New Numbers!!!

Andrew's new IgG numbers are GREAT! He is at 932. I have no clue yet about his other labs, but we were so excited to see these. Just like anyone else with limited knowledge, I tend to simplify things a bit; but these numbers are great! And we are so thankful. This is the number that started out at 187, and they wanted him over 800! And now I think the goal is over 1000 and to hold there. We want Andrew to NOT follow the path these doctors expect but to get the boost he needs and be able to stop treatment in a year or so. Although the doctor is not as optimistic, he is positive; and he is sometimes surprised. But I am glad that Dr. Black (the pulmonologist) told me that some of his patients have had treatment for a while and then stopped.

Andrew does a great job. All I do is literally watch him to make sure he gets all of the medicine drawn up and peel the back off of the patches that cover the needles during treatment. And I do the inventory. He does ALL of the rest now. I am so proud of him for stepping up and doing it. It's not easy nor fun at all. And I remember when our neighbor, Dr. Cranston, came over to watch us do it alone the first time. He told Andrew soon he would do it himself, and Andrew was skeptical! We plan our Sunday afternoons/evenings around this, but some people actually do it more than once a week.

He fell down a hill today running after tripping over a rock. He is skinned up pretty badly - mostly on his torso. His knee is really stiff, so we have put moist heat on it. I am just so glad he did not hit his head or face! He said he knew that was what I would say. We are checking on a tetanus shot, and I hope he is not really hurt - just sore and stiff. They have Regionals Saturday in Charlotte, so today was not a good day to trip!

Sam is doing fine. We have had to change some things again, but he is waking up with good numbers now; and that is a relief. I sleep better! He keeps asking when HIS next cross country meet is ~ "You know, Mommy, for first graders." He has offered to take his pink whistle he got from the treasure box in the office at school to a meet to help Coach Mac. And he likes to wear the Watauga t-shirt we got at the neighbor's yard sale so everyone will know he is "a Watauga guy."

Thanks for praying for us! And thanks for asking about the boys. I have "run" into many people lately I have not seen in a very long time, and those run-ins have been a big encouragement, if not a treat sometimes! I have also had some things out of the blue that were so sensitive, compassionate, or just nice! I know God is reassuring me that He knows when I am faltering, and He reminds me in all kinds of ways that He will help. I just need to keep my eyes open!

If you have not heard Natalie Grant's new song, it is beautiful. I will put the words below. (The part about the enemy in the first verse is one of my favorite parts!) Thanks again!!!!




Your Great Name (Natalie Grant)

Lost are saved; find their way; at the sound of Your great name
All condemned; feel no shame, at the sound of Your great name
Every fear; has no place; at the sound of Your great name
The enemy; he has to leave; at the sound of Your great name

[Chorus:]
Jesus, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain for us, Son of God and Man
You are high and lifted up; and all the world will praise Your great name

[Verse 2:]
All the weak; find their strength; at the sound of Your great name
Hungry souls; receive grace; at the sound of Your great name
The fatherless; they find their rest; at the sound of Your great name
Sick are healed; and the dead are raised; at the sound of Your great name

[Chorus:]
Jesus, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain for us, Son of God and Man
You are high and lifted up; and all the world will praise Your great name

[Bridge:]
Redeemer, My Healer, Lord Almighty
My savior, Defender, You are My King

[Chorus:]
Jesus, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain for us, Son of God and Man
You are high and lifted up; and all the world will praise Your great name

Andrew & Sam appointments

I am sorry I have not updated this in a little bit. I have tried to put more information on the blog.

Andrew had his immunologist appointment today in Charlotte. I think their computers were down. We gave more info than we received. His tests from this summer came back as inconclusive, so we are repeating them. We will get some lab results like his IgG number next week. I am anxious to see these numbers - to make sure the treatments are working, he is responding, and will continue to hold the high numbers. Even though I am anxious, I am constantly praying. I am reading a Max Lucado book that had a chapter about worry. Even though I need to remember to pray constantly and more when I tend to worry, reading that chapter in the pick up line the other afternoon made me see it just a little differently while reminding me of what I already know! We are also running some other tests to make sure some things are not slipping by. I pray they will be helpful and hopeful!

