Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Halloween Pics...
So here are some pictures from Halloween this past weekend. As I said in another post, Trey was Dash (a re-run from last year) and Macy was tinkerbell.
I really did take a ton of pics of the two of them and this was my best one, Trey with a funny smile and a crooked mask and Macy looking somewhere else.
Maya, Trey, Macy and Noah.
The Voltin family goes all out. This year they were characters from The Wizard of Oz / Wicked. Maya was Dorothy, Noah was the Lion, Ryan was the Scarcrow, Pam was Elphiba/ The Wicked Witch and Jaida was Ga-Linda/ Glinda. (If you haven't seen the musical, Wicked, you REALLY should)
Dorothy and Dash
Sweet big brother
I really did take a ton of pics of the two of them and this was my best one, Trey with a funny smile and a crooked mask and Macy looking somewhere else.
Maya, Trey, Macy and Noah.The Voltin family goes all out. This year they were characters from The Wizard of Oz / Wicked. Maya was Dorothy, Noah was the Lion, Ryan was the Scarcrow, Pam was Elphiba/ The Wicked Witch and Jaida was Ga-Linda/ Glinda. (If you haven't seen the musical, Wicked, you REALLY should)
Dorothy and Dash
Sweet big brotherBaby William
So, if you are wondering, we are having a boy:) His name will be William Patrick Moran. The amazing thing to me is that these ultrasound pictures were from over 6 weeks ago when I was 13 1/2 weeks pregnant. I went to the doctor to get this ultrasound and Dan didn't even come with me. I mean, I was 13 weeks, what were we going to see? Obviously a penis! Anyway, I had my big 20 week ultrasound (of which my pics are not on disc and I don't feel like scanning) yesterday and we saw the penis again...I guess this is a confirmed boy! It is just amazing to me that some people argue whether that precious baby is really a baby...LOOK AT HIM...his sweet face...his beating heart...not to mention at that time he was a little maniac...moving all over the place. What a precious miracle and such evidence of God's love for us.
"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in that secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be" Psalm 139:13-16
"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in that secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be" Psalm 139:13-16
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Really???
Well, I certainly don't mean to offend anyone, but this evening on my way to CVS to get some Aquaphor for Dan (which I cannot find since we moved)... I noticed about 6 houses with Christmas lights up. I just thought it strange...The beginning of November? I will probably have decorations up the weekend before Thanksgiving, but now? I am a bit surprised, especially since I was eating candy that I stole from my kids Halloween baskets that are sitting on our counter:)
Surgery...
This past Friday, Dan had another surgery. I think we are close to 30...You think this would be something I would have an exact count of, but...I don't. The real reason for this is that I am never sure what to call "surgery" and what is a "procedure". I have come to this conclusion...if he is under general anesthesia...it is surgery. If his body is cut into...it is surgery. I know this sounds cut and dry (no pun intended), but sometimes it's not. Regardless...Friday he was under general anesthesia, but no knives, only lasers...so it was surgery. Dan is having this new laser treatment with a CO2 laser. This last one was the third in a series of five. We are seeing amazing results. It is smoothing the texture of the scars on his face, evening out the pigmentation, and giving his skin more pliability. Anyway, we drove to San Antonio Thursday evening for Friday surgery. The best part of the trip was the excuse to stay with our best friends, the Voltins, for a long weekend. Pam and Ryan have 3 awesome kids, who I am thinking about stealing:) Their younger two are Trey and Macy's ages and then they have a 14 year old, Jaida. I wish I had planned better and had a 14 year old first. Man, she is so awesome! Anyway, the kids had constant playmates, we had home cooked meals and Dan had a comfortable place to recover. Not to mention the fact that although I was pretty prepared...I totally forgot wound care supplies...luckily we were at another burn guy's house, with plenty of supplies. One of my favorite memories was Saturday morning when I was applying aquaphor to Dan's oozy swollen face...all four little ones were standing and sitting around him discussing our method of wound care and how to care for him best...holding his hands or giving him kisses... among others... just another day in our kids lives:)
Saturday night we all went trick or treating on base. I don't know what life is like outside base, but our kids may have rung 3 doorbells. At almost every house, people were sitting outside on chairs to hand out candy. We had so much fun. Macy dressed up as Tinkerbell (courtesy of her Abi, Dan's mom) and Trey wanted a repeat from last year, so he was Dash, again. (No complaints from me!) I will post pictures tomorrow...with some news about whether this baby is a boy or a girl!!!
