We're still here

I haven't posted in a few months, so I thought I'd give a quick update with a few pictures of our fall here in Arizona.  We're still here, Isaac started a job with Go Daddy 2 weeks ago (they sell domain names and help people create websites).  Isaac is working at a tech for people who are paying Go Daddy to create their website.  He walks them through anything they might be having trouble with and helps them make their website.  So far he's only a few weeks into the job but really likes it and is hopeful that he will be able to work his way up in the company.  They are good about promoting from within and creating apprenticeships for employees if they are interested in another department, so he is hoping to eventually get an apprenticeship and move to a different dept.  

Isabelle is doing well.  As of last week she is officially, for the first  time, off of all her medications.  Her heart has not continued to heal, but the blessing has been that her body is tolerating the problems in her heart a lot better, so the doctors were able to take her off all her meds and we don't have to go back to cardiology until next summer!  They are assuming that if things stay the same, they wont have to do open heart surgery on her until she is a teenager and with the new cardiology developments that are happening, they think that by then the surgery will be performed in a different way and wont be as risky or even done through an incision in the chest.  

Isabelle finally got approved for a Doc Band - we call it her football helmet.  Her head has become really flat in the back and this will help shape it into a normal ball shape again.  She's had it about a month a half now and will probably have it a few more months.  

 We went to neurology last month and since she finally had her first normal EKG, they began weaning her off her meds.  Now our lives are busy with lots of dr. apts - physical/occupational/developmental therapy weekly, helmet checkups, and lots and lots of insurance drama.  

The kids in their halloween costumes.  

We got lucky and Isabelle was approved for a special vaccine made for children with heart defects, to protect them against RSV.  It is a monthly vaccine, but it's expensive and is given first to preemies with heart defects, so we weren't sure if she would get it or if insurance would pay for it.  Luckily both pulled through, so she is getting this also.  It's good, because being sick makes her more likely to have seizures, as well as affects her heart, so hopefully this will help keep her at least protected against RSV.

Eli is busy, busy, busy.  He just got a bike as an early Christmas  present from his grandparents, and has been riding like crazy all over the apt. complex, trying to do crazy bike tricks that he sees older kids doing!  We're disappointed because we wont be going to Oregon for the Christmas season at all this year.  Normally we make it either for Christmas, or right after, but since Isaac just started work, he wont be allowed time off, so I'm going with the kiddos in Feb.  So here is our little update.  We've got lots more going on, but I'm going to be happy with posting this much for now.  We've (once again) lost all of our blog addresses for everyone, so leave your blog address please!