Chillin' That's our Bri
We found this chair last December at Babies R Us and it has been perfect for Bri.  Her own personal just-right-size chair.  She looks like such a big girl when sitting in it properly, then she starts wiggling around and ends up like this.  Honestly, I didn't pose her.  She has been well and getting so big.  35 inches tall.  Wooo.  

Here we are...

Friday night and feeling much better.  Still not 100% but doing fantastic.   Waiting for daddy to come home since he has been out of town most of the week.  He always seems to get BIG SMILES from Bri upon his return.  I know she must miss him when he's gone as do both Ashley and I.  Still trying to schedule Brianna's birthday party with my family in North Florida.  We are all looking forward to a little break.  I hope to get it scheduled soon.    Please continue to pray for Annabel.  Things are better but she is still having some problems.    

I have so much to say.  Since coming home from the hospital, it has been interesting.  One day Brianna is on top of the world, the next day, sleeping most of the day, next day, smiling, happy and awake, next day....lots of resting.  Slowing she is getting better.  It is amazing how much the rotavirus took out of her.  Today we have an appt. with the gastrointerologist and nutritionist.  Since Bri's last appt with them in Oct. she has not been able to pass that 21 lb mark and right now she is below 20 lbs due to being sick.  She's starting to look skinny since she has continued to grow taller so we need to figure out what to do to get her fatter.  Oh, another interesting thing is that since being home, Brianna is sooooo hungry for food by mouth.  Last night, or should I say this morning, she had me up at 2:15 a.m. feeding her bananas and strawberries.  Did the trick, full tummy and back to sleep she went.  

Resting with my Daddy

I must say thank you for the prayers for Annabel.  She is feeling much better.  God is so good.

Have to blog about our older daughter, Ashley.  This past weekend she went to the Prom with Jordan and had a fantastic time.  Proms have changed so much since I went.  Theirs was held at Disney and the theme was "Night in Morroco".  She came home on Cloud 19 (no typo).  Here are a couple of pics of Ashley and her date Jordan.

All together now, ahhhhhhhh

Prayers for Annabel, Please

Our Sweet Annabel is in the hospital and not well.  I ask everyone to pray hard for answers to what is going on with her little body right now and a fast recovery and prayers to keep her family strong.  To learn more you can visit her site at: 

http://annabelgrace.blogspot.com/

Praise God

Praise God and we mean it from the bottom of our hearts.  Brianna came home today from the hospital.  We still have a good 7-10 days before she is over this virus but oh how good it is to be home.  

I can tell you now that we came so close to losing her on Wednesday.  It is unbelieveable how quickly dehydration can take someone down.  When we walked into the peds unit, Brianna was white as a sheet and completely limp in my arms.  They took one look and before I knew it there was a team of medical professionals there and they  immediately took Brianna up to the ped. intensive care unit.  Her heart was working overtime due to the dehydration and because of that and her petite size, it was next to impossible to get an iv in.  Thanks be to God, it was not her time to go and we have her for a little while longer.  Makes me smile with such gratitude.  

Tomorrow we will celebrate two years of life.  Might not sound like much but when told initially it would be less than 24 hours....her life has been an eternity.  We have been so blessed.  So, tomorrow, please say a prayer of thank you for this little life that has been such a blessing to so many.  

 

Good night.  

Brenda, Jerry and Ashley

oh, and our new little puppy dog, Belina.  Pics to follow.  

Not Going Home Today

Just a short note to say Bri is not going home today. Throwing up again and not tolerating her feeds. They are putting in an iv as I type or trying to put one it. Her veins are so small it takes someone really, really good and lucky. They have tried both feet, both hands, her neck and her head. Gave up and called in someone else to try. Last resort is a central line in her groin. Will see. Right now I think we will be here until Sunday. That is ok. God has a plan and if that's it then that's it.

Jerry is staying tonight with Bri and I plan on going home and getting some sleep, if I can sleep.

Wanted to attach this silly pic taken by Jerry with his phone. She got the glasses in an Easter Basket today. Crissy looks pretty fancy in her red glasses (BabyBeBlessedDolls.com) too.

I tell ya

Unbelieveable. We were given the green light to go home. Nurses came in, removed all of the wiring from Bri. Jerry and I were packing up and guess what. Bri threw up! Now, we have to wait a couple of hours to make sure she keeps her food down. Oh well. Rather stay a couple of hours than go home and be back here in a couple of hours.

Brenda

It's Official

Bri tested positive for Rotavirus and although we don't know for certain where she contracted it, we have a pretty good idea. But we will deal with the present and the future which means getting her well. She spent most of the day sleeping which means of course NOW (12:35 am) she is awake and whining quite a bit. Her tummy hurts and I think she has a headache because she keeps rubbing her head rather furiously. The nurse administered some tylenol (she had a fever a couple of hours ago) and I'm just waiting for the sleep to come.

