God is still in the business of performing miracles!!

I have been a bit delinquent on the destination...WALKING page. Since I returned to work 2 weeks ago I have found it a little more difficult to get the updates put together and loaded in a timely fashion. All I can manage is a quick post on Facebook...and I know that not everyone who follows Christabel's story used Facebook...so I am sorry for the delay.

She has continued to get new casts each Wednesday, and has made absolutely AMAZING progress!!
Her surgeon admitted last week that he fully intended for her to require 8 to 12 weeks of casting because of the severity of her case...but, as with most things, she has defied the odds and after only 6 weeks in cast she will have her tendon lengthening surgery next Thursday [April 9th].

We pray that this surgery will be quick & easy...but it is hard to tell what they will find when they get in there. Because of her Spina Bifida diagnosis & a lot of unknowns about the function of her lower legs, we are trusting God to direct her surgeon in the decisions made about how to lengthen her tendons. [we want a more conservative approach because of the aforementioned defying of the odds that has been a theme of her life...I think her surgeon has become aware of that resounding theme as well so I feel a conservative vibe coming from him too].

He did say last Wednesday that all the "signs" point to her NOT having a lot of feeling in her lower legs [likely the nerves were damaged because of the Spina Bifida] and she likely can not get her brain to send a message to her foot/toes to get them to move. We actually LIKE it when people doubt her ability to do something...because it usually means that she WILL do it. It is like God hears the doubters and says..."Oh REALLY...we will see about that!"

**side note** During the adoption process I dreamed about her running through the backyard with our dog...I can not say I remember seeing braces on her feet...I have never once doubted that she would walk...and I believe that God is still in the business of performing miracles!
[I will be sure to video tape her running [without braces] with her buddy Deek through the backyard so I can share it here and we can all praise the Lord who makes ALL things possible]!!

After her surgery she will be in casts again for 3 to 6 week before she starts physical therapy & gets to take her first steps on the bottoms of her feet!! We have looked at the calendar and are excited that, no matter what, the casting part of this journey will be done BEFORE summer!

Our prayer requests for this upcoming week & beyond...

• safety and understanding for Christabel during this week & on Thursday. We have been talking a lot about surgery, she is not super excited about the pokes...but we are not sure how much more she understands. She seems to have a crazy high pain tolerance, but we want her to be able to communicate if she is in pain so we can control it and keep her comfortable. She bounced back quickly after her spinal surgery, it is our hope that the same will be the case with this surgery.
• wisdom for her surgeon to do what is best for Christabel. To be able to put aside the "probably doesn't" & the "is not likely's" & lengthen her tendons in a way that will give her the best chance to reach her full potential [and then let God do the rest]!!
• peace for Cam & I as we entrust her to the team at Helen DeVos...we have had AMAZING care so far & we trust that God will put together an amazing team to care for her [& us] while we are there on Thursday.
• that the surgery will be successful & no further surgery will be required [at least not this year!] that the 3 weeks of post surgery casts will be adequate!
• crazy big prayers for healing!! that, not only will the surgical wounds heal...but that God will do some crazy miraculous nerve healing and restore all feeling & function to her lower legs!! [we would love nothing more than to see some big medical journal to be written about an amazing little girl from Ghana West Africa with Spina Bifida & bilateral club foot that is a medical miracle that only God can explain!] we dream big here in the VanKoevering house :]

Thanks for following Christabel's journey...and thank you for your love, support and prayers during this week & beyond!!