On January 6th, 2010 Alex suffered a gunshot wound to the head...given 3 HOURS TO LIVE ....this is our story of survival and how God continues to work in and through our lives!

Thursday, December 30, 2010

ROADBLOCKED YESTERDAY.... THANK YOU SOCIAL SECURITY! WE GOT THIS!!

I had good intentions yesterday as we set out for a day of therapy with Kinlin.  She was going to sit with Alex at therapy while I ran to get Alex's discharge papers from Brooks Inpatient Rehab to take to Social Security office to change Alex's status from "in an institution" to "living at home".  You see we have been getting $30 a month from social security (SSI).  Talking to people at Brooks while at therapy... they couldn't believe that all we were getting was $30 a month SSI for Alex with me not working.... something wasn't right.  I had NO IDEA.... this is all new to me, so I start actually reading the SSI paperwork that I got and see that his pay was based on his status "in an institution".  Ahhhhhhh.... that's why!  Soooo, we head out yesterday,  I get about  7 miles down the road..... Alex says... "I GOTTA POOP RIGHT NOW"..... OMG... ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  Herrrrrrrrrrrrreeeee we go!  I whip the car around....head back home because my house is the closest bathroom as we live way out Normandy by Maxville in the middle of nowhere lol!  Brooks meets us at the door, gets him situated in the bathroom, I go in and he is literally straining to get it out... ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  I thought you had to go RIGHT NOW?... 15 minutes later we finally have touchdown and We now have 30 minutes to get to therapy which is 45 minutes away! I have an hour and half to get the records, go to SS office and get back to pick Kinlin and Alex up...AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH.  Half way to therapy Alex says "I have to poop again".... OMG... You are going to have to wait till we get to therapy!  I drop Kinlin and Alex off in a hurry, God forbid he goes in his pants!  I get them off.... I head to Brooks Inpatient Rehab (down the street) to the outpatient records.  Park the car, go inside....information desk tells me that outpatient records is down the street at the Health Care Plaza.... WHERE I JUST CAME FROM DROPPING KINLIN AND ALEX OFF...aaahhhhhhhhhh... of course it is... just my luck!  Get in car... it's on empty, I'm in a hurry... of course it is!  Go to Shell station across the way.... pull up, pull out the pump stick in gas tank and here comes this lady outta nowhere or so I thought.  " Excuse me.... I just picked up my grandkids" ( she looks about my age) and here come the tears along with a "Do you have any money..." I CUT HER OFF....."My son was shot in the head back in January.... I have no job... I have no money".  She says..."Oh my... I'm sorry to hear that ...what's his name?". "Alex Ross". She says... "I will pray for him"..."Don't you have just a little money?"...... I THINK MY HEAD SPUN AROUND TWICE LIKE THE EXORCIST AND I SAID..... "Are you kidding me? Did you not hear what I just said to you?.... I have been thru some serious shit this past year, I have no job, I have to take care of my son everyday, my finances are limited...NO I DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY FOR YOU!!!!!" She says..." Well excuuuuusssseee me, I'm sorry, I just thought you could help us out... God!"..... I sit here now smiling because that is sooooo not in my nature, lol!  I ALWAYS give money to people when they ask.... I'm just a softey that way...no matter what I think they are going to spend the money on... I am a sucker and always give!  So as I stand there pumping gas.... she is actually on the other side of the pump.... pumping gas in her truck.... really?!  The more I stood there pumping my gas... the madder I got!  She just sent me into a tail spin for what??  So I could pay for her gas? Buy her a pack of cigarettes? A fix?..... seriously!???  I sped off like a crazy mad woman.... how do I let people like that get to me when I deal with everything I deal with on a daily basis?  I AM BETTER THAN THAT!!!  So.... back to my story of THE day.... I head back to where I just dropped Kinlin and Alex off.... make sure he doesn't see me.....go to outpatient records, get what I need, head out the door to the social security office on JTB, get about ohhh a mile down the road and Kinlin calls.  "We JUST now got out of the bathroom"...(so they have been in the bathroom this WHOLE time I have been going thru all I have been going thru since I dropped them off)..... she says "he doesn't have therapy for another hour.... you had the time wrong".... OMG.... AHHHHHH....there is no way he will sit there for an hour until his therapy.  I turn the car around... go pick them up....they will go with me to SS office, I will stop and get them something to eat at Checkers and they can eat while I am in the office.  Get the food, head to SS office, go in... take a number, wait in line.... get to the window and am told I have to sit and wait for my name to be called and go to ANOTHER WINDOW.... however... I am number 2 in line for what I need.  Ok... so I text Kinlin... "I have to wait but I am 2nd in line so hopefully it won't be long."  We have 30 minutes till he has to be at therapy, we can do this.  WELL... I sit and I sit and I sit... imagine that at the SS office!  I text Kinlin and tell her to come and get the key she will have to take Alex to therapy... drop him off and come back to pick me up.  I'm sure this will send Alex into a tail spin.... out of the norm.... not in our normal routine of things....he will freak about having to be dropped off.  Kinlin on the way to therapy with him has a little heart to heart as Alex in the backseat says to her.... "Why did this have to happen to me?".  Kinlin proceeds to tell him that God has a plan for him and that maybe he should think about all the GOOD things he can do from this and teach youth about choices they make in life.  He is gung ho now to speak at schools and youth events in hopes of preventing others from misfortunes as his.  We'll work on that.... now he has a mission!  Back to the story... Kinlin drops him off... gets him squared away... oh yeah... he had to poop again, lol!  They continue their heart to heart as he is dropping the kids off at the superbowl, lol!  She asked him if he really had to poop or if he was stalling because he didn't want to be dropped off by himself.... he said..."I think a little bit of both".... hahahahahaha!  She finally gets him out of the bathroom... to the therapist and heads to get me.  While I am at the SS office I finally get called back to the window.  Give all my information....my income = 0.... then Chad's income info.... final verdict.... Chad makes too much money..... not only do we now  not get the $30 a month, but I OWE 7 months of $30 a month because I should have changed his status back in April when he was discharged! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA..... are you freaking kidding me?  I went in thinking I was going to be getting help with finances for Alex.... I have been working since I was 15... paying into Social Security and now I OWE them $ 210 because our one income family makes too much money and I should have changed his status back in April!    If you make more than $5,000 a year you get NOTHING.  So now I don't even get the whopping $30 a month lol.... WOW!  Thank you social security!  Sad thing is... when I am old enough to collect SS.... there won't be any left for me!  All those years of paying in and I can't get any help to save my life!   Last week we got our mortgage bill for the new year.... you know how when you build a new house, they kinda guess your property taxes for escrow because they don't really know it yet on vacant land..... yeah well... our new bill reflects we owe $1,600 on top of our house payment because BOA didn't take out enough in our escrow acct for property taxes! Due by February 1st..... Really?  Thanks!  The Devil steady tries to tear us down......Roadblocks..... nothing but a thang!  We got this.... God has carried us this far in our finances..... I'm giving it back to HIM!  This New Year is going to bring GREAT THINGS..... absolutely has to be better than this past year...... RIGHT?!!  ABSOLUTELY! 


