Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

Please Continue to be in prayer for Scilla; she is having a hard time this holiday season; but I pray God will continue to give her strength as she adjusts to life in her wheelchair.


"Walking in faith..."

Her Story

   On Thursday, Dec.16, Prissy had the opportunity to go to Greenville Hospital System to meet with some writers and photographers to tell her story.  The hospital contacted her and asked her if she would be willing to participate. She had a great time while there. They photographed her along with her doctor and therapists from Roger C. Peace and reluctantly her daughter, Kelle also was photographed (Kelle had no idea they were going to ask her to participate).

    So when and where will Scilla's story be featured? Scilla will be featured in a calendar for the hospital and she will also appear in literature and brochures for the hospital. They will mail us copies of the calendar when they are printed some time in the next 2 or 3 weeks and when they arrive I will put what I can here.

    Update on her surgery: She is doing very well with the tube in her kidney, it gives her more freedom and keeps her from having to go home every 3 to 4 hours to Cathe, so she can get some since of normalcy back without having to plan her day or activities around getting back home to Cathe.

     Please keep her and Emma in your prayers. Emma is doing well, her incision from surgery has completely healed, her shunt is functioning well and her severe diaper rash is healed. Thank you God for your many blessings; not only this holiday season, but everyday we are so grateful for your grace and mercy.

"Walking in faith..."

Surgery a success

     Scilla's surgery was successful. They were having trouble finding a vein for the IV, so they ended having to take her to the O.R. to give her gas and do the IV there.
      The tube was successfully placed, but there is a slight chance that she may have to have it removed if the latex the tube contains causes too much of an allergic reaction (she is allergic to latex). The doctor chose to go with the latex tube because of it's flexibility versus the other type of tube which is stiff like a PVC type tube. He thinks that this tube in the kidney will definitely make things much better for her and do away with the constant infections. She will have to go have the tube changed in 6 weeks in the doctors office and I am not sure how often after that.
      The tube is very easy to take care of; just clean daily with soap and water and also cover with gauze and tape down underneath her clothes. She is resting tonight and should be able to return to normal activity in 24 hours.

Thank you to everyone for your prayers. Please continue to pray for a fast recovery and that she can get back into therapy soon, she is on a waiting list because she lost her spot when she went to Columbia. She needs therapy to get stronger and become more independent, so I hope by January she is back in therapy.

"Walking in faith..."

Surgery on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2010

   A quick prayer for a successful surgery for Scilla. She will be having surgery on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2010 at 3 in the afternoon (The surgery was originally scheduled for Dec. 13, but they moved it up). She will be having a tube put in her kidney's ( sorry for TMI for what is about to come) so that she will not have to Cathe vaginally in hopes that the number of  CONSTANT urinary tract and candida infections that she experiences. Currently she is on a low dose antibiotic daily because of the above mentioned infections. 

    I am not exactly sure of how this surgery works or what is involved; I tried to unsuccessfully find out information online. The surgery is outpatient if everything goes as planned.  I will try to post tomorrow night to let everyone knows how it goes.


     Please pray for Scilla and the doctors performing her surgery on Tuesday. Also keep sweet, baby Emma in your prayers.


"Walking by faith"

A great thanksgiving weekend

  Thanksgiving weekend was an awesome time filled with yummy food, family, and friends! This year we had a change of location for our family thanksgiving dinner, this year we held our family dinner at Scilla's house because it was the most accessible and convenient place for her. She could cath and do everything she needed to easily and in the comfort of her own home. She really had a good time and enjoyed herself, because she was able to easily move from room to room and in and out of the house independently. So we are thankful for that. Here are some pictures from our family gathering.

She is back; it was good to see her smiling and happy.

Being silly with mom...lol

IDK...

talking junk to Aunt Robbin

Heading outside...

We are so thankful that God blessed us this year and we definitely  had an awesome thanksgiving weekend. Please continue to pray for Prissy and Baby Emma.

"walking in faith..."

Birthday Pictures coming soon!

  I was out of town last week, on a small, but much needed vacation and I keep forgetting to bring my camera in this week, but birthday pictures from Prissy's surprise pizza party are coming very soon!

   Scilla is doing very well and becoming more independent, which is EXCELLENT! She has moved into her new house and is able to get in and out the house with no problem; she also is able to maneuver around the house in her wheelchair with great ease, because there are hardwood floors. She informed me on Sunday (November 7) that she cooked some of the best spaghetti that she has had in a very long time! I was glad to here that she was in the kitchen and cooking which is open and accessible and allows her to move around  and reach items in the kitchen.

   Some other new developments are that I read online that about 2 weeks ago they began a study using stem cells on new spinal cord injury patients; Great news and Great hope for the future!

    Also my sister said that my cousin's pastor prayed for her in September and that he told her she had been misdiagnosed. I say that to say this: My mom and Shakelle (Scilla's daughter) were pressing on her stomach and she said she could feel it; so they had her close her eyes and she was able to them where they were touching her and she also says she has had some feeling in her rectum. According to her current diagnosis; she has a complete injury with a completely severed spinal cord and is suppose to have no feeling below her breast bone area! So, if she truly has feeling as she says, how is it possible? or just maybe she has been misdiagnosed and her spinal cord is still intact somewhere that doctors can't see.

