Catching Up

Sorry it has been a while since the last update. I ended up having to take many more Vicodin than I had planned after my wisdom teeth were extracted. I found out today it was due to a dry socket -- so it's all packed now, I'm feeling much better, and more importantly, I am drug-free, so I can write without worrying about sounding like a crazy woman.

Abbie is doing even better than I expected with her new diet. I was concerned that the transition would take a while, but giving her the digestive support she needs, through enzymes and bile, has made it easy for her. She is now completely on raw milk, with some raw butter, coconut oil and eggs. I am amazed particularly about the eggs. We have tried many times over the last year to give her some eggs, but invariably she got sick and vomited. Now, there's not a hint of tummy upset or difficulty in digestion. Praise God! This has also taken so much mental strain away from me...I was forever trying to figure out how to make her diet better, what to add, what to leave out...and of course there was enough conflicting information to make my head spin. Now, I know exactly what to do, and it is so simple. My poor Vitamix is gathering dust and wondering what it do to deserve this shelving.

Chase very generously shared a cold with Abbie over the weekend, so she was a little subdued and had a lot of secretions. But, she's pretty well over it now and is back to her sassy self. She identified colors the other day more accurately and quicker than I've seen in months. She is also very quick with her switch this week, especially when we are joking around.

The boys and I were talking over the weekend about the plan to get Abbie better - they were excited to hear about a concrete plan that we have confidence in. In their enthusiasm they decided they wanted to help, so they've chosen to use the money they usually share turning in bottles and cans to help the Abbie Plan. This made me smile inside as I felt our family gather once again as a team. They also thought that perhaps all of Abbie's friends may want to join them in this effort, using bottle and can money. If your kids would like to help, they can send contributions (nickels and dimes welcome:) to: Abbie's Brothers
c/o PO Box 235201
Honolulu, HI 96823
Please know that this is an invitation for kids to be a part of Abbie's adventure in a tangible way. We do not want anyone to send contributions that come from funds their own families need or could use.

On a whole different page...I have recently been blessed to meet Betsy and Rusty, the parents of Ross Dillon (www.rossdillon.com) and the mother and grandmother (both named Diana) of Samantha (www.pray4samantha), as well as Samantha herself! Betsy and Rusty were in town for Dr. Tennant's recent seminar, and I learned so much from them. Most especially, as I wrote to Betsy, I learned "Persevere! Good things will come" Ross, a cyclist, was hit by a car in 2002. When they took him home in 2003 , "vegetative" was written in his chart. Now, he feeds himself, drives his electric wheelchair, writes his name and speaks in sentences. Not bad for a "vegetable", huh?

Samantha was driving home from school when she clipped a fence, sending one of the rails through the windshield, smashing the left side of her face. She was a real beauty queen (I have the picture of her wearing her crown to prove it). Now she is a queen of true grit. She walked in to our house, stroked Abbie's head and even gave her kisses. To call it emotional doesn't do that evening justice. One miracle giving love to another. When I hugged her goodbye I felt like I was holding a precious, fragile butterfly.