Latest Payton Update
 (Reposted here from Facebook because I'm lazy.)
We've had what we consider good news. The doctors decided the heart cath was a success as far as telling them what they needed to know. They've decided to let nature take its course at this point and let the holes close on their own. At least I think that's what Lyndsay said. (Something about many babies having a small hole that closes on it's own within a short amount of time.) If it's found that there isn't enough blood flow, they'll put in a shunt. If the blood flow is good and they don't need the shunt, she'll be home as soon as she can "eat" on her own. (Gavin was 5 weeks premature and would NOT take a bottle or anything. We should've known he'd continue to be a stubborn little guy. )
The ventilator will be removed tomorrow, along with the feeding tube at her belly button. They'll start feeding by bottle after that and see how it goes. If all goes well, she could be home as soon as next weekend. Surgery will be scheduled in 2 weeks to 2 months, depending on how she does. Gaining weight and maturity is the goal. I'm assuming she'll be seeing a cardiologist here during that time. They expect about a 2 week stay in Children's Mercy again for and after surgery.
Lyndsay and Adam will be home tomorrow evening to spend time with the other three kids, then return to KC after the weekend. They want to be here for Ally and Gavin's first day of school on Monday. Plans right now are tentative, so we're waiting to see how everything goes.
More updates when there's news. :)Labels: Family Ties
Baby Day...and more
(Photos will be available when Blogger lets me upload them!!)
Payton McKenzy must have been in a rush to be a part of our family. She was a month early. At 5 lbs. 10 oz, she's the smallest of my daugher Lyndsay and her husband Adam's now 4 children. Although we thought everything was fine, except the need for a little help breathing, we learned less than 8 hours after she arrived that she has a heart defect. It was a miracle it was detected so early. Most babies with TGV (Transposition of the Great Vessel) are a few weeks old before anyone suspects and investigates. We all thank the NICU staff at HCA Wesley in Wichita for being alert.What's TGV? According to Wikipedia (the simplest to use at this point, Transposition of the great vessels (TGV) is a group of congenital heart defects (CHDs) involving an abnormal spatial arrangement of any of the primary blood vessels: superior and/or inferior vena cavae (SVC, IVC), pulmonary artery, pulmonary veins, and aorta. In simpler terms, the veins and arteries are reversed. (more from Wiki) In a normal heart, oxygen-depleted blood is pumped from the right side of the heart, through the pulmonary artery, to the lungs where it is oxygenated. The oxygen-rich red blood then returns to the left heart, via the pulmonary veins, and is pumped through the aorta to the rest of the body, including the heart muscle itself. TGV means this doesn't happen correctly.But another miracle is keeping Payton alive. VSD or Ventricular Septal Defect, which means she has a hole in her heart (2, actually) allowing oxygen to mix in the heart. VSD and other defects often accompany TGV.She was airlifted via helicopter the next morning to Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, MO. She's doing great! They're weaning her off the ventilator and hoping to be able to wait a week or two so she can gain a little more weight. As long as she continues to do well, they're able to do that. Success rate for the surgery is 95%-99%, we we're all being positive. We certainly won't refuse any prayers and positive thoughts for Payton while she's in the hospital!More news on Payton as we get it.Labels: Family Ties
Trio of Local Romance Authors to Sign Books
It's always nice to meet with friends, and this time it's meeting with two friends to sign copies of our books on Saturday, August 22 at Waldenbooks in Towne West Square, Wichita, KS, from noon until 3 p.m. I'll be signing copies of The Rodeo Rider, along with Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense author Patricia Davids, who'll be signing her newest release, Speed Trap, and Wild Rose Press author Penny Rader, who'll be signing her debut historical, Sapphire and Gold. Please stop by and chat with us! We'll have chocolate!!Labels: Book News
August Harlequin Americans
Don't miss the great Harlequin American Romances this month!  Labels: HAR Books and Authors
A Very Weird Miracle?
 Yesterday I blogged about the disappearance of our dog, Willow, on the 4th of July. Less than fifteen minutes later, the phone rang. I couldn't imagine what the City would be calling me about on a Saturday afternoon. It was the animal shelter! Someone had brought in Willow!!
Last weekend, a cute little lost Pomeranian showed up at my oldest daughter's house. Sabrina created, printed, and posted signs around the neighborhood about the dog, but in a week, she'd had no response. So when the animal shelter called to say Willow had just been found and dropped off there, we decided an exchange was in order. "Muffy" was returned first, then we were off to find our baby. We roamed the holding kennels until we finally found her. There was no doubt who the Bassett belonged to. She recognized us immediately. As we returned to the desk with the necessary paperwork to get Willow released, we could hear her howling. She was ready to go home!
