It's over!!! (basically)

I can officially say the nightmare that started this time last year is over! If you don't know what I am talking about I will briefly explain. Brinley was diagnosed with atypical Kawasaki's Disease and required a 6 day stay at the childrens hospital in Knoxville. The disease resulted in a significant anuersim in her left corotid artery. They told us that we would not know till her 1 year check up what the future would hold as far as her heart goes. Well we hit a year (almost) and I was more than anxious to get her in there. It turns out that her heart looks great considering everything it went through. She still has a murmur, and very low blood pressure but I'll take that over more anerurisms any day. The only significant thing that the doctor told us is that Brin will not be allowed to participate in any competition sports till she has a full stress test on her heart which won't be till 8 years old (that is the youngest they do them). She is always going to be at risk for stenosis of her artery where the aneurism was so we just have to be careful. So it looks like no ballet, soccer, or tumbling for Brinley till we get a stress test. But heck, I will take a healthy Brinley over a sports playing Brinley ANYDAY! I always wanted Brinley to be an athlete but it is amazing at how quickly priorities change and things you thought you cared about really do not matter AT ALL. Thank you to all of our friends and family who have supported us through this over the year. It was truly the hardest thing we have ever gone through and it just feels so wonderful to be able to say that the worst is behind us now. We can actually relax. Everytime she gets sick now, I do not have to go in to full panic mode and assume the worst. I get to assume the best now. Brinley is HEALTHY!!!!!!!!!!!! I never realized just how serious this was till her appointment on Monday. The doctor told me that with out a shadow of doubt she knew that Brinley would have required a heart transplant had we not gotten her to the hospital when we did and they administered the IVIG when they did. It felt like a ton of bricks hit me in the head. I knew we came close to losing her last fall but I just had no clue how bad it was. I'm sure that John knew, but kept it from me to save me from insanity. However, the past is the past and we get to move on forward with a healthy daughter. I feel so blessed I can not even convey in words how lucky I feel. Thank you for answered prayers!

A year ago: This is the second night at the hospital where she had actually improved a lot. I am glad we did not take a picture of her the first day we were at the hospital. I do not want that reminder of how bad she really was.

 

A year later: What a relief and a blessing to have such a remarkable, loving, and sweet little girl to call our own! She is such an inspiration to me and her strength makes me aspire to be more like her. I love you Brin!