Nesting

What does nesting look like in our house?  Well, it started early as the second semester energy kicked in and now is starting to taper off at 34 weeks.  Yes, we are putting together a new nursery (updating what was Daniel and then Andrew’s nursery and planning to move Andrew into Daniel’s room whenever we get up the courage!)… because who says you can’t have a little fun even if you are having another boy.  :)  And we all know that nurseries are for the moms anyways, so the new whale theme is giving me a lot of joy.  I am sure our newest addition will be thrilled as well.  Haha.

However, my nesting can be best summed up by my insane energetic attempts to tackle everything on my list for John before our deadline this new baby boy arrives.  And yes, I have an actual list of all ideas, present and future, that may be helpful to try where John is concerned.  I tuck away notes and ideas from doctors and therapists, but mainly from other moms in similar positions.  And then when I have spurts of energy and determination, I basically read over the list and pray God will guide me as to whether or not it is the right time to pursue any of these items.  I cannot say our decision process has always been like this nor is it always like this now… However, over time, I do feel we have been able to pursue the next steps for John with open hands, freedom and trust in God’s leading rather than tackling one thing after the next out of fear, striving, and anxiety. This makes a BIG difference.

Two key endeavors have been undertaken since May with another being implemented tomorrow.  I will skip to what is happening tomorrow so you can be praying!!  John and Meade are currently in New Jersey where John will be put to sleep tomorrow and undergo a procedure on his legs called Selective Percutaneous Myofascial Lengthening (SPML).  It is minimally invasive using punctures in the leg rather than any cutting, however he will be bruised for a bit and have casts below his knees for 3-4 weeks.  This will not limit him from participating in his therapies or school.  It was quite emotional sending them off yesterday, as this is the first big thing in John’s life I will not be physically present for, given that I am too far along to travel now.  But can I just say how incredibly grateful I am for my husband who is the BEST dad and I know has it all under control even without the control-freak by his side? :)

We have heard this procedure is pretty amazing, especially for the tightness that comes for so many children with cerebral palsy, so we are excited to see how the Lord uses it in John’s life.  The hope is that it will help relieve much of the tension caused by the hypertonicity targeting the groin area, hamstrings and heels and allow his therapies to be more effective.  An alcohol block is also used around the groin to determine how to best enable each leg to dissociate from the other, so they can have the ability to no longer just move as a unit but can move separately which is key to activities such as crawling and walking.  This should also improve his posture, in that the hamstrings are very connected to the buttocks and back muscles.  Many end up having a carry over effect, also releasing the muscles in their arms.  That would be awesome!

Thank you for praying for the procedure tomorrow (Tuesday, September 1st), for John’s recovery, and for the next steps that need to follow the procedure… for timing and guidance as it relates to our October 13^th due date!   So grateful for each one of you, our faithful friends on this journey!  I will try to post an update later this week along with additional information on our summer of nesting.

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
-Ephesians 3:20-21