Getting a Leg Up

A little over a week ago, Patti started botox therapy on her right leg. Just to review the procedure, in most stroke-affected limbs, there is a group of muscles that is over-toned, or two tight. In essence the flex signal is steady and the relax signal is absent. This creates two problems: 1. Muscle tightness causing inflexibility and some deformation characteristics, and 2) An inability to exercise the weaker or under-toned muscles thereby increasing the imbalance. Botox is injected into the over-toned muscles to relax and temporarily paralyze them so the weaker muscles are exposed and can be exercised and strengthened.

In Patti's case, she is now experiencing the equivalent of one step back to take two or more steps forward. Her weak muscles are giving her some problems walking now with the stronger ones out of action. So she is working very hard on specific exercises to work the muscles that need it.

We would appreciate your prayers for her for encouragement and diligence as it is very frustrating to make progress and have to go back to an earlier level and work through problems again. And, secondly, that God would use this treatment to dramatically improve her ability to walk, her balance and ability to react with confidenct to a trip or a bump or some other disruption to her walking.

We are also looking at reducing her time in therapy after the first of the year from five days a week down to three. This is to begin a transition period that will put Patti back in a normal life routine at home. We will really need some grace for this as Patti will need to have people she can count on for fellowship and friendship during the day when I am at work. She will need to find some specific activities that will help keep her busy and continue her recovery.

So over the next three to four months, we have a lot of things going on that need divine direction. I'm glad we serve a faithful God who even counts the very hairs on our heads!! (Although in my case it looks like that's getting easier every year!!)

Anyway, thank you for your prayers!

Forever in Him,

Mike

Patti and I want to wish everyone a happy and blessed Thanksgiving! Remember, whatever your situation in life, you are blessed in Christ and have much to be thankful for!


"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ"
Ephesians 1:3

Got this via e-mail from a friend. Hope you enjoy it!

T'WAS THE NIGHT OF THANKSGIVING!

Twas the night of Thanksgiving, but I just couldn't sleep,
I tried counting backwards, I tried counting sheep.
The leftovers beckoned - the Dark meat and white,
But I fought the temptation with all of my might.

Tossing and turning with anticipation,
The thought of a snack became infatuation.
So I raced to the kitchen, flung open the door,
and Gazed at the fridge, full of goodies galore.

I gobbled up turkey and buttered potatoes,
Pickles and carrots, beans and tomatoes.
I felt myself swelling so plump and so round,
Til all of a sudden, I rose off the ground.

I crashed through the ceiling, floating into the sky,
With a mouthful of pudding and a handful of pie.
But, I managed to yell as I soared past the trees...
Happy eating to all, pass the cranberries, please.

May your stuffing be tasty. May your turkey be plump.
May your potatoes ' n gravy have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious. May your pies take the prize.
May your Thanksgiving dinner stay off of your thighs.

MAY YOU ALL HAVE A BLESSED THANKSGIVING!

Forever in Him,

Mike and Patti

P.S. New update on Patti coming this weekend.

Some people will do anything for a buck!

Last night our apartment complex had a Halloween party. We usually don't bother with that stuff, but they were offering a free month's rent to the best costumed residents! So we decided to give it a shot to meet some neighbors and try to win.

The results are in: We didn't win a thing!!!!

But we did try and this is what we looked like!!





Gee, can you guess who we were?

Mike

Mea Culpa

Blogging as I fall, ever so carefully, on my sword.

Yes, it's been too long! And, yes, it's all my fault. Thanks to all of our friends for all of your patience and continued prayer support. I'm going to work hard to make sure that this doesn't happen again.

For what it's worth, I have tried. I just get to certain points of the day when ordinarily I might blog and find that my energy level just isn't there to get it done. However, in the midst of my frustration I have been reminded time and time again of God's faithfulness. I am always encouraged and, I have the privilege of being inspired by one of the most dedicated and hard-working people I've ever met...my wife!!! She keeps at it day after day; through the ups and the downs; whether she's tired or not; no matter how she feels.

Also, please check the comments on the previous blog to get a taste of some of the good-natured abuse I've been taking!!

Forever in Him,

Mike

There's No Blog Like the Present

I know it's been an eternity since the last "real" blog and, as you might imagine, a lot has been going on.

