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6/01/03 Every Day Miracles From:
Rob Payne <rob@everydayisprecious.com>
Today's email is much shorter than the last, but if you want to just skim, here are the highlights: Darcy's baptism miracle continues: photos, video, and newspaper article. Marcy's DynaVox is back in action. Our kids are on a well-deserved vacation. It's Not too late to join Marcy's Caregiver list.
All the details: Darcy's baptism miracle continues: photos, video, and newspaper article. In our last email, we told you about Darcy's baptism and Marcy's being able to attend. Someone in the congregation told the Williamson County Review Appeal and they sent a reporter to the house to interview Darcy. They have scheduled the story to publish this Saturday 6/7. But they didn't send a photographer. The reporter asked if we had any pictures of the event and we didn't. But we did have a copy of the video the church had shot. The reporter said he didn't know if the paper had the technology to get a good screen grab. After the reporter left, I emailed Tim, who had shot the video. Within 20 minutes, Tim had responded saying he would get a screen grab for me when he got home that night. He also offered to convert the movie to a web friendly format so I could post on the site. Sure enough, the next morning I had both. Tim's email was timestamped 10:48 pm. He selflessly spent time away from whatever else he had planned so he could give us a visual keepsake in a format we could share with others. If you want to see the photos and movie, this link should take you there. Tim did a great job with the picture and the movie. If you have trouble viewing it, it's probably because I have posted it improperly. Back
to top. Also in our last email, we asked for prayer that "our research finds a wheelchair that helps Marcy be more comfortable for a longer period of time." We had been in contact with experts from Vanderbilt who had told us they would come to the house and do an evaluation so they could order more equipment for us. As we were waiting for the paperwork to be processed, we thought we would try Marcy's power wheelchair. (Power chair sounds so much better than "electric chair!") We had been using her push wheelchair because it was easier to position below the Hoyer lift, so we would be able to lower Marcy into it. And we used the push chair because Marcy isn't able to control the joystick of her power chair. The last time she was in it, I stood on the foot plate and reached over her to control the joystick. But her power chair has a more rigid frame and softer cushioning than her push chair, so we thought it worth a try. We found a way to position the chair below the lift and were able to lower Marcy comfortably into the chair. And I was able to remove the joystick so that I can walk beside or behind her and control the direction of the chair. She first went in it 5/24 and was able to stay for 1 3/4 hrs as she went in the driveway and supervised my washing her car. She went again 5/26 and was able to stay for 2 1/2 hours as she supervised my trimming the shrubs. Then again 5/31 for another 1 1/2 hours on the back deck (there was nothing to supervise on the back deck.) Though it still takes a lot out of her, this way is better. We'll still ask the wheelchair specialist to come out and see if there is an even better way. Our next step (and our next prayer request) is to try to get transportation for Marcy that has a ramp or lift and enough head room to allow Marcy to roll inside without being transferred. We have learned that our van can not be converted - it doesn't have the head room. The options we see now are:
Each of these has its advantages and drawbacks, but God will answer our need. Marcy's DynaVox is back in action. You may remember the loaned speech synthesizer from Vanderbilt that was so helpful in communication with Marcy last February, then it died on her birthday in March. 5/22 we finally got a speech synthesizer for us to keep and after a little programming, Marcy was back to "talking" up a blue streak. Then a couple of days ago, the switch died that she uses to activate the device. We've ordered more and hope to have it working again Monday. Our kids are on a well-deserved vacation. Matt and Darcy left Saturday 5/31 for a 2 week vacation in Illinois. They rode to Southern Illinois with Marcy's sister, Laura, and her family. Later this week, they'll go to Chicago and stay with Marcy's other two sisters, Denise and Joni. They have lots of fun tourist things planned including a trip to Six Flags and shopping on Michigan Avenue. The house already seems too quiet. New specific prayer request: we keep our eyes and ears open to God's word on transportation for Marcy Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. Rob
& Marcy |