    But in any case only God has the final say so when it comes to healing and restoration, so I will continue to pray DAILY for her and baby Emma's healing because I know God has great things in store for those two ladies! So as I usually ask, please keep Scilla and Baby Emma in your prayers; pray that Emma gets over a cold she is dealing with and also if you are looking for a nice Town home in the Greenville area (a great location) Emma (well actually her parents) are selling theirs in hopes of purchasing a more accessible house for Emma. Check out the home on Emma's blog (which can be found on my blog roll).

"Walking in faith..."

Happy 40th Birthday!

     Today, November 2, 2010 is a very special day! Today we celebrate Scilla's 40th birthday and I am so thankful that God allowed her to still be here with us on today. We all know that on March 15, 2010, she was in an accident that forever changed our lives. She lost the ability to walk, but most importantly her life was spared and for that I thank God daily. HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRISSY, WE ALL LOVE YOU AND STILL HAVE FAITH THAT GOD IS GOING TO HEAL YOU AND GIVE YOU THE DESIRES OF YOUR HEART! LOVE YA BABE!

Early Birthday dinner...

   Today we went to Applebee's for an early 40th birthday dinner with Scilla and some of our family. We all enjoyed ourselves. Here are some pictures:

The birthday girl

 Mimi and Aunt Scilla

Scilla and Greg (I don't know why they look so dark...lol!)

Scilla and her daughter Shakelle

Scilla and Kelle being silly because her balloon flew away!

SEASONS....

   I don't normally write about me in this blog, but this entry is about the ending a season, in my life and the beginning of a new one. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 3:1 "For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven."
 
     In this new season of my life,I have taken on a 30 day challenge where I have been fasting and praying for God to act upon some of my desires. During this time of fasting and praying, a song by Bishop Paul Morton has been a song that I have sung so many times and it says " Lord, whatever you are doing in this season, don't do it without me; Lord, if you are HEALING in this season, don't do it without me; Lord, if you are BLESSING in this season, don't do it without me!" And although this song says don't do it without me, when I sing it I am singing out for some of the people who mean the most to me. Some family and friends are suffering financially; So many people need healing from various things and so I am crying out for everyone on my prayer list(which is growing lately).  I have so much faith in God that I honestly believe he is getting ready to do some great things in my life and the lives of the people I love most.

     I decided to write about seasons because I chose not to return to my job as a teacher in the After School program with the City of Greenville in September. This was the perfect job for me; for 3 years it allowed me to be the mother/wife I wanted to be and allowed me the flexibility to do some of the things that I wanted to do. Most importantly, during the time of Scilla's accident; my co-workers were not only understanding, they were great at accommodating me! I was out of work days or weeks at a time dealing with stuff related to Scilla's accident. I would go to work, only to get a call from Scilla that she needed me, could I come to the hospital and my immediate supervisor worked with me, she would let me leave and do what I needed to do in order to be there for Scilla, my mother, and my family.
 
      I am forever indebted to my co-workers for being a source of relief from the hectic-ness and stress that came along with Scilla's accident. I worked with 4 beautiful, smart, and talented women. Each of these women touched and forever my changed my life in some way. They may not know it; but they made life a little easier for me, their smiling faces and jokes that made me laugh were the highlight of many stressful days and sleepless nights. I will never be able explain it, but for some reason; I just felt my time working with "the city" was up; I felt like it was my time to move on to the next season of my life. I prayed hard and long before making the decision to not return in September.

    But I am forever grateful and thankful for my "season" with the "the city" because they provided healing for me during one the most life changing times in my life; theses ladies made Scilla's accident easier for me to handle. They would listen to my daily updates, my worries and my fears; they allowed me to talk about the accident and listened and gave encouraging advice; they were my therapists and played a big role in MY healing and in helping me to be strong for Scilla. They allowed me to just let it all out and for that I appreciate them. So to Ms. Octavia Jones, Ms. Katrina Wofford, Ms. Ereaka Binns, and Mrs. E. Wofford; I LOVE each of you and I miss you dearly and I am thankful that I had you all during this very difficult "season" of my life. I was glad to have the opportunity to work alongside each of you, but more importantly, I made friendships to last a lifetime.

       As I mentioned I have been fasting and praying and God has delivered on my one of my desires and I have been offered a job here in Greenville; if things work out, I am hoping to start early/mid November. I am so excited about this new season in my life and the new season in Scilla's life with her going to the rehab facility and gaining the therapy, insight, and healing that she needs and ALSO for HER STILL BEING HERE WITH US TO CELEBRATE HER 40TH BIRTHDAY ON NOVEMBER 2ND! Her life was spared and she is entering a new season; a new stage of her life.

     As always, please continue to pray for Scilla and baby Emma (whom I received the most adorable photo's of ). I am also requesting prayer for me and my new job (specifically that we come to terms on a good salary and that I am able to get everything done to start in November).

Oh yea, I forgot to mention Scilla got a new camera, so we should have some photo's of her and the work she is doing in rehab very soon!

"Walking in faith..."

  

Happy Birthday Mom!

We are so blessed to celebrate my mother, Patricia Booker's birthday on today. She is an awesome mom and we are so blessed to have her in our lives. WE LOVE YOU MOMMA!

"WALKING IN FAITH..."

