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Author Topic: Barrel racing Mom to be in need of prayers  (Read 7055 times)

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Offline txnbhabarrelracer

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Barrel racing Mom to be in need of prayers
« on: September 20, 2010, 04:19:22 PM »
Just to give every body a update. Tiffany Reann was born on 11-27-11 at 9:05 pm at St. Luke's in Houston Texas. She had surgery to remove the encophlocele from her head on 1-17-11, and is now home and doing well. She might have to have a second surgery later in April if her ventricles do not decrease in size. She is a miracle child, that god brought her, but is still in need of prayers for her recovery. She was born at 4.7 at 35 weeks, and now is over 8 pounds and doing well. I am a multiple NBHA world qualifer and competitive rodeo barrel racer. At 16 weeks I was not feeling well so I went to the ER, and was told that a spot was showing up on the ultra sound that was not normal on the back of my baby's brain. I went to my doctor on Tuesday and she confirmed with another ultra sound that my baby had a whole in her skull with part of her brain sticking out of the whole. The doctor told me that the condition was basically terminal and could not be treated. I went to see my prenatal specialist and he also confirmed the ultra sound spot showing her brain outside the skull. The prenatal specialist told me that the condition was terminal and it was a matter of time before the baby would become toxic to me, and possibly die inside my uterus. Both the OBGYN and prenatal specialist told me it was terminal and not treatable. They told my my option was to terminate or let nature take its course when carrying her to term. I refused to go through with the termination because of health risk to me and my baby. I refused to give up hope and followed my heart. It was like my world just collapsed around me when me and my husband got the news. We went from planning for our baby to arrive to planning a funeral. I turned everything over to the lord's hands. I then was sent to doctor's in Houston at Texas Children's Hospital by my insurance company. Me and my husband found out on September 15th that our daughter had a rare genetic disorder called encephalocele. The condition is treatable by surgery after out daughter is born. The spot on the ultra sound showed mostly fluid that could be drained off, and the small whole in her skull can be closed at birth. She might have some vision problems, and slight learning problems but other than that her outlook looks good. God bless the wonderful doctor's at Texas Children's Hospital they are my angels that gave me my daughter back. Don't give up hope in the light of bad news, keep the faith because it is worth it. It has been a emotional ride, but end the end it will be worth it because I get to hold my daughter in my arms. God's love does work so don't lose faith just follow your heart. She has a strong rode ahead of her, but with lots of love and prayer's we can make it through. Hope my story can give others hope when hope seems impossible. As of date the baby is growing perfectly for her age except the small whole in her skull. Every thing else in her development is perfect. She is going to make it because she if a cowgirl that is going to beat the odds just like her mommy. Any prayers would be greatly apprecitated.  
Tiffany Reann Wolven daughter of Tammy Wolven (stephenson-Nash) and Michael Wolven
« Last Edit: March 19, 2011, 05:15:15 PM by txnbhabarrelracer »
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Offline skippydixon

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Re: Barrel racing Mom to be in need of prayers
« Reply #1 on: September 21, 2010, 12:31:31 PM »
God is great, isn't He?  Thank the Lord that your insurance company sent you to Texas Children's Hospital!  I will keep you & your sweet baby in my prayers.  What a roller coaster ride for you!  I'm so glad that it turned out for the good!  When is Tiffany's due date? 

