"Did You Know?!"

(Shyla here with the update - yes Shyla! Hard to believe...I know!)  We have been amiss at updating the blog and we are so sorry!!!  We had no idea that we had so many faithful followers.  It is easy to blog when you are stuck in a hospital room and nothing else much to do...it is quite another task to be home and running the family schedule and the household.  We have been so blessed with answered prayers that we want to give God all the glory.  Brooke is home and doing progressively well each day.  I cannot even begin to tell you how thankful we are to God.  Our life verse for Brooke at her baby dedication was

"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."

Jeremiah 29:11

To recap:  Monday night Brooke spiked a fever of 101.5 and so we headed to the ER to just check everything out...amazing how quickly you blow past all 50+ people in the waiting room when you present a 2 yr old with no spleen... with a 101.5 fever.... who is just 6 days post op from major heart surgery.  Whooosh...those magic doors opened right up...and a doctor immediately is there to see us...and within 30 minutes we were right back on the "clean floor" from where we had been just 2 days before!  Never had that experience in an ER before (ask Larry about his ER experience with his kidney stone - ouch! He didn't get quite the star treatment that Miss Brooke had!)

Of course, since she has no speen, as SOON as we were admitted, the doctors began to treat immediately with the big time antibiotics until the cultures returned showing no bacterial infection...Dr Nikaidoh and Dr. Barth were very caring and wanted to assure us we made the right decision...her heart and chest X-rays checked out fine and said she had caught a virus most likely and after 2 long days back in the hospital...they sent us home on Wed!!!! 

Finally sleeping in her OWN bed!!!

Brooke was really not quite back to herself spunky self until Saturday...she had not been walking since surgery so it was pure joy for me to see her toddling down the hall to find her sisters!! It brought me to tears the first time I saw her follow Erica down the hallway again!!

Finally getting some spunk back...we are SO SO SO excited :)

Unfortunately, poor Meredith managed to get a brown recluse spider bite Monday night -- we were scrambling a bit when she broke out in a full body rash and the internet (WebMD will convince you that you are dying, ya'll) said this could be a sign of a systemic infection...so we spent a few minutes attempting to figure out if she could managing waiting in the ER by herself as Dad was flying and I had to stay with Brooke in HER hospital room!!  Since ER again had 50+ people and knowing the doors would not magicallly whoosh open for her as they had for Brooke...she opted to spend the night in the hospital with me and take her chances in the morning...and we are pleased to say that Meredith did indeed make it through the night...(and subsequent nights afterward) and her  bloodwork all came back fine and that bite site has not gotten any worse so far! Praise God!! 

We have been showered with love and attention and wonderful meals...thank you each who visited us, sent texts, notes, emails, brought treats and gifts, watched our other children, kept laughter flowing and stress relieved...and thank you for your prayers.  It is beautiful to see the body of Christ enfold each other and bear one another's burdens. 

Throughout this entire heart journey with Brooke, so many professionals and strangers and have asked,  "DID YOU KNOW she was this complicated before you adopted her?"  .....  We smile and say "yes, we chose her and we love her, just as she is...with her beautiful GOD-GIVEN heart, as her surgeon, Dr. Nikaidoh calls it." ...  We claim Jeremiah 29:11 for Brooke, as we know that we too are pretty complicted in our own sinful heart condition and yet God in His mercy adopted us ... "to give us a hope and a future". Brooke has brought joy to so many, and her story has been a testimony of God's faithfulness to all we encountered in that hospital. Different nurses and doctors would come in to visit her...to meet our precious girl...and would turn to us to exclaim "SHE'S the girl we've heard about! She is the one your daughter found in China, and then you all were able to bring her home! Brooke's story is incredible!" All we can do is smile at them in response...and share with them the story of how God moved in incredible ways to bring our girl home. 

Acting like our little diva again...now we KNOW she's got to be feeling better.. :)

Before bringing Brooke home, Meredith took the time to write out the beginning of Brooke's story...how she met her and fell absolutely head over heels in love with her...and then how God paved the way for us to bring her home to become our new daughter. I've been meaning to sit down and write a "Part 4" of the series, if you will- a journal of the incredible way God moved and worked in Larry and I's hearts to confirm that Brooke was our daughter. Check back soon for Part 4 of Brooke's story...and we know that it is only just beginning! We cannot wait to see the plan God has in store for Brooke's life continue to unfold...for her hope, and for her future! 

