Wow!! I can't believe this year has come and gone. It has been a rough one for us but a learning experience as well. It has been a while since I blogged so I need to fill everyone in on this past year.
On April 5 we celebrated Kiyahs 1st birthday. It was a sock monkey party. Lots of fun, family and friends.
In May, Marty and I flew out to San Francisco, California and spent the week there with Rand and Susan Falbaum at a DirectBuy conference. We toured Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley and the big city. Tasted lots of wine and ate lots of great food. The boys enjoyed the week with MiMi and Pappy. This was our first long trip away from both of them. We also celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary while we were there.
On July 30 Marty had a stroke. This was a very scary and long day in our life. Marty was at work and began to feel weird so he stood up to get help from someone and he began to collapse. Loosing all of his right side. He became paralyzed. They rushed him to the ER and of course called me. I had just left NCC vacation bible school so I had both the boys and thankfully MiMi was with us. We had just ordered our food at Canes on youree drive when I got the call from LeighAnn. It scared me. I had no idea what to expect at the hospital.
As I entered the room I saw Marty. His face was drooped and he had absolutely no feeling on his right side. He was completely conscious and fully aware of his surroundings so I knew that mentally he was gonna be fine. Crazy but my first thought was, Lord, please let him be able to pray with his kids! I didn't care about the right side issue. That is something we could work thru.
After several calls and many miracles, Marty got rushed to LSU Medical were Dr. Nanda performed a surgery that inserted PTA directly at the site of the stroke. Miracles were performed every second of this day.
The next day Marty began to move his right thumb. Each day something new would come back. On Friday of that week Marty was transferred to WKNorth to the rehab facility. He stayed there for 3 weeks. Today, Marty is doing excellent. He is about 75% back to normal. He is back to work and driving as well.
The boys were amazing thru this whole process. I recall a day that I knew our Kaegan was a God Send. It was Wednesday of the week Marty began therapy at WK. He had a rough day, he could not turn over a quarter and it was difficult. Depressing started setting in and the whys were being questioned. That evening, Kyle Swain stayed with Marty at the hospital and I was home with the kids. I recall putting Kiyah to bed and then walking to my room and feeling so much weight on my shoulders. Crying out quietly to myself I asked how can I do this, why us and please give me strength. I was looking at myself in the mirror telling myself that I can do this. While Pep talking myself Kaegan came in and wrapped his arms around me. He said, "Momma, we are gonna be ok. You can cry if you want to and it doesn't have to be the fake ones." So, yes, I balled my eyes out with my big man holding on the me. After a few minutes he said, "Momma, Lets pray." I walked over to the bed and he said, "Get on your knees. Daddy says God likes it that way." Kaegan prayed the sweetest prayer. I honestly don't recall much because I was praising God during the whole thing. I knew at that moment that everything was gonna be alright. I told God later that evening that I appreciated him caring thru this as well as the issues in the past but that I was tired. I pictured in my mind Him carrying me cradled in His arms as we all do. This night I requested that He put me down so that I could jump on His back. Atleast on His back He is always in the front. When He is cradling me I am still in front and I have a tendency to get in the way. Now I am on the piggy back ride of my life. I am loving every minute of it.
The stroke we have overcome and are prepared for the road ahead. We will Glorify God daily and praise him for everything. He is the Almighty creator and healer.
We just celebrated the life of GeeGee. She just passed away this month and she greatly missed. She was an incredible woman who loved her husband, God, family and people. They had an incredible life together filled with travel and fun. The only continent they did not visit was Antarctica.
We just celebrated Christmas! This year Kaegan got from santa under armor clothes, an ipad mini and a pingpong table. We got him bunk beds. Kiyah got blocks and whale teeter totter. It was fun watching them open gifts this year. We ate lunch at Mimi and pappy's. Beverly and Kurt joined us. Kaegan and pappy shot Kaegans bb gun all afternoon. He had a blast.
That is a quick summary of the past few months. With the new year coming I am planning on doing a better job of keeping this blog. I will do my best.
