WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE

1. What's your worst food memory?  How about one of your best?
WORST:

McDonald's surprised me with broken light bulb in my "two all beef patties special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onion s, on a sesame seed bun"...thankfully it didn't cut my mouth...my parents were NOT happy.  

BEST:

What fun it was on a date with my first boyfriend and his family at a 'swanky' restaurant her in town...ordered escargot for the 1st time...blown away by it's wonderful garlic butter, panko crumbs and cute little 'plucking' fork...what a GREAT night that was for me at the age of 16...one of the first times feeling 'big'.

 2. Do you appreciate people telling it like it is, or would you rather a speaker temper his/her words and maybe beat around the bush a little?  How about when you're the one communicating...which type are you?
My appreciating speakers varies sometimes according to my time limitations...sometimes my ears are needing to move on to other things; however, truth and common sense play into it also for me.  Blowing smoke and deception turn me quickly. 

Over the years I've had to become more of a 'driving' speaker to my husband, because he doesn't want to hear a lot of fluff, hahah!  I can be wonderfully flowery with my gal pals though!


 3. What's your favorite place to hang out?

My blue leather recliner fits my body very nicely...and there's a sweet spot on the loveseat in our parlor at church. 
 4. When do you most feel like you're a slave to time?
Having dinner on the table between 6:00 and 7:00...sometimes bittersweet now that collegegirl is out on her own; always have someone missing from the table now.
5. What was the last concert you attended?  Who'd you go with? Was it any good?
July 4th our chancel choir at church performed their "Independence Day" celebration with full orchestra and Biblical readings/vignettes.
 6. Reality TV...harmful or harmless?  What's your guilty pleasure when it comes to reality TV?
There is no such things as reality tv; they've convince so many people that tv is real...believe me, it is not. 

I entertain the silliness of DUCK DYNASTY and their continuing in witness as they visit churches and give their testimonies.

7. What's something you think is overrated?
Being on reality tv is overrated...look deep at the many who have done it...certainly doesn't seem their lives are better because of it

kind of like politics and its ability to ruin someone's decision making.

8.  My RANDOM THOUGHT:  our MIRACLE!

MY GREAT NIECE, KATIE, WAS DISCHARGED FROM THE HOSPITAL

8 DAYS AFTER RECEIVING A NEW HEART!  

THIS IS HER HEART SURGEON...

Thank you, Dr. Kogon











FIRST OUTING in the sun, 8 days post heart transplant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Uncle Charles and I are so proud of you FOR: 

keeping the doctors and nurses on their toes

and loving on them like you love on US! 

 

I'm so eager to see you but I have a cold and don't want to share the germs with you. 

 

You keep loving on MoMo until I can see you for REALZ, okay? 

 

(I love You, Lord, and I lift my voice. To worship You, oh, my soul rejoice! Take joy, my King, in what you hear! May it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear!)



 

Sun. Update...DONOR-HEART PRAYERS

* UPDATE*

Sunday, morning...Little brother is staying with friends...but celebrating his big sister's courage and her NEW heart!


Little brother celebrating Big Sis's new heart

























Around 1:30pm, Sunday
After the heart was transplanted there was residual blood loss and some new blood clots.  The team of doctors had to re-open her chest and find the problems.
Sunday, 3:55pm
About an hour ago, they completed the repair.  Katie has come through surgery! Prayers answered! I've been a nervous wreck because she was so critical and we didn't hear any update for two hours. Dr. Kogan came and talked to us.

He got the clot and cleaned out some lines. Her vitals are much better and her blood drainage has improved.

We can see her in a few minutes, hopefully. Thank you for the prayers! Keep them coming! --Kerri



We've never seen this before with Katie:
Oxygen levels of 100%. This made us cry. --Kerri

 

 

Saturday night, 9:39pm

My sweet great niece is in surgery now; the doctors will be removing her sick heart soon. 

The transport team has flown out to pick up the donor's graciously-given heart.

Thanks for keeping she and her family in your prayers.
















John 8:31  "If you continue in my word, then you are truly Disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."

Blessings,

136TH HODGEPODGE

  1. 1st week of August is National Simplify Your Life Week...what's one thing you could do this week to qualify as a participant?  I haven’t cooked any this week

2. It's also National Peach Month...peach pie, peach cobbler, or please pour me a Bellini?  What's your peach pleasure?  peach tea

 

3. Eleanor Roosevelt once wrote, "Do one thing every day that scares you." Agree or disagree...explain.  Driving is increasingly scary these days…too many people on cell phones and NOT watching the road.

