Praying Friends,
We have been able to make changes to my Itinerary so I will fly out with Kris and Cassie today. That means I can be there for the surgery consultation tomorrow as well, of course, traveling together with Kris and Cassie as a family.
UPDATE NOTE: Events may not afford me the time to get back to the Hotel room (I.e. back to Internet, Outlook, and my HarrisHotline Distribution List.) for the first few days.
However, I can post to the blog from a computer in the Family Resource room at the hospital. Please just assume that you will need to check the blog. For various reasons, I may not be able to send this update out.
If you don't get an e-mail from us shortly after the surgery, please check the blog, here. Being able to do it that way will relieve me of a bit of stress of needing to get back to the room and send an update out.
We are flying out of Kenai at 12:50 today, and out of Anchorage at 2:37. Kris' Mom will be in Seattle tomorrow afternoon and Chelsie will be in tomorrow evening.
God bles you. Thank you.
Friday, April 28, 2006
Cassie Update 4/28/06
Dear Praying Friends,
As of 8:45 this morning, all travel arrangements for our family to Seattle are set. Praise the Lord!!
Kris and Cassie will leave Kenai for Anchorage shortly after noon on Sunday. They will arrive in Seattle Sunday afternoon. Cassie has a Pre-sugery outpatient on Monday May 1 at 11 am and then a consultation with surgeon at 1 pm on Monday. She will be admitted Tuesday morning for an early Tuesday morning surgery.
Gary will leave Kenai Monday morning and get to Seattle late Monday afternoon.
Chelsie will fly into Seattle Monday evening from Indianapolis. (Pray for her, she has a final exam just before she flies!)
Kris' mother will also be flying from Indianapolis to Seattle on Monday!
Wow. It has been a real challenge keeping the right perspective during all these travel arrangements. Things were just not happening until all at once yesterday, it seems.
Prayer requests:
1. That Cassie will not have a seizure on the plane
2. That Cassie will be able to sleep most of the flight
3. That everyone's travel will go well
4. That Dr Jeff Ojemann, the chief surgeon, will be in God's care.
5. Chelsie's Final Exam
We praise God for his faithfulness and watchcare. Gary has been telling people to picture it like this: If we could walk into a "prayer-insulated room," where the prayers of God's family for Cassie and our family could NOT GET THROUGH, we would just crumple to the floor. HE sustains us, HE gives us hope, and he uses many of yous in ways we can't really express.
By the way, some of you have asked about the link to the Harborview Hospital e-mail page, were you can send e-mails to Cassie once she is admitted on Tuesday. http://www.uwmedicine.org/Facilities/Harborview/ClinicsAndServices/emailGifts.htm. As you know she will not be able to read anything for a few days after the surgery.
Gary, Kris and Cassie
As of 8:45 this morning, all travel arrangements for our family to Seattle are set. Praise the Lord!!
Kris and Cassie will leave Kenai for Anchorage shortly after noon on Sunday. They will arrive in Seattle Sunday afternoon. Cassie has a Pre-sugery outpatient on Monday May 1 at 11 am and then a consultation with surgeon at 1 pm on Monday. She will be admitted Tuesday morning for an early Tuesday morning surgery.
Gary will leave Kenai Monday morning and get to Seattle late Monday afternoon.
Chelsie will fly into Seattle Monday evening from Indianapolis. (Pray for her, she has a final exam just before she flies!)
Kris' mother will also be flying from Indianapolis to Seattle on Monday!
Wow. It has been a real challenge keeping the right perspective during all these travel arrangements. Things were just not happening until all at once yesterday, it seems.
Prayer requests:
1. That Cassie will not have a seizure on the plane
2. That Cassie will be able to sleep most of the flight
3. That everyone's travel will go well
4. That Dr Jeff Ojemann, the chief surgeon, will be in God's care.
5. Chelsie's Final Exam
We praise God for his faithfulness and watchcare. Gary has been telling people to picture it like this: If we could walk into a "prayer-insulated room," where the prayers of God's family for Cassie and our family could NOT GET THROUGH, we would just crumple to the floor. HE sustains us, HE gives us hope, and he uses many of yous in ways we can't really express.
