Update on Matthew

Things are still bad for Matthew. He did make it through the night last night, but his lungs are worse today, and he is so medicated that he thinks he is better and going home soon. I know this is so very hard on his mom. Please continue the prayers for healing and comfort for hims, and strength and comfort for his family.
God Bless the Litchfield family! Please!
Judy

My friend is having a hard time.

Please, if you read this, say a prayer for Matthew and his mom. The doctors are worried now, and he has been vomiting blood, has fluid around his lungs, and is just a step from going to PICU. The doctors have even said that it is one day at a time, and that he wouldn't survive his transplant that he needs, I don't know the whole story, but I do know that things are not looking good right now. So please pray that God heals this young man here on earth so that his mom doesn't have to feel like I do. It is so hard surviving the death of a child, it is a fate I wouldn't wish on any woman. Today is a really yucky day, worrying about him, and remembering that feeling of the worse fear, and the hard decisions, and just being at a total loss of what to do and how to be, and wondering how to handle every minute of the day. It just isn't right for a mom to have to give up her child in such a hard battle like FA, or Cancer or any other illness that can take the life of the ones we cherish. FA sucks, Cancer sucks and I pray that one day the doctors will find the way to save all of our loved ones that deal with these issues.
May God bless us all,
And comfort those who need it,
Judy

Praise the Lord!

Hello my friends, just a little post with good news! The boy that I spoke about a couple posts ago has had an improvement! His counts have finally started coming up, not much but a little. I read his post at his site , and his mom's post tells all. Just wanted to let you know that the Lord has answered more prayers!
Thank You Lord!
Judy

Well, yesterday was John's birthday. He would have been 13 years old, had he made it through transplant. The day went okay, good moments and bad, but we had a cake last night at supper and wished him a happy birthday in heaven. And of course we think of him always, but especially last night when we all were laughing, and thinking how John must be just rolling on the clouds laughing at us. He had such a good sense of humor. Yes, I am missing him a lot today. But he is in a much better place, and I know that. I just can't help but be lonely without him sometimes since I spent so much time just taking care of him. Sometimes I just don't know what to do with myself without him and his medical things to deal with. So what do I do to try to make it easier? I stay busy! Between my mom, a friend named Dinah, and myself, we have completed 110 bookmarks for our Ladies Day at Church , and I gave them to the ministers wife yesterday so that nobody had to worry about that any more. I have been asked to make one for a friend of mine and will do that later today. Other than that, I am printing pictures for a new picture frame my loving husband gave to me, and also crocheting angel Christmas ornaments. So basically, besides housework, I craft a lot and do things for my family and friends. So, now you know how I deal with some of the issues that I have since loosing my son. So that about does it for now, until next time, may God bless you all.
Judy

Feeling a little better, but still having problems with drainage in my throat, and having to cough and such to try to get it up and out. But I am well enough to get back some of my routine. I do have a request, a Vandi Friend of mine from when John was having his treatment is really having a hard time. His name is Matthew Litchfield, he is 14 or 15 now, I think 15, about the same age as my B.J., and he is really struggling. He has a caringbridge page, http://caringbridge.org/visit/matthewlitchfield ,and if you would please go by, read about him, and leave a post to lift both his mom and him up a little. He loves getting cards as well, and if you go to Vanderbilt Children's web site, http://vanderbiltchildrens.com/ you can send him an e-card, and the hospital will print it off and get it to his room, 6301. After you get to the main vanderbilt children's page, go to family resources link, then to send a patient an e-card. But what would be the best thing we can do, is pray for him and his family. I know his mom, Tricia, is really tired and worried, and frantic, I have been there myself. They are very sweet people, caring and funny, and they need our prayers, and God's help with Matthews health. So, all my blog friends and prayer warriors out there, please, lift this family up to our great Father in Heaven, for healing, comfort and strength for the treatments they are going through and will be going through.
Until Next time,
May God Bless you all
with his many blessings,
Judy
P.S. If the caringbridge link doesn't work, please go to the main caringbridge site and then type his name in without spaces where it asks for site name.

Still fighting the sickies, yuck!

Well, I am still fighting off whatever this is. I had an asthma attack Saturday night, went to the clinic, got 2 breathing treatments and 2 shots, and was told that if I didn't feel better to go back yesterday, so I did. They did an x-ray of my chest, and took blood for thyroid check, and gave me a rocephin shot. Now I feel like it is starting all over again in my sinuses. AAH! I am so tired of being sick, and just plain tired as well. I guess that is about it for now. I am just to tired to think of anything else to say.
God Bless,
Judy

The sickies hit me again

AAH! I am so tired of allergies, ear aches, and sore throats!!! I have been down with it pretty bad this time, but not enough to have any fevers, or go to the doctors. My ears have been clogged up pretty bad though, enough that if I turn my head to fast I get really nauseated. I have been in bed pretty much since Wednesday. Today has been some better, thank the Lord. One ear seems more clear, the other is still feeling clogged, but I feel more drainage in my throat so maybe by tomorrow I will be feeling even better. Praying so anyway. Other than that not much is happening here. OH yeah, some good news! B.J. got her progress report. She is in the 9TH grade this year and was worried about some of her grades, but (drum roll please) her grades were 98, 98, 98, and 99!!!!!!! YEAH!!!!!!!!!! (can't tell I am a proud mom can you?) So I guess that is about it.
God Bless,
Judy

