Ryan, Pam & the kids!

All treats, no tricks

2011-11-10T16:37:00.001-08:00

This may be the last time everyone agrees on a theme,

so we're going to enjoy it while we can.

May the force be with you!

The world's fastest year....

2011-06-30T15:20:00.000-07:00

Happy first birthday to my sweet, baby Hope! It's been a great year, but can you please slow down? It's going by way too fast.

We did it again!

2010-11-06T10:23:00.000-07:00

We just can't resist dressing up as a family for Halloween. This year Ryan decided on our theme months in advance. But for some reason, I was still putting together the final pieces before we walked out the door for the Fall Festival. Oi!

Did you spot everyone?

Because Jaida's costume always seems to be just a little harder to call.

(And Huey, not in costume, appears to be retching on the lawn. Lovely.)

Is it a little clearer now? She's Great Shape Barbie.

It might be the last year that she agrees to play our little game. It's getting harder and harder to find a costume she's willing to wear for us and she keeps threatening to "go out on her own".

There's Jessie! Yo-de-le-hee-hoo!

And Buzz in action--to infinity and beyond!

Have you ever seen a cuter alien?

You have saved our lives, we are eternally grateful!

Need a closer look? I thought so.

I couldn't find a costume small enough for Hope, so I had to make it. Looking back, perfectionist that I am, I wish I had made the eyes horizontal ovals, instead of circles....

But Ryan keeps reminding me that she is recognizable and that is the point.

Not to mention, like I said before, I was putting this together the day she was supposed to wear it, so I'm lucky I got anything done at all.

Even though I don't look like the Bo Peep in the movie,

everyone knew who I was.

And Ryan went so far as to shave the sweet retirement goatee he'd been growing since "Woody doesn't have a beard!"

Another Halloween and fun was had by all!

The problem with soul searching…….

2010-11-04T21:58:00.002-07:00

is that at some point you have to make a decision. You have to choose a course to take, and take it without knowing the outcome. You have to have faith that you’ve done your best to consider every consequence and know that, if you’ve made the wrong choice, you can make a course correction and choose again.

So we did it. We jumped in with both feet and made a decision. Maybe not at the most convenient of times, but life is rarely convenient. Shortly after Hope was born, we decided it was okay to move on. And not just okay,….necessary. Because BAMC feels very safe. And comfortable. But that’s not where we want to be forever. In that bubble of understanding that Ryan is a “wounded warrior”. Where your injury defines you and others’ expectations of you. We wanted to choose our life, not have it thrust upon us by accident. And even if we are choosing wrongly, it’s our choice.

On August 31^st, we drove away from San Antonio. With four kids, a dog, and a U-haul trailer bound for San Diego. Oh, and a plan. We do have a plan. Ryan is flying again. He started in San Antonio in July and has continued here in San Diego. He’s been out of the cockpit for over 3 years, so he has some catching up to do. Unfortunately, the VA can’t pay for his training because it is not a degree seeking program. So we reached out to an organization for assistance. It wasn’t easy for us to ask for help, but there was no other way.

Thankfully, Hope for the Warriors made it easy. Actually, they made it better than easy. They made granting our request a gift beyond our expectations. When we asked them for help to pay for Ryan’s flight training, we didn’t expect that they could cover everything. It was a hefty request. And while their Warrior’s Wish program is designed to empower a life beyond recovery, our request was not like any of the others that we’d seen. But not only did they agree to pay for all of his training, they sent someone very special to deliver the news in person. Master Gunnery Sergeant Greg Staggs was with Ryan the night he was injured. He was one of the heroes that helped save Ryan’s life. And when he and his wife showed up in Texas to tell us what Hope for the Warriors was willing to do for us, Ryan was speechless and I was in tears. It meant so much to us that they granted our wish in such a special way. It was a vote of confidence in Ryan and in our future.

So here we are. Terrified and excited at the same time. Buoyed by the prayers and support of so many, but required to do it on our own. We may find that this isn’t the right choice for us. But we’ll never look back and wonder what if.

Oh happy day....

2010-07-04T20:26:00.002-07:00

While everyone else in America celebrates Independence Day, Ryan and I celebrate our anniversary. This year it was our sixth anniversary. It seems like our wedding day was not that long ago, but yet it feels like we've been together forever.

We didn't make a really big deal out of our anniversary this year because we were still busy celebrating another special event......

the birth of our baby girl!

Hope Davis Voltin

Born June 30, 2010

10:34 am

7 lbs 1 oz 20 inches

We are all absolutely enchanted by her.

It isn't hard to see why!

Fifteen

2010-06-25T20:49:00.004-07:00

"...when you're fifteen feeling like there's nothing to figure out...

...well count to ten, take it in...

...This is life before you know who you're gonna be...

...Fifteen."

Backyard Summer Fun

2010-06-25T20:44:00.004-07:00

How we beat the Texas heat...

Did you know?

2010-06-17T22:15:00.016-07:00

Did you know that we spent New Year's at Disneyland with Ryan's sister, brother-in-law, and nieces?

Did you know that this year the Vail Veterans Program expanded to include families and we brought our kids to Vail to ski and play in the snow?

Did you know that sometimes you just gotta saddle up for Cowboy Breakfast at the child development center?

Did you know that some giraffes like to eat cookies?

Did you know that a girls only weekend with your best friend might have to become an annual tradition?

Did you know that you should always ask the vendor how much it costs to purchase two swirly light up wands at Disney on Ice? (Really. You should ask before you tell the kids yes.)

Did you know that it's hard to get three kids looking the same direction with smiles on Easter Sunday?

Did you know that Jaida received the sacrament of confirmation this year?

Did you know that Ryan got his prosthetic ears and they look so real that I forget they're fake?

Did you know that Ryan and I were invited to the Wounded Warrior Project's Courage Awards and benefit dinner in NYC? Both Trace Adkins and Bill O'Reilly received awards and we got to attend a taping of the O'Reilly Factor.

Did you know that Jaida attended her first formal dance this year and I think I had as much fun as she did picking out her outfit?

Did you know that Maya completed her Strong Beginnings Pre-K program and the graduation was almost too cute for words?

Did you know this is my attempt at catching you up on the main events of the last six months? We've been busy. It was this or nothing.

Agel cares

2010-05-25T18:45:00.001-07:00

Ryan and I were interviewed last year by Agel. This is the video they produced.

Baby report

2010-05-22T20:21:00.003-07:00

Warning: The post you are about to read contains the words placenta and uterine. If you feel this is TMI, do not continue reading!

Even though we haven't mentioned it in awhile, we really are having a baby. And we really are excited about it. Although many people wouldn't plan on having a fourth baby (certainly not a 4th c-section), we did. But we do plan on it being our last. As much as we love children and love having children, this is it for us. And while this pregnancy has been really good, it has had just enough worries that we are certain it's time for us to stop.

One major concern we had was the position of my placenta. It is low lying and anterior. For most people that is not a big deal, but because I've had 3 c-sections there were some added risks. One risk is that of placenta accreta, where the placenta attaches too deeply to the uterine wall. This can lead to lots of complications including premature delivery, hemorrhaging, and hysterectomy. The other thing we were worried about was the possibility of having to cut through the placenta to delivery the baby. Thankfully, at 28 weeks, an ultrasound confirmed that my placenta had moved up enough that it should no longer overlap my previous c-section scars and we are no longer concerned about those risks.

At present we are worried about my platelets. Apparently they are low. From what my doctor tells me, normal is about 150, dangerous is about 50, and at my last blood draw I was at 130. We are now monitoring my platelets every few weeks to see if they are dropping and how fast. If they continue to drop below what the anesthesiologist feels is safe (maybe around 100), I won't be able to have an epidural for my c-section. The risks of having an epidural with low platelets include blood clots in the spinal cord, which could result in paralysis. Not good. So for me that would mean having a baby under general anesthesia. Not ideal. Ryan wouldn't be allowed in the OR for delivery and I would go to sleep pregnant and wake up not pregnant. Weird. Also, because we don't know the sex of the baby, I would probably be the last to know, by the time I woke up from the anesthesia. While this isn't as unpleasant as placenta accreta, it is certainly not what I want. We won't know if I'm having an epidural or general anesthesia until the morning of delivery, currently scheduled for June 30th.

Since there isn't anything we can do about my platelets, other than pray, we needed to come up with a plan that we were both comfortable with in regards to finding out the sex of the baby. We are both kind of old fashioned and don't like to find out until that magical moment when the doctor holds the baby up and says, "It's a girl!" or "It's a boy!" We waited with our other kids and the moment did not disappoint. But if I am going to be sleeping through it and Ryan will be waiting in the waiting room, the moment seems a little less magical. But we didn't want to find out now, either, and then end up having everything go as planned and then already know what we're having. After much brainstorming, we decided to have a 3D ultrasound and have the technician determine the sex of the baby but not tell us. She printed a picture and sealed it in an envelope. If the morning of the c-section we find out that I have to have general anesthesia, we will ask for some private time together and open the envelope. If my platelets don't drop and we have an epidural, we won't know until they hold that baby up and we can see for ourselves. That's the plan. Ryan hid the envelope (because he doesn't trust me or Jaida) and we both signed the envelope along the seal so we will know if it has been tampered with. This is serious business!

Below are a few pictures to let you see how things are progressing. With less than six weeks to go, I'm feeling pretty good. Starting to get a little more tired, a little more clumsy, and definitely waddling more. But I'm trying to enjoy every moment, relish every kick, and memorize what it feels like to have a child inside of me. I know too well that it goes by too fast and the next six weeks will be over before I know it. I am very excited about meeting this little person, but I can wait. Even the waiting is a blessing.

Ultrasound at 20 weeks

24 weeks pregnant

32 weeks pregnant

Baby in 3D ultrasound at 33 weeks

Thoughts on blogging

2010-04-15T10:36:00.011-07:00

It was recently pointed out to me that we are nearly 1/3 of the way through this year and I still haven't blogged. While I feel terrible about that, it wasn't a huge surprise. The longer I stay away from the blog, the harder it is to go back. And the more people nag me about it, the less I want to do it. But I've also been thinking a lot about the WAY that I've blogged for the last couple of years. The information that I've shared. The information I've held back. And the impression that I am giving my readers (the few that are left anyway...). I've been inspired recently to be more open and honest about my life and experiences in my blog. But I'm still scared and don't know if I can take the plunge completely. This post is an attempt. I want to own my blog and have it reflect me and our family more truly. But old habits are hard to break and I just don't know how much is too much or how much is just enough. I guess we'll see how this goes.

I know the reasons for my hesitation.

1. I don't want anyone to think we feel sorry for ourselves. That we are unhappy or, even worse: miserable. I don't want to sound like we cannot handle the circumstances we've found ourselves in.

2. There are aspects of injury and recovery that are uncomfortable, embarrassing, and sad. And while there is definitely such a thing as TMI (Too Much Information), who decides where that line is? There are things I find hilarious or interesting now that would probably have been objectionable 3 years ago.

3. Most importantly, since Ryan was first injured I have always done my very best to protect his dignity. Overnight he went from being a strong, independent, capable Marine, to a broken, vulnerable survivor. And while I knew that he would return to the strong, capable man that he is, I was always hesitant to allow anyone to see him at his weakest. I knew that he wouldn't want anyone's pity and I always wanted to give him as much control over his circumstances as I could. In the hospital that meant that if he was having a bad day, I would limit his visitors. Once he was outpatient, we learned to stay home if we didn't feel up to the attention (both positive and negative) that Ryan gets in public. And even now I won't publish this post without asking Ryan to read it first and make sure he's okay with everything I've written.

Sometimes I think that because I haven't shared our lives completely some people may have the impression that our lives are, dare I say it, glamorous??? I mean, sure, there's an occasional surgery in there. But when am I not blogging about us jetting off for some fabulous trip or shaking hands with politicians and celebrities. Right? If you read my blog you may think that all we do is television appearances and extreme sports. I mean, Ryan doesn't even REALLY have a normal job.... So maybe a little more honesty is in order.

Like the fact that after every surgery there is a certain amount of wound care that is necessary. Sometimes it's quick and easy. Other times it's tedious and odious. Right now it is the latter. We are two weeks out from Ryan's last laser procedure and wound care is a terrible, disgusting experience. It is very discouraging for both Ryan and I. It's such a setback when the day before surgery he was out in the yard tossing Jaida a football and jumping on the trampoline with Maya and Noah. And I was sitting back with my feet up while he was making dinner on the grill.... Now we are doing dressing changes and pain management and sanity checks. Ryan can't hold the kids and he can't hold me. He can't even sit on the couch without bleeding on it so he has to sit on a towel or sheet. And it's just sad to have your four-year-old ask you to pray with her before bed, but ask you please not to touch her.

And caregiving is hard. I don't ever like to complain to people who don't understand. Because I don't want you to think that I'm not thankful every moment that my husband is still here. I am. He is a miracle. I know how close I came to losing him and I would rather be a caregiver than a widow any day. There is nothing I wouldn't do for Ryan. I love him more than I can explain and would gladly trade places with him so he wouldn't ever have to suffer. But the truth is caregiving is VERY HARD. There were days that Ryan really wasn't himself and the right amount of pain could make anyone mean. There are days that even when you have nothing left to give, you have to keep giving. There are days that you don't have any idea how you're supposed to do what you are doing. There are days that you want to quit and run away. You give and give and give and give and forget to take care of yourself. And when you do finally take some time for yourself you feel guilty about it and forget that it is absolutely necessary for survival.

We have had some less than happy days around this joint. But we are generally positive people and often don't feel it is necessary to worry others with our "light and momentary troubles" (II Corinthians 4:16-18). We don't leave out the details because we want to appear to be super human or stronger or better than anyone else. We just mostly feel we have so much to be thankful for and we try to focus on that thankfulness.

So, I'm not going to stop blogging about the fun things we do or amazing experiences we have. I'm just going to try to include a little more reality when I'm feeling it, instead of sparing you the ugly details. Why now, you may ask? I'm not really sure. I've been thinking about it for awhile and I've been amazed at others who have so publicly shared their trials. They manage to tell you what they are going through without complaining or seeking pity and you leave feeling encouraged and better prepared to handle your own struggles. There is no mirage of perfection.

