Travel day. Pre-op. House.

Tuesday. 9.3.13

We all woke up really early to be in Milwaukee at 8:40am. Aunt Christa drove us to the airport. We left bright and early at 4:30am! Our travels went very well. Grandma & Grandpa Borzick  are traveling with us which has helped tremendously in the airport scene to have some extra hands. We also have a double stroller to contain the children in which is also a huge lifesaver! The only delays in the day were while heading to the airport, I received a text from southwest that our flight was delayed a half hour, not anything to serious. Then once we got to LAX, everything was going smoothly till we got to the rental center to get our car. I received a call from the airport that said they have a car seat with our name and it and we have someone else's.... therefore we had to return to the airport and exchange the seats!! fun fun.

We couldn't check into our house till 4:00pm. So we decided to go find some lunch and check out the beach.  We did a drive by of our rental house and saw people outside with a vanity sitting outside... We were slightly nervous that we wouldn't have a sink, but once we arrived they were still working on it and assured us that it would be fixed. :) no big deal, just shared our house for a few hours.

While we were eating lunch, I received a phone call from Dr Renisch office and asked if we could do our pre-op appointment today instead of on Wednesday. Sure, it was a go with the flwo kind of day. So we went and found the Dr's  Building and had our appointment. It was nice to match all the faces with the names that we have been talking with for so many months. Everyone was very nice and friendly.  We had a nice appointment and Brody did a great job.

After we were all settled in our house, we went and got some groceries for the next few weeks. We went to a whole foods which was a very neat store. I believe that everything was organic. Lots of different foods and produce.

Once we got back to the house. Grandpa had both the kids sleeping. They were pretty well wiped after our very long day!

Today, Wednesday we will have a day all to ourselves. No Doctors. Brody wants to show grandma and grandpa the surfers. So we will have to find some surfers somewhere and go check out the beach this afternoon.

Brody's surgery is Thursday. We have to arrive at the Specialty Surgery Center at 6:00am. With surgery starting at 6:45. The surgery will be anywhere from 8-10 hours long. And then he will have his first big boy ear!! :)

Please send up some prayers for the little man for a very successful surgery and some fast healing!

For anyone who would like to help spread the word about Brody's benefit in October, by hanging up flyers; please contact Christa Van Treeck she has all the flyers and can arrange a time to get the flyers to you! Her phone number is 608.697.5434 Thanks!

8.22.13 appt. Preparing for Next Week.

Brody's last appointment (8.22.13) went very well. Brody's first appointment was with Dr Kerschner for a checkup and cleaning. He was one lucky little guy who had clean ear canals...therefore he did not need to get on the table and get them cleaned!! yippee for all involved as this is not a very pleasant experience for anyone, especially our little man. We then went to Dave & Busters for lunch and a few arcade games since we had some time to kill before our next appointment with the audiologist. Brody was very happy that Grandma Borzick came along for the ride. We all enjoyed playing a few games and had a lot of fun. Our next appointment was the hearing test. The test went well and he is doing very well. The results are about the same as the previous test after his left canal opening.  The audiologist would like for Brody to wear his BAHA's still. Brody is not hearing all of the pitches he needs to and with some words he is not hearing the beginnings and endings of words. She said the reason he doesn't like wearing his BAHAs is because they are too loud now. So we sent them in to have them adjusted so it is a happy medium with his new canals and still with his hearing loss.

The appointments both went well. Brody did a great job.

Sorry this update took about a week and a half.. I've been trying to get everything organized and planned for our upcoming 3.5 week trip for body's big boy ear. Oh did I mention we will leave in one week? I'm very excited for this but also very nervous! 8-10 hour surgery. We are very blessed to have made it this far in our journey. Brody is excited to have a 'big boy' ear. Along with planning for our trip we are also making all the plans for Brody's Harvest for Hearing which is October 12 & 13. Busy. Busy. :)

We are looking for help with hanging up flyers around the area... I should have them by the end of this week if anyone would like to help hang flyers... please let me know and I will get some to you!! This will be a great help, with us being going pretty much the whole month of September. Thanks!

Check-up. Hearing test. Benefit....

Hello all!

