Saturday Fun

Saturday, Madalyn and I spent the morning and early afternoon outside enjoying the nice fall weather.

Madalyn wanted to drive the golf cart. She was kindof all over the place, it's a good thing we live in the country for when she really gets ready to drive, we have plenty of open spaces. :0)

 

Bubbles, Bubbles everywhere Bubbles!

 

 

 

 

 

Where has my baby girl gone? I have a big girl now!

 

We had a great day and now it's time to get ready for bed.

 

 

 

 

She loves her Tinkerbell toothbrush. Brushing my teeth is fun!

 

All clean and ready for bed! She is checking herself out in the mirror.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday Praise

I have a Friday Praise for you...Kevin went to the doctor this morning for a check up.  They did an echo cardiogram on him and didn't see any fluid. They said his heart looked normal. PRAISE GOD!!!  He will go back in a month for another check up. If things look good in a month, then he will go back in three months, then in six months.  He's doing great. He says he feels normal again and has been working and going about his normal activities.  I didn't go with him this time so I have been anxiously waiting on his text at school to tell me all was good.  Thank you for all who have been praying for Kevin and for God to heal him. Please continue to remember him in your prayers.  My new concern has been that with sickness starting to go around; I hope he will be able to fight off any illness so he can stay well and continue to heal.  He surely doesn't need to catch a virus any time soon. But as for now, this Friday, we are so excited he got a great report. I think we might have to go celebrate....maybe a weekend away somewhere as a family to recharge....until then. ;0)

Our (MY) God is AWESOME

This morning I have been reminded once again of just how AWESOME my God is.  Yes, I know He is all the time, but at times things just hit you of how wonderful and amazingly complex He is.  In the Bible Study I am currently doing (Stepping Up by Beth Moore), we had a few lessons on how, since we are children of God, that we feel He belongs to us.  Meaning that when we come before God, we feel He is ours and only ours at times. Just like our earthly father is our dad and our dad only. Sure some of you may have siblings, but outside of that not many people can claim your father as there own.  It's a selfish thing to think God belongs to us, but then again when you have a close personal relationship with God, you can't help but feel that way at times.

God made man in His own imagine according to Genesis 1:27:

 So God created mankind in his own image,

    in the image of God he created them;

    male and female he created them.

God gave each of us two ears to hear.  So my guess would be that He has two ears as well since He created us in His own image. When I am teaching I have to tell the kids they all can't talk at once because I only have two ears and I can't hear what they are saying. However, how amazing it is that God can hear, loud and clear, all of our cries and prayers at the same time and still give each and everyone one of us His undivided attention and care.  Awesome isn't? That is my whole point to this post.  Within my own little world the last 48 hours have been busy with prayer concerns and prayer requests.  I want to share some of them with you, so that you can please join me in praying for these but at the same time be in AWE of how great and mighty our (MY) God is that He hears all of these at the same time and He will take care of the people we are praying for.

-My cousin's friend had her baby 10 weeks early (he came yesterday). Its a boy and he's just a little over 3 lbs. but doing good so far. The mom is doing much better, she had preeclampsia.

-A co-teacher at school was in a horrible wreck yesterday on her way to school. A car pulled out (didn't yield) and hit her in the side of her car; her car flipped three times and she ended up hanging upside down and had to be cut out. Amazingly enough, walked away with a concussion and some bruises. She's home now and doing well.

-A good friend of mine, her little boy had to be hospitalized last night due to the croup. He was running a high fever 103.6 and even after the breathing treatments, he still couldn't seem to catch his breath. Hopefully he will do better today and get to come home.

-A good friend of mine, has come to the realization that after ten years, her marriage is over.  A long and painful process has just begun for her and her kids. 

- My mom found out she is going to have to have knee replacement surgery for sure in January, but she is on the cancellation list if something comes available she will have it sooner.  She's had problems with her knees for a long time and when she and my dad came to help take care of Madalyn both times Kevin was in the hospital, her knee locked up on her and she couldn't walk.

-Kevin goes to the doctor on Friday to get an ultrasound done to see if there is any fluid building back up. Hopefully, not and we are praying he gets a good report. He tells me he feels great and feels normal again and he's acting like he feels good.

And there are so many more prayer requests, but these were the ones that have been up at the top of my prayer list over the last two days.  And I know that God has heard all these prayer request and He will watch over and take care of the ones I have listed in His own way.  Before you pray today either for one of these prayer requests or your own, stop a moment and give God praise and praise Him for who he is.  Be thankful He is the one in control not us. And celebrate the AWESOME God we serve!