So....I AM going to finish my top ten and I have so much to tell you about 2010 so far. Baby updates, medical procedures, and funny things the kids do and say. Also, traveling we've done and television appearances too. This is our life. For better or worse.

1

2009-12-31T21:23:00.005-08:00

The last big thing that we forgot to tell you about in 2009 was probably one of the hardest decisions we had to make in a long time. After a lot of discussion, prayer, and soul searching, Ryan decided that it was time for him to get out of the Marine Corps. For the two and a half years since his injury, his goal had been to recover and get back to doing what he loves. And he does love being a Marine and flying Cobras. But even as much as he loves the Marine Corps and the life that we have had on active duty, he decided that it was time for a change.

This decision did not come easily for either of us. Ryan's career got cut short at a time when it was really just starting to get fun. He missed out on the best years of being a Cobra pilot. He was getting past the part where he was still trying to figure things out and was not yet to the part where it starts to get political. He was about to tuck his first deployment under his belt and enjoy his years as a company grade officer. As for me, since I was seventeen, the Marine Corps has been my life. I went from enlisted, to officer, to dependent wife. I almost can't remember life before the Marine Corps. While it definitely has it's good and bad, it is the life we'd chosen and loved. Our friends were more like family and we felt very much at home. Even Jaida is struggling with the idea of not being a Marine kid anymore. She has grown up around Marines and has always been proud to be a part of the Marine Corps family. This is all she knows.

We have no doubt that we will find success and happiness in our civilian life, but it is definitely a detour from the road we thought we were on. Life changed and we are changing right along with it. While we know that this is right and good, it is still difficult and a little bit scary.

Since that day in November when the decision was made, we have been discussing, praying, and searching for what is next in our lives. We are waiting for the results of his medical board so we can begin the process for his retirement from the Marine Corps. Ryan has put in some job applications and we are still waiting for an offer. We are hoping to be moving west as early as this summer, with San Diego as our first choice for location. Wherever we end up and whatever we end up doing, we know that God has a plan for us and we are in this together.

2

2009-12-30T13:22:00.013-08:00

Wow. So writing these posts took a lot longer than I originally planned. But that's our life. Which is probably why I was trying to catch you up on 2009 in the first place. And now I'm already way behind on all our 2010 activities. Guess I better get to it.

Our little miss Maya turned 4 in 2009, and it's been so much fun watching her personality develop. She can be very nurturing and motherly for her little brother, but with that comes a tendency toward bossiness. And I like to say that she is the most OCD of all my children. She likes things to be done the right way (ie., her way) or she will let you know about it. But Maya also is very witty and has excellent timing and delivery. She often will make a comment that has Ryan, Jaida, and I, all cracking up just thinking about it days later. Maya loves to run. Ryan will give Maya a "ready, set, go", and she will be off taking laps around the outside of the house with Noah trailing behind for about one lap. Noah loses interest pretty quickly, but Maya will just keep running and running. And then when she's finished she's very excited to show you how hard her heart is "beeping". Maya does not love bugs. Spiders, ants, bees, ladybugs, roly-polys, it doesn't matter. She doesn't like them. One day she was practically inconsolable because there was a ladybug on her shoe. Maya likes to make up songs and sing them to you. She likes to draw pictures and cut them out with scissors. She likes to sleep with her bed covered with stuffed animals and toys and just a little space left over for her to lay on. She likes to pretend she is a puppy. Maya likes tiny treasures and she likes to keep them in a little treasure box. Pennies, buttons, beads, they are all precious to her. Maya is very good at puzzles and can write the names of everyone in our family. Our little lady is so much fun and we feel blessed to have her in our lives.

Our little man Noah turned 2 in 2009. The last 12 months have been monumental in terms of his development. I think he learns new words everyday. Which also means you need to watch what you say in front of him. He is ALWAYS listening! And he is also quite the charmer. He knows how to turn it on when it works to his advantage. His teachers tell me they have the hardest time redirecting his misbehavior when he gives them his best grin. And I know exactly what they mean, he does it to me all the time. But even as charming as he can be, I never know for sure when he comes close to me, with a glint in his eye, what he's going to do. It seems he's just as likely to stroke my cheek, kiss me, or tell me he loves me, as he is to pinch me, bite me, or tackle me. He often will tell me, "Crabs will snap you, alligators will bite you, tigers will EAT you!" And he can turn just about any item into a weapon. His current favorite is using the stick part of the stick horse as a gun or sword. Like Maya, Noah likes to pretend that he is a dog. But while Maya likes you to give her dog commands that she can obey, Noah likes you to give him dog commands so he can look you in the eye and say, "No!" His favorite way to buy time or ignore anything he's told is to say, "One minute." We hear it most often when we tell him not to do something or to stop doing something. He says, "One minute," and just keeps doing whatever he wants. Noah loves to climb and jump. Never was this more apparent then one Monday morning last November when I heard a thump, a door opening and closing, then my door opening, and saw Noah sauntering into my room. Up until that morning, he had been sleeping in a crib. But once he figured out how to scale the side and stick the landing, that was no longer an option. It took awhile to convince him to stay in his bed all night, and it's still not always fool proof. Most of the time, after I put him to bed at night, I won't hear from him again until he comes in the morning to ask me if it's "wake up time". Noah is a character and it seems there's never a dull moment with him around.

I don't tell you often enough what the kids are up to, so I thought it rated an appearance on the top ten.

3

2009-12-29T16:25:00.004-08:00

Jaida had quite an eventful 2009. And so much of it, I never told you about.

For instance, last spring, Jaida saw an advertisement for the North East School of the Arts (NESA). It is a magnet program on the Lee High School campus here in San Antonio. They offer seven majors in the arts that a student can focus on while getting a high school diploma. Jaida completed an application, resumé, prepared 10 pages of original creative writing, and spent an entire day interviewing and auditioning. We were told we would receive a letter within two weeks letting us know if she was accepted into their program. We got a phone call two days later. Jaida was accepted into her first choice program, Creative Writing. She was thrilled! And we are so proud of her. Being at NESA means that she has a more intense workload than she would have otherwise, as she takes two elective Creative Writing classes in addition to her primarily Pre A/P courses. But Jaida has juggled her responsibilities well and kept her grades stellar.

Jaida on the first day of high school

After Jaida got accepted into NESA, she didn't spend her summer waiting for something exciting to happen in the fall. She had a busy summer of traveling planned. She left at the beginning of July for California to stay with her Grandpa Davis and Mama Ruth. For the last two summers she has attended camp at Park Creek Bible Camp and was selected as Best Camper in summer 2008. That meant her tuition at camp this summer was free! She spent a couple days with Grandpa, then a wonderful week at camp, and then a few more days with Grandpa. But she wasn't done having fun quite yet, because then she hopped a plane to Honolulu!

Jaida's best friend, Taylor, lived in the house behind us from the day we moved into housing at Fort Sam. It didn't take long for these two girls to become inseparable. Unfortunately, military orders often make separation inevitable and Taylor's family moved to Hawaii in December 2008. Jaida was crushed and missed Taylor desperately. So it only made sense that Jaida wanted to go visit. Jaida, being the brilliant child that she is, came to me one day and said that she didn't want anything for her birthday. She didn't want presents or a party. She just wanted to visit Taylor. Ryan and I thought that was pretty reasonable, so that's just what she did. Taylor's family graciously hosted Jaida for two fun-filled weeks that Jaida will never forget. Jaida made a weeklong stop in Oregon to visit family before she finally ventured home to us in San Antonio. We really missed her all those weeks but were so glad she had those experiences.

Together again and all smiles!

An ocean can't keep these girls apart.

While I'm already posting what I'm sure Jaida will consider a thoroughly embarrassing post, let me brag about her just a little more. When Jaida was in 7th grade, she found out that the child of one of her teachers was diagnosed with leukemia. It really upset her and she wanted to do something about it. Someone told her that if you collected a gallon sized jug of soda pop tabs you could use it to pay for one chemo treatment. She immediately set out to save as many pop tops as she could. Later she did some research and discovered that wasn't true. But the pop tops weren't completely useless, the Ronald McDonald house accepts them as donations and recycles them to help offset their expenses. Jaida continued to save pop tops for more than two years. She even told a few of her friends to save them and they spread the word and brought her their collections. When it became apparent that the pop tops were taking over our garage, I told Jaida it was time for them to serve their purpose. Jaida called the Ronald McDonald house in Houston and asked them if they would accept her donation, and they did. Jaida and I toured their building and learned about the families that come to stay there. It was very moving and I was so glad Jaida could see the impact of her efforts.

Jaida with a small sampling of the gift she brought that day.

I don't think 2010 is going to be any less exciting for Jaida, considering she was nominated to be a student ambassador to China with the People to People program. She is still working through the application and letters of recommendation and has interviews scheduled for next month. (I'm sure there will be more discussion of it on the blog, so keep an eye out for that.) Jaida IS still a teenager and still drives us crazy sometimes, but Ryan and I are impressed with the young lady that we are raising and are thankful that God gave us such a great kid!

4

2009-12-28T21:00:00.005-08:00

Ryan was duped.

A couple of months ago, Ryan's friend Pat invited him to go on a hunting trip. Pat had been invited to hunt and wasn't going to be able to make it, and asked Ryan to go in his place. Ryan hadn't been hunting since he was a kid, and back then I don't think he did so much hunting as hanging out and eating all the food that they brought. But he was ready for some "guy time" and a hunt sounded like just the ticket. The date was set for December and he was told they'd have everything he needed to hunt. Just pack a bag for the weekend and go have fun.

I didn't think much of it. I was all set to spend the weekend with the kids while Dad went off to shoot Bambi. But then I got a mysterious phone call. The caller was participating in the hunt and wanted to ask me a few questions about Ryan without Ryan's knowledge. The first one was simple, is Ryan left handed or right handed? But then they got more curious like, what kind of music does Ryan like? It became clear pretty quickly that they were planning some nice surprises for Ryan and I'm never one to ruin a good surprise. But it should have tipped me off when I asked how many wounded guys were going on the hunt and they said it was only Ryan.

The Friday morning of the hunting trip arrived and the kids were all off at school. It was just Ryan and I waiting for his ride and I was giving him the "Don't be like Dick Cheney" pep talk. A couple of trucks pulled up outside and a couple of guys jumped out. And there it was.....the video camera.

We invited them in, while the tape was running, and found out that Ryan was being surprised with a "Hunt of a Lifetime" thanks to Veteran Outdoors! Show host Cody Hirt was there surprising Ryan and I and Brad Strittmatter was capturing it all on video. I don't know who was more surprised, but I'm pretty sure both our mouths were hanging open. And I wanted to crawl under the couch when they asked to film me talking about what an opportunity like this means for us. I was certainly not "camera ready", but you'll see that yourself when the episode airs next fall. I don't want to tell you too much about the weekend but I'll be sure to post a link when it's going to be on TV.

What I can tell you is that Ryan had an AMAZING time and made friends for life with the guys he spent time with that weekend. There were so many surprises that I don't know how they'll fit them all into one episode and Ryan was so humbled by the kindness and generosity bestowed upon him. Below are just a few pictures from Ryan's weekend as a teaser for what is sure to be a great show!

Ryan with Ted Nugent and Cody Hirt

Ryan up close and personal with one of the residents at the YO Ranch.

These beauties were for enjoying not hunting.

Thanks to Pat Scrogin for recommending Ryan for this great opportunity! Pat had his own Hunt of a Lifetime and knew what an incredible experience this would be for Ryan. Thank you!

5

2009-12-27T21:17:00.013-08:00

In May, our family participated in the Warrior Getaway hosted by the christian organization Joni & Friends. It was offered locally, in the Texas Hill Country and, unlike many, it was an event focused on the whole family.

Ryan and the kids take a break for a quick picture.

There were several recreational opportunities from horseback riding, to kayaking, to golf, and rock wall climbing. There were clowns and clown clothes so the kids (0r parents) could dress up and join in the fun. There was swimming, and jewelry making, and trips into town to do a little shopping. There was music and games at dinner, a family dance, a hilarious comedian one night, and an ice cream social another.

Maya and Trey climbing trees

But all the fun and laughs that we had weren't even the best part of the weekend.

Daddy and Noah like dinner.

Everyday there was an opportunity for the kids to go to supervised age appropriate activities, while the parents went to classes and break out sessions facilitated by the staff and volunteers at Joni & Friends. Our guest speaker for the weekend was Army LtCol. (retired) Brian Birdwell. Brian was severely burned on September 11, 2001, while working in the Pentagon. He offers a message of healing, hope, and forgiveness that so many people can relate to and it hit home with everyone present.

Trey and Maya pause for a little face painting.

The break out sessions gave the men and women time separately to talk about their experiences and connect with each other. There was laughter, tears, and a whole lot of honesty.

Ryan and Pam with Mel and Brian Birdwell

The weekend ended with a worship service that, like the rest of the weekend, was personal, honest, and deeply moving. It was hard to believe that in the four days we were there we had found so much peace and rest.

A family picture in the golf cart before we head for home

While we were at the Warrior Getaway, several families were asked to record a short interview about their experience during the weekend and which aspects were most valuable. We willingly participated and shared a little about our journey and how we came to be at the event.

A couple of months later, Ryan got an email from Doug Mazza, president of Joni & Friends International, asking Ryan to call him. We never could have imagined what came next. Our family was invited to come to Laguna Beach, California, in October to attend their President's Retreat. They were hoping we'd be willing to share our testimony and what the Getaway meant to us with the supporters of their ministry.

Noah's first time in the Pacific Ocean

Everything about our visit to California in October was so thoughtful. From our beautiful beach side resort, The Montage, to the welcome basket in our room complete with juice boxes, goldfish crackers, crayons and coloring books, and so much more. They provided transportation and tickets for our family to spend a day at Disneyland. And even Ken and Joni Eareckson Tada were interested in making our stay a pleasant one.

Maya loves the beach.