Saturday night we all went trick or treating on base. I don't know what life is like outside base, but our kids may have rung 3 doorbells. At almost every house, people were sitting outside on chairs to hand out candy. We had so much fun. Macy dressed up as Tinkerbell (courtesy of her Abi, Dan's mom) and Trey wanted a repeat from last year, so he was Dash, again. (No complaints from me!) I will post pictures tomorrow...with some news about whether this baby is a boy or a girl!!!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
3 Years Ago Today...
Three years ago today, a lot of lives were changed forever. 1095 days ago I could never have imagined the trials, tears but more importantly triumphs that we would be a part of.
I received a phone call in the middle of the night, (the second one in 10 days of this kind) telling me that my husband had been very severely injured. ( I would soon come to know this as VSI -an actual medical term). I immediately called my in-laws and they were on a plane within hours to North Carolina where we waited for information for days until we found out that Dan would be transferred to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas to be treated for numerous injuries, the most life-threatening being 3rd degree burns to 50% of his body. I recall this information not to be dramatic or re-tell a story most of you have already heard, but to thank our Lord and Savior for the compassion, comfort and truth that only He can give.
In our first meeting with the doctors, my in-laws and I heard their "best case scenario" for Dan. During this meeting, Dan was in ICU, with machines performing all functions so that he would continue to live. The doctors told us that he would have a MINIMUM of 5 skin graft surgeries, (more likely 8-10), be in ICU for 4 months, the hospital for another 4-6, and it wasn't IF he got an infection in his skin, but "when, how bad and would it kill him". But, on December 26, exactly 2 months after being admitted to the ICU, Dan walked out of the hospital after being in the ICU 3 1/2 weeks, having 3 skin graft surgeries and ABSOLUTELY NO skin infections. Smaller things, like the scarring on Dan's body, the strength and range of motion of his hands, his perfect eyesight and his energy should all have had different...worse outcomes. This testimony doesn't change who God was, is and forever will be, it changes US. God would still be as almighty, compassionate and loving if Dan had died three years ago or had followed the doctors predictions throughout his recovery, but for some reason, God chose to give us this beautiful testimony and we feel honored to receive it and tell of His almighty power and love forever.
Below are a few pictures from the last couple of years.
Dan, three months out, working the range of motion of his legs, as well as cardiovascular strength and endurance.
Our sweet Trey, who was only 19 months old at the time of Dan's injury in the hotel we lived in for 3 months
Dan on the treadmill
Dan and I, 5 1/2 months out, on Macy's birthday.
I received a phone call in the middle of the night, (the second one in 10 days of this kind) telling me that my husband had been very severely injured. ( I would soon come to know this as VSI -an actual medical term). I immediately called my in-laws and they were on a plane within hours to North Carolina where we waited for information for days until we found out that Dan would be transferred to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas to be treated for numerous injuries, the most life-threatening being 3rd degree burns to 50% of his body. I recall this information not to be dramatic or re-tell a story most of you have already heard, but to thank our Lord and Savior for the compassion, comfort and truth that only He can give.
In our first meeting with the doctors, my in-laws and I heard their "best case scenario" for Dan. During this meeting, Dan was in ICU, with machines performing all functions so that he would continue to live. The doctors told us that he would have a MINIMUM of 5 skin graft surgeries, (more likely 8-10), be in ICU for 4 months, the hospital for another 4-6, and it wasn't IF he got an infection in his skin, but "when, how bad and would it kill him". But, on December 26, exactly 2 months after being admitted to the ICU, Dan walked out of the hospital after being in the ICU 3 1/2 weeks, having 3 skin graft surgeries and ABSOLUTELY NO skin infections. Smaller things, like the scarring on Dan's body, the strength and range of motion of his hands, his perfect eyesight and his energy should all have had different...worse outcomes. This testimony doesn't change who God was, is and forever will be, it changes US. God would still be as almighty, compassionate and loving if Dan had died three years ago or had followed the doctors predictions throughout his recovery, but for some reason, God chose to give us this beautiful testimony and we feel honored to receive it and tell of His almighty power and love forever.