Hello all

Well, hello again! Things are okay here, thankfully we just got some much needed rain and some wind from the left overs of Hurricane Ike. The wind was up quite a bit, but not bad enough for any real damage. The weekend went pretty good. I had 2 baby showers to go to, and I enjoyed them a lot. I had knit baby afghans for them both, as well as another one that hasn't had her shower yet. The afghans have been done for a few months now, thankfully, since there were 3 to be made about the same time. Now I get to wait until sometime in October to find out what my step-son's baby is going to be, boy or girl, then I will make one for him and his girlfriends baby too. I like to try to find out the sex of the child so that I can decide which color to make it in.

Other than that I just had 2 girls over with B.J. for the whole weekend. It was really trying this time, they didn't want to mind or pick up after themselves, so my husband and I had to fuss at them a few times. By yesterday, B.J. was giving me the silent treatment, and so it was quite for most of the day yesterday after the visiters went home. Then she got over it and was talking to me again. Sometimes I just have to be a big meany I guess!!!!

Well, that is about it I guess. I haven't been in the best of moods lately, so there isn't to much to say. I know why I have felt so bad, there were a couple of deaths in my church family, but I just couldn't get myself to go to the funerals. It was just to emotional, then I felt guilty for not being there for my friends. It all started of course with the beginning of September, John's birth month. He would have been 13 on the 25TH of this month, and I am missing him something fierce. I stay in a teary state quite a bit, but I am just trying to deal with it and go on with life as I know he would want me to. It is just very hard. But I will get through this. I am trying to keep busy, right now I am helping make some bookmarks for our Ladies Day event at Church, which is on November the 8TH. The theme is Hawiian, and my mom found a pretty Pineapple Crochet bookmark pattern and that is what we are using. She has already made 80 of the 110 that we need, so I told her to take a break and a friend of mine and I am making the rest. I have made about 14 so far, and my friend was working on her 6TH when I talked to her, so we have about 10 more to do. When we get them done, some of the other ladies at the church will add the ribbons to them. Here is what they look like:

Sorry if it looks a little blurry, it is a little hard to get the picture of a book mark that is only about 3 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide. I don't have a very steady hand right now either. But at least you can get an idea of what they look like. They are in various colors, and the ribbon will go at the bottom, where the space in the middle is. I think they are going to get white and cream colored ribbon. Cool, don't you think? Well I guess I did have a little more to say, HA!

Until next time then, May God Bless and Keep you all.

Judy

Just my thoughts

Hello all, things are good here. I have a good handle on my allergies now as well as my asthma, so things are okay.

I would like all of you to go to a friends site, http://www.myspecialks.com/, she has a great slide show tribute to kids, families, doctors, nurses and care partners of Vanderbilt Children's 6a, where John was during his transplant and treatment. John may not have had cancer, but he had treatment a lot like the kids that do. As it was Childhood Cancer Awareness Day on the 13Th, we should all ask our self what we can do to raise awareness, and help find a cure for not just cancer, but all childhood and adult illnesses that take so many of our loved ones from us. John had FA, Fanconi Anemia, which caused his bone marrow to fail, thus the transplant. And there are many more out there still fighting FA, some in treatment, some have survived the transplant procedure and are doing well, but have to be so vigilant watching for cancers, because people with FA tend to have a bigger risk of getting cancers of different types. So, even though I can't become a bone marrow donor, I have tried, that doesn't mean that you can't, so if possible go and sign up and help someone out there who needs a second chance at life through Bone Marrow Transplant. But I think another thing we can do is pray for all the kids and families that are going through these battles in their lives. Prayer is free, and very powerful. May God Bless you all,
Judy

Hello all. Sorry about the lack of posts but I haven't had to much to post lately. I am still trying to fight of the sinus crude, and asthma flare ups, and still feel weak most of the time, but I am dealing with it and hopefully it will go away soon. I am crocheting some, and playing online, but other than church, and grocery shopping, just mainly staying home and saving gas and money. I have about 30 weeks or so until Lads to Leaders/leaderettes and I am trying to save the money it will cost for B.J. and my room. It will cost approximately 500 dollars plus spending money, so I am starting early. So running around and spending money is definitely not something I can do to much of. It was bad enough before I had to save for our trip, but now it is even harder. Of course that is how it is with almost everyone right now, but God will provide for what we need, and I have faith that I can do this with His help.

B. J. is a little sick too, she is fighting off the same stuff that I am, sinuses and asthma. She also has a sore throat. If she doesn't get any better in the next day or two I will take us both to the doctor. She is adjusting to High School pretty well, and seems to be doing okay.

Becky is doing well, and has her first full week of Cosmetology under her belt. We went Friday to get her supplies that are not included in her stuff she got when she started, and we had a good time. It was Mom, Becky and I that went and it was a good "Women's day out", so to speak.

Well, it is getting late, and I am about to go to bed, so I will close for now. Until next time, May God Bless you all,
Judy