My Trip in Detail

This is Bonnie and Lynn Alvord, Katie Perry's Parents, and the people who totally saved me. I went there knowing that they were going to give me a place to stay; but they gave much more. They acted like I was one of their kids home to visit. They picked me up from the airport and took me and stayed with me at all of my appointments and Hailey's Surgery. Lynn is a Doctor so his listening ears were really helpful. Lynn had the week off work and we had a lot of fun, when we were not at the Doctors that is. I really love these guys and I know that Heavenly Father used them to answer my prayers and ease my burden.

This is Grandma Alvord. She is Lynn's 93 year old mother. Hopefully she doesn't mind me telling her age. She was so sweet to Hailey, and always concerned with us being comfortable. Hailey would go in and talk to her and play in her room. Hailey loves her. One time she was in asking Grandma how come she can't walk and why she hunches over. Grandma just laughed and explained it to her. She was such a good sport.

LOOK at this BREAKFAST!!!! YUMM. Notice that Hailey is eating sugar cereal...the second that she said that she didn't want that and she wanted Trix it was in front of her. They spoiled just like Grandparents do.

We went to a Metro-Park, they call it. It was beautiful. I loved taking pictures of Hailey here because she had her contacts in. She loves Bonnie.

Look at the huge trees and my beautiful daughters eyes. You'll have to click on this one to really see her blue eyes.

There was a little place with snakes, turtles, bees and other animals. Hailey loves animals.

This is right before her surgery. She looks way too excited! Poor thing. My mom, Kit Cook, Judd's mom and Lyndi all sent toys and things to do for Hailey. Everything was really nice to have because it gave her something to do. She had to wait all day. She was Dr. Trese's last patient and she had to come fasting. It was 4PM before she got taken back for her exam and operation.

Lynn playing with Hailey to distract her.

This is Hailey after her surgery, she has to wear those metal eye protectors every night. She hates them, so I have to wait until she is asleep to put them on. Her eye are really fragile because he went in through the front and dissected clear to the back to take the piece of sclara out to make room for the fluid to drain. We don't need any extra scar tissue causing extra problems.

The first 24 hours after the surgery were really hard. She had a really hard time coming out of anesthesia. She was freaking out and the nursing staff was in a hurry to get us out of the recovery room so they could go home. They sent us away and she was still thrashing all over and trying to gouge her eyes. She had been freaking out for about an hour though.

We walked out and I held her in the lobby while Bonnie went to go get the car. Lynn went back up to get something I forgot. While I was waiting there, and Hailey was screaming and trashing, three women came up to me and told me it would be okay or asked me if I was okay. It must have looked terrible. Anyway, I was so tired and I wanted her to have some comfort. So right there I just said a prayer out loud in her ear. Short and to the point. Heavenly Father please comfort Hailey. She stopped crying almost immediately and when we got in the car she feel asleep. The first night was so long she kept waking up and crying and she sleep most of the night in my arms. Translation-no sleep for me. The first morning Hailey didn't want to open her eyes but before that night she was doing amazingly better.

I don't know what day this was but you can see one eye bled out and the other one didn't.

Tuesday before we left we had another check-up. They took pictures of her retina to see if any fluid had already gone down. I was disappointed to see that she still had the big bump in the middle of the retina but the doctor said to give it more time. We go back on November 3ed for another Exam under anaesthetises so he can really see if the surgery worked. When I go that time I have to take Jayden to also have an exam under anaesthetises, just to be safe.

Lynn and Bonnie's house was beautiful and very breakable. Bonnie is an interior designer and their house is decked out. I was very happy when we left and Hailey had not broken one thing. Thank goodness!!!!

Tender Mercies of the Lord as Rich Larsen would put it.....

1- At the first check up Dr. Trese said, "It's interesting that you are here today because I was just researching this exact thing in London last week and I just got done writing up my research yesterday." Then I asked if her condition was common and he said that it is extremely rare. I know that was the Lords hand directing him to research that particular condition.

2- We also found out that if everything looks perfect, on November 3ed, when he checks her that she will need to come back 3 times a year to be checked. She will have to be put under every time. That is the only way he can see her whole retina and the fluid layer beneath. Right before I left my second follow-up appointment Dr. Trese's fellow doctor, Dr. Walsh, came in and told me that he is taking a job in Tuscon with Dr. Javid (The retina doctor who first saw Hailey). Dr. Walsh has been training with Dr. Trese for three years and he doesn't start until August next year in Tuscon. This is really good because he can learn all about Hailey and watch Dr.Trese and then maybe take care of us closer to home in the future.

