Back to Sandy's

Aubrey went back to Sandy's (her baby-sitter) for the first time since June today. It took her less than 10 minutes to decide that she'd rather stay and play than hang on Mommy and then she was gone. I called her around lunchtime to see how she was doing - she asked me to come pick her up and I told her later on and she seemed ok with that :)

I worked yesterday, delivering books and meeting new teachers. I was tired at the end of the day - I didn't sleep very well last night. I'm taking care of some things down at CTC today and then Aubrey and I will probably play on her swingset this afternoon.

She went to a horse sale with Grandpa and Auntie Rachel today, I'm sure she's having a ball!

-A

Posts Continue

I wanted to let everyone who has been following us for the past 18 months know that I plan to continue to keep up with this blog. One of these days, I will get around to changing the name and maybe even the design, if I get adventurous :).

We were extremely blessed (and continue to be each day I get the mail) with your kind words and hugs and prayers for our entire family Wednesday and Thursday. Ryan loved God, life, and other people and it truly showed. We are mourning and missing him, but he wouldn't have wanted our lives to stop and they will not.

Aubrey and I, along with my parents, Kaitlyn and Camryn, Rachel and Nathan, and Jake and Brandi visited the fair today. We rode rides, looked at the few animals that were left, laughed and enjoyed junk food! At one point, a butterfly landed on my watch, then flew away, returned, flew away, and then returned to my fingers. It was then stuck, I tried to shoo it away, but had to practically knock it off before getting on a ride. It then returned and landed in my hair. It felt special to me, like someone was smiling down on us.

Your prayers and remembrances will help us get through this tough period.

One request - A good friend of mine lost her father when she was young. She told me last night that just a couple of years ago, her mom gave her a book of things people had written about her father - a memory, a funny story, a thought about the type of friend or co-worker he was. If you would like to write something for me to keep for Aubrey, please send it to us. I will compile them and keep them for her.


-A

Arrangements

Zechar-Bailey funeral home is taking care of the arrangements.

Ryan's viewing will be held on Wednesday, August 25 from 3:00-8:00 at the Palestine Church of Christ, 209 Lynn Street, Palestine.

We will have a private family burial.

We will be celebrating his life in a service at 11:00 on Thursday, August 26, 11:00, Palestine Church of Christ.

Thank you for all the comments, prayers, and visits. We all miss Ryan and will grieve, but we will continue in God's strength because he has not left us or forsaken us.

-A

God's Promises

God promises that in heaven there is no pain and no suffering. Ryan went home to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ this morning a little after 9:00. Aubrey and I were here, along with Ryan's sister and brother-in-law. Ryan passed peacefully and he is now rejoicing in Heaven with the angels.

Arrangements will be made later today and I will post information here.

-A

Visitors

We had several visitors today. It is enjoyable to sit and talk with people, Ryan didn't wake up for many people, but he did open his eyes and look around a few times.

I have been able to turn Ryan's oxygen down to between 11 and 12. He's saturation has been 93-95. We may turn it down just a little more tomorrow, but I don't think it will be able to go down much more. I wish we could get it so that he didn't have to wear the mask for oxygen because it doesn't appear to be comfortable on his face at all, but right now he needs that, so we're doing our best.

Ryan did sleep most of the day, and didn't use a lot of extra pain medicine. That means he's at least not waking up in pain, which is comforting to me.

It is a struggle to see him look so sick, and I pray constantly that he is comforted and at peace.

-A

A Little Better

Ryan seems maybe just a little better than yesterday. He wasn't alert near as much today, but when the nurse came tonight, she said his breathing was even and that his lungs sounded much better than when she was here on Thursday. That was great news, thank you God.

Ryan is still having a lot of pain and is still on lots of oxygen. We may try to turn that down a little tomorrow when I can watch him and check his breathing. He was to be finished with antibiotics tomorrow night, but Dr. Berger decided that he'd like to extend that for 5 more days, so we will continue antibiotics through next Friday.

Ryan had a few visitors today and I got the chance to visit with some good friends this evening. True friends who will listen are not always easy to come by, but we're thankful for the truly Seuberts and the Wuebkers.

Aubrey stayed at home last night, and she climbed up the side of Ryan's bed tonight, but she went home to stay with my parents' tonight. She'll come back tomorrow night and stay here with me.

I continue to pray for Ryan's pain and breathing discomfort to be taken care of.

-A

Platelets Again

Ryan's nurse came this morning and checked on him. He was fairly alert most of the morning. He sat on the couch almost the whole time, but was able to communicate and was awake for a good several hours. He tried eating some applesauce and grapes, but wasn't able to swallow very well, so most everything he got down, he coughed back up.

The nurse called around 1 with his blood results. His white count is still hanging around at 1.3. This is good from the leukemia standpoint - it isn't coming back up at breakneck speed, but not so good with the pneumonia or whatever bacteria he has because his body isn't able to fight the infection away. His hemoglobin was 10.1 which is still low (I think) but getting closer to normal. His platelets were 11 today and so he got 2 bags of platelets.

I'm still giving him the antibiotics and he's now one oxygen with a mask because I drove him to the hospital and we didn't have protable oxygen to take with us. When we got there and they tested his oxygen level it was in the 50s. It is supposed to be 100, but in the hospital, they give you oxygen if it goes below 90. They put him on a mask so he was able to get more oxygen then just through the nostril pieces. Consequently, Ryan had to ride home tonight in the ambulance because he needed oxygen to go home, but I didn't have any in my van, go figure!

Ryan is sleeping pretty comfortably right now and he has been for about 2 hours.

On a brighter note, Aubrey went to the fair with Grandpa and Grammy tonight and she had a blast. They got home a little before 10 and she was still going strong. Grandpa (Ryan's dad) had a horse in one of tonight's races, so they watched a few of the races and walked around a little bit. She had fun for sure. She is ready to ride some rides though, so I think we're going to have to make a trip or two ourselves.

Continually praying for Ryan's comfort and peace.

-A