#TeamCharlotte-Procedure Gone Wrong

Thursday, August 24, 2017
Charlotte was to go home after her port for future cancer treatments is installed at 1:40 p.m. It is a commonplace, every day procedure that is done many times a day. 

I got to the hospital early so I could spend some time with her before the procedure. We had a fun time blowing bubbles and she was in good spirits even though she couldn't have anything to eat or drink. Lots of her infectious giggles.

The transport team came for Charlotte. I take photos of just about everything and clicked this one as I walked behind. Charlotte has her kitty and her "Nannies"-her fave thin little blankets that she holds on to.

Her Mamaw Melinda [my daughter] and I went to the cafeteria to have a cup of coffee and wait-the port procedure was to only take 20 minutes to possibly 1 1/2 hr. 

After a time we went up to Charlotte's room to carry some of her stuff down to the car. Then we waited some more. Melinda and Travis texted a couple of times and then he texted that something had gone wrong-the drs. had just come in and talked with them. We had to find out where they were.

The wire of the port had somehow wrapped itself into her heart and they couldn't get it backed out without fear of doing damage. A heart specialist was being called in to see how to proceed.

They had been assured Charlotte was stable. 

It was decided for Charlotte to have open heart bypass surgery. While the doctor was telling them about the procedure I stood up to hear what she was saying but had to sit down. Our baby was going to have to have open heart surgery-how could this happen???
She was stable, being kept comfortable-one of the best doctors in the area had been called in. 

I lost all concept of time but it seemed forever. We were alerted when the operation was to start. Updates here and there. Information about where she would be taken after the surgery, when they could go in and see her. 

The waiting room filled up with Charlotte's family and friends. pastor Damon came in to pray with us and as we were praying one of the surgeons came in to give us great news that Charlotte was doing great and the surgery itself was over. The head surgeon would be in shortly to fill us in on the rest. 

The surgery went well and there should be no residual affects even though the wire had coiled itself into one of Charlotte's heart valves. I won't even pretend to give technical terms, I am trying to just convey what went on in a fashion I can understand. 

It had been a long, long day and after knowing Charlotte was ok, I was sent home with our good friend, Jennifer, leaving my car at the hospital. They must think this ol' 77 year old granny woman can't fight her way out of a paper bag sometimes but that night I probably could not have. I had to take this photo as I was leaving.

As soon as I get dressed I will be on my way to see this precious child. I hated to cop out yesterday but I could barely get myself across the floor and spent the day in my chair. She didn't need too much commotion around her.

Please keep our Charlotte in your prayers-thank you so much.

God bless you
Carolyn Wainscott 

#TeamCharlotte-In Remission

On Friday, August 18, 2017 tests were run to see how Charlotte's treatments were working. We wouldn't get the results until Monday or Tuesday and it was a long wait. The last time we had to wait for her initial diagnosis the outcome wasn't good. That's when we found out that she has leukemia. So we wait.

We heard nothing Monday and were beginning to wonder if we would have her results on Tuesday. The doctors didn't come in until after 5 p.m. but they had great news. Charlotte is in remission!!!! Her treatment is working and she will probably being going home sometime later this week. Thank you, LORD!!!

and back to my tablet and my videos and my suckers Mamaw brought for me-no, you cannot have one

And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up        James 5:15

God bless you and all of yours
Carolyn Wainscott

#TeamCharlotte-Steroids, Food & Mamaw Melinda

Steroids gave Charlotte a voracious appetite! She ate all her meals then snacked continuously till the next meal-rice cakes, potato chips, canned snacks.  

Charlotte knew she could count on Mamaw Melinda to bring her lots of goodies for a change from hospital fair and her regular chewies. She had her arms outreached as soon as she saw her Mamaw coming in the door baring Big Boys, onion rings, pizzas, special donuts, etc., etc., etc

Mamaw was sometimes her official food holder/secretary while she was busy on her tablet.

One night Mamaw even grilled corn and chicken-no one else got any corn.

The steroids were stopped on August 18, 2017 so Charlotte's appetite has slowed down somewhat and she is getting back to our Sunshine Girl-her laugh is contagious. 

Again, many thanks to all for your prayers for our baby girl and for all of us as we go through this journey with Charlotte. 