God.... you are an awesome God.... you have given us more than I could possibly ever hoped for!!  Yes we have had a crazy year.... ups and downs.... trials and tribulations.....but we have overcome them with your love and guidance.  Nothing can tear us down.... it only makes us stronger!  Every kick in the face makes me wanna jump right back up and say... "I GOT THIS... IN YOUR FACE DEVIL"!! We have you to lean on and with YOU .... all things are possible.  Thank you God for your many many blessings..... for the strength you give me to carry on each day with a positive attitude..... for the wonderful husband I have that works his butt off everyday to provide finances, a house, electricity and food on the table.  Thank you for the spirit of Brooks and Nicholas who are awesome brothers and help out with every chance they can to care for their brother.  Thank you for the disposition, that the Alex we now have, has.  He has one emotion.... laugher/jokes...THANK YOU!  He has no depression, no sadness, no anger....no negative emotions and I am truly truly thankful for that!  I could have it so much worse with everything else I deal with and you blessed me with a positive loving attitude in the new Alex. THANK YOU LORD SOOOO MUCH FOR THAT!  Thank you for the many many new friends we have now..... the lives we have saved thru this ordeal.... the people we have led to you Lord.  They now know that you are VERY REAL....You are the worker of Miracles....YOU ARE VERY REAL!  People who were once lost....now have found you.  THANK YOU!  This happened for a reason.... it was part of your greater plan for us.  Life doesn't always go as we plan..... which I like to call PLAN A.  It's all how you handle PLAN B!  With you by my side Lord.... WE GOT THIS PLAN B!  We have come leaps and bounds this year... I never could have gotten thru this without YOU!  I will continue to lean on you and call upon you daily.....baby steps.  Counting my blessings ONE DAY AT A TIME.  Thank you Lord for the love and support of my mother.... my family and many many great friends....too many to name....YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!  HE knows who you are.... that's what counts!  I pray that Alex's friends start coming around more to visit this New Year.... he needs the social interaction.  There were soooooo many at the hospitals the whole time we were there...now we are home...not so much. It breaks my heart..... Now he can actually carry on conversation and laugh.....no one comes to see him.  I guess they think he's ok so he doesn't need them.  WRONG.  He needs them now more than he did when he was laying in a bed, with tubes or paralyzed.  I pray Lord that you bring them around more often to visit or go do things.... he is in a wheelchair yes....BUT HE IS ALIVE.  He may not be able to shoot hoops right now.... or be crazy and run up a tree and do a back flip.... but he will make them laugh...this is a promise :0)  I know life goes on and we all get busy in our own lives.... but Alex is ALIVE and I hope that his friends can go back to day one and realize the importance of this.  We have big hopes for the New Year.... Alex will be walking on his own... I know it! He can now squeeze his left hand to squeeze yours when you hold it! Baby steps!  He has been capping his trach since Dec 23rd for 10+ hours.... that will be coming out soon...THANK YOU GOD!  Soooo much to be thankful for this New Year... WE GOT THIS!




Brian had all the boys this necklace made for Christmas.  Tears streaming down my face as I sit here and type!  REALITY!  Engraved with ALEX ROSS ... 01-06-2010. A bullet just like the one that still remains lodged in his brain.  A daily reminder of how lucky we are to have ALEX with us today.  I look at this and it puts God into perspective!  HE IS VERY MUCH REAL.....ALEX MICHAEL WOULD NOT...SHOULD NOT....BE HERE TODAY!  Thank you God for your precious Miracle and your Saving Grace in the life of ALEX MICHAEL ROSS!  I promised you that night that he would do great things for you...... you just wait and see!


I am an emotional roller coaster these past two weeks.... very thankful, sad, happy, angry....all at the same time.  Still trying to pull the "Celebration of Life" off on January 8th.... trying to pin down a location and agenda.  Roadblocks pop up every where I turn but YOU KNOW... I will overcome them... I WILL MAKE THIS HAPPEN one way or another!  Wishing you all a very prosperous and Happy New Year to come.  Stay tuned..... GREAT THINGS ARE ABOUT TO HAPPEN IN THE LIFE OF ALEX ROSS.... AMEN!



PEACE~LOVE~N~THUMBS UP!
LISA

Monday, December 27, 2010

VERY EMOTIONAL WEEKEND FOR ALL OFUS!


What an amazing weekend and emotional one all in the same!  It started with my cousin Shelley flying in from Texas to spend the holidays with us.  Christmas Eve we went to a White Christmas hosted by First Baptist of Middleburg at Middleburg High.  VERY COLD,lol but an AWESOME service nonetheless.




The message..... FORGIVENESS..... something Alex and I struggle with on a daily basis.  I was in tears the entire ceremony.    Move past it, Let Go and Let God..... My emotions were running wild, especially since we have Alex here this Christmas by the Grace of God!  Alex kept asking "Why are you crying"... he doesn't understand to the full extent but he knew it was because he is here with us.  The whole service he was fixated on getting to the Pastor to tell him his story and how he is here as a Miracle of God.  Once service was over you know he was wheeling right up to him to share his story!  As we were standing there we met JUSTIN.... Justin had been hit by a truck 11 years ago, he was now 27 I think and his mother had been told every negative thing in the book you can think of.  He was much worse off than Alex when it happened and has certainly come a LONG way!  He too will never be the same, however.... he is also one of God's miracles, a true sweetheart!  As we were walking out... the snow blowers were going full blast and we got some pictures of the boys in snow :0)
It was a beautiful service and touched all of our hearts!  THANK YOU GOD ONCE AGAIN FOR GIVING US A SECOND CHANCE!

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve exchanging presents with Chad's parents and Kinlin and Brandon.... listening to Christmas music, exchanging gifts and hanging out by the fire.  The boys got to open their ONE gift Christmas Eve.... my gifts were a hit!  Foot PJ's for Brooks and Alex and Smurf PJ's for Alex :0)


Christmas morning was beautiful just as I envisioned it.... ALL my children just as if they were 4 years old opening their gifts! I cried off and on all day....emotions running wild.... feeling very blessed... a wonderful holiday meal and then Nick got a phone call.  His longtime best friend growing up, Zack Scott had passed away in a tragic motorcycle accident at about 1 pm at 1-10 and 295.  Nick is a basket case.....I feel as if I have lost a kid myself as he was a huge part of Nicholas' life growing up.  If Nick wasn't at his house.... He was at ours.  My heart aches for his family, his father especially who lost his other son when Zack and Nick were just 13 years old.  I can't imagine losing a child.... let alone 2 before I die... one on Christmas day!  ONE PHONE CALL CAN FOREVER CHANGE YOUR LIFE!  I can't say it enough..... I can't scream it any louder!  Tomorrow may never come for some.... LIVE FOR TODAY.... mend all your broken fences....HUG AND LOVE YOUR CHILDREN....no matter how young or how old..... AS IF TOMORROW WILL NEVER COME!  Today is a precious gift that we ALL TAKE FOR GRANTED!  Nicholas, Alex and I visited his family last night.... reminiscing about all their childhood memories and I am deeply saddened for the huge loss for his family.  Please lift them up in your prayers.... they need peace and comfort during this holiday season to get them thru one day to the next.  Please pray for Nicholas that he finds peace and comfort in the awesome memories that they shared growing up.

I am still working on Alex's Celebration of Life for the 8th of January.... we are having difficulty with finding a place with a stage for the bands and getting permit from the city.  If anyone has any ideas we could surely use them right about now! 

