Emma's surgery.......

As I carried my sleepy four-year-old baby down those long hospital halls  into the operating room and laid  her on the operating table, watched her go to sleep and lay there lifeless looking, and then to walk all the way back to the waiting area with out her.....this was the verse God put on my heart. Over and Over I said it in my head....."Be strong and courageous, do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9
 I can't tell you how much Tim and I fully relied on God's grace yesterday morning.....we were scared and terrified, yet God calmed us with His word and gave us peace. She was in His hands and there is no better place to be!! We appreciate all of ya'll's prayers for us! We truly felt God's grace and presence yesterday!


We had talked SO much about her surgery and how Dr. Leversedge was going to help "lefty" get better. She was so excited to go!

  Here my girl is with her big cast!  The surgery went very well. He was able to transfer some of her pectoral muscle from the front to the back of the shoulder, he was able to lengthen another tendon, and released a lot of scar tissue from the original injury. Our hope and prayer is that this will be Emma's last surgery and her shoulder will not continue to turn inwards. We are told that this surgery will slow down the process of it. but, It will not totally stop it. But,  We believe that God is in control and if He desires to, He can heal her.

 She did so well after her surgery. It was four hours long...... It did take a couple of high doses of pain meds at first, but then she seemed to be comfortable. She did have an allergic reaction to the tape they used on her eyes and mouth. Her little face swelled up! After lots of Benadryl she seemed to be fine.


Emma's first cast! Her right arm was broken at birth. Her left arm is the one with Erb's Palsy....she was still pretty cute and tuff then too! : )...Leah had a head full of hair!!!
Emma's second cast! She was not too happy about it when she woke up from surgery : /....She actually complained more about the cast then she did about pain!

Emma was SO happy to go home!! She couldn't wait to see her sisters again.........and her sisters were ready to be my little nursing assistants! : ) Aren't they cute?!?!?!


So far the most difficult thing with Emma is that we are finding out all the things you can't do with one arm :) I am having to teach her how to eat with one arm, which is difficult when you think about how to pick up food with out the assistance of your other arm!!! How to hold a cup with one hand (when your hands are as little as a four-year-olds :) ), how to go to the bathroom, how to sit up and down, how to pick up things , open things, color and not have your paper move away from you!!! You never realize how much you need both of your arms till you are left with only one!!
She is handling it like a trooper though!!! God knew all that Emma would go through and gave her the personality that she has for a reason!! Nothing stops Emma. She is going to try  until she gets it done no matter how she has to do it!! VERY stubborn!! lol....but that's a good thing! : )

The other thing is.....Emma is a hyper, very active, type of child, and sitting still does NOT come easy for her! I am having to constantly tell her to sit down! I feel bad for her because she just wants to run and play, but she was put on light activity for two weeks....not sure how that is going to happen, but please pray for her.
She will go back to her Dr. in two weeks to have the cast removed and changed. : / I'm trying to explain to her that they are going to put another cast on again, that lefty will not be free just yet........she's not happy about that.
From here she will have to wear  a cast for six to eight weeks. Then they will take it off and she will start therapy three times a week for a long time : ) She will also be on light duty for three months there after. She will not be able to pull with her left arm, push with it, ect..........
Thank you all for all your prayers for our Emma Grace! We have definitely felt God's peace through all of this! I honestly don't think Emma would be doing as well as she is if it wasn't for all the prayer warriors out their!!!