Uneventful update

Nothing much has happened with Hope lately. Preparing for surgery next week. We did go to the spasticity clinic. They agreed with the pump and talked about the possibility of a shunt. That will be left up to Dr Shafron though, the nuerosurgeon.
I aged another year, not so gracefully. I had a little too much fun doing it! Michelle came in from Florida and I had a 4 day action packed birthday palooza.
We go in Monday June 1st and I will update daily while in the hospital. Her surgery isn't until 11:30 so I won't update until late afternoon or early evening. Thank you for the prayers and support!

Update

Hope was casted for new braces yesterday and received approval today from Shriners to pay for them. I will call after surgery to set up an appointment to get them. We were in and out of Shriner's in half an hour. New record! We have spent 5 hours there before, average 2 hour stay though. They want to see her back in 6 months. It's normally a year. I think they are just curious to see her after the pump. They weren't too concerned about her hips. She is still at risk of having hip surgery but hopefully the pump will take most of that away.
Hope's surgery has been moved to June 1st, I think. They didn't have any open OR time on the 27th and I haven't received confirmation on the 1st yet.
Our house is officially off lockdown so therapy and the teacher will start back up this upcoming week. It was quiet this week. Really weird, kinda nice, but weird.
Our wonderful PT and friend is starting up a cheer program for special needs kids. If all goes well with the pump Hope will be starting that in July. If not, there's always next year!
Our wonderful OT and friend is starting up a special needs ministry at her church. I am happy to say I can start going to church the end of this month and not have to worry about my kiddos!
I have my last foster care class tomorrow! Yeah!!! Hopefully I will be licensed June/July.
Lots going on this month. Mainly parties (prom party, graduation party, getting more gray hair party, etc.). I am very excited, my sister in law, well, I consider her my sister in law, is coming into town for a few days. Her and her friend/my new friend Brandi are taking me out for a night! I can't wait!
All in all we are doing great. Just trying to keep up with life!
Thank you everyone for the continued support and prayers!

Surgery

Surgery is scheduled for Wed. May 27th!

Nuerosurgeon Visit

Hope no longer has restrictions! Her bandages and binder come off today! I will be calling to schedule her surgery today. Since I have a wedding, I'm being kidnapped for a day, and some other events this month, I am hoping to schedule for June 1st. We will hopefully only have a 2 day stay and she won't have to lay flat. If he opens up her stomach and the tube isn't draining correctly, he will have to open up her back again which will mean a 4 day stay. That shouldn't happen though.
If the pump is put in and fluid starts to build she will go back in for surgery immediately. He will open up a bigger spot on her back, expose the bone, drill off a little bit of her vertebrae and attach the catheter to the bone. Hopefully with all of these measures, he won't have to drill into her head or place a shunt.
She is still having problems with bumps on her legs. We aren't able to provide all of the therapy techniques that we would like because of them. She was diagnosed with Mellescum about 2 years ago. I'm wondering if that is what it really is. They go away for a couple of months and then come back for a couple of months. They are driving me and her crazy. Right now she has a big one on her knee so she can't even crawl. I have no clue what else to do.
We go see the orthotist Thursday for braces and Friday is Shriners Clinic. I will post again on Friday and I may have a positive date for surgery by then too.
Best wishes to everyone!!