Saturday,
June 28, 2008
I can’t believe Tammy has been home for 7 months. What a
joy and blessing to our family she has been. There have
been so many things going on since our last update.
Besides Tyler ’s confirmation, Maree’s High School
Graduation, Monica’s Middle School Graduation, preparing
for Monica’s 14th Birthday Party, and helping Maree plan
for her wedding-
Tammy was baptized on May 18th. She was baptized with Kara
her friend who is also cleft affected and adopted from
China . I am so happy for Tammy to have that connection
with such a sweet little girl. What a special day for us.
My mom, dad, and aunt came in from Chicago and my cousin
came in from Utah . We are so blessed to have such a
wonderful family!!
Tammy turned 2 on June 1st. We had a really fun birthday
party including a piñata and lots of friends and cousins.
Tammy had her first visit to the ocean; she loved looking
at the waves and liked watching her sister and cousin ride
the horses on the beach. She didn’t like the feeling of
the sand on her feet at all though.
Tammy is now walking everywhere. She is not running yet
but I am sure that will be coming. She is very cautious
with everything she does. She also is a very clean and
tidy girl. For one example at her baptism party her little
cousin would take the TV clickers off the entertainment
center and Tammy would follow her around pick the clickers
up and put them back where they go. When she is eating, if
she gets a little speck of something on her, (microscopic
most of the time) she wants us to wipe it off. I don’t
know how many imaginary specks I have cleaned in the last
few months. Just today she went in the bathroom took a
washcloth out of the cabinet wiped her finger off then put
the washcloth back and closed the cabinet. She can
definitely teach her teen brothers and sisters a few
things let me tell you!!
Tammy and I have been going to a fun preschool class
together on Fridays. She really loves it. The class is
over now but hopefully we can find another class for her
to start after the summer. She is doing great in Physical
therapy. She has had 2 speech therapy classes so far and
really seems to enjoy it. Tammy also likes to get together
with her little friend Kara for play dates.
Tammy had her palate surgery on June 24th. Just 4 days
ago. The surgery lasted 5 hours. The surgeon closed her
hard palate. Since her palate was very wide they grafted
some mesh material up in her hard palate in hopes of
preventing a fistula (a hole in her palate) to form. They
repaired her soft palate by layering and attaching the
muscles across the back of her mouth. Tammy’s uvula was
split by her cleft, (the thing that hangs in the back of
your throat) so they also stitched that together. She had
ear tubes put in. And finally, the surgeon injected her
lip and nose scar with steroids to help the scar tissue to
break up.
Tammy continues to amaze us with her resilience. She was
out of the hospital the next day surprising everyone. The
following day after we came home, she kept wanting to walk
around the house so we had to stop giving her the Tylenol
with codeine and started giving her regular Tylenol. We
were afraid that she wouldn’t be stable on the Tylenol
with codeine. She is doing great. I can’t believe when I
look in her mouth and see all those stitches and big open
wounds that she is such a happy girl. I think the worst
thing Tammy has had to deal with is she isn’t able to have
a bottle at night. It is too painful when she tries. She
will be on a liquid diet for 2-3 weeks. .
I know if I went through half of what she went through I
would be in my bed whining for days if not weeks. She has
taught me so many life lessons already, way more than I
could possibly teach her. God truly blessed me to care for
and love such a special, amazing, beautiful, loving,
caring and gifted angel. I am so very honored and blessed
to be Tammy’s mom!!
I almost forgot one bit of news. James, Tammy and I went
to the pet store last week to get Tyler ’s lizards some
crickets. Tammy loves to look around and visit all the
animals. While we were there we came across this very
depressed and sad looking little puppy with the biggest
saddest eyes you have ever seen. As soon as Tammy walks in
front of the window this cute little puppy walks up to the
window just staring at her. She was very interested in him
too. So OF COURSE we just HAD to ask to hold him. I wanted
to see what Tammy thought of such a little dog considering
we have a 10 year old dog/moose at home that Tammy just
loves and adores. Well needless to say Tammy loved him. He
was so sweet and mellow when we held him and as soon as
dad held him that was it. He should be coming home in
about a week or so. He is a King Charles Cavalier and we
named him Charlie. It will be nice for Tammy to have a
young companion.
I want to thank everyone for their continued prayers for
Tammy. We really appreciate all the kind words of support.
We will update again next month!! Feel free to keep
posting in the guest book we love to read the comments.
Love and Peace,
The Jordan Family :) |
Tammy's baptism with some of the crew
Chillin' with my baby
My happy face
Birthday girl
Sittin' in my swing
Before surgery
Our sweetie after surgery
Fun with my water table |
