2011 a year to remember

What a difference a year makes!!

December 28, 2010. I was laying in a long-term care nursing facility, recovering from a 5^th hip replacement surgery, where an infected artificial hip joint had been removed from my femur and left out to allow the infection to be eliminated. It would not be replaced until March 8, 2011. To say the least I was “Hookey-Pookey challenged”. To add more misery to a miserable situation, I was diagnosed with very sever sleep apnea,.

I was having over 50 apneas per hour (stopping breathing), which was not much help in my healing process from surgery. I would fall asleep while exercising in the physical therapy room in the rehab center, and I actually fell asleep while talking on the phone to my office. I would be away from my job from Steelscape as Credit Manager for five months, and because of the great company I work for, I still had a job to return to.

Fast forward 12 months and I have a new hip joint,. my sleep apnea is receiving treatment so that I am slowly getting my life back.

Today I am taking water aerobics classes three times a week and walking up to two miles on my lunch hour.  I attribute this dramatic change in my health to a lot of fasting and prayer by friends and family.

Also during this past year fasting and prayer have played an important role in the lives of two of my grand nephews- Dane White and Benjamin Wooden.

First, Dane White, age 7, son of David and Jonna White. Jonna is Kris’s sister Cherrideth Campbell’s  (Steve) oldest child. In September, Dane was having severe headaches, and was found to have a brain tumor the size of a peach. He had successful surgery for its removal and I will quote from an email I received from Jonna soon after:

October 13, 2011

Uncle Steve,

We came home from the hospital on Saturday and since then he has been recuperating at home.  He still struggles a little bit with nausea, but we have some medicine for that, and overall he is doing really well.  It's kind of amazing, actually.  To look at him, you would never imagine that he had had brain surgery 10 days ago.  His neck is a little stiff, but improves every day.  It's getting to the point now where I think the boredom will be more of an issue.  This morning I had to tell him to get off of the play house that we have outside on the patio because he was perched on the roof of it.  (near heart attack for me!)  He is having a pretty good time playing lots of Wii and watching movies and eating a lot.  I don't know if it's the steroids or the going without food for several days in the hospital, but he is constantly hungry and if he doesn't eat he starts feeling sick.  So, I think he has it pretty good right now!  Poor guy had to go through a lot in the hospital, though, so we're letting him live it up now! 

Thanks for all your prayers and fasting.  I know that it has made a huge difference in this whole experience.  So many people have been praying for him and for us and we've felt it constantly.  it's pretty humbling.  And wonderful to feel so loved.  The gospel is wonderful.  Family is so amazing.  We've got a great family! 

Next, Benjamin Wooden. Benjamin is the son of Adam and Megan Wooden. Adam is my sister Kate’s (Monte) son.  Benjamin was born with a serious heart defect- I will quote from their reports on an internet site:

Our wonderful Benjamin was born on August 24th 2011. On September 12th, he was diagnosed with a Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) and Double Outlet Right Ventricle (DORV).

This site is the central location where Adam and I will post information about Ben's condition, surgery, and recovery. We appreciate any and all positive thoughts and prayers!

-Megan, Adam, & Benjamin

(My interjection-Ben had to wait several months until he was strong enough for the life saving surgery)

Ben's new heart, day 1

 

Posted Oct 28, 2011 1:32pm

Good morning everyone!  Ben had a good night, and is showing some of that Wooden/Gordon strength.  He still has the breathing tube in, but according to his nurse he hasn't been using it and has been breathing mostly on his own.  They expect that we can try to take the tube out this afternoon and see how he does. He is also doing well on lower doses of his pain meds and is completely off some of the other meds like epinephrine.  Megan and I got to hold his hand this morning even though he is still partially sedated, which was so nice.
Ben's room has a beautiful view of the golden gate bridge and the weather is mild and fog free.  We are finding all kinds of connections in San Francisco, from old classmates to friends of our parents.  Also, we found another Pennsylvania connection as his nurse is originally from Pottstown, PA. 
We will be in the ICU for another 3-4 days and then to a step down unit from there. We still don't have a firm grasp for date of discharge, but we are encouraged by his progress so far!!  
Thanks for all the prayers and messages!  
Team Ben

10 pounds and 14.4 ounces!

Posted Nov 18, 2011 12:06am

Wow! It has been more than two weeks since we were discharged and time has really flown by.

