December Fun

Happy Birthday to MiKell

We took an evening to visit a Christkindlmarket in Carmel.  It was cold but enjoyable

 Wendy and Sabrina participated in a Christmas concert.  Sabrina played "Come Little Children" and Wendy played "Silent Night"

Unexpected Excitement

Zachary was driving home from church, we stopped behind 3 cars the first of which was waiting to turn left across traffic.  The car behind us did not get the message and we were read-ended.  The car was a total loss so we are now waiting to get a new car.  A few things that let us know the Lord was in our lives: the lady responsible let Zachary know he was not at fault as a new drive this was helpful, the person's insurance was super easy to work with and covered everything, Kyle was just minutes behind us to help, no one was injured. 

 

The Start of Wendy's Health Adventure

Written Sunday 11/14    

Wendy has had some excitement this weekend and it will unfortunately continue into the next weeks. On Friday she had an MRI because of her short stature and chronic headaches.  That afternoon I received a phone call from her pediatrician asking me if I was sitting down.  She then informed me that Wendy has a tumor in her brain near her pituitary gland.  She had spoken with a Neurosurgeon, Dr Ackerman, and they determined that the best course would be to admit her into the hospital and do more tests to figure out what direction we needed to go.  

The past couple of days in the hospital have been hard on Wendy.  She wants to be home and wants to be normal.  That is not an option so we are working on finding the positive, the many blessings we have. 

So far we have learned that Wendy's veins are very secretive she has had to be poked 6 times with only two IV's actually working and one of those really didn't.  I think the IV and drawing blood is the hardest medical thing for Wendy.  The emotional storm is also hard. She is trying to figure out how to deal with the confusion, outpouring of love, anger, disappointment, and worry of the unknown.  She has shown great courage.

Prognosis wise we have determined that the tumor is about 1.5 cm in diameter and is affecting her optic nerves and her pituitary gland.  The optic end are at least partially a cause of her headaches.  The pituitary gland directs all the hormones so some of hers are not being directed properly.  We know her Thyroid is low and are doing continued tests of her Cortisol levels.  We will need to remove the tumor, but the doctors (Neurosurgeons, Endocrinologists, Oncologists, and Ophthalmologists) have yet to make a set plan, that is suppose to happen tomorrow (Monday 11/15)  

Our view from our hospital window.  It snowed for the first time this season and we think it makes the roof tops look a Harry Potterish.

 

Update: Writtten 12/4

The doctors are pretty confident it is a Craniopharyngioma which is a benign slow growing sticky tumor.  The plan is to surgically go in through her nose and sinuses and take a biopsy and decompress the cystic parts.  Wendy would then have 6 weeks of radiation to get rid of the tumor.

We are getting a second opinion at the beginning of January and another MRI.  The surgery will most likely be the end of January.

Kyle's Birthday, Halloween

Happy Birthday to a wonderful husband and father.  41 never looked so good!

Halloween was very lowkey at the Flamm house this year.  On Saturday we attended a Trunk-or-Treat at the church.  It was cold, but fun.  There was a chili contest, yummy mac and cheese and cornbread.  There were also fun games for the kids including a cupcake walk, and big bubbles.  Kyle and Zachary ran the big bubbles and it was a hit.  Sabrina invited Mila a friend from school which was fun. We then went to a Halloween parade at the neighborhood park that evening. 

 Halloween, Sabrina dressed up to hand out candy.  The other kids did not dress up, but we had fun doing a short Halloween scripture scavenger hunt and got some candy with that.  

Universal Studios - Fall Break 2021

Universal Studios

Dr Seuss Land

Hogwarts Castle and Hogsmeade

Surfing a wave at the City Walk into Universal.  

We watched the Animal Actors show and the Borne Stunt Show.  Not many pictures but enjoyable times.

Diagon Alley - This was the part of Harry Potter world that we had not visited before.  The dragon actually blows fire, the shrunken head speaks to you, and the bank was quite detailed.

The girls and parents visited the Dinosaur exhibits and Dr. Seuss Land, while the boys rode the faster rides at Hogwarts and Hogsmeade.

We spent two days at Universal Studios.  The first day Wendy suffered from a headache that she had for the entire weekend.  She and I stayed back and visited the doctor.  Thank-goodness she was feeling better by that evening and was able to visit Universal the second day.  

These cranes were across the street from the house we were staying in.  Since I was home, I got to see them.