Sunday, February 27, 2011

My father is with Marlin now and will be watching over him until Wednesday night when Marlin's great friend and life saver, Chris, will be there.  The plan is for me to drive up early Thursday morning and stay until Friday night or Saturday morning.

Tomorrow morning surgeons will perform a tracheotomy.  Apparently this is to avoid the development of scar tissue in the trachea and is more comfortable for the patient. They are also hoping to perform the skin graft needed on one of his legs.  The plan is to wake him when the tracheotomy and skin graft are done.

Just the thought of a machine in control of my breathing is enough to make me hyperventilate. It took hours for me to breathe normally after watching The Abyss. For you younger folks The Abyss is a movie that was released in 1989

Of course I barely remember it. I think I was five or six when I saw it.

Anyway..................

We have some prayer requests we would love to for you to take to God on Marlin's behalf.

Pray that the surgery goes well with no complications and that the surgeons will indeed be able to do the skin graft.

Pray that Marlin's lungs will heal quickly and no longer need the help of the ventilator.

Pray his vital signs to remain normal and that he be able to wake up after the surgery.

Pray for Marlin's emotional state upon waking up. To him, it will be as though the fire just happened.  This has been a horrible blow to him as this is the second time he has lost everything to a house fire.

If it matters to you, this fire was not Marlin's fault.  It was just another terrible accident.  I will tell the story another day.

Pray that Marlin will heal quickly, feel God's arms wrapped around him and know that he is loved.

Thanks for checking in...........

Just sayin'...............

Friday, February 25, 2011

Genie was with Marlin again today and I was able to get in another day of work.

It is funny how healing those little critters can be.

We were all so happy to see each other yesterday.
How can you not be happy to see little people that adore you.
At least once a day someone says, "This is the best job in the world."
Of course that is usually said just before you have to inform a little darling that tissues are quite handy for certain nasal problems.
Despite the hazards of winter colds and false spring allergies little kiddos are good medicine for the sore of heart.

Marlin's status remains about the same.

Yesterday his doctors were talking about moving towards weaning him from the ventilator but he has had fever again today. They are now telling us that they would like to perform a tracheotomy and continue to keep him on the vent a few more days.

While I acknowledge their expertise, I am not inclined to passively agree to everything the doctors want to do.

I want to understand why this has gone on for days.

I am struggling because I don't know what questions I should be asking.

I am starting a list tonight. My sister and I can't advocate for our brother if we do not know and understand the ins and outs of Marlin's illnesses and the options for treatments.

Tomorrow Genie plans to ask for an explanation as to exactly what issues are keeping our brother on the vent.

I have come to realize that in this situation, for whatever reason, information is not volunteered. You must ask the right questions.

We don't know what the right questions are.

Just sayin'...............

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Life In A Burn Unit ICU

I was only able to sit with Marlin for a couple of hours today.

The nurses usually re-dress his burns aound 10:00. Right now it takes two nurses almost two hours to unwrap, dress the burns and wash off the yuck from the day before and then re-wrap everything.

Family members are kicked out for this whole process.
Believe me when I say it is for the best.

Things were still much the same for Marlin. 
He was stable and seemed restful although extemely sweaty.
It is so hot in his room that even I am too warm.  He is going to be ill about that when he wakes up. I have never known a more hot natured person.

I will post again later today when I have a better update.
Please keep those prayers coming.

Last night I started a little peek into my day but gave up after describing my morning routine. It is so hard to type on a teeny tiny phone screen and even harder to see if I am typing the right words.

6:00 A.M.- Give up pretending to sleep and sit up. Try to act like you don't realize your hair is sticking up like the Joker from Batman. Maybe if you pretend it isn't as amazing as you know it is others will pretend alond with you.


6:10-Shuffle to the public restroom with everything of value that you have brought to pass the time.  This will require both hands, the crook of an elbow and a shoulder or two.


6:11-Wonder why the Hayhira you brought so much stuff. Particularly the five magazines you haven't touched yet, the laptop that you KNEW wouldn't be acessing the internet AND the IPad.


6:12-Try to remove the clothes you slept in without allowing any uncovered skin touch any surface. Remember that the lock on the door is broken. Stare at the door while you undress hoping that the others in the waiting room will alert any newcomers that this restroom is occupied.


6:13-Put on the baggy yoga pants you bought to wear because your jeans are too tight and may cut off circulation to your legs.




6:15-Wonder how to wash without a washcloth.


6:20-Realize the bathroom has no paper towels.


6:21-Say CRAP under your breath and wash anyway.

6:26-Try to pat yourself dry with your cleanest item from the day before.


6:28-Put on the baggy yoga pants you bought to wear because your jeans are too tight and may cut off circulation to your legs.


6:30-See yourself in the mirror and realize no amount of hairspray will help that hot mess on your head.


6:31-Wonder how you will dry your hair with no towel.
Remember the McDonald's napkins you saved from yesterday's dinner.


6:32-Wedge your head under the faucet and wash your hair.


6:35-Try to soak up some of the water with the McDonald's napkins.


6:36-Use the hand dryer to dry your hair just like you did when you were in High School and your hair got wet when you ran from the car into the McDonald's and you didn't want anyone to think you had gotten your hair wet when you ran from the car into the McDonald's.

6:43-Sincerely thank God for prompting the Fabulous and Incrediabley Talented Cade to suggest cutting your hair extra short at your last visit and that you said, "Go for it!"


6:44-Gather up everything you brought with you into the bathroom.


6:45-Wonder why the hayhira you brought SO. MUCH. STUPID. STUFF!


6:46-Wonder what your big hurry was...you can't get back in to see your brother until 8:00........


Just sayin'..........