From our family to yours........Hoping you all had an awesome holiday and wish you all many blessings in the New Year!





PEACE~LOVE~N~THUMBS UP!
LISA

Thursday, December 23, 2010

OUR TRIP TO NJ AND NYC!

 I can't seem to figure out how to put pictures where they need to be in the story so I am going to make a slide show and add to the side of the blog at some point.  I just wanted to get this published as it is long over due!

We are finally back home safe and sound after 3 attempts to fly out!  Third time was a charm.  Our journey began on the 23rd of November traveling from Jax to Newark airport on an express jet by Continental.  I think it seats about 50 people, basically a puddle jumper with a bathroom the size of a portoilette, if not smaller!  We managed to be seated all together, last seats on the plane ….closest to the bathroom just in case his butt wouldn’t cooperate with the program we had in mind, lol.  Brooks was terrified to fly and Alex was WAY over stimulated asking every 5 minutes……. and I do mean EVERY 3-5 minutes…… “What time is it”, “How long do we have left”, “how long does it take to get there”, “what time is it again?”…. OMG….. a broken record!  WE managed only one potty break on the way there with the urinal  jug at his seat…THANK YOU GOD!  He managed to share his story with the people directly in front of he and Brooks and the young girl in front of me, imagine that!  We arrived about 8:40 and headed to the family’s home to meet up with Nick who had flown in earlier that day.  Day one we got up and headed to NYC for the day, first stop was Chinatown!  OMG ALEX AND OVERSTIMULATION MUCH???  Everything he saw he wanted…. Of course.  Out of nowhere we have all these oriental people coming up and saying… “hey you want watch, jewelry, purse?”  “We have…. follow me”….  I had no idea it was illegal lol!  I was planning on vendors just having shops on the sidewalk that I could purchase my fake bags and watches lol!  So of course Alex wants a Rolex and he starts out telling her “All I have is $10.00 what can I get for that?” lol… no go on that however he managed to get a Rolex for $40.00 as he talked them down from $ 75.00! We walked around for a bit, ate at Ferrera’s Italian pastry shop…OMG…TO DIE FOR PASTRIES, FANTASTIC!  It is in Little Italy which is a street over from Chinatown, lol!   Nick then decided he wanted a Rolex for he and a friend and we went back to find the lady that gave Alex the great deal.  He tells her he wants 2 for $60 she says no go…. We walk away…she comes chasing us down and says ok we do 2 for $75 ….. Nick bites and she says ok follow me.  WE walk and walk and walk and walk, me and Nick in Chinatown…. Everyone else stayed back on main road…. I swear we walked about 5 blocks and ended up in front of some fish shop and then she says… “wait here, he be back in 5 minutes with watches for you”.  As we are waiting there are about 6 other people around looking at the pamphlets they have with what these “sidewalk salesman” have in stock lol.   This young girl looks at me and says… “ I just bought a Louis Vuitton for $140.00 do you think that was a good deal?” …. I didn’t think so but I wasn’t about to tell her that!  I wasn’t paying more than $30 for one and they wouldn’t budge for me so I didn’t cave in and go higher…. SO PROUD OF MYSELF, lol!  Nick ended up with 2 Rolex’s for $75 so he and Alex made out like bandits, lol.  Meanwhile I didn’t’ t realize that we had been gone for 30 minutes and the family thought we had been kidnapped and stuffed in an alley, hahahahaha! It was just neat to soak up all of the culture and hustle and bustle of the city.  We paid about $60 in parking that day between 2 parking lots….that was the only downside of going into the city…..everything costs big money in the city.  WE headed to times square looking for the ESPN ZONE that Brooks wanted to visit, only it has been shut down  :0(  That was the ONLY thing that he wanted to see and it was closed!  WE did get to see some kids doing a little break dance show on the street… Alex wasn’t impressed and didn’t want me to give money so we moved on to shopping in Times Square.  WE had a pit stop at Bubba Gump’s to feed the boys and rejuvenate to continue shopping.  The table we sat at was awesome and we got a great view of Times Square and the Ball that is going to drop on New Year’s Eve!  We asked the waitress how much it costs to sit at our table on New Year’s Eve and we were told it is $450 a person, unlimited drinks and food because their restaurant is the only one in Times Square that has a perfect view of the ball and the Square!  WHAT THE FRENCH TOAST?!  I think I will stick to celebrating at my house and watching the ball drop for FREE, ha ha.  We moved onto the Hershey store where Brooks bought the Largest Candy Bar in the world for $40…. Curious to see if he’s going to eat it, lol.    I could have stayed in Times Square all day and all night just soaking up the city life and shopping !!  I LOVE NYC!  Thanksgiving day was a nice, relaxing day with the family….Alex woke up asking for Turkey at 9am!  All the sisters were there except Sherry who has since relocated to Alaska and stationed there with her husband Pete and kids.  WE MISSED YOU GUYS and hope to see you this summer!!  Alex insists on going so I hope I hit the lottery between now and then so we can make the trip!  My niece Madison and nephew Logan haven’t seen Alex since all this happened so it was great to see him interacting with them as well as the rest of the fam…… much needed for all of us and A LOT TO BE THANKFUL FOR!  I wrote on the blog Alex’s thanksgiving blessing but forgot to mention that instead of Amen…he ended with Mozzletoff!   CRAZY FOOL….. my little coo coo bird how funny you are with the most random and off the wall comments you come up with!  Pop Pop and Grandma have a 3 level house with stairs going up to bedrooms and bathroom and stairs going downstairs to the basement living area where he, Randi and Brooks slept.  Even though we were on vacation…. Alex still got some therapy from all the stairs he had to climb!  He even said to me often… “Mom, I’m on vacation and I shouldn’t have to do stairs?!” “That’s bullshit”.. I replied with “I’m on vacation too and I still have to do stairs!!”… hahahahahahaha! Then I realized he cursed and said “Don’t curse!!”…. His response…” Shit is not a curse word…. Shit shit shitty shit shit”…. Trying to teach him/remind him of things that are appropriate and not appropriate is still a challenge and he gets his phone taken away ALL THE TIME!  It’s hard not to laugh sometimes because he is so QUICK with his witty responses… I have to pause a moment, turn my head….compose and redirect!  It’s easier to reprimand when Brooks and Nick aren’t present because they tend to laugh a lot at the things he says even though they don’t mean to.  On Thursday we visited Chelsea Piers, a large indoor sports facility… AWESOME!  Brooks wanted to go and practice for Basketball tryouts so we loaded up in a car and a van, the whole gang and headed to Chelsea Piers.  It had basketball courts, ice skating rink, soccer field, HUGE gymnastics arena and much more.  The kids all enjoyed some basketball… Alex included!  His wheelchair didn’t keep him from the courts as I knew it wouldn’t!  His favorite part was pressing the dang buzzer every 5 seconds, lol.  He found the score controls on a nearby table and went to town while Brooks, Nick and Uncle Mark played.  From there we headed to Times Square to see the tree.  We knew it wouldn’t be lit but figured it was our best bet to see it.  Rockerfeller Center was beautiful, all lit up…. AWESOME!  On one of the random buildings downtown they had like a snowflake light show…. Really cool.  WE got some great pictures in front of one of the rokerfeller buildings “which was certainly a chore on Black Friday in NYC with the hustle and bustle of everyone else wanting pics in the same spot lol.  Love my Nick Nick…. As we are standing in line waiting for our photo opportunity…. Everyone kept cutting in front of people so I jumped into another line, not realizing that I cut a couple off and he says …. “Mom.. you just cut in front of those people, that wasn’t nice”… Out of frustration I say… “Nick, we are in NYC… NOONE IS BEING NICE”…. The tourist couple turns to me and very kindly put me in my place and took me back to the person that I am… “ Most of NYC is not nice but it certainly helps to be nice”.  