Week Sixteen

Injection #13 was 15 ml, for a total of 142.5 ml.

When all is said and done, eighteen weeks, fourteen injections and 155+ ml of saline.

Our first meeting with Dr. Wood was February 10, 2012--one year and one day later, February 11th will mark the first nevus-free day for Kendall.

A year is a long time. It's been a long time for us to process things and to manage Kendall's tissue expansion procedure. 

I've come to realize that in the grand scheme of things, this isn't a big deal. But it's a heck of a big deal right now. 

We have a lot going on in the next 2 weeks, and a lot of mixed emotions as we prepare to do this again.

A steep climb to the finish line with a spectacular view from the top.

Week Fifteen

Injection #12 was 15 ml, for a total of 127.5 ml. 

This week, we shared Kendall's Journey on Gillette's Blog--Inside Gillette.

There came a point in this process, several months in, where I realized I had been taking the discomforts of pain and suffering personally--Why is this happening to HER and US and ME? Why do I have to go through this?
It was a very powerful and humbling realization that this wasn't about ME, and ultimately it is what gave me the confidence to publicly talk about the events of the past year--I am simply the messenger of HER story.

You see, Kendall's journey has little to do with tissue expansion and EVERYTHING to do with looking beyond ourselves and seeing things differently.

This new perspective for us, although difficult at first, has been such an incredible experience--an AMAZING chapter in Kendall's storybook of life.

I hope that being honest and sharing this story encourages others to spread HOPE and LOVE and ACCEPTANCE when the world tells us otherwise.

This week, the nurses asked if we could schedule follow-up appointments so they could see the kids after February 11th--I never thought the end of this experience could be so bittersweet. Carter starts asking for Martha and Katie as soon as we arrive and has enjoyed blowing bubbles, reading books and "distracting" Kendall during her injections. It speaks volumes about Gillette Children's and the kind of care both Carter and Kendall have received.

Kendall has been AWESOME--she's such a champ and I'm told week-after-week that she handles everything beautifully. She's talking, walking, constantly on-the-go and our dainty little princess. Kendall still doesn't notice the bump and neither does big brother.

Surgery is scheduled for February 11th.

Week Fourteen

Injection #11 was for 20 ml, for a total of 112.5 ml.

Sister is a champ. She handles each injection wonderfully and has done a SUPERB job with the expander over the past 3 months. 

I am one extremely proud mama. 

Over the next 3 expansions, they will be trying to get in as much saline as possible to ensure that Dr. Wood will have enough extra skin to remove the entire mole in one operation. To which I say--Get. It. Big!

We got our pre-op papers in the mail--it is hard to believe this tissue expansion process is coming to an end.

Week Thirteen

Injection #10 was for 13 ml, a total of 92.5 ml.

VERY exciting news this week!

Yesterday, we met with Dr. Wood and as of today, we have a surgery date--FEBRUARY 11!

Only 5 more weeks of tissue expansion left...

Week Twelve

Injection #9 was for 11 ml, giving us a grand total of 79.5 ml. 

We will be meeting with Dr. Wood at some point this month to go over Kendall's progress and maybe, hopefully, get a better idea of when we can schedule surgery to REMOVE the mole and expander (most likely in February). As much as I eagerly anticipate that day, I don't ask about it anymore and I try not to let my mind go there. Being present and enjoying the NOW is the best remedy for getting through the slow-paced process of tissue expansion.

We were able to skip last week's injection to travel and be with family, which was a much-needed break. Just the holidays themselves have been such a perfect distraction--celebrating peace and faith, along with the birth of our two kids. With the new year, we are ready to tackle the second half of Kendall's medical mudrunner (thanks for that comparison, Jen). 

It is a new day and a new year.