Below are a few pictures from the last couple of years.
Dan, three months out, working the range of motion of his legs, as well as cardiovascular strength and endurance.
Our sweet Trey, who was only 19 months old at the time of Dan's injury in the hotel we lived in for 3 months
Dan on the treadmill
Dan and I, 5 1/2 months out, on Macy's birthday.Almost 3 years later, Dan literally walked out the same gate that an ambulance had brought him through when his odds of survival were less than 50%.
How true are the words by H.C.G. Moule, "There is no situation so chaotic that God cannot, from that situation, create something that is surpassingly good. He did it at the creation. He did it at the cross. He is doing it today."
Thank you Lord for the last three years. I am not the same person, nor would I ever want to be.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Things I will miss about hospitals...
So as I type, I am alone in my house. Dan had surgery on Friday and my mom and Dan’s Aunt Lilly came yesterday to take Dan and the kids to Houston…for good. My brother came last night and left this morning hauling a Uhaul semi-full of stuff that the military will not move (ie-open food/open liquids/cleaning supplies) and things that I didn’t want the military to move (ie-my files/jewelry/pictures) Reminiscing about our time in San Antonio will be the next post (not for a couple of weeks as we will be getting settled into a new house) but today I thought I would share a couple of pictures of our hospital life that I love and also think is CRAZY!!!
So when you look at this picture you might just see a picture of me, but this is the craziness of hospital life. Dan and I held hands as we walked into the hospital together Friday morning after sleeping in the same bed the night before (trust me, this is part of the story), as we do every night. After we checked in at the nurse's desk, a very sweet nurse led us to a pre-op room where the doctors, anesthetists, and OR (not or, OR for Operating Room) nurses come in to talk to Dan before surgery. Right as we are about to walk into the room, the nurse reminds me that he is on "contact precautions" and that I must gown and glove up before I enter his room. I love it...really...if I were going to catch something from him or vice versa it probably would have already happened! 
1 grilled ham and cheese sandwich - $0.90
1 order french fries - $0.55
1 large soda - $0.20
Knowing by heart that Tuesday is taco day and Friday is Pizza - priceless
This is one of my other favorite things about hospital life. While Dan was back in surgery, I went down to the cafeteria to get some lunch. This is my receipt. $1.65 for lunch. Crazy!!! And it's not like I chose the cheap stuff. When Dan was first injured, I kid you not, his parents and I would spend then ENTIRE meal discussing in disbelief how cheap our food was. It might take me a little bit to adjust to civilian life:)
Just thought you guys would like this little insight to our lives!
ps-do not judge my choices for lunch...I am pregnant and having SERIOUS food aversions.
So when you look at this picture you might just see a picture of me, but this is the craziness of hospital life. Dan and I held hands as we walked into the hospital together Friday morning after sleeping in the same bed the night before (trust me, this is part of the story), as we do every night. After we checked in at the nurse's desk, a very sweet nurse led us to a pre-op room where the doctors, anesthetists, and OR (not or, OR for Operating Room) nurses come in to talk to Dan before surgery. Right as we are about to walk into the room, the nurse reminds me that he is on "contact precautions" and that I must gown and glove up before I enter his room. I love it...really...if I were going to catch something from him or vice versa it probably would have already happened!
1 grilled ham and cheese sandwich - $0.90
1 order french fries - $0.55
1 large soda - $0.20
Knowing by heart that Tuesday is taco day and Friday is Pizza - priceless
This is one of my other favorite things about hospital life. While Dan was back in surgery, I went down to the cafeteria to get some lunch. This is my receipt. $1.65 for lunch. Crazy!!! And it's not like I chose the cheap stuff. When Dan was first injured, I kid you not, his parents and I would spend then ENTIRE meal discussing in disbelief how cheap our food was. It might take me a little bit to adjust to civilian life:)
Just thought you guys would like this little insight to our lives!
ps-do not judge my choices for lunch...I am pregnant and having SERIOUS food aversions.
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