Forward Backward Forward Backward!!!!!!!!!!

The last two weeks Joshua was doing awesome! He was showing us new movements, hardly had to be suctioned, and showing off his vocal abilities (crying!!!!). So So excited!!! Then...Tuesday secretions increased and he started to spit up again. Wednesday seizures increased and then last night high fever! Here we go again. I am so freaken tired of this cycle. It feels like we are going back and forth. I have not been at my best these last couple of days because it is so draining. Also, these dumb glasses we are suppose to get have been such a headache. First we couldn't find them, then we were told we would not be covered, we then were notified we would, and now they said no again. I think today we finally cleared up the mess and we are waiting for the final OK. Still NO GLASSES yet. Again back and forth even with this! TIRED. Can't anything be easy? Even the things that ought to be easy aren't. Make Sense? I am getting ready for another appointment today (just came back from one)so here we go out the door again. Tony and I have been very stressed lately so please keep us in prayer...oh and of course most importantly Joshua.

Just another thing to add to the list?

He is doing a little better. If he doesn't stop throwing up by the end of this week we will need to see the surgeon again. He wanted to give him time just in case it is a virus of some sort. He is still throwing up though, randomly. Anyway, today we went to another appointment and they tell me he probably needs glasses. GLASSES??? So far, a couple of people say,"he will look so cute". OK, but it is just another thing to add to the list. I know I sound so negative right now. I just am having a really hard day today. Maybe it will help him with focusing.....blah blah blah.. Then again I got the speech also that it all has to do mainly with the damage that occurred at birth because of the lack of oxygen. I guess I need to shake it off today and tomorrow will be another day. I also didn't have such a great weekend either, so it doesn't help. I was around many little ones his age.....NOT HAVING A GOOD DAY. This is it for now.

Lift Joshua in Prayer

These last two days he has not been doing so well. I was so excited telling people at church Wednesday how great he was doing. Then he wakes up Friday morning with fever and lots of secretions. I've been having to suction him a lot and he has been throwing up large amounts (should not be happening because of fundo surgery--but may be because he is sick). I hate this!!! Again a few steps forward and now back. I just pray we don't end up in the hospital. So far tonight I've given him something for the fever again. He is finally sleeping peacefully. As of right now his breathing is ok, even though at times (especially when he throws up) I need to calm him down by suctioning or repositioning him. He seems to eventually calm down after I clear him up. If it gets worse or I don't see an improvement I will have to take him in. We have an appointment this coming week (Monday)and hopefully he can be seen then.

GET READY>>>>SET>>>GO

Well we are finally settled back home. I have been really busy getting our appointments scheduled and getting him back into therapy. He was re-evaluated by his physical, occupational, and speech therapist. All three have noticed a difference in him. PROGRESS!!!! He hasn't even had a full therapy session and already they notice a difference in him. I also took him to his pulmonologist and the first thing he said when he saw him was "wow he seems to be having a good day and seems very alert today". I then reminded him we had hyperbaric therapy and told him Joshua has been like this lately. I can't wait to get him started back into therapy, we are just waiting for all the paper work to go through (because we were gone for so long they had to discharge him and now need to admit him back in). Joshua has really been a little show off lately. Here are the things he has done:

1. first week or two after Hyperbaric treatments we were able to lift his arms and he is no longer as stiff as he was before (we couldn't lift his arms or bend them because of cerebral palsy)

2. more alert and almost as if trying to get in tune with what is going on around him

3. turns his head more...rather than just staying to the right (turns left and right especially when he hears people)

4. caught him tracking Tony across the room (followed him with his eyes--focusing)

5. is moving his legs in the crawling motion (placed him on the floor and used my hands to push himself around the floor--he is still very weak from his upper body)

6. has been trying to suck and actually latched on to my finger a couple of times

7. making more vocal sounds

8.moving his hands and arms (before he only did it when he was having seizures)

9. Seizures have decreased! they are not as violent as before (we would count at least thirty seizures in about 11 hours and now we only see around 6 small seizures!!!!

