Sunday Update

Brittany is back from her mission trip. She had a wonderful time and was very blessed by the experience. She wants to go back next year and, when she turns 15, become an intern for 2 months. She is even talking about going back for 2 years when she is in college. I am hoping to go with her next year, if all goes well. She turns 12 in about 10 days. Hard to imagine. In many ways she seems much older and in other ways I can't believe the time has gone by so fast. She is truly a delight.

Kaedra is still struggling. She is lethargic every day for about 3-4 hours. We don't know what is causing it. She has not had oxycodone for long enough for it to be out of her system now. Please keep her in your prayers. Her tummy has also never gotten better so we are still dealing with small, frequent feedings.

We decided to get rid of all of our animals. (okay, we were going to keep the fish) There are many reasons, but mostly because of the level of cleanliness I would like to keep the house with Kaedra in it. We had a homeschool friend take Madison (Brittany's dog whom we've had for 7 years), we sold Shooky Doo (Michael's boston terrier) and another homeschool friend took Zoegirl (my Maine Coon cat). It has been a rough week. Lots of tears. Then the friend that took Madison was unable to keep her because her dog and our dog were not getting along. She gave Maddi back. My parents said they would take her and then changed their mind. Michael said he could not go through giving her up again. I didn't want to give her to someone we didn't know. (and I couldn't find anyone who wanted her anyway!) I felt backed in a corner. Sooo we are keeping Madison and getting her some pretty intense (and expensive) training.

To be candid, I feel a bit over my head in everything right now. (We have had a lot of other things happen too, too many to name here and I don't want to seem as if I am complaining) It is a good thing God asked me to put blogging aside when He did, because I need every moment of my day for other things right now. I keep hearing from people "I don't know how you do it all." I have gotten to the point where 1. I don't know either and 2. I am not really getting it all done. I could use some prayer as well. I don't want to be out of faith. I just need an Aaron and a Hur to hold my arms up for awhile, as I am growing weary. The Bible says "do not grow weary in well doing" so I will not do that. And I know the victory is not by might and not by power but by His Spirit. I know these things. I am just struggling to walk them out. It is hard for me to be open with most people, so I will do it here.

update

Kaedra is doing better. She is still a little lethargic, but we think it is related to her being on oxycodone and perhaps some pain. Thank you to everyone who is praying for her.

update

Kaedra came through the surgery on the wings of all the prayers she received. She has had no repercussions from the surgery. She did not have to go back on the ventilator and her oxygen has actually been decreased. We were let out of the hospital Saturday afternoon (a full three days early from their original statement) because she was doing so well! We got home Saturday night and let her take it easy yesterday. She seems in a little pain, but that would be understandable.

We are a little concerned because she is lethargic this morning. We are going to go up to St. John’s in a little to run some blood work to make sure she is ventilating okay. Please pray that everything comes out well with that.

Thank you!

Update

Hey this is Sherria. Kahri asked me to update her blog for her.

Kaedra went into surgery Thursday and they removed one of her titanium ribs. Everything went great! There was a possibility of Kaedra needing to go back on the vent after removing the rib but by the time Kahri and I saw her in the PICU she was already off of the vent!!! Hallelujah! A few hours after the surgery Kaedy was up and playing just like her normal self and never really acted like she was in any pain. Michael is going up to Kansas City tonight and they will all be coming home tomorrow!!! Thank you for all the prayers! I know Michael and Kahri really appreciate it.

Quick update

Kaedra is having surgery to remove one of the titanium rods in between 1030-1100am central time. Please keep her in your prayers especially for no reduction of her lung capacity or function, no need for the vent and quick recovery from both the surgery and the wound.

Will write more later.

For some reason I can't do titles.

Anyway, Betcha didn't think I would be back this soon...or maybe you did.

Kaedra's wound isn't doing good. In fact, her titanium rib is exposed. I can see right into her body. Not a part of Kaedra I want to see.

Kansas City wants us up there in the morning. Emily is going to stay down here this time. (Brittany, of course, is on her mission trip) Sherria is taking some time off work to go up there with me and help with Ethan and Kaedy (and me). She will have to be back by Monday, though. Someone will come get her and bring her home on Sunday. Michael has no more days off so he will be home working. Am I making any sense?

Anyway, she is slated for surgery on Thursday. They are talking about taking the rib out. We talked to San Antonio (for a second opinion) and they said the same thing.

Here are our prayer needs:
1. for the doctor's to have supernatural wisdom about this.
2. that they DONT have to take out the rib
3. if they do take out the rib, that her chest wall does not collapse.
4. on those same lines, we don't want her to go back on to the vent or oxygen.
5. that we can come home soon! FULLY HEALED!

Thank you!!

There's a sad sort of clanging from the clock in the hall
And the bells in the steeple too.
And up in the nursery an absurd little bird
Is popping out to say cook-coo cook-coo, cook-coo
Regretfully they tell us cook-coo
But firmly they compel us cook-coo
To say goodbye cook-coo...
To you...

So long farewell, auf weidersehen good-bye
I hate to go and leave this pretty sight

So long farewell, auf weidersehen adieu
Adieu, adieu, to you and you and you

So long farewell, au revior auf weidersehen
I'd like to stay and taste my first champagne
Yes?
No

So long farewell, auf weidersehen goodnight
I leave and heave a sigh and say good bye - goodbyyyyyyeeeee!

I'm glad... to go.... I cannot tell a lie
I fleet, I float, I fleetly flee I fly...

The sun... has gone... to bed and so must I...

So long...farewell...auf weidersehen goodbye...
Goodbye...
Goodbye....
Goodbye....
Goodbye...

