Madylyne Update

Hey everyone. Just giving the Mady update...she's out of ICU...Praise GOD!!! She moved to the third floor today, got one of her lines removed, and finally ate something and has kept it down. The day after surgery there was talk of going back in, something was crazy with the pace maker, luckily the pace maker lady was able to fix it with her computer. Mady is doing amazing, her color is awesome and she's got the most beautiful smile.

She's been an inspiration to another mom there, Alice is the mom's name and her baby Javier has the same heart disease, tetrology of fallot, as Mady. So it was good for her to see another child who is older and that has survived the first major surgeries. Javier is 8 months old and he is soooo adorable. I got to play with him and talk to her (the mom) quite a bit.

Jeff and I are home, with our babies and I have to say after spending so much time in ICU I was so ready to hold my three in my arms and just love on them.

I will write more later...

Madylyne Aimee

Hey everyone, so it's 941pm and we just got back to our hotel in Stanford, Ca. We've spent the entire day in the family waiting room of the surgical center of the Lucille Packards Children's Hospital. For those of you reading this many of you know that Mady (Jeff's daughter) has a pace maker. What many of you may not know is that she had to have open heart surgery today for a valve transplant. Can't really call it a replacement since she didn't have a valve to begin with. After several hours in the OR the Dr's finally came out and said she did fine. The valve was sewn in and is a pig valve, Mady is convinced that this means she should never eat pork again, for fear of eating the brother...silly girl. The Dr is hopefully that it will be at least a year before she needs a new pace maker and at least 10 - 15 before she needs another valve transplant...and hopefully, God Willing she will never need a heart transplant.

We just returned, Jeff and I to the hotel (we have the early morning watch) and Cynthia (her mom) called to let us know that Mady is really struggling and the ventricle has low pressure, something that shouldn't be happening after the surgery. Hopefully it's just her body adjusting to the trama. I will let you know more tomorrow. Jeff and I return tomorrow morning at 7am to have our turn sitting by the bedside.

Those of you have that have prayed for us and Mady...THANK YOU!!! God is GOOD and is GOOD all the time! At times today I found myself struggling to pray but I know that all of you had her in your vigil. I will write more tomorrow (I promise Trish) to keep you posted.

Thanks and God Bless,
Heather

September and October

Now to update on the rest. The end of August brought a very emotional time for me...The "FIRST" day of school. The past two years weren't so bad but this year brought a new and exciting thing for Jeff and I...we sent out baby to school. Regan began Kindergarten...Can you believe it? She was so excited and ready to go with her new back pack! Hannah and Matthew were a bit nervous since they had to start yet again another new school. However they are doing GREAT! Hannah is struggling a little bit...her teacher is very strict and so that's new to her. Matthew's teacher is an amazing Christian man who isn't afraid to share his faith. Matthew was was baptised the end of August and his teacher came to the baptism which made Matthew feel very important and special.

September was busy for us...but we did just fine. In September our house finally closed and is no longer our burden. Thank you Lord! Also in September we found out that Madylyne has to have open heart surgery for a valve replacement and to get a new pace maker. So that was kind of stressful. She's doing well and really doesn't understand what's going on. Just that she needs another surgery.

October has been a blessing and I am so greatful for the Lord in our lives. We didn't have to make a mortgage payment this month since the house sold, so we were able to deal with some much needed bills. Plus that gave us the money we needed to travel back and forth between Lemoore and Stanford for Mady. Her surgery was originally scheduled for the 6th of October but will be happening hopefully and God willing on the 20th.

Matthew turns 7 on the 23rd...how depressing?! He's birthday party will be on the 18th so that we are sure to celebrate in case we aren't home from Stanford yet. Jeff and I celebrate 11 years of marriage on the 25 and have decided that spending time with our kids is more important than doing something alone so we are going to a birthday party for our friends son with our kids...and get this for those of you who know Jeff...he's even going to wear a Halloween costume for the party!

Well that's all for now. I will hopefully get better at this and post more in the following weeks with party pictures and all of that.

August Birthdays

August was an extremely busy month for the Knutson's in Lemoore. We celebrated so many birthdays...well 4 and that does seem like a lot since they are so close together. The first birthday was Jeff's he turned 34. We just had a small family dinner (Wait! I don't think you can call of us Knutson's a smally family anymore). Jeff got his liver and onions while the rest of us had chicken. He's brother and sister in law made him a Hooters Girl cake and I have to say she was well stacked. Hee hee.

Madylyne Hannah and Regan were the next birthdays even in that order. We were able to have Mady spend two weeks with us in August so she was here for the "BIG" Birthday party. Madylyne is now a teenager so her daddy bought her, her very own cell phone (my bill has barely changed at all), Hannah turned 9 and got a new bike sans Barbie, Regan is 5 going on 30 and got her very own Kitchen. The girls had an amazing time at their Lua complete with palm trees and tiki torches.