10. Stays Awake most of the day now! before hyperbaric he would only be awake a couple of hours and sleep most of the day. Now he sleeps through the night and is awake all day and falls asleep around 7pm (he will do this a couple of days straight and then the next couple of days will take naps)

I hope I didn't forget anything else...I am excited to see him doing these things. He is such a determined little boy. OH, yesterday I also moved him to the right which was away from the television and he started to make little noises like he was agitated, so I positioned him back and then he was content. I then moved him again to see if he was upset because I disturbed his tv time(no, he doesn't really get tv time--haha). Sure enough he made little noises again and slowly tried turning to his left (towards the tv)until he faced the tv. Little stinker wanted to watch tv! He looked so cute though because his little face was content and he was so into the television. I LOVE IT!!!

I definitely plan on going back for more hyperbaric treatments as soon as there is a school holiday or vacation time.

Quick update on the Raffle Winners

1st prize: Dr.James Caplin
2nd prize: Mike Riley
3rd prize: Laura Charo
4th prize: Elena Garza
5th prize: LaDawn Vaughn


Again, I want to thank everyone for all the support and prayers. We really appreciate you.

Faithfulness

We just need one more week of hyperbaric treatments and we will complete with the 40. We are on our way home this weekend and then we will go back to San Antonio again. Our raffle is on Saturday, August 2 and will be held 12:00 at B&J's pizza (the new shopping center CC,TX----Saratoga & Staples). We want to thank those of you who helped us through this. I pray blessings over you and your family. I also want to thank those of you who helped even when I called you last minute in a panic and you supported us by giving it your all!! I love you guys. I'm still waiting to see the final outcome. I hope and pray we get enough to at least make two more rounds. Today we have people selling the tickets that were not sold at Sam's Club and will be there from Noon-8:00pm.

Through all of this, the Lord has reveled many things to me. I have always seen the Lord's faithfulness throughout my life. However, even now more than ever believe it or not. I know he is the only one you can really keep your trust in.

Yesterday I felt such a huge burden in my heart. I don't know how to explain the feeling. As I was getting ready for a treatment, so many people came to mind (people I've met throughout different parts of the United States) and I just started to weep before the Lord. It was almost as if I felt the hurt, sadness, and desperation of all those people. I just prayed right there as I was doing my hair. I had a whole session with the Lord. The Lord showed me some things---it is not for me to share. I then began to think about how some people's priorities are so messed up. I don't even think they truly see it.

My heart breaks when I hear some of these people's stories. I have met so many amazing parents. Oh my Gosh. I watch these parents sit & wait outside of the chamber with such love in their eyes for their grandchild/child/wife. Parents travel from long distances just because they are not willing to give up or give into the medical diagnose. Such faith and hope. Some of these people are the most Godly people I have met in my entire life. It is so uplifting to hear their encouraging words or testimonies. Can you believe it---people who are facing the most in their life!!

Joshua has been showing progress. He has done a few things he has not done before and I know that after we add our physical, speech, and occupational therapy he is going to really show off for us. I am going to share some of the things he has done later, I promise. I am almost home and need to take care of some things first.

ON THE GO------------Let's get things rolling

So far we've had a week of hyperbaric treatments done. We are going to get 40 by August 8. At first it was a little tough on our ears and extremely uncomfortable. It has gotten better throughout the week. I have been asked if I see a difference yet, I do notice a few things but will wait to share because I feel it is way to soon to say anything yet. Just continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers. I will do my best to keep updates.

We are still trying to raise the money needed to receive these treatments. Our raffle seems to be going ok, however we still have many more tickets that need to be sold!!!!! We are not in the clear yet, as a matter of fact the price has been raised. Therefore we NEED to sell all the raffle tickets. Those of you that know you can help sell them please contact me.