4. What's your favorite household chore?  Yes-you have to name one.  laundry










5. Fodors recently listed (what they've dubbed) the ten most beautiful sunset spots in America. Click here
Have you seen the sun set from any of these spots?  If you could choose to watch the sun set this weekend from one spot on the Fodors List, which would you choose?  Where was the prettiest sunset you've ever seen?  Dana Point, CA 

6. What's your favorite or most used app?  If you don't use apps how about your favorite or most visited website?  OUT OF MILK  … scanner/grocery lists

7. We've recentOUT ly passed the halfway mark for 2013...write a seven word sentence that sums up your year thus far.   Eduring flashes while caring for our mothers.


me and BettyJean



Aunt Ruth, MIL Ann and me

8.  Insert your own random thought here:
PLEASE read yesterday’s post re: my great niece’s on-going journey to a new heart
-or-
visit her site for more information to help.

COTA FOR KATIE

Katie, my great niece, was born in 2006 with several rare heart defects resulting in the right side of her heart not working.  This required intensive medical care just minutes after her birth.


Katie after her Glen surgery @ 3mos.

















Her specific congenital defect is Ebstein's Anomaly, a pulmonary atresia and left ventricle non-compaction (medically speaking: Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome (HRHS), one of the most severe forms of congenital heart defects).  

 

Overall, Katie has undergone 10 major and minor surgeries (recently received 840 'courage beads' (check this out if you've never heard of this group...they were on necklaces/bracelets representing each invasive procedure success.)

Her critical yet successful surgeries helped redirect blood flow in Katie's heart so she could continue to grow, and each phased surgery gave Katie the chance for a normal, happy life for as long as possible.

 

But, as of July 3, her doctors determined there are no other medical options to prolong her life, so Katie has been placed on the heart transplant list as a status 1B outpatient.  The heart transplant team will be reaching them via pager as soon as a 'new heart' becomes available...any hour of the day.

 

She's living life as she knows best, inspiringly smiling every day and uplifting us with her quick ability to laugh while reading, drawing, dancing and dressing like many different princesses!  We've been celebrating her starting first grade this school year...a large milestone for her and her family.



MoMo and Katie

Katie's grandmother, Momo, is my sister, Connie.  She and I are working with several local friends of the family in preparing for various fund raisers which will help them as they go supplement their costs (transplants are costly as are on-going medicines/treatments that will be required to keep her body from rejecting the heart.

The family is being helped through COTA (Children's Organ Transplant Association)...and a very close friend is heading up all the fund raising planning, volunteers and financial details.  What a great friend she is!

I recently participated in my first COTA fund raiser...a canvas painting event...38 people came to paint and support Katie!


my KatieCanvas

 

Katie's right thumbprint is on my heart...she signed & handprinted the back  ;)

Canvasses Completed!

 

I'll be posting more about other events but wanted to share the background now. 

(I'm hoping to have a sidebar button that will go directly to the website where donations can be made to COTA and then properly funneled to the family on an as-needed basis (they have a tax id).  The website is shown at the bottom of the first collage above).


If you can join us to raise funds in some small way, that would be awesome. 

But more importantly, please add Katie (mom, Kerri; daddy, James; little brother, 2yo, Ryan) to your prayers.  Our Lord hears the prayers of the righteous and He's blessed her with many miracles along her path.

Blessings,

MIRACLES CONTINUING...

BACK IN 2006, a miracle was born, she fought courageously through many challenges, infections and surgeries...


I'm excited to give a  BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY wish for my great-niece, Katie, who turned FOUR 

and WE are sooo proud of her accomplishments in those four years...

Many of you have prayed her along her life path and we THANK you so much


...she also was the Heart Hero for last month's heart walk...

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Blessings,

LAUGHING BLESSINGS...THANKFUL THURSDAY

Joining Greg for THANKFUL THURSDAY

and IRIS

Hearing each cry from a hospital bed,

Seeing major heart surgery's incision,

Feeling 'sleeping hands' after surgery,

Smelling sanitized rooms so many months the odor fades,

Tasting 'liquid nutrition';knowing 'real food' is the goal,

Hearing laughter...even tho the cat's enduring...is glorious

Simply glorious!!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Jer. 33:3

"Call to me and I will answer you

and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."Blessings,

THANKFUL THURSDAY (heavy-duty or wispy blessings)

SO THANKFUL ... Our 3-yo great niece, Katie, had some minor surgery today for two infected breast-bone wires from her last heart surgery...all went well and no wound vacuum was

needed...just some antibiotics and follow-up checks. Yeah!