10-10-10

      So today is the 10th day, of the 10th month of the 2010th year; otherwise 10-10-10. They were so many weddings going on today that it was RIDICULOUS! But the number 10 in Chinese culture is considered perfect and in some cultures lucky; biblically The number 10 represents COMPLETENESS - DIVINE ORDER; There were 10 Commandments, We are commanded to give the 10th of all income, A new world order/promise came out of Noah (the 10th generation) [thanks to Pastor Lenny Gaines for the biblical insight] so I guess today was the perfect day for Scilla to start the 2nd leg of her rehabilitation journey at a facility in Columbia. She left Greenville around noon en route to Columbia where she will spend the next 6 weeks in a rehab facility; participating in all kinds of therapy including water therapy and maybe even learning to drive. I am super excited for her and can't wait to call her later in the week to see how it is going and how she likes it. I hope this facility gives her the tools to properly heal. I pray for her healing daily, but not just for physical healing; but for mental and emotional healing. I know that some days are mentally and emotionally are harder for her and I think that once she is able to come to terms with her injury, she will be truly healed.

     Please continue to be in prayer for her healing and pray that she comes out this with a new outlook and ready to take on the world. I know she is going to do great!

     Also remember to keep sweet, baby Emma in your prayers. She is doing well and is such a cutie!
     
     Scilla will be coming home this weekend  to move some things into her new home and to celebrate my mother's birthday on October 15.

"Walking in faith"

October 10th is the day...

Not much to report here.

• Just wanted to let everyone know that Scilla will be going to Columbia to a rehab place on October 10. I am so excited for her and I know she will do well for the 6 weeks she will be there. She will be coming home on some weekends.

• I also plan to post pictures of her new, more accessible home, as soon as I can get by there and get some pictures. 
  
• She went to the Urorologist last week and they put her on a daily, small dose antibiotic and a probiotic to help with her  frequent Urinary tract infections.
• She also keeps talking about feeling things, but I am not sure what to think; but I take it as it comes because after all I do pray daily for her healing and restoration and who knows what God has in store for her.

I know this is not too interesting, but I wanted to give an update. Emma is doing great also; she had a CT scan to make sure her shunt is working as it should and there is a really cute video on her blog of her eating applesauce and she appears to love it! and she also gives a glimpse of that beautifully, blessed smile.

Please continue to pray for Scilla and Emma.

"Walking in faith"

Didn't realize it had been so long....

Hello! I apologize to everyone for I did not realize that entire month of September has nearly passed and I haven't blogged. I have been super busy with working, remodeling projects around my house and just life in general.

   Scilla is doing great. She will be journeying to Columbia to a rehab facility on October 10 for a six week (I think) stay. I am excited for her because this facility will give her the tools and therapy necessary to become more independent.

   Also if everything goes as planned, which we will know for sure on Monday (9/27/10), she will be moving into a house and out of her apartment which she is also excited about.

     We are still trusting God and praying for a miracle, but we know he has the final say in this matter. But I a will not be satisfied with incompleteness; yes God has blessed us, but I am certain that he is not finished blessing me, my family, and friends. So I want become comfortable in my present state because God has greater things in store for us and the Evidence is clear.

     I pray continually for Scilla and Emma's healing; their names are consistantly in my mouth, as I give praise to God I thank him for them and I ask that you do the same.

"Walking in faith"

Not much going on around here...

  Hello everyone! I know, I know it has been 2 weeks since my last post;but not a lot has been going on around here lately.  Also the start of a new school year means a return to work for me. In addition to work, I am pursuing a second master's degree in mental health counseling in hopes of owning my own practice someday (thought about going for my PhD, but I am not into research...ha ha!) So if there are no entries for long periods, that is why.

 Scilla is doing VERY well and getting around well in her chair.

    Greg returned to work on Monday the 23rd and Angelic spent the night with her on Monday night and My Aunt Robbin on Tuesday. Thank you to them for helping her out. She asked me to stay one night, but I didn't. I think that it is very important that she learns to gain some independence and that was why I didn't stay the night because I didn't feel like she needed me. My hope is that she will learn that there are going to be times when you are all alone and you will have to figure out how to do things when it's just you.

  She is continuing to work on gaining strength and I am hoping that by the time we reach the 1 year mark, she will be able to transfer in and out of her chair independently; right now she still needs some assistance.


Please continue to pray that she continues to gain strength and independence. Also pray that she remains healthy because the less health complications we have the sooner she can become completely independent.

Also sweet baby Emma is doing awesome. Check out her blog and look at the recent pictures; Emma is absolutely adorable! She is making progress and is holding her head up now and improving in all areas. Go Emma!

God is truly working miracle's in the lives of the people we care about so much and I thank him for blessing Scilla and Emma and taking care of them, like only he can. Thank you God.

There is a celebrity in the building!

   On Aug. 5, I celebrated my 30th birthday. It was such an exciting occasion for me. I enjoyed a week of pampering, fun, dinners and a party. I have to give a shot out to my husband, Eric for treating to me to the most relaxing massage ever and  giving me an awesome new digital SLR Camera, the Nikon D5000! This camera is the cream of the crop, the best of the best (he did his research before buying it...lol)! And he also footed the bill for my awesome birthday party and we had a BALL!

    So enough about that, I mentioned the party and my birthday for one reason only and that is that I was so EXCITED that Prissy came to my party! I was not sure if she was going to make, because she has her good days and she has her bad. My heart felt so much JOY that she came out to celebrate with us and on top of that, SHE ENJOYED HERSELF! YES! She smiled, laughed and was her "old self"! There was only one moment where she said to me she doesn't like her chair to show when I take her picture, but of course I ignored her and kept snapping because that chair is apart of who she is now! My sister, Trina rolled her out onto the dance floor and although she didn't dance, she took a lot of pictures, so many that the question was asked "Dang, is it your birthday? You are a celebrity tonight"...HA HA. Of course I didn't mind her getting all the attention because I am not that type of person in fact, I was just happy to take the pictures and have her present. So here are some of the party pictures:

When she first arrived she didn't want to take a picture, but I got it

Scilla and one of her bestie's Robin

There is about 20 of these with half of the party goers surrounding her

Another fun shot!