On Saturday morning it was our chance to stand on stage and share a little of our story. As we stood backstage, they played a video created to document the Warrior Getaway experience. Several families were featured, but our interview was really highlighted. After the video, Doug invited us onstage. We were greeted by a standing ovation that lasted for several minutes. It was unbelievable.

Jaida made friends with the Willis Clan.

We answered a few questions about the getaway and how much it meant to us to be a part of it. Meanwhile, Noah and Maya jumped up and down and generally had the wiggles the whole time. But no one seemed to mind. We were only onstage for a few minutes, but we were happy to do our part to continue their good work.

Ryan with Doug Mazza

At the next break, we were able to meet several of the other guests at the retreat. Before that we had not participated in any of the sessions. (I think they wanted our appearance to be a surprise.) Everyone wanted to meet Ryan and I and the kids, to hear more of our story and to thank Ryan for his service to our country.

Our family at Joni's 60th birthday celebration

The remainder of our weekend was full with a performance by The Willis Clan, a presentation from Joni Eareckson Tada, and Joni's 60th birthday celebration. Somehow we still managed to squeeze in a visit with my sister, Angie, and my dear friend Sarah. It was an amazing weekend!

The Joni & Friends organization does so much more than the Warrior Getaway. They have spent 30 years ministering to people with disabilities, and they continue their work with Wheels for the World, Family Retreats, radio ministry, and so much more. Joni's life story is such an inspirational one and she gives all the credit to God in everything she does. She has written books, recorded music, inspired movies, produced beautiful artwork, and changed lives all from the confines of a wheelchair due to quadriplegia. We were so honored to meet her and to play a small part in the continuation of the work she does with Joni & Friends.

6

2009-12-26T21:34:00.007-08:00

Ryan and I had been to New York before, but never like we did at the end of August. We ventured north to attend the Phoenix Society's World Burn Congress. Operation Comfort was kind enough to host a group of about 30, burn survivors and their caregivers, and they pulled out all the stops. When we arrived in New York, the pilot asked the other passengers to remain seated so our group could deboard the plane. When we did, we were greeted by New York's finest firefighters and police officers and a round of applause from everyone nearby. I was not expecting that and it really got me choked up. The FDNY provided vehicles and escort to our hotel and it really started our trip off with a bang.

The World Burn Congress is held in a different city every year, but New York drew a bigger crowd than any year past. There were over 900 burn survivors, caregivers, medical professionals and firefighters in attendance from all over the world. Over the four days of the congress, there were guest speakers, break out sessions, classes, and open mic opportunities. Never had we been around so many burn survivors and it was very moving to hear all their stories. People who had been burned in house fires, work accidents, meth explosions, and domestic violence. People who had been burned at all ages, recently and long past. Obvious burn injuries and "invisible" burns. Everyone was willing to share and everyone was willing to listen. We learned so much in just a few days and were so glad to connect with Phoenix Society. The event ended with a gala on the last night, and by that time it seemed like we'd all known each other forever. It was sad to say goodbye.

Outside of the congress events, the firefighters were our New York City tour guides taking us to the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Coney Island, and the World Trade Center Memorial and Museum. They took us for a ride on the Hudson in the marine one fire boat, for an authentic Italian dinner, to a street fair in Brooklyn, and fed us a huge meal at every station we visited. It was a tour of New York that we felt honored to be a part of.

The best part of our trip to New York was spending so much time getting to know the firefighters. There was such a connection between the military and the firefighters, and each had so much respect for the others' willingness to sacrifice their lives for others. What can you say for a group of people who run into a building when everyone else is running out, who run into the fire to try to keep others from being burned. We knew we were in the presence of heroes, it was very humbling.

We came home from New York with an unforgettable experience.

There are fire stations every few blocks in Manhattan because of the dense population in the city. Ladder 4 here is the "Pride of Midtown", while the Engine next to it read "Never Missed a Performance".

Tenhouse is the home of Engine 10 and Ladder 10 directly across the street from the World Trade Center. They suffered heavy losses on September 11, 2001.

All jazzed up for the gala.

As we were taking the ferry back from Liberty Island and Ellis Island, the fireboat put on a show just for us!

The firefighters in Brooklyn were kind enough to let a few of us slide down the fire pole.

No trip to Brooklyn is complete without a stop at Coney Island and a ride on the Wonder Wheel.

7

2009-12-25T20:20:00.005-08:00

Now, back to the countdown.

In July, I was invited to Washington D.C. with the Wounded Warrior Project. They assembled a group of 21 caregivers to lobby on Capitol Hill for caregiver legislation. We arrived on Sunday and spent all day Monday discussing our needs as caregivers and reviewing the proposed legislation to see how it met our needs. Our group was a cross section of wives, mothers, and fathers who have provided care for the nation's most severely wounded. I felt out of place in a room full of people who are providing full time, lifetime care for severe traumatic brain injury, severe post traumatic stress disorder, and quadriplegia. But when we spent all day Tuesday and Wednesday with senators, congressmen, and directors of agencies that provide service to wounded veterans, I found that my input was valuable. The biggest concern for a lot of those we spoke to was the cost of this legislation. Opponents to the legislation were estimating that thousands of caregivers would be eligible for support under the proposed programs forever. But I was an example of someone who could have benefited for a period of time, but would eventually (and thankfully I have) outgrow the need. Unfortunately, most of the caregivers in our group would need support for the lifetime of their veteran.

Our efforts met with some success on November 19th, when the Senate unanimously passed S.1963, the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2009. However, the proposed House Caregiver Bill, H.R. 3155, is not nearly as comprehensive and only provides support for a fraction of the families that would be supported by S. 1963. If you would like to learn more about the legislation and take action to support the families of America's most severely wounded veterans, please go to the Wounded Warrior Project website to learn more.

I learned so much from my experience on Capitol Hill. It was interesting to see how laws are made and it felt good to do my part on behalf of all caregivers. More than anything I came home realizing, yet again, just how blessed I am to have my husband, in every way still the man I married.

I walked back and forth from the Senate to the House

more times than I could count.

But it was worth it!

Caregivers from Texas meet with Congressman Chet Edwards.

Brief interruption

2009-12-25T20:11:00.003-08:00

I'd like to interrupt this Top Ten to bring you a little Christmas cheer.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Well, mostly merry.

8

2009-12-24T21:38:00.003-08:00

If there's one thing I can say with certainty about our "post injury" life, it is that we have had a lot of opportunities that we wouldn't have had otherwise.

One of those opportunities came along in October. Our friend Chaz is one of the Marine Officer Instructors at Texas A&M University in College Station. He and his family moved to Texas last summer and even though they are only a couple hours away, we hadn't yet had a chance to visit.

When Chaz called Ryan and invited him to be a Guest Coach for a day at an Aggie football game, we thought that was a pretty good excuse to make the trek. We had no idea what a fun day it would be.

Ryan got a tour of the sports museum, a look at the press box, a special VIP breakfast, amazing seats for the game, and a great view of the Corps of Cadets marching into the stadium as he stood on field! But the best part was hanging out with an old friend.

Chaz and Ryan on the field.

Gig 'em!

One unexpected surprise was meeting former President George H. W. Bush. President Bush was kind enough to meet the guest coaches and take a few pictures before the game started.

The kids and I didn't go to the game, but we probably had more fun hanging out with Allison, Andrew, & Ava back at the house. Not to mention we had lunch at the Hullabaloo Diner and it was fabulous!

We can't wait to visit College Station and our dear friends again soon!

9

2009-12-23T19:37:00.008-08:00

For as long as I can remember, Jaida has always wanted a dog. When she was little, she would ask and ask, and the answer was always no. So sometimes she just pretended to be a dog.

Jaida as "Max" the dog

When she got a little older, "no" wasn't enough. She wanted to know why. And when.

So, I told her she could have a dog when she was 8-years-old. That seemed so far off. And I thought by then I'd be ready.

I wasn't.

When she was 9, I was pregnant with Maya. The thought of having a new dog and a new baby at the same time didn't sound like such a good idea. And when Maya was 1, and Jaida was 11, I was pregnant with Noah.....and Ryan was deployed. Nope, still not the right time for a dog.

Then Ryan was injured. So we moved to San Antonio. Three girls with Daddy in the hospital.

Noah was born. And Ryan came home. Dogs were nowhere in our future.

But sometime last spring (I'm pretty sure it was when Jaida's guinea pig died) we started thinking about getting a dog. Ryan liked the idea. Jaida loved the idea. Maya and Noah loved dogs. And I was pretty sure I was ready to assume all responsibility for said creature, knowing that it was likely to be my duty most often. But not yet. We had a really busy summer planned and it wouldn't be fair to welcome a new dog into our home just to leave him repeatedly. So we just started thinking about what kind of dog we wanted and where we would get him.

After much discussion, debate, and research we came to a decision. We wanted a small dog because it would mostly be indoors. But not so small that Noah could easily crush it. We wanted a smart dog so that we could train it to be well behaved. But we wanted our dog to be energetic and fun to play with. And important to me, but not really anyone else, was having a dog that didn't shed a lot.

And we all agreed we wanted a rescue dog. We wanted to save a life and give a dog a home and a family.

Our searching led us to the Poodle Rescue of Houston. We made the drive on Labor Day weekend and found the dog for us.

At last!

He's a brown miniature poodle weighing about 16 lbs. We think he's about 4-years-old, but we don't know for sure. He's an anxious little guy, but he's doing well with his training. He's very protective, especially of the children. And he's very tolerant, especially of Noah laying on him, pulling his tail, and petting him in a less than gentle way. (We're working on Noah's training and it's taking a little longer!) His name is Huey (like the helicopter) and he's a welcome addition to our family.

And speaking of additions to our family, don't ask me why getting a dog when I was pregnant with Maya seemed ridiculous, but getting a dog when I'm pregnant now doesn't. I guess because it's my 4th baby I think I can handle anything. Ha!

Huey feels right at home.

10

2009-12-22T18:37:00.007-08:00

Will someone please tell me where the year 2009 went?

A new year is upon us and as I look back over my blog, I see I have neglected to blog about several things that we did in 2009. So here are the top ten things, in no particular order, I forgot to tell you last year.

#10

In February, I told you about an amazing trip we took to Vail, Colorado, with the Vail Veterans Program. Ryan was able to snowboard for the first time since his injury. What I didn't tell you is that we were invited back to attend their summer program in July. The summer program gave us the opportunity to go fly fishing, white water rafting, and horseback riding, in addition to just enjoying the beautiful mountains and connecting with other wounded service members and their families. Photographer John Moore captured some of the best images of the trip in this slideshow.

Yet again, Cheryl Jensen, founder of the Vail Veterans Program, managed to think of everything to make this trip challenging, inspiring, and empowering.

No amount of rain could ruin our day

when we're fly fishing on the Colorado River.

I managed to get a fish on the line,

but I couldn't bring him in. Maybe next time.

A trail ride with my sweetie before dinner is a nice way

to end a great day.

After just a few nights at the Yarmony Creek Ranch

we felt like we could stay forever.

Back in Vail, the view from the top of the mountain

is just as beautiful without all the snow.

Lots of happy faces after an unforgettable stay in Colorado.

We're even more excited to be going back to Vail for their winter program again at the end of January 2010. And this time it is a family program! Be watching for pictures of our little family tackling the slopes in Vail. And tune in tomorrow for #9 on the list of things not blogged about yet this year!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-12-09T20:18:00.001-08:00

Let's try this again

2009-11-12T09:52:00.004-08:00

Apparently the following clue was a little too abstract for some people.

July 2010

I was trying too hard to be witty and creative.

Maybe this next clue will help clear things up.

Is that better?

If you've never eaten at the Waffle House, you may not find this funny....

2009-11-08T12:18:00.003-08:00

Jaida and I were driving past a flower stand outside the national cemetery near our house. Our conversation went something like this:

Jaida: I wonder if anyone ever buys those flowers.

Mom: I think they buy the flowers and take them to the cemetery to put on the graves.

Jaida: I don't think I want to be buried.

Mom: You want to be scattered....?

Jaida: Smothered and covered!

Marine Corps Ball 2009

2009-11-08T08:34:00.004-08:00

Halloween in Oz

2009-11-07T13:03:00.005-08:00

For the third year in a row, we decided to dress in theme. This year was Wizard of Oz.

Our little cowardly lion preferred to trick or treat without his mane.

Okay, so I see Dorothy, the wicked witch, the scare crow, and the lion.

But who is Jaida supposed to be?

Cocktail party Barbie?

No, she's Glinda the good witch. But if you haven't had the pleasure of seeing "Wicked", then you won't recognize her in her "Popular" dress.

We couldn't find a Glinda costume that Jaida liked, so I made one.

Yes, me.

No, I don't really sew.

But I sewed that.

I know Dash doesn't belong in Oz, but this picture of Maya with her best friend Trey was just too cute not to include!

July 2010

2009-11-07T13:02:00.004-08:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-10-21T16:46:00.002-07:00

Answered prayers

2009-10-20T08:58:00.006-07:00

I noticed something yesterday. And I'm trying to figure out how I didn't notice it sooner.

Ryan was sleeping and I was looking at him. Really looking at him. (How often do you get a chance to look at your sleeping husband?) And I noticed something important.

His eyes.

They were closed.

Completely closed.

From corner to corner. Top lid and bottom lid touching.

Not with effort.

Closed completely in peace.

In June 2007, I started asking people to pray for Ryan's eyes. Specifically that his eyes would be able to close. Ryan has had seven corrective surgeries on his eyelids, most recently August 18, 2009. He gets focused medical massage on his face and eyelids to improve circulation and elasticity. And he's had laser treatments designed to resurface his scars.

But yesterday, was the first time I saw it.

The answer to my prayers.

The answer to your prayers.

And I knew I had to tell you. Because you brought us here. Your prayers and God's power.

So, now I want to ask for another prayer. You've been so faithful to us. I hope you will consider adding another family to your prayer list.

My dear friend Lisa has inoperable brain cancer. She has been valiantly fighting it for a year and a half. A few months ago, they found another tumor. And for all the progress she's made, this new tumor has knocked her back quite a few paces. She is a wife to Sean and a mother to Mia and Ella. She is 27-years-old.