Calling Our Prayer Warriors...

We would appreciate your prayers...Brooke was just very "not herself" today and began to run a temperature. When it got up to about 101 degrees F, we took her back to the hospital as a precaution...infection post surgery is very, very dangerous and we want to avoid that at all costs! Because Brooke was also born without a spleen, she is at a higher risk. The doctors all felt she should remain overnight for observation and IV antibiotics for safe measure, though her fever is now gone and her white cell count looks normal! The doctors assured us that this was most likely nothing to worry about...but definitely better safe than sorry to bring her in!! Please pray that this fever was just a fluke deal and she can come back on home where she belongs!!

Sunday Snapshot:: Miracle

"So, Cai Wei....would you like to go home?"

We were all shocked beyond belief when Dr. Nikaidoh, Brooke's surgeon, asked her during rounds Saturday morning if she wanted to go home. All along, we had been told Tuesday or Wednesday at the absolute earliest for discharge- thinking it would be a miracle if we did make it home by then...a mere week after having her open-heart Fontan surgery.

Never in our wildest dreams could we have thought we would be sitting at home with our precious girl on Saturday night...just 4 (four) (FOUR) days after such a major, invasive surgery. Our surgeon even told us that he has performed over 300 Fontan procedures...and he has never seen a recovery as quick as our Cai Wei's. "She sets the record"...is what he said..."You must have had many, many people praying for her".

Yes we did, Dr. Nikaidoh. Yes we did. We are so thankful for our miracle girl and that she has returned HOME!!! We cannot thank you ALL enough for your prayers- you all are a huge part of this miracle. We truly felt surrounded by your prayers in the midst of this long, emotional, nerve-wracking week...and we couldn't have done it without you. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. Please continue to pray for Cai Wei during these next few weeks...while she is home, she still has a long way to come before she gets back to being "herself". Brooke's story from the very beginning has been absolutely miraculous, and God continues to amaze us. We just cannot wait to sit back and watch what He has planned for her life!!

For where two or three gather in my name,

there am I with them. 

Matthew 18:20

Sweet Erica is VERY excited to have her sister home again!

We are absolutely amazed at our brave, brave girl.

Linking up today with Stefanie's Sunday Snapshot...head on over for yourself!

Friday:: Update from Baba (dad)!

Tuesday morning we began this journey and I recall a picture that early morning that really struck me Day 1. The picture reflects the anxious atmosphere of our hearts and minds...but the focus of the picture is Brooke. In her moment prior to leaving us for surgery, it’s as if she touches the anxious, sad face of Meredith and assures her that this will all be okay…it’s in God’s Hands now. Obviously Brooke was simply adoring her older sister but it brings me back to our verse in Jeremiah 29:11…”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.” This week truly has been God protection one day at a time and our absolute peace in God’s plan.

“So….who am I talking to here now?”

While most of the week has been intense, we have enjoyed our moments of laughter, most of which occurs when a new professional walks in the room. Wanting to be politically correct and not offend, the professional surveys the participants in the room and notices Shyla and me and usually Allison or Meredith along our side. Even more perplexing to the new visitor are the few times Erica may be scuttling in the room. Perhaps they train for this initial visit in medical school in “Bedside Manners 101” but the initial conversation usually goes as follows…. “So….who am I speaking to here now….” hoping to eliminate the awkward moment of calling me grandpa, or even worse Shyla grandmother. Or, to Meredith or Allison’s dismay, of being the assumed adoptive mother. What about this other 6 year Asian girl scuttling in the room…to whom does she belong? We always enjoy this initial awkward moment!!

This morning began with a restful night until a plastic connector on Brooke’s arterial vein decided to fail and an intense few moments ensued trying to figure out exactly what was going on considering there seems to be a dozen such lines running along her little body. Once the nurse found the cause of the bleeding and pain, we then had the difficult task of masking and cleaning and replace the faulty connector while Shyla and I tried to restrain a strong and determined young girl.

Tired Mei and Brooke after an adventurous night with the arterial line! 

The highlight of the day, however, began at 7am as the surgeon team removed Brooke’s internal drain tubes, which is a milestone event in heart babies. The extended stays of heart surgery are often times linked to this drain process so we are SOOO grateful this stage of her recovery is complete. We then received the news we would be moving out of ICU and up to the 3rd floor…still a “clean room” environment but not the intensity of ICU.

