One Year Post Surgery

Today Gracie had a one year post surgery appt at Seattle Children's Hospital in Seattle,WA. If you want to read more on her surgery last year check out my blog post: Gracie's Surgery Story.

During Gracie's 6month follow up her kidney was still dilated (translation: not good). To me this news was defeating. I felt like she had gone through a major surgery for nothing! The urologist said this was normal, the dilation would eventually subside and the doctor really did her best to reassure me. Today I went in expecting her condition to have no change. But, this time around was a different story! Gracie's kidney looked F A B U L O U S!!! One perfect looking kidney and one very happy Mama! That moment was so validating. All the mornings I fought with my baby to give her medicine - worth it. All the trips to Seattle Children's Hospital for follow ups - worth it. Gracie's surgery - worth it. Every little step of the way has led to this moment of relief. She is healthy, her kidney looks great and her scar is fading. Thank you ALL for continued prayers, support and LOVE. It means the world to me! 

Testimonies!

Today I am sharing my testimony - I was inspired to share when fellow blogger Brittany Ashmore reached out and asked for others to share their stories. You can checkout her blog here! It's one of my favorites!! As I'm writing my Mom and I are watching God's Not Dead - if you haven't seen it I highly recommend it. It's available on Netflix! The film is a good reminder that God is constantly providing opportunities to spread His good news. Easter is coming up and what better way to spread his word than to invite your friends, family and coworkers to worship? 

I was born into a family that believes in God. Growing up we didn't regularly go to church and occasionally we would attend on Christmas Eve or Easter. Jesus was never a daily topic of conversation in our home, and I didn't give Him much thought as a teenager.
When I was 18 I knew something was missing from my life. I know Jesus was calling me and I started to regularly attend church with a few friends. Back then I felt like life with Jesus was just a set of rules to live by and being a Christian seemed like a lot of work. I didn't keep up with going to church and slowly drifted further and further from God.After fading back into routine I surrounded myself with more distraction to fill that missing piece. Pretty soon I found myself in a relationship with someone that was practically a stranger and before I knew it I was pregnant. As soon as I heard that little heartbeat I was set on rearranging my priorities, everything else would take a back seat to this perfect little baby. After my sweet baby girl was born life was HARD as it is with any newborn. Her Daddy was gone a lot and we just couldn't get along. He would do things to emotionally hurt me and I would retaliate back. Those few months were dark. Most days I would end up crying myself to sleep on the bathroom floor. In that dark moment of my life I prayed, and I hadn't prayed in years. It felt so foreign and a little silly but I begged God for change. When I woke up the next morning I was in the exact same situation but what did change was me. I had a better attitude, my head was clear, I had a plan and I saw the lighted path. I accepted offers to join friends at church and found a place where I felt like I belonged. I used to get so embarrassed because every single service would make me cry. A very smart woman from my church explained that the tears were the holy spirit moving through me. What a joy that was to hear! The holy spirit moving through me. Even though Gracie's Dad and I could not make things work, God had another plan for me and I found peace in that. A few years later I was blessed with a man who loves Gracie more than anything in the world.I had declared my love for Jesus to my family and close friends but had never been baptized. That changed last summer when I declared it to the world and was baptized in August 2014 with my two girls, Gracie and Claire. I am so grateful for what Jesus' love has done for my life and how it has changed me.

How is God working in your life? Would you like to share your testimony?
Contact Brittany Ashmore, comment here on the blog
or find me on Instagram (@ashtonwitz) 

Helping Your Child Prepare for Surgery

This week is the one year anniversary of my daughter, Gracie, having ureter re implantation surgery. You can read all about it here in Gracie's Surgery Story. Reflecting back on that time of my life there are some things I wish I had known. Here are some tips I found helpful or wish I had known when preparing my own child for surgery day.
     

1. Be honest. I found it important to explain what would be happening during surgery in a simple and honest way. We discussed the surgery a few days before so it wasn't a surprise when we went to the hospital. Side note: DON'T make the same mistake I did and say the doctor will "cut you open" - seriously what was I thinking? Gracie was completely freaked out the doctor would take scissors to her belly.

2. Learning through play. I made a point to have Gracie play with her doctor kit in the days leading up to the surgery. Exposure to medical equipment during play made stethoscopes and blood pressure cuffs less intimidating at the hospital. 