Will you pray for her? For her healing. For her strength. For her peace. For her family.

I only ask you to do this because I know it works. I was reminded of that yesterday.

Child's Play

2009-10-14T08:13:00.003-07:00

In Maya's own words....

I broke my leg, and it fell off.

Now I get to jump!

Perspective is a funny thing.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-16T07:55:00.003-07:00

What is surgery?

2009-09-10T12:59:00.004-07:00

A lot of people will ask us how many surgeries Ryan has had. And the truth is, I've lost count. I feel like it's something I should know when people ask me. I've been there for every single one.

But I'm having a hard time defining what is a surgery and what isn't. Is it cutting into Ryan's body to remove, repair, or reposition something? Does it require general anesthesia? An overnight hospital stay? A combination of these things? Is it not a surgery if they use a laser, but he was under general anesthesia? Is it not a surgery if they use local anesthetic, cut away at a part of his body, but he sleeps through it and walks away feeling fine? It's getting complicated to define "surgery".

All I know is Ryan has had a number of "procedures" this summer since the time I posted about his eyebrow transplant. (Was that a surgery? Local anesthesia, cutting and stitching, drove himself home?) In July, he had a graft to his right palm and releases in the tendons in his fingers. (General anesthesia, cutting and stitching, home that day.....surgery, check!) A couple weeks later he had laser resurfacing of his face and left arm. (General anesthesia, no cutting and stitching, home that same day.......surgery?) On his birthday in August, he had skin cut away from the titanium posts on the sides of his head in preparation for his prosthetic ears. (Local anesthesia, cutting and stitching, went to other appointments that same day and drove himself home....surgery?) And on August 18th, he had another eyelid release to both of his lower eyelids. (General anesthesia, cutting and stitching, overnight hospital stay....surgery, check!)

I don't exactly know how to define surgery and it doesn't REALLY matter. I just kind of wish I had an answer to the question when someone asks me how many surgeries Ryan has had. I guess being in our community that question comes up more often than you would think. Regardless, Ryan's having another procedure tomorrow. General anesthesia. Laser. Home. Call it what you want.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-08-19T20:09:00.002-07:00

Camping at Canyon Lake

Wordless Wednesday

2009-07-15T09:33:00.002-07:00

We are family

2009-07-11T18:51:00.004-07:00

My sister and her kids came for a long weekend once we returned from our road trip. It's always so much fun to get the cousins together. Even though we had a house full with kids aged 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, & 14, everyone had a blast! We love it when they visit!

Something to raise an eyebrow at

2009-07-07T13:11:00.005-07:00

We got home from our trip on a Wednesday and Ryan went in for surgery on a Thursday. This time he worked with Dr. Limmer to get some new eyebrows. Dr. Limmer and his staff are so wonderful and welcoming. And they do amazing work. It was all done in the office with local anesthetic. It was completely pain free. Ryan slept through most of the procedure. They removed a section of skin from Ryan's beard and sewed him back up. (I was in the office and watched them do this. First time I've ever been allowed to watch a surgery. Wow!) Then they put the skin under the microscope and removed each hair follicle. Next, they planted each follicle in Ryan's eyebrow region and Ryan had eyebrows! Apparently, the hair will grow for a few weeks and then all the hairs will fall out. It will take another 3 or 4 months for the hair to grow back and then we'll see what worked and what didn't. We expect he'll have another round of hair transplant to fill them in at that time.

Before

During

After

Less than a week later, on July 1st, Ryan had surgery on his right hand. They put a small graft on his palm, did some z-plasty between his thumb and index finger and index and middle fingers, and released some tendons inside his hand. Surgery went well and Ryan is feeling fine. He has a cast on his right hand to immobilize and protect the graft. He'll have the cast until the 23rd.

Road Trip part 3

2009-07-07T13:09:00.006-07:00

We had so much fun in North Carolina that it was a lot more difficult convincing everyone to get back in the car for the four day drive home. The only bargaining chip I had was our visits with friends in Beaufort, SC, and Pensacola, FL. And still, I had no camera to document these visits.

Both families we visited were friends from college that continued on to the Marine Corps. It was funny to see how much our families had grown in the time since we'd last seen each other. We did our best to catch up with all the significant events of the last few years and spent some time laughing over old memories from days long past. It was wonderful and Ryan and I left feeling blessed to have so many amazing people in our lives.

There's nothing like old friends.

Can you tell that my girls want a dog?

When we left Pensacola, I remembered we'd eaten at a place in Mobile, AL, on one of our cross country trips 5 years ago. They had these batter dipped fried crab claws that were to die for. I didn't know the name of the place, but I knew it was right off the highway and near a bridge (Ha! How's that for details!). Surprisingly, when we got to the exit, I knew we were there and we drove right to it. The name of the place is Felix's Fish Camp and it's worth stopping for, even if you don't know where you're going.

Road Trip part 2

2009-07-07T13:07:00.005-07:00

Now don't be mad at me.

But when we got to North Carolina, I forgot that there are thunderstorms almost everyday in June that will dump rain for 15 minutes and then make the rest of the day muggy and miserable. So, while we were enjoying the morning on one of our first days there, I was taking pictures of the kids outside playing. I put the camera down so I could push someone on the swing and then forgot that I even brought my camera outside. It wasn't until hours later when I stood at the kitchen sink and looked out the window that I realized the shiny silver thing on the roof of the playhouse getting soaked in the rain was my camera. I ran outside, getting drenched in the process, and retrieved my camera in vain. It was too late. Destroyed.

So, all that to say, I do not have nearly enough pictures from our road trip. The ones I do have, I took with my iPhone. I should have gone out that day and bought a new camera, but I didn't, and I'm kicking myself for it now.

I did manage to capture this sweet moment with my girls sharing a bed.

And this would be Noah's future bride if I could arrange the marriage.

It was hard to find time to see everyone we wanted to see, but we couldn't leave town without visiting Noah's godfather.

Much sooner than we were ready for, it seemed it was time to get back in the car and hit the road.

We had such a good time visiting our friends, who are really more like family. And our gracious hosts, Mike and Jennie, always manage to make us feel right at home. Thanks!

In addition to all the fun we had, Ryan made arrangements to get into a Cobra simulator and see how things were working. He was happy to discover that his hands were not a problem at all. And while getting in and out was more of a challenge than it used to be, it was doable.

Road Trip part 1

2009-06-30T16:34:00.009-07:00

As soon as school ended, we decided it was time for a ROAD TRIP!

Now, most people would say that we are crazy for even considering such a thing. Three kids in the car for four days each way is not a good idea. But we figured it was less stressful than trying to get through airport security with two car seats, a stroller, and a prosthetic leg. (I know, because we've done it!) And it would give us an opportunity to visit people along the way that we wouldn't see otherwise. AND it was quality time together in the car.

Right?

This looks like quality time.

And discovering a gummi bear between Noah's toes after taking his shoes off....that was quality entertainment.

Visiting our dear friends in Huntsville and loving on their babies was definitely worth the drive.

On our last night on the road, though, Noah was ready to get to wherever we were going! I think we all were.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-10T12:16:00.003-07:00

Check us out!

2009-06-07T22:18:00.002-07:00

Notice anything different around here???

We are LOOKING GOOD thanks to Megan over at Knuckleheaders! She made all our blog design dreams come true. If you aspire to be blogalicious like us, click on the link on our sidebar. She is talented, easy to work with, and fast! We couldn't be happier!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-03T21:00:00.002-07:00

Just Tri It!

2009-05-22T13:27:00.005-07:00

10 mile bike.

500 meter swim.

2 mile walk.

Yes, that's Ryan in those video clips.

Isn't my guy AMAZING!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-20T05:53:00.003-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-13T08:18:00.004-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-06T21:02:00.006-07:00

A friend of mine started doing Wordless Wednesday on her blog and I'm stealing the idea. It gives me the freedom to post more regularly without feeling obligated to write something brilliant. (Ha!) We'll see how this goes. I'll try to keep writing about our latest activities, but also be on the lookout for Wordless Wednesday. Maybe I'll start giving this blog the attention that it deserves.

Easter Sunday

2009-04-19T09:53:00.004-07:00

We've managed to have a lot of success with family pictures and the timer on our little point and shoot digital camera. We took this picture after church on Easter Sunday and could only keep the kids' attention for 3 attempts. This was the best one and I think it turned out pretty good.

What's normal for us

2009-04-19T09:22:00.002-07:00

I know this sounds crazy, but Ryan had hand surgery two weeks ago, and it's been so uneventful that I forgot I didn't post about it.

We were sitting around on a random Tuesday talking about what procedures still needed to be scheduled and wondering when we wouldn't have to have that conversation anymore. So instead of just talking about it, Ryan jumped on the phone and called his hand surgeon to get on the schedule. They had an opening the following Monday and we took it.

So yes, Ryan had hand surgery on April 6th. They grafted the web spacing on his left hand between his index and middle fingers and his pinky and ring fingers. They also released the web spacing with a z-plasty between his middle and ring fingers, no graft. They took a full thickness donor from his left side and closed it with stitches. They immobilized his hand with a splint and we were home before noon. Ryan slept off the anesthesia for the rest of the afternoon and woke up hungry, but without pain. And now two weeks later, I can say that not once did he require pain medication after this surgery. Not even a Tylenol.

We went back for a follow up last Tuesday. They took off the splint and saw that the grafts look great and seem to be taking well. They left the splint off, so Ryan can drive and gently use his left hand. We go back this Tuesday and if things still look good, he can begin physical therapy on that hand again.

Ryan's had so many surgeries that we've lost count. I didn't mean to neglect to blog about this last one. It just wasn't one of his more exciting procedures, and it truly felt like any other day.

Drama, Drama, Drama!

2009-04-17T16:10:00.004-07:00

Well hello people currently on our blog!!! Guess whoooo!

That's right it's:

Jaida the Supah Star!

Did you all miss me?

It's been a while since I've posted, I know you guys have been DYING to hear from me, am I right??

Well no worries cause' here I am!

Lemme give you a run down on what's been happening lately:

I'm not sure if you know, Mom may have told you, but I am currently taking a lead role (one of the lead roles) in our school's theater production: TALES OF THE TANGLED TRESSES!! I play Hilda a sassy hair dresser who listens and talks about all these random fairy tale princesses that wander into my boss' salon. I won't give you too much info, you'll just have to see it for yourself. If you would like to receive ticket to San Antonio, just list your names in my comment box and I'll sent you the flight money right away so you can come down to my school and check out the play. Hahaha...no. Better yet... maybe my Mom could record it and post it on here or something.

Down at my school there happens to be drama on and off the stage, but I won't get into it. That's middle school.

Summer is approaching at a dangerously fast speed, and once I finish flying around the world I'll be coming back here and going to HIGHSCHOOL I am a little bit nervous but I'm sure it'll be lots of fun!

Just wanted to pop in and say hi!! Got to go check my Facebook! Peace! :D

- Famous Jaida

First trip to the ER

2009-04-01T20:25:00.005-07:00

It was a quiet Tuesday morning. Noah was the first one up, Maya was lingering in bed. So I brought Noah down and fired up the griddle for some pancakes. All was well. Noah ate his pancakes and decided that he was DONE. RIGHT. NOW. He firmly planted both feet on the kitchen table and pushed hard enough to rock backward in his high chair. Well, moms and teachers tell you not to rock back in your chair for a reason. Over he went and the screaming began. I quickly unstrapped him and picked him up to find that he was bleeding from his head.

It was no longer a quiet Tuesday morning and Maya was no longer allowed to linger in bed. We headed in to the Emergency Room and after just a short 3 hours, Noah had two staples in the back of his noggin. So....this is how it's going to be. When Jaida was 2-years-old, I made at least 3 trips to the ER for bleeding head wounds. Maya....never (or should I say, not yet). And now Noah, not even 2 and it's already begun. Why do I feel like this isn't going to be my last trip?

Ouch!

Just like Daddy, he looks quite cute in his gauze turban.

Back in the cockpit

2009-04-01T19:50:00.006-07:00

Thanks to our friend Richard over at San Antonio Massage & Spa, Ryan had the opportunity to meet John Deer, owner of San Antonio Helicopter Service. John is a retired Army Chief Warrant Officer. He served as a Huey pilot in Vietnam. When he heard about Ryan he was very excited to give Ryan the opportunity to fly again for the first time since his injury. Ryan took advantage of that opportunity on Sunday, March 29th. It was a beautiful day and everything worked beautifully! Eyes, ears, hands, feet....no problems. This was an answer to many prayers!

Taking off for the first time in almost 2 years!

Back on the ground after a huge milestone,

and ready to go right back up again!

New York, New York

2009-04-01T19:45:00.011-07:00

Just two weeks after Ryan's last surgery, we decided we needed to take a break and get out of town. Ryan's sister, Rebecca, had offered to come watch the kiddos, so we took advantage of her generous offer. We ended up going to New York for 4 nights and it was a great getaway. Thanks Rebecca for helping out so we could get some much needed time away!

Enjoying the view from the top of the Empire State Building.

We saw "The Lion King" and absolutely loved it!

We took a double decker bus tour through the city.

It was more informative than I expected it to be.

We celebrated mass at Saint Patrick's Cathedral. Beautiful!

How is it already Friday?

2009-02-27T18:07:00.005-08:00

I don't know how this week got away from me, but I just realized that it's Friday. I was going to post an update last night, but figured I would have a little more information after Ryan's follow up appointments today.

When I came in to see Ryan on Wednesday, it was just as I suspected. Ryan had asked to be disconnected from his IV meds so that he could go home. And they let him. It was just a matter of paperwork to have everything ready for discharge. So we ordered some lunch and chatted with each other and Ryan's many visitors. At 4:00 p.m., I left Ryan to pick up the babies from daycare and Jaida from Drama Club, and got them home and fed. I went back to the hospital at 6:00 and Ryan was ready to go. All he had to do was get dressed and sign a couple of forms and a patient satisfaction survey. We were out the door by 6:30.

