Last Time to Walter Reed, As We Know It

Walter Reed Army Medical Center on Georgia Ave. has officially been closed due to the BRAC decision a few years back. They are consolidating with Bethesda Naval (something or other) Hospital to create Walter Reed National Medical Center. All of Olivia's care from here on out will be done at the NEW Walter Reed. All except tomorrow's visit.
The current facility doesn't ACTUALLY close its doors until August 16 so the rebels at Orthopedics are still seeing patients. Seriously they're not rebels, they were just left there a little longer for some reason, but I'm not sure why. It will probably feel like a ghost town in there when we go to Olivia's surgical consult with Dr. Tis tomorrow.

I spoke with Ms. Rivera AKA "Mo" last week about the lab results and surgery options. Since all of the lab work was within normal limits, there is no need to have the GastroEnterologist see her -YEAH!!! She will not need to have a feeding tube at this time, so we're only looking at one surgery to get her through this. These are the options for surgery: 1) Have Dr. Tis perform the surgery at Johns Hopkins as soon as he has an opening. 2) Wait for Dr. Todd to return from deployment sometime late September, which would probably put Olivia on his surgical schedule in October. Or option 3 that I didn't understand until the conversation with Mo: Have the Spine Specialist who assists Dr. Todd with every single Scoliosis surgery do Olivia's surgery as soon as he has an opening.
My first choice was to wait for Dr. Todd because Liv will be 14 on September 25 and I didn't want her to have to be in recovery mode on that day. However my VERY good friend, Teresa, came over to provide respite for us and noticed how much more contorted Olivia has gotten since June. I could not see the forest for the trees. We care for Olivia every day. I knew it was progressing, but, just like any other parent, I can't quantify the development because I see the gradual. Kinda like not realizing how much your kids have grown until you break out the photo album!
Speaking of which we were looking through some pictures last night and saw Olivia in 2008. She was leaning to the left. Now she leans to the right. I can't help but feel some responsibility for her posture, and her situation. I am not beating myself up about it, but it will help me to be more diligent in the future. The knowledge will help me to provide her with better care, and I think that's what God wanted me to see. We can always do better in every situation we're in. Can you relate to this?
God has shown me so much already just in the past week. Teresa had a LOT of courage to speak up. She told me that she had been praying for Olivia, and God put it on her heart that waiting could cause more problems, internally, not just her posture. It takes a GREAT friend to tell you something that's really hard to hear. Love you, Teresa! Also I am not going to let Satan use what happened against me. And I know that in ALL things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28) I may not understand the purpose of Olivia going through all of this, or us for that matter, but I trust that the God I love has a plan. That brings back another verse that God put on my heart before Liv's first surgery: Jeremiah 29:11 "...For I know the plans I have for you, " declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Our pastor preached a sermon recently on Hope and Despair. Despair would be to dwell on my feelings and to believe I caused Liv's spine issues. However I have HOPE in the Lord, and know that I have already given this to God and He has taken control. Whatever comes from this, nothing will shake that belief. God IS in control!
If you are reading this blog, please take the time to send a comment. The email that is connected to this blogger.com account is not one I use often, so I would greatly appreciate if you could send comments and encouragement for Olivia to this email address: dsojrevans@gmail.com. We will take all the prayers and encouragement we can get with us on this journey. We're headed uphill again, and this is when the going may get a little rough. We really appreciate knowing you're there to support us!!!
I'll post again after tomorrow's visit!