History

Tuesday, July 27, 2004 4:23 PM CDT

Just a quick update:
Mikey's surgery went great; he's already home, and watching a movie in the living room. No complications at all, Praise God!!!!! Hopefully, this is his last procedure for a couple of years.
Thank you for the prayers!!!!!

Monday, July 26, 2004 12:26 AM CDT

Hello, All!
It's a bright and cheerful afternoon here in Wisconsin. The boys are outside, watering the animals (and each-other, from the sound of it!), and it's one of those days that makes you feel blessed to be alive.
Mikey has his final visit with the speech therapist tomorrow morning, after which he'll be going to Bay Area Medical Center for an outpaitient surgical procedure on his right leg.
Remember the leg fracture that wasn't caught until Mikey was walking around on it? Well, as it turns out, it was broken across the lower growth plate of his fibula, stopping the growth in that particular growth plate. That wouldn't be much of a problem, except that the tibia is going to keep growing for at least another couple of years, which would cause some potentially serious problems.
So, tomorrow morning, he's going to have the lower growth plate in his tibia drilled out, stopping the growth at that plate. The result could be that one of his legs ends up shorter than the other in the long run, but that's not a foregone conclusion. Lots of people have one leg longer than the other, with no problems. So, we'll burn that bridge when we have to, so to speak. :-)
In the meantime, please pray for Mikey's safety through the surgery (he'll be under a General anesthesia), and for his emotional and mental well-being as well. He's very angry with the orthopedist in Green Bay who missed the fracture in the first place, and then dismissed it as inconsequential. ignoring what he could have done at the time to keep the growth plate open.
Thank you so very much!
Please continue to pray for Stan Johnson (whose name I got wrong before), Ralph Payne, and 2-year-old Allie, who all have cancer, and Allison, whose battle with leukemia has become dire, and the Ehlers family, who lost their daughter in our accident.
With Love and Prayers,
-Susie and the guys

Wednesday, June 30, 2004 12:28 AM CDT

Hello, this is Mikey,
Wow am I happy! Reason #1) I am not wearing my back brace at the moment! It's almost been a day that I've had it off, and I feel great! Reason #2) My brain injury is gone! The holes that were in my head are now gone! By God's amazing grace He's healed the holes that the Doctors said would never close. I can persue the career that I want. With holes in my head I would not have been able to be a fighter pilot, but now that is still a possibility. Well that's all I have to say.

-Mikey

Some Prayer Requests:
We would greatly appreciate it if you would remember these people in prayer:
The family of Kendall Ehlers (Kendall was the girl who lost her life in our accident. I know that the family must be still reeling from their loss, so when you think of it, please pray that God would give them the grace to get through this time of trial).

Allison A young woman who has been battling leukemia. Her bone marrow transplant hasn't worked to stop the disease.

Two-year-old Allie, who has been
diagnosed with cancer with a 40% chance of survival. She has already begun chemo-therapy. Allie is the grand-niece of Dean and Bev Brubaker; Missionaries with Far East Broadcasting Co.

Sam Johnson, who has lung cancer which has spread, and from what his daughter has been told, only a miracle straight from God can save this man's life.

We have had so many opportunities recently to see how many awesome ways that God works in our lives, from Mikey's medical miracles to the beautiful day that God provided for a recent outdoor wedding that everyone was praying would not be rained out. Every day, if I only take the time, I see that I am surrounded by God's glory, and if I only look, I realize how many of my prayers, large and small, He answers each and every day.
Thank you so much for taking the time that you spend with God and using a part of that time to ask His blessings on behalf of others!