I've been amazed at how well he can see, given that he has bolsters on both his upper eyelids. The first day there was quite a bit of swelling, but it's gone down enough that he has about a quarter of an inch of clearance when he opens his eyes. It's been just enough to see where he's walking, what he's eating, and what's on t.v. That's all he needs for now, I guess. He's not in a lot of pain, and it's managed well with medication.

Today, we went in for follow up appointments with Oral Maxillo Facial Surgery and the Burn Clinic. OMFS took down the bolsters on his ears and declared that it was good. His grafts appear to be taking well, and they are happy with their work. It was the first time I got to see what they had done and it took me by surprise. But then again, I didn't know what it was supposed to look like. So I have to trust their judgment.

Next, we stopped in the Burn Clinic and they decided to keep Ryan's eye bolsters on until Monday and his lip bolster on until next Friday. Nothing is wrong, they just want to give them extra time to take. We were given clear instructions for wound care for each of Ryan's wounds; what stays wet, what stays dry, what needs to be changed, and what needs to be left alone. We follow up again on Monday with both clinics.

So, it will be a quiet weekend at our house. Ryan isn't up for doing much and that's fine by me. I took the girls to the library tonight and we picked out some good books for the weekend. Please keep Ryan in your prayers as he recovers from surgery yet again. It won't be the last, but we're getting closer.

Back in the operating room

2009-02-25T08:47:00.003-08:00

After a lovely three months without a trip to the OR, Ryan had surgery yesterday. And maybe to make up for all the time that they missed him, his surgeons kept him in there for nearly 8 hours. Not that anything was wrong, they just wanted to be meticulous and productive.

We arrived at 5:45 am to get checked in and prepped for surgery. Two different services were working on him together yesterday, so we met with two surgeons, an anesthesiologist, and an OR nurse before they rolled him back at 8:00. I made sure everyone had my cell phone number, then I went downstairs to the cafeteria for breakfast. I kept myself busy with a couple of appointments at the hospital and met Teal for lunch in the surgery waiting room. She brought me Pad Thai from our favorite place, and helped me pass a couple of hours waiting. At about 2:30, she convinced me to have the volunteer call back to the OR to find out how things were going. That was good because an anesthesiology resident came out and gave me a good update. She let me know that Ryan was tolerating the procedure very well and his surgeons were working well together. She warned me that she expected it to be another hour and a half. So, I took a little walk and called Ryan's sister to chat. When I was down the hall on the phone, the volunteer started calling my name because Ryan's plastic surgeon was done and ready to update me. It was 3:45.

He told me that everything went really well. He was able to graft both of Ryan's upper eyelids with skin from Ryan's right side. He took a composite graft of skin and cartilage from Ryan's ear and revised the center of Ryan's upper lip. And he released the scars on either side of Ryan's nose, so as to reduce the pulling on the insides of his eyes and across his nostrils. The doctor was very happy with how it went and believes Ryan will have good results. He also told me that the oral surgeon successfully removed the cartilage that was left in Ryan's ears and "banked" it under his skin in the incision in his side from where they took the graft for the eyelids. It will be there for safe keeping if Ryan ever needs some cartilage for future procedures. They placed the titanium implants in Ryan's skull, two on each side, in preparation for his prosthetic ears. And they took a skin graft from Ryan's right thigh to close the area on the sides of his head. They got a lot done yesterday, and even though it took 8 hours, it was only one surgery, instead of two or three. And that's what Ryan wanted.

Ryan was out of recovery by 5:00, and I walked with him as they rolled him up to the burn ward. He was obviously heavily medicated, but talking to me coherently. And not in any pain. We got him settled in his room and ordered him a tray of clear liquids. He was starving. I had to get home to get the kids settled for dinner and the rest of the night, but I took his order for Dairy Queen and promised to be back as soon as I could. I was back by 7:30 and he started right in with his Blizzard. He didn't get very far before he got nauseous. They brought him a little medication to stop the nausea and a little while later he tried to eat again. But that wasn't a good idea yet either. They brought him some stronger anti-nausea medication, and Ryan decided to sleep, instead of eat. That was my cue to head home for the night.

So, now I'm headed back in to check on my guy and make sure he gets something good to eat today. We don't know when he'll be coming home from the hospital, but if it's up to Ryan, it will be soon.

Vail Veterans Program

2009-02-09T20:48:00.009-08:00

I cannot express in words how happy I am that we had the opportunity to participate in this program. In December, my friend Tracy called to invite us, and truthfully I almost said no right away. But I thought I should ask Ryan before I close the door on an opportunity. I was actually surprised when Ryan said yes so quickly and so adamantly. And I didn't even have to wait 24 hours before my sister volunteered to take time off of work to watch the kids. Now I know why it all came together so quickly and so easily. Ryan was meant to snowboard again!

The Vail Veterans Program is an adaptive skiing and snowboarding trip conceived of by Cheryl Jensen. When Cheryl first planned it she only intended to do it one time, but now six years later it has grown to four programs a year, two in the winter and two in the summer. And the overwhelming response from the veterans who attend is that it is a true taste of freedom after so many months of limitation. It was no different for Ryan. I don't know if it was adrenaline, or just the fresh mountain air, but Ryan did more physical activity in those three days of snowboarding than I've seen him do in the 20 months since his injury. It was amazing!

Everything was perfect, from our flight to Colorado, to our accommodations, to the professional instruction, to every delicious meal. Love and thoughtfulness were evident in every decision that was made. And since Ryan was the only snowboarder, and I think because Cheryl liked him so much, Cheryl gave him a brand new snowboard and bindings from one of the sponsors, K2. Her generosity brought me to tears. The whole time we were there we kept talking about how much fun we were having and how much we wanted to bring the kids back someday. And when Cheryl gave Ryan that snowboard, it was as if she had given him a ticket back to a part of our lives that we thought was forever gone.

We are so thankful for Cheryl, Lindsay, Matt (0ur instructor), all the sponsors and participants of the Vail Veterans Program, and even the Mayor and city of Vail, that welcomed us with open arms. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

There's nothing that Ryan can't do.

Vail Veterans Program participants February 2009

Dinner with friends

Look at that view! Does it get better than this?

P.S. Ryan's next surgery is planned for February 24th. Details and updates to come.

What's new

2009-01-24T18:13:00.002-08:00

For Ryan, it's a brand new laminated socket for his prosthesis. It's lightweight, durable, and stylish too!

For Pam, it's a trip to repair shop and a couple of days in a rental car, thanks to a young man who rear-ended my minivan at an intersection. (No injuries, thankfully.)

For Jaida, it's a cute new 'do and highlights.

For Maya, it's a couple of clementines shoved under her shirt, thanks to big sister.

For Noah, it's nothing new. He's still just a mess!

New Year's Resolution

2009-01-09T18:57:00.005-08:00

Maya resolves to sleep in her toddler bed from now on.

Noah does not.

That's what friends are for

2009-01-09T18:55:00.003-08:00

My best friend, Jennie, flew out to see me for a long weekend after Christmas. And a perfect long weekend it was. She left the kids with her mom and dad (thank you Grammie and Master Guns!) and Ryan stepped up, BIG TIME, to give Jennie and I lots of "girl time" together. We enjoyed delicious meals together, saw a movie, saw "Cats" at the Majestic Theatre, and got glorious massages. And every moment in between was spent talking and just being ourselves together. It's so easy being friends with Jennie. It's so hard living so far away.

Enjoying a few gifts

2009-01-09T18:47:00.009-08:00

I just wanted to share a few of my favorite photos of everyone with just a sampling of the nice gifts they received for Christmas.

This picture of Noah cracks me up. These are his first footie pajamas and he appears quite intrigued by them. Look at that face!

Maya had been riding just a tricycle until Santa brought her this new bike. You can't tell that she likes it at all!

Ryan got Guitar Hero for Christmas, but even in the picture, you can see that Jaida is claiming it for herself. I don't know who loves it (or plays it) more.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T20:34:00.003-08:00

It was very nice to have Christmas at home this year with just the five of us. We pulled off a lovely Christmas dinner, complete with Deep Fried Turkey, and had a relaxing day enjoying our gifts and each other. Thank you to our friends and family for all the nice things they sent. But the greatest gift of all is your love and friendship. We feel very blessed this Christmas day and always! Merry Christmas!

Our Christmas tree

The girls set out cookies and egg nog for Santa, and carrots for the reindeer.

It's hard enough trying to get a picture of the kids all looking at the camera.

It's nearly impossible to get a good one of the five of us with the timer set.

So you get two versions. Take your pick.

Tuesday was Daddy-Daughter Date Night. They both looked really nice.

Coalition to Salute America's Heroes Road to Recovery Conference

2008-12-18T18:24:00.007-08:00

Our family had the amazing opportunity to attend the Coalition to Salute America's Heroes Road to Recovery Conference in Orlando, Florida, last week. What a great event! It was so well organized and every detail was considered. The entire focus of the conference was to give the wounded service member and his family the tools to move forward and have a meaningful life after an injury. There were incredible guest speakers, classes about benefits and entitlements, a huge job fair and resume writing training, an adventure sports expo with adaptive equipment, entertainment for the whole family, and much, much more! I cannot explain what a great experience we had. We are so thankful to the Coalition to Salute America's Heroes and all those who donate to their organization to make this possible. Over 150 service members and their families were invited to attend. And anyone who left the conference without hope, excitement, and motivation, just wasn't paying attention.

Ryan grabbed a picture with Coaltion Staff J.R. Martinez (wounded soldier and actor on All My Children) and Roger Chapin (founder of the Coalition).

Jaida had a special affinity for this cheerful character at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Maya was so excited to see her first Disney character at breakfast.

Noah saw his first Disney character at breakfast too.

But he wasn't quite as excited as Maya.

Ryan and Noah take in the sights on It's a Small World.

No explanation needed for this one.

Maya posed for a picture with Mulan, Pocahontas, Chip & Dale, and everyone else she could drag me over to. But Mickey and Minnie were her favorite!

She got Jaida and friend to bring her over to Buzz and Woody.

We got special tickets to go to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom and managed to snap a quick family picture in front of Cinderella's Castle.

Finally!

2008-12-05T14:24:00.004-08:00

Before

During

After

Are you happy now, Angie???

If you save a cat's life, does it grant you a wish? Or nine lives? Anything?

2008-12-04T16:58:00.006-08:00

*loud announcer voice* ladies and gentlemen! Prepare to be dazzled! For Jaida the cat savior has logged onto blog spot and is about to write you a delightful and amusing post!

Why thank you Tom for that wonderful intro! Hey everyone it's me!!!! And I have a very entertaining story for you today (Which is a True story! There were many witnesses...)

SO, I'm walking down the street from my friends house with Taylor (our houses are right next to each other and the bus stop is just down the road) when we pass by one house, we noticed something furry and motionless laying in the front yard. I thought it was dead and was planning to turn around when Taylor saw the faint movement of the animal's chest. We couldn't tell what it was, it was laying on it's side with it's paws and head facing away from us, so we approach it to find that it is a gray tabby cat. It apparently heard me coming and turned around and that is when I saw what shocked me the most. Are you ready to hear it? Are you sure you can handle it? Well if you're sure....it had three heads!!! Ha ha, just kidding, but it did have to do with the poor creatures head. On it was a pumpkin pie can. Yah! I assume that the poor, hungry creature was sniffing around a recycling box, and stuck it's head in the can, and couldn't get it back out. Now this sounds hilarious, for you couldn't see the head at all, just a furry neck that leads to a can. And yes it was, but it was also quite serious. The can is very small and when I tried to gently pull the can off, it wouldn't budge. There weren't any gaps, and I'm no doctor, but I had a feeling if this stayed on too long, this cat could lose oxygen and there goes one of its nine lives! I took an even closer look and saw that the can had a jagged ridge that was digging into the throat of the cat. Thank goodness it hadn't cut through the skin, yet! I lifted the can determined to help supply some oxygen to the animal and a small amount of water spilled from the can. Uh-oh. I told Taylor to get her dad (who is an anesthesiologist) and she ran back to the house. I stroked the cat and talked to it trying to calm it down a bit (It's fur bristled up in every direction!) and suddenly it let out a high pitch frightened meow that almost made me wanna cry! Almost. Taylor's dad came moments later and was able to pry that can off the cat's head. You will be pleased to know the cat was not harmed in any way that I could tell and hurried away home. Now, not to ask too much out of you, but to prevent more accidents like Toby's (I decided to call the cat Toby! Isn't that like the best cat name ever?! I'm gonna name my cat Toby if my mom ever gets one!) could you please put your cans in a plastic bag when you recycle them? Or cover your recycle bin with a lid or something? Because if you don't cats all over the place may rule the world and want revenge for making cats look like the tin man! Ha ha. Anyways that's all I got for now! Talk to you all when I can!

*Tom* We hope you enjoyed this pleasurable post sent in by none other then THE Jaida! Tune in next time to hear more about the wonderful works of Jaida the Awesomest! Other wise known as Jaida the Cat Saint! Or...

JAIDA THE CAT SAVIOR

Surgery hiatus

2008-11-21T21:09:00.003-08:00

Ryan met with his plastic surgeon today for a follow up of his November 5th surgery. Dr. Thomas is thrilled that everything is looking so good. Ryan still has a bit of healing to do before he's completely closed up again. But he's almost there. Dr. Thomas agrees that anything else that we'll want to do (more eyelids, a little upper lip revision, maybe some dermabrasion) can wait until after the holidays. So we're looking forward to having a couple months break from the OR. Surgery is exhausting! It will be nice not to think about it again until the new year. There's still so much to do and it will be there waiting for us.

Around the Services featuring Ryan

2008-11-21T20:47:00.006-08:00

I got an email from our friend Rebecca letting us know that she saw Ryan on a segment from "Around the Services" on the Pentagon Channel in Okinawa. (Thanks Rebecca!) So I went to www.pentagonchannel.mil and found the episode from November 12th, downloaded it, and extracted his appearance out of the 22 minute piece. Ryan was part of a two minute feature about care for our wounded warriors.