I will try to get everything updated over the next few entries.

Patti continues to persevere and is continuing to come along well in her recovery. I don't think I ever updated the completion of the constraint therapy. It only lasted three weeks with Miss Charlotte showing good progress. The occupational therapist decided that Charlotte was far enough along that Patti would benefit more by working her hands together in tandem. Patti is now spending more time working on day to day activities with Charlotte including cooking, turning light switches on and off, opening doors, etc. She is able to open and close her hand much more easily, has complete range of motion with her arm, but is focusing now on strengthening her individual finger movements.

Recent Events:

Over Labor Day, Patti and I enjoyed a visit to Lubbock to see her parents. The trip was even more special as Abbey and her beautiful kids (our grandkids) Cadence and Cole came along with us. We had some rare quality time with daughter, great-grandparents and grandkids!

September 23, was Patti's birthday. She celebrated by going to lunch and shopping with one of her close friends, Jan LaDue, followed by a Saturday night Fellowship Group at Prestonwood Church and then dinner with friends Dale and Cheryl Gates to finish off the evening.

Just two weeks ago, Paige and Todd were able to come over for a visit as Todd had a business meeting at DFW. The highlight of the weekend was a visit to the State Fair. Be sure and check Paige's blog for some pictures. We had fun checking out all of the Fair "specials" on clothing, appliances, cookware, etc. We also checked out the new cars, funnel cakes and corn dogs. Patti brought a wheel chair which was really weird. She hasn't been in one in so long, but it turned out to be a good idea. She walked and rode at various times as did Paige, Todd and myself! It was great always having a place to sit when you got tired!

Last week we had the latest thirty day review at the re-hab center. Progress is continuing in all areas and the staff is still really pleased with her progress. There was a lady who had also had a stroke and is about our age at the re-hab center and had much the same effects as Patti. Her right hand was completely out of commission. Just a few days ago, she decided she didn't want to work at it anymore and checked into an assisted living facility. I'm so glad that Patti has her faith to make her strong, the support of her whole family, and recognizes that she has so much to live for that quitting is a completely distasteful option. God is good!

New Blog On The Way

Patience! I'm working on it and it will be here in the next day or so. Patti and I are both fine and her progress continues!

Mike

Getting a Grip

Hey everyone!

Here's the update on Patti's constraint therapy for Charlotte. She is showing signs of stronger gripping ability, although that is still very weak. What is apparent, though, is that Patti's control when she extends her arm and holds it straight out, or raises or lowers it, is definitely improving. It is, as we thought it would be, a very difficult and effort-filled process. It is hard on her, but she is trooping through as she always does!

Probably the most frustrating part is trying to eat lunch. I won't say Patti is starving, but she is certainly putting a lot more effort into her meal! Sandwiches have become the preferred food as they are easier to manage and she has a set of utensils with large handles to help Charlotte out. All in all, I'd say she is coming along really well.

Last weekend we went to a movie at a place here in Dallas called Mockingbird Station. When we parked the car we were unfamiliar with where everything was including the theater. We walked right by the elevators and were confronted with about forty steps to get up to the theater level. After commenting that "this is not good!", Patti took them all! Most of them she was able to alternate her legs so that she took the steps in normal fashion. But close to the top, righty was giving out so she took the last several with the left leg doing the work. I was really proud of her and hadn't seen her do that much alternate step work. A really good sign of improvement!

I am so blessed by the answered prayers we have received. Patti has been continually faithful through her new therapy and we are beginning to see the benefits. God continues to provide for us financially, spiritually, emotionally and physically. I pray that if you have any need in your life you will learn to depend on God to meet that need, if you aren't doing so already.

Thank you for your on-going prayers for Patti! I also pray that as you pray for us and others that God will generously bless you in return!

Forever in Him,

Mike

Love That Boy! (pictures)

Patti and I got to visit Nick, Abbey and Cadence last week and meet our new grandson Cole! He is even cuter in person than he is in pictures and we had a great visit with everybody. Both Cole and Cadence picked up some gifts and you can see a picture of Cadence blowing bubbles with her new battery powered bubble maker. (I've got to get me one of those!!)


Yes, I have facial hair! But not to worry, it got shaved off this week. Looked too much like Colonel Sanders.