This morning I got to go home and get several hours of sleep while Jerry stayed and took care of the Bri. She ate (by mouth) some banana baby food (with rice) and after tolerating that, she was started on pedialyte and this evening she is being fed formula and keeping it down. If she keeps this up the doc said we should be able to go home Friday. Fingers crossed everyone (prayers too) cause if we don't go home on Friday I'm sure we will be here for the weekend.

Unfortunately we will not be able to go visit my family in the panhandle of Florida and celebrate Bri's birthday on Easter but instead will stay here, get Bri well and go visit in a couple of weeks. Gotta have that 2 year birthday party! Anyway, I best go now and snuggle with a little girl, she needs me.

Brenda

Good News

(Direct from Bri's Daddy)

Hello Everyone,

We have an update for all of you and so far it is good news to report. Brianna is out of ICU and she has her own room. When she checked in yesterday she was severely dehydrated and they had a real hard time finding a vein that would remain stable enough to take fluids. She was not looking so good. Very pale and frail. The doctors are thinking that she has rota virus which I have not googled yet but they still don't know for sure. If she continues to improve at the pace she is on we feel we might be able to get out of here sometime tomorrow. Of course it is dependent on the diagnoses. We are currently waiting on test results. We can not say "thank you" enough for your prayers and concern for our family. Thanks be to God!

I hate to speak too soon but

Brianna is doing better. Much better. It's looking like she might have contracted Rotavirus. She finally fell asleep early this evening after getting a good amount of fluids in her and when she woke up around 9:30 pm she wanted to play. She was kicking the music box on the side of the crib on and off, on and off and I didn't stop her. The doctor suspected that she had rotavirus which would explain the vomiting and nausea but also diarrhea and that didn't happen until she woke up and wooooo the flood gates have been open.

She has finally fallen asleep again and I am going to try and get some sleep as well.

I find it amazing how people all over the world are keeping up with Brianna and praying. Have you looked at the "widget" on her website called Feedjit? It is on the left, down a little bit. It is the world map with the red markings on it showing places in the world where people have looked at Bri's website. Thank you each and every one. The prayers are working. God Bless.

Brenda

Just When You Think It's Safe to Go in the Water

Everything changes. Bri is in the PICU unit at Florida Hospital. Monday night she slept 12 hours. That was the first indicator that something was up. Then Tuesday her color was off just a little. Tuesday night around 9 pm she started throwing up...all night long. This morning I started giving her pedialyte but she still continued to throw up. Off to the pediatrician's office and then sent straight to the hospital to the pediatric floor but after one look they sent her straight up to intensive care and that is where we remain. Jerry was in Chicago for an important meeting but jumped on the first flight and is here now. It is so sad to see our usually happy little Bri so sick. We are very worried. Will post as soon as we find out something.

I had to add this picture. Last Saturday we had family and a few friends over for a small early birthday celebration. Look at her beautiful dress. It was a gift from Annabel and Cathy. (Annabel has one just like it!). Wait until you see the dress she will be wearing on her actual birthday. It is just as special.

I was looking through my pictures when I came across this picture of Jerry and I in Montreal in Nov of 06. It was during this trip that we found out the results of the Triple Screen test that was taken to find out if any abnormalities were present in my pregnancy. We were both elated to find out that the results were excellent...no reason to believe there was anything wrong with our unborn child. Looking back, I'm glad I didn't know. My pregnancy with Brianna was exceptional and if I would have known I'm not so sure that I would have been able to handle it. God works in mysterious ways.

Brianna is feeling better. She should be because she is on a mega-dose of antibiotics to get rid of the infection in her ear. Her 2nd birthday is approaching very quickly. Who would ever imagine we would be blessed this long with our baby girl...

More Antibiotics

Well, I had to take Brianna back to the pediatrician yesterday because after 5 days of taking a z-pack along with breathing treatments, she is still not 100%. Her lungs are clear, which is a HUGE blessing but that left ear continues to ooze icky stuff. Apparently the bacteria in her ear is resistant to the z-pack which is something we have been concerned about for some time. Immunity to antibiotics. Dr. Chaban assured me that he is a specialist when it comes to infectious diseases and will be able to always find an antibiotic to fight whatever comes along. And you know what, we trust and believe him.

I have to share with you this gorgeous picture that Ashley's friend, Jesse took.

Missing our Puppy Dogs

It is with sadness that I share with everyone that we are now completely dogless. Last year our liver-spotted dalmation, Brandy, passed away and this past weekend our beloved miniature schnauzer, Pepper passed. I miss Pepper so much. He was my shadow. His disposition was so sweet. I always said he had the soul of a saint...Saint Pepper. I know it sounds silly but he truly was a special little guy.

