We need 30,000 votes!

http://www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com/entrant/selah-clanton-zephyrhills-fl/  the answer is true uptil midnight tonight

Thank you for voting.....it overwhelms me so I appreciate anyone who takes the time to vote! 

This week has been so busy for me, I've gotten so much done but have so much left undone.  I am just feeling soooo overwhelmed again.  I've ran all week and yet need another week to catch up from this week.

As far as the contest goes....thank you all!  I think we need to be around 30,000 to have hopes of winning.  You all have done so much, but we have a long way to go.  Thank you for all your efforts.  We were on two tv stations in this area and I think we are in the local paper today, I've not had a chance to get one.  Voting goes on till May 9th or so so we have plenty of time to  build up. 


Today was another crazy long day for me.  One thing I had to do was go to the foot doctor.  The day before we left for NY (when the accident happened) I had major foot surgery both cutting surgery and laser surgery.  Things had been fine until just recently.  So today I thought I'd have to have the laser again and let me tell you that HURT the first time I had so I was NOT looking forward to it.  However he scrapped my foot and put something on it, which was much better.  I have some type of werid planter's wart (I know I spelled it wrong, it's too late to look up)   It looks like a little piece of a pencil head or something like that.  The first time I went to this guy, it was my THRID surgery in just a few weeks time as I had something resting on a nerve, and there is nothing like nerve pain!  He extracted something that looked just like a big molar.  I never got the pathology report back since we were in NY and things were so crazy.  So I asked him today and he remembered it since he'd never seen anything like that, he told me it was also classified as a planter's wart.  But it looked just like a molar!  He said he hadn't forgotten that LOL

I'm too tired to get really deep but this was the first time I was back in his examining  room  since the accident.  The last time I was in there, was the day before we left for NY and I brought Selah with me.  She was so cute, I even remember the outfit she was wearing......  She sat and watched me scream.  She even laughed some.  When I walked in, everything was in the same spot, including the chair she set in.  The surgery was just 6 days before the accident.....  the last time I went somewhere with just me and Selah.  Everything brings back memories to me!

How do some parents stand it?  We only had Selah for 13 weeks before the accident happened and it feels like EVERYTHING I do, reminds me of "BEFORE"   What if we'd had her the whole 7 years and then the accident happened?  How do they stand it?  Just the little time we had before is so poignant for me. Every little thing, every place.....

Thank you all for your prayers, thoughts and votes....one day I'll actually write a real blog post.  I have some really funny stories to share, just some off the wall things that have happened to us lately.  Maybe this weekend I can catch my breath. 

News Interviews

Crazy busy day again......
http://www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com/entrant/selah-clanton-zephyrhills-fl/  real quick...the answer is 79-how many medals.....


here is the interview from last night
http://www.wtsp.com/story/news/local/zephyrhills/2014/03/26/zephyrhills-family-wheelchair-van-vegetative-state-disability/6897529/
After the long day I had, I can't believe I was even coherent!

Today I had a call from Bay News 9 and they also came and interviewed us:)   I was a bit more coherent today, than last night but I don't see that link up yet.


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Today was spent in arranging all the appointments/tests that the GI specialist wants the kids to have done!. My "to do" list continues to grow, as soon as I get one thing marked off two more have taken its' place.  There truly seems to be no end in sight.  My goal is to have everything done/scheduled/filled out/sent in etc...by May 1st.....Please don't hold your breath cause I sure ain't:)    Between the church and our family, from setting up appointments to doing college scholarship paperwork....I don't know f i'm coming or going!    Having 5 kids at so many different stages of life is not the easiest thing in the world!!!

So just when we think things are perfect with Selah she does something different.  There was some info our new neuro wanted me to get from NY so I had called the doctor that handled most of her care there.  I went outside to talk and was telling her all the good things Selah has been doing, walk back inside and Selah's heart rate is 160!  YIKES!  BUT the funny/good thing is that she is not storming at all.  She's not upset, not red or sweaty.  So we really do not know what to think.  She calmed down to the 120's and I asked the nurse to put her in her stander and her heart rate returned to near normal.  We are going to have the company that supplies her machine that measures her heart rate and oxygen level to come out and look at the machine to ensure it is measuring correctly.  The nurse did count and her heart rate was high today and her blood pressure low for a short time.  But she seems absolutely fine now.

