Angelica Grace Designs Blog

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

CALLING ON MY PRAYER WARRIORS...

Meet Payton.
Payton is a dear sweet friend of ours preparing to undergo a very scary moment in her life this Thursday. Peyton is five years old and now resides in Tennessee. Up until last year, she lived here in Indiana. Her brother, Dominick, and my son Brennen, played on two of the same basketball teams together last year. They were also in class at school together up until their family moved to Tennessee. We came to know and love Payton as the adorable little vibrant girl who would dance and cheer like no other when we were around her. She was always up for showing us her new dance class moves when we asked. She also was very fond of Brennen. Truthfully, I think she thought he hung the moon. :)

Unfortunately, I received some heart wrenching news this week regarding Payton's health. After being on the receiving end of a prayer chain email for her, I made contact with her Mom, Kathy, in Tennessee. Kathy explained to me what was going on and the fact that they have to have an immediate surgery on Payton's little brain this Thursday due to fluid cysts in the middle of her brain that were discovered on an MRI just last week. The doctors will attempt to drill threw to the area where the cysts are and make pathways for the fluid to drain and decrease the pressure on her head/skull area. This is plan A. If plan A does not work (for several possible reasons), plan B will consist of running a shunt from the back of her head down to a cavity area near her abdomen for the fluid to drain to and this is a permanent shunt to keep the area draining for the rest of her life. The surgery will take place at the East Tennessee Children's hospital sometime between 11-2pm this Thursday.
The Dillon family (Joe, Kathy, Dominick, and Payton-last year)

After speaking with Kathy, I asked her if she was ok with us starting a prayer chain here from the AGD blog on top of all of the other additional prayer chains going around for her right now. Kathy was like me, very much in agreement with the power of prayer, especially in multiples. Therefore, I asked her if I could share some of the detailed information here on the blog as well as the pictures so you'd have a face with a name regarding who you are praying for. Here is what Kathy gave me in regard to Payton's condition and how it was detected....

Payton started, about the age of three, with noticeable differences in her walking, stability and tremors in her little body. Her doctor, in Indiana, recommended PT and OT to help strengthen her body. We started the therapies-waiting for a change . . . I honestly thought this was something she would grow out of. That the therapies would build the muscles so much that the shaking/tremors would stop and she would return to normal. . . . . We saw her build confidence but really nothing else changed. Another check up at her pediatrician a year later, she said keep up the PT and OT with really no other concerns or advise . . . .

Then we moved to Tennessee. Payton started kindergarten in August. I was shocked at how much she struggled being in the school environment. I think her teacher thought I was nuts because I had told her the shaking/tremors really did not hold her back, although she was a young 5 (and would not have qualified to be in school in Indiana because of the cut off date for 5 year olds and Payton's birthday is 8/28) but I was very wrong. I started working with the school, principal, guidance counselor, special education teacher, physical therapist, occupational therapist and a psychologist (all through school) while I was working on getting our insurance set up (which did not come through until the first of this year) and finding a new pediatrician. With this group, more and more questions came up. From her memory (because she is having short term memory issues) to her drinking out of a straw, potty accidents at school so many fine little details started coming up . . . . After our first visit with the pediatrician and working with all of the people at school, it all became very scary. It was becoming very apparent there was more going on then we have ever imagined.

Our pediatrician sent us the the neurologist last month and its all rolled pretty quickly from there. Payton had an EEG on 3/7 and the MRI on 3/17 (a week ago today). The results from the MRI came quickly. I had a phone call from a neuro surgeons office by 2 p.m. on Tuesday(which of course I did not get until after their office closed because I was at work and they only called the home number and left a message). I went into a complete melt down and ended up having the night service page the neuro surgeon on call. Dr. Harris (who was the surgeon on call was also the doctor that had reviewed her "case" earlier that day) called me back and basically said that we were suppose to have been in his office that day and since his asst. had not got ahold of me that he wanted us in his office noon on Wednesday. He was in the ER and said he could not go through everything over the phone with me - chapter and verse - but that he was going to recommend surgery.