I was humbled at that very moment and let them get their photo and offered for Nick to take their picture of them together as I took photos of our group.   Thank you God for sending Angles in the midst of the hustle and bustle to bring me back to you!  I got so caught up in the NYC attitude that I quickly adapted to their way.  From that point on when I bumped into someone or my bag got caught on their arm… I apologized….  And apologized and apologized about every 5 people, hahahahaha.  New Yorker City folk… DO NOT apologize when they bump into you…  Thank God I have southern charm and manners!  Saturday was low key…. We hung out at the house, watched some football and enjoyed some quality family time before Mark , Darlene and kids had to travel back to VA and Chad had to head back to Jax to work bright and early Sunday morning at 7:30am.  Thank you Mark and Darlene for traveling with the kids to spend some much needed quality time with us and for dropping Chad off at the airport!  I LOVE  YOU GUYS and it was an awesome visit!  Sunday we headed to the Jersey Shore….. yup you guessed it… we went to see where the cast and crew film their show as well as see my families shore house which is a couple of streets over and around the corner!  Everything was locked up tight for the winter but I managed to get some pics of the house and scope it out, only all the windows had dark drapes so I couldn’t really get a look inside the place.  I bet in the summer time that place is hopping because it’s on the boardwalk and there is soooo much to do!  We never ran into any of the cast, that place is a ghost town in the winter.  I think we saw maybe 20 people and that’s only because we headed into the arcade for the boys to play some games.  Alex attempted a carousel ride…. Yes we loaded his behind up and over a horse, a funny sight for anyone to see, lol.  He has gotten rather large and heavy since all this happened and he isn’t a little boy anymore that’s for sure!  He lasted about 2 go rounds until I noticed he was slipping and leaning to the left (his weak side) and I couldn’t hold him up anymore.  We stopped, got him down and he and Brooks sat in a bench seat on the carousel till the ride was over.  The best part was the funny mirrors in the arcade.  You would swear my boys had NEVER seen them before,lol.  We were all cracking up at how funny and crazy they look in them…. Especially Alex in the wheelchair!  Not sure all of you have had the pleasure of seeing this movie, not on my list of favorites, lol…. But  Alex loves the movie Harold and Kumar Visit White Castle and he insisted we eat at WHITE CASTLE on the way home…. Basically our version of Krystals down south.  Thanks to Pop Pop and Gma’s shore house neighbors, Richie and Julie ….. little did we know it but they gave $$ to treat us to White Castle!   SO THANK YOU JULIE, RICHIE and sister Kristen for picking up the tab at White Castle for all of us to enjoy!
Our next trip into the city was EVENTFUL to say the least!  Alex had been bugging us to go to POP TART WORLD...yes there is such a thing!  A big store with a pop tart restaurant with many different foods prepared with pop tarts, lol.  Even.... pop tart sushi!  Sounds gross... yes... taste grosse... well depends on if you like smushed up pop tart rolled in a fruit roll up?!  I particularly did not care for it myself but it wasn't what I was thinking it was going to be..... fish pop tart seaweed...no thanks, lol!  From there we strolled the city gathering up our last day of shopping and soaking up as much of the city as we could.  As we were leaving we see the CHARMIN store...... there is a guy outside dressed in a toilet getup costume....singing... trying to get people to go in.  We figured... why not?  So we go in.... there is a ramp to the right and stairs straight in.... we opt for the ramp being Alex is in his wheelchair.  Basically the whole store is BATHROOMS.... their selling point is that they have the cleanest restrooms in NYC!  Its shaped like a horseshoe with bathrooms and you wait in line and each time someone comes out, they clean it for you then you go in.  Each bathroom is decorated as a different state... cool enough.  Their advertising comes in once you get in there.... you have 5 different toilet papers (all charmin) to choose from! LOVE IT... GENIUS!  They even had 2 handicap ones so that I could get Alex in there and you know of course he had to try it out, lol.  So once we all had our go, to the left of the store was a GIANT toilet that you could take your picture at and they emailed it to you for free.  So Alex and Brooks have their go at it... Alex wanted to stand up... ok we can do this.... stand him up... take the pic....now it's mine and Randi's turn.  Well we get our pic taken, then I want one by myself with my iphone so I can post to FB... gonna sit on the thing and make a funny one right?  Well, Randi is trying to take the pic with my phone and it isnt cooperating, so she hands me the phone and I am trying to figure out why it isn't taking the pic.... I hear her saying "Wait Alex".... "Alex... WAIT!".... AND BEFORE I KNEW IT.... I look over and Alex is SPRAWLED OUT OVER THE FLOOR with 20 people around him.... I jumped off the toilet, ran over there to see that Mr. Alex Ross thought he would be slick and head to the door where Brooks was standing and talking on the phone... HOWEVER... he has NO PERIPHEAL vision to the left side, up or DOWN... and he scooted his wheelchair right over the STEP and over went the wheelchair with him in it!   My heart hasn't beat that fast since January 6th!  I thought it was going to jump out of my chest..... I get over there and am freaking out... "Alex are you ok?... are you alright? Did you hit your head?".... He looks at me and SMILES!!  "Mom, when I fell out the chair and the guy came over to me to help me up.... I asked him if I was SAFE or OUT"!!!  GOTTA LOVE THAT KID!!!  Thank God he was ok... scared us all to death.... this guy practically picked him up.... all 160 lbs and put him back in his wheelchair!  Once we got outside......Randi and I were crying we were laughing so hard...hahahahahahaha!  I could finally breath and honestly.... that junk was funny!  I am smiling just sitting here writing this because if you could have seen his face..... PRICELESS!  So to say the least... the ending to our last day in NYC was very eventful!  Our last day in Jersey was spent at the Garden State Mall or something like that.... HUGE.... HUGE.... mall and we didn't even see all of it.  Alex had Brooks and Pop Pop ALL over the place while Randi and I shopped in the girly stores!  Shopping.... a perfect ending to a perfect trip.... or what I thought was our last day in NJ, lol.  I called the airline and our flight was delayed an hour but we still had to be at the airport at the same time.  We headed home to greet the family one last time and head to the airport in two cars so that we could fit ALL of our luggage, us and Alex's wheelchair.  Pop pop's boss had gotten us a van to use while we were in town (THANK YOU) and pop pop was an awesome chauffeur! The van had to be turned in on Tuesday morning and we were leaving Tuesday night so we had to take TWO cars to the airport.  We load everything up.....Me, Brooks and Randi in Randi's car and Alex, Kristen, Gma and Pop Pop in Pop Pop's car.  I called the airport on the way to find out the status of our flight..... it was now delayed 2.5 hours and we would not be leaving until 11:30 arriving at 2:05 and I live about an hour from the airport so that meant getting home at 3-3:30 am with my little brain injured child....NO THANK YOU!  So while driving on our way to the airport, I call the airline to see if we can take another flight on WEdnesday because Alex cannot possibly survive the flying at that hour.... he, Brooks and I would ALL BE COO COO FOR COCOA PUFFS!!  "Yes mam, we can change that to the 3:05 flight.  You won't all be sitting together, but maybe once you get to the gate we can accommodate the change".  So I call the car ahead of us and let them know what's going on, we are all pulled over at some service station on the turnpike.... I call Chad see what he thinks...He thinks I should stay it will be to much on all of us to travel so late...... Brooks is in the backseat freaking out and dying to get home to see his girlfriend saying .."Mom, I will take care of him in the airport and on the plane, can we please just leave tonight"...I'm thinking to myself... do I really want to get in at 3-3:30 with Alex?  