Good News

Jiliang went to the Craniofacial doctors (Neurological surgeon and Plastic Surgeon) and the Cardiologist at U of M Mott's Children's Hospital this week. It looks as though her skull may have closed a little. It is possible that she may be able to have a bone graft in the future and possibly repair her skin. The skin is actually a big deal, because if she ever gets injured, we want the skin to be healthy and to heal. There are so many unknowns, and we were advised to wait another two years, to see what her body can do on its own. The skull closing on its own is a huge blessing. So I just ask for your continued prayers for healing. There are so many risks involved...I can't even begin to explain. There are also so many possibilities and positive outcomes, so I'm trying to have faith and believe that everything will work out. The good news is that she is allowed to be a child for another two years, and that she is alive and well. I think that the gift of time is a precious gift. We feel like we want to enjoy our family, and to allow her to enjoy life. In the future, we will deal with surgery when Jiliang is better able to deal with it and have some input on the decision-making. As the Craniofacial team said, she needs to be motivated and ready, because it could be a lot for a little girl who doesn't understand what is going on. The most important thing is that our daughter is alive and healthy. As for the Cardiology visit, we had a good visit, and Jiliang is doing well. We have been given the okay to see Dr. Cotts once a year, instead of every 6 months. That is really good. Jiliang will have to have a valve replacement in a few years. Unfortunately, the next valve replacement may not be able to be done in a cath lab. She could have another surgery in her future, which could be a 5-10 day hospital stay. Of course, it's hard to say what modern technology will bring forth. So I am really praying that technology allows for her to avoid another invasive surgery. Looking at the bigger picture, this is a little girl who wasn't expected to make it to her teens without surgery. We weren't even certain that the surgery could be successful, and here she is today, medicine-free, and healthy. We are really counting our blessings. Mostly, I am just thankful that my little girl continues to thrive, and I pray that whatever medical surgeries she needs to undergo can be done with success, continued health and the least amount of surgery or difficulty for our little girl. I also pray for the faith to get through the next hurdle. Please keep her in your prayers. Thanks and God Bless. Jill