With her Aunt Robbin, she loves her some Aunt Robbin!

I was finally able to get in a photo with her...lol (I have on the blue dress) Also note this a picture with all my mom's girls (4) plus our cousin with the hat on!

She decided to have a little fun and roll into the picture, as you can see Angelic and Trina wasn't expecting her..lol

having a little fun with Sherrica's leg/shoe and her son, Adrian.

And she rolls into another picture...

I am so glad that she came and had a good time! She also came to my little cousin, Ziyon's party on Saturday! I was worried about how we were going to get her into my Aunt E-Mae's house. I didn't get the picture, but Kendrick and Greg, lifted her(wheelchair and all) and toted her up the 5 to 7 steps into my Aunt's house and according to them it was "light" work! I am so glad to know we have some strong men in our family who are able to "lift" us when we need them!

God has definitely blessed Prissy and our family. We have had some tough times over the past 5 months, but God just keeps us showing us favor. He is continuing to heal her and giving her strength to make through and play the cards she was dealt.  Also baby Emma is doing well, continue to be in prayer for her. She will be having another swallowing study in a couple of weeks and she is also still dealing with some breathing problems; but her mom said it best, Tomorrow has too many problems to worry about them today, so live for the present and enjoy today and don't worry about tomorrow.

"WALKING IN FAITH..."

We are still here...

I know there hasn't been any updates for about a week, but I have been on vacation and getting some much needed rest and relaxtion. At last check, Prissy was doing very well. I will post most likely on Monday about her visit to the rehab center in Columbia. Enjoy the weekend and be blessed.

Please keep Scilla in your prayers.


"Walking in Faith..."

Great news for paraplegics....

    On Thursday in New Zealand the first ever pair of robotic of legs, called REX (Robotic Exoskeleton) was revealed to the world. REX is a new prostheses aimed at making life for paraplegics easier and allowing them to walk. REX has been in secret development for the past 7 years and  made its debut on July 15, 2010. I was amazed at REX and was so excited when I saw it online last night. We have been saying that Scilla would walk again and if it is buy the help of a robotic prostheses; so be it.
   
     I called Scilla super excited last night and directed her to the website to view the video which I will post here. I can't wait for these to become available in the U.S.A! The first pair available in the U.S. is estimated to cost around a 150,000.00 and who knows how we will ever be able to afford a pair for her; but I figure if I sell my house I could afford to buy her a pair and still buy another home ( not sure the hubs would be up for that though..lol).

Here is the link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGw5DYngHTo

Making progress

Not much to mention today. Scilla is doing really well and getting stronger everyday. She is at a point where she can almost get in her bed by herself. She does most of the work and just needs someone there for help support her legs/ hold her knee's.

Baby Emma is doing so AWESOME! She is making progress like you would not believe; so much so that her doctor has decided to put off surgery for 3 weeks! Go Emma, I am so proud of you.

God is really making believers out of those who ever doubted his healing powers. Please continue to pray for both Scilla and Emma.


"Walking in Faith..."

I learned to never disobey God!

    As I reflect tonight, 2010 has been a year thus far. God is seriously trying to send someone or maybe many people in our family a message; my cousin is in the same fourth floor ICU that Scilla was in; the feeling was all too familiar, it felt like I was just there yesterday. I am praying that we get the message that God is trying to relay to us very soon, before we find someone else in our family in that same position; in that same 4th floor ICU. Because I have so many mixed emotions right now with some my family members I will not disclose any details, but ask for prayer for my family instead.

     On a brighter note, Prissy is doing well! She will be going to the evaluation center in Columbia, SC for a visit on July 21 to tour the facilities. She is getting stronger and learning to live with and accept her injury more and more each day. Here are some pictures of her making hamburgers on Friday night.

getting bacon for the burgers

All the kids trying to crowd onto the wheelchair.

Remember to keep Praying and God will do the rest.

"Walking in Faith..."

Happy 4th of July, a day late!

     After a rough Saturday night, Prissy was checked out at the hospital and released.  She took a pretty big tumble out of her chair (no fault of her own , I might add!) and was really sore. She was sort of hesitant about attending our family B-B-Q on Sunday, but I reassured her that everything would be fine and my Aunt Robbin went through great lengths to ensure that she would be able to get into her house on Sunday.  I was so glad she came and excited for her because although her life is different now; life does still go on and she has family and friends who love and care about her and wants to make sure that she knows nothing has changed and she will always be included and welcome and we will go to great lengths to make sure wherever we are is accessible for her. Here are some pictures from Sunday:

Kendrick and Greg helping her get up the ramp.

Greg and Kendrick pushing her up the ramp

Covering her face, not wanting to take a picture

I am going to get your picture...

There we go, I gotcha!

Please Pray....

 I just got word that Scilla fell out of her wheelchair. I don't have details, all I know is that she was leaving her Bro-in-laws house. Please be in prayer for her as she is at the hospital to get checked because she is experiencing pain. Please pray that she did not sustain any new injuries or cause harm to her existing injuries. I think I am going to head to the hospital in Greer and will update will I get any new information.