The info I got from our sweet doctor in NY was about Selah's PH level when she arrived in the ER.  The PH level that they want to see is 7.0, Selah's was 6.98......it makes a huge difference.    For a long time I had wondered WHY the ER doctors worked so hard and gave her FOUR shots to her heart. (at the time we wanted them to fight!!)   Of course I didn't understand at the time of the accident what kind of damage could happen but I do now.  So once I understood everything, I had to wonder why the doctors knowing how bad brain damage could be would keep working on her.  NOW I truly understand why, she was so close....  There are other factors that can foretell the outcome of a near drowning but the PH is a big one.  So my heart just broke all over again at what "might have been"  Maybe if she'd gotten there 2 minutes sooner....she was so close to having a good number.   I don't read alot on the internet about near drownings.  The only things I look into are CURES, things we can try, studies, therapies etc.....I dont' get into the groups, I don't really want to hear alot of stories, I"m living my own story and that is hard enough.  But I researched things a little and it just broke my heart all over again.

Every now and then for a minute or two I dream of how our life would be 'if only"   Would I appreciate it like I think I would?  Of course I think I'd appreciate the heck out of it.  Oh God, I can just imagine, Selah right up in the middle of everything....making a mess with her toys, wanting to stay outside and play, looking at herself in the mirror with her new dress on...grabbing a piece of pizza....laughing ...

Hearing the numbers, reading the various reports, it just hurt me all over again.  Didn't expect that, it came out of nowhere, I was just curious and getting the info for the doctor.

I am thankful for so much with  Selah, so thankful that she is very stable overall and coming off of meds.  I'm thankful that she seems very content.  I'm thankful for all the people in her life that are helping us to give her the very best life possible.....I am thankful that we still have her with us...I just can't help wanting her back to us 100%.  Thank you for all the prayers you have prayed for her, please keep praying.......

What A Day!

My FB post.....

WHAT a DAY! Three kids in to see the new GI (love the doctor-thanks Tammy for the info on her!) Had to sit between Sam and Sarah in the van for an hour plus as he likes to pull her hair and she cries like a girl LOL! (...sibling rivalry at its' best! I could make a joke if I wasn't so wasted about blind kids pulling each others hair-it's just funny) Got home, picked up Shad got all new meds, took him to piano lessons, got home had new "brain trauma therapist" for Selah, Steve left for his piano lessons  in the middle of cooking supper, get call from Ch 10 wanting to do an interview about the van contest. I have the WORST ever hair cut of my life, Jon had a problem at the prison, couldn't leave, Probably the worst tv interview of my life. I couldn't get my thoughts together, kittens running all around...children squealing...it was just crazy LOL Finally got everything done, it's 10pm and I'm trying to vote I have no idea what the answer is for the extra vote (it's Horizontal Steering Column  thanks Betty!!!)    Thank you all for voting. I have never been so tired in a long time. What a day!

 

http://www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com/entrant/selah-clanton-zephyrhills-fl/  the answer for the next two hours for the extra vote is....Horizontal Steering Column

 

Lisa Buie wrote an article for the Tampa Times about us:

http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/zephyrhills-family-in-online-contest-to-win-wheelchair-accessible-vehicle/2171805  she shared about the two other families from our area who are also in the contest.  I've not looked on the contest pages to see other families as I never want to feel I'm competing against someone else because I think if they are in the contest, they have a big need also.  NO ONE plans on getting a debilitating illness, or having an accident or having a child born with a special need.......NO ONE can be prepared for all the hardships that come along with that problem.  Just reading about the other two families in our area, is hard for me as we all need a handicapped accessible vehicle.   No one's need is greater than another's and most folks can't afford such a vehicle on their own.  We looked at some, brand new around $60,000....used with over 100,000 miles on it about $30,000!  I've never spent $30,000 for a brand new vehicle, much less one with so many miles on it!  I'm leery of buying a used one since there are so many parts that can go wrong AND you do not want to be stuck on the side of a road with an old broke down van and a handicapped child (or in my case CHILDREN!)  .  I'm certainly not an ungrateful person LOL  one of our van has over 130,000 miles on it and is 14 years old BUT we don't drive that car out of town!!!  Our new van is much nicer and we looked into refurbishing it into an handicapped accessible van BUT we would lose too many seats and there are 7 of us, 8 if you include the nurse.....so that wouldn't work out since we have so many people and we need one car we can get everyone out of town in in case of an emergency (like a hurricane -we live in Florida- and would have to evacuate Selah since we live out in the country)   or like today with 3 kids and 3 adults going 1.5 hours away to a doctor's appointment. Plus it was very expensive to do that.    Anyhow....the way I look at it, God provides for us, whether it is through a contest or through the ability to make money needed for what Selah needs or through a gift...whatever way it comes, when we absolutely NEED it, it will be there.....

 

So thank you all so much for voting and it warms my heart that people take the time to do it.  It was so sweet of Denise who nominated us and did all the leg work for me also.  So just that kind of support is absolutely amazing whether we win one of the vans or not!   I want to keep my heart in the right place and not worry about this!  But I do appreciate your votes:)

 

BTW, Miss Selah is doing really good.  She is adjusting well to being off the meds, I was worried but I think she is going to make it without them.  I am just over the moon happy with the new GI we saw today.  We now have a great GI doctor, neurologist and pulmologist and the BEST pediatrician anywhere to be found:)  They are all team players and committed to keeping Selah healthy, along with our full time nurses.  The doctors are accessible and able to think outside the box!  I am thrilled and it makes our lives so much easier to have such great doctors/nurses in our lives!!!!!  It took us awhile to get to the right ones, but what a blessing that we have been able to find them.  Those 3 areas, GI, neuro and pul are the three areas, that we focus on with Selah, being all on board together is fantastic!  I'm feeling very blessed tonight and believing this will be the key that will keep Selah healthy and out of the hospital (11 months without going in)

 

Also got lots of answers on Sam and Sarah and new info.  I'll go into all that tomorrow cause I truly need to crash now!!! 

 

Thank you all for your encouragement!!!!!!!!

I can have worms, I can have ticks but I can NOT have a bad haircut!

http://www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com/entrant/selah-clanton-zephyrhills-fl/
please go and vote and share......
the answer today is ZERO EFFERT STEERING! 
thanks!

All is good here, just been running all day long.  Got some funny things to share, maybe tomorrow?  Tomorrow is a bit crazy too....taking all three little ones to the GI .... should be fun.  Each child will have a primary caregiver with them LOL.  Aaron our nurse/monk will have Selah, I'll have Sarah and Steve will have Sam.  I have never tried to take all three of them to the doctor at once, I'm sure I'll have something funny to share.....no doubt!

Last week I got the hair cut from hell....at first I thought I was just so uncool that I wasn't styling it right....then I hoped that my hair was just "in shock"....NOPE it is a god awful hair cut.  I tried several days to deal with it but today had to call the shop and complain.  I've been going there for years.  The manager fixed my do that looked quite a bit like a "mullet" by cutting my hair very very very short.  I am sick and considering a wig!  The shop gave me all kinds of products to use on my hair to help it to grow and the manager will trim it and work on it for free until we can get it back to normal.  It is awful, just awful and I do know in the scheme of all the world's suffering that my bad hair cut is not a big deal but it actually made me cry today.  I told our nurse and physical therapist as I left for the salon "I can have worms, I can have ticks  BUT I can NOT have a bad haircut!   Southern girls from the 80's have a thing about their hair! 

Anyhow it is a zoo at my house today and tomorrow....crazy times!  Just got too much going on.

Thanks for your prayers and vote! 

CMA Christian Motorcyclists Association

We had a great day with the Christian Motorcyclist Association  CMA.  I had ran to the store and was coming back when I saw all these motorcycles turn into our church's parking lot.  It was fun to see:)   So the place was packed, the service was rocking and we had a huge luncheon!  We had food left over, everyone ate, sat around and talked.  It was nice. 

