Nate & Jon

 

Daddy, Nate & US Senate Candidate Roy Blunt



Nate came home from the hospital on Tuesday and it has been a busy week since he got home due to frequent medications and breathing treatments.  Nate had some problems with a steroid that the doctor had prescribed at the hospital, but our pediatrician took him off that medication and he has been continuing to improve.  He had really good days yesterday and today.  Yesterday we had family pictures taken at the pumpkin patch at Manning Farm and Nate loved being outside with his Oxygen off.  In fact, Nate fought us about his Oxygen the rest of the evening. 

Then today was Nate's 2nd birthday! We took him to a meet and greet for Roy Blunt (running for US Senate) and Billy Long (running for US Congress). Then we took Nate (dressed as a frog) and all his brothers and sisters to a couple Trunk or Treats this evening.  We got  home and we were ready to do presents and cake, BUT Nate fell asleep!  So cake and presents will have to wait until tomorrow!  Right now Nate is curled up with daddy, asleep on my side of the bed and breathing so easy, which is such a relief after being so congested and sick.


Jon the giraffe


On Thursday, Jon had his final procedure and x-ray contrast study on his stomach.  He did very well during this last step which was painful.  So far he has needed some pain meds at night when we start the overnight continuous feeding, but during the day he has not had any pain.  He started hurting when we were taking pictures yesterday so I don't think there will be many pictures of Jon, except in group pictures that were taken before he started hurting.  Tonight most of the swelling was gone, and Jon (dressed as a giraffe) loved going Trunk or Treating AND LOVED eating his candy when we got home!

Relaxed weekend?

Our Weekend Away:

Nate had a rough week last week with his congestion getting worse, but Wednesday the doctor gave him an antibiotic shot and he started improving.  Therefore, reluctantly Mr. Workman and I decided to keep our plans to go to the Lake of the Ozarks for our weekend away.  Friday evening and Saturday morning we attended a conference.  Friday night we had an enjoyable dinner out.  Then Saturday afternoon we had drove to Windsor, Missouri to see a friend of mine from high school and to speak at a contemporary service at the church she attends. (See picture.)  It was great to see Amy and remember some fun times.  I remember a slumber party in about 8th or 9th grade where Amy created a whole new phobia for me by explaining that she practiced kissing so she would not be a "sloppy kisser" and others chimed in that they did too.  I had never been concerned about such thing, UNTIL then!  It is fun remembering the "crazy" stuff that concerned us girls!

Nate's "Bug":
Nate's cold "bug" stayed about the same while we were gone overnight, but Sunday morning his fever was difficult to get down, his heart rate was staying too high for too long and his oxygen saturation's started dropping.  When his breathing didn't improve after a nebulizer treatment, we headed to the ER in Springfield.  The chest xray when we got there showed pneumonia in both lungs so they admitted him to start IV antibiotics.  However, so far they have been unable to get an IV started so in the morning the doctor will assess and try again or consider a central line or a picc line.

I am so worried about Nate since it is so early in the year to already have a cold turn into pneumonia.  This could make for a long winter.  I'm trusting that my prayers and those of our friends can turn this around so that because it is so early in the year for pneumonia, then Nate has time for a full recovery before the toughest respiratory-winter months.

Slideshow Video

This is a slideshow that I use when public speaking about our family.  Please follow the link to see it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOeGnjlK32o

Feeling pushed...

It was a very busy week last week.  I tried to do a weeks worth of work before Wednesday.  Then Nate had surgery in Little Rock on Wednesday.  I had packed a mountain of projects, but forgot my laptop cord so my big plans for achievement got smaller!  (Plus the flu shot that I got on Tuesday, had me feeling a bit sickly too.)

Hannah got sick at school Thursday and said her head was hurting.  Thursday night Nate & I got home late and Nate had a very rough night.  So I started Friday at the pediatrician with Nate and Hannah.  Then Mr. Workman had debate all weekend so it was me with all the kids while Nate was needing lots of one-on-one care.  So I did what any realistic mom would do.....kept the sick ones medicated (David joined the sick group Saturday) and I ordered pizza, bribed the older ones to get them to help more, encouraged watching movies and let them play outside as much as they would.

Finally today I pulled ahead of the piles of work and sick kids.  I went grocery shopping this afternoon and made Creole beans & rice with chicken sauce.  Mr. Workman made two pumpkin pies per Hannah's request.  Then this evening I let the older kids make Carmel apples.  They seemed to really have fun making them.  This is the first year that I have been brave enough to let them dip their own apples so they thought they were big stuff.

Nate's Gotcha Day

Today we celebrated Nate's First Gotcha Day. It was great to remember and be thankful for all the protection, guidance and provision that God has given Nate and our family during the past year. It has been such a blessing to watch doors close and doors open as we prayed and sought God's plan.

I truly can understand where in the 2nd chapter of Luke, it is mentioned twice that Mary kept all these things in her heart and pondered them. Certainly Mary had more to keep & ponder, in fact I cannot imagine how full of joy and thanksgiving her heart must have been. I know I will always rejoice when remembering certain things that I know only God could do for Nate. Specifically, I remember and am in awe of God's workings in the following:

• my feeling at peace when the doctor and nurse practitioner in St. Louis explained that comfort may be all we could offer Nate since repair surgery would be risky, expensive and long term recovery too difficult to support in Haiti; I was amazed at the time (and still now) at the extra measure of faith that God provided to me. I never doubted that God had other plans.


• witnessing so many people taking a personal interest in Nate...some people who I had just met because of Nate and many more who I had never met prayed for us, financially helped with Nate's care, and in one case rescued me (a week after we met) when my car broke down and drove us the rest of the way to the hospital and in time to still have the procedure done!


• having gas be provided or just "show up" in my tank when the budget was its tightest.


• a stranger calling, introducing herself and helping us open the door to care in Little Rock.


• having an Oxygen tank malfunction and needing a replacement while outside our company's service area and watching Nate's story soften the spiritual heart of man who we would never have met otherwise.


• due to congestion, ending up back in the same ER that Nate visited on his 1st morning in our home, and having the same doctors stopping to see if it really was the same baby...they listened and marvel at his repaired heart....I couldn't help, but think this was God taking a victory lap! It still makes me smile!

Since Nate's arrival, I have had more of what the world calls "dumb luck" such as car beak downs, flats, financial stresses, financial surprises, changed plans and general inconveniences than in the last couple decades. However, with each situation, I saw God directing our paths, touching not just our life, but the lives of others. As our 14 year old daughter Grace would say, "Nate is one special dude". It is my honor to be his mom.

But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.--Matthew 19:14

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully [and] wonderfully made: marvellous [are] thy works; and [that] my soul knoweth right well.--Psalms 139:14