Holding Steady

Hi everybody! Bailey had a follow-up appointment with Dr. D today and "passed". She's feeling really, really good. He's still following her closely to see if her surgery has fixed things. It's still a slow and steady process. She gets to go back to school after Christmas break - probably just for half days until she can build her energy back up. We have only heard from one of her teachers and she's coming every week to help Bailey, but the others haven't come since she's been home from the hospital. So, it looks like she'll have double work when she goes back -- current work plus work from last semester. I guess that's the way we'll deal with it. We're working on cardiac rehab here at home but just getting back to her normal daily activity will also help her in her recovery. She is definitely feeling better mentally - no symptoms of anxiety or depression either. She does have a counseling session scheduled for the end of January (that's the soonest we could get her in) (Dr. D wanted her to at least do some couseling since we stopped her anxiety medication due to nausea) but I'm hopeful that by the end of January we might be able to cancel it if she continues to do so well.

She's really having a problem coming up with a Christmas list. Finally yesterday she said, "Mom, I think the reason I can't think of anything I want for Christmas is because I'm just so happy to be HOME." Wow. If the whole world was that simple and that grateful, what a place this would be. I am so grateful to God for carrying us through not only every single day of our lives, but especially the last 3 years. I really don't know where we'd be as a family if God wasn't the center of our household. I thank you all for your words of encouragement and love - they simply have helped our faith stay strong.

We went Christmas caroling tonight with Marissa and her class. It's been about 30 years since I've been caroling. And they visited the VA hospital earlier today and sang some songs for them. She had a great day!

Josie made the middle school basketball team! She's excited, but they're in the early stages of lots of running and lots of drills. She's not a big fan of the running (she keeps her inhaler close by) but I'm happy that she gets to experience the comraderie and team spirit with the other girls.

I pray that each and every one of you have a wonderful Christmas spent with your closest family and friends. I am not a great socialite, and I have really struggled with that part of my personality over the past several years - wanting to change myself and wishing I was the "life of the party". But I am learning to lighten up and to just appreciate those who cross my path, and that would be each one of you. I don't know how you were led to Bailey's story, and maybe we haven't even met face to face, but the support you have given us these past 3 years is unlike anything else I've ever experienced in my 41 years. Truly priceless. Thank you.

I will definitely keep you posted of Bailey's progress, but, as you've seen lately, I won't be posting daily. Remember, no news is good news. But please continue to check in periodically, as I wouldn't want you to miss any updates. Bailey is an incredible little lady, and I'm anxious to see where God leads her in this world. And my prayer is that God lead you in a way that you life to the absolute fullest.
"Sing like no one can hear you. Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like no one is watching." I don't know where the quote originally came from, but I love it. I'm not mentally strong enough to follow this quote physically, but I sure do carry it around in my heart.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Angie