For the Love of Ivey

Ivey did great this morning during surgery. Her cleft palate surgery was successful - no complications! She is in pain and becomes very agitated as the pain medication begins to wear off. Cuffs are on her elbows to prevent her from bending her arms and placing her hands in her mouth, which is her favorite thing to do. She will wear the cuffs for about two weeks. She is doing awesome and her color and sats look great! More good news. Ivey's ENT did scope her airway and found that it is not as restricted as it was during the time of her lip surgery and tracheotomy . He thinks that time and growth may be all that is needed for her airway. Reconstructive surgery may not be necessary. However, she is much safer with the trach for now. And for all of you who are trying to learn how to set up a feeding for Ivey , there is an added bonus. Her new button has Jejunal (J-tube) and Gastic (G-tube) marked on the button itself! Now you do not have to worry about which is which , only wha...

Over the course of the past nine months I have heard all sorts of accounts that explain why Ivey is Ivey and why we got her. I have noticed that most Christians have an incredibly hard time accepting that difficult circumstances do arise, and an even harder time accepting that God 'let' them happen. The hardest is for Christians to comprehend that no amount of prayer or doing good deeds will change some things. Prayer does not necessarily have to end with change, maybe just acceptance. That being said - You better believe that we pray around here. We are praying for a successful surgery this week and for her to heal quickly. Oh, we pray. We have accepted in our home that Ivey can not be 'fixed', mended in some ways, but not 'fixed'. Ivey will always be Ivey. Ivey Elizabeth Sirmans. She weighed 5 pounds 11 ounces at birth, and weighs 10 pounds 11 ounces nine months later. When I pray for Ivey, I do not pray that she will be someone other than the person she is a...

Here being St. Simons. Whoohoo!!!! Matt had a little conference, sooo, we both came down. We keep checking in with the grandparents - they are holding down the fort! Awesomely!!! (They remind us that they too had children and that it is possible for them to 'care' for ours..I remind them that they had two children 8 years apart, and we have three and that our three are within three years .....They never go for that one.) And Sarah I haven't read but three pages of any of those books. A big week is in store for Ms. Ivey. At the beginning of the week she is scheduled to weigh in with her pediatrician. Then she will visit her opthamologist for a check-up. Then on Friday she will go for her cleft palate surgery. During this surgery she will have a few other procedures to undergo while under anesthesia. The plastic surgery will repair the palate. The ENT (ear-nose-throat) surgeon will scope her airway to view the deformity. He will also perform another hearing screen. Then the G...

The past three weeks have been very, well, I am not sure that a particular word can actually describe them, but Trying would be one word. Emotional another. Confusing a third. Draining a fourth. And finally, the past three weeks have finally found within them a sense of peace and resolve. Acceptance would be the overlying theme of the past three weeks. I often read a blog that I began reading in the first days that it was established, which was close to the same time of Ivey's birth. I read the blog because I found my own thoughts there at times. Our stories took very different paths. Often I read the post and completely ache for this family and send what I can only hope are words of encouragement and confirmation, other days I read the post out of complete fear of my own family. Today there is a post that once again feels like my very own thoughts, especially after the past three weeks. So take a moment and read HERE . One thing that Ivey has taught both me and Matt is stated i...

This one’s for Gretchen. What was I thinking this morning? The boys and I headed to Wal-Mart. Unless a limb is severed and band aids are needed, or there is absolutely zilch morsels of food left in the house, it is a place to be avoided at all costs with children. But still, Walker had a gift card from his birthday (in September), and time has been lean here lately, so I thought it would be a great idea (????) to go to Wal-Mart to let him pick out a treat just moments before lunch time. Thus, empty stomachs. Ugh. “Why this sounded like a good idea?”, I . can’t . quite . say. (Ivey was here with a friend. She has yet to venture in to the petri dish of germs that reside in this one vicinity. Also, I still view her as a perfect little Angel, why tarnish her halo?) Now, my trip to Wonderland - oops I mean Wal-Mart - was not much different than anyone else’s you see (or hear about) in Wal-mart. You would think that we, moms, would get a clue (or a sitter), and avoid this location at all cos...