The technology that they are using to create Ryan's new ears is truly remarkable. And Dr. Villalobos might actually be the nicest man I've ever met! Ryan plans to have the surgery to remove what's left of his ear cartilage and place the implants in his skull in January. After that it will be about 6 months before they will uncover the implants, attach magnets, let that heal, and then attach Ryan's new ears. It's amazing what they can do!

Nice day to swing

2008-11-21T13:00:00.004-08:00

San Antonio has finally cooled off enough that we can wear long sleeves and pants. It's been such a nice change, especially for Ryan who can't stand being out in the heat. Now taking the kids to the park is a treat we can both enjoy. Look at those faces! Wouldn't you just hate to miss that?!?

Daddy even took a turn on the swing! Yay!

Recovering at home

2008-11-08T17:26:00.003-08:00

When I came in to see Ryan on Thursday, he was already planning on coming home. He had a little trouble with nausea that morning, but managed to keep his lunch down. And he didn't have any problems eating the cake the Marines brought him to celebrate the Marine Corps' 233rd birthday. LtGen Flynn (CG MCCDC) and his wife were in town for the cake cutting ceremony, and visited with Ryan and I beforehand. LtGen Flynn had visited the last time Ryan was in for surgery in September, so he's been getting to know us pretty well.

Ryan was discharged at 5:00 and was very happy to be going home. Even though he had his own room this time, he never sleeps well in the hospital. Nurses come in every 4 hours to check his vitals and volunteers and chaplains are always popping in to say hello. It's very nice of everyone to want to visit with him, but after surgery, Ryan needs sleep more than anything. And he's too nice to ask anyone to leave.

We went in for a follow up appointment with Ryan's surgeon on Friday. Dr. Thomas is very happy with how everything is healing and anticipates good results. It's hard to tell what looks good and what doesn't when he's covered in blood and stitches. And you can't see the grafts under his eye and above his lip at all because they are covered with pressure dressings. Those will come off on Monday, so for the weekend he looks like he has a yellow mustache above his lip. It's actually quite comical. So we tease Ryan to enjoy it, since it's the only mustache he'll ever have. He hasn't been in very much pain at all, so that's been very nice. He's been up watching college football today and I got him hooked on Sudoku. (Thanks Rebecca!) He's been playing with the kids and offered to watch Noah for an hour so I could take Maya to gymnastics. He even changed a dirty diaper! So, all in all, he's doing pretty good for having had surgery 3 days ago.

Another surgery day

2008-11-05T20:29:00.002-08:00

So, I've been terrible about blogging the last few weeks. And I've been meaning to catch everyone up on Ryan's trip to Europe and my quick (and unexpected) jaunt to DC, but for now I'll just have to settle for telling you about today. It's late, and I'm tired, and I just got home from the hospital.

Ryan was originally scheduled to have surgery on Monday, but his surgeon's daughter deployed to Iraq that day and he took the day off to say goodbye. Luckily, we didn't have to wait too long and got in today. Ryan was second case and didn't have to be at the hospital until 8:00 a.m. They did all his prep work and rolled him back for surgery at 10:30. I didn't know exactly how long it was going to take, so around the 4 hour mark I was starting to get nervous. But that's just when Ryan's surgeon arrived to tell me everything went well. He was able to put a full thickness graft under Ryan's lower right eyelid and above his top lip. They took a little piece of cartilage from what's left of Ryan's left ear and put it between his nose and lip to give it structure. They removed a scar on the left side of Ryan's nose and one along his left jawline, and advanced his cheek and neck accordingly. They removed some bulky skin between the inside of his right eye and the bridge of his nose. And they dermabraded the right side of his face and a few areas on his chin and left cheek. I think that's everything. No wonder it took 4 hours!

I was able to see Ryan in recovery at about 3:30, but he was mostly sleepy and recovering from anesthesia. I had to leave at 4:30 to pick up the kids and get them settled at home with dinner. I went back to the hospital at 6:30 to find Ryan sitting up comfortably and asking for ice cream. I ran downstairs and got him two ice cream sandwiches and a Gatorade. We sat and talked while nurses came in and out and then he took a little nap. He decided he was ready for food when he woke up and sent me out for McDonald's at 9:00. When I came back he was feeling a little nauseous but, with a little medication to help counteract that, he was certain he was going to be eating his meal. Visiting hours end at 10:00, and at that point, I was definitely ready to go home. Ryan's nurse is taking excellent care of him, and his charge nurse tonight is my very favorite!

Even though Ryan said he felt like he got punched in the face with a scalpel, he was already asking if he could go home tomorrow. And as long as his pain can be managed with oral medication, he can. The dermabrasion is the most painful part because it is open and raw. So, we'll see how he's feeling tomorrow, but hopefully, we can take him home. Please keep us all in your prayers. Thanks so much!

Halloween Fun

2008-10-31T18:33:00.007-07:00

Some of you may remember the pirate family from last year.

Well, we all dressed in theme again this year. But this year we were super-heroes!

All our trick-or-treaters loved it, but they loved our little Incredible Hulk most of all. Lots of people even asked to take his picture. Luckily, Texas is one of the few places where you can go shirtless and shoeless on Halloween night without freezing to death!

I have a lot of updates that I want to post, but I thought I could stall a little longer with these pictures of our Halloween costumes. Enjoy!

Pop Quiz: Without looking up at the pictures, did you notice anything different about Jaida? (Besides the fact that she's taller than me!)

What's up People?

2008-10-19T11:36:00.002-07:00

Hey everyone! It's yours truly!

I am sure most of you know about how my mom is currently in D.C.!!!!!!

I am really happy for her and hope she is having a good time. She isn't the only one flying all over the place, my dad is in FRANCE!! And I am here: What's up with that?!?!

They SO owe me!!!

San Antonio Children's Museum

2008-10-15T09:17:00.004-07:00

Everyone in our family had the day off on Monday for Columbus Day, except Jaida. She was none too pleased and sincerely hoped I would let her skip school that day. I didn't. But Maya and I had some fun while Daddy and Noah slept late and had some "guy time".

Maya and I went to the San Antonio Children's Museum with her best friend Trey and his mommy. We had a blast enjoying all the exhibits and spending time together. We got there just after it opened and it was nice and quiet, but it got much more crowded by lunchtime. So we walked across the street to have burgers at the Buckhorn Saloon. By the time we headed home, everyone was ready for a nap!

Trey and Maya play with magnetic bolts in Da Vinci's Workshop.

The Bubble Room and Water Table were definitely favorites.

Maya and Trey took turns driving the Holt Front End Loader and dumping loads of gravel.

Milking a cow is hard work!

Maya shows off her pipe creation.

What's really going on

2008-10-13T12:02:00.007-07:00

There hasn't been a whole lot happening on the homefront around here. Just living the dream, as usual. Ryan's hand is healing nicely and he continues to work on extension and flexion in therapy. He did have a bit of a skin reaction to the adhesive in the tape they used to dress his suture line, but we've found that his skin is much more sensitive than it used to be. And we're finding creative ways to bandage him without tape. He follows up with his hand surgeon again on Tuesday, and we expect he will tell us just to continue with hand therapy as planned. Ryan has also been working with his prosthodontist again since he's all healed up from his "face off" surgery. They made new molds of the sides of his head in preparation for making his prosthetic ears. It is a multistep process that involves making wax versions of his ears and taking pictures and measurements for placement. Then taking a CT scan of Ryan's skull and creating an acrylic model of Ryan's skull. Then making acrylic versions of his ears and finding the best location on his skull to drill and place the implants. They then make a marker for the surgeon so he knows where to drill during surgery. They place the implants and have to let them sit for up to six months before they attach the magnets and Ryan can use the silicon versions of his prosthetic ears. So......yeah, it's a process. We are planning to have the surgery to remove the remaining cartilage in Ryan's ears and place the implants in January. And we were hoping to combine that procedure with Ryan's plastic surgeon releasing his eyelids and revising his upper lip. But we met with Ryan's plastic surgeon on Friday and he doesn't think we should wait until January to do Ryan's lower right eyelid. And he wants to do Ryan's eyelids in two or three surgeries. So, now Ryan has eyelid surgery scheduled for November 3rd. It wasn't what we had planned, but preserving Ryan's vision is of the utmost importance.

Now, don't go worrying that Ryan is spending every moment dreading his upcoming procedures. Right now, he's too busy packing. Yes, he was invited to go France and Belgium on a 10 day tour of World War II battlefields with Operation Comfort. He is so excited! And while I have to admit that I wish I was going with him, I am thrilled that he is independent enough to go alone. This will be the first time he has traveled without me since he was deployed with the 26th MEU. The kids and I will miss him terribly, but he's in good hands and it's so good for him to have some time on his own again. Before his injury he was gone more than he was home, and now he never gets away. But more than anything, it's good for him to get a break from the hospital and all his appointments. If I can get him to take some good pictures, I'll be sure to post them when he returns.

While Ryan's gone, the kids will be sure to keep me busy with school, soccer, gymnastics, and the joy of parenting. But we also get the distinct pleasure of a visit from Ryan's youngest sister, Rebecca. She's been traveling Europe since May and is finishing that trip with a couple of hops across the U.S. Unfortunately, Ryan won't be here for her visit, but that just means we'll have to talk her into coming out again when he's home. And no one ever visits us to see us, the kids are really the main attraction. That's okay by me, I just can't wait to see her pictures and hear the stories of her travels.

Reason #973 Why I Have the Best Husband in the World

2008-10-04T17:58:00.004-07:00

So, one day I was sitting around missing my friends. And I told my husband, "I miss my friends, I wish I could go see them." He said, "You should go." I said, "You're crazy. You're about to have hand surgery and I need to be here." He said, "I'll be fine. You go. You deserve it." So, just six days after he had hand surgery, I boarded a plane for North Carolina and went. I brought Noah, because he's the neediest, and Ryan stayed home with the girls. All my friends' husbands are deployed, so it was very much like it was when we were all surviving the last deployment together. No men, just women and babies. Lots of babies. Lots of talking. Lots of laughing. A little bit of crying. I'm so glad I went. And I'm so glad I have a husband who encourages me to do what I need to do and is willing to manage the house while I am gone.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

If you would like a copy of one of the slideshow pictures, email me!

Soccer, school, and writing too!

2008-09-27T13:30:00.002-07:00

HEY FANS!!!!!

It's me! I know this blog has been very boring without my regular posts. I'm sorry it's been forever! I'll catch you up on all the latest. I am in 8th grade for those of you who don't know. At the moment me and the other 8th graders rule the school!!! Ha ha. And our teachers are awesome! So far there has been no homework issues. We actually rarely have to do homework at home because we have a free period where we do nothing but homework. I really think we should knock off that period and just go home early but it's not up to me, sadly : (

As you can see by the pictures mom's loaded up I had my first soccer game today. The team got lucky and won but we were going easy on them. : ) but because that game is the first one of the season it doesn't count. So the "Clashers" better watch out cause my team is gonna whoop them!!!

And my crazy soccer friends think I have bad sportsmanship! Well in the pictures I look kinda blurry because of my ah-mazing speed skills. Ha ha just kidding...kind of. In one of them it looks as if I am colliding heads with number 12. Well he was one of the good players on the team and no we didn't collide that's just camera magic there.

I have also been writing during my spare time, a bit of a hobby now a days. So if you want to get my autograph now before I'm famous feel free : D

Not much more to report, I will try to give you more details when I get a chance! See ya!

JAIDA THE GREAT!

Sporty Spice and Sporty Spice Jr.

2008-09-27T12:17:00.003-07:00

Ryan and I got a chance to snap a few pictures of our girls in action today. Noah and I took Jaida to her first soccer game of the season this morning. They played the league champions from last season and lost 2-6. The score didn't actually count toward their record because they meet again at a later date. It was good to get out there and see what was working and what wasn't and get an idea of what they need to work on in practice.

Meanwhile, Ryan took Maya to The Little Gym for her weekly gymnastics class. This is the best part of Maya's week. She loves to learn and play on all the equipment and the teachers are SO PATIENT! Plus, her best friend Trey is in the class. Sometimes it's hard for them to focus on anything but each other. But the teachers manage to get their attention and move them from one activity to the next.

Monday Fun Day Surgery

2008-09-22T17:55:00.004-07:00

Today we had our first surgery experience in San Antonio somewhere other than BAMC. I have to say they were pretty efficient compared to what we're used to. Ryan's surgery was scheduled for 2:30 p.m. and they asked us to be there 2 hours prior. They checked us in at about 1:oo, and took Ryan back to change into a hospital gown at about 1:30. Twenty minutes later they let me go back with him and talk to the surgeon, anesthesiologist, and OR nurse. I wasn't even back there 10 minutes and they were pushing "happy juice" in his IV and rolling him back for surgery. The surgeon released the tendons in all four fingers of his left hand. They were trying to maximize the flexion in his pinky and ring fingers and the extension in his index and middle fingers. The most success was in the ring finger and index finger, with each meeting the goal we hoped for. The pinky got about 90 degrees of flexion and the middle finger didn't quite get full extension. He's got two incisions in his left hand and a splint holding his ring finger and pinky down. The doctor wants him to try to move his index and middle fingers as much as he can. They finished up surgery at 3:30, but I couldn't go see Ryan in recovery until 4:30. His throat was hurting him more than anything else from the intubation. They gave him some pain medication and he slept until 5:30. Then we woke him up, got him dressed, and took him home. Well, not before we stopped at Dairy Queen to get him a vanilla milkshake and a large hot fudge sundae. (His throat was sore, so he needed the ice cream to feel better!) He's resting comfortably on the couch right now, with his hand elevated, watching Monday Night Football. Not too bad for a surgery day. Hopefully he will continue to be relatively comfortable. He follows up with his surgeon next week.

Maya's Birthday Extravaganza

2008-09-21T20:24:00.011-07:00

Our little Miss Maya will be three years old Tuesday, but we celebrated in style with a big birthday party on Saturday. I don't know if I was overdoing it because we didn't do much for her birthday last year, or if I just like punishing myself. It doesn't matter either way, because the party was a success and the birthday girl had a great time! We had a big inflatable bounce house and slide in the backyard and a magician performed tricks, made balloon animals, and painted faces. We ate pizza, ice cream, and cupcakes, and no one got hurt when we took a bat to the piñata. The only downer was the mosquitos, but we survived. A good time was had by all, and Maya appreciates all the nice gifts she received. Thank you!

