Update on the status of Trevor's heart

T-Man went to visit the cardiologist yesterday. While he continues to be a happy, healthy, energetic 3-year old, the news from the cardiologist was not the best. However, it was not completely unexpected. I will post the email from his Mommy here, but first of all, let me fill you in.

For those that don't know, T-Man was born with a congenital heart defect called TETRALOGY OF FALLOT. Here is a link for a full explanation: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=11071

Simply put, he has a hole in his heart. Before he was even 3 months old, they performed open-heart surgery on him to patch the hole. We knew at the time they would have to do a couple more surgeries because he and his heart will grow, but the patch will not.

Ironically, or amazingly, there was a movie that came out, almost exactly 1 year before T-Man was born called SOMETHING THE LORD MADE http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0386792/. It is the story of the doctor and his assistant that developed the tools and the techniques to correct or at least mend this defect. The defect is also called "blue-baby syndrome" because the lack of blood flow caused the babies to turn blue. These men performed the first ever open-heart surgery, and it was on a baby. Up to this point, tampering with the heart was forbidden territory in the medical field. It is a very touching movie. Check it out if you get a chance.

So, here is the latest news. Please keep him in your prayers. He's a very special little boy and deserves to live a long and happy life!

******************

Well, it sounds like Trevor's second surgery isn't too far in the future. They looked at his right ventricle today and the muscle is getting a little stretched from the leakage.

We have to come back again for another appointment on July 30th. They will look at it again, and decide then whether to schedule the second surgery or not. If there isn't any change, then we might be able to hold off until next year, where he should be big enough that anymore "interventions" would not require surgery, meaning, whatever they would need to do later could probably be done in the cath lab.

If he has to have surgery in the fall, then he will probably have more surgery because he will probably outgrow the "equipment".

Anyway, of course, I'm praying to be able to put it off, but we will do whatever we need to do. It's amazing, because if he didn't have a scar running down the middle of his chest, you would never even know anything was wrong, but thank goodness for the technology that is available today.

Please keep us in your prayers.

Love,Chris

Life isn't waiting for the storm to pass, but learning how to dance in the rain

Trevor loves Baby Emily...

I just have to share this pictures... is it not the most precious thing. This is T-Man and my cousin's baby Emily. She is about 2 months old in the picture.

Happy Third Birthday T-Man!

I should have posted this 2 days ago (May 13), but YES ... The Kid is now THREE YEARS OLD!!! What an adventure it has been for all of us that know, love and adore him.

I love you Boo-Boo! Thanks for being the special little boy that you are.

What I've learned...

I learned a huge lesson today: There are more people in this world that love each of us than any of us really know.

Never give up on hope and friends. Yes... there are many people that will let you down throughout your life, but don't forget to look for the people that are there to pick you up when you stumble or fall. One of them might even be someone that has previously hurt you and/or let you down.

As my friend Jill says "Everything works out in the end. If it hasn't worked out, it's not the end."

A Reason, a Season, a Lifetime

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a Godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrong doing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Thank you for being a part of my life, whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime.

HAPPY MAY DAY!!!

Today is May 1st. For those of you that don't remember, it is MAY DAY. Do you remember as a kid making May Baskets? I remember doing it a couple of times in the first years of elementary school.

My friend Marla, who passed away back in February, once told me that May Day was one of her favorite days of the year. I don't think she ever really said why, but I've remembered that for many years now. In the past I would call her or send her an email to wish her a HAPPY MAY DAY. She is gone now, so I'm going to try to spread it to more of my friends. Please remember this day, if for no other reason than just because its the first of May and May really does start to feel like spring.

Here is a link to Wikipedia to give you a little more information
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_day

Here also is some information I found on how to make May Baskets. Why not try this with your kiddos.

Charming May Day Baskets

By Brenda Hyde

Handing out May Day baskets is a charming and gentle activity for children and adults. It's a tradition that Louisa May Alcott wrote of in "Jack and Jill" (Chapter 18):

"The job now in hand was May baskets, for it was the custom of the children to hang them on the doors of their friends the night before May-day; and the girls had agreed to supply baskets if the boys would hunt for flowers, much the harder task of the two. Jill had more leisure as well as taste and skill than the other girls, so she amused herself with making a goodly store of pretty baskets of all shapes, sizes, and colors, quite confident that they would be filled, though not a flower had shown its head except a few hardy dandelions, and here and there a small cluster of saxifrage." (a type of herb called Greater Burnet).

May baskets can be given to friends and family, as well as taken to elderly neighbors or nursing homes. While fresh flowers and candy treats are usually left in the baskets, you can put other things as well. I think fresh flowers, a few tea bags and some little tea cookies would be wonderful!

We made a May Basket today with recycled items that really turned out pretty. We used:

An empty Tuna Helper Box (a cake box would work)
Leftover wall paper border-prepasted
hole punch or very large needle
ribbon
leftover filler from a gift we had been given
Gifts for your basket.

Cut the box in half-ours ended up being about 5 inches high. Moisten the prepasted border piece after you've measured it to fit around the box with a little leftover. Smooth it down-lining up the edge of the border with bottom edge of the box. Whatever is left at the top simply fold over the edge of the box so it's inside. We let this sit and dry for a little while, and smoothed it down once more as it was drying.

When it was dry I poked a hole in each side near the top and put in a length of ribbon long enough so we could tie a bow after threading it through the hole. We then added the filler and our treats and flowers.

This craft could easily be used for a group of children to make a few of them. It was easy, and the materials were recycled or scraps I had saved. You could use any recycled boxes or bags for the basket and cover it with various papers or paint. You could also add paper doilies, lace, more ribbons and other decorative scraps.

The second picture listed on the page is a basket we made from a thrift store find. This type of basket would work really well for giving to Seniors. We lined it with a white cloth napkin I had also gotten at a thrift store and filled it with flowers and bath products.

About the Author Brenda Hyde is editor of Old Fashioned Living, a wife and mom to three children, living in the Midwest United States.