Psalm 150:1-6:

Praise the Lord.

Praise God in his sanctuary;
    praise him in his mighty heavens.
 Praise him for his acts of power;
    praise him for his surpassing greatness.
 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
    praise him with the harp and lyre,
 praise him with timbrel and dancing,
    praise him with the strings and pipe,
 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
    praise him with resounding cymbals.

 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord.

Something Beautiful by Natalie Grant

I was listening to one of my Natalie Grant's CDs on the way home from Bible Study tonight and I this was one of the songs I listened to (which is one of my favorite songs off her album "Awaken"). I just wanted to share as an encouragement to all who listen to it.

Getting Back to Normal

Ah... a normal Saturday and it was perfect in every way.  It seems like forever since we have had one; however it's only been three weeks. 

We started the day eating breakfast together, Madalyn and I.  Madalyn asked for a banana for breakfast.  I love to eat peanut butter with my bananas, so I gave her some peanut butter and she thought it was very good. I showed her how to dip her banana into the peanut butter and eat it.  It was a hit! (I've been slowly introducing her to peanut butter due to her outbreak in hives she has had in the past. So far, she's showed no reaction. Hopefully, she will be able to eat it with no problems because I am a HUGE peanut butter lover.)

 

 

Then we headed to Aiken for a little shopping and not only did we find what we were looking for, but a few good extra deals too!

 

 

When we got back we went for a golf cart ride and of course we had to go see all the animals: sheep, horses, and the newest addition....five cute kittens!  A mama cat that Mrs. Katie has had kittens a little while go and we are just now being able to see them.  They are very friendly and Madalyn has really enjoyed them.

 

 

 

 

Next, we headed to the chicken houses to see Daddy! Yes, Kevin is back at work and feeling good. He's taking it easy but now that's he's feeling good, it's hard to keep him inside just sitting around.  He goes back Sept. 27th for a scan and recheck, but he really is improving more and more each day so we are encouraged that he's getting better this time.

 

 

A ride on the tractor with Daddy

 

 

Later on this afternoon, Madalyn went for another ride.  This time it was on a horse! Her newest love is horses. She loves, loves anything to do with a horse lately.  We could be on the verge of a future cowgirl or just a phase she's in right now, but she sure loves them and every time we pass them in the car or golf cart she's asking to ride.

 

 

A horse ride with Pop. She rode for a good 30 minutes.



 

 

Madalyn got to help Pop take the horse back to the barn.  We told her the horse needed to rest and she had to get off. She told her that there were more horses in the barn. She wanted to ride all of them.

 

 

Hunter and Aunt Katelyn

 

 

We ended the day with some cuddle time watching Doc McStuffins and Sofia the First, while Kevin watch the Carolina ball game.  It doesn't get any better than this, except for we would have of liked for Kevin to have spent all day with us.

 



 







 







 

 

 

A Baby Cousin for Madalyn

With all the excitement that Kevin has caused lately I haven't posted some exciting family news.  My cousin Tim and his wife Amanda are expecting their first child in February.  The day that Kevin went back to the hospital, last Wednesday, they had a doctor's visit and found out they were having a baby girl.  So now Madalyn will have a little girl cousin to play with on my side of the family.  We are very excited for them and the baby is due February 24, 2014.

This was the picture they sent to announce what the baby would be.  It thought this was a creative idea. :0)

Madalyn's First Day of Preschool

This morning was Madalyn's first day of preschool at the Creation Station, which is the CDC of our church.  She wasn't too excited this morning when I left for school, she teared up. I think she was afraid that I was going to leave her for a few days again.  Her "G" (my dad) took her and picked her up from preschool today.  But I think she had a good first day after all.

 

First Day of Preschool

 

Madalyn's new bookbag. She picked it out herself...a horse.

 

"Gee, Mama...what did you put in here?"

 

 

It was a tiring day at preschool. She took a nap with Nana this afternoon.

 

 

 

Kevin Part 2

Well...here we go again....Kevin take two.

