7 years ago
June 23, 2012
5 Years
It's been too long between posts. Not sure anyone is still reading but I just wanted to ask for extra prayers for Melaney. It's been 5 years ago today that our lives were forever changed. Seems like just yesterday. The pain never goes away and neither do the memories of that long 6 weeks in ICU. I give thanks everyday that she is still here with me. We still pray daily for our miracle. It is truly a miracle that she is still with us. Somehow life goes on. Thank you for your prayers.
March 1, 2011
Finally!!! A room...
Well,it is now 5pm and we are finally in a room! That was a long 6hours in recovery waiting for a bed. Mel is doing fine just very sleepy which is to be expected. Thanks a again for your prayers today. Continue to pray for her recovery.
Will update tomorrow. God bless!
Expect A Miracle...
Will update tomorrow. God bless!
Expect A Miracle...
IT IS DONE
11:20. Just spoke with her surgeon. She did fine and is headed to the recovery room. Praise God this part is over. Now we can pray for her recovery and for the medication to work it's wonders. Thanks for all your prayers. Keep them coming!
Expect A Miracle...
Expect A Miracle...
SURGERY DAY
Today is a day of much prayer, but also one of much thanksgiving! God has brought us to this and he will get it thru it.
We got up at 3:30am and arrived at the hospital at 6:00am. After a long wait. She went back into the OR. At 8:30.
SHE was very calm and relaxed....wish I could say the same for mom. Keep praying!!!
Expect A Miracle...
We got up at 3:30am and arrived at the hospital at 6:00am. After a long wait. She went back into the OR. At 8:30.
SHE was very calm and relaxed....wish I could say the same for mom. Keep praying!!!
Expect A Miracle...
February 28, 2011
TRUST
TRUST is defined as having faith in and reliance on the integrity, ability or character of a person.
We say we trust all kinds of people in our lives: our parents, our spouses, our children, teachers, government officials (not really so much), police officers, ministers and I used to believe DOCTORS!
Of course, we all trust God, right?
At least we give lip service to doing so.
I believe we all WANT to trust Him, but if we were honest we would admit that we trust him if he will have things turn out the way WE want them to.
If they don't then we all begin to have doubts: Is He listening to us? Is He really there? How could this be in our best interest.
Hmmm....this is something I have had issues with all of my life, and even more so since June 23, 2007.
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| She wasn't supposed to live...........but she did! She wasn't supposed to wake up..........but she did! They didn't want me to take her home.........but I did! |
The only problem is that I am a control freak and this involves implanting a 3 inch pump under the skin in her abdomen and running a catheter from said pump around under the skin to her spine and advancing it up her spine into her neck to administer continuous medication to get rid of her spasticity. I have issues with something I can't see or regulate pumping medication into my daughter. On the other hand, this will give her much greater relief (that's what they tell me) from her spasticity and it does not have the nasty side effects of the oral med. HOWEVER, as with all things, it is not without serious risks if the pump or catheter fails. I will have to be able to read Mel's symptoms without her being able to tell me what is wrong. We are soul mates, it is true, but I will have to be able to trust my instincts to know if it is the pump or something else going on. I have spent hundreds of hours on the internet researching this little baclofen pump.
This is where trust in God comes in!!
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| She wasn't supposed to smile.......but she does! She wasn't supposed to laugh.........but she does! |
I realized we needed to move forward. This is her chance to be free of painful and movement limiting spasticity.
I trust my God!
He is in control!
God has blessed us so much with his healing power and love.
I gave Melaney's recovery up to God and he has done wonders.
I know that with prayer he is capable of so much more.
So once more I am placing her in his hands.
I am also asking him to guide the surgeon as he cares for her.
We choose to live and love what she CAN do.
We choose to look forward and TRUST God.
I ask for all of your prayers tomorrow as she goes into surgery at 7:30am.
I ask for your prayers as she recovers and moves forward.
Again we EXPECT A MIRACLE!
Expect A Miracle...
