery to close the cleft in her lip and correct her nose will be on Friday. The palate will follow months from now. Ivey is a beautiful 10 pound baby girl. Today she is six months old. She is all I ever dreamed of and then some. Did I tell you she rolled over for the first time last week? This i...

We have officially moved! Hurray. If you know anyone who is looking for an adorable house, we have one on the market.

This has been a pretty busy and exciting week. Between preparing for our move this weekend, doctor’s appointments, and activities with the boys, there are several topics of conversation that I would love to cover. However, I think I will stick to two topics, traffic and potties. I had the luxury of house shopping yesterday. I have come to one conclusion; I am not patient enough to live in Atlanta. I have a new respect for my brother in-law and sister in-law, who for the most part, live smack in the middle of Atlanta traffic. I fight the morning rush hour at least once a week on my journeys with Ivey and her specialists. Normally, Ivey’s appointments are early and I am too nervous to care much about the traffic. I do pity the poor soul who has been selected to ride with me - LOCKED - in a moving vehicle during the infinite ride to and from Atlanta. Keep in mind; here lately I have had a limited amount of contact with adults. This computer has been my main means of communication. I imagi...

I have despairingly resorted back to my book Children: the Challenge , which was encouraged by my pediatrician. (Note the key word here, ‘my’ pediatrician.) . Of course this book was published in the 60’s, I will admit things have changed. I have read it so that I can honestly say that I have when he refers to it. Tonight as we were eating dinner at our neighborhood Applebee’s , my middle child, whom will remain nameless in this story, reminded me that I have been meaning to evolve my seemingly minimal parenting skills. Let’s reflect here. On September 8, 2004, as I was awaiting my precious new born son, visions of the joys of a new baby and all of the sweet things to come were still floating in the air. Never mind the numbness of the last Percoset had yet to wear off …. Two years and a little over one month later and no more Percosets, I must say, the now unnamed middle child keeps things interesting around here. I can remember my mom saying, “If your sister had been the first born, w...

Man----have I been gloomy. The only excuse I can come up with is Ivey's surgery is creeping up on us. I know it is not a good excuse to bring the rest of you down. And that's just it, I am not down - it is just that it is f.r.e.a.k.i.n.g me o.u.t ! I am so excited about her surgery that I can't sit still, then the little gwen voice in the back of my mind reminds me that the surgery will be tough on her. So, I have been venting on the rest of you....SORRY.... and trying to spare my sweet husband. I drive him insane worrying. You will probably agree, and trust me, it is okay to roll your eyes at me.....I completely asked for it. Ivey's surgery is scheduled for Friday, October 27th at Scottish Rite. I really can't give you much more detail than that. We will take Ivey on the 26th for pre-op and find out more info then. During the surgery he, the surgeon, will repair Ivey's nose and lip. Months later the palate will be corrected. As far as we know, she will remain ...

I have to finally get this off of my chest. Once upon a time when Ivey was in the NICU, our neonatologist suggested I get a notebook, literally a spiral notebook. Her instructions were to write down what was on my mind. Not some sappy journal, just my thoughts. Quote, “Write your grocery list if it is on your mind. You need to organize your thoughts.” At that time I could not complete a spoken sentence without jumping to another topic - complete nonsense rambling accompanied with the look of a deer trapped in the head lights. So I got a notebook. It is small. I keep it in my purse. You will find all kind of ramblings in it from doctors’ appointments, reminders, questions, thoughts, song lyrics, schedules, telephone numbers, scribbles and of course grocery lists. I try to organize my thoughts and especially my memories about this journey with Ivey periodically into another notebook or onto the computer. If something keeps burdening me, I put it on the blog. I know it is strange to put s...

That is the term I use to describe life in my house once the clock hits 4:00 pm. -A Complete Meltdown- Let’s take last Friday for example. Everyone was tired, bored and itching to drive the other crazy. Walker was hitting Knox on top of the head like Fred Flintstone, Knox was whining in return to Walker’s pestering and Walker was also jiggling Ivey telling her to “Waaaake Uuuuuup!” every time she tried to nap. Ivey’s irritability was exaggerated due to the fact that the four previous nights she had gone to bed somewhere past 4:00 am. And mom, me, was at the brink of insanity. Walker is our energizer bunny. Obviously. By the time 4:00 pm rolled around, our time was up. That’s when one of my bestest friends came on over for a spontaneous play date, she too was at the brink of insanity. So, there we were, 2 moms and 6 children. All of the children are shorter than your waste. The chaos…the madness. And the best part, my three year old forgot the concept of sharing….but remembered the conc...

In Sunday’s paper an article read of a relationship between a husband and his departed wife. It was a very sweet memory of his time with his wife; all the same, he was able to spin-off from it and laugh a little, despite the obvious hurt from the loss of his wife. The humor of the article was of an issue most husbands I know seem to struggle, especially my husband. -At Home Decisions- In the article the widowed husband discussed the nature of making decisions with and with out the presence of his departed wife. Ultimately, before his wife’s death, all decisions were based on the preference of his wife. He was so impressed with himself and his ability to match the appropriate tie with his outfit in the past year without his wife, at least that is what his daughters and granddaughters told him. (Are you getting the joke here?) With closer examination, Matt’s decision making district of his brain, whether it is conscience on subconscious, forms decisions on what he thinks I really want. I...

Just a reminder! We still have dates available for meals. We are providing meals in October on Tuesdays and Thursdays and meals for the week following Ivey's surgery. The surgery is scheduled for Friday October 27th. If you want to help with providing a meal for the Sirmans please contact, Miranda Styles at mirandastyles@comcast.net . Thanks so much for your help!

I have come to one conclusion. If Ivey survives her brothers, she can survive ANYTHING!

I watched her say ‘I do’. I have often wondered what she thinks about when she looks at her wedding pictures. Wedding days are filled with hopes and dreams full of bliss and romance, the idea of hard times to come completely nonexistent. Here she is only a short few years later with a tower of a husband, two small children and now she has cancer. An email I received yesterday made me think of her. The email was about sisters, all sisters, girlfriends, mothers, daughters, aunts, mother-in-laws, sister-in-laws, and cousins. No matter the family you make, the sisters are the ones to see you through, women need one another. Personally, I have experienced the strength of sisters. I hope my friend feels the same assurance from her sisters. Now like no other time, she needs us, her sisters in heart. She has been my friend since elementary school. Now she lives on the same block. She is a person of love and compassion who never wants to burden anyone with her trials and tribulations. The past ...