Garment Free

Last month we paid our last medical bill and found out that Grace no longer has checkups or needs to wear the pressure garments on her feet! She is healing up very well!

All praise to God!

So Long Farewell

We wanted just to send a final update as to where we are at the end of 2009 and call it quits on the blog. You can always feel free to email or call.

Thank you so much again for all of your prayers and kind notes and gifts over the past few months. Tomorrow (December 20) Grace turns 26 and it will be exactly 10 weeks since the fire at our house. We are sooo thankful to our Lord and Healer and how He has brought us to this point after a scary few weeks at the beginning. We hope that this blog and the communication we've been able to have has been an encouragement to ya'll in case you ever have to go through something like this. There will be troubles in this world, but if you know Christ you have a rock to cling to.

Grace is doing really well, she has full use of her feet again in terms of walking anywhere, riding a stationary bike, and even driving again!! Her breathing is totally fine as I know that is a question I get a lot. She has a little rasp in her voice but it's getting better each day and doesn't sound bad at all. She has enjoyed being able to sing a little more each day and get the ability to hit different notes back. Last week she got passed from weekly check-ups to every 3 MONTHS!!! We are so thankful for that and she is getting ready to head back to work at HOPE International here in the new year. As you know she will wear the pressure garments on her feet and shorts (like biker shorts) for a year. That is mainly for the scaring so it doesn't happen.

Thank you again so much for your thoughts and prayers through all of this!!!! Here are some pictures of what her feet look like after many weeks of healing already. The pictures were taken just last week. We'll also have some pictures since outside right now it's a BLIZZARD!! We are getting snowed in on Grace's b-day weekend! Pretty fun!!

Our email is lamarandgrace@gmail.com

Love to all!

Stay Tuned...

Final update coming soon...with pictures and all...

Thanksgiving

Hi all,

Hope that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving this past week! What a blessing to enjoy this holiday again with Grace! It meant even more to us this year and it really seems like we've had Thanksgiving everyday for the past several weeks, thankful for each little blessing along the way. Thanks so much for your continued prayers and support. Meals are still being brought and we are seeing great improvements each day.

Grace is up and about a lot more often and is getting back to normal in a lot of ways. We'll continue to build that energy level back up and get that voice stronger each day. We had a great time with her family this past weekend and look forward to some time with my family this coming weekend. A chance for me to get a big buck maybe :)

Sorry again for my delays in between posts...no news is good news :)

Lamar

Step by Step

Thank you again so much for your thoughts and prayers. Your gifts and your tears. Each day seems to get a little better. Grace has been out and about with her sister Julia today doing some Christmas shopping and for some jeans since the EMT dudes destroyed the ones she was wearing at the time of the fire :) It's a beautiful day here in PA...so beautiful I enjoyed the morning by hitting the golf course one last time for the year here in PA. I won't comment on the score, but I had a ton of fun. Started with a birdie and the first hole and then fell off a cliff :)

We look forward to next week where Grace's whole family will be together, Lord willing, for Thanksgiving up in the Poconos. What a joy it will be for all the sisters to be together as well as 3 of us hubbies. After that we look forward to some cookie making and deer hunting with the Kings for our Thanksgiving and then we barrel right into December.

I've been reading in Job still and working on "Don't Waste Your Life" by John Piper. I highly suggest both :) Each day counts...love it and live it in love for Him.

You rock and have been a rock for us, thank you!
Lamar

Guinea Pigs

Hi All,

Yeah I know a weird title...but I'll try to explain. Sorry again it's been so long that I've written when at home it's nicer to just be with Grace that be updating all of you...sorry for being selfish :) Earlier it was easy to get on and update because it gave me something to do.

So back to the G-Pigs...when you start doing stuff for the first time again it feels like we are G-pigs. Meals we've never had before, borrowing a wheelchair at the mall, jumping to a size 9 in slippers, and going to the movies for the first time in awhile. Last night we ventured out of the house for a good ole $2 movie called G-Force. One of the newer computer animated movies with Guinea Pigs that were trying to be special agents for the FBI. A cute movie and great chance to get out of the house.

We have been so blessed with an incredible sunday school class that has been bringing us meals this last week, we got to have all kinds of goodies from stuffed shells to roast beef and even an apple pie! We missed being on our retreat this weekend but look forward to joining for the next one Lord willing. We are so thankful to be at home and sleeping in our own bed and chilling in our own LR and kitchen. Thanks so much for your prayers and support over the past month+.

Continue to pray for Grace's healing of her feet and donor sites and for perseverence to keep pushing through one day at a time. We are about to have another first in going to back to church together here this morning...first time in 5 weeks now.

This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Home complete...

