ANNA'S NEXT SURGERY TO REPAIR HER PALATE... JANUARY 12

Anna will be going to Chattanooga on January 12, 2009 to have her palate surgery. We went to see Dr. Sargent on December 15 and he had us schedule this next procedure. It will be the first of two surgeries that we anticipate for this coming year. Dr. Sargent felt like it was best to wait until a later date to do any repairs on the skin where she ruptured her sutures from the lip surgery. The skin needs more time to heal and grow, so we will probably not do any revisions to the scarring above her lip until he performs our second surgery for the year to lengthen the columnella (making a tip/point on her nose, as well as revising all the scar tissue that lies above her top lip.) That surgery will take place sometime next fall or winter.

Anna is doing well and growing and changing daily. She has just started crawling really well this past week and I am spending lots of time chasing her down so that she doesn't get into everything. Samuel spends time on the couch or on the far side fo the room reading his books so that Anna can't reach him. She wants to be with him doing whatever he is doing. He is learning to share his toys now that she can get to them. Samuel has been learning to potty train this past week and is doing real well. We have enjoyed the past few months with both of them just playing and growing. Anna has really developed a personality and we have enjoyed her being so playful. She has become quite the "Daddy's Girl" lately and lights up when her daddy walks into the room.

We look forward to the holidays and a few weeks to just relax before this upcoming surgery. (We will have the same restrictions as far as feeding her through a tube feeder for two and a half weeks and wearing the elbow restraints again, so it will take a few weeks for her to recover.) We are hoping and praying for a speedy recovery and covet your prayers. God has been so faithful to see us through all of her procedures and medical needs this past year-He is so good! We are sure that this year will be a testimony of His continued grace, too! We have been blessed beyond measure through the trials we have faced and praise Him for His goodness!

Thank you for remembering us and keeping us in your thoughts and prayers!

May Christ dwell in you richly this New Year as you seek Him and serve Him!

The Carr Family

JUST ENJOYING LIFE WITH SAMUEL AND ANNA

Lately,we are just enjoying our time with Anna and Samuel as we await her next surgery , watching them both grow up...way too fast! It seems like only yesterday that we brought Samuel home from the hospital, and Anna's first eight months have flown by, as well. Samuel has been an excellent big brother and continues to love on his baby sister, helping out in so many ways. ("Sharing" is still a work in progress, but he can't hug her and kiss her enough!) She is growing and changing so fast. She is sitting up and plays with her toys for great lengths of time. She is eating really well, enjoying the variety of baby food (though it comes out of her nose quite frequently.) She is still doing a good job taking her bottle, too. We are still working on the monster of "POTTY TRAINING" with Samuel and probably will be for quite some time. All in all, everyone is doing well and the Lord continues to bless us beyond measure. His provision has been profound and we stand in awe at His continued goodness and faithfulness to us.

"Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds — his name is the LORD— and rejoice before him." Psalm 68:4

OUR LITTLE BUTTERLY AND CHRISTIAN SOLDIER ALL DRESSED UP AT MAMMAW'S AND PAPPAW'S HOUSE

ANNA'S PALATE SURGERY DELAYED UNTIL 2009

Anna went to see the plastic surgeon on Monday so that we could determine whether she would be able to have her palate surgery on December 3rd. Dr. Sargent was pleased with her skin being closed where the sutures had ruptured, but felt that it would be beneficial to wait for the scar tissue and skin to soften so that he can revise the skin above her lip when he repairs the palate, if it is possible to perform both procedures together. Therefore, he decided to postpone the palate surgery that was scheduled for December 3rd and wants to see how she is progressing in two months. We go back on December 15 for him to look at her and he will make a determination about the date for the palate to be repaired. We even discussed the possibility of him not being able to revise the skin above her lip until next fall when they lengthen the columnella (skin from the tip of the nose down to the lip). The scar tissue may not be healed well enough to attempt the revision where her sutures ruptured during the next surgery, so we are just going to wait and see what advice he gives us at our next appointment. We had hoped to have the next surgery completed in 2008 because our deductibles have been met for the year, but the ruptured sutures were a small setback to that occurring. We are just thankful that we have come this far and she has done as well as she has.



