Wednesday - The Day After Surgery

We have just been moved up to the 12th floor--her room # is 12E8
If you want to send a card:
St. Louis Children's Hospital
Haley Willis Room 12E8
One Children's Place
St. Louis, MO 63110


After 2 hours of surgery, Dr. Park came by to let us know she had done well and that "it should help her".  Shortly afterwards we were happily surprised to see our Assoc. Pastor Steve Ford from our church in Virden, IL (where Jeff also serves as the interim worship pastor).  Steve was able to go back with us to the recovery area to see the first glimpses of Haley after surgery and she immediately knew who he was--and also tried to talk him into taking her IV out!  :)  It was good to see a friendly face and he prayed over Haley there before leaving.


 Haley had a fairly good first night in the PICU. As expected, she complains of headache and pain in her back due to muscle spasms and of course her IV and especially her blood pressure cuff that is on her calf of her leg. However, she asked for a "Pepsi" to the nurse this morning--so it lets us know that she must be on her way back to her old self. She sleeps mainly most of the time while on the Fentanyl and Valium and we're looking forward to thursday when they'll begin to ween her off of the Fentanyl--though, we've been warned that she'll become more fussy and cry and it's mainly coming off the medication.


One of the rhizotomy team doctors came in the room last night before we left and he said that she had done well during surgery and that Dr. Park had cut approximately 75% of the nerves that lead to her legs. As the nerves branch off in groups of 4, he said that only one nerve out of each group of 4 nerves is kept uncut. Pretty amazing when you think about it--that's a lot of nerves cut!


Already this morning as we changed her diaper (which she hates--she's such a good girl using the potty) we could feel how loose her legs are! It's amazing how relaxed she is---we haven't felt her this way since she used to receive the Botox injections almost a year and a half ago. But, she is still able to wiggle her toes--which are now unclenched!! And she can move her legs and bend them like normal which is wonderful to see. We're really looking forward to when we can see her in her walker! We know she'll be weak and shaky, but it shouldn't take long to build up some strength.


We have also been doing some writing in the hopes that we'll be able to finish our book sometime in 2010 about Haley's life and our journey with her. Many people have asked us if we have a book about her story--and we really feel like the timing is finally right to get this done. The Lord had done such wonderful miracles in Haley's life that we've gotten to witness---and we hope we can share with as many people as we can how great God is and what a testimony of God's mercy, grace and hope in the life of Haley.