Have you ever wondered what Ivey does all day? She keeps everyone one their toes that is one thing for sure. Her schedule (and I don't use the term loosely) is mundane and extremely strict; however, not one day is ever remotely the same. Our family is a 'fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants-on-a-preplanned-trip'(everything is planned, but she never adheres to the plan). So, if you were to look at my computer, you would find a calendar strategically marked with appointments for Ivey, plans for the boys, events for Matt, times that friends will come over, and still, I am constantly scrambling at the last minute to make arrangements for everyone. It gets crazy over here. So here is a glance at Ivey's strict, non-compromisable schedule: *factor in alot of suctioning, replacing conformers and venting the Gtube 6 am meds (reglan/prevacid); canola oil; bolus feed 8 am trach meds (flovent/xopenex) 9 am brothers to school 10 am meds (reglan/phenobarbital); trach care; canola oil; bolu...

Ivey weighed in at 10 pounds 6 ounces yesterday. This is her heaviest so far!! She has gained a whopping tenth of an ounce in 3 weeks and she has now surpassed her weight from the week of her lip surgery 3 months ago. Eventhough her weight gain is minimal, she looks really long. She is growing. Ivey's palate surgery is scheduled for February 2nd back at Scottish Rite. Her cranio-facial surgeon said he would like to see her put some weight on before then, she is doing her best. Ivey will spend several days at Scottish Rite following her surgery; however, the doctor will not pin point exactly how many days. During her surgery Ivey's ENT will also be in the room. He will run another hearing screen on her. He will also scope down her throat above the trach and below it to take 'pictures'. The pictures will give him an idea to how and when he will approach the reconstructive surgery to the deformity to her airway. On the downside, the ENT said under normal conditions he like...

This email was sent to three other people, three special people. This email was sent from one very special person. I thought that I would share it with all of you. Loosing her is devastating. This is how she chose to live her life. This is how she wanted others to live their lives. Haley sent this on New Year's Eve. We all need to read this one over and over until it becomes part of who we are! HOW TO STAY YOUNG 1. Try everything twice. On Madams tombstone (of Whelan's and Madam) she said she wanted this epitaph: Tried everything twice...loved it both times! 2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down. (keep this in mind if you are one of those grouches;) 3. Keep learning: Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain get idle. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's! 4. Enjoy the simple things. 5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath. And if you have...

Funeral arrangements have been made for Haley. Friends will be received from 5pm - 8pm on Saturday, January 6, 2006 at Jennings Funeral Home. The funeral will be at 2pm on Sunday, January 7, 2006 also at Jennings Funeral Home. Jennings is located on North Broad Street in Rome. An education fund has been established at SunTrust Bank for Lindsey and Maggie. In lieu of flowers, it has been requested that a donation be made to the fund. Thank You.

Sisters-In-Heart January 4, 2007 Today we say good-bye. Haley passed away today. She is a beautiful wife, daughter, mother, sister and friend. She lives in our hearts and memories. She lives in the legacy of her two beautiful daughters. We are all still standing at the edge of the valley - waiting. Please pray for Robert, Lindsey, and Maggie. Please pray for Haley's parents during this confusing and difficult time. Lift them up in prayer. g

I thought about listing two thousand and six leasons learned in this past year. But, I rethought the idea considering the amount of time it would take to type them- let alone read them.. Wow, we have finished off one interesting year. It started off with the typical resolutions, most of which were silly. As I have looked back over all of the posts, and some that I never actually posted; yet, I saved on my computer, I realize there is nothing to say about those moments that has not already been said. I sit here this afternoon -I think for the first time ever at the end of a year- Fulfilled. We concluded the new year in the best manner possible. Last night we spent time with friends in our new home. One was an old friend. One was a new friend. The perfect ending to a miraculous year. The perfect beginning to an untold new year!