Coat of Many Colors.....

Hey Friends!

Hope you all are having an awesome week =)

Yesterday, Kylee had a follow-up appointment with her Pediatric Neurologist. It was a very uneventful appointment. She has been seizure-free since August, so we are just cruising right along. We'll follow-up in January for another EEG. I always look forward to those because the results are something tangible that I can actually look at and see if the spikes are better or fewer in number. Sitting in that waiting room with all those sick kids always makes you so thankful for your little problem. There was a time, I thought we'd never know what "seizure-free" felt like. Let me just tell you, it feels goooood! You can read all about Kylee's dizzy brain starting here.

My Mom was discharged from Rehab and is at home doing well. Thank you all for your prayers and for all the e-mails checking on her. I must admit I was sad to see her go. It has been nice having her right there so I could just pop in and check on her whenever I wanted to. Again, we are so thankful that she is doing so well.

I have some new pictures!

Hayden sporting his "Coat of Many Colors" he designed in Sunday School.

Too cute!

He is in deep thought. I love this picture =)

Cheeeeese!!!

Hayden and his Lady Friend, Alex =)


Have a great week!

Love you all.

=],

Happy Thursday.....

Happy Thursday!

Thank you all for praying for my Mom. She is back in Rehab, Where Love and Care Make a Difference, continuing Physical and Occupational Therapy.

It is really convenient to have her where I work and be able to pop in anytime I want and check on her.

She is feeling great. Today, by far, was her best day. As it has been all along, her knee is fabulous. The rest of her is getting there, lol.

She is encouraged by how well she is doing. Actually, so am I.

I can not begin to tell you how thankful I am that she is ok. Indeed, God is good. I am reminded of the verse in Ephesians that tell us He is able to do immeasurably more than we can think or even imagine.(Ephesians 3:20)

Can I just tell you that it has been wonderful being home with my family and sleeping in my own bed the last 2 nights? We really take things for granted, don't we?

I hope you all have a wonderful Friday.


=],

It's Amazing What Praising Will Do.....

This morning, as we woke up to rain and clouds, my Mom's mood mirrored the weather as she was becoming increasingly frustrated with her current situation.

Current situation being 11 days post-op from her total knee replacement, confined to a hospital bed, totally dependent on others for basic needs, hooked up to an IV and Oxygen, having to use a bed pan, eating a no salt/low fat diet, all while waiting on blood levels to slowly become therapeutic.

My Mom is such an independent lady and NEVER complains I know when she does it is because she's had enough.

I TOTALLY understand. I am frustrated and I am neither confined to a bed, nor hooked up to anything and I can eat whatever I chose.

This will be my 4th night of sleeping in a reclining chair and I'm tired of it. Am I so tired of it that I would leave my Mom? NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS!

Anyway, this morning I told her that today we were going to be thankful for the little things.

See, IT'S AMAZING WHAT PRAISING WILL DO!

We started out by thanking God for the salt that came with breakfast. Gone was Mrs. Dash and the no salt/low fat diet. (No offense Mrs. Dash)

Next, came the refreshing bath, complete with hair shampoo, although the Housekeeper that helped me clean all the water off of the floor would probably disagree.

It's amazing what praising will do.

We then moved on to a clean gown and a freshly made bed. My Mom was amazed a bed could be changed so easily with someone still in it, which made us thankful for the ability to turn side to side.

Then came the Lab Lady, which reminded us to be thankful for the veins that are still holding up and for Ms. Lab Lady's ability to get it in one stick.

It's amazing what praising will do.

When the time came to use the bedpan she was even thankful for it. Yes, you read it right. She was thankful for the bedpan. We would choose it over a catheter anyday and at least her kidneys are working and don't require dialysis.

Everytime I passed the room next to us and saw the older gentleman in there alone, it made us thankful for the numerous phone calls and visits from our friends and family members.

It's amazing what praising will do.

The Orthopedic Doctor made rounds and went on and on about how fortunate we were the clots were found before they proved fatal.

