Halloween (Yeah..its a bit late)

Ok, so I'm very late with the Halloween post...but here it is, I guess better late than never!

 Look at Addison's finger..Grandma gave her a green pointy finger!  She was quite fascinated!

 Jack..too cool!!

 My kids with my brother's kiddos!  (AKA: cousins)

 Just the pretty little girls

 Angie with baby Owen...trying to convince him to wear his hat.

 Success!!!!

All the cousins on Mark's side!

Valerie...day 3

Valerie is on day #3 in the hospital.  Here where things stand.

Praises: 

·         Her memory is intact; she remembers everything up to the time she blacked out. 

·         She can eat & drink

·         She can sit up.

·         She can talk.

·         She has full function of her arms.

·         She was able to get out of bed, use the restroom & even sit in a chair (Odd praise, but a really big deal!)

·         The doctor is very, very pleased with her progress.
·         She is concerned about her looks, hair, makeup, where her phone is…and is really ready to leave the hospital.  Which shows her personality is still intact.

Prayer requests:

·         That she will start eating

·         The pain will lessen (she is in so much pain)

·         That she will stop throwing up and be able to stomach the medications

·         That her aneurysm would not leak blood again. (very dangerous and very real risk)

·         That she wouldn’t have any more swelling on the brain.

·         She won’t have a seizure or stroke (both huge possibilities still)

·         That her blood pressure would stop sky-rocketing

·         That she would know God personally as her tender Father each day, and grow to love him dearly despite the horrible circumstances

BIG prayer:  She is at very high risk of stroke right now.  She can't have any mental stimulation at all.  She isn't even allowed to look at magazines or have visitors.  Pray she gets through this!

Psalm 17:6a

I have called upon You, for You will answer me, O God; Incline Your ear to me,

  

Miracles

Admittedly I know little about brain aneurysms. I tend to get overwhelmed when doctors told to me so I know very little, but here's what I do know: there different stages of aneurysms: Stage I, being the least severe and stage VI being most severe causing death. Valerie has a stage V aneurysm. It was leaking blood into her cranium, which caused her to pass out and lapse into a comma. The doctor said she's lucky to have made it to hospital alive. That's the first miracle.

The emergency room staff was able to stabilize her and she lived through the first twelve hours. Miracle #2.

After being stabilized, she underwent a procedure called an aneurysm coiling. This is procedure where tiny platinum coils are threaded through a microcatheter and pushed into the aneurysm. The coils are flexible enough to conform to the aneurysm shape thus stopping the bulge from filling with blood. The risks of this procedure are: Weakness or paralysis of an arm or a leg, difficulty with speech or understanding, vision impairment, confusion, memory loss and/or seizures. None of these things happened, even though she was very fragile and still in critical condition: Miracle #3.

Then, Monday afternoon, She woke up. Miracle #4.

After waking, she talked, knew people, could remember pretty much everything but recent events. Miracle #5.

Now, I know she is not out of the woods. I know Valerie is very fragile and still has SO many hurdles to overcome. She is still at risk for seizure, swelling, so so much…its kind of overwhelming. I've also heard the neurologist talk about mortality rates etc… so I know the risks are real. But I also know that God is in complete control. Valerie is His child and the odds don't matter, because He doesn't base His sovereign decisions on odds or data. I know God is good. I rest in His care. He created Valerie, He's written every page of her life story, and she is resting in the palm of his hand.

Please keep praying. She needs so much prayer. There is still so much to overcome, but God hears our prayers and the prayers of his people avail much.

Psalm 5:1-3
Listen to my words, LORD,
consider my lament.
² Hear my cry for help,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.

³ In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait expectantly.

Pray For Val

My best friend is Valerie. I've known her since I was nine. We've been through pretty much everything together. I just went her for lunch last Monday…we talked for two hours. We went to prayer meeting together Tuesday, and were starting a Bible study (once our books came in), and were planning to go out of town next weekend. Early Sunday morning she had a brain aneurysm and was rushed to hospital unconscious. She is now in a coma in the nuero critical care unit. She is in very, very serious condition. She has two daughters; 15 & 8. She is only 37. I'm heartbroken and really don't have any words. Please pray for her. Pray for her daughters.  Pray for her parents.  Just pray.