What a wonderful spirit you all have! CONGRATULATIONS on your vacation Becca!!

Great news! I pray for Natalie's continued improvement.

Yipee! It's been rough all over lately so the good news about Natalie is twice as nice. Thanks for sharing...I needed that!

That's the best news I've had in a long time. You guys are in my heart.

What a wonderful way to start my weekend, with such good news from you. Yes, we want to hear updates on your princess, don't you dare stop. Enjoy your weekend and your 2 months off from Doctors and Hospitals!!!!!

I'm so glad things are looking brighter!

I love hearing good news!

I posted an update on her webpage...he, he, he ...I'm going to make you go there to read it (click on my profile, it's there).

Feeling a bit devilish today .

Great news! We are glad to hear it

I don't blame you for being nervous, but I have one small piece of advice. This is something they taught my mother after her heart surgery (she is an incredible worrier and couldn't sleep). Try to take each day at a time and not look at what happened yesterday. That's in the past and just look at all of the good things in the future.

BTW - congratulations on all of the great news. I think of you and your strength often.

Wonderful news!

We are praying for Annika also. I read her link a few weeks ago, and honestly couldn't finish the post today. She sounds like an amazing little girl.

I read her's also...I saw the picture of the girls playing together. They are just precious!

I'm just going to copy and paste from her website:

Home at last.

We got on the road for Chicago at 4:30 this morning! Natalie was scheduled for the first case (7:30am) this morning in IR - to squirt her PTC tube with dye, check for blockages and proper placement, and replace the tube if necessary. But because she got her PICC line out recently, we had to start an IV so we could give her sedation.

Poor daddy, he got the task of holding Natalie down - we take turns doing this, unfortunately. She was understandably upset, screaming until her face and neck was bright red. While we gave the IV, labs were also drawn so Natalie wouldn't have to get stuck with a needle twice in one day. Then we started the sedation. Suddenly she looked up at me and smiled. Then Jason said, "Well, it looks like the versed is working." So, Becky our favorite IR nurse whisked Natalie away and less than half an hour later, they were done. The tube was completely blocked so they exchanged it with a new tube.

Then we waited in the IR recovery area with Natalie for the side affects of the sedation (versed) to wear off. She is so darned cute on versed. She tries to sit up and then flops her head around talking in a sort of sing-song way. After another half hour Natalie was good-to-go and we made our way from the 2nd floor to the 3rd for our transplant clinic appointment. Natalie's doctors came in and said her labs are "FANTASTIC!" We are going to adjust her Actigall a bit (it thins bile) to help keep the PTC tube clearer. And we don't have to go back to clinic for 3 weeks!!!! WOOHOO!!!

So we left the hospital and took a stroll to the Lincoln Park Zoo. The clouds were threatening us with off and on rain, so it was a quick trip, but worth it as Natalie checked out her favorite - the BEARS!!! We walked up to the Polar Bear underwater viewing area and Natalie gasped, "Wow." (That Wow needs to be read in a sort of awestruck whisper for full effect.)

While we were in the Zoo, Jason got a call. He will be going to Louisiana with 5 other members of his SWAT team. They will be leaving September 29, the day before Natalie's birthday and he will miss her party. But I couldn't be more proud of him. He has been called to help those less fortunate than us. Natalie has a house and food and the best medical care in the world, but some little kids in Mississippi and Louisiana lost all of that.

Becca, Glad you had such a good report and a day at the zoo. Tell Jason we will be thinking of him and looking over you while he is gone.

wiping another tear from my cheek My post in the things we're grateful for thread comes to mind again. You and Jason and Natalie are linemen on God's strength team. You all cotinue to amaze me with all that you've done and continue to do.
((((hugs)))) and continued prayers for you all!

Quote:

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walked up to the Polar Bear underwater viewing area and Natalie gasped, "Wow."

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Becca, you get that girl strong and well and when she is, I promise you that I can arrange for her to see polar bears Really, I will arrange for the hotel and everything for ya'll and go with you to see her see some polar bears in the wild Our hotel is way way up in the arctic, so we need her to be very very strong and safe but one day that will be the case, and at that time, she can stay at our hotel on us! I'd be so very happy to be a part, even a small part of seeing that lovely girl experience such a treat!

Never be sorry for a long update!! We love to hear about your little bear. It makes us all grateful that we get to hear the stories because it lets us know the strength faith can give. People can endure anything with love and faith. My thoughts and prayers are with you, Natalie and Jason in every endevor.

'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. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me...and I will be found by you,' declares the Lord."

Becca, so happy to hear that things are going well! I know that Jason must be sad to miss Natalie's party, but he is doing something very worthwhile. I can understand why you are so proud. You have an amazing family.

Once again, a good way to start the weekend with good news on "our little girl"

Awesome news! Thanks for the update.

I'll have to agree with Natalie with my opinion of your update, WOW!

Sorry that I haven't posted an update lately! Things have been crazy-busy at work - notice I am posting this on a Sunday night! I feel weird doing these updates still - but I had a request so here goes:

Since my last update Natalie had a birthday, I got a new niece (Goddaughter) and one of our liver buddies went to Heaven.

From my webpage:
It was this time last year when Natalie started to get so very sick. If you go back and read my journals starting with October 15, 2004 you can see how quickly her health went from really good to oh-crap-really-bad. At the end of October in 2004 was Natalie's sickest pre-transplant. And it was at that time that we along with her liver team decided to list her for a transplant.

Maybe it's because I'm still raw and hurting following the passing of one of our liver buddies, sweet Haley. Whatever it is, I find myself reflecting and remembering last October and November...by the way Natalie's party was AWESOME!!! Pictures are in the pictures page! And Natalie today is doing really well. Her labs from last week are steady, she still has the PTC tube in her belly, and she continues to take her 7 medications like a champ. We will go back to Children's on October 13 for a clinic visit.

It has been a long road for all of you, so glad that things are going well now. Hard to believe that one day she will remember very little of this. I am still praying that things just keep getting better.