I am exhausted but in a good way:)  So I don't have much to say tonight

Just wanted to remind you to vote-we're at 2,928, would love to see us go over 3000 tonight.  The answer to the extra vote question is FALSE! 
http://www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com/entrant/selah-clanton-zephyrhills-fl/
Please go and vote!

Selah has done better the last 24 hours in keeping her heart rate in normal range.  Everything else is perfect with her. Thanks for your prayers, I'd be very happy if she could stay off this drug!  I was beginning to think she'd have to go back on but maybe not!

Oh and if you ever wonder about my neck/shoulder/back pain....it is still very much here!  Today I'm so sore it is pathetic!   And on top of the normal pain, I weeded the garden last evening so my hamstrings HURT!  Standing is not bad, sitting is fine but getting to either position is a killer!   But at least that will go away.  I have no idea what to think about my neck issues........

Anyhow hope you have a good close to your weekend and a great start to your week!

I included some pictures from today, of course my blog is acting up!!!!

 

the bikes

Guy leading worship

Guy, Sam and Rodney

 

see my baby girl in her biker outfit!

You are invited....

Ok I'm trying to get this posted earlier in the day:)  Sometimes it is just too hard!

http://www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com/entrant/selah-clanton-zephyrhills-fl/

"bridged mechanisms" is the answer for the extra vote!  We are at 2686!   You can vote DAILY!

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Today we are working on getting things together for tomorrow!  Our church is hosting CMA Christian Motorcyclist Association.  We have a few members who are a big part of CMA.  They are able to reach people that most of us wouldn't ever know.  It's exciting to see how God uses people, where their hearts are at-like in this case, motorcycles- to reach others and show them love. 

We are expecting a houseful!  I just ordered a huge FRIED CHICKEN order from Publix.  Fried Chicken is my total happy food if you know me:)  It's something we had at our house every day of my life growing up!  So we have it ordered for tomorrow and the tables are set up, and the church is being cleaned. 

Let me regress for a moment....being a pastor's wife is not the most fun thing to do at times.  But this past year has been the most rewarding for me.  We struggled here for so long and then all of a sudden, in spite of our personal tragedy and imperfections, God started doing something we couldn't explain.  To be honest, we have just sat back and watched....our church has grown by people moving to this area and becoming a part.  No one family knew another one, they just began coming and people were free to find their niche in the church.  It's been incredible.....  What I love the most is we are not a 'traditional" church in the sense of people's ministries....  Many of the folks who attend our church do ministry in unorthodox areas/ways.  But we don't try to be "cool" ( I can't stand cool LOL)
We are so Uncool....that we are cool LOL.   We all tend to be drawn to the "outcasts" of society, the ones others don't want to bother with; like the bikers, orphans, prisoners, special needs children/adults, the elderly, the Spanish speaking community, the homeless.....I LOVE it!   That's where our hearts are at, reaching the ones the world, even the church world, wants to forget.  I don't say that to say we are all so spiritual but I say it to explain that is our heart.  We are different, we will never be the "cool cutting edge church" (Not with my kiddos there turning in circles to the music) but I think God likes to be here:)

If you live in the central Florida area, come join us our website is:
http://www.gracechurchofzephyrhills.org/  there are some of Jon's sermons on there too.  You can find directions and a map to Grace Church. 

Country Roads....

 

On the way to take Shad to school, I had to snap this picture.  You can see our "Scooby-doo  fog" That's what we call low lying fog.  I thought the sunrise was one of the prettiest I've ever seen, this picture does not do it justice. 

 

Since I was a child, I've been fascinated by roads....and the cars traveling down them....  Where are they going?  Where have they been?  Where does the road go?  I can remember lying in my "summer bed room"  It was the converted half of our front porch turned into a bed room with EIGHT windows around two sides of it.  We didn't have air conditioning but I would have all 8 windows opened and the fan on and it was wonderful.  The room faced the street, we lived on a corner so I'd watch the cars go past and wonder "what in the world where those people doing up so late?"   "Where are they going, where have they been"  and "I want to go too!"  We also lived near the train tracks and I thought the train was so romantic.  I thought it would be wonderful to ride across the country on the train.  Well, I got cured of that idea in Ukraine, after the night ride across Ukraine!!!  So roads and railways have always fascinated me, there was a longing to go and see the world. 