Prissy is doing well...

   Today I went over to Prissy's to help Kelle with some homework and to take Greg and Kelle a made from scratch red velvet cupcake...yummy! Scilla was in great spirits today and in her chair. She is learning to control her chair very well, but is still not a pro; while Kelle was fixing Scilla some spaghetti, Scilla rolled up a little too close and ran over Kelle's toes (OUCH!) and Kelle yelled "get back, get back". It was funny to me!

       Also while there she asked me to help her get in the bed and I can tell you that she has made some big improvements. I called her "Dot Jr." because she is getting stronger and can help out more in her transfers. She helped me out a lot in transferring herself from her wheelchair to the bed. She is really doing well!

     Today we learned that Scilla will be going to visit a rehabilitation center in Columbia, SC. They are in the process of arranging a tour. While there she will do ALL types of therapies, including some water therapy. We do not have dates yet, but we do know that after she tours the center; she will then go for a 5 week stay there. We do not have the dates yet, but we know that it will be some time in the next couple of months or so. I think it will be good for her, but I hope it is before school starts back and before Greg goes back to work.

     I am so happy to report that both Scilla and Emma are doing well. For those of you who are not busy on Sunday at 7:00 pm, Earle Street Baptist Church in downtown Greenville will be having their annual 4th of July celebration and all the money from the event will go towards medical expenses for baby Emma. So, if you do not have anything to do, please go out and support baby Emma and Earle Street Baptist Church because we personally know about mounting medical expenses and the toll they can take on a family.

Please keep Scilla and Emma in your prayers. Be blessed.

"Walking in Faith..."

Still trusting and believing...

    Prissy is doing well. Today she is experiencing some pain because she is out of her pain meds and can't get them refilled until tomorrow, so she has been in bed most of the day. She is in great spirits and laughing and joking with everyone.

     Today while visiting with her, I had to rub her heels, stretch her legs and rub her back  (a small work-out). She enjoyed it and didn't want me to stop.


    This week in her therapy session on Tuesday, she will be cooking a meal as a part of her occupational therapy. I am hoping to get some pictures via Greg, since I tutor in the mornings during her therapy time.

     I am excited for the 4th of July weekend, but  I am also nervous because this will be our first big family gathering with her since her accident and my Aunt's house is NO WHERE NEAR ACCESSIBLE and I do not know how we will get her indoors if we need to. But I am just going to pray that all goes well.


I will try to post again this week and hopefully have some pictures for you. Kelle, Scilla's daughter dropped the camera in the water at Fall Park, so I can only get photo's if I give them my camera to use.


*UPDATE* Emma is doing awesome! God has showed his grace and mercy upon her. Emma's body is healing, she is progressing, and in therapy now. 

Continue to pray for both Scilla and Emma.

"Walking in Faith..."

Let me clarify...

    First let me start with Prissy. She is doing OK, not having a great night. She was suppose to come over to my house to visit tonight with Greg, but they did not make it because she was "having a bad moment" as she put it. She and Greg have been very busy looking for a house, but just about everyone they have found is not completely accessible. I have told her they might just have to get one and make the necessary changes to the home.
       In addition to looking for a home, they have been looking for and found a new car. Currently their BMW only allows for her, Greg, and one other passenger because the trunk is not big enough for her wheelchair; they have to put it on the backseat, which is not convenient for a family of 3 to 6 (depending on which kids are around). So they will be purchasing a Chevy impala which has a really good size trunk and her wheelchair fits inside, YAY!

     So now to the things I would like to clarify:
                        1. Fewer blog posts- because there is not much going on these days and I don't want to bore everyone by posting just to post. So as I stated last week; I will only post a few times a week or if there is something going on and I need to inform everyone.

                         2. When I said I had some personal issues I was dealing with- this blog is not about me, so I did not elaborate when I posted that last week. But for those who are worried; it is nothing major. I will be celebrating my 30th birthday in August and the issues I were referring to are basically I am trying to make a decision about my career path/future/entrepreneurship. Also my hubby wants another baby and I am not interested in having one and I am trying to decide what to do as far as having more kids, since circumstances would be different this time around. So as I said nothing major; just things I am thinking heavily about right now!

As always continue to pray for Scilla and Emma. In addition to praying for their healing; pray also for their comfort.

"Walking in faith..."

Happy Father's day...

  to all the great men out there who step up to the plate and take care of their responsibilities. To my wonderful husband, I am forever grateful for all you do. I never had a positive example of what a real man, real father was suppose to be and you came along and turned my world upside down; treated me like royalty and has shown me what true love and true fatherhood is suppose to be; so for that I say thank you and I love you.

       I would like to wish a special father's day to Greg, Scilla's husband. He is the face of character, a man of good faith. He has been through a lot the past 3 months; but yet has stepped up to the plate and taken on the role of mom,dad, and caregiver. He must sure the kids are taken care of; Scilla and the kids get their meals and he does the laundry and all other tasks around the home. He has so much on his plate and rarely gets a moment for himself, time to relax or just chill. I thank Greg for all he does for my sister because there are some men who would have fled at the thought of life with a wife who in a matter of hours had just walked out the door and then an hour so later would be found over the edge of embankment faced with a future of paralysis.

    Greg is really supportive of Scilla; he encourages her and strongly believes that God is going to heal and restore her to walk again someday.


    On to Scilla, she is doing great, only a small amount of pain today. She got her new chair on Friday; I will post pics sometimes this week.