Patti had her monthly re-hab review yesterday and all signs are pointing forward. Charlotte's grip strength has increased nearly 50% from 8lbs to 11lbs in the last month along with similar increases in flexibility and range of motion. Her balance has improved so much she has graduated from "moderate" fall risk to "minimal" fall risk!!! Praise the Lord!

Prayer Request

Next week Patti will begin a new therapy regimen called "Constraint Therapy." In this, her left hand will, literally, be tied behind her back all day during her re-hab sessions and Charlotte will be called upon to do everything for Patti. That means everything! If she needs a drink, Charlotte will have to get it. If she wants to eat, Charlotte will have to provide it. You can imagine all of the things she is currently doing with the good left hand that will be extremely challenging once this begins. This will be a very stressful, but rewarding process. This particular technique produces sometimes startling results and we are looking forward to it. However, it will be tiring and stressful for Patti and will test her faith and endurance.

Please pray that she will wait upon the Lord for the strength to rise up and successfully complete this regimen. Also, please pray that the Lord will bring significant results and benefit for Patti as she goes through this time.

Forever in Him,

Mike

Things are Escalating

Predicted to be hot tomorrow in Dallas - 106 degrees!!!!! It's hot and the heat is escalating!

Israel, Lebanon, all of the terrorist groups sponsored by Iran and Syria are all at it and the war appears to be escalating! (Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!)

Gasoline prices are high and appear to be escalating!

And in the middle of all this what is Patti doing? She appears to be escalating things a little herself! This past Saturday, she and Stephen and I went over to the mall to do a little shopping and Patti escalated!!!! That's right! She rode on her first escalator since November!!!!!!!!! In fact, she rode twice!! I'm really proud of her for having the courage and pushing herself to do it. Of course, I was right by her side to make sure she got on and off OK and had my arm around her the whole time, but she was really brave to do it! Oh, we only took the escalator up cause neither of us wanted a downward fall!!!!

Here's a picture of new grandson Cole:













Isn't he adorable! Good job Abbey and Nick and Cadence! We're proud of you!

Be sure and check out the brand new BOWMAN BLOG! Just click on the New Link in the left hand margin.

The Lord is good!

Forever in Him,

Mike

Happy Birthday Cole!!!

Cole Wade Bowman, son of Abbey and Nick and brother to Cadence came into the world tonight at 9:17. Cole weighed in at 7 lbs., 2 oz and is 19 1/4 inches long. Mother and son are doing great and we rejoice in this wonderful addition to our family!!

Mike

I'm Bloggin On A Jet Plane...(Apologies to John Denver)

Finally getting the time to blog while traveling from Texas to Connecticut. There is so much to update I hardly know where to begin. First of all, thanks for your patience as I have been unable to blog regularly. We have so many friends, loved ones and prayer warriors who want to keep up with Patti and her progress and we deeply appreciate you. Also, thanks to beloved daughter Paige for pinch-hitting recently!

God is so faithful! My schedule of work and supporting Patti in her re-hab fills my days up. But as a result, Patti has lots of time to work on her recovery, and work she does!! She is still in re-hab every weekday. She gets picked up at 8:15 AM or so and gets back around 4:15 in the afternoon. After a nap and dinner, Patti will start in on her evening exercises. She does stretches and various motion and control exercises. She will read books or we may play a game or work on word pronunciations. Her persistence is extraordinary and everybody she is around is amazed and proud of her dedication.

Patti continues to improve every day, so keep reading and let’s take it one area at a time:

A Pinch of This - A Dash of That

Charlotte keeps getting stronger. As Paige mentioned in her entry, Patti is able to move lightweight objects around and is getting very good at picking up blocks and putting them into containers. Her ability to lift, extend and move her arm is also developing rapidly. Charlotte’s even getting involved in returning hugs which is probably the best therapy we can get!