By the way, some of you have asked about the link to the Harborview Hospital e-mail page, were you can send e-mails to Cassie once she is admitted on Tuesday. http://www.uwmedicine.org/Facilities/Harborview/ClinicsAndServices/emailGifts.htm. As you know she will not be able to read anything for a few days after the surgery.
Gary, Kris and Cassie
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Cassie Sattle#2 Update #1 4/21/06
Dear Praying friends,
Plans are still a go for Cassie's second (actually, 3rd) brain surgery in Seattle on May 2nd
My flight plans are set (thanks, dear friends - you know who you are) but Kris and Cassie's are still in the works. It has to do with waiting until after the 24th to schedule a flight for the next month for Medicare - I'm told that it won't be a problem.
We are hoping that, one way or another, our oldest daughter, Chelsie, will be able to fly from Indiana to be there in Seattle as well. Kris' Mom will be coming up, and we want to work it out so Chelsie can come with her. We are praying for it all to come together.
It's strange. Finances for all the "stuff" that needs to happen aren't really there . . . . until the need is at hand. I can say this without disrespect, it's like God is our travel agent!!!
Cassie does better some days than others right now. Once again, she has been returned to the status of Hero in my book. She will be 17 in August. It's hard to believe.
More details will follow once it all falls in place. We will update prayers and praises then as well.
Gary
Plans are still a go for Cassie's second (actually, 3rd) brain surgery in Seattle on May 2nd
My flight plans are set (thanks, dear friends - you know who you are) but Kris and Cassie's are still in the works. It has to do with waiting until after the 24th to schedule a flight for the next month for Medicare - I'm told that it won't be a problem.
We are hoping that, one way or another, our oldest daughter, Chelsie, will be able to fly from Indiana to be there in Seattle as well. Kris' Mom will be coming up, and we want to work it out so Chelsie can come with her. We are praying for it all to come together.
It's strange. Finances for all the "stuff" that needs to happen aren't really there . . . . until the need is at hand. I can say this without disrespect, it's like God is our travel agent!!!
Cassie does better some days than others right now. Once again, she has been returned to the status of Hero in my book. She will be 17 in August. It's hard to believe.
More details will follow once it all falls in place. We will update prayers and praises then as well.
Gary
Friday, April 14, 2006
God Answers 4-13-06
Praying friends,
We got a phone call from the doctor who is in charge of the Epilepsy Unit at Harborview Hospital in Seattle. After consultiong with us and our Pedatric Neurologist in Anchorage, he agrees with us that all the increases in Cassie's seizures as she has been trying new medications (in addition to the 4 meds she has been taking all along) mean that it is time to move forward with plans to have another surgery. The date for this second surgery has been set for May 2nd.
Specific prayers:
1. That between now and May 1st, Gor will continue to give us peace about this
2. That Cassie will be strong. Last time, it was 'easier" because she did not know what to expect. This time, she's going back with much more understanding.
3. Start praying now that she will not be so nautious when she comes out of anesthesisia
4. The plane fare will will be scheduled for Kris and Cassie
5. That we will be able to come up with airfare for me and for all the incedentals (like food) while in Seattle.
6. That we will be able to get a hotel room so we can take turns at the hospital at nights
7. That god will give our oldest daughter, Chelsie, a peace about all this, being seperated from the family.
8. That someone will help us out by staying in our home while we are gone and caring for our dogs.
9. All the other things that will come up!
ACC is giving Kris time off work that she can makeup whenever. But she has no vacation or personal time. I will make whatever arrangements I need with my clients. I do't have a clue how this will work out. But what's new with the way he has cared for us in recent days.
Praises:
1. This decision came about rather quickly once things got rolling yesterday.
2. We don't think there will be as much time in Seattle. Last time Cassie had surgery, it was proceeded by two weeks of observation. I'm hoping a week to 10 days this time.