3-Another tender mercy of the Lord in my strengthened faith. One of the hardest things through all of this process has been wondering if I had faith at all, not to mention faith for my daughter to be healed, or faith to receive the direction on what to do. Through reading my scriptures, prayer, priesthood blessings I have more faith than I ever had. Even though this road with her is going to be hard, I have been guided to the right place and I know Hailey is getting the best care, no matter what happens. You may have to keep reminding me that I said this.

4- All the love and support is for sure a tender mercy. So many have helped make this easier on us. Thank you all so much.

Special Thanks

I don't know what I would have done with out Lyndi. She had my kids for the whole 12 days that I was gone. As if that wasn't enough she came over while I was gone and cleaned my house top to bottom. She also had a cake, balloons, and flowers waiting for Hailey. My sister Emily brought us dinner.

Derek could not wait one more second for a bite of that cake.

Jayden made us a sweet welcome home card.

Lyndi's kids and Jayden made this welcome poster for us.


The night before we left Lena and Stacy had us over for dinner. They also went all out! The kids made a Get Well Soon poster and They had a special cake for Hailey. We are seriously spoiled!

Hailey's Update....

Here's a quick update on Hailey.....

She ended up having her surgery on friday. When the Doctor did his exam he found that she had significant retnal detachments... more than what we saw on the previous exam, so he wanted to go ahead and do the surgery instead of opting to do just the drops.

During the surgery he made scleral windows. The sclera is the white part of the eye, and he took part of it out to make room allowing the fluid to drain. She's doing very well. She had a follow up check today that went well, and has another check up on Tuesday. If everything looks good we get to come home! She then we will have to come back in four weeks for a post op check up to make sure things are moving along as planned.

Thank you all for your prayers and kind words! We are so grateful to have such wonderful friends and family supporting us through this.

Tuesday's Exam!!!

Today was really good. I feel totally confident in the doctor out here. He wants to take Hailey into the OR on Friday and do an Exam on her. He wants to do a Florscine Angiogram and a OCT. He says that she may have fluid between her sclra and her Retina causing the Retina to Detach. If the Retina is only detached where we see the fold then he would like to try giving her eye drops to decrese the fluid and pressure in her eye before he trys surgery. If, on Friday he sees more detachments during her Exam he will go ahead and do the surgery then. Then he said we will have to see if any permenent damage was caused by the evusion (the medical term he used). Katie's parents are taking care of us out here. Really, I love them already. What a blessing they have been. They are totally fun and easy to be around and they really are taking care of me like I was their own. Great People. I'll do another update on Friday. Thanks to all. Seriously, thank you everyone for taking care of me. Best case senero: We can relieve the fluid and the Retina will lay back down and Hailey will see beter. Worst case: He finds it is really a true Retina Fold and then I don't know what. He is 90% sure it is the first. He was just unsure if the Retina would be fine or not.

Thanks so much!!!

Kara reminded me that I needed to explain the picture. My kids made the cake and Jayden thought is was hilarious to make me an old lady. He was laughing his head off. He likes to playfully tease, thanks to Judd. Hopefully that's all it will always be. In the picture: Jaren, Britney and Me and our kids. :)

Okay, so I feel kind of stupid blogging my birthday but it was so great I want to tell everyone thanks. I was really not looking forward to my birthday this year and for those of you who know me very well, that is not normal. I was dreading September and my birthday meat that it was hear. Anyway, so many people made an effort to make it a special day and it was one of my best birthdays that I can remember. In the morning I went out to send Jayden off to school and my sister Emily was waiting outside with a gift and hug. That just started the day off really well. Then Lyndi, my sister-in-law, took me to lunch. All through the day I was getting calls and visitors wishing me a Happy Birthday! Then later that night Jaren and Britney came over for pizza (my favorite). We had so much fun laughing and telling stories. It was just what I needed! The whole day was so great!! Then the following week a bunch of my friends took me to lunch. I love you all so much and I feel all of your support and love. Thanks to all who took time to spoil me this year. All the celebrating and distractions was just what I needed to pass the time until I leave. And don't worry Dad I won't expect this next year!

MY YEAR SUPPLY!!!

I finally took time to get my year supply! The kids loved helping Judd and I fill the buckets. They played in the empty bags and loved melting the dry ice afterwards.