Also This Week

Right Eye Surgery... Back to CHLA

On Monday, October 12th we found ourselves back in the hospital. It was different this time because we knew what was going on and why we were there but the scary feeling was the same. We hoped and prayed that we could go home right away. She looked so cute in her scrubs, ready for surgery. The plan was to go in remove the scar tissue building around her pupil (making a triangle instead of a circle) to restore the shape and to implant, if possible, a lense. Dr. Song said it would take 30-45 mins but once there they said it would be at least an hour. We left her, had lunch and came back in 30 minutes. They receptionist gave us a big scare. She had a heavy accent, I can't talk because I know I have one here and there... anyways, I couldn't tell if she spoke Spanish or something else other than English. She looked at Kurt and I saying "Apnard?" We said "Amber" She said, "Wait right here, I need to talk to you about Apnard?" again we said "Amber?" She said, very excited again "I need to talk to you about Apnard" So we thought maybe she is saying Amber and we just don't understand her because we tried to clarify. Once she was able to speak with us she said, "Are you Apnard's parents?" We said, "Our daughter's name is Amber Brubaker" She said, "Oh sorry no I am looking for Apnard's parents, I need to talk to them". Off we went to the waiting room. It was two hours later and no news from Amber. Then another nurse came in the room, looked at me and said "Lopez?" I said, "No Brubaker" she said "Oh ok looking for Lopez"... I told Kurt, I might look like a Lopez but I married a Brubaker :-)... ok back to Amber. They had a hard time getting the IV started, I wished someone would have come out and said something.

All went well. She was intubated, scar tissue removal was successful, right eye lense implant was successful, and extubation was successful. They wanted to keep her overnight just to make sure. We came home, Kurt stayed with my mom, Kyana and Taylor while I drove back to spend the night with Amber. She was discharged the next morning after the Dr. removed eye patch and checked that everything was good. She needs eye drops four times a day for a month. We had a follow up on Saturday, October 17 in Pasadena. Dr. Song says everything looks good, continue the drops, make appointment to fit left eye for a contact lense, if things don't work out with the contact lense we might need to do implant on left eye. He would rather wait as long as possible for that implant but if it needs to happen then that will be our next surgery. As for the right eye, we will have another follow up in a month.

She is doing so great... thank you for all you do for us.

We've Been Really Busy...

In the last few weeks, Amber has come a long way. We've been home for over 3 months... I can't believe it. I've realized that ambulance and fire trucks scare me or just the ones coming close to our house. I also realized that "normal" is not as "normal" as I thought. The first two kids did not come with a manual but they did a lot on their own. They ate, rolled around, seat up, picked things up to put in their mouths, ate by the ounce and found their toes all on their own. Amber has to learn how to do the basic things including her toes and we get to teach her.

She started with just drops in her pacifier and now she drinks one ounce at every meal when she's awake, she takes the rest via feeding tube. Everyday she gets stronger, rolls from tummy to back and side to side. We are still trying to get her to go from back to tummy. She had a few more vaccines last week including the flu shot which they want everyone at the house to have plus the H1N1 when it's available.

We've added a new doctor to her list for her feet or I should say toes but like all the rest we have to wait and see what happens naturally before he can actively do anything. Dr. Song her Ophthalmologist will be doing a procedure on her right eye to remove the scar tissue. It is possible for her to get a lense in her right eye since it continues to get scar tissue, we will know more on Monday, October 12th, the day of her surgery. We don't know if she will need to stay over night, it will all depend on how she does during and after surgery. Please keep her in your prayers and send all your positive energy her way. Surgery scheduled for 9am. Thank you.