3. In one sense, the surgery is less complicated (like I can really say that about brian surgery, huh?) Last time, they were concerned about trade offs. Too much cutting here means loss of mobility there, that sort of thing. But this time they are planning on shutting the entire lobe down. With additional results from our Feb trip to Seattle, they are more certain than ever that all of Cassie's vital fuctions have already been re-routed to the other side of her head. This Cerebral Palsy was from birth, after all. So her brain has had alot of time to compensate. But the flip side to the less complicated part is the finality of "turning it off" so to speak.
The last several weeks, indeed, the last month or two has been like a warped version of Bill Murry's Groundhog Day or a great jazz cd stuck on a scratched area and playing some monotonous tone over and over. If Cass stares off into space, like all of us do when we are day dreaming, we immediately assume it;s a seizure. If I'm downstairs and Kris and Cassie are horsing around upstairs, I think the noise I hear is her having a seizure. We hold our breath and listen when Cassie takes a shower.
Finally, our son Tyler said he will come with us to Easter service and breakfast at our church this Sunday. He will also join us for lunch. I wish Chelsie could be here, too!
God is good, all the time!
Gary & Kris
We got a phone call from the doctor who is in charge of the Epilepsy Unit at Harborview Hospital in Seattle. After consultiong with us and our Pedatric Neurologist in Anchorage, he agrees with us that all the increases in Cassie's seizures as she has been trying new medications (in addition to the 4 meds she has been taking all along) mean that it is time to move forward with plans to have another surgery. The date for this second surgery has been set for May 2nd.
Specific prayers:
1. That between now and May 1st, Gor will continue to give us peace about this
2. That Cassie will be strong. Last time, it was 'easier" because she did not know what to expect. This time, she's going back with much more understanding.
3. Start praying now that she will not be so nautious when she comes out of anesthesisia
4. The plane fare will will be scheduled for Kris and Cassie
5. That we will be able to come up with airfare for me and for all the incedentals (like food) while in Seattle.
6. That we will be able to get a hotel room so we can take turns at the hospital at nights
7. That god will give our oldest daughter, Chelsie, a peace about all this, being seperated from the family.
8. That someone will help us out by staying in our home while we are gone and caring for our dogs.
9. All the other things that will come up!
ACC is giving Kris time off work that she can makeup whenever. But she has no vacation or personal time. I will make whatever arrangements I need with my clients. I do't have a clue how this will work out. But what's new with the way he has cared for us in recent days.
Praises:
1. This decision came about rather quickly once things got rolling yesterday.
2. We don't think there will be as much time in Seattle. Last time Cassie had surgery, it was proceeded by two weeks of observation. I'm hoping a week to 10 days this time.
3. In one sense, the surgery is less complicated (like I can really say that about brian surgery, huh?) Last time, they were concerned about trade offs. Too much cutting here means loss of mobility there, that sort of thing. But this time they are planning on shutting the entire lobe down. With additional results from our Feb trip to Seattle, they are more certain than ever that all of Cassie's vital fuctions have already been re-routed to the other side of her head. This Cerebral Palsy was from birth, after all. So her brain has had alot of time to compensate. But the flip side to the less complicated part is the finality of "turning it off" so to speak.
The last several weeks, indeed, the last month or two has been like a warped version of Bill Murry's Groundhog Day or a great jazz cd stuck on a scratched area and playing some monotonous tone over and over. If Cass stares off into space, like all of us do when we are day dreaming, we immediately assume it;s a seizure. If I'm downstairs and Kris and Cassie are horsing around upstairs, I think the noise I hear is her having a seizure. We hold our breath and listen when Cassie takes a shower.
Finally, our son Tyler said he will come with us to Easter service and breakfast at our church this Sunday. He will also join us for lunch. I wish Chelsie could be here, too!
God is good, all the time!
Gary & Kris
Monday, April 10, 2006
Anointing Sevice for Cassie Tonight 4/10/06
Praying friends,
Elders from our church and other area churches who support us in ministry will be meeting at our house tonight at 7 PM for an anointing service for Cassie.