Monday, June 14, 2004 11:46 AM CDT

Hello, y'all!
I have some great news to share. Mikey had an appointment with his neurosurgeon on Thursday. After a new round of CT scans, it was determined that his back is sufficiently healed that he is able to begin taking off the back brace for short periods of time during the day, and for sleeping and showering. Needless to say, with a hot, muggy summer already under way, Mikey is thrilled with the prospect of being through with the brace within a few weeks.
Also under scrutiny was the brain injury. Seven weeks ago, as we looked at the original CT scan, we asked the doctor how long the injured portion would take to heal. We were told at that point that the area would never grow back; that it was beyond repair, but that was okay, because other parts of the brain would take over for the injured area. We asked what would be in the space after the blood was reabsorbed, and we were told there would be nothing there; a void. Mikey was very concerned because of the potential implications that a hole in his brain could have on his planned career as a jet pilot. As last weeks appointment approached, he confidently told me that he was praying that God would just heal the void the way He healed the compound fracture of his arm which was gone by the time the helicopter reached the hospital. I tried to tell him not to get his hopes up, but God is the Glorious Physician, and He apparently has other plans for Mikey than my tiny faith can even fathom.
There's almost no trace of the 3 centimeter hole. Just a slight shadow on the CT scan to show that it had ever even been there. How cool is that????
Every time I falter, God finds some new and magnificent way of showing me that He truly is Soveriegn!
Thank you for your continued prayers!
On that note, I would like to request prayer for tomorrow, Tuesday, June 15. I'll be having reconstructive surgery on my hip, and I would really appreciate prayer that Dr. Bragonier would have God's guidance and wisdom as he repairs my hip. Please pray that I would have a calm spirit, and show courage to my children. I know that my life and my health are in God's hands ultimately, and I'm glad that I have a surgeon who vehemently believes in the power of prayer. Please pray that the boys would have a fun day with Grampa, and that they would not be worrying about me, but rather trusting in God. And please pray for Mike; that he would have peace and contentment, and not worry.
Thank you so much!
We love you all, and appreciate your love and prayers more than I think I'll ever be able to adequately express.
Thank you,
Love,
Susie and the guys

Monday, June 14, 2004 11:46 AM CDT

Thursday, May 27, 2004 3:32 PM CDT

Hi, All!
Not much new to report with Mikey; except that he's doing amazingly well. His neuropsychologist told me two weeks ago that he could write an article for a medical journal about Mikey's recovery; it's that amazing.
Of course, what does he expect when the Great Physician is on the case? Mikey is truly a walking, talking example of the power of prayer!
With that in mind, I have a prayer request to share with you; please pass it on to anyone you know who will pray...
Hi, all,
I have a prayer request to pass on for a man named Sam Johnson; his daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter have been friends of ours for a few years; in fact, the son-in-law was my E.R. physician the day of our accident. Laurie Smith (Sam's daughter) just called me this morning with the awful news that her dad has lung cancer which has spread to his brain. From what she said, only a miracle straight from God can save this man's life. I know that some of you know the Smiths. Their family has been through a lot in the past few years, and this is one more weight placed on their hearts. Please pray for Dennis and Laurie Smith, and for a medical miracle for Laurie's dad, Sam. Please also pray that Sam will come to know Christ through this ordeal. That's the most important part. We all know how awesome a tool God has given us in prayer, and I thank you all in advance for sending up prayers for the Smiths and Sam Johnson (and his wife; Laurie's mom, whose name I neglected to ask).
Take care,
love,
-Suz

Thursday, May 27, 2004 3:32 PM CDT

Thursday, April 29, 2004 12:20 AM CDT

Hey everyone! I'm doing great!!! The one problem is I have to wear my flipping back brace for six more weeks! My birth-day went well, very well. My welcome home party was a blast too. My Grandma, Aunt Shelly, Uncle Shawn and lots of my friends from around here were there, and every one was really nice. Well got lots of stuff to do!

Michael

Monday, April 5, 2004 7:24 AM CDT

It's good to be home. Lying in that Hospital bed I got really home sick. It's real good to be home. I went to chuch yesterday which I enjoyed. Pray for me please I am not doing to well. With some emotional junk. It is junk so don't ask. I really mean, DON'T ASK.
Thanks for your prayers.

-Michael

Monday, April 5, 2004 6:36 AM CDT

As I write this, I am sitting in my own home, with all 4 of my children sleeping under this very same roof. Mikey got to visit with a bunch of his friends at the 30 hour famine on Friday. (It was a youth group activity where the kids went for 30 hours without food in order to understand a bit more what some people have to endure as part of their every day existence. The kids found sponsors to pledge money for each hour they went without food, and the money goes to feed starving children, through worldvision; http://www.30hourfamine.org .
Mikey had been looking forward to participating, but since he already went almost 150 hours without food while he was in his coma, it wasn't a good idea. :-)
Our whole family was able to attend church together yesterday, and it was so wonderful to be back home!!!!!
God is so good; every day, as we see Mikey's progress, we are reminded anew at how truly awesoem He is!