The occupational therapists who work with Patti have come up with several recommendations for new treatments for Charlotte recently, but a funny thing keeps happening. For example, they recently suggested Botox therapy for her wrist. Yes, you heard me correctly, Botox. No, her wrist isn’t wrinkled, but the inside muscles aren’t strong enough to overcome the pull from the outside muscles which causes her hand to turn outward. The Botox would relax or quiet the dominant muscle group giving the weaker group some time and opportunity to develop further. So after suggesting this we were looking for therapy to get started, but nothing was happening. When we asked we found out that as soon as they suggested it, her hand started balancing out on its own as Patti worked on her exercises. It has become hard to recommend special therapies for the stage that Patti is in as she is moving through the recovery stages faster than they expect! Thank you Lord!

Half Staff!

As you know, Patti graduated out of her walker full time a couple of months ago and is walking with a staff. Our niece Maggie asked her if she could throw it on the ground and turn it into a snake! We laughed, but the miracle level, as high as it is, hasn’t moved into that territory yet! Although, I’m not sure if Patti has tried that one yet!

But the miracles still come. About two weeks ago she graduated from the staff while at rehab and in the apartment! She still uses it when out in public, but not all the time. Sometimes if we are just going a short distance and the store is not crowded she’ll leave it in the car. I remember just eight months ago Patti couldn’t even sit up. When she could sit up she couldn’t sit up for more than about 20 or 30 minutes to start with and couldn’t support her right side without the help of several pillows. Now she is walking unassisted through most of her day!!

Talk Isn't Cheap

In fact it’s extremely rewarding! Patti’s speech is still her slowest development area, but when you consider how much more is involved mentally and all of the muscles involved with the tongue, lips, jaw, facial expressions, and all of the recall, it is a very involved process. Patti spends a lot of time working on her speech and it is coming along very well. She still sings from time to time and her voice is beautiful to hear.

The Queen of Re-hab

Our beloved Patti is still quite a legend in re-hab. She is such a hard worker and willing to do whatever it takes and all that she can, that all of the therapists try to schedule her during the week. At the last progress review, one of them actually complained that they couldn’t get her scheduled enough during the week because the others were writing her into their schedules first!! The staff really pitches in and encourages Patti because of her effort and attitude!

The King of Re-hab

We have observed that a lot of people who come through re-hab are well-defeated in their attitude and their hope. They go through the motions, but just don’t work at it. And, not surprisingly, it shows in the speed (or lack) of their recovery. It also shows up in their conversation as it is often very negative. Patti and I are continually reminded of the importance of having people in your life who will love you no matter what, and will, for lack of a better analogy, call to you to come back to life. That’s what Jesus did when He called to Lazarus. The Bible says that the power of life and death is in the tongue. We see it every day. Praise God that we see the power of life in our tongues and not death. I encourage you to pray for those who are going through these types of trials in their lives. They are all around us and need the uplifting power of the Holy Spirit that only knowing Jesus can give. The Lord of Lords and King of Kings is King of re-hab as well!

Is This Baghdad?

The fourth of July was a really great day for the Everett’s. We went to Patti’s sister’s to watch their neighborhood parade and enjoy hot dogs with all the trimmings! I don’t think I’ve had a hot dog, literally, in years. I had forgotten how good they can taste!

That night we were able to watch no less than 10 fireworks shows from the balcony of our apartment! It was fun and relaxing and caused Patti to wonder if this is what Baghdad was like? We really appreciate all of our brave men and women who endure the real thing so we can enjoy looking at the pretty fakes! God bless America, our leaders, our warriors and protectors, and may He continue to grant us the freedom to worship Him in peace and safety!!

Bought and Sold - Packed and Moved

Yes, it’s true!! Our house in West Monroe has sold and we have packed our belongings and completely moved to Dallas.

A good friend of mine recently shared a revelation with me of the driving dynamic of the early church. The first church found themselves in a hostile culture, with limited resources and an uncertain future. They could not depend on their things, their surroundings or their lifestyle to comfort them. There were only two things they had to depend on; the Lord and each other. He shared that the reason so many believers have life changing experiences on mission trips is for the same reason. They can only depend on God and those they are with, and mostly God!!

I have always heard it said that God meets you at the point of your greatest need. I have learned over the last few months that the saying is essentially correct, but poorly phrased. At the point of our greatest need we choose to depend on God or we choose to depend on the world. When we choose to depend on God, He is ready, able (is he ever!), and willing (remember, He loves you!) to do far above all you can think and imagine on your behalf. As we have learned through this to depend on God, we have found Him to be even more amazing, loving, wise and generous than we ever suspected. And over the last thirty years of my walk with Him I have seen a lot!! I know that is true for Patti, as well.

