Dr., Mama, and Thomas
Emma and Thomas
Jonny and Thomas
Papa and Thomas
Peter and Thomas
Thursday, April 5, 2007
More of Thomas
Here are some more pictures of Thomas.
Dr., Mama, and Thomas
Emma and Thomas
Jonny and Thomas
Papa and Thomas
Peter and Thomas
Dr., Mama, and ThomasEmma and ThomasJonny and Thomas
Papa and ThomasPeter and Thomas
Kelsie's Performance
Kelsie performed an Irish Dance routine with a few other girls at a basketball game.
Kelsie at far left.
Kelsie again at left.
Kelsie second from the left.
Kelsie at far left.
Kelsie again at left.
Kelsie second from the left. Peter's 13th Birthday
Here is the birthday boy with his presents... you can see that he received help from younger siblings.
Here we are at the blowing out of candles and....well, you get the picture. More help from little brother.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Thomas Calvin
We are pleased to announce the birth of Thomas Calvin Handel. He was born at 9:18 Wednesday, the 28th of March, weighing in at 8 pounds 8 ounces and measuring 20 inches long. Mother and baby are doing very well.
Here are a couple pictures on our handsome little guy!
Kelsie for the Handels
Here are a couple pictures on our handsome little guy!
Kelsie for the Handels
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Emmaline Susanna
July 8, 2004. Our baby girl is born with an unusual bump at her left temple. Local doctors were stumped and we were referred to a larger area hospital. At 10 days of age, we were told that she most likely has an aggressive, malignant brain tumor. Biopsy ruled-out that kind of tumor, but it was still unidentifiable. At that point we were referred to Childrens Hospital in Seattle, WA. Emma was assigned to the top surgeons in relation to her needs. We are eternally thankful for those men, and the decisions which they have made.
As the tumor rapidly grew, her airway became dangerously compromised. At 4 months of age, she was too young to survive surgery for the tumor, so it was decided that she had to have a tracheotomy to preserve her life until she was old enough to have surgery. Prior to the trach, her airway, at its narrowest, was only 1/4 of an inch!
Things went along as well as they could, until she was 6-7 months old. The tumor grew dramatically, and Emma was getting weaker. The doctors determined that Emma needed the complicated surgery sooner rather than later. Everyone was hoping to wait until she turned two years of age to do the surgery, but it was evident that she wouldn't make it that long. So, at exactly 8 months of age, her "big" surgery was performed.
We were informed of the many risks associated with her surgery...death, brain hemorrhage, blindness, stroke, etc., etc....but we also knew that without the surgery, she would certainly die.
The day of the surgery was much easier to endure than we supposed it would be; we can now see that that was God's grace to us. We were prepared for a 16 hour procedure; a very long time for a small baby to be under general anaesthesia, but things went better than expected and the surgeons were done in 12 hours. She had to have a craniotomy in order to reach the growth. The tumor had pushed out her orbital bone, eroded a hole in her skull base, and reached into the depths of her head. Thankfully, it had not yet entered her brain. Our wonderful craniofacial surgeon did a fantastic job of repairing the hole in her skull base with a piece of skull from the top of her head, and was able to reconstruct her orbital bone. They were not able to remove the entire tumor, but what they did remove was the size of a grapefruit! It was determined that the tumor is benign, and most closely resembles a teratoma.
Remarkably, the surgery went very, very well. Nothing, absolutely nothing, went wrong!
A month later she needed an additional surgery to remove a walnut-sized tumor from her soft palate, again, all went well!
The following month, her trach tube was removed, and for the first time in 7 months, we heard our baby's voice!!! Once she realized she could make sounds, she wouldn't stop! Joy of joys!!! She hasn't stopped talking since then!
A few months later, she had an additional surgery to open-up her airway further and to repair her trach site. Again, no problems!
Since they were not able to remove all of the tumor, she must have an annual MRI and CT to monitor the growth. Lord willing, the remaining pieces will not grow out of proportion to her growth, and will not morph into a malignancy. The doctors are very hopeful that everything will be just fine. For now, we cherish every day we have with our children and have come to hold them even closer to our hearts.
As the tumor rapidly grew, her airway became dangerously compromised. At 4 months of age, she was too young to survive surgery for the tumor, so it was decided that she had to have a tracheotomy to preserve her life until she was old enough to have surgery. Prior to the trach, her airway, at its narrowest, was only 1/4 of an inch!
Things went along as well as they could, until she was 6-7 months old. The tumor grew dramatically, and Emma was getting weaker. The doctors determined that Emma needed the complicated surgery sooner rather than later. Everyone was hoping to wait until she turned two years of age to do the surgery, but it was evident that she wouldn't make it that long. So, at exactly 8 months of age, her "big" surgery was performed.
We were informed of the many risks associated with her surgery...death, brain hemorrhage, blindness, stroke, etc., etc....but we also knew that without the surgery, she would certainly die.
The day of the surgery was much easier to endure than we supposed it would be; we can now see that that was God's grace to us. We were prepared for a 16 hour procedure; a very long time for a small baby to be under general anaesthesia, but things went better than expected and the surgeons were done in 12 hours. She had to have a craniotomy in order to reach the growth. The tumor had pushed out her orbital bone, eroded a hole in her skull base, and reached into the depths of her head. Thankfully, it had not yet entered her brain. Our wonderful craniofacial surgeon did a fantastic job of repairing the hole in her skull base with a piece of skull from the top of her head, and was able to reconstruct her orbital bone. They were not able to remove the entire tumor, but what they did remove was the size of a grapefruit! It was determined that the tumor is benign, and most closely resembles a teratoma.
Remarkably, the surgery went very, very well. Nothing, absolutely nothing, went wrong!
A month later she needed an additional surgery to remove a walnut-sized tumor from her soft palate, again, all went well!
The following month, her trach tube was removed, and for the first time in 7 months, we heard our baby's voice!!! Once she realized she could make sounds, she wouldn't stop! Joy of joys!!! She hasn't stopped talking since then!
A few months later, she had an additional surgery to open-up her airway further and to repair her trach site. Again, no problems!
Since they were not able to remove all of the tumor, she must have an annual MRI and CT to monitor the growth. Lord willing, the remaining pieces will not grow out of proportion to her growth, and will not morph into a malignancy. The doctors are very hopeful that everything will be just fine. For now, we cherish every day we have with our children and have come to hold them even closer to our hearts.
God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy
And shall break in blessings on your head.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sence,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.
His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan his work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.
William Cowper, 1774
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy
And shall break in blessings on your head.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sence,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.
His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan his work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.
William Cowper, 1774
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