A Lot Has Happened in The Past Year
I remodeled an entire house! Wasn't that fun? NO! But the results were worth the time, stress, money and mess. We now have a home much more open and accessible to Mel and her power wheelchair. She now even has her own bedroom downstairs. We also added a stair chair lift so she can be taken up to our new theater room and watch all the latest flicks with us on the big screen. It is now also a place where our ever expanding family can come and hang out on weekends to grill, swim, watch sports out by the outdoor bar or movies upstairs. Here are just a few pics of before, during, and after.
Before and During
October 2009 to April 2010
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| tearing down the 200 gallon fish tank...this wall and stairs will go! |
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| Old family room looking toward kitchen |
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| guest room soon to be weight room |
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| old patio, no cover, no kitchen |
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| office/mel's room She, carly, I and the dogs hung out there behind plastic sheeting for weeks |
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| old living room to become Mel's room |
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| upstairs family room.....windows go and door is opened out to new upstairs deck |
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| getting ready to tear out tile and cabinets in upstairs bathroom |
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| Stairs from kitchen and family room to upstairs family room soon to be gone |
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| Front doors and stairs from front to upstairs family room |
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| upstairs bath before |
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| walls and stairs between kitchen and family room came down |
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| What a mess........all the tile in the house was removed |
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| This is what we lived with for 6 months |
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| Kitchen before walls and stairs were removed |
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| here comes the plastic |
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| Tile in kitchen comes up |
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| The kitchen....floor came up ceiling light came out and walls came down This is how we were to live for both Thanksgiving and Christmas! Thank heavens for Kimberly who opened her home so we could all celebrate dust free. |
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| beautiful isn't.............UGH |
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| Mel, the dogs and I hid out in the master bedroom.....that is until they came in to remove furniture and floors |
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| preparation to start building kitchen, cover and upstairs deck |
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| and the walls came tumbling down |
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| Walls and stairs are gone, in their place is a 25ft steel beam hidden in the ceiling because that was a support wall for the center of the house. |
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| starting to look like a deck |
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| Poor Mel......when is all the awful dust and noise going to go away??????? |
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| Upper deck, nice that no one lives right on top of us |
After
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| The walls and stairs between family room and kitchen are GONE!! You could land a small plane in here. Love my new hardwood floors. Oh yea, the 200 gallon saltwater tank has been replaced with a 340 gallon saltwater/reef tank (which btw both of my grandsons love to sit and watch) |
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| spiral stairs to upper deck in our new outdoor living area |
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| our new beautiful summer kitchen |
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| view of our fully refurbished pool deck and family outdoor area |
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| a few more shots of the outdoor entertainment area our kids are already enjoying it all year long |
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| upstairs family room pool area this is where the steps used to go up from the kitchen |
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| rest of upstairs game room with door now going out to upstairs deck |
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| This is our wonderful movie theater that seats 12. (and the rail is actually black.....have no idea why it came out purple) |
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| remodeled guest bath |
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| new walk in shower where old tub used to be in guest bath |
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| Weight room with new soundproofing rubber flooring |
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| Master bath with Mel's new shower behind wall to left |
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| master bedroom with new flooring and fan |
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| A couple of shots of Mel's new bedroom where old living room was. We just happen to be obsessed with butterflies. |
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| These beautiful etched glass doors close off the two entrances to Mel's room |
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| Front steps, now hardwood, showing Mel's lift |
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| Front entry with new slate flooring and arched entry |
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| dining room (seats 10) and still not big enough new slate and hardwood flooring |
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| And last but certainly not least of the new additions. This sweet thing is a 45kw natural gas generator that will run my entire house when the power goes out. No more leaving town for hurricanes and such. The whole gang will be hanging out and hunkering down right here! |
Thanks for letting me bore you with the "dirty details" but I am just trying to update everyone so I can
get back into the swing of blogging!!
Two New Grandsons Have Joined Our Family
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| Maddox Robb Choate May 18, 2010 |
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| Cohen Giles Dotter November 12, 2010 |
Only 6 months apart, these cousins are destined to become best friends.
I was so blessed to be in the delivery room when each one of these little guys entered the world and became members of our family! I could write page after page on the joy of being a grandmother but I will save that for my Goin' to Grandma's blog that Tiff has so lovingly created and I have been neglecting.
Well, guess that IS a lot to have happen in 12 months. Now I can move on to what is happening NOW and why we really need the prayers of our blogging friends.
Expect A Miracle...
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