When Patti had her stroke we were thrown into that position exactly! We had only the Lord and our family and friends to depend on. The cars, jobs, houses, clothes and other things completely lost their importance and the mask of comfort and significance they wear was completely stripped away! Our beloved friends in West Monroe gathered around Patti and our family and ministered to us in ways we are still realizing and that lift us every day! God has performed miracle after miracle in our hearts, in Patti’s mind and body, in our faith and we know he has worked through this in the lives of many others.

My point is that we are distressed to leave all of our friends and loved ones in Louisiana, but we know God has us back in Texas as part of His plan. We experienced a taste of what the early church must have known and we will never, ever forget how God’s people loved us at our point of greatest need and continue to love us still.

Thaime for a Trip

As you know, Mike, Jr., wife Morgan and son Aidan are in Thailand. Pray for them in their new career! Patti and I want to go visit! So I have tentatively decided, after some prayer and consultation with Patti and Mike and Morgan, that next March is a likely time for a trip to Thailand. (No firm dates just yet) However, as you might imagine, getting ready to go will involve a lot more than just packing and scheduling. Therefore, we have set March of 2007 as a goal for Patti’s recovery to have progressed to the point that we can make the trip with minimal discomfort and maximum enjoyment for Patti! She really wants to see her kids and grandkid!!

So, if you’re inclined, pray for the following:
- Patti’s continued and accelerated recovery. She will need to be walking easily and with balance and strength. Very conversational speech would make the trip most enjoyable for her and that Charlotte will be able to fully participate at mealtimes, while dressing and bathing, and at playtimes!
- Please pray that God will always get the glory in this!
- Finances and planning for the trip.

May God bless you as you read of His love in our lives!

Forever in Him,

Mike

Darth Tater Rules!

This message is from Paige~

I am blogging in place of my father who is so busy that he has not had time to blog. We apologize to frequent blog readers as they have been stuck w/ the same blog for about a month.

However, a lot has happened over the last few weeks! The house in Monroe is under contract and we are anticipating the close of the sale to happen mid-July. Mike and Patti were in Monroe the last week and a half deciding what comes to Dallas, what gets sold and what gets pawned off to the kids (Which was A LOT!). We had fun going through everything.

Let's see exciting or funny news...

-Patti broke our shredder...she was shredding all the papers we didn't need and got overly enthusiastic and well...the shredder stopped. It apparently did not have the same excitement as the rest of us. So we got a new HEFTY shredder that could almost shred an entire book in one sitting. NICE.

-Mike deemed Darth Tater (Mr. Potato Head dressed as Darth Vader) as important as it was neither sold nor given away and instead rode shotgun on the way to Dallas.

- Patti has been amazing all her kids and friends with her new found tricks w/ Charlotte. She is starting to pick objects up and move them across the table. We are sooo proud!

- Patti also has been using only a staff when walking, but I didn't see her use anything this weekend which shows me she is getting better at balance and strength.

-Mike was finally called out as a complete nerd by his kids when we found out that his deepest desire is to have a Mystery Party w/ a Star Trek theme. We forgave him since he actually never had the party and we did not have to participate :)

-Abbey is looking BEAUTIFUL in her last month of pregnancy and we are all eagerly anticipating the birth of a new little boy!!

-Stephen has a nickname that we were not aware of...Pokey...we need to know who Gumby is now.

That's about it for now...Hopefully things will calm down at the Everett's place in the next week so that Dad can get back to his regularly scheduled blogging.

Happy Fourth!!!

Wishing for More

Time, that is! I have been accosted (and rightfully so) by several people regarding my failure to keep the blog updated. Not the least of which is my beloved wife and my faithful daughter Paige.

Please accept my apologies! I ask your forgiveness!

Life has been full lately with travel, work, care giving and just the daily routine. We are trying to get used to the new life in Dallas.

But enough of that, let's get to what is really important - Patti!