Do we really want to fly tonight if the weather is that bad?  Alex is in the backseat of the other car yelling out the window.... " LET'S JUST GO BACK TO THE HOUSE AND STAY ANOTHER DAY!" This must be a sign from God for us to stay another day.... OK WE ARE STAYING, lol.  WE all turn the cars around half way to the airport and head back to Bergenfield.  We made a pit stop and had a nice dinner at Applebee's and headed back to the house for a good nights rest before our adventure home on Wednesday.  Wednesday morning came....I talk to Momma Diane and she says... you know it's really windy out there... I don't think you should fly today and I assured her that I had been calling the airline all morning and my flight was on time so it must not be that bad at the airport!   Randi borrowed her boyfriends mom's SUV so that she could fit us and all of our luggage, wheelchair and bodies in one vehicle to get us to the airport...THANK YOU MRS. ESCOBAR....we arrive at the airport by 12:30 for our flight at 3:05....boys are starving we find a subway in the airport however Brooks decides he wants something at the pizza place.  I get me and Alex a sub... Brooks comes back with 3$ change from a 20$ bill that I gave him and says... "Mom, I'll pay you back when we get home"... I was like "Why".... he said " Well, the lady had an accent and I thought she said it was 6$ for the shrimp and noodles but she said $16"....NICE!  Enjoy that shrimp boy!  So basically I paid about $40 for the 3 of us to eat at the airport. OUCH!  We are hurrying and eating like crazy.... gotta get through that long line of security check and make sure we don't have any problems with Alex and metal detector going off with the bullet still lodged in his head.  So we get in line... wheelchairs go through a different line... Brooks takes him... I am in line with everyone else... we have to take off our shoes... Alex too... place in a bin, we all have backpacks.... laptops, dvd players etc... belts....phones...  you name it ... it had to go in the bins...SEPARATE BINS..... we had like 10 bins lol!  So Brooks has Alex to the left... I am trying to monitor 10 bins on the belt and Alex and Brooks at the same time making sure they are ok with being wanded and probed and scanned etc.  ALOT AT ONE TIME GIONG ON TO HANDLE.... The whole time Alex is cracking jokes saying he can't wait for the lady on the plane to ask him if he wants some nuts so that he can tell her " I already have some"..... CRAZY FOOL!  Always got jokes!  He is steady quoting quotes from Jimmy Jibberish... (you tube this one and you will see what the heck I am talking about).... People really think Alex is "special" because he is imitating this homeless bum who doesn't know if he is coming or going or even know what the heck he is saying!  So people are looking at him trying to figure out what he is saying while he is quoting this fool from you tube.... I am trying to gather up the 10 bins of electronics, backpacks, phones, shoes..... get everything put back in the bags, I am sweating like crazy.... wanting to rush to the gate so that I can get our seats squared away because Mr. Ross has been freaking out thinking he was going to have to sit with a stranger.... MAJOR OVERLOAD.  WE get to the gate, gate 23 what my boarding pass says..... we wait, no one there.... Alex wants gummy bears.... then I notice that Gate 25 says "JACKSONVILLE" and there is a lady there!  I go to the lady.... explain that Alex is in wheelchair, we need to be in the last seats right outside of the bathroom and I need atleast 2 of the 3 of us to be together. She fixes it to where Brooks and Alex are in seats 18 A and B and I am in 16.... ok we will have to take that!  As she proceeds to change all the tickets, a voice comes over the loud speaker and says that the Flight to Jacksonville's Gate has changed to Gate 20.  The boys start freaking out, yelling at me to hurry we have to go..... the time is like 2:30 and I know that our flight doesn't leave for another 30 minutes and told them to go over there that I needed to finish getting our boarding passes.  She gets it all squared away and as I head to Gate 20 to meet the boys.... the voice comes over the loud speaker again and says... " THE FLIGHT TO JACKSONVILLE HAS BEEN CANCELLED!".... not delayed... CANCELLED.   I took one look at Brooks' face and thought he was going to pass out, lol.  I already knew he was ready to get back to Jax on Saturday and today was Wednesday!  So now I had to get in ANOTHER line at customer service with all the OTHER PEOPLE WHO WERE ON MY FLIGHT and try to get another one out of there!  The 8:05 flight was booked solid and already 2.5 hours delayed as the night before ( we know I wasn't going to take that flight anyways if it was going to be like the night before!).... I had an option to fly Delta to Atlanta, CHANGE PLANES and connect to fly to Jax only that flight itself was delayed 2 hours in Atlanta.  I wasn't taking a chance on having to sleep in the ATL airport with these two... NO WAY!  Alex is over in the waiting area yelling at me to hurry up let's just go back to Randi's house!  I'm trying to calmly explain to him I have to get us new tickets and arrange a flight home.  He doesn't understand of course he has to come over to me and try to get inline in the wheelchair with 50 other irate customers and TRY TO TELL HIS STORY, lol! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.... never a dull moment with him, I swear!  I look at Brooks and tell him " We aren't leaving tonight".... I'll never forget that look he gave me.... my heart was aching for him... I felt horrible but we were going to have to stay ANOTHER NIGHT!  We would be leaving on Thursday at 12:30 GOD WILLING.... only.... our luggage was already packed up and heading to JAX on the next plane.  ANOTHER PUNCH IN THE FACE, lol.  Now I had to tell Brooks and Alex they wouldn't have their clothes either..... OMG!  I called Kristen to see if she could come and get us because I knew Randi, Gma and Pop Pop all had to work and she would be getting out around 3-4 we would just have to wait. Soooooo, long story short, we spent 4 hours in the airport that day hanging out!  Kristen came and got us....it was just us, our backpacks and a wheelchair so we all fit in her Honda... no worries.  The boys are freaking... " We need toothbrushes, deoderant.....what clothes are we going to wear?"... You know that real feeling of the earth is coming to an end kind of deal. NEVER A DULL MOMENT.  Of course I suggest we just stop at
Walgreens on the way back to the house and I will get us some essentials.  We pull up and Alex announces he has to POOP.... HECK NO!  "Hurry Kristen, drive home... we ain't doing this here"!  "ALEX... HOLD IT!".... What is it with this kid and having to poop at the most inopportune times???!!!  We rushed home... he made it fine... Kristen and I went back out to get what I needed.... and all was good.  Next morning.... we arrived at airport, flight was scheduled to leave at 12:30 and I survived another security check... kind of a PRO by now, lol!  I wish someone had been filming us because I know we could be on funniest home videos! Heck I wish I had someone filming our family all the time... I really think it would make good TV!!  Kate Plus 8 ain't got nothing on this family!!! :0)  We got on the flight.... all sitting together...THANK YOU GOD!  Alex had to poop TWICE on the way home....not ONCE.... TWICE!  Now imagine in your mind.... me, Alex and a bathroom smaller than a portolette?  NOT MY IDEA OF A GOOD TIME!  I dreaded everytime he said... "Mom... I have to poop".  I hate those words any way but it's even worse when you are 20,000 miles in the air on a freaking puddle jumper with 50 seats and a bathroom the size of a closet AND.... ALEX MICHAEL ROSS, hahahahahahaha!  We survived..... we made it happen.... He's yelling "touchdown" in the bathroom as he is "dropping the kids off at the superbowl" as he calls it!  I can only imagine what the people on that flight were thinking!  AN ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME is how I would sum up our thanksgiving trip.... simply amazing!