       Happy Father's day to our mom who played both roles and did an awesome job at providing all our needs and wants.

       Continue to pray for Scilla and Emma because God is listening and making moves in their lives. He is doing great things and healing them and making good on the things he promised.

"Walking in faith..."

Things Change...

 Hello All! First let me start with how Prissy is doing. She has been experiencing some infections lately. She had a kidney infection a couple of weeks ago and now a bladder infection. She is on another round of antibiotics and is hoping to feel better soon. She hasn't really felt good the past couple of days and her infections lead to weakens certain organs and cause her to have accidents, which she hate. So I hope that she feels better very soon.

I know that I haven't posted a lot lately and it is because things change. I plan to continue to keep the blog updated, but just not as often. I am going to try to post 3 to 4 times a week. Since school is out; I am tutoring mid-morning, early afternoon and then I try to make it home to have dinner ready for my hubby; because during the school year I don't really cook because of time. Also I have had some issues that I am dealing with (nothing major or big) that I am hoping to work out very soon.

Baby Emma is doing great! She has been doing well and has been one traveling little lady. She is starting her therapies tomorrow (occupational, speech, and physical). Isn't God good?

I ask that you continue to pray for Emma and also pray that Scilla is healed from the kidney and bladder infections that has been causing her some discomfort lately.

"Walking in faith..."

My beautiful baby girl

TURNED 4 on June 11. I do not know where the time has flown. Aunt Scilla asked Mimi all last week what she wanted for her birthday and Mimi told her a doll house!

     On Saturday, June 12, Scilla made her way to Gatti Town, although she did not feel too good. Once inside, she only stayed in about 20 minutes, if that long. It was too cold inside for her because she is on blood thinner medication and she is always freezing. So she went to sit outside of Gatti Town and she stayed out there about an hour. Everyone kept going in shifts to sit with her and talk to her and check on her. MIMI AS WELL I REALLY APPRECIATE HER COMING OUT TO HER FAVORITE GIRL'S PARTY! Prissy stayed until it was gift time at which point we took the gift she had bought, Mimi and party goers outside so that she could see Mimi open the gift she had bought.

THE BIRTHDAY GIRL

OPENING THE GIFT FROM AUNT SCILLA

 ABOVE: A BIG GASP

EXCLAIMING "OH MY GOSH"

ABOVE: A KISS AND HUG FOR AUNT SCILLA BEFORE SHE LEAVES!

THE DOLL HOUSE THAT SHE WANTED TO GET A PILLOW AND SLEEP ON THE FLOOR BESIDE. MOMMY IS KIND OF JEALOUS THAT AUNT SCILLA OUTDID HER ON THE GIFT...LOL. ERIC AND I BOUGHT HER A SWING SET AND A NEW PORTABLE DVD PLAYER, BUT SHE COULD CARE LESS,  THE AWARD FOR THE BEST GIFT GOES TO AUNT SCILLA. IT IS GREAT THAT SHE IS GOING THROUGH SO MUCH RIGHT NOW, INCLUDING PAIN ON SATURDAY, BUT YET SHE WAS DETERMINED TO GET MIMI A DOLL HOUSE AND COME TO HER PARTY AND GOD IS GOING TO BLESS HER FOR PUTTING MY BABY GIRL'S HAPPINESS FIRST AND PRESSING HER WAY TO CELEBRATE WITH MIMI.

On another note when I visted her today, she asked when was the last time I updated my blog; so I guess she has been reading it! So, I had to do an update tonight. Also my little Angel, Emma is home and although she is still having some choking and breathing problems; God is continuing to bless her and keep her, she is doing well.                                                                                                                      

As always please continue to pray for Scilla and Emma. God is listening; he is healing and restoring and showing his grace and mercy upon.                                                                                                      

"WALKING IN FAITH..."

wee word wednesday :)

Here is a picture I ABSOLUTELY LOVE ! Mimi and I were in Sams Club when we got a call that Aunt Scilla was on her way there too!  I hadn't seen her since taking her braids done and her new hair style. I just kept thinking how beautiful she looked and had to take a picture.

    I love this picture because I see the smile I remember that we haven't seen in a long time, but also for me; it is surreal. I see her in a wheelchair, the wheelchair is a part of her and her life now; but it is like whoa! When I looked at the picture for the first time on the computer last night, it sent a chill through my body because she was home, out and about, but in a wheelchair; it was reality, but it  was something I can't even find the words to describe.

    But in any case here is my beautiful Miss Prissy!

Please continue to pray for her and for the little angel, baby Emma. The two of them have been progressing well and God is blessing them and showing us that our prayers are not falling on deaf ears. Emma got a great report from the doctors today and may be going home today or very soon. Thank you God and I am going to continue to praise you and believe that you are going to continue to heal and restore Prissy and Emma!

She is home and looking good...

    As we all know Scilla has had a web of things to untangle and one of the things we discovered is that she had been taking her medications wrong, which contributed to her pain being so severe and also her coumadin doctor said her blood was too thick on Friday because she wasn't taking that medicine correctly. We have discovered that she putting her medicine in the pill boxes when she was heavily medicated. I have seen her smiling a lot more lately and I love it.

     Baby Emma is doing better. They now know what has been contributing to her breathing/choking problems. You can check her out on my blog list. It warms my heart to get a good report on Emma because I know that she is destined to be blessed and God is going to work a miracle in her life.