3. Address your own fears. Kids can pick up on their parents fears and feelings. Confront your own fears before trying to tackle your children's. 

4. Ask a lot of questions. No matter how small or big the question - ASK IT! Keep a running list of questions you have for doctors so you don't forget. Also don't spend too much time researching on the internet - sometimes the horror stories can really get to you!

5. Get rest. Before the surgery you and your child should get plenty of zzz's in. Between the stress, the nurses and doctors asking questions and tending to your child - sleep is low on the priority list for parents when they are with their little ones after surgery. 

After surgery Gracie's emotions and behavior was all over the place. Sometimes she was tired, sometimes she was whiny, and she didn't always seem like her self. Always expect the unexpected because you can't prepare for everything. We had new toys, books, stuffed animals, movies and more for her when she woke up - distraction can be very helpful when dealing with little ones after surgery. I found it helpful to have another adult to talk about my own feelings and concerns. Have you guys gone through this with your little ones? How did you cope with your feelings? How did you help your kids before and after surgery? I would love to here from each and every one of you. 

Helpful Online Resources: 

#1 Medline
A straight forward look at what to expect and a good place to start.

#2 - Seattle Children's
 I found the free printable coloring book all about surgery day and what to expect especially helpful.

#3 Kids Health
This website is a personal favorite that I look to all the time. This page helps prepare parents for what to expect when your child goes under anesthesia.

#4 - Books
Stories can give kids great insight to the surgical process in a way that is understandable to them. There are several children's books about this topic. I wish I had known about these before my little ones surgery!

What sorts of things have your littles overcome? How did they handle it? How did YOU as a parent handle it? I would love to hear from you!

Gracie's Surgery Story

Gracie's Surgery Story

            This week will mark the one year anniversary of Gracie's surgery. I feel like so much has happened since then, Gracie got a sister, had her 4th birthday and took her first trip to Minnesota. It's hard to reflect back on a year ago knowing how scared and anxious I was. Thankfully she is healthy and happy today! Many people have asked me about her surgery and condition over the past four years - and what better platform to share it on?

          Looking at Gracie she appears to be your everyday 4 year old - full of energy, enthusiasm and imagination! This girl is always on the go! You wouldn’t guess she was born with multicystic dysplastic kidney disease, meaning only one of her kidneys was functional. 20wks into my pregnancy my biggest concern was what gender the baby would be. I didn’t imagine they would find any flaw during that 20wk ultrasound. Half a dozen ultrasounds later and things still didn’t look quite right. Baby girl Gracie was born in November 2010. Since then a lot of people have asked her asked me about her condition. A month or so after she was born she saw a kidney specialist at Seattle Children’s Hospital in Seattle, WA. Lots of people live perfectly normal lives with one functioning kidney – but we found out that Gracie’s one kidney was in danger. Gracie also had a condition known at ureter reflux, meaning her bladder did not empty completely and this condition leads to frequent bladder infections. Bladder infections put the kidneys at risk and her doctors did not want to risk losing any function in her one kidney. Gracie was followed closely by her specialists and we traveled 2hrs south to Seattle every couple months for kidney ultrasounds and to check on her condition. She was also put on daily antibiotics to prevent infections that could threaten her kidney function.

Gracie's ultrasound at SCH 2014

                Surgery day was a whirlwind. My Mom headed with us to the hospital. Gracie was already being a trooper, she only complained about being hungry a handful of times. It’s hard when you're three years old and don’t get to eat breakfast the morning before your surgery! There are so many things I wish I would have known or did before surgery day arrived. To see how we prepared Gracie for surgery see my next blog post: Prepping Your Toddler for Surgery. When we got to the hospital we checked in with security and got our special hospital badges. I love that the hospital doesn't let random people roam the halls. After that Gracie got checked in and we colored pictures for the receptionist until her name was called. It's hard for me to recall every last detail of that day because it feels like such a blur. 