Patti is doing really well. Not only is she doing really well, but she is looking good doing it!! Her walking continues to improve. She limps a little on her right leg, but this is mostly due to limited feeling. Restoration of feeling to her leg is the next big physical step we are looking for. When you can't feel your foot and leg very well, even though they are working well, it is hard to trust them! She is still using a staff and is off the walker completely now. She has used the wheelchair twice in the last 6 weeks at the mall and at, where else, Wal-mart. But yesterday she said she actually prefers to walk around these places now. She has such a strong will and great attitude and they keep her going.

Patti's speech is making great strides also. We have noticed that in her speech exercises she is rapidly improving in her ability to say words and sounds rapidly and clearly. We have several word lists of mono and multi-syllabic words. There must be literally hundreds of words in the lists and we will go through them on pace where I will speak the word and Patti has to repeat it back on beat. She only misses two or three out of a hundred when we do this. She still has trouble pulling and saying the words when she needs them in conversation, but I truly believe that one of these days God is just going to "connect" the wires and she'll wake up one morning talking up a storm!

We have found a really wonderful lady named Mary to stay with Patti when I travel. She is also a great cook and Patti just loves her. God provides outrevery need!

Tomorrow is Mothers Day and we are looking forward to having Mike, Morgan and Aidan along with my mother June and brother Lynn over for the day. Mike and his family are on their way to Southeast Asia at the end of May to begin their new career. Talk about mixed emotions! We are so proud of them! Yet, we really will miss them. I think God's original intent for the Internet was to allow families and friends to stay in touch. It sure makes it easy! Too bad others have to pervert such a wonderful tool!

Have a wonderful Mother's Day! Be sure and take some time to thank God for your Mom! And thank you to all who continue to keep track of us and pray for us and for Patti's recovery.

Oh, I almost forgot! Two weeks ago Patti was out at the mall with her sister and a strange lady struck up a conversation with them wanting to know Patti's story. During the course of the conversation Patti and Theresa told the lady about the hole in Patti's heart that has been repaired and the fact that Patti was having some headaches prior to the stroke. The lady said she was experiencing the same symptoms and had the same hole in her heart. Patti told her not to waste any time and to get to a doctor as quick as possible. The lady then said, "I know that God sent me to you to receive that information. I'm catching a flight home tonight and will get with a doctor on Monday." So a small ministry through testimony on that day. I'm sure it is just the first of many!

Forever in Him,

Mike

Staffing Changes

This past Friday represented another milestone day for Patti. She has now graduated from the walker to a staff in public!!!!! What this means is that she is now walking so well she can navigate most of the obstacles she will come across in everyday life with balance assistance from the staff. She's not running up stairs, taking escalators or power walking, yet, but she is walking around demonstrating God's faithfulness every day!!

We are still working through our daily routines in our new environment. I must confess there are many days when we deeply miss our dear friends in Louisiana. Dallas is a big, wonderful place and it's where we need to be, but the pace of life and the overwhelming size make finding and getting together with friends a difficult thing.

Prayer requests:

1. Patti's ongoing recovery and strength. There is much work involved. Not only during the day at the rehab center, but she is doing exercises every night and by the time bedtime rolls around she is pretty much exhausted.

2. Sale of our home in Louisiana. Some limited activity, but the market is very soft there. Getting the house sold would relieve a lot of financial pressure.

3. Praise for God's faithfulness!

Forever in Him,

Mike

Insurance Update

We have a resolution! It turns out that the issue with Blue Cross was, as they described it, a billing issue!! Isn't God good! No matter how I want to complicate it, He always comes through!

Patti's rehab facility, CNS, and Blue Cross are now communicating properly and coordinating Patti's care so that we are fully covered under our policy.

Thanks for your prayers!

Forever in Him,

Mike

Picture Legend

A good friend of mine asked for a legend for the picture below, so here it is:

Row 1 left to right:

Mike Jr., Paige Everett-Powell, Todd Powell(Husband), Stephen Everett

On the sofa left to right:

June Everett(My mom), Morgan(Mike Jr.'s wife) and Aidan Everett, Patti, Mike Sr., Abbey Everett-Bowman and Cadence Bowman. Abbey's husband Nick couldn't make the trip due to work - we missed him!

ALSO, you can click on the picture to see a bigger version...