Thank you to Pop Pop for taking off of work, showing us the town and for putting up with the shenanigans of the Alex Ross gang! You were a trooper and we really appreciate the time you took for us without a single complaint!  Gma.... you're the best!  Thank you so much for opening your home to a crazy week, for preparing an awesome Turkey day feast.... for making us all feel very welcomed and loved in your home... we love you!  Randi and Kristen.... thank you for giving up your rooms so that we could have the luxury of a bed, for carting us around too and from the airport... for your enduring love, friendship and spirit.... we love you!  Mark and Darlene.... thank you for making the long trip with the kids.... for sacrificing and staying in a hotel.... for going along with the craziness of not knowing what we were doing or where we were going until the very last minute.... I LOVE YOU!  Our time spent with the family this Thanksgiving was very special to all of us and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making it possible!



Wednesday, December 22, 2010

I BELIEVE GOD PUTS US IN PLACES.... AT THE RIGHT TIME!

 Today I am writing with a very emotional heart.... yesterday was an amazing experience for both Kinlin and I..... God put us right where we needed to be at just the right time!

You see yesterday, Kinlin came over to help me wrap and wrap and wrap and wrap lol!  It's never ending around here!  So she is here, we are wrapping and she gets a text from our friend that lives down the street.  His wife had been throwing up the night before and was still throwing up 16 hours later.  He was still at work and leaving to do some Christmas shopping and wanted to know if Kinlin could run to the Kangaroo store down the street and get her some Gatorade, Ginger ale and crackers.  OF COURSE... so we stopped dead in our tracks, jumped in the car and headed to the corner store.  As we are checking out, the cashier as we now know as "Bonnie" sees Kinlin's shirt (TEAM ALEX) and says... "Who is Alex?"....THIS IS WHERE GOD COMES INTO PLAY!  I say... "Oh, that is my son, he was shot in the head back in January... they gave him three hours to live but he is still alive today".  She then proceeds to tell us that her grandson has since gotten a brain injury and someone asked her if she knew Alex Ross, told her of our story and my blog and she had just this week been reading my blog.  She shared her story... A VERY SAD story.... her grandson who is 4 months old, was admitted to the hospital ( I won't name it) 5 weeks ago because he was breathing funny... apparently he had vomited and swallowed it back, went into his lungs causing pneumonia.  Since then, the nurse had put the IV in an artery, not the vein causing his hand to turn black and need to be amputated.  He was also overdosed causing a brain injury.  They told her she would need to pull the plug, however she couldn't and because she didn't.... he began to breath right before thanksgiving.  They now tell her he will be a vegetable and that his brain is non responsive. I will say..... she has since changed hospitals.
After hearing all this from Bonnie.... we are all crying.....of course I immediately told her not to give up and that I was going home to get Alex so she could get some inspiration and see that MIRACLES do happen and it is very possible that God can intervene and save the day!
We took Cheryl her sick goodies..... picked up Alex and headed back to the corner store!   As soon as he gets out the car and we WALK into the store.... it's a very emotional moment for all.  Bonnie had called her daughter to tell her that she met us and Brandy was on her way to do the same!  Of course it will be a minute until she can get to us, Alex decides he wants a snack... a SNICKERS, lol.  So Bonnie gets a swivel chair so he can sit.... so there he is, in the middle of the kangaroo, sitting on a swivel chair, hanging out eating a snickers, hahahahahaha..... kinda out of the ordinary for people who were coming in and out to pay for gas or pay for stuff, lol!  Brandy finally got there and as soon as she walked in, met Alex..... I hugged her tight and the tears began to fall like waterfalls!  A very very emotional moment for all.  Kinlin and I witnessed right there, to Brandy and Bonnie about Gods miracles and that HE is in control of it all.  NEVER GIVE UP.... NEVER LOSE FAITH....God has the power to heal all..... the doctors only know what they have learned in the scientific world but God is good and he can do what NOONE else can!  HE IS THE WORKER OF MIRACLES! 
You know I always say that even in my darkest days.... I have realized that there is ALWAYS someone out there that is worse off than me.  True I don't have the easiest of life these days.... finances are being met by the GRACE OF GOD with me not working, we have good days and we have bad days...... Alex still has a very long way to go and I have no idea how long I will NOT be able to work because I have to care for him..... but GOD IS GOOD and I am sooooo very very thankful for his saving Grace and the life of Alex Ross!!  I will take the bad with the good and I will make the most of it!  IT'S ALL HOW WE HANDLE PLAN B... right?!! Make lemonade out of lemons.... STAY POSITIVE.... GIVE IT TO GOD!  This time of year is very emotional for me, especially because we Alex to share it with us.  There are soooo many others out there that are worse off than you and me, TRUST ME!  When you think you have it bad....or if you are having a bad day.... remember that!  If you have a roof over your head.... you are better than the person who is homeless.... If you have a job, whether you like that job or not..... you are better than the person who is jobless...... if you have family.... children driving you crazy, ...... you are better than the mother/father who lost a child.  STOP RIGHT NOW AND THANK GOD FOR YOUR MANY BLESSINGS THAT YOU TAKE FOR GRANTED ON A DAILY BASIS!  I still to this day have to take myself back to day 1 because I do get frustrated....my job is not an easy task every day.  Alex looks fine and to talk to him for 5-10 minutes, you would never know he was shot in the head.  But he has A LOT of cognitive issues that still have to be worked out.  He can't go to the restroom on his own..... he can't shower on his own..... he can't walk on his own...... HE ISN'T NORMAL.... his thought processes are not as yours and mine.... he is WIDE OPEN with no inhibition still.... no filter if you will.  Things that you and I know we shouldn't do....or say.... he can't process the difference with that.  He is OCD with things that I can't seem to break the chain of.  But you know what.... I HAVE HIM HERE!  I will deal with whatever curve balls life throws me and I will make the very best of each day!  Look around you.... count your blessings and then count them again.... THANK HIM.... and then THANK HIM AGAIN!  He is responsible for your blessings!  They can be taken from you in a split second..... ONE PHONE CALL can change your life!  Remember this Christmas season .... the TRUE SPIRIT of Christmas.... JESUS CHRIST! 
I truly believe that God put Kinlin and I in that Kangaroo store yesterday to witness and give Brandy and Bonnie faith and hope......  To share my story of how God worked a miracle in our lives and could very well do the same for them.  God works in mysterious ways and I am honored that he is using me as a tool to lead people to HIM and share my testimony of his MIRACLE!
As I close I ask you to please pray for JAYDEN ADAMS... the 4 month old little boy of Brandy Adams.  I have been in her shoes..... her days are like roller coasters and a living nightmare.  Lift her, Jayden and her family up in prayer.  Praying that God wraps his arms around them tightly and that they can GIVE IT ALL TO GOD and LET HIM WORK HIS MAGIC!
We have no therapies until after the holiday, so if I don't get online until then..... WISHING YOU ALL A SAFE AND HAPPY HAPPY HOLIDAY!  REMEMBER TO THANK HIM FOR YOUR MANY MANY BLESSINGS..... try to focus on the positives in your life and if for some reason you are not talking to a friend.... a sibling.....a family member..... FIX IT!  SWALLOW YOUR PRIDE AND FIX IT!  Tomorrow may not come and you will regret it for the rest of your life....LIFE IS TOO SHORT and you can't get back today once it is gone.  TRUST ME ON THAT ONE!

