A sweet lady in desperate need of prayer....



Ms. Norma has been a very dear sweet friend of mine for years. We go to church together and her granddaughter and my son-in-law have been friends since kindergarten. This family is very special to me.

Ms. Norma needs are prayers. I wrote a blog about miracles and faith last April. The blog was all about Ms. Norma and her powerful faith and the miracle God has performed with her life.

In 1994, she had a transtracheal system installed to take oxygen directly to her lung and in 1995 had to undergo lung reduction surgery. They told her at that time, the surgery would probably only buy her another 5 years of living. But she beat the odds and lived 8 more years.

In October 2002 she started deteriorating again, Norma was evaluated at Vanderbilt Transplant Clinic in Nashville, TN to see if the rest of her organs could withstand the necessary lung transplant that was needed to save her life. On November 12, 2002 she was listed on the national registry for one lung transplant. In December 2002 and February 2003, she had two dry runs for transplant, but neither lung was viable. But on April 26, 2003, Ms. Norma received her new lung.

She was again told that the surgery could buy her about 5 more years at the most. Here we are almost 9 years after the surgery and she is still going strong. She still lives by herself, drives herself to the store and to church and lives a very full life. She goes for regular check ups back to Vanderbilt, about a 3 1/2 hour drive several times a year. On a visit last week, she had been having some minor problems. They have diagnosed that her body is rejecting the lung after 9 years and taking  handfuls of anti-rejection drugs daily. She needs are prayers desperately.

She asked me to share this on my blog as she strongly believes in the power of prayer. She has already seen a miracle in her life and knows God can perform another one. She is leaving this morning to go back to Nashville to Vanderbilt. They are going to do a procedure that they hope will keep the lung from being rejected. The procedure is 3-4 hours long and she will have to undergo it on a regular basis. It will be six months before they know if the procedure works. If it does work, and the rejection is stopped, she will have to have this treatment for the rest of her life and the closest place she can have it done is 3-4 hours away in Nashville so she will have regular trips. I can't recall if they are going to be weekly or monthly, but either way, it will become part of her life if the procedure works.

She is asking that each of you remember her in your prayers. If you can, put her on the prayer list at your church. Blog about her and link back to her story at http://mamawsplace4.blogspot.com/2011/04/does-god-still-perform-miracles.html if you want. Twitter a prayer request, Facebook your friends asking them to pray. We definitely believe in miracles and she is walking talking proof that God can do anything.

She reads my blog everyday and I know she would love to read your comments letting her know you are praying for her. Thank you for keeping her in your prayers.

A little flu bug....



I keep talking to or reading blogs from people who have been caught by that nasty Flu Bug. I understand this one can really bring you down. I feel for the mothers who have to watch their babies fight this nasty monster. I had it a few months ago. I don't usually let things keep me down. I am usually so hyperactive and always on the go that it really takes something for me to slow down. But Mr. Flu Bug sure knocked me for a loop.

I was reading about a dear Mom whose children are really sick this past week and my heart went out to her. But it brought back a really special memory of my childhood.

I guess I would have been about 7, Rachel around 8 and Jack around 5. This was back before Andy was born. We had one huge room on the house at that time that was a bedroom for all three of us. Jack had a twin bed on one side of the room and me and Rachel had a full size bed on the other side. We had all been sick with the flu when Mom started coming down with a touch of it. Daddy was at work all day so I am sure it was pretty rough on her. I remember she took us to Dr. Sadler and he noticed she wasn't feeling well either so he gave her some medicine too and urged her to get some rest. I remember him saying "Who will take care of the kids if you get sick, too."

So we came home, took our medicine and were scurried off to bed. Mom was going to lay on the couch for a little while and try to get some rest. I can remember her words very specifically....

"I am going to lay down a little while and I do not want any of you to get off those beds. Lay down and stay on the bed. I don't want to hear any feet hit the floor. Stay in the beds!"

Well, now, Rachel being the oldest, she was usually prone to follow orders. I don't remember her getting in any trouble growing up. Jack and I on the other hand seem to constantly be getting into something. I remember laying on that bed and getting more bored by the minute. Jack was on his bed fidgeting and restless, playing with some Matchbox cars. Our beds were caddy corner from each other and I remember thinking I wish I was over there on Jack's bed so we could play cars. Next thing I knew, I had tossed back the covers and jumped from my bed over to Jack's. I made it! Rachel, of course, had to point out that I was going to get in trouble because Mom said to stay in the bed! I reminded her that Mom said "I don't want to hear any feet hit the floor." Mine didn't. I jumped in the air and never touched the floor.

I know it was a technicality but in my little pea brain, I had minded Mommy. It's funny the memories that little things can evoke.