Update

No big changes today.
Marlin is still on the vent but his blood pressure is now stable without intervention.
No fever all day.
No new issues that were unexpected.
So, all in all......a good day.

Just sayin.......

Monday, February 21, 2011

News From Grady

I suppose necessity IS the mother of invention.

For some reason Grady Hospital doesn't see fit to allow me access to their Wi-Fi network. Apparently they do not recognize my degree from SOAP OPERA Medical, my graduate degrees from MOTHERHOOD Medical and ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER Medical or my doctorate from GOOGLE Medical.

I get the same sort of reaction from my doctor.
Frankly, it is becoming a bit tiresome.

Marlin is holding his own.

He remains on the vent and will do so indefinitely.
His doctors were unable to find a source of infection and continue to be puzzled as to the reason for his high temperature and his bout with the crazies. They will continue to keep him heavily sedated and on the vent until they are sure that there will be no repeat performance of Marlin From Outer Space.

They tell me his burns are healing as expected.
I wish I could lay eyes on them so I could form my own medical opinion but apparentlytheres that whole medical degree thing.(See above)

He may be facing a skin graft or two but the burns at least are following a normal pattern of healing.

We ask that you pray for the following things:
Complete healing of the burns without the need of skin grafts.
Wisdom for the doctors as they seek the source of the other issues that hinder his recovery.
Peace of mind for Marlin as he sleeps and heals.
Deliverance from the negative emotions that follow any accident.
Strength for my father and sister who are in the midst of their busy season.

Lastly, I want to give thanks for the way my children and husband have stepped up to the plate to make this as easy as possible for me. For my siblings because we love each other no matter what. For my people...you know who you are and you know what we do for each other. Box put us together for a reason.
For Chris who saved my baby brother's life. For bosses who have created a spirit filled work place and who allow us to put family first without guilt when we need to.

One more thing.......
I am typing this on my teeny tiny phone keyboard. Therefore, I deny all responsibility for the random periods that may show up between words instead of spaces.

Just sayin'............

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Trial by Fire?


News photo of my brother at the scene of the first fire.
If this photo does not fracture your heart then
you have none.
 I was his first playmate.
He was my roommate and best buddy.

We kept each other entertained.
We argued.
Made up.
Argued some more.

But we always, always took care of each other.

He is the only person I will ever be a big sister to.

He heard my first secrets.
And I cried over a few of his.

He was brave when I was shy and I was good when he was bad.  Smile.

Why is this happening?  Again?

One fire doubles you over with grief
for a cherished pet trapped inside
and memories left charred.

A second?  That's just downright
ridiculous. Uncalled for.

Unfair.

How does it happen that what has
become his worst nightmare
repeats itself?

This is beyond irony.
It is sickening.
And heartbreaking.

My little brother lies in a burn unit
in Atlanta, Ga.

His legs, right arm and head are burned.
A machine breathes for him and he is
burning up with a fever of unknown
origin.

He is very sick.

His sweet Doctor Sarah looks hard
at me when she says "Your brother
is very sick. I'm worried."

I don't know what the next few days
will hold but my God does.

I don't know why this happened.
Again.
But my God does.
And He promised that He would never
leave us.

I find myself struggling to pray.
Overwhelmed. Frustrated.
I just want my brother to be okay.

Right now, we need
your prayers.

And for you to claim this promise with us.

Romans 8:26-28 (The Message)Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans.
He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.

With my head instead of
my heart,
I choose faith.

In the end, it is all any of us have
and it is the best that we have.

Please pray for my brother.

I was his first playmate
and he was my best buddy.

Just sayin'.............


 







Thursday, February 17, 2011

It's Raining....again

Several consecutive days of rain, the bane of teachers
of the younger set, have just about sent my co-workers
and I running for the hills.

Our students have so much pent up energy many of
them are falling from their chairs due to excessive
wiggling. Yes! Young children can and will fall from
their chairs for no apparent reason.


On the bright side...

I am so glad that rain boots are making a come back among the younger set!

It makes me happy to see them clomping around the classroom or lined up against the wall.


They remind me that I am working with children-not pint-sized adults.





As if the copious amount of nasal issues
I am dealing with would allow me to
forget.

Five year olds may be cute in rain boots,
but they are not so good at blowing their noses.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

I am writing this post in an effort to put off writing lesson plans.

Shouldn't there be some sort of stipulation in our contracts that excuses those with 20+ years of experience from writing lesson plans?

Really. All I need is a list to remind me what comes next and I'd be just fine. Everybody has something that comes as natural as breathing and teaching fits me like a pair of perfectly fitting panties. (I apoligize to my home grown children who will be mortified that thier mother wrote 'panties' on her blog)

You know what I mean.

A pair of badly fitting panties will ruin your entire day and will prevent you from thinking about anything else at all. A good pair however, just does the job.

The thing I need a plan for is how to find the glasses I've lost or the cell phone I was using just a few seconds ago.

The scary thing is that usually the glasses are on top of my head. As for the cell phone?  Well.....I am usually talking to someone on it while I am feverishly digging through my purse.

Teaching comes easy to me most of the time. I love watching a child use a strategy I have taught them. 

Finding the worksheet I JUST gave directions for is another story.

I have always been absent minded. I think that the people around me daily are used to it now and I am daily grateful to be working with little children.

The little ones eagerly help me look for my pen or my sunglasses and don't seem to think that it is out of the ordinary to have to point out to their teacher that her glasses are perched on her head or hanging from the neck of her blouse.

Lesson plans?

Completely unnecessary at this point in my career.

What I really need is a GPS locator for the marker I was using just a minute ago.

And maybe one for my car keys too.

Just sayin'................