Gracie & Mommy before surgery

                 We were brought back to an area of the hospital where Gracie got dressed in her hospital gown and socks. Each dressing room was enclosed by windows with curtains and I remember it felt like we were zoo animals behind the glass wall. Gracie even pretended she was a monkey jumping up and down when the nurses would walk by, she always finds a way to have fun. Speaking of the nurses - they were amazing! They answered all our questions and made us feel comfortable in a very uncomfortable situation. Gracie liked them too but mostly because they were giving her tons of stickers for her growing collection. After what felt like forever the nurse came in with a stack of scrubs for me so that I could walk with Gracie to the surgery room. Gracie kissed her Granny goodbye and we headed down the hallway. In movies you always seen stark white walls in hospitals but the halls here were filled with whimsical images that make the circumstances not so scary. Gracie was excited to jump on the bed and put on the anesthesia mask. Her grandpa uses a breathing machine at night that has a mask and she was excited to be just like Pa! The staff let her pick a flavor to breathe in and she got to paint the inside of the mask with strawberry scent. I told her I loved her at least 100 times, kissed her head and stroked her hair while she breathed in the strawberry scent and fell asleep. 

            Thank God my Mom was able to be there with us because I completely lost it. My Mom was comforting and helped with my nerves. I know we were blessed this was Gracie's only medical obstacle and I struggled with guilt about being worried and nervous about the surgery knowing it could be worse. Through prayer and through talking with my Mom, I realized sadness and concern about any type of surgery is part of being a parent of a child with any type of medical problem no matter the degree of the problem. My Mom made sure I took care of myself, we had lunch and drank some coffee knowing we were in for a long day ahead.

Gracie's recovery room

            We waited and waited. Then we waited some more. I met with the surgeon after what felt like forever and received the news that Gracie did well during the surgery and was being transferred to her hospital room. Gracie's first round of anesthesia ended with her throwing red popsicle all over the walls making the room look like an episode of CSI. I was expecting the worst when she woke up from anesthesia this time around. To my surprise she was mostly groggy and hungry and in pain. Gracie was so happy when the nurse agreed to get her a pink popsicle to match her new Pink Pony stuffed animal. The sweet nurse brought a popsicle and Gracie immediately broke down saying "This popsicle is RED not PINK!" Granny saved the day by telling Gracie "Let's not make fun of the nurse because she doesn't know her colors yet." A little humor helped us avoid painting the walls with popsicle a second time.

            The rest of that day was filled with nurses and doctors coming in and out, taking vital signs and giving medicine. She struggled with pain and some bladder spasms. Sleeping in a hospital is not easy. The nurses are in your room and taking blood pressure and asking questions every few hours. I know they were taking good care of my girl but at 5months preggo I was already having a hard time sleeping without the added interruption. Oh well, anything for my sweet Gracie girl. In the morning Gracie was ready to be on her feet. She was over watching movies on the giant TV, her new books were no longer exciting and the new teddy bear was only fun for a few hours. 

             Gracie had one visitor while in the hospital because I didn't want her to be overwhelmed with guests. Lucky for us Auntie Anna brought some new coloring and sticker books. Gracie was having a moment when Auntie Anna arrived - when she opened the books she tossed them aside exclaiming "This isn't a real present!" I was shocked at the reaction. The always understanding Auntie Anna just set them to the side and distracted Gracie in other ways. I am thankful she was able to visit in the hospital, it gave me comfort to see a familiar face, not to mention a little break from entertaining a 3yr old. 

             We stayed three days in the hospital before we were discharged. Parents that have to stay for weeks and months at a time endure so much and I truly admire them. We packed up our things and headed home to finish Gracie's recovery. The doctor had told me she would heal quickly and be back to herself in no time. I guess I didn't realize how soon that would be. That whole weekend after her surgery I spent all my time telling her to slow down and take it easy. 

            It is so crazy that all these events took place exactly one year ago. No more daily antibiotics. No more worry, no more stress and her scar is fading more and more by the day. Next week we have our one year follow up and our last appointment with Gracie's doctors at Seattle Children's Hospital before our move to Florida. She still needs yearly checkups with specialists but I think we have come out on top! I am beyond thankful for the awesome staff at Seattle Children's that made our stay so positive. I thank God for Gracie's health every single day and can't wait to experience more adventures with my sweet girl. 

