Tuesday, May 11, 2010

What Do We Do at 3AM?!?

Chrissie's favorite nurse, Tracy, is her nurse for the night.  Chrissie thinks that Tracy is Emily Hall, the tall pretty blonde girl that you see in so many of our family photos.  (Emily lives on our ranch with her mom, and we claim her as our daughter, even though God gave her a wonderful mom! :-)  Chrissie adores Emily, and Nurse Tracy looks and talks similar to Emily.  Chrissie's reaction when Nurse Tracy comes near her is so comforting.  Chrissie doesn't get scared (which is indicated by blood pressure increase), and, surprisingly, Chrissie's oxygen level sometimes increases when Tracy comes near her!  That's what made me realize that Chrissie thinks Tracy is actually Emily Hall!  So sweet!

Anyways, Tracy has been dying to give Chrissie a nice warm sponge bath.  Chrissie had gone 22 days without a bath, so on day 23, Tracy and I decided it was time.  We spent from around midnight until 2AMish giving Chrissie a warm sponge bath (keeping water away from any incisions, of course) and getting Chrissie all cleaned up.  We even washed her hair, which was WONDERFUL!!!  There was still a lot of old blood in it, but it's all clean now!  We got Chrissie all lotioned up and massaged her sweet skin.  Chrissie smiled at us several times.  Sweet moments to treasure up in my heart.

Chrissie actually had quite a few smiles today!  She was only given one dose of Vec (the paralytic drug) today, so she had quite a bit of movement.  I've never seen as many smiles from Chrissie since she's been in the hospital.  It was so sweet to experience!  This evening after we finished Chrissie's bath and got all of the bed linens changed and everything was all fresh and clean, I hung a Mylar balloon above Chrissie's bed that my mom brought for her.  It says, "I love Jesus".  Well, when I hung it above Chrissie's head, she raised BOTH of her arms and held them in the air as if she was worshipping Jesus!!!  Chrissie has barely been able to move her right arm.  Teeny tiny flicks of finger movements here and there, but no big movements overall.  Tracy and I were SHOCKED to see Chrissie lift BOTH of her arms and hold them in the air, as if she was worshipping Jesus with all her heart.  Oh my, another sweet moment to treasure up in my heart.

I'm going to post a few pictures here, but photos are taking a long time to upload, so that's why I don't post as many photos as I'd like to.

Oh, one reader (anonymous, so I can't reply) inquired about Chrissie being brain dead.  Chrissie is NOT brain dead.  She is doing miraculously well.  Chrissie recognizes our voices and follows simple commands.  She gets angry when someone does something she doesn't like, and she shows her anger by gritting her teeth, biting, and hitting!  Chrissie is in there, and we can't wait for her to get off this ventilator so she can wow the world with her Serbian Sensation personality!!!  (Also, when there is severe brain damage, the kidneys are usually the first organ to stop working, then the liver, and both of those organs are working beautifully!)  To God be all the glory.  He is mighty to save.

Tracy washing Chrissie's hair...sorry I cut off Tracy's face!!!


Scrub-a-dub-dub!


I look like a total goofball in my PJ's with this silly smile, but I'm including it  here because I want Chrissie to see her mommy blow-drying her hair in her hospital bed!  Nurse Tracy grabbed my camera to take this photo, which was really sweet.  If you look in the right background, you can see my home away from home.  My recliner is the blue rectangle covered with a white sheet.  My suitcase is in the little nook in the center and the windowsill is filled with cards, books, and lots of other stuff.  I am so blessed to have this huge Princess Suite!


New pedicure, but I only did the big toe because they have to put the pulse ox (that determines the oxygen saturation) on her toes, and colored nail polish messes up the sensor and gives an incorrect reading.


Princess Chrissie is all clean with fresh piggy tails and bows!

Praising God for His love, His peace, His healing, His glory, His power, and His might.  Thanking Him for Chrissie's good day and night.  Thanking Him for giving me energy to stay up until 3:30AM to post this!!!

Keep praying...

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am checking for updates all the time and praying that things continue to improve.
Just letting you know that I am from a country town in South Autralia. It must feel so good to know that so many peole from all around the world have you, and thanks to you, others in the PICCU in their thoughts and their prayers.
Stay Strong
Kind Regards
Jo.

Olga said...

You have such at beautiful and strong daughter. Praise the Lord and bless you and your family.

Sweet Joni said...

awww So sweet & refreshing :-) Chrissie looks so comfortable & beautiful. Thankful her stats are all stable :-)

That is so neat that Chrissie raised BOTH arms AND held them high!!! WTG Chrissie!!!

One thing we did for coma patients was stick one finger in their 'fisted' & told them to squeeze my finger for yes answer while asking questions... seemed to work very well :-) Just experience thought I'd share...

Karen in PA said...

She is Absolutely beautiful! Thank you for bringing tears to my eyes to start my day!

Family Rebuilding the Wall said...