     On a side note, an older pastor asked me on Sunday, how Scilla was doing and if she was walking yet. I replied "no" to which he simply said "if she doesn't walk down here, she will when she get to Heaven" and I just looked and smiled because I wasn't sure how to take it; because we still have hope that God is going to work a miracle so great in her life that man will never understand. Still believing and still standing on his word knowing that God makes no mistakes and that he does what he says he will do.

Continue to keep Prissy and Emma lifted up in prayer because we know from the reports we have been getting that God hears our prayers and he is answering them; it may not be as quickly or the answers we want, but he is showing his mercy and grace upon them.

"walking in faith..."

Sometimes your storm isn't that big...

    Since I have been writing this blog and dealing with Scilla's accident, I have learned that sometimes your storm is not as big as it seems. I absolutely adore Mary Beth and baby Emma. Their storm has inspired me. I find myself checking MB's blog or facebook many times throughout the day hoping to hear some good news about baby Emma. I look at what they are going through and I see that our storm is not as big as theirs and I know that MB sometimes feel that her storm is not as big as she thought. I think our minds and our faith plays a big role in how we view our storms. If we think our storm is big, then it is going to appear that way to us, but if you believe that your storm is just a passing shower and that on the other side of the storm clouds, the sun is going to shine and there is a rainbow awaiting; then your storm will appear as just that, a passing shower.

      I know some days it seems as though it storms and pours down on us daily, when the sun is shining a few feet away from us, but we must remember that with rain comes nourishment for the flowers and grass to grow. Sometimes we need some rain in our lives to nourish us; to allow us to grow closer to God; to turn our brown grass green; to help recover from the drought in our faith (for times when our faith begins to dwindle).  Sometimes it seems like our storms are lasting much too long; just when it seems the rain has slowed and sunshine peeks out, then comes another down pour. It is during this time that we must look to God and say God, this storm is lasting longer than I thought or would even like for it too; can you just please show your face to let me know that this storm will pass soon; just give me a sign; show me your ark for which I can run to for your cover and protection.

      Remember that faith is the key to weather the storm because whatever your storm may be; someone else's is bigger.

SN: I received a card in the mail from MB and it was a great surprise for me. The card touched my heart and is a testament of the type of person MB is. I loved the card, but my first thought was that Mary Beth shouldn't have taken the time to send the card because she has so much on her plate right now, so many more things to do that are much more important; but that is just how great she is, that she took the time out to show her appreciation and I admire that about her and Emma has been blessed with such a great, loving, caring, and FAITHFUL mom.

"walking in faith..."

Still trying to untangle the web of things

that are going on with Prissy's body since her injury. She is having problems with swelling in her abdomen and lower body. This swelling occurs sometimes randomly and we have yet to figure out what triggers it.

Please continue to be prayerful for her and Emma. We know that God is an awesome God and a great God. When it seems like we have taken all we can take and like we are at the end of the road, God shows up and restores our faith. So please keep believing, continue to have faith and don't give up. Whatever you are going through; God is right there with you!


"Walking in faith..."

We returned home excited and overjoyed only

to discover that Prissy was taken to the hospital today by Greg. She called me at around 7 p.m. to see if I'd gotten home and informed me that she was the hospital because of the pain she was having and the swelling she has been experiencing. I called her at 11:30 p.m right before this post to see if she was home since I hadn't heard from in a few hours. She is still at the hospital, they have performed at cat scan and are trying to determine if her intestines are blocked and if so what they need to do about it. Please pray for her and hopefully they will find something out very soon.


   On a lighter note; today was very important for my family. This morning (June 1) we were in Charleston for my husband, Eric's naturalization ceremony.  My daughter and I were super excited that he became a citizen today and are thankful this very long process has now come to an end! Prissy really wanted to travel with u; but the fact we were out of town for 4 days and that she is still healing and having some issues with her health, she was not able to go; but I know she was there in spirit and I can bet you a million dollars if she hadn't had her accident, she would have been there to support Eric.
  

     Below is a picture  of Eric, Mimi, and I after the ceremony; it is not the best picture, but it will do!

Please continue to pray for Scilla and sweet baby Emma!                                                             

"Walking in Faith..."                                                                                                                             

Sorry...

I know I have not posted just about all week. Scilla is doing well, she has her good day and her bad days. She has days that start off good and end bad, but we are working through it and reassuring her that her family is there to support her and do whatever we can to help her as she adjust to this new way of life.

This will probably be my last post until mid or late next week. My hubby is taking me and our beautiful little one for a small weekend getaway and we also have his naturalization ceremony on Tuesday in Charleston, SC; so will we be away for the next 4 to 5 days.

Have safe memorial day and remember to thank a veteran and continue to pray for healing for Scilla, Emma, and all the other people standing in the need.


"walking in faith..."

WOW...

  The past two days, Monday and Tuesday have consisted of 4 total doctors appointments and 2 x-ray sessions. Today we went to the Southeastern Neurosurgical Spine Institute where Scilla met for the first time that she remembers, Dr. Hodge. Dr. Hodge is the surgeon who performed the surgery on her spine. Before seeing Dr. Hodge he ordered x-rays and the radiologist, poor thing did not know what to do with my sister, luckily Greg and I were there! Greg and I had to put her on the x-ray table, flat on her back and that was VERY PAINFUL, poor thing was in tears (which we have seen a lot of lately!). After lying flat on her back, Greg and I turned her onto her left side, which again was painful. The x-ray lady was really apologetic. After slowly lowering her back on to her back, Greg and I sat her up and started the transfer into her chair.