LOVE YA'LL!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!



PEACE~LOVE~N~THUMBS UP! LISA

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Funny how it's been almost a year..... we have come so far but yet we still have so far to go.  I never thought this would be my life and there isn't a day that goes by that I wish I could go back to January 5th and have my same Alley Pooh back.  I have had to overcome many obstacles emotionally and physically.... Alex has grown up through all of this, hit puberty right in the middle of it all and went from a boy to a man overnight it seems.  I look back at the many many pics from the beginning and he was such a baby compared to now.  I feel like I've missed a vital part of his life.... THE CHANGE.... this is certainly not how I envisioned it!  Funny I used to always tease him and ask him when was his voice going to change? lol!  Now we are just hoping that he continues to have a voice if he needs another surgery. Speaking of..... I told you all how it's basically up to alex and keeping his trach capped for two weeks that he could get the trach out.  Well.... so far he has only done 1 hour,  lol.  We are going to try for 3 hours today so please continue to lift him up in prayer to give him the courage and the strength to complete this task and save him from another surgery.  I have him on the schedule for operation on January 25th.... soooooo he has lots of time to prove that he can do it by himself.   I am hoping and praying that we don't have to go the surgery route, however I will do whatever is necessary to get that dang thing out!  LET'S JUST PRAY!

In this first video Alex had to walk sideways and punch the ball..... not an easy task by any means.... something that we all take for granted that we can do without falter.  He worked hard at therapy yesterday and I couldn't be prouder!


In this second video Alex had to focus on leaning on and using his left side to bear the weight while roping the pegs.  You can see how hard he is working by the shaking of his left leg.  This wasn't his favorite exercise lol.... he had to work hard!  It will pay off in the end!


My little joker!  Always makes me laugh even when I am mad, lol!  He worked really hard yesterday at occupational therapy picking up and releasing rings with his left hand.  You can tell how hard he is working by the shaking of his left hand.  I was AMAZED when I saw him actually close his fingers to grasp the ring.... MAJOR PROGRESS!  THANK YOU GOD!






I am still working on having his "CELEBRATION OF LIFE" event and would like to have it on Saturday January 8th ... the problem we are running into is finding a stage for the bands to play on and getting permits from the city to hold the event.  TOO MUCH STUFF to have to take care of on top of my everyday life!  AAAAAAAAAHHHH... why can't it just be something simple to be able to get this party off the ground!  If anyone has any ideas please let me know! 

I have my NJ/NY visit blog completed just have to add pics to it... another small task you think, yet very time consuming for me lol, especially with Alex calling me every 5 minutes for something.

Below are a few pics of Alex eating his chicken and waffles at Gladys Knights Chicken and Waffles restaurant in Atlanta, GA.... he is a HOT MESS!








Gotta run... Alex calls....



PEACE~LOVE~N~THUMBS UP! LISA

Monday, December 13, 2010

2nd opinion in ATL..... NEWS WAS GOOD!

We started our day off at Gladys Knight's Chicken & Waffles restaurant with our friends for lunch!  Jo Jo, Yuppie and Sam.... We love you and I thank you for making time for us while we were here.  MOM... thank you for treating us all to an awesome lunch!  AWESOME ....AWESOME.... FOOD WAS GREAT!  If you ever are in ATL I recommend you go!  Alex had 2 chocolate chip waffles, a breast and 2 thighs and his face was covered... COVERED in chocolate from the waffles, lol.  My little 4 year old today decided NOT to use utensils and just picked up his waffles and ate them as if they were a piece of bread!  I have pics but my computer is NOT letting me pull pics off of my phone so I will have to do so when I get home and post!  Alex made friends with our waitress Fairren and the cashier in the restaurant..... and you know he made his story known by starting out like this..... " Let me tell you my story.... I had 3 hours to live"....... He knows no strangers wherever we go!  The restaurant was right across the street from Emory University so that worked out great!  Dr Johns was really nice and Alex got scoped through his nose and his throat to make sure he got a view from all angles.  His airway actually looks good.... good enough that if Alex can stand the cap on his trach then he would be able to get it out in 2 weeks!!  HOWEVER...  the doctor asked him to put his cap on while we were in the office and Alex couldn't even stand it for 5 minutes... sooooo, even though his airway looks ok.... the doctor said he would recommend a surgery where he goes down below the vocal chords to open the airway instead of going up above where his past two surgeries have been because the scar tissue will continue to come back.   The good part about our visit.... the doctor did NOT think the stint would be the way to go! YAY!  Anywho... he wants to put Alex on the books for surgery for January in case he can't withstand the capping process he must get through in order to be able to get the trach out.  By capping the trach we mean that he puts a cap on the trach that makes him breath through his nose and mouth... like you do.  Now with the trach.... it's open and he can breath through trach, nose and/or mouth so he just doesn't like the way it FEELS... he can breath... he just doesn't like the way it feels.  It doesn't feel normal or what he is used to and we all know how he is about routine and going outside of his normal every day routine.... IT AIN'T HAPPENING.  Sooo, I'm thinking that if we all PRAY about this.... pray for Alex to be able to withstand the capping and not focus so much on how abnormal it feels that he can get through this WITHOUT another surgery???  It's very possible.... we know what God can do if this is his plan so let's all pray together that HE WILL COME THRU AGAIN!  The doctor said that if he can go two weeks with being capped then he will simply take him off the surgery schedule and he will take the trach out!  We just thought it would be easier to get him on the schedule and take him off if he succeeds rather than wait 2 weeks to then schedule a surgery if he is going to need it.  I have pics to post of his throat from today's appointment but my computer isn't cooperating in order for me to do so....my apologies! 

We met up with my step-sister Courtney and her honey Bubba at the mall and did some Christmas shopping after our doctor appointment....good therapy for me,lol!  I feel really good about my visit today....mostly relieved that we will not be getting a stint put in and he will still have voice after this next operation if he indeed needs it.

He is freaking out because he is trying to sleep and I am typing in bed so I am going to close for now and hopefully be able to get my NJ/NY trip blog posted this week along with pics from our ATL visit.  Thanks to all of you prayer warriors still out there praying for us.... I'm not sure if anyone even still reads this as I have slacked off on my writings because it's hard to find time away from him these days.  If you are reading this.... THANK YOU.... thank you for your love and support and continued prayers.  I have been telling everyone these past couple of weeks that he is fine and well on his way to a great recovery...... PRAY FOR ME LOL AND MY SANITY!  He is a hotmess and a large HANDFUL to deal with.... some days are a lot harder than others....BUT HE IS HERE....AND I WILL DEAL WITH WHATEVER COMES MY WAY!!  THANK YOU GOD FOR ANOTHER DAY WITH MY HANDSOME BOY.... and THANK YOU for my many blessings.  LORD.....Please grant us safe travels home tomorrow and a SANE QUIET.... NON POOPING TRIP HOME.... AMEN!