Today they put the finishing touches on the house and I had off work because of Veterans Day so we headed to the mall to look for curtains!! We found ones that we liked and ordered some for the patio door so that will be nice when they come. But I thought I would put some pictures on of the newly looking house since you saw the pics early on of the damage. They've done a great job...what a blessing to have insurance. I give a personal shout out to Donegal Insurance Group!! Their rates are great and they don't cut corners when you need them!! (Or else the corner needs fixed :) A little dry humor there for you.

I was pushing Grace around in a wheelchair at the mall and that was fun, we got a lot of looks like...why is there a 25 year old, lightweight lady in a wheelchair. Those that saw the fluffy pink slippers I'm sure came up with some reasons as to why.

Sleep was harder last night due to some tightening of the dressings, but we think some of it is the switch from the ibuprofen to tylenol as well. So we'll get some tylenol PM tonight to hopefully help out with sleeping. Grace's feet are healing up and looking a little better each day, putting on Santyl has really helped some of the sores!!

I'll even included a picture of Grace getting help from her sister nurse Julia :) She has come each night after work to do the foot work...as her hands are a little gentler than mine and she knows what she is doing :)

Thanks for your continued prayers and support...Jesus is our Rock and is with us in this storm.

Mi Casa

Home, yes Home. What a joy to be at home again sleeping in our bed and eating at our table. Everything looks great! They are finishing up cleaning on Wednesday but by then it should all be done!!! What a blessing!!!

Grace is doing better every day. Her hand writing is coming back and she even typed her first email tonight. The visit at Crozer today went pretty well, they measured her feet for the pressure garments that will come in. They noticed some spots of soreness that will need some attention in the weeks to come and hopefully with the prescribed ointment it will heal along with the rest of the skin. They also noticed the donor sites were starting to raise so she got measured for pressure shorts as well that will keep those places from scarring as well.

We had volleyball tonight at church and in the rec league and Grace came to watch. It was her first time in public with people she knows. She got a standing ovation when we walked in for our game and everyone was clapping!!! What a joy and praise to the Lord!!!

Thanks again for all your prayers...keep it up as she heals and gets more strength each day. We've had 2 delicious meals already by our SS class at church and we look forward to another tomorrow night. It's been incredible to have people serving in all areas!

God is good. Amen.

PSU vs OSU or Eagles vs Cowboys

Go Nittany Lions! Go Birds!

Grace and I slept in today for the first time which was really cool that she was able to sleep a little more last night. Please continue to keep her sleep and rest in your prayers. Today we got up and had some breakfast, got ready for the day physically and spiritually, then played Gin Rummy. We just got done watching some Brian Regan on youtube, one of our favs because he is clean and hilarious!

Chris and Julia are coming up later tonight and mom should be back to the house soon. We look forward to a time of hanging out together.

Last night after work some friends came and helped me clean up the house so that it's ready for when we get home Sunday night. It was a huge blessing because it would have taken me forever. We are getting there, a little painting left for Monday and then the carpet cleaners are coming on Wednesday. And we are so thankful that our Sunday School class will be providing meals for us for the next 2 weeks which is a huge blessing especially since the stove isn't hooked back up yet and we don't have a microwave.

Thanks so much for your continued prayers, continue going before the throne for Gracie as she continues to regain strength one day at a time and copes with the pain in her feet.

God is good and we rest in Him,
Lamar

For The Good

I encourage everyone to go out and buy the new Shane and Shane CD - Everything is Different. Or like me be caller #5 on some Christian radio station and win it :) What a blessing that I would win this one CD from WJTL. Grace and I LOVE Shane and Shane and I won it on Monday the day before it came out, pretty neat. So I'm just going to put the lyrics to one of their songs on here as it is incredible.

For the Good
When darkness is surrounding me
by Your Spirit Lord help me sing
that You are working all things out
Lord, I really need to hear You speak
Remind me in the waiting
that You are working all things out

For the good of those
who are called by You
For the good of those
who are in Love with You
That's why we sing

Holy God of light
I lay down my life
Holy is the Lord
Even in the storm be glorified

We like to take the blessing from You
Shall we not take the trouble too
You are working all things out
We like to take prosperity
Shall we not take the suffering
You are working all things out

Holy are You Lord
even in the storm
be glorified
Worthy of affection

This is our prayer...thanks for continuing to pray for us. Gracie is making "baby steps" like they would say on What About Bob...but she is making steps indeed. She is doing so well.

Love to all,
Lamar

Back to work

Hey all...

Sorry for the delay yesterday was a crazy day, starting early and ending late so I didn't get to give an update. Grace has been doing GREAT...such a joy to be with again. She is sleeping pretty well at night and is getting better and better on her feet everyday. She's over there doing her feet exercises right now as I type. Her mom took her back to Crozer today in which they redressed the feet with less stuff so now she can get her feet wet and will have to peel some of the scabbing and skin off as she showers (sorry if that grosses you out :). But that's all part of the healing process and they said everything looks great. She did faint today after they worked on her feet :( Probably just from pain/needing nutrients/being tired but she came too pretty quick.