Andrew is doing better. He ran the conference meet yesterday and was third with a pretty good time. It was not his best time, but he looked his best of the whole year. He looked relaxed and not like he could just fall over. This was coming off a pretty good run Saturday in Richmond. We hope he can end his senior year of cross country well. He has worked so hard. And for those who knew what to pray and when to pray it about that Richmond trip ~ thanks so much! He did fine and had a really good time. Both things he needed! And with all of that, we are especially appreciative for the boys' great cross country coaches who help us in so many ways!

Sam had his endocrinology appointment last week. He has had strep throat twice in the past few weeks ~ even though we have not had to deal with strep much at all before! His numbers have been high, and they attributed that to his illness; but he has been off at other times. So his a1c was a little bit higher but not bad. But it is frustrating to try so hard to be on top of things and still not see the numbers he needs! So we changed his Lantus (24 hour insulin) quite a bit and then changed it a little again hoping to find where the adjustment needs to be! He is waking up with better numbers, and his others are better but not as good as they were several weeks ago. Otherwise, he is good. He was PE Student of the Week the other week, and a more proud, puffed up little person you would never see! He also ran his first 1.5 mile cross country race on Tuesday and won a medal -getting second in the first graders. Coach Mac let Will run with him, so he did have an advantage of knowing where to go (even though he had plenty of children to follow!) and knowing not to run too fast too soon! He was nervous and did not want to run (which is why Coach let Will run with him), but afterwards he wanted to know when "his" next race would be. When we went to the conference meet yesterday, he said he did not bring his shoes ~ I guess thinking he was running again!

We are thankful he is healthy and loves to get exercise! That will serve him well!

Thanks for all of the prayers, checking on the boys, cards, notes of encouragement, sharing of special verses, CD's, talks, calls, emails, etc. We appreciate it all. My mom and Laura picked up Sam today (and later Peter and Will). And my dad went to Charlotte with us. It was special to have that time with him. We usually get to have a long long talk while delivering Christmas gifts, but we got in four hours of good talking today!

Have a great rest of the week!

Wendi

Nights like these...

Nights like these are hard. I have checked and rechecked everyone several times but still cannot settle down now to sleep. Maybe a Murder, She Wrote DVD will help!

In the night when it's so quiet, I sometimes feel more peaceful even during turmoil than I do during the day. Things finally calm down and are quiet. I can hear ~ if I listen.

I am trying to listen. I know that I appreciate things that God does more because of where He's brought me from - in so many ways.

Nights like these can be scary. I don't want to fall asleep and not be where I am needed. And it's scary to wake up and run and check on everyone because it's been a few or several hours since we did. So far so good though.

Andrew's head is cooler. Sam's numbers are still in the 100's. Peter and Will are long asleep. Pete will be home tomorrow night. I think maybe I can sleep now too. I have already prayed for them all. And I trust I will wake up if needed. Thanks for praying too.

Andrew ~ and Sam 10/6/11

Andrew felt so awful at school today that I took him for a strep test this evening - even hoping maybe he had strep to explain him feeling this way. But it was negative, so he went to bed ultra early. I woke him up a bit ago to give him Tylenol - he seemed hot. Fevers do not do well with him.

Sam is sleeping in my bed. He has strep...again! He seems to be running a fever now, but his blood sugar had dropped for a while but came back up to the 100's. He did not feel well at the end of school, so I took him for a strep test even though he rarely has had it! But he did have it two weeks ago! His numbers have been off - very high or very low. Anyway, he did test positive. He came home and rested but then threw up and went very low. Then he had a nose bleed - a scary sight with the bright blood on a very pale, grayish child. We did the Gatorade every 10 minutes, and now he is sleeping. I am sure I will touch him, and he will just hold out a finger to be pricked. Poor little person!