AND, Mike and Morgan now have a blog and you can find them at:

http://everetthome.blogspot.com/

Mike

Easter Weekend

Patti and I hope all of you had a blessed and happy Easter weekend! All four of our kids, all but one of our in-laws and both of the grandkids were with us. This came about as sort of a re-do of our planned time together last Thanksgiving which was so dramatically altered by Patti's stroke.

With travel and work schedules, everyone made it to Dallas in time to go to the Fort Worth Zoo on Saturday. What a great place! It was the first time for me. Even though I grew up in Dallas, my family always went to the Dallas Zoo. I haven't been there in years, but people here say it isn't close in quality and presentation to Fort Worth.

Saturday night we had dinner together at our apartment which, by the way, accomodated the crowd quite well! There were two highlights during the evening. First, we gathered around Mike Jr., Morgan and Aidan and laid hands on and prayed over them as they will be leaving to start a new career in Thailand at the end of May. Secondly, we presented Mike Jr. with a new guitar which comes as a gift from both sides of his family and from his church. Mike leads worship, writes music and performs as part of his outreach gifting.

Sunday, we went to church with Mike Jr. in Fort Worth, grabbed burgers afterwards and headed to their apartment at the Southwestern Baptist Seminary for lunch. We took the grandkids over to the seminary campus, which has beautiful grass by the way, and had a lot of fun as the adults did egg tosses, carries and rolls on the lawn! It was a great time together as a family and we enjoyed it tremendously.

Through the whole weekend Patti did great, as expected! She continues to improve her walking and talking and handiwork!

We are grateful to God for what Easter means to us through the ressurection of Jesus Christ and, this year, we were able to celebrate the restoration of Patti as well.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support for Patti!

Forever in Him,

The Everetts

Children of a Lesser Blog

I can't believe it's been two weeks since I have blogged. The adjustment I've had to make has been very difficult. The daily pressure of work and travel each day transitions into caregiving for Patti and homemaking at night and time has become a limited resource making blogging a less frequent event. I hope to become more frequent over the next few weeks as my travel schedule settles down a little.

Having said that, there are some wonderful things to report.

First of all, Patti's progress is steady. We have made some medication adjustments that seem to be helping her accelerate her speech recovery somewhat. Her legs are growing stronger and she spends a considerable amount of time each day walking without assistance at the apartment. Charlotte is giving up more and more control to Patti each day. She is trying to reach out and flip light switches, help hold onto things like jars so Patti can open lids, and generally beginning to behave herself!

We are very encouraged and God continues to minister His peace and provision in our lives. There is still a long way to go and, no doubt, some difficult times ahead. But for those of you who may harbor any doubts, God is totally true and faithful and loves you beyond measure!

Our insurance company, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana, is still wanting to reduce Patti's therapy each day by 70%. This is very strange as Patti's progress has been continuous and the therapy regimen is obviously very effective. Please continue to keep this in your prayers. Patti works very hard to take full advantage of every hour she has and this would make our life very difficult at this point. If she can't go to therapy each day then I will be required to reduce my work hours significantly or increase our care costs enormously. Either of those are not a good option. Just as, if not more, important is the recovery environment that therapy creates for Patti. It is challenging and encouraging and she comes home every day tired and spent, but satisfied that she has accomplished a lot.

Also, continue to pray for the sale of our home in West Monroe.

Forever in Him,

Mike and Patti

Needed Down Time

This past weekend has been a time of resting and settling at our new apartment in Dallas. In fact, Patti even made me turn off my cell phone!

First of all, our apartment. When we found out that Patti was going to be forced into outpatient status by our insurance company, we went out three Saturdays ago to look for an apartment. After realizing that the usual apartment complex presented physical obstacles for Patti such as weather exposure, curbs, split levels and such, we decided that a high-rise apartment made a lot more sense. High-rises have better security, covered, underground parking, and other amenities that would make life a lot less complicated for Patti.

We found one in North Dallas and here is where God stepped in. The apartment we tried to rent was a one bedroom and very small as that's what we thought we could afford. The following Monday, after asking them to hold it for us, I put a deposit down on the apartment. Shortly thereafter, the manager came in visibly upset as they had promised the apartment to someone else and had already taken money for it. As I had signed the paperwork and given my money as well, they had a problem. The result? They put us in a two bedroom (three bedroom plan - third bedroom is an open small den area) for just a little more per month. So we are very pleased and grateful as God gave us much more than we expected. Also, the first apartment was about 100 paces from the elevator. This one is about 10 and it has a shower which is much easier for Patti to use. We are on the 11th floor looking East, right at West Monroe. (Although we can't see it from here.)