Wednesday, September 4th:

Kevin's mom took him to the cardiologist for his recheck and another echo cardiogram to see if the fluid had increased.  When we had left the hospital the last time, they said the fluid was just a  little, but it was at the back of the heart, so they couldn't drain it even if they wanted to. So Kevin had come home on some medicine.  Unfortunately it had increased and so now they had to go in and drain the fluid from around his heart. (Which Kevin and I both knew that he wasn't getting better, but we thought the doctor would change his medicine and send him home) Nope! I got the call that he was going right back to the hospital.  His scan showed that the fluid had increased to all the way around his heart now and it was too dangerous for him to go home and come back the next day for the procedure. The procedure to drain the fluid would be the next day, Thursday and off to the hospital he went.

So I went to pick Madalyn up at church daycare, came home and packed a bag for all of us and my father-in-law drove Madalyn and myself to the hospital.  My mother-in-law and father-in-law took Madalyn home with them for the night.

In the mean time while I was preparing to be at the hospital for the next few days, Kevin was showing out at the hospital.  He had eaten breakfast, but had not eaten lunch. He thought that after his doctor's visit, he could go eat lunch. Well that didn't happen.  While they were getting is IV in him and some other things, Kevin ends up passing out and it was quit a scene from my understanding. He was in the hospital bed at the time, so they leaned him back with his feet in the air.  Kevin said that was the best sleep he had gotten in two weeks and didn't like waking up to someone tapping him on his head and asking him all kinds of silly questions. :0)

That night, our Pastor, Keith, came to visit Kevin, he prayed over Kevin and anointed him.  We both appreciated him coming to visit with us and praying for Kevin.


Thursday, September 5th:

The nurses kept telling us that they didn't know when the procedure would be because there were two people in front of Kevin and they didn't know how long it would take them.  About lunch time, they came to get Kevin ready and around 2:30, they took him down to the OR room.  What they did was, they put a heart catheter inside the sac around the heart to drain the fluid out.  They left the catheter in until Sunday.  However, if they felt it was better for them to take out part of the sac from around the heart, then they would go ahead and do that too.

Kevin and Cedric on the way to surgery



While were were waiting,we got to meet Annie.  Annie is a very special therapy dog, who gets to come around and visit people in the hospital.  The main purpose for Annie is to help the patients and their families to be able to let their minds focus on something else for a few minutes.  So, my mother-in-law saw Annie and asked if we could see her and we learned about her story.



 

Annie and her owner/trainer



Somewhere between 4 and 4:30 that afternoon, the surgeon came out and said that everything went well. They didn't take part of the sac, but just put in the catheter.  They ended up draining 400 cc's of fluid  from around his heart (which is about the same as 2 cups of fluid).  The surgeon said that in about an hour we would be able to go see him in the recovery room.

So I went to get something to eat, Kevin's mom went home to take care of Madalyn (she had been at the church all this time with my sister-in-law, Tori), and my dad  stayed in the waiting area.  While I was gone, a nurse came out and told my dad that Kevin had had some breathing problems when they were pulling the breathing tube out and that it would be another hour before we could see him.  (Later, Friday morning, I found out in detailed what his breathing problems were exactly).  Apparently when they pulled the breathing tube out, because Kevin is strong and healthy, his body started to fight the breathing tube, and his voice box closed on top of his windpipe because the throat was beginning to spasm.  This caused Kevin  not be able to breathe and he started sucking fluid into his lungs.  They did about 3 things really quick to try to get him breathing, but then had to put the breathing tube back down his throat rather forcefully.  Kevin said that was the most traumatic part of this whole thing. Not being able to breathe and trying to tell them you can't breathe (which he didn't realize that they worked very fast and the machine was breathing for him).  It took a minute or two for Kevin's body to realize it was breathing again on it's own before they pulled the breathing tube out.  So imagine that you are completely tied down and can't move at all and be able not to breath and have all these people around you and you can't seem to get help (at least you feel that way).  He said that Friday morning, the anesthesiologist, came in to apologize for his throat being so sore. But she said that it had been 10 years since she had seen this happen to someone, but that his lips had turned blue on them.  (I was glad I didn't know that part Thursday night, it was hard enough knowing what I did know and sitting in that waiting room). But that was why  he had to stay in the ICU of the heart floor Thursday night.  During all of this, they asked Kevin if they wanted him to go get me, but he shook his head know. He didn't want me to see him with a breathing tube in.