PEACE~LOVE~N~THUMBS UP! LISA

Sunday, December 12, 2010

In Atlanta.... Big day tomorrow!

We made the trip with only two poop stops, lol and NO accidents thank God!
Quote if the day.....Last stop we stopped at Alex said " ok, I'm gonna clog it and then we'll book it" lol!! When we got to Forsyth,Ga there were snow flurries everywhere and the closer we got to Atlanta the harder it fell. Going 80 miles an hour on the interstate and Alex rolls down his window and tries to catch the snowflakes lol. We had a very nice dinner with some old friends from La.... Thank you Miss Mac, Mr RC, Yuppie, Jo Jo,Samarah,Issac and Lily.... We really really enjoyed dinner and appreciate you making us feel at home!!
Tomorrow we have a big day as we head to Emory University for our second opinion. Please pray that we get the answers we are looking for so that the trach can come out once and for all.
Alex has us going to eat chicken and waffles tomorrow at some Gladys Knight chicken and waffles place... Ummmmm I'll let u know how that goes lol! Once we get out of our dr appt I will post what the doctor says.... Fingers and toes crossed.... Prayers going up to heaven ;0)


PEACE~LOVE~N~THUMBS UP! LISA

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Baby Steps!!

Alot has been going on with me and Alex... I have been down with strep and he has had a stomach virus off and on for 2 weeks now so between the two of us it's Been a bit crazy! I had to get on real quick and brag about my handsome boy and tell you all of the progress he has made this week! Tonight will be the third night he has been sleeping in his bed ALL by himself and ALL NIGHT without waking up! THANK YOU GOD!!! I never thought we would get to this point.... It seemed it was never going to come! He still is a little scared So I do lay with him for about 15-20 min to calm him and put his mind at ease. He listens for me to set the alarm and I show him that I can see him on the baby monitor. BABY STEPS but we are getting there! I am Soooo proud of him!
Please pray for our journey to Atlanta on Sunday, we finally have doctors appt at Emory University for a second opinion on how to get that darn trach out. Praying they have the perfect solution to getting it out. Alex has had alot of anxiety regarding this trip and concerns about what they plan on doing to him and worried that they will want to operate and put the stint in. He is hoping and praying for another solution that won't take his voice for 10-12 weeks. Actually .... So am I! Lord help us all if he can't talk for 10-12 weeks... I do NOT want to go back to sign language lol! I will try to be better about my blogging now that I am almost back to normal and feeling much better. Look for blogs on Tuesdays and Thursdays ... This way I have more to report and Won't bore you. ;0)

I'll keep you updated on our journey and what hopeful solutions they have As to getting that trach out once and for ALL!

PEACE~LOVE~N~THUMBS UP! LISA

Monday, December 6, 2010

PRAYER REQUESTS FOR MY PRAYER WARRIORS... WE NEED YOU!

I finally figured out how to add the archive on here so that you or new followers can go back and catch up in case you think you have missed any of my blogs!  YAY!  On the right hand side you should see a list and you can click on the month and pick the day you want to read about.  I am in the process of still writing about our trip to NJ and NYC.... going day by day and hitting the hi-lights with some pictures to top it off.  I promise the wait is worth it!

 I have been sick since we got back... think I have strep and I haven't wanted to do anything so I apologize for the delay in my blogging.  I have been on antibiotics and feel much better today... well at the moment anyways, lol.  Alex is doing good... he got into a little trouble with me yesterday as he has this problem of getting people to change their plans to take him here or there and he made plans with two people yesterday of which it backfired on him because first of all ... HE DIDN'T ASK me... HIS MOM if it was ok and second of all... because he doesn't realize that people go OUT OF THEIR way to accommodate him and r!earrange their day to suit him and then he will cancel on one because he thinks the other option is better.... WELL I DON'T GO FOR THAT.... sooooooooooo, he ended up staying home and not going anywhere yesterday.  He has to learn that if you make plans with someone, you keep those plans.  The next person can wait until you are available again.  If he keeps going the rate he is going... noone will want to do anything with him.  He hurts peoples feelings without realizing the multitude of it.... hopefully cognitive therapy will have a key play in this and he will get back some of those emotional traits he once had so he can realize the extent of what he says and does has consequences.

Any who.... other than that... he is doing great.... we have 3 therapies today for 3 hours.  WE leave Sunday for Atlanta, his appt for a second opinion at Emory University is on Monday so please say some prayers that we have a great alternative solution besides the surgery and "stint" placement.  If he has to get a stint he will have no voice for 10-12 weeks and that will send me over the top, lol!

PRAYER REQUESTS PLEASE:
I have had a couple of prayer requests since I was last on so please add these people to your prayer list:

MITCHELL GREEN - was in a car accident last week and it was very serious with swelling to his brain, several broken vertebrae and facial fractures.  I am trying to get a status as I write this and am waiting for a phone call......

OLIN WILLIAMS - A brother to a friend of mine who is Nick's age (21)....Serving in Afghanistan and while there got bit by some insect which carried a flesh eating virus... has become infected and now he is incoherent and in very serious condition fighting for his life.  Doctors are trying to stabilize him so that they can move him to Washington for treatment.

PLEASE PRAY FOR HEALING FOR BOTH AND PEACE FOR THE FAMILIES INVOLVED.

We serve an Awesome GOD and even though these incidents seem unfair and we ask ourselves why.... I of all people know that this is part of his plan and as hard as it may seem to understand..... WE MUST HAVE FAITH IN HIM!  Put all your trust and faith in God and there will be a peace and comfort in ABUNDANCE that will come over you like nothing else in this world.  HE IS THE TRUTH, THE WAY AND THE LIGHT!  Remember that always..... even in the good times it is easy to forget..... but He is always there.... waiting... no questions asked .... you just have to let him in!!

Thank you Lord, for always being there...... For giving me what I need and when I need it, for the strength to get me thru each day.... for showing me right from wrong....and for my many many blessings each and every day that are easy to take for granted.  I love you with all my heart and soul and I pray that you heal these two boys Mitchell and Olin from the tip of their head to the bottom of their toes and bring peace to the families.  You have done great work on my boy and I am so very thankful for that.  You can show your talents again, right now.... to these boys and their families....miracles before their very eyes.....please Lord, I ask you with everything that I have to please wrap your arms around them and show them who You are and what You are capable of!!  In Jesus Name I Pray.... AMEN!

Thank you PRAYER WARRIORS!!!  xoxo

PEACE~LOVE~N~THUMBS UP! LISA

Friday, December 3, 2010

WE ARE FINALLY BACK AFTER 3 DAYS OF TRYING TO GET OUT OF NJ!

I just wanted to let you all know we are finally back in Jax and I am hoping to blog today while he is in therapy for three hours.  I have lots to share of our plane ride adventures and trips into NYC!  Stay tuned for Alex Ross adventures.... you will surely laugh! 

HAVE A GREAT DAY!

peace~love~n~thumbs up!!

Lisa