Prayers for my dad...

I know I posted this in my LONG post the other day, but I just want to ask once again that you keep my dad in your prayers tomorrow as he goes in for a knee replacement. Thanks!
Bethany took this picture of him the morning after we came back from San Antonio...I didn't even know she had my camera, and she took about 30 pictures, little turkey!

Terrible Tragedy

I just received an email from Steven Curtis Chapman (I'm on an email list to receive emails about various projects, etc...it was from his manager, not him personally). Steven and MaryBeth's youngest daughter, Maria, was killed last night in a terrible accident in their driveway. What a tragedy! Maria just celebrated her 5th birthday. She was the youngest of their 3 adopted daughters. I remember reading about how Steven 'found' Maria in China. He was there doing some touring and met up with some friends who work in China with many orphans who need medical attention. Maria needed heart surgery. She was very frail. I remember reading that Steven fell in love with her and could not get her out of his mind. He kept remembering the song he sang many years earlier called "Maria" One of the lines in the song says "Who's gonna love Maria?" and all SCC could think was that HE would! What a terrible tragedy to loose a child...any child. Please keep the Chapman family in your prayers.

Prayers please...

My dear friend Julie has suffered a loss today. Julie is pregnant with her second child. She is going to deliver her baby in about 4 weeks. She and her sister were so excited to be pregnant at the same time. Sadly, her sister discovered on Thursday during a routine ultrasound that something was possibly wrong with her baby. The doctor ordered an amnio to see if they could determine the problem. When she came back to the doctor today to find out the results, they did another ultrasound and discovered that sometime between Thursday and today the baby boy had died. She was induced and gave birth to the little guy they have named Luke. Luke could have never survived in this world with the body that was developing.
Why does God allow this? Why do innocent babies and children have to suffer. Why does He give loving mothers and fathers a child only long enough for them to fall in love, and then they are gone. I do not know the answers to these questions, I can only pray that God gives the entire family comfort and peace during this difficult and sad time. I pray that Julie will stay healthy and that her child will be born safely in May. I pray that the new child will not sadden the family by reminding them all of Luke, but bring joy and happiness...hope for the future.
Please pray for Julie, her sister, and the entire family grieving the loss of little Luke.
Thank you.

Tricia is out of surgery, and in the ICU

Tricia's surgery to transplant two donated lungs into her body was a success. The doctors reported that the surgery was more difficult than normal (how can a double lung transplant be normal??) because her disease is so progressed. She is now in the ICU, getting used to her new lungs. She is still ventilated and sedated...hopefully both of these will be "undone" soon. Keep the prayers coming, she still has a long road to go!

PRAYERS PLEASE!!!

Tricia is in surgery. Come on, you know Tricia...of Nate and Tricia...Gwyneth's mom...:o)
The transplant team came in mid-morning and told Nate and Tricia that they were heading out to check out another pair of lungs, and this one MATCHES! She is in the OR right now. The surgery will last between 7-9 hours, so it will be a LONG night for them all.
BTW...today is Nate's birthday, he shares it with my Hubby...what a great b-day present!

Update on Tricia...

Unfortunately, the lungs didn't match, so last night ended up being a "dry run." Hopefully the lungs and the rest of the organs were a match to someone out there and have helped them to start a new life. I continue to pray for the donor's family, that they would find peace and comfort. I also pray for Tricia and Nate...what a totally emotionally exhausting night. The hopes were all so high...and then to have them not match. I pray that the right lungs are found, soon...and that God will comfort the family of that donor. I pray that Tricia and Nate continue to be strong, both mentally and physically. I pray that they continue to be brave, and such a wonderful example of faith in the face of a crisis. I pray that little Gwyneth continues to do well, and starts growing even bigger and stronger!
I found some fabric yesterday that I'm going to use to make them a sling. Slings are so wonderful for preemies who thrive on the close cuddling provided by the sling...she might just be a bit too small to sling right now, but soon she will be perfect sized for "slinging!" I made sure that the fabric isn't too "girly" so that Nate will feel comfortable slinging little Gwyneth...I can't wait to see pictures of them using it!
Thanks, everyone, for your continued prayers for this incredible family.