 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.     James 5:16 

God bless you

Carolyn Wainscott

#TeamCharlotte-Charlotte's Fave, The Playroom

In case you are new to #TeamCharlotte, Charlotte is in Cincinnati's Children's Hospital-being treated for leukemia since she was airlifted there on July 13, 2017. 

Charlotte enjoys going to the playroom. There are activities that help with her motor and social skills that are fun and entertaining. 

Children's has wonderful all round care for patients as well as their families. 

Many thanks for all your prayers for Charlotte. 

God bless you

Carolyn Wainscott

#TeamCharlotte-Hair Cutting Time-August 2

By August 2 Charlotte had been on chemo for several weeks when the expected happened-her hair began to come out. It started aggravating her and she was pulling at it so it was decided that a hair cut was scheduled. Charlotte is suspect of everything so it wouldn't be easy.

I was going to be there and photo/video but didn't make it in time and no, it wasn't easy even though her Daddy let her shave his head first.

I guess everyone was too busy holding Charlotte for her haircut to take photos.

Another step in the cancer dance. I guess it was a good thing I wasn't there, Charlotte had a fit and I probably would have gone all to pieces and been no help at all.

Please keep her in your prayers. She had another test 2 days ago, 8/18/'17, to check her progress. We will have the results Monday or Tuesday. The waiting for news is hard-why can't we just know immediately?


For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.  Psalms 91:11 

God bless you and keep you in all your ways.
Carolyn Wainscott

HUGGING A STRANGE MAN IN THE HOSPITAL ELEVATOR

YEP! I sure did! NOPE! I don't usually go around hugging strange men. 

Rick [found that out in our conversation] and I got on the elevator as we were leaving the 5th floor of Children's Hospital in Cincinnati. Hospital security came up and I said it was a shame but with the way things were it has to be this way and his answer was "but there are some really good people in this world". 

He was there for his son, Ricky. His youngest, his 6th child who was named after him. See-I don't go around accosting strange men to get their names. 

Ricky had been in the hospital for 2 months after a bone marrow transplant-he is 13 years old-the bone marrow was from a stranger because there wasn't a familial donor compatible.

I had some prayer cloths in my bag and felt compelled to dig one out and give to him for Ricky, told him my Bible study group had helped me pray into them. He said it would mean so much to his wife and Ricky and that's how I ended up hugging with a strange man in the hospital elevator. 

God put Rick and I together for that ride down to the parking garage. He needed a word of encouragement and I needed to share.

Here is a poem I wrote several years ago:

LORD

I offer my life as a prayer

That each day others will see Jesus there

That the Samaritan in me shows them I care

That I will help someone their burdens to bear

That with those you send me, my sweet Jesus I share

That I will keep loved ones from Satan's dark lair

That nothing I do gives YOU cause for despair

That to YOU I am daily a breath of fresh air

LORD

I offer my life as a prayer  

Please remember this young boy in your prayers. Thank you so much

May God bless you

Carolyn Wainscott

#TeamCharlotte-Our New Normal

As with every hospital patient, Charlotte's new normal is ivs, stats taken every couple of hours [seems more often], a parade of doctors and associates and test after test after test. Today's photos were taken July 26, 2017.

Now let's work in some physical therapy that gets rather creative to get her to be more mobile. She doesn't want to move much and I didn't realize she can't even walk by herself until I went to pt with them and saw the distress she was in. The therapists try to make things as enjoyable as possible but after a little while Charlotte began pointing at the door, she wanted to leave and go back to her room. Heartbreak for this old Granny. 

She gets to choose some toys to play with:

Then work begins to get her stretching:

Kicking at herself in the mirror works at the muscles in her legs:

I even got to swing with her with my ever ready camera and her daddy peeking out from behind the mirror:

Charlotte will have none of that mask even though she has to be protected from the atmosphere outside her room from one area to another at times.

I know I'm extremely prejudiced and Travis is my grandson but he is a great daddy. She is his focus every moment with her. He takes full care of her from feeding, diaper changing, bathing, comforting and encouraging her. The nurses take care of her medical needs and he does the rest.  

Please keep Charlotte in your prayers and many, many thanks for all your prayers for this sweet baby. 

Jesus said:
in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.
Matt 18:10

May God bless you
Carolyn Wainscott