Last Wednesday 7.31.13 Brody had a checkup for his right canal and a cleaning on his left canal.  Brody was lucky enough to have his cousin Haiden come with for the ride. It is getting harder and harder for us to get Brody to go to these appointments with ease.... Therefore haiden was a great distraction for Brody.  Once we got there, the appointment went very well with a good cleaning getting all the debris out and a large scab with had come off  earlier in the week. He said the skin graft in the new canal was healing very well. He then made a new mold for his right canal. And checked Brody's left canal and said it was very clean with only a little bit do debris right on canal and decided to leave alone since he has such good hearing in that ear. We then scheduled Brody hearing test for his left canal, 4 months post-operation the California drs want to see the hearing test results.  Brody's next checkup and hearing test will be August 22nd. Two appointments, hearing test in the morning and dr. Kerschner in the afternoon. I'm excited to see what his hearing results are after these 4 months. And see if Brody actually needs to wear his headband. He hasn't really worn it since his last surgery. I like to think this is a great sign as he can hear with out his baha's!

Working hard on trying to get things all lined up for Brody's harvest for hearing, especially since we will be gone the better part of September (3.5 weeks) . Trying to get donations for the silent auction and basket raffle. If anyone would be willing to help get some donations for these, that would be wonderful. I have a letter typed up explaining Brody's story and asking for donations. If you would like me to email you a copy,please email me at ashleyhenke16@gmail.com

We excited to have a kids corn maze this year at the benefit. And the ever favorite barrel train ( new tractor train in the works) . The pumpkin patch is looking awesome!  Are excited for some new additions to the. Benefit. Save the date: October 12 & 13!

Upcoming surgery... plans.... healing

This week we are working on booking airplane tickets and finding a place to stay for our upcoming September surgery. We are traveling to a different part of California this time around. We are headed to Beverly Hills so we need to find a new hotel or house. This is a little harder this time for some reason.....

 

Next week we will start planning for BRODY"S HARVEST FOR HEARING benefit on October 12 & 13... We would love to know what you all like about the fall pumpkin patch - activities and what you would like to see different... Please let us know your thoughts either by commenting or emailing us at ashleyhenke16@gmail.com . Plans so far include the hayride and pumpkin patch. New this year will be a kids Corn Maze... we are very excited for this... we have had professional trial runs with this new endeavor. `The experts (Brody & Rilyn) are very much in love with the maze and would like to warn everyone that it is very fun!!! As far as music, Luke the Drifter will be playing on Sunday the 12th at 2:00pm.

 

 Hayrides * Pumpkin Patch * Kids Games * Kids Corn Maze* Bake Sale * Silent Auction * Food * Music
*Straw Maze * Bouncy House *Tractor-Train Rides * Face painting

SUNDAY (10.13.13)
Noon: Prairie Thunder Cloggers Performance
2:00pm Luke the Drifter
Silent Auction Ends 4:30pm

We are also looking for volunteers to help this weekend. If you know of anyone who would be interested in helping please have them contact us. As far as our raffles go this year. We have decided to do the silent auction for sure  and maybe do the bucket raffles. It is very hard for us to get donations for all the raffles. So depending on the amount of donations we get for our raffle will determine if we will do the bucket raffles as well. If anyone would be interested in helping get donations for the Silent Auction or bucket raffles this would be wonderful... with being gone pretty much the whole month of September it will be very hard for us to go around and ask for donations. This would be very much appreciated if anyone would be willing to help us out on this!! We were thinking that it would be neat to have a "basket" raffle as part of the bucket raffles too with various types of baskets put together. 

We are still searching for some entertainment- music on Saturday... if you know of anyone who we should contact please let us know. Thanks

Brody's canal is doing pretty good. It does seem to be healing very well... last week a large part of the skin graft scab came off and left a very unhealed spot in the canal that I was a little concerned about. It does seem to be better this week. I am always relieved to go to Brody's Dr appointment  to hear what he has to say and to ease my mind. Sometimes I wish I could see the doctor every week! :) Our next appointment is next week Wednesday. They will be taking out the little washer that was a divider for the sponge and the new ear drum. And also will be making a mold for Brody to wear in his new canal.

Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers... I think we are half way there!! This is exciting that we are almost done with surgeries but I also wish that it was over already for Brody's sake as it is getting harder and harder to have to see Doctors all the time...  Take care.