The lab results came back and slowly but surely they are climbing toward a therapeutic level.

It's amazing what praising will do.

"Dr. RED 3rd floor South Wing" , meaning FIRE, was heard over the PA system higher than the safe decibel limit, but it turned out to be only a drill.

The Medical Doctor conferred with the Orthopedist this afternoon and they agreed bedrest was no longer necessary.

It's amazing what praising will do.

She has walked to the bathroom with assistance and a rolling walker 3 times.

Her blood pressure is rising after being in the dirt for 4 days.

It's amazing what praising will do.

She is now resting pain free.

He is who He is no matter where I am and His mercies are new every morning.

It truly is amazing what praising will do.

=] ,
Gracie

Still In The Woods, But Not Alone

Gracie is tired.

That's the news flash of the century, huh?

This is the 2nd Friday in a row I have watched the sun rise from a hospital room.

My Mom is still in the hospital. We are waiting on blood levels to become therapeutic.

My Mom is tired.

Who could blame her?

She remains on strict bed rest, for obvious reasons of course, but hates more than anything to have to use the lovely invention called the bedpan.

Anyone who has ever been in the hospital knows it is not a place of rest.

There must be an unwritten set of rules somewhere that includes....

Rule # 54: Maintain a watchful eye on patient. Once patient goes to sleep for first time in 48 hours, burst in room, slamming door open, and in same motion flip overhead spotlight light on while speaking in loudest voice possible.

I am CONFIDENT it IS in there =)

Aside from the obvious, our care has been wonderful. We really couldn't have asked for better.

Its just frustrating because she was doing fabulous in Rehab after her knee surgery.

I realize we can't and more importantly won't dwell on that.

The fact is she has clots in both lungs.

We are so THANKFUL they were found before they were fatal.
God knows exactly what's what. This is no surprise to Him.

We fully believe and know He is in control and will be in control NO MATTER WHAT.

Remember that post I did earlier about His mercies? They are new EVERY morning.

He has given us the EXACT amount we will need today. There will be none wasted and He won't short us.

Keep praying my blog friends. We aren't out of the woods yet, but we know we aren't in the woods alone.

Have a great weekend!

Love you all.

=],

Ok, so here I am again in the hospital with my Mom for the 2nd time in a week.
First time you'll remember was last Tuesday when she had a total knee replacement.

Today we are once again admitted with diagnosis of bilateral pulmomary emboli or blood clots as they are also known.

Please keep her (and me) in your prayers as we begin another hospital journey. Please pray for her Doctors to have wisdom for the best treatment option.

Love you all my blog friends!

=],
Gracie

Home Sweet Home.....

Last night was the first night I actually slept in my own bed since Monday night. I have spent day and night at the hospital with my Mother. She had her total knee replacement Tuesday.

She did really well with the surgery, BUT had an allergic reaction to Demerol and then had to have 2 units of blood. We had a total of 5 hours sleep in 3 nights. Needless to say, between the hospital and trying to work it has been a really, really long week.

She was transferred to the Rehab facility where I work yesterday. She will likely be there 2-3 weeks receiving both Physical and Occupational Therapy.

She is doing wonderful now. We are thankful for the wonderful progress she has made thus far. Please keep her (and me) in your prayers.

Have a wonderful weekend!
=],

This is my first email blog. Hopefully, it will post ok. I am at the hospital with my Mom. She had a total knee replacement done yesterday. Everything went really well with the surgery. We had to wait on people to discharge to open a bed on the floor which left us in recovery for 5 hours which was frustrating for me and tremendously uncomfortable for her. It wasn't anybody's fault, just one of those things. Everyone has been so good to us. I am so thankful for answered prayer, friends, and family. Hopefully, she will be discharged on Friday to the in-patient rehab facility where I work. I am so thankful because already we can see she is doing so much better than she did with her other knee replacement 4 years ago. Please continue to pray for her healing and recovery and for me, as well. We may have gotten 2 hours sleep last night. Hospital living is rough business under the best of circumstances. Love you all!

=],
Gracie