She ate a famous bacon cheeseburger at Nifty Fifties with mom today so that was great!!! She keeps eating well and is healthy.

House should be wrapped up this weekend hopefully!

I headed back to work yesterday and that has gone well so far. Good to be back with my co-workers though it's hard to be away from Gracie.

Thanks for your continued prayers and love!!
Lamar

First Full Day Home...

What a blessing to be able to sleep in the same bed again and enjoy a full today together today. We woke up together this morning and enjoyed time chilling, doing devos, watching "Bella", the Eagles, and then our first trip in public!!! Gracie pushed the cart as we walked around the local CVS looking for all the little goodies we don't typically carry with us but need now. Like trash bags and tape for Gracie's feet in the shower so her wraps don't get wet.

She is doing great, ate good today and mom is in the kitchen now stirring up some "Sue Malone's Chicken" is what the Geberts call it, my family calls it "Ant Head Cassarole" :)

Gracie wants to say THANK YOU for all your prayers and care, she is watching me type this, what a joy and blessing!!!

Continue to pray for us in the road ahead as things will change for the coming months. We desire a chance to share Christ with others and to grow closer to each other and the Lord. We need that prayer for her continued healing and getting back to 100% as well.

I'm headed back to work tomorrow so that will be a change again, but good to make another step toward "normal". Thanks for all your love and concern, cards, gift cards, meals on the way, and prayers!

Enjoy this day that the Lord has made, may we rejoice and be glad in the lot He has chosen!
Lamar (Gracie too)

Home Sweet Home

We left the hospital today at 2pm!!!! Praise the Lord God Almighty!!! A great fortress and healer!!!

I took Grace to the house to see the new paint and to get some clothes for next week, then we headed up here to Harrisburg to Grace's parents house! Mom is here with Julia and Chris as well. We are able to eat Grace's requested PIZZA and will be able to watch the Phillies together as a family!!! How cool!?!

Grace is doing great, her white blood cell count was down this morning and the chest xray was clean of anything abnormal!!! Praise our Mighty God!!!

So we'll be hanging out up in H-burg until we can get home next weekend probably. I'll be trying to start work next week with one stop at the chiropractor and Grace needs to go back to Crozer on Tuesday to get her feet re-dressed. That will be a weekly thing for about a month probably.

One more step to recovery and one day closer to eternity with our Lord in Heaven! Double Bonus!

Thanks so much...keep praying for my Gracie that she can heal up good and avoid infection!

Coming Home?

Hey all,

Thanks again for your dedication to us and praying for us. Hope you all had a great Friday night! I'm hoping that's our last date in the hospital on a Friday night. We are hoping that tomorrow they can discharge her. We are waiting on her white blood cell count to drop to a normal level (all expect its high due to steroids she was on, not infection but better safe than sorry). She was coughing a lot today and was shaking some tonight that she couldn't control so they did a chest xray around 6pm tonight to make sure there isn't any infection or pneunomonia!!!

With her body still weak and recovering we really need to keep praying that infection stays away from her totally and that she can keep eating more and more to get her weight back and all the nutrients she needs to fight off infection.

If we do get home this weekend to Grace's family's place, I'm going to keep the NO VISITORS clause up for now, k? We'll have plenty of time in the future to have people over and get back to somewhat normal but for now we need to keep my lady healthy and getting better without overloading her.

Thanks for all your care and love, I checked the mail today and there were another 20 cards!!!! I read them all to her today and she loved it. Thanks!

God is good...and we are getting through this storm one day at a time,
Lamar

Thank You

Romans 12:12-13 "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality."

Reading in Romans this morning I was reminded of the incredible LOVE that each of you have poured out, thanks for standing with us through this battle. Please continue to pray as you think of us as the road to recovery will still be an adjustment and chance to be a witness.

Living under my Strong Tower,
Lamar

Mini-update

Grace is doing well. She has the last level of swallow testing today and they hope that she can pass that so she can drinnk any liquids without putting thickener in them. Thickened water just seems weird. So we are really hoping that is the case today.

They continue to work her hard in therapy, walking on the tredmill for 7 minutes, practicing stairs with a handrail on the same side that our house has, lifting weights, and doing stretches. All of these making the body tired. But they are being quick and helpful to get her out of the hospital this weekend!!!