I am leaving the blogging world for the time being. I am not even sure I am coming back. Although I would like to take down my blog, to get rid of any temptation or guilt, I feel like I need to leave it up to let people see Kaedra's story and to give them hope. Therefore, the page will still be here, just don't expect any updates. If I happen to have a moment or two, I will update it, but I am not setting aside any time for blogging at all. I am also not reading blogs.

There is more to this story that I planned to write, but it is late and I need to go to sleep. The main thing is....priorities. I can spend an hour (or more) on the computer, or I can spend that same hour with my children or being a helpmeet to my husband. I think it is a no-brainer. This is just not my season in life for a blog.

If you'd like to stay in touch, please email me using the link on the left.

Many Blessings,

Kahri

Week's happenings

1. Kaedra is still not tolerating feedings. We have her up to 120cc every two hours at the moment. She got some kind of bug this week and has had a high fever since Friday morning. Because of the picc line, we had to take her in for bloodwork on Friday afternoon. She hasn't been feeling good, this time around. She is back on oxygen as well.

2. Brittany is in Mexico for her mission trip. She called twice on the way down and I will talk to her again this Friday. I can't wait.

3. Emily is learning to tie her shoes and is going further with reading. She is also becoming a great little helper for mommy.


4. Ethan has been fussy this week. Not really sure why. I think he may have had the same bug that Kaedy has. He has also wanted to nurse ALL night, so maybe he is having a growth spurt.

5. Our fourth of July celebration at church was awesome. It was a ton of fun! Sherria and I participated in a three-legged race and potato sack races. Although we didn't win either, we had lots of fun.

6. Michael had a meeting with his boss and it went very well. :-) Thank you for your prayers.

7. I haven't gotten anything done. Amazing how two weeks have gone by and I still have nothing to show for it. I guess I must be busier than I thought. :-)

goings on this week

Thought I'd check in quickly and let ya'll know how things are going here in our Peculiar Life....

1. It has rained for days. And days. And days. Flooding conditions all over the area. We began an ark. Then we remembered God's promise. ;-) (Genesis 9:14-15)


....an appropriate song....

2. We went to the Oklahoma Aquarium on Saturday. The kids were blessed by a group check for their birthdays and they (at least the older two) decided to get an aquarium pass. We hadn't been there for years and Michael had never been there, so it was a fun family outing. Guess we'll be going there more often, now that we have a pass!

3. Brittany officially finished 6th grade and is off for summer break. We don't usually have a long summer break, so this is new for us. :-)

3. Brittany is leaving for her Mission trip on Friday. She will be gone 10 days. The mission trip is located in Nuevo Laredo. They will also be going to San Antonio for some fun and shopping on the way home. She has learned so much Spanish in 10 weeks including the Prayer of Salvation. I am so proud of her! She is the youngest one going and she was the first to learn the prayer. :-)

4. Our church is having a big 4th of July Celebration. We are really excited! We have made some new friends there, too, and we are looking forward to getting to know them better. We have been praying to find friends at church for quite awhile. Isn't it nice that God even answers those kinds of prayers? We are also praying for Brittany and Emily to find at least one good friend each.

5. We met the Tulsa Infectious Disease Doc on Tuesday. He took her off of the 24 hour penicillin (HALLELUJAH!) and put her on Merrem 3 times a day for 40 minutes each time. That is so much easier! The rest of her time we can have her picc line bandaged up so she doesn't trip over it all the time and get it caught in everything. He is working with the insurance company to try to get them to approve an oral antibiotic. The oral one is $1000 for 10 days so it is usually a last resort. However, he says that if the insurance company adds up the IV therapy and all the people involved in that, it probably costs the same. Also, he said with a child as active as Kaedy, having a Picc line has more risks and the oral antibiotic would definitely be preferable. He plans on having her on the antibiotics until the end of August/beginning of September.

6. Kaedy's tummy has not been doing good. We had to quit her regular feeds (which are thick) and give her just pediasure (which is thin). It got so bad that we were feeding her 30cc every half hour around the clock(a very small amount..her usual food is about 300cc every 4 hours), just so her tummy would take it. We gradually got the 30cc closer and closer together so then we were able to give her 60cc every hour. Now I am working on getting the 60cc closer together so we can get to 120 cc every 2 hours. Eventually we need to get back up to her normal amount and add in her normal food, too. Please pray for that for us. Her tummy is hurting and she doesn't want the feeds at all. On top of that, it is a little bit challenging, feeding her so often 24 hours a day! For those of you who asked, she is on acidopholus and it may be helping, it is hard to tell.

7. Ethan is growing, growing, growing. He is a joy to be around. Very happy little guy. :-)

look how long he is!

8. Emily is excited. She has a few secret projects that she is going to work on while Brittany is gone so she can surprise her when she gets back. I am hoping this will make the time go by quicker! I can't tell you what they are yet, at least until Britty leaves on her trip.

9. I am doing well being off the computer. Unfortunately I didn't get as much done this week as I would have liked. Even with being off of the computer, we were very busy with doctor's appointments, Kaedra's feeds, finishing up school, and Michael's bigwigs. Hopefully this week will go better. I am not planning on returning to the blogging world anytime soon. I am reading blogs here and there and I will post now and then but I am concentrating on keeping my eyes off the computer and on Him. The hardest part is getting the mindset off of blogging. Once I did that, I have had it easier. I am learning how to stop "blogging in my head" and I am using that time to concentrate on praying. It is a struggle. But one with a huge reward. I have already had some amazing things happen this week. God is such an awesome God.

Hope you all are well!!

Receiving a multitude of Blessings and expecting nothing less than a miracle,
Kahri