Thursday, July 28, 2005

Finally a long overdue update on Luke!

I know many of you are wondering how Luke is doing. I’m sorry for not updating the blog earlier. I have tried on two accounts to update only to lose my entire update to the computer. Luke is doing okay, he has had some awesome days and he has had some very hard days. We’ve had some busy days with celebrating our 22nd wedding anniversary, Daniel’s 20th birthday, Amy went away to Kids camp as a counselor and had a awesome time, Isaiah went a VBS last week and just the busyness of all Luke’s appts makes my head spin at times. Thursday's are our fun days this summer, with lots of trips to various parks and lakes.

We took Luke to an eye specialist last week and we learned that Luke is tracking some and also that his vision is about 20/240, he sees about as far as a newborn. I was bummed because right after we got there he fell asleep and we couldn’t wake him up to continue with the examination, therefore it was not a through exam. One thing he did to try to wake him up was have me sit in a chair with him and twirl one way 3 times and then look at his eyes and then twirl the other way 3 times. His eyes on both accounts continued to go after I stopped which was what was supposed to happen. The Dr. feels that since Luke has favored looking to the right for so long we need to help him unlock the muscles in his eyes so that he will feel more comfortable looking the other way. We were sent home with some exercises to do with him and asked to come back in a month.

We were going to have a PH reflux test done on Luke this week, but when we began to take him off his Zantac medicine, he started coughing, sneezing and gagging just about non-stop within 12 hours. Gordy and I finally decided that we could not put Luke through this for 5 days just so that we could learn that he is having a reflux problem, which we already knew from what he was showing us off the medicine. It was a very hard day to say the least and it just happened to be on our 22nd anniversary, my mom called to wish me a Happy Anniversary and I told her it was anything but a happy day. My nurse had told me that if Luke didn’t start to get better we were going to end up back in the Hospital. Needless to say she prayed that God would touch him and we decided to give him his medicine and within a half hour he was doing almost 100% better.

Yesterday we experienced a very similar situation to last Friday making us wonder if we need to up his Zantac. We ended up giving him an extra dose after we got home from his PT and HBOT sessions. Once again he was doing better within a very short time. We are both feeling like he needs to have this Nissen Fundoplicaiton surgery done, though we aren’t looking forward to another surgery or hospital stay. I’ve had two different friends who have had their children have the surgery and both have said that it changed their children’s lives and was the best choice they could of made.

I continue to feel like I’m riding on the worst possible roller coaster ride. One day I will be so sure that Luke is going to be healed soon and I have the joy of the Lord as my strength and then the next day I will be in the depth’s of despair. I think that the closer we come to the anniversary date of the accident the harder it is for me to see Luke the way he has become. I think back to this time last year when Luke was running around laughing and playing and I desperately miss that precious little boy. On some days it literally hurts me just to think about those days and it honestly zaps all the energy out of me. I told Gordy that I just don’t think that I have the strength to help with painting the house next month. We’ve been planning to paint it for some time it really needs it badly. Anyway I wish we could just hire someone to come and paint it for us, but we just can’t justify spending the money when we could spend that money on Luke’s HBOT treatments, special appts, etc… I don’t tell you this to feel sorry for me, but just to let you know that I really feel like I’m gong to need some extra prayer this month, I don’t want to be depressed all month and as many of you know quite often the mom sets the tone for the house, therefore I want our home to be a happy place not a depressed place to live.

God is faithful to give me a special verse the other day it is O my people, trust in Him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge. Psalms 62:8 God continues to remind me to trust in Him and he will give me a special place of refuge where I can lean on Him to be my strength, this sounds a whole lot easier to do then it is, but I know with His help I can continue to trust Him with the timing of Luke’s healing process. Please pray specifically for Luke to get rid of this congestion that he has been dealing with, also continue to pray that God will keep on touching his muscles to relax and his legs to bend. My one last prayer request is that God will bless us with showing us Luke’s smile again, I feel like it would be one of the happiest days of my life just to see that precious smile.

As I mention time and again your prayers keep us going! I pray today that God will bless you with an awesome day and today will be the day that you will see a miracle happen in your life.

Love in Christ,
Luke’s Mommy Sue

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Precious Lord and Savior, I lift up your child Sue to You at this time. Lord, I pray that You would pour your comfort on Sue this moment. May she feel Your tender mercy and Your gentle touch upon her. Lord, may she know Your peace that passes all understanding. May you fill her with pure joy in the midst of a most desperate trail. I pray, O Father, that You would speak encouragement to her heart and fill her home with laughter and singing once again. May you receive the glory and honor due Your most Holy Name. I pray this in the Powerful, Healing Name of Your Precious Son, Jesus. Amen

Anonymous said...

Dear Searles family - I think of you daily and lift you all up in my prayers. I hope that you feel them sometimes throughout the day, as they are often random and regularly sparked by just a stray thought - a response to a whisper of need perhaps?