    Once back in the room, Dr. Hodge viewed the x-rays and allowed us to see them also. He said everything looks good and stable. We were able to see where the metal rod and screws were placed, she has a fusion T6 -T10; the actual fracture occured at T8 for those who know a little about medicine. He did see some compression at T11, but that was there before surgery, so for now he is satisfied with how everything looks. As long as her spine is stable, he is satisfied. He also showed us the before x-ray and we saw her spine, lying in two pieces with shattered pieces all around it, it was really bad!

    Of course Prissy had some questions. She wanted to know why she wouldn't be able to walk again if her spine was fused or put back together. He explained that her SPINAL CORD was completely severed and that is where the nerves and such that send messages to the brain from her lower torso are located and because of the severance, there is no communication between the two. While her SPINE is the boney structure that supports the body and the purpose of putting her spine back together was so that she would be able to sit up  and support her body.

   Because she is having a lot of pain, Dr. Hodge is sending her to pain management at Upstate Rehabilitation to see if she can get some relief from the pain.

"Walking in faith..."

A no good, very bad (past couple of ) days...

    I know I haven't posted in a while, I have really been struggling emotionally and I am mad because I feel as though some members of my family has their priorities out of order; for many of us close to her, she should be our first priority right now, seeing as though God was so gracious as to keep her here for us.

      Scilla has been in a rut. Crying night after night and just frustrated. My heart goes out to her and I really am trying my best to be there when she needs me to. She is really worried about not being able to turn at night, among other things.

      I am asking for prayer that God gives her comfort and let her know that even though she is going through some tough times right now, he is still control and still able to heal her.

    Also please pray for Emma.

frustrating friday...

      Today started out not so well. First off, we didn't make it to her morning therapy session because she didn't feel well. So she made an appointment to see her Family physician. In addition to that she was just frustrated and her day did not go very well and I hoping that tomorrow will be a better day for her.


    Pray for Scilla's strength and healing; also pray for baby Emma.

faith...

   Faith is a must. It takes faith to step out on nothing and believe that something is there! Sometimes things happen in the course of life to make you appreciate certain people more. I have had a rough week and so many of the people around me have also. I am a very compassionate person and my heart is hearting for several people I call my friends. I have such an emotional roller coaster of a week and  I have leaned on my wonderful husband and best friend more and I am so grateful for him being there for me when I need him most. I encourage anyone reading to continue to have faith, continue to believe and know that God has not forgot and when things get rough; don't give up on God, instead pray for his favor in the situation. Sometimes our biggest storms yields the best blessings. I encourage my friends who are going through right now to keep the faith, because it is a must. If you loose faith, then you loose the battle. Don't give up, don't stop fighting and most importantly don't let your faith dwindle. I know what you are going through is tough and you may not see God's purpose, but know that all things work together for the food of those who love the Lord and God is going to bring you out alright. The current situation or the outcome may not be what we desire, but remember God knows best and just continue to pray for his favor and praise him for WHAT HE HAS ALREADY DONE!

    On another note, I have to take Prissy to therapy in the morning, please pray that everything goes well and we don't have a repeat of Tuesday.

     Also please keep Baby Emma on your prayer lists. Pray not only for Emma, but for strength and faith for her mother, father, and family.

     I am trusting God to do what he said...

"Walking in faith..."

Definitely not my day

      Today was just one of those blah! kinda days where you wish you could crawl back into bed and start it all over again! As much as the kids on my job work my last nerve, they were a welcome distraction today.

     Scilla is doing very well and making great improvements, everything was going well until I let her....
FALL OUT OF THE CAR! No your eyes are not deceiving you! While trying to transfer her from the car to her chair, the chair slipped and I tried to catch her but she kept slipping until she hit the ground. I was a nervous wreck and my confidence greatly shaken. (a little background on her why she fell: She does not have her personal chair yet, it should be here in about 2weeks. The chair she has is bits and pieces of other chairs put together and the brakes don't exactly do their job which is why the chair started to move during the middle of our transfer.) ANYWAYS, I called 9-1-1 and the fireman arrived first and once I explained her injury they decided to leave her sitting on the ground with her feet still in the car until the EMS arrived. Once there, their first thought was to pull her by her arms and she and I quickly said "NO, you can't do that, she has a new spinal cord injury and you can't pull her by her arms!" So they thought for a minute and got a back board and laid her down and again thought they were going to grab her arms and again we said "no, you can't pull her arms and she can't move her legs, so finally they got the point."

       The EMS got a blanket out of the ambulance and put it underneath her and pulled her the rest of the way onto the backboard that way. So now there was still the problem of how to get her in the chair. The EMS and firemen put the blanket underneath her bottom and back and lifted on the count of three while I pushed the wheelchair closer to them; once we had her on the chair, I put my hands under her butt to pull her back while they lifted her back completely into the chair.

   So as you can see it wasn't exactly the kind of day you want to have, but one good thing did happen. While talking to the paramedic and telling of her injury; one of them said "Do you remember me?" and Scilla was like "not really" and he said I was there the day of your injury! Scilla started then to remember that he held her hand on the way to the hospital. He told us how he kept telling her she was going to be okay and that she was not going to die and that she was one lucky lady. So world, I introduce you to Scilla's guardian angel; the paramedic who has been there when she has needed him most, Mr. R.C Page:

"Walking in Faith..."