We were all exhausted when we finally got home. It took a while to adjust to the calm and quiet of home. Ben had a hard time falling asleep and staying asleep. He cried very easily and wanted to be held all day and all night. This made for some very long days but with all of grandmas and grandpas extra hands we were able to pass him around and keep him comfortable. Thankfully, about a week ago something changed and Ben began making his way back to his "usual" self. He is now sleeping a little deeper, a little longer, and a little more independently.

Ben had a weight check and his belated 2 month "well baby" visit with his pediatrician, Dr. Wilborn this week. She was thrilled with his progress. Ben weighed in at a shocking 10 pounds 14.4 ounces. This places him in the 11th percentile for weight which is a big improvement from when he was stuck in the 5th percentile range before surgery.

Ben has been off all pain medications for over a week. He hasn't vomited since his surgery and hasn't shown any signs of GERD so he no longer has to take Prilosec. He is still taking Lasix to keep the pressure off of his heart. We don't know if this will be a short term or a long term prescription. Ben has an echo and a cardiologist appointment next week so we'll find out more then.

Ben is quite the charmer! He smiles, he coos, and he loves sticking out his tongue. Although he was beginning to roll before surgery, he'll have to wait a few more weeks before we start practicing again. His vaccine schedule has been delayed two months too to give him extra time to heal. Next week he'll get his first Synagis shot which will give Ben antibodies to prevent him from getting respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). It is very common for babies to get RSV but it can be life threatening for babies who are already immuno-compromised. He'll get a Synagis shot each month until we are through the cold and flu season. Our biggest challenge will be to limit Ben's germ exposure and keep him healthy through the winter months.

As always, thank you for all of your prayers and positive thoughts! We appreciate you keeping our family in mind.

Posted Dec 23, 2011 7:58pm

On Tuesday, Ben got his second Synagis shot and weighed in at 13 pounds and 12 ounces! 

In two weeks Ben will be getting his first round of infant immunizations. That appointment is going to be a doozy because he really does not like shots (Can you blame him?). 

Two weeks from then, on January 17, we have a big important day of appointments. On that day then we'll have another echo, an appointment with his cardiologist, and his third Synagis injection. At these appointments we're going to be measuring the speed of the blood going through the repair in his heart and this will tell us whether we're in the clear or whether we need to do more work. 

In other news: Ben is now officially in size two diapers! He also rolled over for the first time by himself today! I can't believe that on Christmas Eve he'll be 4 months old. Ben enjoys rolling on the floor under the Christmas tree playing with the ribbons, bows, and shiny packages. He got a jumping activity center toy this week and is working on turning his world class kicking skills into jumping skills. He is sleeping for longer stretches at night -- 4+ hours and is taking two or three naps during the day. Ben smiles and makes eye contact with himself in the mirror and when video chatting with relatives. This week he began trying out some new and loud vocal octaves when he is playing with his toys. Ben continues to teethe but no teeth have broken through yet (it could be months away). He has much better control over his hands and can often be found chewing on them. Ben still gets lonely in his car seat and wants constant attention. However, he loves going outside. When we go on short walks down to the mailbox Ben is usually quiet and wide eyed and is trying to take it all in. 

We'll try to post some new pictures soon so that you can see him in his four month old Christmas cuteness glory!

And this last post 2 days later:

With our hearts full of thanks & happiness, we are enjoying watching our little man playing on the floor under the Christmas tree!

Thank you for all of your prayers! Merry Christmas

For all these reasons I am thankful for 2011 and all the blessings (miracles?) that happened in my life and in the lives of these two wonderful children in my family

 Steve

A BABY'S HUG

This story is in honor of my several nieces and nephews that have welcomed new babies into their lives in the past several months. I can't vouch for the being a true story, but it did occur around Christmas time. Grand

Steve

A Baby's Hug


We were the only family with children in the restaurant. I sat Erik in a
high chair and noticed everyone was quietly sitting and talking. Suddenly,
Erik squealed with glee and said, 'Hi.' He pounded his fat baby hands on the
high chair tray. His eyes were crinkled in laughter and his mouth was bared
in a toothless grin, as he wriggled and giggled with merriment.

 I looked around and saw the source of his merriment. It was a man whose
pants were baggy with a zipper at half-mast and his toes poked out of
would-be shoes. His shirt was dirty and his hair was uncombed and unwashed.
His whiskers were too short to be called a beard and his nose was so
varicose it looked like a road map.