What a special photo....3 days ago, this team of three incredible surgeons was assembled to fix her broken heart. Today, Dr. Nikaidoh is holding Brooke's hand in his hand telling her how he has prayed for her. We are so blessed to have a surgeon who gives glory to God in his work, and truly loves each and every one of his patients. 

He just loves our sweet girl so much- we are so thankful for the gift he has given us in Brooke's repaired heart!! God is so good!

Leaving the PICU! See ya later! We have loved our time here- all of our nurses have just been absolutely wonderful!

Brooke had several special visitors today, which was such a treat! Please continue to pray for her appetite to return, as she has not indulged in dining to her former ways and still slow in fluid intake. Also pray for continued rest for Brooke and family, and for a lack of infection during this time!!!! Most of all...please join us in praying for sweet Lily Rancourt, who had the same Fontan heart surgery that Brooke just had. Lily is such a brave little girl and is fighting her way through some complications- please pray specifically for her that her heart rhythms will steady and that her right lung will be "re-inflated" and resist any more collapse! Follow their journey here!! We can't wait to see both of our sweet heart girls home!!

Wonderful Donna, who brought us the most delicious chocolates when we needed them the most :)

Watching old videos with Allison!

Erica came to see Brooke! Her little pained smile.. :( Brooke did NOT want Erica to leave!!!

Grandma and Grandpa came too!!! 

Brooke even got some mail from Samford University...Meredith's school! How amazing!

Goodnight from our little corner of the hospital... Larry for all!

Oh...and PS...we got a SMILE today!!!

We are so, so blessed. 

Our Spunky Little Firecracker- Day 1 post-op

Brooke's surgery was nothing short of miraculous. While it took a little longer than we were expecting (she had an excess of scar tissue from her first surgery in China), she came out of that surgery rip, roarin', and READY to go. We had been forewarned by the anesthesiologist that she would be very "out of it and asleep" until at least the morning after surgery. They also prepared us for her ventilator (breathing tube) to come out the next morning.

Ha. NOT so for our little Cai Wei. Girl was ready to have that tube OUT, and literally 5 minutes after being wheeled from the operating room to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), our sweet girl was EXTUBATED!!! Woohoo no ventilator!! She also was fairly awake, but they did give her more medicine to try to help her sleep for awhile.

Well. Our first night was anything but quiet. Brooke woke up around one and was pitching a rip roaring fit that she wanted "HER JUICE" and she was bound and determined that she was going to get it!!! Meredith and Shyla were spending the night in her room, and had to literally hold her down to keep her from trying to roll/jump/crawl off the bed to get her juice. Because of the surgery, Brooke was not allowed to have anything to drink for a good while after coming out of the OR. Finally around 3 AM, the nurse decided she could have a TINY bit of juice with some ice chips...that did not cut it for our little princess. Girl was MADDER than a hornet and she let everyone know it! She would shake that cup to get every last drop...and boy oh boy...if you tried to help her with the juice, beware! You would be hit with a resounding "CAI WEI DOOOOOO" and find your hand pushed away from her beloved sippy cup :) In fact, for the rest of the day, all the doctors and nurses would come in saying "I heard we have a feisty one in here...she caused quite the commotion last night, didn't she?" Oh my.

We did have some great news though, as they were able to remove her catheter and her IV lines...because they CLEARED her to drink liquids! Woohoo!!! She can't wait to have the rest of her tubes/lines/cords removed!!! (and by that I mean...she is physically trying to remove them herself!)

Finally (FINALLY) she wore herself out from all that craziness during the night, and decided that it would be a great idea to sleep all.day.long. She even slept through a visit from the OSU football team that came to see her!!! I'm thinking that tonight is going to be rough....

She did wake up for a little while in the afternoon and was so happy. The doctors said that she is looking pretty good right now, but they are still watching her chest tube output very closely. They also wanted to see how her body would respond to fat in the diet...so our sweet girl got to eat some ice cream!!! She was so excited :)

We got to see her surgeons again...you almost just feel a sense of wonder when you think of what they just did to your child's heart. It's beyond imaginable. We are forever thankful to our wonderful surgeons, and for the way that they have let God use their gifts for His glory and good!!