I couldn't stay at the hospital, so I was just going to drive home, when I realized how silly that would be, because we had family and friends that live in Columbia.  So, Kevin's cousin Brantley was very kind to come pick me up at the hospital and let me stay with them for the night especially when it was her husband's birthday.  That way I was only about 15 minutes from the hospital instead of an hour away, if I was needed I could get to him pretty quickly.  It was so nice to get a hot shower, and have a comfy couch to sleep on. It was also nice to have my mind being able to get out of the hospital and to focus on something else for a change.  I made quick friends with one of their dogs, Lexi.  Brantley said that she normally doesn't take to someone that quickly, but I think Lexi knew that I needed some extra attention that night.  :0)



Friday, September 6th:

Friday morning, Brantley and her little girl, Katherine Grace, drove me back to the hospital.  When I went back to see Kevin, he had had a good night, but was having some breathing trouble again.  He had been on 30% Oxygen during the night, but was now on 100%. Meaning that he was having a good bit of trouble breathing still.  I asked about him being seen by a lung doctor and they were able to get one to come see him that afternoon. Unless he could keep his Oxygen level above 90 and at about 50% Oxygen, he wouldn't be allowed to be moved to a room Friday night.  They did a CT scan on Kevin's lungs and drew some blood, which we won't have the blood work results back for a week or so.  But the lung doctor said that what happened to him with the breathing tube didn't have anything to do with him having asthma. Kevin has had some trouble with his asthma since about April.  He's been having to do his inhaler about every day and that's not normal for him.  So we are working with her to see what is going on with his lungs and to get his asthma under control.  Thankfully, he was able to get his levels up and was able to move into a room.  With his family following close behind him: his mom and dad, his brother (Nick), one sister (Tori), Madalyn, my parents, and of course, me. That evening Kevin also had some cousins (Andy and Hazel Sandifer) to visit him.

While we were at the hospital, Madalyn was having fun at church.



 

 

 

Madalyn helping Kevin to his room



Saturday, September 7th:

The lung doctor came to see Kevin and said that his CT scan looked good. She couldn't see any build up of bacteria.  (See they were looking for bacteria to see if the chickens, had caused a build up of bacteria in his lungs, or if anything else had caused it.)  She said that Kevin would go home on some new medicines for his asthma and would see her regularly over the next little bit until she feels his asthma is being controlled and then just once a year, unless he has problems.  Once the blood work has a chance to come back, he will go see her for a follow-up visit.  Kevin had told the nurses in ICU that he had to be in a room by 4:00 pm on Saturday so he could watch the game.  There's no TV in ICU, so Kevin only had the clock to watch to which he said he saw every hour come around. He didn't sleep at all Thursday night.  Kevin's sister, Heather, came by that morning to visit and then my uncle Keith, aunt Felicia, and cousin Emily came for the afternoon. The guys watched the ballgame while us girls talked.

Sunday, September 8th:

The surgeon came around and took the heart catheter out because it was just barely draining now.  They also did another echo cardiogram and didn't see fluid and everything looked good according the girl who did the scan, but we had to wait on the official word from Kevin's doctor on Monday.  I stayed with Kevin for most of the day on Sunday, then I came home last night.  I felt that he was okay to leave now and I had missed four days already of school and wanted to get back to school.  Plus, Madalyn was starting preschool for the first time on Monday.  :0)

Monday, September 9th:

I came to school, my dad took Madalyn to school, and Kevin's mom went to go pick him up at the hospital and bring him home.  He got the official word that he could go home today.  His first stop before coming home was to get some lunch. He had not ordered his lunch at the hospital because he had hoped to be out before then. He left around 12:30 pm.  He will go for a check up in two weeks to the cardiologist.  He told Kevin that if the fluid was to come back, it would come back by then. So we will continue to pray for complete healing and for the fluid not to come back.  Kevin said he couldn't go through this again.


It has been a crazy, stressful, emotional,  two weeks around our household.  I told Kevin last night I have been at Providence Hospital too long, because I was having to give directions to people.  But I will have to say, we couldn't have asked for better treatment from the doctors to the nurses, to the cleaning ladies while were were there both times.  I really appreciate all they did for Kevin and for myself.  I also appreciate all the prayers that were sent up for Kevin.  Thank you to all of our family, friends, and co-workers.  We may never know the cause behind Kevin getting sick, which is okay. The main thing is that hopefully now he is on the road to a complete recovery.  Praise God for the healing and continued healing that He will do on Kevin.

A verse that was special to me during our stay in the hospital was Psalm 121:

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—

    where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—
    he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord watches over you—
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
    he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going

    both now and forevermore.

   Thank you Lord, for your healing on Kevin and our family. AMEN!