Maya makes a wish!

Daddy helps Maya with the piñata.

Maya shows off her face artwork.

Jaida and a friend have balloon tiaras.

The big girls didn't escape without a face painting.

Maya prefers to view the magic show from her sister's lap.

Noah hopes no one will notice that he's shoving a second cupcake into his mouth.

Noah found someone's ice cream on the kid's table and didn't want it to go to waste.

A lot of progress in a week

2008-09-19T06:05:00.002-07:00

Ryan is feeling much better as each day goes by. He no longer requires the strong pain medication he was taking after surgery and was able to resume driving at the end of last week. That was a big improvement for me, because I've had to take him everywhere he needs to go for the last month. So now we both have a little more of our independence back. Ryan's face is healing nicely, as are his shoulders. He's not completely closed up yet, but he's almost there. He did have a little bit of graft loss, on the left side of his upper lip and small areas along his suture lines. But that happens and there's not much we can do about it. We're just praying that it heals in a way that won't require surgery to revise it. We can already see how the results of this surgery will make Ryan's face less tight and less painful, but for now we laugh because his face doesn't move much when he smiles or laughs. I imagine that's what it's like when someone gets a face lift, just kind of stiff. But once the swelling is completely gone, I think his face will move more.

He's been able to go out in public more in the last week, than in the last month. On September 11th, we attended a luncheon with Retired Army LtCol, Brian Birdwell and his wife Mel. Brian was working in the Pentagon on September 11th, 2001, when terrorists flew an airplane through his office window. He was walking down the hall when he was engulfed by a wall of flames, but his three officemates were killed instantly. It is a miracle that he survived and he shares that miracle with his ministry "Face the Fire" and book "Refined by Fire". It was great to meet Brian and Mel because we had already read their book and were encouraged by it. Later that night, Jaida and Ryan attended a free Tim Mc Graw concert on Fort Sam Houston. It was within walking distance of our house, so while I didn't get to go, I could hear everything. Jaida and Ryan got the VIP treatment, with great seats and free food from Chipotle! The concert was great and they had a lot of fun. At one point, one of the soldiers put Jaida up on his shoulders and Jaida swears Tim smiled and waved at her!

On Saturday, Ryan took Maya to gymnastics at The Little Gym and was impressed to see her tumbling and hanging on the bars. On Sunday, Jaida, Ryan, and I went to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, Yokonyu, and then to the Majestic Theatre for the Broadway musical, The Color Purple. So, it's been good to get out a little after being home so much lately.

Jaida started soccer this week and Maya is a few weeks into the semester for gymnastics, so I'll try to get some pictures of my girls in action posted soon. Maya's birthday party is tomorrow afternoon. She turns 3 on Tuesday. Noah's latest trick is hiding his sippy cup. I've found old cups of milk in the toy box, trash can, bath tub, and pantry. I haven't caught him drinking 3 day old milk...yet.

Jaida at the Tim McGraw concert.

Ryan loves Maya's face in this picture. I love her crooked pony tails.

Noah explores the back yard with a stick in hand.

Still going in the right direction

2008-09-08T19:17:00.003-07:00

Ryan had a follow up appointment in the Burn Clinic today and everything is looking good. They removed the bolster from his upper lip and took all the staples out of the xeroform on the donor site on his thigh and the skin graft on his shoulder. So, now he's staple free. (Well, except for all the staples left under his skin from the skin grafts last year. We see those on x-rays from time to time.) The skin graft above his lip looks great. That's the first we've seen it since surgery last Tuesday, so we're feeling pretty good about how that will turn out. He still has a lot of swelling and all the suture lines and areas that had dermabrasion are scabby. That's pretty much everything below his eyes. As he heals all that will clear up and we'll really get to see what Ryan's face looks like. We're looking forward to being to that point. So, now it's just a matter of healing and getting back to the therapy routine. We're just taking one day at a time.

Walk this way

2008-09-05T20:15:00.003-07:00

My sister, Angie, has been begging me to upload a video of Noah walking. So here it is, Angie. He looks a little like a drunk guy, but he really can walk.

Looking good

2008-09-05T19:35:00.005-07:00

We went in to see Ryan's surgeon today and they are very happy with how things are coming along. It's so hard for me to tell with all the swelling and crustiness, but the doc says it looks good, so I guess it looks good. They took down his wound vacs, so that makes getting around a lot easier. His left shoulder is just all stitched up, but his right shoulder has a meshed split thickness skin graft stapled to it. That is the first time I've seen such a graft so soon after surgery, and certainly the first time I've been responsible for caring for it. CRAZY! But the doctors trust me, so I guess I shouldn't worry. Ryan doesn't seem too nervous either. They left the staples in the xeroform on the donor site on his thigh, but they will take those off on Monday when they take down the bolster on his upper lip. Ryan is still feeling pretty good with all his body has been through these last few weeks. And even though it's hard for me to imagine right now, he's already talking about when to graft his eyelids, de-bulk his ears, and do any necessary touch ups. Probably not real soon.

Surprise, surprise

2008-09-04T13:34:00.004-07:00

So, I'm getting to the blog a little late today because things did not go as expected yesterday. When I brought Ryan his McDonalds at noon, his PA said he'd been waiting for me. That always makes me a little nervous, but this time it was for good reasons. He said Ryan was doing great and his pain was really well managed, so they said he could go home if he was ready. We went in and asked Ryan and he was ready! I couldn't believe it. After only one night in the hospital, after a major surgery, Ryan was ready to go home! So, after getting paperwork, supplies, and a ton of visitors, we packed up and were home by 4:30 pm. He still has wound vacs on both his shoulders and a bolster (pressure dressing) on his upper lip, but the wound vacs will be removed on Friday and the bolster on Monday. He's relatively comfortable and just so happy to have some movement back in his neck. His eye pain is gone and now the thing that bothers him the most is the donor site on his right thigh where they took the skin to graft his shoulder. He's happy to be home and we're happy to have him home. He hasn't been up and around a whole lot, but that's to be expected. We're watching his face for any signs that things aren't going well, but his surgeon said that if it's going to fail at home, it's going to fail in the hospital and there's nothing we can do about it. It's hard to tell what looks good and what doesn't, but so far things look pretty good. Before when he would get skin grafts he was always bandaged up for several days. So I don't really know what a skin graft is supposed to look like on day 2. His PA did say that it's going to look worse before it looks better, so I try not to worry about it too much. We'll be in the clinic tomorrow so they'll let us know for sure. Just keep Ryan in your prayers and I know we'll be just fine.

All Good Things Must Come To An End

2008-09-03T07:44:00.002-07:00

The title of this blog was selected by Ryan when we talked about it last night. He was referring to the three weeks of living with his facial flaps and he was being VERY sarcastic. Those flaps were no fun! But we are happy to report that they no longer exist. Ryan's surgery to disconnect them yesterday was very successful and the doctors are happy with the results. In addition to disconnecting the flaps and finishing off his cheeks, they grafted his upper lip, did some dermabrasion on his nose, chin, and cheeks, grafted his right shoulder that was open when they took his flap, and reversed the pedicle to close his left shoulder. A lot of that probably doesn't make sense to most people, but just know that he is doing fine. His right thigh is sore where they took the donor skin for his right shoulder. But the graft on his upper lip came from one of the pedicles of his flaps. Just like last time, the thing he's been complaining about the most are his eyes. We've learned that when they operate so closely to his eyes it disrupts the lymphatic drainage and causes extreme dryness in his eyes. This time we've been very proactive and made sure we began lubricating his eyes as soon as possible after surgery. I think it is working because he's not having near the eye pain that he had last time. It's funny to look at him right now and say he looks great. Most normal people would think he looks terrible. He's kind of purple, swollen, bloody, and stitched up, but you can already see how nicely everything is going to heal. And after three weeks of staring at his jiggly cheek flaps, he looks down right beautiful!

I spent over 14 hours at the hospital yesterday and was very tired when I came home. So, I'll probably be updating Ryan's status in the mornings since I can't go and see him until noon anyway. He's already called me this morning to give me his McDonalds order for lunch. And he said he had a pretty good night, except for all the lights and beeping in his room all night long. He's only sharing a room with two other people (so far) this time. And I knew he was doing a lot better than last time last night when he was quoting lines from Jim Gaffigan's comedy routine. All he wanted for food yesterday was popsicles, jello, chicken broth, and ice cream, but he told me he ate a big breakfast tray this morning and of course, he's already calling for his McDonalds.

Please keep praying for Ryan. I know it is working. Once the flap is disconnected, even though it had three weeks to set up it's vascular structure, it is essentially a graft. And grafts can retract and fail. While everything looks really great now, I know your prayers will keep it that way. My sister, Stephanie, is in town this week helping out. So the kids and I are doing good. Thanks for all your calls, emails, texts, and well wishes. We appreciate them all!

Catching Up

2008-08-23T09:03:00.002-07:00

Ryan came home from the hospital as scheduled last Friday afternoon. He was happy to be out of the hospital and I was happy to have him home. I no longer had the added responsibility of driving back and forth to visit him everyday, but having him home presents the added challenges of caring for him and everyone else at the same time. Since having him home means no visiting hours, I haven't taken the time to update the blog before or after I see Ryan. Ryan is here all the time, so usually if he doesn't need me, one of the kids does.

Ryan is doing better and better everyday. His pain is very well managed and his energy is pretty good considering his limitations. He went to the hospital Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for follow up appointments, and each time they were very happy with how he was progressing. We met with the surgeon yesterday and he's confident that Ryan will be ready for the next surgery on September 2nd. It's pretty awkward for Ryan to have "bridges" of flesh connecting his neck to his cheeks, so we're looking forward to having that disconnected. And I look forward to not having to do the wound care necessary for his flaps. I keep asking Ryan what people would do if they didn't have a strong stomach. But we both know it is a means to an end and having that burn scar off of his face will be such an improvement. Not just aesthetically, but burn scars contract and pull his eyes open, cause him pain, and drastically increase his risks of skin cancer. Having that gone will be good for so many reasons.

His eyes are doing much better than last week too. His right eye, in particular, developed a lot of swelling under the membrane and ophthalmology was watching it closely. We just had to be really aggressive with the eye drops and goggles and by Wednesday, Ryan was able to get his Boston Scleral Lens back in. His lenses provide constant moisture for his corneas and protect them, but with all the swelling they didn't fit. Now that he can wear his lenses, he still needs drops for the area of his eyes not covered by the lenses but he's much more comfortable and can see better.

So, ten more days until the next surgery and Ryan being able to move his neck freely again. Please keep us in your prayers in the meantime. This really isn't fun, but we're managing.

Post-op Day Three

2008-08-14T19:47:00.003-07:00

Ryan's appetite is coming back! Not with it's same voracity, but it's certainly better than the last few days. When I called him before visiting hours began to see if he wanted me to bring him something other than hospital food for lunch, I knew he was starting to feel better because he asked for a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Fries, Coke, and an M&M McFlurry. He didn't actually eat it all (like he normally would), but he made a good effort. And he fed himself for the first time since surgery too.

Sleeping in the hospital is always a challenge for Ryan, especially when he has to share a room with 3 other people. But last night he slept better than he had the previous two nights. Maybe that's why he was feeling so much better today. And he's looking good too. The color and temperature of his flaps are the best they've been yet. His doctor is really pleased and confident that everything is going to turn out nicely. The swelling is down a little bit since yesterday, but still looking just as it should. I've taken a few pictures of Ryan the last couple of days and shown them to him so he can see how things are coming along. But he still is constantly asking me if his eyes, his flaps, his pedicles, his wound vacs, etc., look okay. And they look great, but sometime between the 15th and 20th time he asks me, I start telling him that they look awful and he should probably stop asking me. He doesn't stop. And I've also started telling him that he looks like a character from the "Austin Powers" movie, "Fat Bastard". He actually agrees with me on that one.

The doctor says we're on track for Ryan to go outpatient tomorrow. And we're both looking forward to that. I always forget how exhausting it is to spend all day at the hospital. When I'm away from the kids all day, I feel guilty that I'm not home. And when I'm away from Ryan, I feel guilty that I'm not at the hospital. Meanwhile, nothing is getting done at the house. Laundry, groceries, cooking, and more are all being neglected with each passing day. They will still be there when Ryan comes home and I don't have to spend all day at the hospital. Then I'll just have to add wound care, pain management, and who knows what else, to my list of things to do. But never fear, Ryan's sister, Rhonda, is flying in tonight to save the day. She offered to stay for a week and help me with the hardest part of these three weeks. I love her!

In other news, Noah has been taking his first steps this week, but I wouldn't yet call what he does "walking". Maya just found out she will be transitioning to a preschool class at daycare. She's not yet 3 years old, but she is potty trained and has good language skills so they are moving her up a little early. Jaida is visiting family in Oregon and will be home next Tuesday. We miss her and can't wait to have her home. She's had quite the busy summer. She starts 8th grade on August 25th. So you can see, there's always something new happening at our house.

Post-op Day Two

2008-08-14T17:35:00.003-07:00

Ryan looked much better today than he did yesterday. While he wasn't feeling really bad yesterday, he wasn't moving around much either. He pretty much just laid there with his eyes closed. Today when I came in he was sitting up with his eyes open, talking with visitors. So his eyes are feeling a lot better, and so is he. He still isn't eating much, but I'm not too worried. I know that will come back. It always does! And his flaps are still looking good. They are a little more swollen than they were, but not as swollen as some of the guys I've seen. And the swelling is normal too.

