Update on our Family

Well, it is Monday. The past two Mondays Daddy Joe has had brain surgeries. We all spent the weekend with him in ICU. We were scared to leave last night because we're becoming superstitious about Mondays and he seems to do so well when we are all there. Usually we get home, and within the next day or two something really bad happens. The first time was last weekend when my mom and I were there and he was wheeling himself around, feeding himself, getting up to use the restroom, etc. Then, Monday was his "fall" which resulted in a stroke, blood clot, and brain surgery.

We ended up getting worse news mid week last week that he was "weakening" and that my grandmother (Gran) needed to "make some choices" by Monday or Tuesday about keeping him on Life Support. That really made us want to get up there to be with them. My mom and I went early Saturday morning, while Jeremy and my Dad picked up Matt from the airport at 6am Sunday morning and then they made the drive to San Antonio. So... all of us spent Sunday all day with him (Gran, Lissa, Jon, Mom, Dad, me, Jeremy, and Matt).

On Saturday when my mom and I got there, he wasn't moving at all and just looked pitiful hooked up to all those machines. They had placed a drain coming out of his head after his second surgery and he had a tracheotomy (tube inserted into his neck to assist his breaths), plus all of his vitals were being monitored and his legs were getting massaged in order to prevent blood clots and of course he had an IV and a feeding tube.
I was crushed to see him and just thought there was no hope. Later that day he started moving little by little- a foot here, a hand here, a small shift of his head, etc. We stayed until visiting hours were over and just before that they had a shift change where his night nurse came in. She walked in smiling saying, "I see he's doing better tonight. Last night when I came in his eyes were looking down when I checked them and tonight they're mid- line (looking at her) and last night his pupils reacted sluggishly and tonight they're briskly reacting. Oh, and he also resisted my push with his foot."
It sounds like small steps but when we had almost just lost hope because they said he was weakening that was just the best news. I know he's on Life Support, in ICU, and has yet to wake up from a surgery that he had a week ago. But... we left last night not feeling like we were saying goodbye for the last time and we had hope that he is just recovering at his own pace. His body has been thru so much and we know he's fighting hard in very grim circumstances to recover.

Whatever happens we know is God's plan. But Gran had prayed for a sign (to tell her he's either getting better or worse) and after days of him not moving, not breathing on his own, etc he lifted his arm onto his stomach s (in front of the nurse) and consistently breathed above the machine while we were there. It is amazing that the doctors say he can't hear us or know we're there. When we walk in the room he usually becomes more "active" (yes, that's definitely a relative term). Anytime we hold his hand, rub his arm, or talk to him his vitals improve and his breathing goes up significantly. It is so neat to KNOW that he KNEW that we were there talking to him, praying for him, sitting with him, etc.
At this point we're praying for whatever is best for him. And there is only ONE who knows what that is...and I'll give you a hint, it's not a doctor. We don't want to push him to hang on if his quality of life will be compromised, but we would love for him to pull thru this, surprise all of his doctors and to be able to heal so that his brain stimulators that were put in place during his first surgery can be used to suppress his Parkinson's symptoms and for him to have many more happy, healthy years ahead of him with his wife, kids, gran kids, family and friends. We miss him and can't WAIT for him to wake up. I want a camera in that room in case I miss it!!!

If you read this whole thing, thank you! Your prayers are appreciated and we still have hope! The phone calls and emails have meant so much to me and I know he is in more people's thoughts and prayers than he will ever know!
(PLEASE FORGIVE MY GRAMMAR MISTAKES AND RUN ON SENTENCES- WE GOT IN AFTER MIDNIGHT AND I WAS UP AT 5AM) :-/

*AND my mom just called telling me that they turned off his breathing machine and that he's breathing on his own!!!!

So much has changed...

Since my last blog. I come to you with a heavy heart. It is amazing how fast things can turn around. Saturday when I left my Daddy Joe (and Gran and Lissa) he was doing so good. He was eating well, sleeping, sitting up, and pushing himself around in his wheelchair. Those are now just precious memories.
Monday morning he fell over in his bed (while in the rehab hospital) and hit his head. Gran got the call and rushed to see what had happened. He ended up in emergency sugery a short time later because his fall had caused a blood clot and large stroke in his brain. He has yet to wake up from that surgery. We don't know why, the doctor's don't know why. Only that he's had severe brain trauma by having two surgeries in one week and he's in his early 70's with advanced Parkinson's disease. We hope and pray that he is not in pain and feels up to fighting so that we can keep him here on earth a while longer. My Gran needs him, his kids need him, his friends need him. We are not ready for him to go.
We thought our next call from San Antonio would be that he was going home, not back to the hospital for surgery. It was devastating to all who love him and can't wait to see the results of the first surgery- that is supposed to suppress all Parkinson's symptoms and help get him back to feeling good again.

All we want is for him to wake up and recover and to not be in pain.

I know that some of my prayer warrior friends live in other towns and this might be the first you're hearing of this. Please keep him in your prayers in the coming weeks. That is all that there is left for us to do. Hope and pray.

Thank you,

"We ARE going back."

Mama turtle roped off so that she can lay on her eggs :) Huge and beautiful!

Magnificent sunset...we loved the sunsets there!

late evening in Kauai...

HUGE waves. We are actually up on a wall above them.

At the Luau (well the show afterwards)

before the Luau (about to get the pig outta the ground)

Just landed after our helicopter ride around the island

Our helicopter and 26 year-old pilot

Our hotel room at the Marriott Kauai

Wailua Falls (huge!)

