Sunday, June 29, 2008

Update #48

A message from Lisa, Nick’s mom:

I cannot believe it has almost been 6 months since my last update. It pleasantly surprises me to have people ask “How Nick is doing.”

Well Jan. 11th our dear friends put on a Golf 4 Nick tournament. It was a beautiful event, day and evening.

In Feb. he started attending meetings with his scout troop again. This has been great for him – another part of his life returned. At the end of July he will be going with them to Camp Whittsett for 1 week. We are very excited for him.

Then in March, he went with his 8th grade class and dad to Washington D.C. for a week. This was a jam packed week from early morning till late at night but it was quite memorable.

April brought us a surprise. We had noticed for a few weeks that Nick’s short term memory loss had worsened and he was exhausted all the time. April 7th, we went for an appointment with the neurologist and that afternoon Nick was checked into Children’s Hospital. He had the full work up including an MRA. They were checking to make sure he was not having mini strokes. The tests came back negative on April 9th at 6pm, the evening of Nick’s 14th birthday. He was released and I drove him from the hospital straight to youth group where we had a surprise pizza party for him.

A week later he had a sleep study and he has apnea, but it’s nothing that a machine can’t help him with. Nick didn’t let any of this stop him in April. Knowing he wants to pass the 100 yard swim test at Boy Scout camp he decided he should take swim lessons. So he started private lessons twice a week and continued until just last week. The pool is a haven for him – in the pool he is free of his wheelchair and he is “normal.” And at the end of the month he found out that he will be going to High Tech High International for the fall.

May 3rd was the one year mark of Nicholas’ stroke and the day many of you became part of our family. While we did go through some grieving we also recalled an amazing year of support, new friendships, stories shared and God’s love manifested to each of us in a tangible way – we experienced “Jesus with skin on.” Of course Nick would have no part of any sadness and he did an “all-nighter” with his youth group. On Sunday we celebrated with our church. A week later he volunteered to work at family camp clearing tables and serving food.

That brings us to June. Nick was inducted into the Order of the Arrow (this is an honor society in Boy Scouts). It was an overnight under the stars and participating in community service work that completed the ceremony. June 19th Nicholas graduated from the 8th grade at Literacy First Charter. While this was great, nothing really compared to how he received his diploma. You see last October, he told his principal that he wanted to walk with his class at graduation. Well he did walk. In the procession with 2 forearm crutches and then he walked up some steps and across the stage with 1 crutch to receive his diploma.

Just 6 weeks earlier I watched my son practice walking on the lawn at his physical therapy. On this day, he fell at least a half dozen times and each time he would get right up – he never grumbled, looked dismayed or showed any discouragement. He even shooed his therapist away and told him to stand several feet away. Nick didn’t know I was there at the end of the parking lot watching from my car with tears streaming down my face. He also didn’t know how in those 20 minutes of observing him, he ministered to me. I was feeling down about some things and in watching him I gathered my strength and realized, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” While in rehabilitation I would have him repeat this verse.

Little did I know I would watch this played out right before my eyes. By God’s grace, children really can minister to us if we let them.

“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” Confucius

Our other children have also stood up to the challenge to do their best. D.J. graduated from High Tech High International and will attend Azusa Pacific in the fall. Amanda finished sophomore year with a 4.0 GPA and Connor had his first year of preschool.

An incredible year it has been! On my calendar this month it says “The word [fellowship] has lost most of its biblical meaning. ‘Fellowship’ now usually refers to casual conversation, socializing, food and fun… Real fellowship is experiencing life together. ‘Share one another’s troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ.’ Gal.6:2”

Thank you for Real Fellowship.

Blessings,

Lisa

Update #48 Photos


Nick & Connor at the golf tourney


Surprise b-day party at Nick's youth group


Pastor Craig tries to keep his composure
while recognizing Nick's accomplishments in one year


Nick leads the processional of his classmates


Nick standing for the pledge of allegiance


Nick gives a rose to mom


Nick walks to the stage to receive his certificate


Principal Keogh pats Nick on the back


Walking across the stage


And he gets his certificate!


The audience gives him a standing ovation


"Presenting the Class of 2008!"


Nick & Connor hanging out after the ceremony


Nick & Timmy hamming it up at the after party


So cool. SO cool.


Mackin' out


Reading his grad cards





"I want this many."











The fam

Sunday, January 6, 2008

Update #47

Special Message:

This Friday is Nick’s golf tourney! Tomorrow (Monday) is the deadline for last minute sponsors and gifts for the raffle/auction and there’s still room for more golfers. Get all the info here...


A message from Lisa, Nick’s mom:

Do you remember the pictures of my son lying in the PICU with a machine breathing for him and 19 different tubes going in and out of him? (see that photo) Do you remember what your thoughts were?

Did you have the faith of a mustard seed or did you feel like the disciples who were told by Jesus to seat the crowd of 5000 men, women and children and then feed them from the 5 loaves and 2 fish (Matt. 14:13-21)?

No way, God! Are You going to pull this one off?!

Then immediately after he performed that miracle he tests their faith again. He takes them out on this boat and Jesus goes to pray by himself. When he gets back, the boat has drifted out and the wind and waves are crashing all around. So instead of waiting for them to come to him, he takes off walking on the water toward them! They freak and say it is a ghost.

He says "Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid....You of little faith, why did you doubt?" (Matt. 14:22-36)

Wow, he really socked it to them that day! So, when they couldn't - or didn't believe - he still came through for them. At least that is how I view it.

But what if they would have run out of food or if the waves would have knocked Jesus over? Would I still see it that way? Would their faith still have grown from those experiences?

God has been the Great Physician these past 8 months for Nick - I can't see it any other way. Yet I have this one area of my life that I am just out on that boat with the waves and wind feeling like they are going to swallow me. And even though I know firsthand the works of my God, I struggle and question with what I sometimes see as the hypocrisy of my faith. Can I step out and grab hold of His Mighty Hand once again even if the ending doesn't turn out the way I want it to? If you feel so inclined, please pray for His strength and discernment in my life.

I pray that strength for my children also, as they continue to come out of the shell-shock of this experience with their brother and find a place in their lives to continue building a solid faith.

I pray for Nicholas, too. We had been dealing with this for a couple months when he woke up from his coma. I will never forget him asking me how long he was "gone for." When I told him 2 months, he said, "That's weird." It seems like he keeps trying to catch up with where he has been and is now.

So where is Nick in his recovery?

Well, Oct. 30th he could stand for 3 minutes unassisted. It took a lot of concentration to stay balanced.

On Nov. 20th he started the hyperbaric oxygen treatments - he has had 30 treatments and when I tested him the other day (it was 8 weeks since his last test), he stood for 16 minutes! He was rock steady, with little thought to the task. The only reason he fell over was because his little brother tackled him!

He uses his walker for half to 3/4 of a day and can do several pushups. The tremors in his hands are pretty obsolete too. In spite of all this progress, he is not as confident as he was before that he will walk. (The tortoise is taking longer than he would like to cross the finish line.) Pray his doubts will be wiped away.

This week is the golf tournament for Nick. Thank you to all of our angels that are working so hard to make this happen.

Thank you for walking this journey with us in 2007 and may we all keep our eyes on Him and not our circumstances in 2008.

Love you all,

Lisa