December 1, 2008

Hello everyone! I hope you all had the same Thanksgiving my family did.It was filled with all the love and warmth one could hope for. We have so many things to be thankful for. My sister has been here from South Florida for several days and that has been great. Pray for her safe return as she begins her long drive home tomorrow.

I would like you all to know that Amelia has officially returned to school. She started last Monday and Tuesday before the break. She did well and seemed to be more alert when she returned home. She is being picked up at 10am and dropped off at 3pm. Everyone involved is just so wonderful. I just know that this is the start of something good. One of the most important things toward recovery of an Anoxic Brain Injury is as much of the right kind of stimulation as possible.One of the things we are most excited about is the standing therapy done everyday. We know this is a huge step in her physical rehab. The Trussville School System has done everything to make this as beneficial as they can. We are so blessed to have this facility in our very own community.I never dreamed this could be accompished. We look at this as another part of God's plan for Amelia and this family.

The biggest adjustment so far has been not seeing the incredible women who have cared for Amelia every week since August 2007. They have ministered to my entire family. They have wept with us and rejoiced with us. They have loved and comforted us all. They have seen us at our very worst and weakest. They have been become more than friends, they are our family. We could not have come this far without them. So many stars in so many crowns. We love you all.

Sometimes, when I feel so sad, I ask God to please give me a little sign that everything will be okay. He always does. There are times, I wonder if Millie's friends still think about her and someone will call to tell me that a group of friends met to pray for her or that she was discussed during a class, and some of the students will speculate on what they think Amelia's opinion would have been on a particular subject. Anyone who has spent any time with her knows she has strong opinions, and she never minded expressing them. That could get a little annoying, but I'm proud she stuck by what she believed in. The day before Thanksgiving someone told me something wonderful. She told me that there was a young man who has never taken his Amelia bracelet off, not even when he had surgery. The nurses agreed to tape plastic over it. He and Millie weren't especially close, they had a different group of friends, but he said she was always nice to him. That makes me so proud. I received an email from a Mom telling me that her daughter called her one morning, thrilled about a dream she had. In the dream, Amelia was at school and her old self. A bit later, she called her Mom again, this time in tears, because she misses her so much. I can't tell you how touching it was to hear these stories. I don't want people to spend their time being sad, but it is so comforting to hear that she's not forgotten. For that, I am so grateful. Maybe its wrong of me to feel this way, but one of the things I miss most is school and all her usual activities. I hope that anyone who encounters her at school will feel that they can speak to her. I'm sure she would want you to.

We did have an appointment at Shepherd Center just before the holiday. We were well taken care of even though Dr. Kaelin had to be away from the center that day. This was just routine regarding prescription refills and such.

We would ask that as this most wonderful season begins, you continue to lift us up in prayer that you pray for each other as Christ taught us. Please remember Amelia's favorite quote. "Don't ask God to make life easier. Ask him to make you stronger."

In Christ,

Becky

-Pray for the family of Chad Beacham. Pray especially for his three children, Chase, Chanley, and Connor.

-Please pray for Mr. Hancock. He is recovering from bypass surgery

-Pray for Joyce Riggins. Joyce is being treated for cancer. Her daughter is Paige Riggins and she had a helping hand in many fundraising events for Amelia.

-Please pray for Mrs. Elmira Wilson. Mrs. Wilson is recovering from a fall. She is our Aunt Charlotte’s mother.

-Pray for Scott and Lori Butram. They recently lost their home in a fire.

-Remember Walker Coop in you prayers. He is recovering from an eye injury and has a very challenging next few months.

-We ask that you please continue to pray for Frank Cusimano. His cancer spread to his thyroid and after two surgeries, he had his thyroid completely removed. He has started radiation in October and he will begin a special treatment for the thyroid cancer at UAB to ensure that the cancer will not return. He is responding to treatment well. Please remember Mrs. Cusimano, Kelly, and Chase in your prayers also.

-Pray for Margaret Slate. Margaret is in middle school. She had a seizure and lost the ability to speak and voluntarily move. Her speech and some movement have already started to return. Pray for her family and friends. This is such a scary time for them. Pray that God comforts them and she continues to regain more and more speech and ability to move.

-Please pray for Kathy Brown’s sisters. Dee has to undergo chemo even though they were able to remove the cancer. Her other sister, Karen, is still battling neck and back problems after two surgeries this summer.

-Please continue to pray for Warren Clements. He is battling cancer. His daughter, Rhonda is one of the precious volunteers that help with Amelia.

-Continue to pray for Logan Tedder! She is off at college and playing softball.

-Please continue to pray for our neighbor Bobby Lepper. He continues to battle his heart conditions.

-Continue to pray for Chris Jackson. www.caringbridge.org/visit/chrisjackson

-Please continue to pray that God keeps His hand on Amelia and that His will be done!

-Pray that Amelia begins to communicate more and do more things purposefully so she will be able to get back to the Shepherd Center for Acute Rehab.

-Pray that God continues to reveal Himself through Amelia and that He gets all the glory.

-Please continue to pray for Amelia’s family

-Pray for Marleigh every time you pray for Amelia.

-Pray for all the people who have given and continue to give their time, skills, and funds.

-Pray that God gives the Woo’s volunteers and medical staffs the wisdom, skills, and faith to heal Amelia

-Pray for all the families and friends that we have met while on this journey. Many of them are under "Links" at the top of the page.

Donation Info:

The Amelia Woo Fund

South Point Bank Trussville Branch

You can stop by and make a donation or you can mail checks to:

P.O. Box 158

Clay, AL 35040-0158

There is also a branch at the Colonnade on Hwy 280 that you can stop by and make a donation.

You can call 205-203-5030 for more info.