Anna after her birth (February 25, 2008) and this past week (October 11, 2008)

Anna has made such wonderful progress thanks to the TN Craniofacial Team!


We were looking at the photos from our first appointment with Dr. Sargent (taken just two weeks after Anna was born) and it is amazing what Dr. Sargent has been able to do so far. We will forever be indebted to him for the work he has performed on Anna, as well as Dr. Cox,the dentist that placed her Latham device at the first surgery. We have a long journey ahead with at least two upcoming surgeries in 2009, but the Lord has poured out His grace on us through all that we have faced so far. We are certain that He will continue to sustain us through the upcoming procedures that we face, and we stand in awe at His provision this past year.

Thanks to all of you that have prayed, cooked meals for us, visited, helped by sitting with the kids, and given to us financially to help with Anna's medical expenses. I am so encouraged by the notes and cards that we have received throughout the last eight months. I can't wait until Anna is old enough to comprehend all that our friends and family have done for us during this time-she will be amazed at the love that has been poured out on our family this past year. You all have been such a blessing to our family and we could never repay you for all you have done.

A quick update...Anna went to the pediatrician today due to both ears draining and they placed her on an antibiotic, as well as ear drops. She has not slept well the past few nights because of pain in her ears. Please remember her in your prayers during the next week. We are still working on eating baby food; some days she likes it and on other days she doesn't want any at all. We are starting her on Zantac because we feel like she has had symptoms of reflux for quite some time now, and hope this will give her some relief concerning some issues with her stomach. Samuel went to the dentist for the first time this past week and had a good visit. He loves to go to the hopsital for Anna's appointments so he can ride the elevators! :) Isn't that a typical two year old? The simple things in life bring such satisfaction! We are working on potty training some...pray that mom has great patience during the coming weeks. :)

May God bless each of you richly!

STILL RECOVERING...NEXT VISIT TO SURGEON IS OCT 13

All is well with the Carr family (just on the go as usual)! We go back to Dr. Sargent in a few days to determine whether Anna will have her palate surgery on December 3 as scheduled or whether we will have to reschedule it for January 2009. She is loving life without the "No-No" arm restraints and playing excitedly with all her toys. Her lip is healing fairly well, but still has a small hairline opening that runs horizontally across the top of her lip. She is eating baby food, well at times and not caring for it at all at other times. She is using a spoon like a pro, but we just have not got her eating schedule figured out yet. If we wait too long to offer her the baby food, she just wants her bottle of milk and lets us know clearly that the baby food is not going to make it into her mouth. :) Hopefully you can see the progress she has made in the last month from the photos I am including.

Samuel is growing more and more, talking more and more, and on the go more than ever. He is a good helper, though, and loves Anna. He is currently teaching her to say bye-bye and loves to go with her to her many appointments. We are still learning to share our toys (a lifelong task we will face, I presume). We will let you know how her visit with the surgeon goes next week. Thanks for your continued prayers.

ANNA RECOVERING FROM SUTURE RUPTURE

ANNA WHEN SHE WOKE UP THIS MORNING, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9...I'M A HAPPY LITTLE GIRL!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!... HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NANA!
SAMUEL EATING MY SOUR CREAM AT RED LOBSTER ON NANA'S BIRTHDAY!

Anna's lip and skin where the sutures ruptured looks much better than it did one week ago. I wanted to show a picture so everyone could see her progress.

Anna went to the doctor Saturday, September 6 because she was leaning her head and ear into her left shoulder and rubbing it. (She is still having to wear the "No-No" arm restraints, so she is unable to reach her ears with her hands). She had drainage and the pediatrician was unable to see into her ear, so we are treating it with Ciprodex drops as well as the Amoxicillin she was already on for her lip infection. We took her back today to have her checked again. Her ear has cleared up so we are hoping to be competely well in a few more weeks. Thankfully, the tube that was placed in her ear has not come out. She looks so different now that her skin above her lip is healing and is no longer infected. She is very happy and playful...just spoiled where we hold her all the time!


We received some encouraging cards from a church member and former pastor Mark served on staff with. Their scriptures were a blessing to us.