View from the Kiluea Lighthouse

Dinner on our anniversary- worst food and service and view the entire week. Go figure!

But....it was our 5 year anniversary so we just went with it.... :)

Hawaii was FABULOUS. We had a BLAST. We WILL go back. We made that promise to eachother as I was getting teary-eyed the last night knowing that we would have to leave the next day. The natives are so nice, the scenery is the best ever, and I went with my best friend. There is nothing better than that...especially after 5 years of marriage with a baby on the way. More pictures to come...sorry these were so random but I just wanted to let y'all know that I am still alive... :)

Oh, and THANK YOU for your prayers and concern for my Daddy Joe. He made it thru surgery and is still in the hospital recovering. He has 54 staples between his head and chest and has had a tough time recovering so far. (these pics were taken with our old camera-hence the bad quality)

He is not out of the woods yet, but I am so thankful to have friends who are thoughtful enough to keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

Happy 19th Haley!

All of "the kids"
Bubba and Haley
Me and Haley
Mom and Dad
Haley acting preggo with me...she's good! Her's is as big as mine! :)

Last Sunday was Haley's 19th birthday. We celebrated at my parent's with mexican food and games. We had a blast!

We are off to Hawaii tomorrow! My parents and Matt will be picking us up at 5:30am to go to the airport! We are so excited and just ready to get there! We will have TONS of pics and stories when we get back, I'm sure. Please keep us in your prayers, along with Daddy Joe's brain surgery on Monday morning.

See y'all when we get back!!! :)

PS- Haley- I posted this for you! It is 11:30pm and I should be packing and getting ready for bed! :)

July 4, 2008

Trey getting in his float

Matt and Taylor

Trey, Mom Jennifer, and aunt Steph

Taylor in deep thought

Some of the guys waiting on the burgers

Kinley and Ella and their sunglasses :)

Miss Ella Bella...precious!

Taylor realizing she doesn't fit in the bumbo seat anymore...hilarious!

Craig and Steph being silly

Kinley waving her flag

Kinley the patriot :)
Rachel with Ella

Ella getting kisses from Momma Juli
Jess, Laurie, me, Juli

We had a wonderful July 4th this year. It was a great day at Eric and Rachel's with good friends, good food, and fun times. We swam, watched the kids on Taylor's new playground, ate tons of food, played games, etc. We had so much fun that we were there from 3pm to 2am! Too bad I figured out how to work my camera on "action" and "twilight" too late for you to get to see the fun that we had with sparklers late that night!

Don't our friends have the cutest kids ever?

We are so thankful for this country we live in and our freedom! It was a wonderful day of celebrating.

Weekend Update

Well, sadly the weekend flew by and I am back at work and it's lunchtime.



I thought I'd update on a few things.



First, we did get our camera. We went with a Nikon D60 and we really like it so far. It came with 2 "how to" dvds, a nice camera bag, free Ritz/Wolf camera classes, and a free (mail in rebate) hp printer/scanner/fax machine. So, we feel like we did okay. I took it to Jeremy's basketball game to practice yesterday but I don't have the pictures with me today.



Saturday I DID NOT get to sleep in. I had been sick last week and woke up around 7 not able to breathe. I would freak out and then sit up in bed. Sitting up made me feel a little better so I got up and went in the living room so I wouldn't wake Jeremy. I didn't go back to sleep nor did I take a nap. What was I thinking?

That day we ran the usual errands and then while Jeremy played poker with the guys us girls hung out at Jenn's house. We played a fun game! It's called the Settlers of Catan. I thought I'd hate it. It was complicated and required luck and strategy but it is one of THE MOST fun games I've ever played! Us girls even outlasted the guys poker game and played until around 1am!

Sunday was, of course, church, lunch and then we went home for a little bit and then on to Jeremy's basketball game. They lost and the other team was such hot dogs and had such a horrible attitude! I hate for them to lose to teams like that! Ugh.

Anyways, later that night we went to Ryan and Jess' house to play MORE Settlers. It's bad, I think we'll be playing that A LOT as we're now addicted. So, if you need a new game to play go out and get it!!!!! :)

Our weekend didn't turn out to be as relaxing and restful as I'd hoped but we did have tons of fun!

Just catchin' up...

Well, the week is finally coming to a close!

This is our first free weekend since May. I haven't slept in on a Saturday since sometime in May. I am very excited! We have lots of little things to do this weekend, but all fun things and nothing stressful.

In preparation for Hawaii, baby, and Matt's basketball season we are going camera shopping tonight! I think we'll be looking that the Nikon D60 and the Canon Rebel xti. I have heard only good things from those that have them and don't think we can go wrong!

Tomorrow night Jeremy is playing poker with some friends and we're having a relaxing girl's night. I'm excited!

Other than that we're not up to much. Hawaii is now 2 weeks from today! I can't wait! There is one thing that comes with Hawaii that I am not happy about. That is that my grandfather, Daddy Joe, is having brain surgery for his Parkinson's disease the Monday that is in the middle of our trip.

Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. I know that is such a scary thing to have to be awake for brain surgery! And I hate that we will not be by his side, waiting in the waiting room with the rest of the family. It will be hard to be so far away. We love him so much and would appreciate your prayers for his peace and comfort before the surgery and for the doctors to be successful in helping restore his health.

When we get back from Hawaii I will be almost 18 weeks along. We have an appointment that Monday and are hoping to schedule our exciting 20 week ultrasound for just a week or two later so that we can find out if Baby W (aka Shrimpy) is going to be a boy or a girl!