Rejoicing along with you this morning! I love the picture of you blow drying her hair. How many moms would have that contagious smile while in the middle of a PICU room??! Your smile is such a testimony of the faith and peace God has blessed you with. And I love the picture of Chrissie's pig tails and bows! :) I'm continuing to pray and believe. Thank you so much for taking the time to post when you must be so very tired.

wright2bmom said...

God's tender mercies are truly overwhelming. Thank you for sharing the wee hours of the morning with all of us. It's good to express joy and gratitude to our Lord Jesus Christ for His miracles! xo

Megan said...

Beautiful! Love the piggy tails!

Not much has changed in 18 months, staying up until all hours for your children! How very precious!

My kiddos love to see new pictures of Chrissie and we check for prayer request updates throughout each day as we sit down for each new school subject.

I hope you get some sweet nap time today with Chrissie!

Maggie in North Carolina said...

Reading your posts abour sweet Chrissie is the first thing I do in the morning and the last thing I do in the evening -- and of course, I check often during the day for prayer requests -- and I have to tell you that reading this post this morning was such a nice way to start my day. I can breathe a little deeper... I LOVE the picture of you blow drying her hair. It is NOT a goofy picture. You look like the most beautiful, loving mother. I am constantly amazed by your strength and courage. Inspiring. Thank you for sharing your journey with all of us!

MoonDog said...

she looks great! I cant wait for her to wake up and tell us all about her adventures to the other side. and if she doesnt remember, thats ok, because all of us will remember how we felt and how we loved her and prayed for her while she was so sick. She looks adorable in those ribbons.

Anonymous said...

You DON'T look like a goofball! You are glowing with God's love for you and Chrissy! I am so glad I got to see that smile! Many blessings. Maryann Foster

Nora said...

All fresh, clean and beautiful! What a wonderful story about the nurse that reminds Chrissie of her friend back home--what a blessing to have that nurse with Chrissie. And you are looking radiant--even in your P.J.'s!

Praying for you both.

Nora
CT

Arnold family said...

Thanks for the post with pictures, I am still praying for Chrissie's full recovery. Blessings to you all!

Holly Arnold:)

Winnie said...

I've been following your blog and I am so thankful that Chrissie is making improvements daily. I hope you and your family are holding up well. I know the stress involved with long nightmarish hospital stays of loved ones.

The post of washing her hair reminded me of doing that with my mother while she was in the hospital for MONTHS, what job that is, exhausting. Next time you tackle that ask if they have an inflateable shampoo bowl, looks like a little baby pool that has a drain on it, helps with the rinsing immensely, I've also used a bedpan too so you can really use a lot of water to rinse out the gunk.
Prayers for Chrissy and your family as well.
Winnie

Jodi said...

Awww, she is beautiful! I'm so SO thankful she is doing as well as she is.
And by the way, YOU look better in your pj's in the middle of the night than I do on any given day!!

Totally not fair. ;)

Praying for sweet Chrissie!

Alissa Ferullo said...

She is absolutely beautiful and oh-so precious! God is so good! =)

Anonymous said...

Praying ... surely thousands are praying.... you are doing a good job mamma keep it up! I know you are tired and will be praying for your strength ...

Dawn
in OR.
dont worry about taking time to post this... sending love to you...

Sara said...

Ahh ... a bath and clean sheets make all the difference! I remember that feeling after my oral surgery last year. What a treat!
Thanks for answering my Q's in a previous post, Lorraine. It's helpful to understand what your family is experiencing for those of us so far away.
Please let Chrissie know that because of HER, I am being reinstated as a blood donor. I was "permanently deferred" two years ago because a faulty test resulted in a "false positive." Because of Chrissie, I went to the medical director of the Blood Bank at Mayo and told him what had happened and told him that I wanted to start donating again because of Chrissie. They drew some blood and ... voila! Of course everything is fine and I'm back in. The "rules" used to prevent someone who EVER had a "false positive" from ever giving again. Chrissie is changing more lives than she'll ever know! Still praying daily ... our whole family is. xoxo to Chrissie. The MN Lees

Jill Porter Photography said...

What joy came to my heart reading about Chrissie's smiles and her arms raised - I have chills when I see God's healing hand at work so dramatically in her life! Speaking of His healing hand... I heard this song on the radio this morning for the first time and it brought tears to my eyes as I realized how appropriate it was for Chrissie. You have probably heard it before but it was a first for me, so I thought I'd send it to you. It's funny how simple things are reminding me to remain on my knees for her healing - from a song on the radio to a glance at my own sweet daughter. I pray daily for Chrissie's full, complete, and miraculous healing.