Having prayed this little angel through some heavy-duty surgeries and recuperating seasons, I'm re-awakened to the blessings sent our way...

Blessings might not even be seen at all...dismissed as a coincidence of fate, if there were such a thing.

Knowing God hears the prayers of His faithful, I love acknowledging God's hand in our heavy-duty and in our wisps of blessings.

In addition to our Katie-girl's minor surgery, Charlotte also captures her understanding of a blessing...she was awakened to a blessing she didn't envision...on her February 3 post...a thankful one, indeed, for her results...for her doctor.

Her sweet words started me pondering on doctors & illnesses & unexpecteds ...situational and personal.

WHAT UNEXPECTED, WISPY BLESSING HAS GOD GIVEN YOU TODAY?

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN BLESSED TO PRAY WITH ONE OF YOUR DOCTORS?

Jer. 33:3 "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."

I borrowed the 'cloudy' Bible tag above from Charlotte...thanks!

Blessings,

WHAT A JOURNEY

Our Lord has blessed us with a miracle, named Katie...

she's my nephew's baby, and she holds a special place in my heart

Be careful, she will capture your heart, too

She'll be the Heart Association's poster child next February

Yes, she is our crying, walking, talking, singing, teasing, laughing miracle.

If you've not heard her story, watch the below...

WE LOVE YOU, KATIE!

Jer. 33:3

"Call to me and I will answer you

and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."
Blessings,

U GOTTA SEE THIS PIC...THANKFUL THURS.

JOINING SONYA today for THANKFUL THURSDAY

1. SO, SO THANKFUL: Our little social bug Katie is on the mend and is happy again...They had their appointment back at the hospital...This time she enjoyed some of her favorite things:

therapy dogs

the library

lobby fish tank

dancing clowns

garden

“storybook fairy” (little old lady/pink princess gown/crown)

2. so, so thankful for doctors...The main reason for visiting: to see Dr. K, the doctor who has bee n trusted on ALL her surgeries (the first @ a mere six pounds...a very tiny heart, indeed). Dr. K has placed her heart in his hands,

literally--he certainly isn't 'just another guy in a white lab coat'! (The heart surgeons are like Elvis — everyone knows when they’re in the building!)

Thank you, Jesus, for providing Dr. K the knowledge and expertise in caring for Katie!

Surprise (and joy) overtook Katie as her mommy snapped this precious photo:

UPDATE:

3. so, so thankful...Katie's incision, post-infection, is continuing to look better and may not require stitches

4. so, so, thankful....she may not have to have followup surgery to re-do the wiring around her breast bone!

5. so, so, thankful...God built an inate LOVE in us...our God hole..in such a special, saving way. We can share His love with others throughout our lives, during good and bad situations!

Jer. 33:3

"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." Blessings,

\0/ To His Praise...KATIE VIDEO ("Stinker Monkey" & Grandma MoMo!)

What an answered prayer came my way

when I checked Katie's care page today.

I have to celebrate it with you,

all my blogging buddies...who have been holding her up as she is fighting the horrible infection in her heart-surgery incision.

I love how she calls herself "munkin" later in the video...referring to herself as a "stinker monkey"...one of those little pet names she has acquired on this journey. This video will put a smile on your face, too...it sure did put one on mine :)

He hasn't left us and hasn't forsaken us, He is a God of promise, Jehovah Jireh, the Provider, our High Priest who intercedes for us; Yahweh Raffe, the great Healer...

yes, He IS our God of His Word...and as the following poem states:

A MAN OF HIS WORD

Look and you shall find the answer you seek

from Him, the Lamb of God, so loving and so meek.

And be you not forgetful to thank the Lord above,

for sending us a Savior, the essence of His love.

Seek out His kingdom first then and added unto you

will be His daily blessings, from dawn 'til day is through.

Share the joy you've found with other far and near

for your reward is in heaven and the path to Him is clear.

Remember all His blessings...His words you have heard,

give all your heart to Jesus, a true man of His Word.

Written by: Riki Jeanne

PSALM 20:5 "Delight thyself also in the LORD and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart!"