We Have A Date!

Today we went to the surgeon to schedule Lucy’s surgery.  I have been thinking alot about this and for some reason August 15th kept popping into my head.  I think mainly because it is smack in the middle of the month and I couldn’t decide if I wanted it to be earlier or later.  The Catholics reading this will note the significance of this date and know that was a contributing factor to my attraction to this day.  I really just left it up to God.  When it got down to the time to pick a date I told the Dr. I wanted to do it in August and he explained that he only operates on Monday’s.  I got out my calendar and started to look at the Monday’s.  August 15th was the third Monday, with two Monday’s before and two after.  It couldn’t have been more perfect.  His calendar was open and so it has been set on his end.  We just have to wait until this coming week for the assistant to call the hospital to make sure there is an opening on that end.  We don’t see any reason for there not to be though.

There are many things to prepare before then…scheduling where the other children will be, determining how long I will be completely occupied with Lucy’s recovery, getting in shape physically, as I’m sure this whole process will be draining, figuring out where/what homeschool co-ops the kids will be taking, how to raise money to pay for this very expensive surgery.  I’m sure there are many, many more things I am not thinking of, but I can only deal with what comes to mind right now and try not to stress too much about it.  I can’t do anything about getting the kids homeschooling organized until I know what co-ops they will be in and that won’t be for a few weeks.  I have been planning on putting them in as many as possible for several months now as I know my time will be monopolized with the very extensive physical therapy Lucy will have to do to prevent her mouth from closing up again.  Lucy is a very strong willed girl and getting her to do something she absolutely doesn’t want to do can be very difficult.  I’m trying not to dwell on this, but it sometimes seems like an overwhelmingly, daunting task…to get her to put an appliance in her mouth and crank it open especially because this will most likely be very painful.

For now, I am focusing on some practical things.  I have been working on another blog, mainly where I will be writing about essential oils, but I am also putting a page on there that will be a modified version of this blog with a fundraising feature.  It will have significantly less information so that I can disseminate it to more people and on Facebook, to help raise the money.  We won’t know exactly how much it will cost until we schedule with the hospital and negotiate with them but the estimates we have been given are between $50,000 and $100,000.  This will also be determined by how well the operation goes.  If she has to stay in the ICU for any time the price will be significantly increased.  The surgeon has been really great and knows that we do not have insurance.  I’m not positive but I’m pretty sure his rate will be discounted.  He also told us he won’t put her in the ICU unless it’s necessary and he knows how we feel about this.  Whatever Lucy needs it should be done regardless of the cost.  We refuse to let that determine her care.

I, once again, humbly ask for your prayers for all of this and, of course, for Lucy and a very successful surgery.  I hope to be updating soon with my new blog and fundraising page, but until then you are all in my prayers.

In Christ’s Peace,

Katie