We were too far from him to smell, but I was sure he smelled. His hands
waved and flapped on loose wrists. 'Hi there, baby; hi there, big boy. I see
ya, buster,' the man said to Erik.

My husband and I exchanged looks,  'What do we do?'

Erik continued to laugh and answer, 'Hi.'

 Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at us and then at the man.
The old geezer was creating a nuisance with my beautiful baby. Our meal came
and the man began shouting from across the room, 'Do ya patty cake? Do you
know peek-a-boo? Hey, look, he knows peek- a-boo.'

Nobody thought the old man was cute. He was obviously drunk.

My husband and I were embarrassed. We ate in silence; all except for Erik,
who was running through his repertoire for the admiring skid-row bum, who in
turn, reciprocated with his cute comments.

 We finally got through the meal and headed for the door. My husband went to
pay the check and told me to meet him in the parking lot. The old man sat
poised between me and the door. 'Lord, just let me out of here before he
speaks to me or Erik,' I prayed. As I drew closer to the man, I turned my
back trying to sidestep him and avoid any air he might be breathing. As I
did, Erik leaned over my arm, reaching with both arms in a baby's
pick-me-up' position. Before I could stop him, Erik had propelled himself
from my arms to the man..

Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby consummated their love
and kinship. Erik in an act of total trust, love, and submission laid his
tiny head upon the man's ragged shoulder. The man's eyes closed, and I saw
tears hover beneath his lashes. His aged hands full of grime, pain, and hard
labor, cradled my baby's bottom and stroked his back. No two beings have
ever loved so deeply for so short a time.

I stood awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms and his
eyes opened and set squarely on mine. He said in a firm commanding voice,
You take care of this baby.'

 Somehow I managed, 'I will,' from a throat that contained a stone.

He pried Erik from his chest, lovingly and longingly, as though he were in
pain. I received my baby, and the man said, 'God bless you, ma'am, you've
given me my Christmas gift.'

I said nothing more than a muttered thanks. With Erik in my arms, I ran for
the car. My husband was wondering why I was crying and holding Erik so
tightly, and why I was saying,  'My God, my God, forgive me.'

I had just witnessed Christ's love shown through the innocence of a tiny
child who saw no sin, who made no judgment; a child who saw a soul, and a
mother who saw a suit of clothes. I was a Christian who was blind, holding a
child who was not. I felt it was God asking, 'Are you willing to share your
son for a moment?' when He shared His for all eternity.  How did God feel
when he put his baby in our arms 2000 years ago.

The ragged old man, unwittingly, had reminded me, 'To enter the Kingdom of
God, we must become as little children.'

"Raggedy Ann Doll" A Personal Christmas Story

Raggedy Ann

This story occurred in Munising, Michigan in about 1958. My sister, Kathleen (Katie) was about 4 years old at the time, and I was 12. That year for Christmas Kate wanted a Raggedy Ann doll from Santa Claus. She had read about Raggedy Ann in a story book or something and it captured her imagination. There was nothing else she wanted for Christmas that year. A Raggedy Ann doll was her entire list.

Unfortunately, that year there weren’t any such dolls to be had in the stores where we lived (Munising was a town of about 4000 with only one department store. My mother drove forty miles to Marquette, Michigan, a larger town of about 40,000 people, where there more shopping choices. No Raggedy Anne dolls were to be found there. As Christmas grew closer, panic began to set in. We all tried to convince Kate that there were much better dolls to be had….more expensive and fancier dolls than a plain old Raggedy Ann. They had dolls that would wet their pants (go figure), dolls that would cry, and dolls that would close their eyes when you laid them down…. No takers, because Kate would not change her mind. Only Raggedy Ann would do.

In desperation, my Mother called the large department stores in Milwaukee and Chicago- Macy’s, Gimbles and such. They didn’t have Raggedy Anne dolls for sale in 1958 either. So Christmas Eve came with no apparent solution to our family’s quandary. That night after the “little kids” (Kate and Mary) went to bed with “sugar plums dancing in their heads”. My Mother, Mike, Chris (the older kids), and I stayed up into the night and made a Raggedy Anne doll. My Mother would sew the little cloth legs on her sewing machine, and we kids would stuff them with old nylon stockings. We cut some red yarn to fasten on the head for hair, and sewed buttons on the head for eyes. We were all worried that Kate would detect our amateur work and somehow be disappointed.