Friday, April 2, 2004 1:02 PM CST

Mikey was discharged from the hospital yesterday, and things are going well. The other boys will be home from Grandma Julie's house tomorrow, and then we will all be together again!!!!! Our big goal when Mikey was admitted to the rehab floor was for him to be ready to go home before his birthday, and he was ready almost a week before that time!!!! Yay!!!!! Mike even had him outside this morning, graining the girls.
Thank you all again for your prayers. God is awesome!!!!
"In the dark night of the soul, bright flows the river of God."
-Taylor Caldwell

Thursday, April 1, 2004 11:20 AM CST

I am goin home today! that is all........ not. ok? i'm looking forward to petting millie and pegers. and i am very much looking forward to holding Grimlock. and more than a litttle exited about seeing my brothers.
-Mikey

Wednesday, March 31, 2004 12:26 AM CST

In one week, Mikey will be 15 years old. Three weeks ago, that was taken completely for granted. Then our lives turned upside down in the blink of an eye. I remember being next to Mikey, begging him to wake up. I remember asking the paramedics where my son was, and when they told me he was being airlifted to Green Bay, I knew that the only one who could help was God.
I know that there have been hundreds of people praying for Mikey, and I know that has made all the difference in his recovery.
I think that I have done more praying in the past 18 days than I think I'd done in my entire life before that. The amazing thing, though, is not that my prayers were answers, it is that they were answered ABUNDANTLY. In the first few days, we were begging God to let Mikey live. He lived. Then we faced the uncertainty of not knowing when he would be able to wake up. We asked God to please let him wake up; he woke up before he was even fully off of the sedation. God helped Mikey start to breathe on his own, first with a trachea tube, and then without it.
We wondered if the boy who had returned to us would retain any part of the boy we had known. I wondered what I would have to re-teach him; would he even know me, or his dad, or his brothers. Within hours, he confirmed that he knew us, he remembered us, and he was writing notes, asking to watch TV. The next day, his sense of humor started to show through, as he joked with the nurses by way of his white board. Now, 11 days after he woke up, he's talking and laughing and basically being Mikey.
Next, we worried that maybe he had forgotten God. Of course he hadn't; God doesn't reside in some corner of the cerebellum. God is in Mikey's heart and soul, because Mikey asked Him to live there. Just as no one can pluck Mikey from God's hand, no happenstance can blot God out from where He has been invited to reside.
God has given us back our son; changed, yes, but with the opportunity for a greater closeness to and reliance on Him than many people are ever privileged enough to have.

Tuesday, March 30, 2004 11:37 AM CST

I'm using an email that I sent out this morning as today's journal entry...
It is amazing what God has done in the 12 days that Mikey has been out of his coma!!!!!!
Tina Brand just got some pix back, and it was amazing to see the transformation Mikey has undergone over the past week, right there on one roll of film! I'm attaching two pix that just startled me in their difference; and they were taken just a week apart.
Mikey is doing amazingly well. His physical therapist had him outside for a walk yesterday; she even had him pushing me around in my wheelchair! They've upgraded him from "ambulatory with 2 helpers" to "needs supervision." The brain injury has caused some difficulties with overimpulsiveness (more than your average teenaged boy would normally experience, so you can imagine how VERY impulsive Mikey is right now. :-) but few other long-term problems appear to be in evidence.
Once more, I praise God for all that He has done; His healing hand has been on our family, and it's more in evidence every single day.
The doctors will be meeting tomorrow to discuss the possibility of Mikey coming home as early as this weekend!!!!!!! We are very excited, and are trying to prepare the house to be the safest environment possible for Mikey.
The other three boys are enjoying a few days with Grandma Julie, Aunt Karen and Aunt Shelley. In other words, they're being spoiled rotten! :-)
Time to run; I want to spend a few hours with Mikey before physical therapy.
Thank you all again for your prayers and support. God has truly provided miracles; not only medical ones, but in the form of loving friends and family!!!!!
Love,
-us
"In the dark night of the soul, bright flows the river of God."
-Taylor Caldwell

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