When we got to his office on Wednesday, he showed us the MRI. Initially, I had no idea what I was looking at but after he started talking and describing the cysts I could see this huge teardrop shaped bubble in the middle of her little brain. He started explaining the procedure/surgery and at one point I ended up sitting in the floor of the little exam room because it was closest to the tile floor -- if I passed out then I would not have far to fall. He said that she is truly in pain and probably more pain than we realize but since she was grown up with the cysts slowly growing inside of her little head that she is simply just use to it. Her head size is the same as mine. Its not really noticeable but again just those little signs that you really do not think about day to day like struggling to get shirts on over her head and cute little hats not fitting right. I just feel like there was SO many little, little signs that I missed.

I spoke to her neurologist and pediatrician today and they both seem cautiously hopeful but all doctors are so good at not seeming too excited about anything. But both believe this is the best thing for Payton. I am just scared to death . . . . . but I keep praying, praying and praying.

We have SO many prayer chains going, I know its all in Gods hands but I will feel so much better when they roll my baby out to me and I can just see that she is ok . . . Thursday is going to be a very, very long day.

Angie, thank you so much again for your thoughts, prayers and kindness. I will keep you posted on her progress and just hope and pray that this surgery gives her relief from the pain, helps restore her balance and revives her spirit. Again, amazing words from you! You are a Godsend for me right now, thank you!

Now, as we can all imagine, this is a very trying and tested time for the Dillon family. I am begging those of you out there who pray - to pray - incessantly - for little Payton and her family. This child is so sweet, so adorable. I wish you could know her in person - face to face. She is full of life and has a smile so beaming that it blinds you.

I've asked Kathy to try and call or email me Thursday after the surgery is over and everyone is settled. She has assured me that she would. Once I hear from her, I'll be sure to post an update here. We'll be traveling at that point but I promise to update the blog with any new news that I receive. However, from now thru Thursday, anytime you look at your own child - put yourselves in the Dillon families shoes and try to remember to think of them, send positive vibes for them, or pray. However you see fit or however you do it in your own life or family - whether spiritual or not - do it for Payton and her family. If this was my child, I'd want all the prayers I could get surrounding her as she underwent neuro brain surgery. I'm sure all of us would.I thank you for the time it took you to read this. I also thank you in advance for your prayers for Payton. I know God has total control over this situation. I always go back to my motto that I personally live by during moments like these. It is: "There will be years that ask and that will be years that answer. In the end....God NEVER wastes pain."
Hang in there little Payton. God has his hands wrapped tightly around you right now sweetheart. Everything is going to be fine. Just fine!
In his grip, Angie Seaman

5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am "buckethead' Bandit's mom! Bandit got bladder cancer and passed away on St Paddie's Day:( She was 12...I will be praying for Payton...my daughter, Siena, who is an angel now, will be watching over the surgeon's hands for God! I am so certain God will be there too! Always love....He is with us ALWAYS!

3/25/2008 3:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I will definantly have her and her family in my prayers. I know how it is to have a loved one undergo surgeries. My sister is deaf and has had multiple sugeries to fix her cochlear implants. I will keep you susan in my prayers as well. I can not imagine what you must be going through. Your friend in Christ- Molly P. :)

3/25/2008 3:26 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hello Angie,
What a heart-wrenching story. I am lifting Payton and her family up in prayer. Blessings, Karrie

3/25/2008 4:53 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hello Angie,
What a heart-wrenching story. I am lifting Payton and her family up in prayer. Blessings, Karrie

3/25/2008 4:53 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I tried leaving a comment but typing through my tears I am not sure if it went through or not. I will be praying for Payton!

Matthew 15:30 (NKJ)
Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them those who
were lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid
them down at Jesus' feet, and He healed them.

3/25/2008 4:55 PM  

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