The next morning, we were all “hyped up” in anticipation as Kate came out to the Christmas tree.  I will never forget the look on her face.  She was so excited and happy to get her Raggedy Ann doll that she didn’t even notice the lumpy arms and legs, or the imperfect hair. I think that Christmas was the first time in my relatively young life that I actually thought more about giving than receiving.

I now reflect on the wonderful gift that our Mother had given to her three older children that year. Certainly not the personal presents our parents had given to us, because I don’t have a clue what any of us got that year, but it occurred to me many years later that Mother really didn’t need our help in making that doll on that late Christmas Eve so many years ago.

Christmas Mistake

I didn't write this story, but it is a nice story with a good ending and a good way to start out a December post on my blog.

Christmas Mistake

Each December, I vowed to make Christmas a calm and peaceful experience. I had cut back on nonessential obligations - extensive card writing, endless baking, decorating, and even overspending. Yet still, I found myself exhausted, unable to appreciate the precious family moments, and of course, the true meaning of Christmas.



My son, Nicholas, was in kindergarten that year. It was an exciting season for a six year old. For weeks, he'd been memorizing songs for his school's "Winter Pageant."


I didn't have the heart to tell him I'd be working the night of the production. Unwilling to miss his shining moment, I spoke with his teacher. She assured me there'd be a dress rehearsal the morning of the presentation. All parents unable to attend that evening were welcome to come then.


Fortunately, Nicholas seemed happy with the compromise. So, the morning of the dress rehearsal, I filed in ten minutes early, found a spot on the cafeteria floor and sat down.  Around the room, I saw several other parents quietly scampering to their seats. As I waited, the students were led into the room. Each class, accompanied by their teacher, sat cross-legged on the floor. Then, each group, one by one, rose to perform their song.


Because the public school system had long stopped referring to the holiday as "Christmas," I didn't expect anything other than fun, commercial entertainment - songs of reindeer, Santa Claus, snowflakes and good cheer. So, when my son's class rose to sing, "Christmas Love," I was slightly taken aback by its bold title. Nicholas was aglow, as were all of his classmates, adorned in fuzzy mittens, red sweaters, and bright snowcaps upon their heads. Those in the front row- center stage - held up large letters, one by one, to spell out the title of the song.


As the class would sing "C is for Christmas," a child would hold up the letter C. Then, "H is for Happy," and on and on, until each child holding up his portion had presented the complete message, "Christmas Love." The performance was going smoothly, until suddenly, we noticed her; a small, quiet, girl in the front row holding the letter "M" upside down - totally unaware her letter "M" appeared as a "W".


The audience of 1st through 6th graders snickered at this little one's mistake, but she had no idea they were laughing at her, so she stood tall, proudly holding her "W".


Although many teachers tried to shush the children, the laughter continued until the last letter was raised, and we all saw it together. A hush came over the audience and eyes began to widen. In that instant, we understood - the reason we were there, why we celebrated the holiday in the first place, why even in the chaos, there was a purpose for our festivities.


For when the last letter was held high, the message read loud and clear: "CHRISTWAS LOVE"

What Can We Learn From Animals?

I received this in an email from my friend Martha Hokanson. She liked it and so do I. It has a good message for us all at Christmas time.

THE BUZZARD:
If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8
feet and is entirely open at the top, the
bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will
be an absolute prisoner. The reason is
that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground
with a Run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space
to run, as is its habit, It will not even
attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner
for life in a small jail with no top.

THE BAT:
The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a
remarkable nimble creature in the air,
cannot take off from a level place.
If it is placed on the floor or flat
ground, all it can do is shuffle about
helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it
reaches some slight elevation from which it can
throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it
takes off like a flash.

THE BUMBLEBEE:
A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will
be there until it dies, unless it is taken out.
It never sees the means of escape at the
top, but persists in trying to find some way out
through the sides near the bottom... It
will seek a way where none exists, until it
completely destroys itself..

PEOPLE:
In many ways, we are like the buzzard, the bat, and
the bumblebee. We struggle about with all our
problems and frustrations, never realizing that
all we have to do is look up! That's the
Answer, the escape route and the solution to any problem! Just look up.

Sorrow looks back, Worry looks around, But faith looks up!

Trust in God who loves us

Then my son Jeremy sent me a link to a talk by Elder Cook at the October conference that makes the same point:

http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/10/it-is-better-to-look-up?lang=eng