Prayers for Stellan & the MckFamily

for details please visit  my charming kids or follow MckMama on twitter.

1 month post-op

One month ago today we were sleeping in Collin’s hospital room after his brain surgery.

This is Collin earlier today…just one month later.
 
What a difference a month makes.

In this past month Collin has done very well. He is back to his ornery self and has remained seizure free. Praise God. His incision is healing well. The sutures are all gone now and his hair is starting to grow back in.
He still wears a hat most of the time when we leave bc he thinks people will laugh @ him. ??? I have no idea where he got that idea from.

On Monday we have a check up with the CNP in neurology. This check up is mainly for us to get his seizure medicine refilled.
In October we will go for his MRI to see if the surgery was truly a success.

We have been staying busy around here. 
Our weather has been un-seasonably cool. I am enjoying it. I am not a fan of the humidity.

We are trying to make plans for a quick NYC trip for my birthday in Oct.  I have always wanted to go to NYC. I am so excited.
And if I can find a nice cabin the three of us will be going to the Smokey Mts. in TN for Thanksgiving.
Lots of things coming up. I can not wait.

Wordless Wednesday

McRae Family

Meet the McRae family. 
Dad-Aaron
Mom-Holly
Kids-Olivia, Kate & Will

Just two and a half weeks ago their lives were changed when they found out their middle daughter, Kate, age 5, has a brain tumor. She has since had a craniotomy and bc of the location of the tumor it could not all be removed. She will start chemo, most likely next week. They (the docs) do not want her to have radiation bc of her age and other issues.
Since finding the tumor they have not left the Children’s Hospital in AZ.

They can use our prayers. I have been following their story @ their Caring Bridge site.
The road ahead of them is long, but they know the Great Physician and all he is capable of.  He provides us with miracles each day. He knows the road that lies ahead of sweet Kate as He has already walked it. She will not go through anything that He is unaware of and He will never leave her side.

As if dealing with this was not enough for them, they found out today that their son, Will age 3 (I think), has a growth on his vocal cords and will need to have surgery soon to remove it. the Dr. does not feel that it is cancerous, (Praise God) but none the less Will does need surgery which will require general anesthesia and come with a recovery period of its own.

This family covets our prayers for their children and for themselves. That they will be able to divide their time and be there for both of their children in their times of need while not leaving their oldest daughter, Olivia out.
Please prayer for the children and their individual needs, but also for strength,rest and wisdom for the parents. I can not imagine what they are going through right now.
Please also pray for all the doctors involved in both Kate & Will’s  treatments and surgeries.

THANKS.

Don’t you just love the blog world and how we can all come together to prayer for those who need our prayers that we may never meet this side of the pearly gates?

God is AWESOME!!!

You can visit their Caring Bridge site for more info and updates below.

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mcraekate/journal

Collin, back to himself

If it were not for the small(ish) patch of hair that is still missing (but slowly growing in) and the scar on the top of his head, you would not know that this boy had brain surgery just 3 short weeks ago.
We are getting back to our life as we knew it prior to the surgery/recovery. Collin can be around kids again and go out and about. So that makes us all happier.

We are back to working on our ABC’s. He knows them, but boy is he stubborn when I try to get him to tell me them or sing the song etc. He goes to pre-school in the fall. Just 2 days a week. I think he will love it, but he is not too happy about it when you mention it to him now. 
This Sunday he will get to return to church with his friends. And then tuesday he can go back to childcare in the evenings while Daddy goes to FPU (financial peace university by Dave Ramsey) 

I will try and get a picture of his head tomorrow and post it. It looks so much better than the last pictures I posted. :)

Wordless Wednesday: an odd place for a nap

Happy Independence Day

HAPPY 4th of July
from all 3 of us @ Close to Home

Celebrate your faith, family, friends & freedom today.
And Thank a soldier…past present & future for fighting for ALL of those for you.

not for the faint of heart

There you have it…you are warned.

This is another post mainly for me and for Collin when he is older.

Saturday we were able to change his bandage for the first time. I use the term “we” lightly as all I did was snap pictures. I do not deal well with anything medical show-ish.  I am better at small bumps, bruises and boo boos.
Thankfully for us, Daddy is GREAT with the gory stuff. So he lovingly and patiently (as I snuck in with the camera trying not to look too closely) removed, cleaned, medicated, & re-bandaged Collin’s head.

Want to see???
It is not for the faint of heart…

is that not an ornery face?

 
can you say     O   U   C    H    !!!

“ahhhh”                                    he thinks it is All done.

 
polysporin                                 bandage                                    DONE!!!!

…until next time (tomorrow) that is.

wordless wednesday