 

Now I sense that in my older son.  He is wondering what life will bring him, what road he will travel.  Oh I almost kills me to hear him talk about his future, away from us.  I never "got it" when parents talked about the empty nest.  Oh my gosh do I get it now!  Just the thought that he might live on the campus at college, instead of at home just makes me want to blubber!   But at the same time, I'm so excited for him!  What will his future hold?  He's has had a much more exciting life than I did at his age.  He has been to three different countries, stayed in Ukraine for 6 weeks, traveled all over the USA, been to all the major cities in the East.  I tell him all the time, that he has had LIFE experiences that few people his age have had.  Who knows what will happen next for him?

 

Sometimes I read of how parents will say things over their kids like " You will be a mighty man of God and do mighty things  for God. "  I don't say that over my kids or thing like that.  Not that I don't think my kids have a destiny in life, but sometimes being a "mighty man or woman of God" isn't as important as being a faithful Christian, a good husband/wife, a nice person.....  Maybe the "mighty things they will do for God" will be stop their car to pick up a turtle and get it across the road, or let someone go before them in traffic, or take the time to talk to an old lady..... somehow that seems more important to me. 

 

Whatever road is ahead for them, I hope they will enjoy the journey.  The journey may not always be an easy road, but I hope they find beauty in the detours, joy in the pot holes and always have hope for what lies around the bend. 

 

 

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So do you want something to laugh about?  Today in my quest for health, I went to the dermatologist.  Everything was fine on my white body that I desperately tried to make become tan for far too many years.  However as the doctor was finishing the exam, she noticed something on the back of my knee....I was actually starting to get worried and then she said it was a TICK!   Yep, I was her first patient who she had to remove a tick from...EVER....!   Good thing I have a sense of humor as her assistant was saying things like "GROSS"  I was just cracking up!   She gave me a prescription for a medicine "just in case" of Lyme Disease but it's rare in Florida and the tick I had was not the kind it usually is in anyhow.  I had the BIG tick, not a tiny one.    Can you say with me "Only the  Clantons" 

 

Tonight a guy from our local newspaper came by, they are doing an article to help us win votes for  the wheelchair accessible van!   It should be out next week and I'll post the link on here.  My boys really liked this guy and he was a hoot.  We know some of the same folks, and have some of the same opinions. so we had some good laughs .

So if you get a chance to vote

http://www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com/entrant/selah-clanton-zephyrhills-fl/

we are at 2,494 votes!  Thank you!!!!!

the answer for the extra vote is

"a person with a disability" Question is "what kind of person needs a side entrance van?' or something like that....I can't remember:)  

I'd love to get to 2,700 by tomorrow!

 

 

Selah continues to have higher than normal heart rates.  At times I want to stick the Blood Pressure patch back on her, but her BP has been absolutely perfect and not as low.  I'm trying to hang in there until Monday, she is in no danger, but I feel uncomfortable when her resting heart rate is 110, it's just too high and her brain is not able to handle keeping it in check yet ( says Dr Yvonne)  I'm thrilled that her BP has been perfect, and the area of the brain that handles the BP and heart rate is right together, but it looks like the part that handles the BP is healed and dare I say normal!  While the heart rate is something she still needs help with.  All in all this is what we were told to expect, but it's been a week now and she hasn't evened out as much as we'd like to see.  I'd appreciate some prayers for her.  I really LOVE that the doctor took her off the meds, and I don't want to see her go back on anything but .....  her brain needs to start regulating her heart rate better.

 

 

Thank you all for all you do for us.  I really appreciate all of you.  Your care, concern and love does come across to our family.  I'm thankful for your prayers and kind words.  I think having this blog, has helped me tremendously on this journey of mine!  Have a great weekend and don't forget to VOTE!