PRAYERS PLEASE!!

Ok, I just started the "rounds." Checking blogs to see how everyone's weekends were. The first blog I went to was Nate's...Nate is the CF Husband I've told you about before. He has BIG news! They have been called about a possible transplant opportunity. The transplant team is traveling right now to see if the lungs are indeed a match, they will know soon. Meanwhile, Tricia is going through the beginning prep for surgery!!! Yea!
Please pray for the donor's family. Even if the lungs aren't a match to Tricia, they will match someone else, and help someone to lead a healthier life...however, in order for this miracle to happen, someone has died today. Someone's family is very sad right now, mourning the loss of someone they love. Pray for the donor's family, and for all the people who will receive the miracle of life through this tragedy.
You can check his blog by clicking the link above...but I will post an update as soon as there is news!!

Prayers please...UPDATE

I have two prayer requests this morning.
First...a prayer of thanksgiving. My dad got up out of his wheelchair and walked the entire length of the parallel bars (probably 15 feet) and sat back in his wheelchair, all UNASSISTED! No one had a hand on him, he did it all by himself, with God's help of course! Praise God for answering our prayers for strength. It is slow going, but he is indeed getting stronger each and every day.

Second...a prayer for safety. My husband is driving to a town about 2 hours away for a pastor's meeting. He called about 5 minutes after leaving home and said that the highway was a sheet of ice. He called back about 3 minutes later and said that there was a bad accident and could I please call the sheriff to make sure someone had reported it. He called a little later to let me know he would call when he got to the next big town, about 15 miles away. That was nearly an hour and a half ago. He still hasn't called. I've tried calling him many times and he is not answering his cell phone. I keep telling myself that he's just got his music up too loud and can't hear the phone...please let that be all there is. I'm so worried right now I'm almost in tears. PLEASE GOD, KEEP HIM SAFE!!!! One of the families I do childcare for, the dad is a highway patrolman. He is off today, but I'm considering calling him and seeing if he can find out if there has been any more accidents, if he can find out any info for me. I know...I just need to calm down and take a deep breath. He's fine, I'm sure....

UPDATE: He is fine. He was having some issues with his hood not wanting to stay latched, so he stopped in Garden City (the town he said he was going to call from) to see if he could fix it. He was concerned about the hood and forgot to call. He left the phone inside the car, so he didn't hear it ringing. He feels very bad about making me worry. I just thank God that he's ok!!!

Thanks for praying...Andie

Prayers please

My husband is sick. He has a terrible head/chest cold. This usually isn't a big deal...but this time of the year it is! He is a pastor (as most of you know) and the weeks around Christmas are some of his busiest all year. Last year he got a cold before Christmas and by New Year's it had developed into pneumonia. He is just too busy to take time off to take care of himself. I knew he wasn't feeling well Monday when he stayed home almost all day...but each day he seems to be feeling worse, but pushing harder to get things done.
Please pray that Warren will feel better and take care of himself. Thanks!!
Christmas Blessings-Andie

Prayers Please

My dad was diagnosed with a staph infection in his spine this weekend. He also has an abscess on T5. Last night he could wiggle his feet, push on things with his feet, and feel when people touched him...though he wasn't strong enough to stand. This morning he can not move or feel his lower legs and feet. They are taking him into surgery as soon as an OR becomes available. I will update as soon as I hear what's going on.
Please keep my mom and dad in your prayers. Mom is very stressed out, understandable...and the most I can do is also the "least" I can do. I am 4 hours away, and can't leave at this point. Should I go? Should I call my childcare parents and have them come get their kids so I can go? Do I take my kids out of school (they have only gone 2 days) to drive to Wichita? I will continue to pray and try to support my mom from here...I'm just so torn.
Please pray for all of us. Thank you
Andie
*** UPDATE *** Well, not really. As of noon, they are still waiting for an OR. One of my aunts went and spent some time with my parents, but she had to go back to work and her own doctor's appt. Thank you for praying.

