Ben's Surgery

Ben had his surgery today. They cut his Achilles tendon and put him in casts so that when it grows back it will be lengthened and his feet will be in a better position. It may not sounds fun but I was so grateful to have this surgery today. I feel like I have witnessed a miracle. I have been praying so so hard that this surgery would performed today. We had to reschedule two weeks ago when he had a runny nose and every time we reschedule it means Ben is recasted for an additional 2-3 weeks. We have quarantined him the past two weeks but he still managed to get sick and I have just been praying so hard he would be well enough for the surgery. Even Sunday it wasn’t looking good. But I have just felt at peace about it all. I have prayed so hard and I have felt the Lord would perform a miracle and He did. Ben slept horribly Sunday night- up all night crying like he was sick (Penny slept terribly too, it was rough for all of us). So Monday we stayed home and did nothing and I just prayed and I felt comforted. At 12:15 I put Ben to sleep. He slept for almost 4 hours. He NEVER sleeps like that and I just felt like the Lord was healing him. He was in bed last night by 8pm and slept soundly the whole night and woke when we got him up to go to Shriners at 8am. That really is something for Ben. Parker was hacking up a lung all night. Penny was coughing like crazy but Ben, Ben was okay. I had a prayer in my heart the whole way to Shriners hospital and all through admit that he wouldn’t cough or indicate sickness and that he would pass the check ups of the doctors to get clearance for his surgery. He did cough a couple of times but overall did really well. No fever. No runny nose. No other signs of the sickness he'd been battling for weeks. The anesthesiologist checked his lungs and said he was good to go. I was so relieved. Ben wasn’t very happy to be at the hospital and was very suspicious of everything from blood pressure cuffs to finger heart rate monitors. His favorite was "NO!" But we managed and the drugs they gave him kicked in quickly. Before I knew it he was a noodle. It’s always hard to see your little boy that way yet I just felt peaceful knowing this was a step to an end of the casts. I hated them wheeling him away from me, but I was so thankful at the same time. We are on the ownhill now and I know a miracle has been performed to get us here. We simply could not wear those casts longer. I know that yesterday and last night as Ben slept the Lord was healing Ben. The Lord has watched over us.

Ben has to have his casts on for 4 weeks (I was thinking it’d be 3 so that’s kind of a bummer) but like I said, we're at the end, we have a firm date when they can come off and that feels so good! Ben is home and doing well. And I am grateful.

Excuse the picts. They are from Spencer's phone.

Recent Picts

First of all, Ben didn't get his surgery due to a runny nose and had to be recasted and the surgery pushed back 2 weeks. Pray he doesn't get sick and we can do this darn surgery, get our last set of casts on and move on. He has done really well but I have also noticed moments of sadness and frustration in his eyes. Jan 25th is our new date for surgery and Feb 14th final casts come off- cross your fingers! And these two pictures are very dear to me. The first one is Ben playing with some Toy Story figures that a very thoughtful friend brought to me the first week Ben was in casts. She brought us dinner which was sweet enough but was also completely inspired to bring Ben a huge gift of Toy Story figures. They were meant for him for sure. I really think the Lord led her and I am so thankful! Ben was able to immerse himself in playing with those figures and just LOVED them- still does- but they were especially meaningful those first few weeks before he learned to get around with his casts on. Thank you Cami! The second picture is of Ben's nursery teacher, Sister Potter. She broke her leg the same week Ben got put in casts and we went to visit her the day after Ben was put in casts. I watched Ben crawl up into her lap, look at her leg, also in a cast, and feel understood and not so alone. I got embarrassingly teary as she took the time to read him stories, give him favorite treats and just dote on him. He SO needed it. In the LDS church sometimes being assigned to work in the nursery with the youngest kids is known as a death sentence. But the nursery leaders in our ward do NOT have that attitude. They really LOVE those children, they know them, care about them and truly LOOK AFTER them and I am SO SO grateful.

We blessed Penny the first Sunday in December



Greg and his girlfriend Kaylee




Bryant and Penny. Parker's lego Dragons he loves to make, Spencer pre-eye corrective surgery, Temple square lights with Grandma and Grandpa AtkinsonThe boys and snow men and ice caves, Ben precasts



Penny 3 1/2 monthes. Her new room with Aunt Angie's bumper pads and Grandma A's redoing the rocking chair to match.

Christmas at the Cleggs, the Polar Express with Grammy and Grandpa Clegg, Gingerbread houses and Christmas loot

Update

Just a quick update. And i'm too lazy to do pictures. :) Ben is on his second set of casts- these are green and red candy cane striped for Christmas. He has done so much better and even learned to walk on these crazy things. You should see him walk- it's amazing and so funny. On Wednesday- Jan 5th- he'll have a surgery to lengthen his heel cord. It's a simple surgery and should be okay, but it's surgery nonetheless. Then he'll have his last set of casts put on and they'll stay on until Jan 31st. Then we'll be done hopefully (except for our usual brace at night). Thanks for your thoughts and prayers. I think we're going to make it. :)