They continued with the leech therapy today, but we had a little added excitement. The nurse who took care of Ryan had never worked with leeches before. A more experienced nurse came in and showed her how to get them started and then left her alone to catch them as they fill up and fall off. Well, Ryan's nurse wasn't 100% comfortable with the leeches. So, when they finished up she just grabbed them with a handful of gauze pads and quickly threw them in the trash. Well, leeches are living, moving beings...and they didn't stay in the trash can. A little while later, I nearly screamed when I saw a leech inching across the floor leaving a trail of blood. His nurse jumped up and grabbed it but didn't know what to do with it. Then we saw a second one on the floor near the trash can. There was still a third leech unaccounted for that the housekeeping staff discovered shortly after. The nurse was so embarrassed and the whole ward was making fun of her and giving her funny nicknames like DJ Leechy. And she has since learned that after a leech gets his last meal, you destroy him in a cup of hydrogen peroxide. While it may sound cruel, it's much more hygienic than letting them leave blood trails all over the floor when they escape the trash can.

Post-op Day One

2008-08-12T20:43:00.003-07:00

If Ryan's nurses didn't know how much he likes to sleep late, they know now. After they resolved Ryan's issue with his eyes, he decided he had some sleep to make up for. When I came in at noon, his nurse told me that he'd sent her away and said not to come back until I arrived to feed him lunch. He wasn't mean, just clear. :) And even though he didn't complain about his pain, he hardly ate anything so you know he wasn't feeling great. He didn't do much besides rest today, but he did get out of bed and sit in a chair for about an hour and a half. The physical therapist came by to range and stretch his hands. His surgeon stopped in and said that he was looking great, but as a precaution he prescribed leech therapy for his left cheek and nitroglycerin paste for his right cheek. Both recommendations should dilate his capillaries and improve circulation to ensure the viability of his flaps. While leeches may make some people squeamish, this is not Ryan's first encounter with the blood sucking parasite. They used leeches on his eyelids after a procedure last October. It doesn't hurt, in fact, he can hardly feel it. And to show what a sense of humor Ryan has about it all, he often names his leeches. Today they were Albert Einstein, Kelly Clarkson, and Kareem Abdul Jabar. I asked him why and he said they were all American Idols! Whatever makes him happy!

I'm hoping he's a little more talkative tomorrow and a little more hungry. But all this is to be expected after such a major surgery. We're just taking it moment by moment. Thank you to everyone who posted a comment or sent us an email. It helps to know you're out there sending us your support and love.

Surgery update

2008-08-12T07:33:00.002-07:00

We went in yesterday morning at 6 am expecting Ryan to be the first case as scheduled. It wasn't until about 9:30 that we found out that they had two urgent cases and the schedule had been adjusted with Ryan being bumped to third case. Ryan didn't mind too much, he just laid back and took a nap. They finally rolled him back at nearly 1 pm, but not before letting me kiss his scarred cheeks goodbye. The next time I saw him his shoulders would be replacing the skin on his face.

The doctors came out at 4:30 and let me know that the procedure went well. They were able to remove a lot of the scarring on Ryan's face and completely close his left shoulder. There is an open area about 2"x3" on his right shoulder that couldn't be closed. They covered it with integra (synthetic skin) and a wound vac, and will go back and graft that area later. I got to go see Ryan recovering in ICU at about 5 pm and he was still coming out of the anesthesia. When he finally began to rouse himself, I asked him how he was doing and he said, "Hurting." He told me he felt like he got hit by a Mack truck. The nurse gave him some pain medication and something for nausea, and he drifted back to sleep. He woke up shortly after and was doing well. By 7 pm, he was ready to move down to the Burn Ward and his pain was down to a 5 on a scale from 1-10. While they got him settled in his room, I ran downstairs to Burger King and brought him back a large vanilla milkshake. As soon as he got that, he sucked it down and was feeling pretty good. Of all the things that might be bothering him, his eyes hurt the worst. They didn't do anything to his eyes, but because they were working so close to them they were open a lot of the time he was under and became really dry. He's used to wearing his moisture lenses all day and hasn't had to deal with dryness in his eyes since he got the lenses. His eyes were throbbing when he woke up and he could hardly feel anything but the pain in his eyes. While we waited for his eye medication to show up in the computer, I soaked gauze bandages in ice water and pressed them to his closed eyes. That gave him some relief until we could get his eye drops and lubrication.

When I left him last night at 9 pm, his pain was down to about a 3 and he was listening to his iPod and trying to sleep. I called this morning and talked to his nurse and she said that his eyes were the only thing that were bothering him last night, but once they got the right combination of lubricants down, he fell right to sleep and slept through the night. Visiting hours start at noon today, so I'll be going in to see him then. We'll know in the first couple of days if the surgery was completely successful. So please pray that the flaps have good circulation and Ryan remains as comfortable as possible. Thanks so much.

Thanksgiving in August

2008-08-12T07:11:00.004-07:00

Last month when I asked Ryan what he wanted to do for his 28th birthday (besides surgery!) I was pretty surprised when he said he wanted a full Thanksgiving dinner the night before surgery. Before any procedure, Ryan has to fast after midnight so he wanted a really big meal to tide him over until he could eat again. How could I say no to Ryan's only birthday request?

So, sure enough, we did it! Turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie, the whole nine yards. And Ryan couldn't be happier! We invited our good friends, Dan and Teal, over and had the unique fortune that Teal's mom, Diane, was in town. She was so excited she demanded to be allowed to help cook. And I was all too willing to let her! She made a DELICIOUS stuffing, sweet potato souffle, and green bean casserole. I cheated by ordering a fully cooked turkey from a BBQ place in town, and I don't feel even a little bit bad about it. It was yummy and I didn't have to cook it! Everything came together perfectly and we had a great day. Ryan ate more food than I thought possible and all in all enjoyed his birthday!

Gathered around the table for Ryan's birthday feast

Ryan blew out his birthday candle in a piece of pumpkin pie.

(Please pay no attention to my naked daughter! She stripped down after getting soaked playing with the water hose in the backyard.)

The kids let their meal settle by jumping on the trampoline!

Wounded Warrior Project Caregiver Retreat

2008-08-07T17:37:00.004-07:00

Last weekend I had the honor of being invited to attend a Caregiver's Retreat hosted by the Wounded Warrior Project. We were taken to the amazing resort The Charter at Beaver Creek in Colorado. It was an all expense paid trip filled with thoughtful touches and awesome opportunities. We shared all our meals together and spent our mornings in guided sessions with two incredible social workers from St. Vincent's Hospital in New York City. Our afternoons were free time to hit the pool, indulge in a spa treatment, go horseback riding, or just relax, and I did all of the above. But what I found myself wanting to do every chance I got was talk to these other women. These incredible caregivers who are walking in my shoes everyday. Our ages ranged from 20-40 and included sisters and fiances as well as wives. Some are dealing with injuries from 5 years ago and others from 9 months ago. Our loved ones might be retired, still undergoing therapy, or still inpatient in the hospital. We are living all over the country in California, Colorado, Texas, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Virginia, and more. But no matter where we are from or where we are in our recovery, we all had something to learn from each other and something to give to each other. I can't describe how powerful it was to be with these strong women. We shared laughter, tears, and hugs, and no one left without feeling rejuvenated and ready for the hurdles that are yet to come. I came home realizing just how lucky I am.

When I was invited to go on this trip I declined. I didn't want to ask anyone to come out to watch the kids on such short notice. But when I told Ryan about it he said, "GO! I can handle the kids. It's just a weekend!" He practically had to force me to call back and accept. I just couldn't believe we were there. We were at the point that I could confidently leave and Ryan and the kids could survive without me. I wanted to cry and laugh at the same time. Taking care of the kids so I could get away for a little while is something that Ryan would've done before his injury, so it just felt so "normal" for him to offer now. And most the time our lives don't feel very "normal"!

Ryan knew how important it was for me to take care of myself before the next round of surgeries we have scheduled. On Monday, Ryan will have his face reconstructed with the skin they've been expanding on his shoulders. Then on September 2nd, they'll disconnect the flaps from his shoulders and finish his face. And just today we scheduled a surgery for September 22nd to release the capsules in the knuckles of his left hand again. It's just the first of many surgeries we have planned with the new hand surgeon we are working with from the Hand Center of San Antonio. We are excited for all that Dr. Pederson has planned for Ryan. But surgery after surgery is exhausting for us all and the coming months will be challenging. My weekend of respite came at the perfect time and I'm so glad I was able to take advantage of it. I'd like to ask you to please keep us in your prayers. Pray that these surgeries will be successful and that we have the strength to endure.

Our group photo on the first night.

Having some social time at the Coyote Cafe.

Enjoying the view on a trail ride.

Family Time

2008-08-07T16:23:00.005-07:00

Our house has been full of family these last couple weeks. First Nana and Papa John came to spend a few days with us. They are only in the U.S. for a couple of months, so we were glad they had time to drive out to Texas to see us. Hurricane Dolly kept us mostly indoors with all the rain it brought. But we still had a great visit.

Nana, Papa John, & Jaida

Maya hiding from the camera

Noah likes it when Papa John feeds him breakfast.

The next week we had a house full with Grandpa, Stephanie, Asa, Aslyn, and Aevin. It was non-stop excitement with all the cousins in the house. We went tubing on the Comal River and it was a perfect day. Then the kids hit the pool on base for water slides and fun. We got to celebrate Aslyn's 6th birthday with cupcakes and presents. And everyone just really loved being together.

Turning in the tubes at "Rockin' R" after a great day.

Getting a group picture (it had to be "photoshopped" because Maya

was crying in almost every shot!).

Noah's Birthday Party

2008-07-28T19:49:00.005-07:00

Can anyone guess what this is?

If you guessed Noah's little hand covered in chocolate cake from his birthday party, you're right! We threw Noah a little backyard baby pool party to celebrate his first birthday. And it was a blast. We kept it pretty simple with just a few close friends and neighbors. But all the kids had a great time splashing around. Especially the birthday boy!

He was a little less thrilled about having to wait through all 4 lines of "Happy Birthday to you" before he could get to his cupcake.

But in the end it was all worth it!

Look at the way he shoves that cake into his mouth. Is it possible that he takes after a father whose callsign is "Worm"?!? (As in "tapeworm" for the way that Ryan can eat and eat and yet still be hungry!)

Looks like someone's ready for another cupcake!

Maya was a little more dainty with her cupcake, tasting a finger-ful of frosting at a time.

We all had a really nice day, but it's hard to believe that it's been a year since Noah was born! Time sure flies! Noah told me to tell everyone thank you for all the nice gifts he received. So thank you!

Yuck stomach bug : P

2008-07-24T17:16:00.004-07:00

Hey Everyone!

So sorry it's been forever since my last post, I know you've all missed me so much!

I just returned from Park Creek Camp (pretty much the best camp in California.) and from visiting my Grandparents. But I came back with this stupid stomach bug. Aw well at least I'm better now, but while I was sick I discovered the wonderful world of Jamba Juice! I am pretty much in love with that stuff!!! My favorite smoothie so far is the Banana Berry!

At the moment Nana and Papa John are visiting from Thailand. And tomorrow is their last day :( :( :(

Well I'm gonna miss them a lot.

But my Aunt Steph and cousins are coming soon so that will be pretty fun! And then I am off to Oregon!!! Well I will have to do dishes (yay...) I will pop on when I get a chance!!!

BYE my adoring fans!!!

- Jaida's 'da bomb

Preparing for the "Face-Off"

2008-07-19T11:14:00.004-07:00

Pam and I have certainly hit the ground running since we've come back from our trip to Niagara Falls. We were only home a couple of days before Jaida was off to California for a week. She'll be home tomorrow and I know she had a great time but I'll let her tell you all about it later.

Maya and Noah seemed so much bigger after only a week of being away from them. Maya's vocabulary is getting so much better and Noah is quite the little man. He loves to grab hold of Maya's chair and pull the whole thing closer to his seat. The impressive part is that Maya is still sitting in the chair when he does it! We also have to watch out when he's playing in our ball pit upstairs because he is strong enough to pull himself up and over onto the highest bars. He loves to do that and then look over at one of us with his feet dangling so we can enjoy it, too. He's such a funny little guy. And Maya is such a happy little kid and so full of energy. She can throw a crazy tantrum that is really a wonder to behold but she is also a very good big sister. And Jaida is learning more everyday about the meaning of patience and understanding just by being around the two of them.

Pam has been crazy busy with all of the above. She recently coordinated a night out for the Marine Spouses and it was a big hit! Pam was pretty nervous leading up to it but she made sure everything came together and I know there are going to be more of these as a result. It's a great outlet for the families here.

I have been getting back into the full-time therapy schedule again while coordinating other various treatments and scheduling upcoming surgeries at the same time. The one on our plate right now is a big one. Pam and I have always referred to it as the "face-off" surgery because that's essentially what it is. A few months ago I had tissue expanders (essentially breast implants) inserted into my shoulders. Since then I've been going in at least once a week to get them pumped up with saline. What this does is stretch all of the unburned skin on my shoulders and produce an excess of good skin. This excess can then be used to replace burn scar. The doctor performing the procedure is a rockstar brought to BAMC specifically for the severe burn injuries here and surgeries required for them. I've been fortunate enough to see first hand the results of his work and I am blown away (If it's okay for a burned guy to even use that term!). The doctors are very pleased with how my "shoulder boobs" have been coming along and yesterday we scheduled both surgeries. On August 11th they will remove most of the burn scar on my cheeks and flap the excess good skin from my shoulders to replace it. The flap will remain connected to my shoulder for three weeks to provide blood supply to the flap until the vessels take hold. On September 2nd the flap will be disconnected from my shoulder and the remaining tissue will be used to resurface my eyelids, nose, upper lip and chin. It will be a major surgery but I have a really good feeling about it. When we met for the scheduling and discussed the surgeries the doctor was almost giddy talking about how good he felt about the surgery. He said that based on how my shoulders looked, how the expanders were coming along and his experience with other patients that he thought it was going to be a home run. And if you knew this doctor as well as Pam and I have come to know him you would realize that he is hardly prone to false enthusiasm. I think that's what I like best about him. It will be a chaotic couple of months up ahead but hopefully all goes well. I will be sure to post pictures ("shoulder boobs" included!) soon. Thank you for your prayers and continuing support and God Bless.