Children's Mercy

So I explained to someone why we went to Children's Mercy for Kiah's laser treatment and I realized many people probably wonder why we did it. Especially now when we don't have any extra money. Having a child born with a birthmark on her face has been a learning experience for me. Of course I have always been biased and thought I've had the most beautiful children in the world. When she was born they figured it was a stork bite and would eventually go away. It was when she was about one that we took her to a children's dermatologist and found out that it was a "vascular malformation" which basically means while she was in utero her body produced some extra blood vessels. It never really bothered me but we had to explain to every new person we met, no she did not fall, it's a birthmark. As her hair grew longer I just decided bangs were the way to go. That way it wouldn't be as noticeable and what's wrong with bangs? I even went and cut my bangs so that I could be like my daughter to make her feel more comfortable. We decided we would make it a good thing "Kiah that is where God gave you an extra special kiss before you came to earth." which worked until her little brother was born with a birthmark on his butt.... just didn't quite have the same feeling then lol.

But around Christmas Kiah came to me one night and said, "mommy, I tried to rub my birthmark off last night, I don't want it anymore." Kjell and I look at each other and are basically speechless, the bangs and just life had almost made us forget she even had it. It hadn't yet become a problem she every once in awhile would get asked about it and she would just tell them "it's my birthmark" usually that was enough minus the one lady who had the audacity to argue with my daughter and say "no honey surely you fell" But we are also realistic parents knowing we can't shelter our daughter from mean people. kjell never understood in the beginning why I thought it was such a big deal, then he became a jr high teacher and saw just how mean kids that age can be, even without something so obvious. So when Kiah said it was time, we said ok.

On Tuesday we got to take her to children's mercy in Overland park. I absolutely LOVE the children's mercy hospitals, drs, and nurses and feel so grateful every time I walk in there that the only problem my child has is skin deep. When Kiah got her MRI (about a year and a half ago to make sure it was only a surface mark- sometimes they can have roots and since it's on her head they thought it may extend into her brain., it didn't) I wanted to cry, someone asked me if we took any pictures of Kiah getting her MRI I said no because it really would have been disrespectful to those who have so much bigger problems. The nurses were awesome and even said, "mom it's ok to be nervous we know you don't do this every day but we do, and we will help you with anything you need " and were just sooooo reassuring.

I've never seen Kiah act as she did that day, she is usually very loud, talkative and doesn't know a stranger, she became withdrawn, and very melancholy I just wanted to hold her and take away any anxiety she had but she chose to even sit far away from Kjell and me. The laser treatment only took about 15 seconds. They did three little laser bursts and then we were done. For two weeks it will probably look worse and in about a month we should be able to tell if it worked. They said that if this doesn't work they have "stronger lasers" that they would be willing to try when she is older. To me that is a relief. This will always be Kiah's decision. When she wants things done, when she wants them to stop. I just feel this is something she is the only one who truly knows how to deal with it. If you don't really know my daughter you may be wondering "why in the world would she allow her THREE year old to make such grown up decisions" For now I just feel it's the right thing to do, and she is so smart super smart and to me above her years. I trust what she wants. We just continue to pray that God will give us, the doctors and Kiah wisdom in all of this.

So there is the long short of the story LOL