Sunday, March 17, 2013

Day 31, The weekend

So nice to be back here with the family. The kids continue to be doing great. I have noticed the longer I am away from the clan, the more that little demon on my shoulder keeps saying, :"What if?" I keep flicking that bugger off, but the longer I am away the more he creeps back.

But that's not what I want to share.  We really have had a nice 36 hours.  Last night was the big RMH  dinner and fund raiser, called 'Denim to Diamonds'.  We were invited to bring our family and share our experience. Stacy got the kids dressed in their finest and we headed out to a Mountain View banquet center. We ate dinner (skipped the wine, sorry) and listened to the program, then around 9:30 we went up to the stage; all 7 of us. It was a pretty humbling experience.  I first introduced our family, where we were from, and how it all started. I then talked about Sierra and how grateful we were for the RMH and the support given.  We also recognized Dr Bernstein who was there at the event. He is one of the heart failure doctors we have ton of respect for.  He has been our doctor since the Sierra days. After I talked for a few minutes Stacy talked about Lindsey's story. How we found out, her days on the Berlin, raising a family on 3 West, the 'call', 'I did it...I did it', and how she is doing now. We both then shared our feelings about how the RMH has helped us manage our family in a very stressful situation. The kids did great.  Hunter even stood still. Gage did wander around a bit, and hid behind us a few times, but it was cute.  It was a great experience for our family to be involved in.

This morning we had another treat. Dr Katz Meada, Lindsey and Gage's surgeon, invited us to his house for pinnini (grilled sandwiches). He and his wife Mayumi, and their two daughters Eri (8) and Emy (5) live just over the bike bridge in Menlo Park. He is only 10 minutes away from the hospital by foot. It was a very very nice visit. All the kids had a good time.

From there we went straight to church then over to the Gee's for a St Patrick's day dinner. Bruce made corned beef and cabbage. It was another really enjoyable time. All the kids had fun on the trampoline and we had good visit with Jane, Bruce, and Barbara.

By then, Lindsey had had it! It was time to go home and wrap things up.  Of course the kids can't just go home and get ready for bed. Oh no, Hunter and Gage have to fight it all the way, but they are down now.  Stacy is finishing a mountain of medications and is prepping for the week.  This week Lindsey has biopsy tomorrow (Monday), Megan has basketball games, and a bunch of other stuff that I don't know but Stacy does. I have brought work with me (and a lot of it) and hope to get it all done. Have to see how the week goes.

It is sure good to be here. So many times back home that demon stays, "What if the Sierra's treatments don't work? What if her pressures are still high? What if her coronary arteries are restricting? What if her antibodies are still fighting her heart?  What if Gage starts to go down hill?  What if...What if... What if...  Well, what if nothing!  It does NO GOOD to think like that, I flick him off, remember the blessing and miracles in our lives, and move on. I have 5 kids and a gorgeous wife who needs nothing but a positive upbeat attitude. The kids are doing great! I'm not just saying that, they really are. And we are doing everything in our power to help them. We have been blessed, God has a plan, and we will make it home.

Dr Bernstein, ABC News lady, and the fam

      

 Gettin r done

 Emy and Eri
 Katz serving up some yummy apple cake.

 Dr Katz and the family
 Kerri showing off her new Prom dress. The other girl is a neighbor friend.
Bunch of Jordan kids.  Tried to get Sierra to put her arm around him but NO WAY!

5 comments:

Bonnie Bingham said...

Great pictures of the family, everyone looks really healthy. I'm glad you made it back to your family and you had a good week of work.. What a great night it look like talking about the RMH. What would you have done with out it, its really a blessing to have these RMH all over the U.S. Take care of your little family, we pray for you all always,,,,

Anonymous said...

You are truly blessed! Thank you, Lord! Looks like a great weekend, fun times! And here's to many, many more happy times in your family's lives! Life is precious....how well you know as you have experienced that more than most! May God's blessing continue! M.

Anonymous said...

Q: Why don't anteaters get sick?
A:They are full of anty bodies.

Q:How many Californians does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Twelve. One to replace the bulb and eleven to share the experience.

Q: How many Oregonians does it take to change a light bulb?
A:Two. One to replace the bulb and one to watch the eleven Californians who came to share the experience. (sorry about that one, I couldn’t help myself :) )
Q: Do you know why there are so many Smiths listed in the phone book?
A:They all have phones.

One night a rooster decided to stay up all night to figure out where the sun went when it set. Suddenly it dawned on him.

Q: What do you get when you cross poison ivy with a 4 leaf clover?
A: A rash of good luck

Your post has me grinning from ear to ear! Continued love and prayers! Dale and Mike

rondacae said...

It's so nice to hear such wonderful news from Cali! We keep the prayers coming that you can flick that "what if" demon off your shoulder for good!
Love and miss you all!

The Fritz's

ReNae Coelman said...

What an awesome family!! 'So grateful for the many, many blessings that have come. I love to read about all the good things going on right now. They will continue to do so. Thank you for your inspiration, your courage and your faith. Families are everything, and I'm so grateful to be part of your family. Our great love and prayers continue to be with you everyday. Love ya so much!!