Kris and I are believers that God can do all things. But we also know he allows things for reasons that we do not understand. That's all the "stuff" of life. Our struggle to reconcile the truth that God is glorified thru our adversity with the truth that God can indeed do all things reminds me of a poem I remember reading in College on the back cover of the now-defunct "His Magazine". It went something like this:
I would like to buy $3 worth of God, Please.
I don't want enough to help me love the unlovable.
I want convenience, not transformation.
I want a pound of the eternal in a paper sack.
I would like to buy $3 worth of God, Please
Well, tonight, we want to let God out of that sack. We are fully prepared that God will continue to allow Cassie to suffer the way He has. But we want to make sure that we also don't box God in by our lack of faith that He can heal her if it be His will. Bottom line: We want to offer her to God.
For those of you who are local, please understand that we would prefer to keep this limited to a few elders and ministry leaders. On such short notice, I'm not sure who will come. But we would also be happy to have anybody who would like to come by following the service, say after 8 pm for a sort-of "Open House."
Cassie's situation has not changed much. She is still having seizures regularly. Lately, some of them have become more violent. The area where she is having her seizure activity is the same area that controls the imagination and dreams. The best way to describe some of her seizures are simply "Living nightmares." Other times, they are more subdued. She also has the type where she stares off for some time.
Please also pray for more work for me. Our support level is down quite a bit, but we are adjusting well to a "tentmaker" role in ministry. The more computer work I can do, the more we can keep our schedules flexible for Cassie. She has occupational therapy, physical therapy, and now we have put her back in the School District's home school program, where she will be taking two classes.
As of today, Cassie finally up to the dosage level of #1 of the additional medications they wanted her to try. After some time on this med, if it doesn't work (Read---> It Isn't working!!!) they have another one for her. It sounds really bizarre, I know. But I think they want her to try "whatever's left in the anti-seizure arsenal" before they talk about a second, more radical brain surgery.
God is Good. All The Time.
Gary
Elders from our church and other area churches who support us in ministry will be meeting at our house tonight at 7 PM for an anointing service for Cassie.
Kris and I are believers that God can do all things. But we also know he allows things for reasons that we do not understand. That's all the "stuff" of life. Our struggle to reconcile the truth that God is glorified thru our adversity with the truth that God can indeed do all things reminds me of a poem I remember reading in College on the back cover of the now-defunct "His Magazine". It went something like this:
I would like to buy $3 worth of God, Please.
I don't want enough to help me love the unlovable.
I want convenience, not transformation.
I want a pound of the eternal in a paper sack.
I would like to buy $3 worth of God, Please
Well, tonight, we want to let God out of that sack. We are fully prepared that God will continue to allow Cassie to suffer the way He has. But we want to make sure that we also don't box God in by our lack of faith that He can heal her if it be His will. Bottom line: We want to offer her to God.
For those of you who are local, please understand that we would prefer to keep this limited to a few elders and ministry leaders. On such short notice, I'm not sure who will come. But we would also be happy to have anybody who would like to come by following the service, say after 8 pm for a sort-of "Open House."
Cassie's situation has not changed much. She is still having seizures regularly. Lately, some of them have become more violent. The area where she is having her seizure activity is the same area that controls the imagination and dreams. The best way to describe some of her seizures are simply "Living nightmares." Other times, they are more subdued. She also has the type where she stares off for some time.
Please also pray for more work for me. Our support level is down quite a bit, but we are adjusting well to a "tentmaker" role in ministry. The more computer work I can do, the more we can keep our schedules flexible for Cassie. She has occupational therapy, physical therapy, and now we have put her back in the School District's home school program, where she will be taking two classes.
As of today, Cassie finally up to the dosage level of #1 of the additional medications they wanted her to try. After some time on this med, if it doesn't work (Read---> It Isn't working!!!) they have another one for her. It sounds really bizarre, I know. But I think they want her to try "whatever's left in the anti-seizure arsenal" before they talk about a second, more radical brain surgery.
God is Good. All The Time.
Gary