10 minutes after surgery...Mom is about to lose it :)

Watching the team of doctors wheel our baby to recovery. The man in the white coat is our surgeon. We are so, so blessed to have had him do Brooke's surgery. 

Please continue to pray for no infection, for Brooke to NOT pull out anymore wires and to have peace and patience, and a very low amount of pain today. Also pray that her chest tubes will drain accordingly...those determine our "get-outta-the-hospital" record :)

We will update more tomorrow...thank you all so much for your prayers. We couldn't not be walking this path without any of you, and we appreciate your love and support so, SO much more than you could ever know.

Hugs from the Toerings!

"God-winks"

Luke 12:6-7

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies?

Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.

Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Don't be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows

It can sometimes be tempting to feel "alone" in this heart journey- while we have SO many who are journeying alongside us in prayer and encouragement (and we could NOT do this without you), Brooke's heart is so complex and unique that there are not too many that we personally know who have actually "lived-through" a heart surgery quite like this. 

We were blessed to meet the Rancourt family back in January, when Meredith and Emily happened to begin emailing back and forth about our similar "heart babies"...our Brooke and their Lily. We prayed from January to April for each others' paperwork processes...rejoicing with each other when progress was made, and comforting and encouraging when the road blocks hit. We prayed all along that we might somehow end up traveling to China together...but thought it wouldn't happen since our paperwork dates were all off. Well..

God-Wink #1:

We got our travel approval on the SAME exact date as Emily and Jacques Rancourt, and we were able to coordinate our consulate appointments to be just one day apart. We WOULD be meeting in China after all during the last week of our trip!!! However...Meredith, who had become Emily's very good friend, was traveling back to the States to take finals for the last week, so she would miss getting to meet the Rancourts. We were all disappointed, but...

God-Wink #2:

Meredith has worked at a camp up in New England, and frequently goes up to visit. Come to find out, the Rancourts home is only 30-45 minutes from this camp where Meredith worked...and she was able to visit Emily and Jacques and meet their sweet girls a few weeks ago!!! 

God-Wink #3:

Through conversations with Emily, we realized that Lily and Brooke were "heart-sisters". They both have extremely rare, unique hearts...but somehow...their conditions are so very, very similar. We realized that God had so clearly brought our families together as friends to be able to walk this scary road TOGETHER....and amazingly, Brooke and Lily's procedures (BOTH were receiving the exact same surgery...the Fontan) were scheduled just 4 days apart. We have truly been able to walk this road together the entire time...while separated by several hundred miles :) Finally...today just blew us both away...

God-Wink #4:

Both Brooke and Lily went into surgery wearing the "hospital standard" pale green gown...the gown that almost every single patient wears when admitted for a procedure. However, after surgery BOTH Brooke and Lily were put into "Tired Little Tiger" gowns...that we both separately had been calling "Liang Zhi Lao Hu" gowns (the song "Two Tigers" in Chinese...Brooke and Lily's favorite!). Emily happened to post a picture of Lily wearing her tiger gown...and we were shocked to see that Brooke had just been put in the same exact one! It was just a neat reminder that in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit across the country, another precious Asian princess was wearing her Liang Zhi Lao Hu gown while resting and healing from HER open-heart surgery. 

God is in the details...and He has been from the beginning of this entire adoption process. Just go back and read Brooke's incredible story...part 1, part 2, and part 3. Go read Emily's beautiful story to her daughters Mackenzie and Lily. It is so neat to see His fingerprints along the way...and we can't wait to see what else is to come!!! 

Goodbye....and HELLO!!!!! She is out of surgery!!!

8 hours ago, we waved goodbye to our littlest princess with tears in our eyes and pits in our stomachs as she said "No bye-bye...no bye-bye, mama".

8 hours later....here she comes!!!! God is so good, and our little Miss Brooke made it through surgery and we were able to come out in the hallway to catch a glimpse of her as they wheeled her from the OR to the PICU. 

Absolutely nothing can describe the overwhelming joy seeing the team of 10 surgeons and anesthesiologists come down the hallway...the same surgeons who held our daughter's heart in their hands just minutes before. God. Is. Good. All the time.

Please continue to pray with us as these next 48 hours are extremely critical- please especially pray that she will not get any sort of infection!!! We cannot thank you enough for your prayers and kind words- they have meant the world to us.