I can understand your anguish as it nears the year mark of Luke's accident - anyone who follows your story is with you in thought and prayer, sharing your hope and lifting you up when you despair. Although you say you feel week sometimes, please know that you are an inspiration to me as you hold tight to your faith and continue to look to the future.

How about a house painting party? I can wield a mean scraper, I'm adept with a paintbrush, and with a toddler and a little one not much older than Lily, I could use the social outlet! I've got my own tools and I can bring a salad...;-)

Much love to you all!
-Sherry

Anonymous said...

Hi Sue. I have been praying for Luke and your family for almost a year now and this is my first time replying. My heart was very moved as I read your e-mail as I am a mommy too. I hear a very tired, discouraged mommy - and the Lord knows your heart. May He be the lifter of your head, encouraging you and strengthening you day by day. Our family will continue praying for you. When I read the part about painting the house and you not feeling like you could help (a mommy can only give so much) I realized that our family can help you besides our faithful prayers. My husband is a contractor and specializes in pressure washing and painting. I just talked to him and he is willing to come out and take a look at your house. He wouldn't charge a thing for anything he did. But he can pressure wash your house and hopefully do much more. I say hopefully as Summer is a very busy time for him. We are a small home-based business with only one other employee - but I can think of a few people who could volunteer to help and I bet you could too. So, do give us a call at 476-9404 or e-mail us at pkdebord@juno.com and then we can get your address and arrange a time for him to come out. Bless you Sue. May the Lord give you much strength for your weariness today.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ said...

Oh, Sue, though our situations are different, I so understand the ups and downs of the emotions. The verse that has been "mine" lately is "His mercies are new every morning." We can start over every day with His NEW mercies. He does not hold over our head the way we acted or did not act or the depressed feeling bad day we had yesterday or will or could have today. His mercies are new EVERY morning! You might have to help me remember this too! :) Hugs and prayers to you. Loni

Anonymous said...

Dear Sweet Family:
I pray right now to the God of Heaven and Earth. The God who is Jehovah Rapha my healer Jehovah Jireh my provider I know He is this for you also Sue. Daddy can you hear me do you see her she is tired and frustrated she is depressed she needs a break she needs your refreshment she needs your touch, God please give her a new hope a new joy cause her to dance in your presence to leap in victory. Give her hinds feet on these high places. Give her a sword that she can thrust at the enemy when he comes against her in ANY form.
I pray victoriously in the name of JESUS, the name that silences the enemy
AMEN

Teena said...

Our Heavenly Father, I come before you now lifting up Sue and Luke and the rest of the family, Lord. I ask you now to just wash her ... just let your grace wash over her and give her your peace~ the peace that passeth all understanding. Lord, your ways are not our ways and your thoughts are not our thoughts and sometimes honestly, Father, I do not understand but I know that is okay, Lord~ I can just trust and lean on you. Lord, I just ask you to touch Luke, clear the congestion. I pray for Luke's eyes Lord and that his next appt. will be so positive we will all rejoice with them! Father, you have touched so many of us, Lord through the testimonies of this precious, special family~ as we are all bound together with your love. Please Dear God just give Sue the strength she needs ~ in your precious Son's name, Amen~

you are so very special to us~ our Michael turned 20 in June. :) I think of you so often. I do have been thinking about August. PLEASE know we are lifting all of you up in prayer~

hugs all the way from your Georgia friends
Billy, Teena, Michael, Mandi, Dakota, Alyssa, Wyatt & Wesley

Gordy AKA Luke's Dad said...

Here is the answer to the question of what is Nissen fundoplication?

At the following link is a pretty good laymans description with a couple pictures to help understand.

http://depts.washington.edu/cves/lapnis.html

Here is a brief description, that is not too and overall is pretty good.

During the fundoplication surgery, the surgeon improves the natural barrier between the stomach and the esophagus by wrapping a part of the stomach known as the gastric fundus around the lower esophagus. This prevents the flow of acids from the stomach into the esophagus, and strengthens the valve between the esophagus and stomach, which stops acid from backing up into the esophagus as easily. This procedure is often done using a laparoscopic surgical technique. It can also be done as traditional (open) surgery.

Anonymous said...

Dear Searles-
I have been reading your heart felt blogs all year. Sue I know as the anniversary gets closer realize that god is holding you and your family in his arms he is hugging you all with his love. Remember he does'nt give you more than you can handle. Too remember the poem of the "Foot prints in the sand" that when you are feeling your lowest God again is holding you in his arms. I take care of my Mom she has demensia every day is a test I pray to God every morning for perserverence and peace to help her on her journey. Think of all of the little hurdles that Luke has done and is doing. You are all to be commended. You are all in my prayers and thoughts daily. God bless you all. Mary