3 weeks post op...

Brody update. 7.10.13

Brody has been doing very good over all with the healing of the skin graft as well as the skin. Graft site. This time around, it has been a little more difficult to have him let us do the drops, as now we need to do drops in both of his canals... Also we need to still be putting the mold in the lt canal... This makes sleeping hard for him as he likes to sleep on his side and the mold sticks out and is uncomfortable therefore he sleeps on the new canal and makes that side sensitive.

Tonight we had a post op appointment in Milwaukee and got the sponge removed... We really like our Milwaukee dr and there staff... He is very positive and does very well with our little man. Brody hasn't been looking forward to this appointment for about a week. We have been trying to prep him but it didn't seem to work. I think Brody has had enough of doctors, especially when he knows there is little pain that comes with each appointment, (and lots of nerves).... I keep telling him that is a very lucky boy to be able to have these surgeries to help him hear better and a very BRAVE boy too... We are working on the brave part, even though it hurts a little he is strong and does what needs to be done so that his new canal can heal! :) a little 3 year old talk for you.

Over all the appointment went good with good results as the dr said his new skin graft looks great and he was very impressed with his hearing test results from his first surgery, the left canal. Brody also politely turned down the " I was a good boy toy" from the nurses because he was going to pick one out from the store. ;) so Brody was treated to ice cream and a toy for being a very brave little man... Brody seems to be doing very well with the healing process, it just is hard on him at the appointments, he takes after his mother and is more scared of how it will feel then how it actually feels...

We are starting to work out all the details and plan the next Brody's harvest for hearing benefit... We are excited that we might have enough money raised for the last two surgeries, just trying to figure out final cost and details. Once we figure all the details out, we are excited to "PAY IT FORWARD" to someone in need and keep Brody's Harvest for hearing going year after year! We are extremely grateful to everyone who has helped us thus far on our journey to " Brody's big boy ears" . This years benefit will be October 12 & 13.

Home...

Our travel day, Wednesday started at 4am and ended at 7pm. It was fairly uneventful. Just tiring. Brody woke up with his last bandage laying next to him in the bed... Usually the this one stays on for a few more weeks. This was the one over the skin graft site. This is a very sensitive spot now and Brody defiantly lets us know about it. The canal still seems to be red and not getting much better. I hope the antibiotics kick in soon.  As soon as we got home Brody wanted to ride his bike, and of course the broken record came out.... Sorry honey we need to not move too fast and not jump etc. etc.  

Reuniting Brody and rilyn was the cutest thing ever... They kept hugging and holding hands! I do think they missed each other. Now today we are back to the normal, fighting and all the fun brother-sister stuff. ;)

We all slept really good last night in our own beds. Brody's next appointment is July 10.

Last day in cali....

Today was a great day... Brody did awesome at his last Dr appointment today. He was very scared but between a very helpful Dr Roberson and a bribing mom we had a great appointment. They noticed a little redness around the new canal which they prescribed some antibiotics just  in case there is any bacteria in there which may cause an infection. We thought the best way for him to take this would be chewable, but turns out he very much dislikes this as way... since he "chokes" it up... guess we will have to get a little more creative when giving him these pills. Otherwise they said his canal looks good and we are ready to go home.

 

After the appointment, we decided that we needed to go somewhere to get out of the hotel to occupy the little man. So we headed over to San Jose to the children's discovery museum featuring a display with Curious George. Brody was running from one thing to the next... ok not running but walking fast.... he thought it was great and it helped that there was other kids to play with too... he is getting home sick to be around his friends and cousins. This museum was great and I highly recommend it if you are out this way. Lots for all ages. Brody enjoyed this very much.

 

Then we headed back to the hotel house and started cleaning up and packing everything for our early flight in the morning...

 

Thank you to everyone who has been following Brody's journey so far. We are so grateful for all the love, support, thoughts, and prayers that you all are giving. Brody is truly loved and adored by many and we are so happy for this. Please continue to pray as we are in the recovery and healing phase we need to keep a close eye on the redness and swelling as well as keeping him still so that his prosthetics can heal properly for the next 3 weeks... yes 3 I thought it was only 2 but it is now 3!

 

Happy Trails California, Till we meet again in September!!