Healing Hand of God (Jeremy Camp)

I have seen the many faces of fear and of pain
I have watched the tears fall plenty from heartache and strain
So if life's journey has you weary and afraid
There's rest in the shadow of His wings

I have walked through the valleys, the mountains and plains
I have held the hand of freedom that washes all my stains
If you feel weight of many trials and burdens from this world
There's freedom in the shelter of the Lord

And I have seen the healing hand of God
Reaching out and mending broken hearts
Taste and see the fullness of His peace
And hold on to what's being held out
The healing hand of God

And I have touched the scars upon His hands
To see if they were real
He has walked the road before me
He knows just how I feel

When you feel that there's not anyone
Who understands your pain
Just remember all of Jesus' suffering

'Cause I have seen the healing hand of God
Reaching out and mending broken hearts
Taste and see the fullness of His peace
And hold on to what's being held out

Cast all your cares on Him for He cares for you
He's near to the broken and confused
By His stripes our spirit is renewed
So enter in the joy prepared for you

I have seen the healing hand of God
Reaching out and mending broken hearts
Taste and see the fullness of His peace
And hold on to what's being held out
The healing hand of God

joe carrell said...

Hi Lorraine,
Sorry i haven't written earlier. i have been appreciating your updates and praying for all of you during this time.

You commented about the pictures loading slowly and there's a freeware program that can help. Free Image Resize will reduce the pictures to any size you want and will make a smaller file size that will load quicker. It's a very small program with no spam, no ads, no spyware, no frills, and pretty easy to use.

i changed "Chrissiehospitalday23012.jpg" from 3456 x 2304 pixels to 800 x 600 and the file size dropped from 3.15mb to only 87kb and this size would look just about as sharp on your page as the big one and would load instantaneously.

If you're interested, the download page is: http://adionsoft.net/fastimageresize/

Anyway, it was just thought. Hope this helps and we're still praying,
joe carrell, email: joasis1@yahoo.com

melanie said...

Chrissie,

You are so beautiful! I can't wait to hear about you waking up and seeing your mama for the first time since your surgery. What a day that will be!
I have been on a journey towards Christ for about a year now. YOU have been the message that has spoken to me louder than anything I have ever witnessed. You have brought me to Christ.
Thank you. Always praying for you.
Melanie

Cristie said...

Oh sweet Lorraine ... your smiles of Joy are simply amazing! I am still following closely ... waiting for the day Chrissie stands up and walks out of that room. I was in tears this weekend when things were going south ... I told my sweet husband that it couldn't be so because I was sure that Chrissie would be healed. Each day I get on to see just what I asked the Lord for ... PROGRESS and continued miracles. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that you got to pamper your doll. You know that she had to feel so much better afterwards. We keep praying! You are NEVER far from my thoughts!
Kiss your precious baby girl and let her know the world is interceding with many prayers for her! She is truly a fighter and HIS STORY through her will surely open the eyes of the lost to his power!
Hugs
Cristie Martine

Sandra said...

oh wow, those new pictures of Chrissie are fabulous. She looks incredible. The real Chrissie is really shining through again. Now we just need the photos of Chrissie going home.

Anonymous said...

Chrissie looks wonderful!! She has come so far! I just wanted to let you know she is in my prayers today. Your strength and faith has really been an encouragement to me. My five year old just went through a cranioplasty. Six and a half hours of surgery. Lots of waiting ...but Our God is so good. HE is home and healing so much beter than expected. However int he weeks leading up to his surgery I read your blog and the faith you displayed spoke volumes to me. My family and I will continue to keep you in our prayers and thoughts.
God Bless!
Michelle a

Kristy said...

She must feel soo much better all clean! Still praying for the little princess!!

Donna said...

Thank you for keeping us updated. I find myself checking your blog several times per day (including the middle of the night if I happen to be up).

You mentioned that Chrissie raised her arms toward the balloon. Did she see it? Does she open her eyes? Or is she still sedated/unconscious?

Why do you think she was smiling? Can she hear you?

How do you feel about her mental state? As the person who knows her best, do you have a sense for whether or not she's in there?

Hoping and praying for your baby girl and wanting so much to see her without the breathing tube and interacting with you!

Donna
Our Blog: Double Happiness!

Lori said...

Chrissie's color is looking awesome in these photos--praise be to God, our Mighty Healer!! She's such a cutie pie, Lorraine and that photo of the two of you? She looks just like her Mommy! I bet you've heard THAT before--lol! I continue to pray for your precious princess Chrissie--and your entire family! I pray that Chrissie continues improving each and every day by leaps and bounds for the further glory of God! And I pray for little Ethan as well...and his family. I pray that God will work miracles in that little boy's body so that people all over will be drawn closer to the Lord and praise Him for His mighty works! Lori

Nancy Gugino said...

Stay strong. GOD is amazing and HE can do ANYTHING as you have experienced! I LOVE her cute toe nail. :) My prayers are with you through this. BLESS YOU!!!

Nancy Gugino said...

BLESS YOU! You are so strong and I know it is GOD in you! What a princess warrior you have! LOVE the cute pink toe nail polish! KEEP strong and Hang onto the LORD as you know there is NOTHING HE CAN NOT DO! My prayers are with you and May GOD continue to bring HIS glory to all Chrissie touches.

xoxo

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