I still find it very strange that it took three weeks for her to be discovered and taken to the shelter. The paperwork stated she was found about five miles away by someone who lived more than twenty miles in the opposite direction. At this point, it probably doesn't matter, but we've decided she can't be left outside when no one is around to make sure she isn't escaping (which I highly doubt happened) or being snatched from our yard. She loved the backyard and spent both days and nights there, before she disappeared. Because we were still working on house training, when inside, she slept in her kennel or had free roam of the kitchen, which leads to my office. I can see her from my desk, so she isn't lonely...which doesn't mean she isn't going to howl for attention. :) 
So to whomever found our Willow, thank you! Labels: Family Ties
Shame on Me!
Almost an entire month has zoomed by, and I haven't stopped in to say hello. Shouldn't summer be lazy? Not here! And not for me!
It appears I haven't been blogging, but that isn't true. Besides here, I also blog at Bits & Bytes: Romance...the Writers Way, my writers group's blog. The 29th is my day to blog, but I'm constantly posting comments on everyone else's posts. It's very interactive, and we're having tons of fun talking romance writing. If you aren't a writer, that's okay! Readers are more than welcome to share their thoughts, and maybe learn something along the way.
Want to meet your favorite Harlequin American Romance authors? Check out our blog! News, recipes, writers' tips, cleaning tips, and all kinds of good stuff can be found there. My blogging date at HAR is the 19th, but I missed it this month. :( Must do better!
Last weekend, two of my daughters, my oldest granddaughter, and I went to see the new Harry Potter movie. I was sadly disappointed. I've only read the first book, so I'm not privy to all the ins and outs, but I have seen every one of the movies. I had a really hard time following what was going on in this one and even dozed off at one point, which resulted in a poke from my daughter. :) Mallory, my youngest, said it was because so much was left out, yet there were things in it that weren't in the book. (Mallory is an HP expert, having read each book multiple times. DO NOT play HP Trivial Pursuit with her unless you want to lose, big time.) Maybe I should start reading those books!
Sad things going on here. I posted earlier about our new puppy, Willow. On the 4th of July, someone stole her from our backyard. :(( She was playing out there in the early evening, while the neighborhood fireworks were going off. I could hear her howling at one point and went out to check who was making all the noise. (The fireworks, not the pup.) Discovered it was a neighbor, three houses to the south and muttered some unkind words under my breath, then went inside. Willow was fine. The next morning, she was nowhere to be found, her collar laying open just inside the fence. She's chipped, so if she'd run away and someone found her, a trip to the animal shelter would be all that was needed for her to be returned to us. No more pups for us. I'll stick to our two cats, Tosca and Mocha. They're tortoiseshell calicos that look like mother and daughter, but aren't related. One of these days, I'll post some pictures of them. Oh, and there are the four betta fish we have. Two belong to my daughter Chelsea, a male (the fish, not the daughter and whose name I forget) and Harley, the female. My two are both males, Shrimp and Spock. Watching them swim around can be soothing, and they notice when I'm paying attention. Maybe a bird someday? Who knows?
I've just finished writing the first draft of the third book in the Desperation, OK series. I hope readers love this one as much as they seem to love the first one, The Rodeo Rider, available in stores next month. Hearing from readers adds such a spot of joy to my day! Don't be shy to let me know what you think!
Last but not least, if you haven't met the Ditzy Chix, my very very bestest friends, stop in at our website. Or even better, come visit us on our Facebook page! We've just gone from 10 of us to 11, and will probably have another new chix or two in the future.
Yes, you can find me on Facebook! (How did this happen?) I love chatting with others there!
Until next time, have a lovely summer! Fall will be here soon--my favorite season--so what's left of the lazy (ha!) days of the last of summer should be savored. Make some memories!Labels: Book News, Fab Friends and Fun, Family Ties, HAR Books and Authors, Holidays, This n That
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 - Name: Roxann Delaney
- Location: Kansas, United States
Roxann Delaney doesn't remember a time when she wasn't reading or writing, and she always loved that touch of romance in both. A native Kansan, she's lived on a farm, in a small town, and has returned to live in the city where she was born. Her four daughters and four grandchildren keep her busy when she isn't writing, designing websites, or planning her high school class reunions. The 1999 Maggie winner previously published five books with Silhouette Romance and currently writes for Harlequin American Romance. Nothing beats writing about happy ever-aftering, and she loves to hear from readers.
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