Preparing for Surgery

We took a family picture this evening of our right hands. I have such mixed emotions about Josie's hand surgery. She's been through so much these past nine months.



I'm honestly feeling more nervous about this surgery than I was her open-heart surgery. This surgery doesn't even require an overnight stay in the hospital and it's even being done at our local Children's Hospital.

It's the fingertip to shoulder cast that has me bothered. She's in that fiercely independent toddler stage right now and she's always hated anything that makes her feel restrained or held down. I'm envisioning some really messy dinners with her operating with only one hand and some really unhappy nights tossing around with a heavy cast in her bed.

People have asked whether she knows her right hand looks different than her left hand. I don't think so. I guess that's the beauty of being two years old. Other folks have asked whether she favors one hand over the other, and she doesn't seem to be a strong righty or lefty. She constantly goes back and forth with her right and left hand for eating, coloring, or fine motor playing. I guess being without a right hand for five weeks might push her to become more left handed. Time will tell.

I'm asking all my friends and family to keep Josie in your prayers. We will keep everyone posted on her recovery in our blog. Her surgery is scheduled for (insert time here) on Thursday 12/18. Your comments and personal email mean the world to our family.