Doing some Organizing

Here I am on a Saturday night taking some time to organize Brianna's website. Long gone are the days of out til the wee hours...but that's alright. There is a season for everything. After transferring my journal from another site, I've now gone in and separated the journaling and put the dates on them correctly. I added a few pictures and have so many more to add but frankly I am quite tired right now.

Brianna is doing so much better. Yesterday her left ear had some goo oozing from it, at least it wasn't blood. So now between ear drops, eye drops (pollen makes them itch), and breathing treatments, Brianna is recovering quite well. Thanks be to God.

There's another video on our YouTube channel (www.YouTube.com/bsbotts). It is the video made by the excellent staff at First Presbyterian Church of Orlando. It is of Jerry and I giving our testimony. Check it out.

More later....I am soooo tired. Goodnight.

Still Not Well

Two weeks later and still not well. I had to take Brianna back to the pediatrician today. She has been on breathing treatments twice a day but this morning she was wheezing so I took her back in. After a good listen to her chest, Dr. Chaban diagnosed that one lung is clear and the other not so...we are on a second round of antibiotics and more breathing treatments. I'm not worried, yet. I truly believe a lot of this is being caused by pollen and that this too shall pass. Brianna does not have a fever and she is happy as a lark...as usual. It still doesn't hurt to ask for extra prayers.

Pollen, Pollen Everywhere!!

Oh my goodness what gorgeous weather we are having here in Orlando. But Spring also means pollen. Everything outside is covered in this yellow dust which to us means big time sneezing and congestion. Brianna has been congested for the last couple of days and miserable. We're just giving her some allergy meds and breathing treatments to hopefully prevent an infection.

Can you believe she is almost two years old?!!! I'm sure I posted this before but I'm going to say it again...this year her birthday is on Easter Sunday. Isn't that something.

Blessings to you and thanks for keeping up with us.

Feeling Better

Brianna is much better now. The bleeding ear turned out to be a middle ear infection. Nothing that a little antibiotics can't handle. Praise God. She is getting so big now and learning so much. Her language skills are increasing and just about every day she makes a different sound. Lately her sound has been "do it, do it, do it" it is so funny. She still hasn't mastered crawling in the traditional way but she gets up on all fours, moves her knees and hands, rolls forward or sideways, gets back up, starts over and moves all over the room. She is able to roll over and sit up by herself and we have been encouraging her to reach up and try to pull herself up.

Check out her cheesecake photo. She is soooo cute, yes?

Ashley's Turn

Ashley's turn to shine. We are so proud of our oldest daughter. Let's see, how do I say this...well, to say she is 16 years old says alot in itself (for those who have teenagers). There's been a tremendous amount of difficulties in her life and it has been hard for her to figure out how to handle those difficult times. But little by little, she's been figuring it out by trial and error. She has become quite active with the youth group at our church (First Presbyterian Church of Orlando) and last summer she went on her first mission trip to New Orleans to help rebuild houses for those affected by Katrina and this summer she is saving to go on a mission trip to Jamaica to help those in need there.

Regarding school, last Fall she was held back. What a bummer. What did she do? On-line school in addition to high school. Said no to lacrosse so she could focus on school (what a change). Her hard work paid off, in January we received a letter from her high school stating that she had been promoted UP to her original grade. A Junior. How exciting and how proud we are of her. Now, all we hear is college, college, college. Originally she wanted to be a pediatric physical therapist but after seeing Brianna's speech pathologist at work with Bri, that is what she wants to do now. She knows it is going to take some time but she is determined.

Let me tell you, we KNOW God answers prayers.

On another note, several people have asked me how to post a comment. Well, below each posting is the word COMMENT. If you click on that, there you go....post away.

One more thing, I'm sure Ashley would love to hear some congrats about her accomplishments. Her email address is pinkpep1@yahoo.com.

Brenda

Here we go again....

Little Brianna has ANOTHER ear infection but this one is the worse so far. She tugged at her ears several times which put me on notice but no fever, no crankiness, nothing until yesterday afternoon (of course AFTER the doctor's office was closed). Dark blood oozing out of her right ear. After me freaking out and scaring Jerry who heard me freaking out I called Bri's pediatrician who prescribed an antibiotic for her ear. Of course I have to tell you this itty bitty bottle of antibiotic costs a whopping $103.00. Now isn't that ridiculous?!!! But whatever we need for the Bri, we'll take care of it. Anyway, after a dose of tylenol and ear drops, she slept pretty good and we will be off to the doctor's office this morning.