***UPDATE 3:30 pm *** Dad is out of surgery. The doctor was pleased with how the surgery went. He removed some bone and tissue where the inflammation was. He said it wasn't as bad of an abscess as he had expected. We are just waiting for dad to wake up to see if it helps him in feeling and moving his legs. Thanks again for your continued prayers.

***UPDATE 7:00 pm *** Dad woke up briefly, due to the pain killers he wasn't able to stay awake very long. While he was awake, he was able to wiggle his toes, so that is a very good sign. Hopefully by morning he will be able to show us what he's really able to do. Also, in the morning we expect preliminary results from the pathologist. My brother is trying to talk Mom into coming to his house for the night, she has been sleeping in the hospital with dad, and she's not supposed to stay in the SICU over night. Thank you for your prayers, and please continue! :-)

Prayers for Bethany

Hello all...I am requesting that all of you pray for my little one. She has had what we thought was a sty on her left eyelid for about 6 weeks. I would think it was shrinking and going away, then it would come back. I put warm wash clothes on it as many people suggested. I took her to the doctor (physicians assistant) two weeks ago for her preschool physical and the doc said it was just a sty and to continue the wash clothes, it should go away soon. On Friday it was still not going away, so I called the doc. He prescribed antibiotics (both oral and eye drops) and said if it doesn't go away by this Friday to call back. Well...over the weekend it changed. It used to be just a red lump on her eyelid, now it is a yellow/white lump, surrounded by red. It reminds me (I'm sorry, this is gross!) of a really big pimple that is ready to pop. It's HUGE, and GROSS! Hubby and I decided that it was time to give the doc another call. He wanted to have her seen, so she went to the Physicians Assistant, and she said it's not a sty. It looked like a sty, but now we know it is not. She has an appointment for tomorrow morning with an eye surgeon (I'm terrified just typing those words!!). It is some type of growth that needs to be surgically removed. At first they said they wouldn't be able to see her until October...HELLO???? By October she won't be able to use her eye at all...if her eyelid hasn't exploded yet! So they are going to see her tomorrow and decide if it needs to be removed immediately or if it can wait till later. I'm thinking NOW!! As scared as I am for my baby (ok, she's 3, but she's my baby!!) to have surgery, I want this ugly thing gone from her beautiful face!
If you look at the pics from Wichita, you can see a bit of it. Just a little redness on her left eyelid. You couldn't really see the lump until she closed her eye...but now she can't open her eye fully because this 'thing' is in the way.
So...please keep my little one in your prayers. Pray that the docs can decide what to do, and when to do it. Pray that God will give us all courage and strength.
Blessings, and thanks for the prayers-
Andie

Andrew is sick

My son, Andrew, is 5 1/2. He has had asthma since he was about 12 months old. Of course, back then they just called it "reactive airway disease." Every time he gets a cold, it goes strait to his lungs. Poor kid can't just have a runny nose! He was even in the hospital for 4 days when he was about 18 months old. He has had a cold for the past few days, and I just kept waiting for the coughing to start...and start it has! He was up half the night coughing. I haven't given him a nebulizer treatment because so far his asthma hasn't acted up...we'll see if it gets in on the party of if it stays out! Prayers for his returned health are greatly appreciated.

While we're on the topic of prayer...my dad could use some. He was in the hospital the entire month of January with a really nasty bacterial infection in his left leg. He ended up having surgery and they were able to save the leg...most of it! They had to take all the tissue off his leg down to the muscle from his knee to his ankle. He has been recovering slowly (skin grafts this large take a long time to heal). But last week his leg became infected again. His knee and his foot (above and below the current surgery site) are red, swollen, and hot. Not good. He's on some very strong antibiotics, and they are running tests to find out if it's the same infection or something new. Please keep him and my mom in your prayers.

Blessings-Andie