           Check out my post on everything I wish I knew before her surgery and how to help your toddler prepare for their upcoming surgery here - Helping Your Child Prepare for Surgery

Friday Favorites

A few of my favorite things this week -

#5 - Favorite Hair Do for the week : Side Braids & Headbands
            
            Easiest. Look. Ever. I am in that weird stage of growing out bangs where the front of my hair never cooperates. Ladies do you know what I mean? I have had zero time to get ready in the morning between wrangling two girls and taking a shower. It doesn't help we've been sleeping in - but it's necessary when you're dealing with a baby that won't sleep through the night!

#4 - Favorite Show: Married at First Sight

            The whole premise of this show is wacky. Sign up, talk to some experts, get a match and get married to a complete stranger? Did anyone watch the first season? I was instantly hooked. I like that there is a true science in fitting the couples together. The potential brides and grooms all seem so genuine and committed to finding their matches . I am a hopeless romantic at heart and you can't help but pull for the new couples! Married at First Sight airs Tuesdays @9PM on A&E
#3 - Favorite Bible Verse: In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well.  Romans12:6                
I came across this in my daily devotional and it was close to my heart all week. I feel like I have really embraced connecting with others this week. Despite this being a strength I often hold back in fear of what other people will think. This has helped me conquer fears this week.

#2 - Favorite Jam: Sugar by Maroon 5
                I play this song everywhere! In the gym, in my car, in my house while I'm cleaning. Seriously everywhere. I don't know if I just love Adam Levine's voice, or the happy beat or the adorable video where the band crashes weddings to perform. Check it out! 

#1 - Favorite Book: Forever, Interrupted by Taylor Jenkins
                             Easily one of my favorite books of all time. I'm reading it again and I still love it just as much as the last two times. It is a beautiful story about love and loss. You will instantly connect with these characters and zip through the book. The good news? Taylor Jenkins released her second novel back in July called After I Do. I couldn't put that book down and finished it a couple weeks ago on a flight from WA to FL. I highly recommend anything written by this lovely author!

This post was not endorsed by any products and is solely the opinion of the blogger. 

Did anything stand out to you guys this week? Anything stuck in your head? Let me know in the comments!

Happy St.Patricks Day!

Happy St.Patricks Day everyone! Just a quick note about some things the leprechauns around our house have been up to. All weekend was pouring down rain. Not surprising for the PNW. Gracie and I played a couple rounds of Candyland and kept busy for the most part. We were so thankful when the sun came out this afternoon! Out came the soccer balls and sidewalk chalk! Gracie had the great idea to draw St.Patricks themed pictures on the concrete. Turned out pretty well if I do say so myself!

Most of the time the only March 17th celebrating we do is wear a little green to avoid the dreaded pinches but tonight as I was catching up on one of my favorite blogs Jenny Cookies, I stumbled across the easiest St.Patricks Day treats! If you haven't seen her blog before I highly recommend it! All you need is a bag of rainbow twizzlers and some rolos to create a fun pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I used free bag tags from Harper Gray, found here to make the treats really festive. Simple and adorable goodies, an unbeatable combination! 

How do you guys celebrate St.Patricks Day? I would love to hear from you!

Encourage, Empower, Embrace

                Hey everyone and welcome to Mama Witz! My name is Ashton Witzman and I am mother to two girls, Gracie (4) & Claire (7mo). I am also a proud military wife, follower of Jesus, pediatric nurse, lover of all things DIY and first time blogger! I have been a fan of multiple blogs for years but have always been a little scared to share  myself in that way. Well, at least I was scared until now. There seems to be so much positivity among bloggers these days that I am not afraid - I'm excited! I want to share my experiences as a wife and mother and connect with people. My hope is to create a community that can encourage, empower and embrace people at all times in their lives.
                In the next few months our family will be experiencing some big changes. I have spent most of my life on beautiful Whidbey Island in WA state (a little north of Seattle). I always imagined staying here and raising kids in our small community with our wonderful support system of friends and family. But, plans change when you marry a man in the military. In roughly 6weeks we will be packing up our rain boots and moving to Jacksonville, FL! If a cross country move wasn't enough - I am not going back to work after the big move. I am thankful for the opportunity to stay home and spend time with my girls after being a working Mom the last three years.

                I am so excited to start this blog and keep everyone up to date on the Witzman family happenings! Thank you for taking the time to read and connect with us. Any tips or tricks for life during a big move? Let me know in the comments!