Gabrielle Gossip: Home Sweet Home

Last Thursday afternoon we arrived back home to Louisiana. It was a great feeling to walk back into our house for the first time in almost 2 months. We are so happy to be home and what a homecoming it has been! We have had visitors almost every day since Thursday hence the reason I haven’t made a post. What a journey we have had over the last 3 months. We have had our newest addition to the family Avery and then just shy of 4 weeks later loaded up and took off to Cincinnati for Gabby’s surgery. It was 7 weeks of ups and downs but our little family pulled through. Gabrielle has to be one of the strongest little people I have ever encountered. She continues to amaze me daily for the challenges that are put in front of her and she hurdles over them. I thank God each and every day for blessing Bart and I with such an amazing little girl. We also are so thankful for the community that we live in. Without their help this trip and surgery wouldn’t have been possible. We will be forever grateful to you all.

Today we removed Gabrielle’s foley catheter. Now her bladder should empty totally from her urethra. She does still have the supra pubic tube as a backup. The plan for now is to pray that her bladder empties on its own. Every 4 hours I have to uncap her supra pubic tube and see if it drains in additional urine. We are to keep measurements of what drains from there and keep Dr. Alam’s office posted on how her bladder is draining over the next few weeks. Hopefully after a few weeks we will get the all clear to remove the supra pubic tube. We will have an appointment in a few months for some testing. It should be a quick trip, just a few days. Since being home we haven’t noticed Gabrielle having any bladder spasms so we haven’t had to give her any of the Ditropan, YAY!!! She is still nervous about moving herself very much. She has only taken a few steps while being supported and she wouldn’t completely straighten her legs. She and Bart went and played in her room before bed tonight, he had her scooting herself around to get toys herself so I think that it will only be a matter of time. Bart and I have both started back to work full time. So far so good just a little tired :0). I will post again next week with another update of how things are going. Thank you all for following us during this leg of Gabby’s journey. Please continue to pray that her bladders empties completely so we can get rid of the supra pubic tube and that she will find the courage and strength to start walking soon! Enjoy a few pictures from our trip home...