Offline txnbhabarrelracer

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Re: Barrel racing Mom to be in need of prayers
« Reply #2 on: September 23, 2010, 08:19:44 PM »
Thanks for your caring words, that was so helpful. God is great. It has been a emotional roller coster ride for sure. They say that God will not give you more than you can handle, but this has been tuff. I know god has his reasons for making me under go this, just didn't see it through all the pain. I feel that the reason this is on me is to bring knowledge to others to not give up hope, and just keep on pushing until you find the answer. Also feel that all this was brought on to help educate doctors on this rare disorder that have never seen it so it can be properly identified and treated. Hopefully me sharing my story will help give others hope not to give up. Hopefully more doctors will learn about this and not misidentify it and make people go through the emotional hell me and my poor husband have. Just keeping the faith in our good lord has gotten me through so far, and kept me strong. I have cried more in the past three months than I have in a life time. I know if I keep the faith and let the lord guide the way, I will make it through okay. Tiffany is due on January 4th, but my doctor said she propably will induce her sometime in mid december. A few days after she is born they will do surgery to repair the tear in her skull. The doctor is giving her a pretty good outlook at this point, and said she would be in the hospital about a week. What a christmas present to have and hold my daughter when I thought I had lost her. The doctor's are telling me that if I get pregnant again I have a 1 in 4 chance of the rare gene appearing again and this happening. I am putting everything in the lord's hands, and if it is his will I will have another child. Don't lose your faith no matter what life throws your way because it will pull you through I am the proof of that. I will keep you posted on updates. I have to go back to Houston every three weeks until she is born. Keep love and faith in your heart because without it just can't make it through the tuff times. At lease I have the  chance to teach my baby girl to someday run barrels and love horses for that I am so thankful. I am so blessed to have my daughter. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers!
Tammy Wolven
Life without horses I don't think so!

Offline diamondetexas

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Re: Barrel racing Mom to be in need of prayers
« Reply #3 on: September 23, 2010, 08:35:51 PM »
It is so awesome what can happen when you turn it all over to God! I'm praying for you and your baby girl. Contiune to trust in the Lord, he has a reason for everything! I look forward to seeing pictures of your baby in a pair of pink boots! May God be with you and your little baby!
God is great!

Offline txnbhabarrelracer

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Re: Barrel racing Mom to be in need of prayers
« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2011, 08:01:59 PM »
Just thought I would give everybody a update, it has been a while since I was on here. It is Tammy Stephenson - Wolven from Equi-Star Body Balancing and Massage.  On November 27th I was life flighted from Tyler, Texas in grave condition to Houston, Texas with very high blood pressure. My daughter was suppose to be delivered on Dec 8th by c section but decided to come earlier. She was not due until Jan 4th but they doctor was having to take her early due to my daughter's condition. She has what is called a encophlocele on the back of her head that we found on a ultra sound at 18 weeks so I could not risk a normal delivery with her. The encophlocele is a fluid filled cyst on the back of her head cause from a small hole in her skull. My daughter was born November 27th at 9:05 PM at St. Luke's Hospital in Houston, Texas. She weighed 4 pounds 7 ounces, and was 16 1/2 inches long. Being born at 35 weeks she was pretty stable. She was transfered to the NICU at Texas Children's Hospital immediately after birth. She still remains in NICU but is now eating on her own with out any feeding tube, and having no assistance from any machines. She is now up to 6 pounds 3 ounces, and 18 1/2 inches long. She still remains in the NICU level II, but is doing better each day. Her condition is stable and she is doing so good that the neurosurgeon might move her surgery up. Originally the surgery was suppose to be done 2 days after birth but she was stable so the doctor wanted to wait until she was 3 months old. She still remains in the hospital but just as a precaution in case something were to happen to the encophlocele. I was very sick after her birth, and had to stay over a week in the hospital. I am now home and doing better. Seems like things never end as I will be down again having back surgery in February. My daughter's out look is good as all of her test have came back normal so far especially with her vision. The only thing abnormal right now is that she has loss of hearing in her right ear. The doctors think this will be corrected when she has surgery. God sure does work, because I was told by two doctors early in my pregnancy she was terminal , and I was not going to have her. With the wonderful doctors at Texas Children's and the grace of God I have my miracle baby. She is doing better than the doctors expected, and looks like will come through this with little to no problems. Thank goodness for listening to your heart and getting another opinion. I will keep everybody posted on her condition, and when I get to bring her home. Keep her in your thoughts and prayers. I will try to post some pictures when I figure out how to do it. I can't wait to get back to running soon, been away to long. God Bless!
Tiffany Reann Wolven born 11-27-10 to Tammy Renee Stephenson -Wolven and Michael Wolven
Life without horses I don't think so!