Lisa Bonnema

So I decided to write this little “series” on answered prayers for several reasons. First, I want to finally update all of you on Brooklyn’s condition without it getting too overwhelming and complicated (for you and for me). Second, I want you to see that God can and does heal (and is very creative in doing so). And finally, I want you to know that YOUR PRAYERS ARE WORKING!

The first major answer to prayer is that Brooklyn still does not have or need a shunt (a tube that drains any spinal fluid that builds up in the brain). This is a HUGE plus. As I’ve stated in the past, shunts can definitely save lives if they are needed, but they can also cause death if there is a malfunction that goes undetected. In fact, the mortality rate of children with Spina Bifida is 25% — which is pretty high — and the majority of those deaths have been attributed to undetected shunt malfunctions/infections.

In the past, children born with excess fluid in their brains were instantly shunted. However, as I’ve explained in  previous posts, our neurosurgeon and her team believe that if given a little time, some children’s bodies can find a way to deal with the excess fluid…and that is EXACTLY what Brooklyn is doing.

The reason this may be surprising is that Brooklyn’s ventricles were quite large in my womb already (in the “severe” category), meaning that there was already quite a bit of fluid build-up in her brain. However, in my womb, she was also leaking some fluid out of the hole in her back (where her defect was). That means that post-surgery — when they closed up that hole — odds were that her ventricles and the fluid build-up in her brain were only going to increase since there was no leakage point to help “deal” with the fluid. All of those factors considered, the chances of Brooklyn needing a shunt were very, very high.

But God is so good. Get this: Brooklyn’s ventricles have not changed AT ALL since her surgery. They have literally not budged in size. This is not typical. The neurosurgeon expected at least some increase, but instead, Brooklyn’s ultrasounds have been “stone-cold stable.” The look of subtle surprise on our neurosurgeon’s face told me all I needed to know: Our prayers were being answered.

Now, there is a chance that Brooklyn may still need a shunt down the road. But every day she goes without one is a very good thing. The older and stronger she gets, the chances a malfunction or infection decreases. Some kids end up with hundreds (yes, hundreds) of shunt revisions because of infections and malfunctions, and we certainly don’t want that. So every day Brooklyn goes without a shunt is a blessing.

Although we know what the future could hold, we remain hopeful. Our peanut’s head is pretty large (95th percentile), but as long as it stays within the growth curve and she doesn’t start to exhibit any symptoms that there is pressure in her brain, we are in the clear. The goal is to get through the first year of Brooklyn’s life without a shunt. If we can do that, then odds are she will never need one. Wouldn’t that be awesome?!

Our neurosurgeon has told us that if we don’t shunt Brooklyn, she will most likely have a larger head (called macrocephaly), but that is not the end of the world. She’s gaining weight like a champ, so she’s “growing into it” quickly. 🙂 And, quite honestly, we think she is cute as a button just as she is!

So there you have it. Your prayers are being answered!

And although you have all certainly done your part here, I can’t help but ask for more prayer. I mean, they are working people!

So…we humbly ask that you continue to pray that Brooklyn won’t need a shunt and that the fluid that is in her brain now does not cause any major cognitive challenges for her.

I can tell you with all of my heart that I will never ever again underestimate the power of prayer, and I hope Brooklyn’s story encourages you to never underestimate our God. He hears and, yes, He answers.

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
John 14: 13-14

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
James 5:16

As most of you know, we are home!! As in, all 5 of us are now under one roof. I apologize for not posting the last several weeks, but, honestly, we have been busy being a family. 🙂

I also admit that these last several weeks have left me with a lot of raw emotion I am still working through. When I decided to start writing about Brooklyn and our journey, I made a promise to myself and to God that I would only write when I felt lead to do so. I didn’t want this to be contrived or sugar-coated. I didn’t want to put on a show or write what I thought people wanted to hear. I wanted to be honest and share what God wanted me to share when He wanted me to share it. (Got all that?!)

So I haven’t written. But that is about to change. God revealed a lot to me today, and I am encouraged to share again.

Because it has been a few weeks, there is a lot to tell, so I think I’m going to do a little “mini series” on how God has answered our prayers. Brooklyn is truly a testament to His power.

So stay tuned the next few days for updates on our little rock star and all that God has done because of YOUR prayers.

So good to be home again!

I am so sorry it has been so long since we have posted an update. It has been a little crazy as we adjust to our “new reality” of jumping between hospital and home. I wish I could say that it has been easier than I thought it would be, but in all honesty, it’s been harder. I think I’ll need to vent about that at some point, but for now, I’ll just give you the scoop on our little Brooklyn.

