The best laid plans of mice and men always go awry.
We headed out to Maryland to celebrate the babies' birthdays and for Piper's baptism. After a grueling drive, the cousins were delighted to spend time together. Seeing my sister was like a huge gulp of fresh air after treading water for months. We went shopping and talked, talked, talked. Not to mention our little family was finally together after Brent's weeks in Chicago and weekend in San Francisco. Oh it was marvelous!
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The picture they'll never forgive us for. |
Reagan was sweet to take some amazing photos with her new camera (yes, totally jelly over that one) and even edit them for me.
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I adore this picture! Not only can you see Brigitta's chubby legs as Brent tosses her in the air, but in the background Piper is carrying Ireland around while Liesel is looking at her reflection in the glass. Brent and I quietly wondered if Piper's exertions with Ireland were partly to blame for her ailment. |
Piper and Paisley came swimming at the hotel pool with us. All seemed right with the world. Then I received a text from Reagan in the early morning hours the day of Piper's baptism. She'd taken Piper to the ER with severe pain near her right hip. The next 24 hours were filled with inconclusive test after inconclusive test: urology reports, ultrasounds, CT scans, sonograms. They looked for kidney stones and appendicitis. Finally after a new ultrasound just for good measure, she was diagnosed with an ovarian torsion. For an eight year old with no cyst or tumor, it's extremely rare for an ovary to twist like Piper's did. She was airlifted to Johns Hopkins and underwent emergency surgery.
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Before the drama. Piper reading to Ireland (notice she'd also given her a stuffed animal to cuddle). |
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When we first visited Piper in the hospital, she scooted over so Ireland could get into bed with her. Then Piper made the mistake of showing Ireland the controls to the bed. At one point I was worried Ireland would accidentally fold them both in half. She wouldn't even take her finger off the controls for the picture! |
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This one is post-surgery at Johns Hopkins. What an amazing hospital! Piper talked more about the helicopter ride than anything else. |
I think it goes without saying the baptism didn't happen. Text messages were flying between family spread all across the country and I was fielding phone calls from a very concerned Mom and Dad in South Africa to boot. Everyone was holding their breath and fervently praying for Piper. Poor Reagan was exhausted, stressed, worried beyond belief. Brent gave Piper and Reagan a blessing. I decided to give Piper the quilt I'd been keeping as a surprise for her baptism at the hospital. Although it was intended to help remind her how the Holy Ghost can be a comforter, it took on a whole new meaning as she endured excruciating pain, then endless prodding, then surgery and recovery.
We got to have Paisley hang out with us at the hotel and have a sleepover while Piper recovered. Thank goodness for youthful innocence! The cousins were again just happy to be together; seemingly oblivious to the drama happening around them.
As we headed back to Iowa, Ireland had the worst asthma attack yet in her tender life. We uninstalled her car seat and took turns holding her (please don't call CPS on us!) while we drove exactly 7 miles over the speed limit almost the whole way. We headed back to Iowa with nothing of the experience we thought we'd have. Still, we were SO glad to be there and help out in any small way. More than anything, we are so very glad Piper is okay.