If we do get out this weekend, we'll live up in harrisburg for a week with her parents until our house is ready to move back into. But I'll say this...I'm going to be her bouncer/protector, don't try to pull anything fancy and have 100 people show up. :) We need her to regain her strength both in her vocal chords and in her body. Visitors will be great down the road I'm sure but we all need to give Grace time to heal and error on the side of too much space and not many visitors, k? I'll need all of your help on that because I'm a pretty skiny bouncer.

Thanks so much for all of your love and care, especially the prayers - keep them coming, and the cards that have been sent!!

Jesus is our Rock,
Lamar

360

I thought I would give another full view of what's going on with us.

HOPE International (hopeinternational.org) has been so great for Grace the last 3 years to work at and she looks forward to getting back to all her friends (co-workers) there. It's going to take some time from what we hear, possibly even the new year until she gets back and can be full energy to work. They have been so patient and helpful through this whole process, please check out there work online and consider giving HOPE. A gift that keeps on giving.

As for me at work they have been incredible. I've only been at Fulton for a little over a year and they have been so gracious to me and my Agricultural Lending co-workers are incredible and want me to be with Grace to support her. What a blessing for us both to have understanding jobs!

I spoke with the restoration place this morning for the house. We got some paint chips for Grace and I to look at yesterday and picked out colors so they can start the job today. So the painting should be done by the end of this week. Flooring will be in next week and we aren't sure on when a door can come for the patio, though that won't hinder us from being a home I don't think. Keep praying that everything can be ready to go for us to move home when we get out of Crozer.

I'm going to try and hit the chiropractor this morning on the way to the hospital and get this neck/shoulder thing fixed up a little so we'll see how that goes.

We'll see what happens, but with Grace being in a new room back in the corner, I'm hoping to sneak in as much of the Phillies game tonight with her in her room before I get kicked out :)

As for devos, be praying that the Lord would work in Grace's heart and mine as we desire to grow and learn from this.

Check out Psalm 86!

This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad!

New View

Hey!

Thanks so much for praying for Gracie girl. The swallowing test was completed this morning and when we walked in she already ate some chocolate ice cream and was starting on mashed spuds and gravy with some pureade steak stuff. She'll be on thick liquids for a few days and hopefully can start eating a little more normal by Thursday. So thanks for praying.

We also got to move to a quiet room in the back, still has a window which is nice. It will be much quieter back there so keep praying that she can get some sleep. She only slept 1 hour Monday night and only caught a quick nap today. Hopefully she can sleep good in the new room.

Grace's mom and I hit up sherman williams today to check out paint samples and took them to Gracie for us to make some choices on our house paint when the restoration guys start painting tomorrow so that was fun for us.

Gracie is so pleasant and sweet to all the nurses and she was making us laugh all day. It's hard for her to focus on any certain thing right now but she is doing really well with therapy and listening to whatever they need her to do. We need her to be able to rest her body while working it out at the same time. A tough balance to recover.

Thanks for your love and prayer...the journey continues.

Wanting the storm to end, but learning to dance in the rain,
Lamar

10/27

Good morning,

Just talked to Grace's nurse, she said Grace is doing well but she didn't sleep much last night because of all the noise going on around them in the burn center which is similar to an ICU. Grace needs that sleep to keep healing stuff and so she doesn't go crazy either. Her nurse actually let me talk to Grace as well but her voice is so soft/weak right now it was really hard to hear on the phone (please don't call her, thanks :). But it was good to hear her a little and we look forward to being together at 12:30 again today!! They are hoping they can move her down the hall to a quieter section where she could have a closed door.

Please continue to pray for these things:
1.) Grace being able to sleep/rest so she can heal physically/emotionally/spiritually
2.) Grace is taking a swallowing test today and we really hope she passes as she keeps mentioning how she wants to be able to eat something or drink.
3.) That Grace can get a quieter room
4.) The house is still in process and sounds like it might be until next week when everything is done, please pray that changes so we can go home when we leave the hospital and not have it still be in process...I really want it to be back to normal for Gracie to come home too, not a work in progress.
5.) My neck/shoulders, extremely stiff with not much motion w/o pain. It'd be great if that was healed up by the time we get home too in case I need to carry Gracie places.

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

PRAISE THE LORD!!!! EXTUBATED!!!!

They have the tube out!!!!!! Our Lord is GOOD!!! Thank you all SOOOO much for praying!!! Gracie was so peaceful before the OR and was smiling and dancing with her shoulders and everything!!!

There was just a little swelling still in the upper throat but all is ok. Her vocal chords look pretty good and will heal and there wasn't any issues in her lungs. So they are going to watch her pretty closely today to make sure she doesn't get tired breathing on her own.

Thank you so much for praying, our Savior Jesus is The Great Physician!!! Hopefully we'll be out by the end of the week, but we shall see.

Praise the Name of Jesus!
Lamar/Slim/Parkay