Acts 17:28
..."for in Him we live and move and have our being..."

Lamentations 3:22-24
"Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning;Great is Your faithfulness. The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “ Therefore I hope in Him!”

What a blessing to have brothers and sisters in Christ uplift you with the use of their spiritual gifts!

"Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever."
I Chronicles 16:34

FOLLOW UP VISIT AFTER SUTURES RUPTURE

We went back to Dr. Sargent's office on Friday, September 5th to determine if Anna's infection had cleared up in the area where surgery was performed on her lip. Dr. Sargent felt like it looked much better and should continue to heal after continuing the antibiotic and cleaning/treating the area. He explained to us that the skin should contract over time and that it should heal on its own without attempting to restitch it at this time. We are unsure if the area will completely close and reattach, but we go back for another follow-up visit in 2 weeks and may know more at that point. He said that we should be on schedule to continue the other procedures as planned (palate repair on December 3rd and columnella lengthening next year). He may decide that it is necessary to do some repairs to this area at those procedures-He will make those decisions as we get there.

Anna is still having to wear the elbow restraints and eating through the Soft-Sipp bottle for another two weeks to try to ensure that the area does not tear any further and that no other damage is done. She is also still sleeping in her car seat, which is the most annoying part of her recovery. She prefers to sleep on her side and would love to be able to play and sleep on her belly, but will have to wait a few weeks to get back into this routine. I have been placing her car seat in the play pen to keep Samuel from touching her face for the last few weeks, and this is how she has been sleeping, as well. I heard her wake up this past week and start to cry. When I went to get her, I noticed a musical toy was turned on that was hanging from her play pen. A button has to be hit in order to turn it on and it is out of her reach, which was quite puzzling to me. When I looked down, she had her legs kicked up in the air and was practically standing on her head where she had scooted down so far in her car seat. She had used her little legs to kick the toy on and her head was laying where he bottom normally rests in the seat. Needless to say, I am no longer able to sit her in the car seat without strapping her in because she is such a "little wiggle worm."

She has done well with all of these precautions and has not been very irritated by the confinement. Please pray that she will continue to heal and keep the happy spirit she has had through all of this.

We will keep you posted and update you with pictures of her progress in the next few weeks. Thanks to everyone for all the visits to the hospital and the phone calls to check on her progress. It means so much to have the care and concern that has been shown by friends and family members. We were especially moved by the number of former church members at Hixson First Baptist that dropped by to check on her during her operation and hospital stay in Chattanooga. God has been so gracious to us through this whole process.

I will close by sharing a verse I read this morning in my devotion....it is one Mark and I have come across numerous times through this journey. May God complete the work He is doing in us and develop the patience in us that He desires. "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:2-4

DR. VISIT FOLLOWING SUTURE RUPTURE

ANNA WITH "NO-NO" ARM CASTS TO KEEP HER FROM PLACING

HER HANDS IN HER MOUTH...RUPTURED SUTURES ABOVE HER LIP

We went to see Dr. Sargent, Anna's surgeon, on Tuesday, September 2nd. He removed the "scabbing area" from Anna's skin just above her lip and told us that the area was infected. We are continuing to clean the area and applying Neosporin. She is also taking an antibiotic to treat the infection. We are hoping to see some improvement by Friday and I have an appointment to see Dr. Sargent in Chattanooga again this Friday to have him look at the area to see how it is healing. The area is very swollen, red, and irritated. Dr. Sargent felt like we may be able to attempt a repair when we do her palate surgery in December, but we definitely have to get the ruptured area to heal before he can attempt any repair. We are just following his advice in seeing that the area heals and know that we have another step towards the repair to her cleft.

Thanks for your continued prayers for Anna and especially for her infection to go away!
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I had the following quote and scripture in my flip devotional I keep at the kitchen window sink: (It was a great encouragement on the day that we realized Anna ruptured her sutures.)

I need a faith that nothing can shake. Emphasis on NOTHING. Even when I do not know why, I can endure with a faith like that-even if I never find out why! -Growing Wise in Family Life p. 247

Be strong and courageous...for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6