I went with Sam on a field trip yesterday, but I drove my car. I went to make sure he was okay with his diabetes. I listened to my new The Story CD on the way down the mountain and back up. The song about Abraham and Sarah got my attention. Nichole Nordeman wrote or co-wrote the songs. They have OT and NT Bible characters and songs sung by a lot of my favorite singers. Anyway, the one about Abraham and Sarah struck me because God can and will do things on His time table. I was thinking of Andrew and his growing frustration. I don't blame him a bit, but I want him to realize that God can do the "undoable". When Toby talked about storms Sunday, I really needed that; but I realized that my children are in their own storms now, and it's hard to watch! I pray that God will give Andrew peace about what he has to do right now and give him peace about the future. It's tough.

Thanks for praying for my boys!

All About Ben ~ Updates

Sorry! I tried to post these before, but they would not post! Ben is much better, and we most certainly appreciate all of the prayers. I don't think he remembers the accident much, but he knows how bad off he was; and I am sure he is very thankful he got the fast help he did.

Ben ~

Andrew and Sam (and Peter and Will) are having a good week so far. We continue to so appreciate the prayers and encouragement with their stuff. I flooded the altar Sunday, and my resolve this week is to keep looking up. In a way, it's hard; but in another way, it is so easy (when I remember that first!). Poor little Laura got to hear a lot about it on our trip to the hospital in Bristol last night. She heard some of my greatest fears involving my boys and what I need to do to overcome the fear. We were both a little emotional as we headed to see Ben, but we were doing the same thing I am doing for my boys ~ turning him over to God.

My nephew Ben was in an accident right after school yesterday in the locker room. He fell from the top of the lockers face first to the tile floor below. They were not sure anything broke his fall, but something may have. He was not responsive, so 911 was called. Because he had a head injury, they med flighted him to the hospital. There was a lot of blood, and it was very scary for everyone there. We are thankful for all of the help he had.

His CT was okay, but he may have a fractured sinus cavity. He seemed to hit more on one side, so his nose is fine. He has a big gash with stitches over one eye. He will have to have some teeth repaired. And he will be very sore with at least a huge bruise on his shoulder. He was feeling very sick last night, but he seemed to be much better when he wasn't trying to talk to everyone. He was going to go home, but there seemed to be concern about his short term memory; so they kept him to watch him overnight. He could not remember the accident or the flight or why he was there. He would ask Dwayne, again, if he had fallen out of the bed. And Dwayne would tell him in simple terms what happened. So my prayer last night and this morning is that he is back to himself and remembers what he is told. He may not ever remember the accident or flight, but it sure would make me feel better if he remembers this morning what his dad told him last night!

We are so thankful. He is one beaten up boy. And I wanted to just hug him and cry. But with all of the teenage visitors, family, and Laura, I couldn't! This could have been so much worse. I am praying for his friends and the others who saw him. They were pretty shaken up.

Laura and I prayed for Ben on the way to Bristol. We also prayed for everyone around him at the hospital - that they were either Christians or would somehow be touched by what happened to see the difference in the way something like this is handled. Then I thought last night about all of the high school students who saw this play out and asked God to somehow use this to draw them close to Him.

Thanks again for all of your prayers. Most of you know Ben (who is almost 17), and I wanted to let you know what happened. I will send a quick update later today when I know how he is!

Update:

I saw Ben last Thursday, and he was still not himself; but he was getting better. He still had headaches and dizziness. Peter saw him today and thought he seemed fine. We are still so thankful that he got better so quickly and avoided a horrible outcome. We appreciate the prayers. He had many before we knew he would probably be okay.

Ben is 17 tomorrow, and we will be celebrating his birthday and his recovery! Thanks again for all of the prayers!