Overall, she is doing great! She has been out of the NICU since last weekend and has been hanging out on the neurology floor. Since her vitals were so good, they actually wanted to move her out of the NICU even sooner, but there were no beds available on the neuro floor. Now that we are finally here, we love it! The nurses on this floor are absolutely amazing. They all make a big fuss over our pretty little Brooklyn and take great care of her (and us too!). I am convinced now more than ever that nurses have a special place waiting for them in heaven. They make such a difference.

The best news is that so far, Brooklyn doesn’t need a shunt (a tube to drain the fluid from her brain). This means that although she was born with fluid in her brain and larger than normal ventricles, her head has remained relatively stable since her surgery. To check this, they are measuring her head daily and then sending her for ultrasounds a few times a week. Although it looks good so far, our neurosurgeon isn’t quite convinced that we are in the clear, so we are waiting it out until we get some hard evidence one way or the other. And, unfortunately, even if we do go home without a shunt, that doesn’t mean she might not need one down the road. With Spina Bifida, you literally need to take it day by day. We can celebrate meeting our milestones, but sometimes there are setbacks down the road. It’s a waiting game. But as my wise Grandma has said: When we get good news, we will praise God, and when we get not-so-good news, we will say, “He is in control.”

Brooklyn is eating extremely well and gaining weight. She is nursing when I am in the hospital with her and drinking bottles of breast milk when I can’t be there. Pumping has become a full-time job, but I am determined that Brooklyn will get the same benefits as her sisters did, even if she can’t get it directly from me all the time. So far, we are finding a way to make it happen, which makes this Mama very happy. She will have a swallow study with a speech therapist tomorrow, but that is more of a precautionary measure. Brooklyn has shown absolutely no problems sucking or swallowing. She latched on right away and barely spits up – even without being able to get burped!

Her urological tests have come back okay, but she does need to have a catheter four times day. She can go to the bathroom on her own, but some of her tests have shown that she’s not getting rid of it all, so we need to help her out so that she doesn’t get backed up. She doesn’t seem to mind it though and usually sleeps through the whole ordeal. That is, at least for now… 😉

Physical therapy and orthopedics keep trying to sneak in to see Brooklyn, but our neurosurgeon keeps pushing them off so we can focus on her back and her head. Jeff is anxious to get going on her therapy and casting, but until Brooklyn’s back is totally healed and they decide if/when she needs a shunt, we’ll just have to be patient.

Right now, they are categorizing Brooklyn at as an “L3” or “Lumbar 3,” which means she has some leg movement and above-average quadriceps and hip-flexor strength. She might be an “L4” (which is even better), but we aren’t sure if she has hamstring strength. Because her quads are much more developed than other babies her age, it’s hard to tell if the hamstrings are functioning or not. The same thing with her glutes, although our therapist thinks it looks like Brooklyn has a booty. 😉 Only therapy and time will tell exactly what Brooklyn is capable of and what her muscles can do. Again…we have to wait and wait some more.

Our sweetheart’s legs and feet are little “twisty, twisty” as we like to say, but our therapist seems to think most of that will be corrected by casting (as opposed to surgery). We’ll have to wait until our neurosurgeon says “go” before we get specifics on this aspect of her care. Until then, we are just rubbing those piggy toes and praying over those legs every chance we get.

I wish I knew when they expect our peanut to come home, but we have no idea. One nurse speculated early next week, but we will wait to see. I admit, I’m guarding my heart on that one…unless I hear it from the neurosurgeon directly and she has discharge papers in hand, I am not going there. I just can’t take the possible heartbreak.

We are, however, working toward that goal. Jeff and I are taking a mandatory infant CPR class tonight, and I have been learning a lot from the nurses to prepare me for when we get home. I’ve learned how to feel for her soft spots (to make sure they are not bulging or filling up with fluid), how to measure her head (to check her ventricle size), how to change her diaper (her legs and surgery site make this an art form!), and how to catheterize her (yep, I did it…twice!).

Before she goes home, Jeff and I will have to stay overnight and care for her without the nurses’ help, and Brooklyn will have to pass a “car seat challenge.” This means she’ll have to be able to handle sitting in her car seat for the time it takes to drive to and from the hospital.

So that’s about it for now. We will be sure to update you if there are any new or big developments, but right now we are just waiting it out. Please continue to pray that Brooklyn’s head won’t swell and that her legs will have as much movement as possible. We also ask you to pray for our family as we try to adjust to lots of time apart. The girls are hanging in there, but it hasn’t been easy on them. Jeff and I are also emotionally and physically exhausted. Please pray for our strength!

Thank you all for your support these last 9 days. Jeff and I feel so blessed that our baby girl has such a loving community surrounding her. Much love to you all!