Secondly, a medical update! Patti is doing great. Around the apartment she has begun walking without the walker. She doesn't do this unless I am around, but she is doing very well with it and being quite careful. This shows marked improvement in her balance!

She is continuing in rehab on a daily basis. A really wonderful lady by the name of Eva drives the van that picks Patti up in the morning and brings her home in the afternoon. It is a full day for Patti and she is usually looking for a nap when she gets home. Charlotte is beginning to get very active and Patti is able to pick up blocks and move them into a box as a test. She is getting better by the week with this and all of the reports from the rehab staff are very encouraging.

Prayer requests:

1. Extended time in five days per week outpatient care. Our insurance company is indicating they want to reduce Patti's therapy hours. The Medical Director and staff at CNS, myself and Patti all think this is utter nonsense. Pray for favor with Blue Cross staff and for God's provision.

2. Sale of our house in West Monroe. Now that we have an apartment, rent and mortgage is a huge burden.

3. Settling down from the dramatic life changes of the last few weeks including the stress of adapting to outpatient and adjusting to accomodate work. Pray for peace and organized thinking.

Thanks for your patience, love and prayers.

Forever in Him,

Mike

Where We Are Now **Address Change**

This past weekend Patti and I moved to a new location, an apartment, in Dallas. Our new address is:

13330 Noel Rd.
Apt. 1125
Dallas, TX 75240

ALSO...Please note a NEW E-MAIL ADDRESS:

meverett@millenniumplans.com. You can reach Mike or Patti at that address as our old Roadrunner address is now gone. Also, you can click on the "E-mail Mike" link on the left side of this page to contact us.

With the move, a heavy workload, and adjusting to Patti's new "outpatient" status, I have just been overwhelmed the last few weeks. I am currently on the road to New Jersey and the Washington, D.C./Baltimore area. However, when I return on Friday, I will be taking some down time to catch up on personal stuff and will do a complete blog update this weekend. Thank you for your patience.

God continues his grace over us and his healing work in Patti. Please continue to pray for our strength and peace as we continue to adjust to changes in our lives.

Forever in Him,

Mike

Yes, we're still here!

I just want to let everyone know that we are fine. I have not blogged due to a brutal and time consuming schedule the last two weeks.

Patti was placed in the outpatient program on Monday of this week. That necessitated a move from her apartment with the rehab center to an extended stay suite which we are in right now. Monday afternoon Patti's sister Theresa and I helped Patti pack up everything and move it.

Prior to that, on Monday, I signed a lease on an apartment in North Dallas. Tomorrow, Thursday, we will have some furniture moved in and Patti will go "home" for the first time Friday afternoon. The Lord has provided many blessings in the midst of the storm of activity. I will detail those in my next blog, so stay tuned.

Thank you for your continued prayers and expressions of love! They are a lifeblood of encouragement for both Patti and I!

Forever in Him,

Mike

March Move - Maybe

Hi everyone! I'm really hoping to get more frequency here over the next few weeks, so don't give up on me.

This week has been a good week for progress for Patti and, there are some changes coming to our living circumstances as well. First of all, a Charlotte update!

In occupational therapy, Patti is now using Charlotte to pick up small, lightweight objects and move them from one side of a table to the other and set them down! Praise the Lord! She also reached out and shook hands with me the other day. Didn't quite get a grip, but the progress is verrrry evident!

Also, at current writing, it looks like Patti will be moved from inpatient care to outpatient care this Monday. This is a lot sooner than we anticipated and is causing some disruption as we try to figure out where to go. But, as always, God has an eternity full of answers if we wait on Him.

Since the beginning of this process, God's clear message to Patti and I has been to take Matthew 6:30-34 to heart which says:

But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
"So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

So we have really worked hard at the "one day at a time" thing and God has been faithful every step of the way. Last week, while travelling on business, I got a call late Wednesday afternoon that Patti would be transferred to outpatient that Friday. I really blew my stack because my flight home wouldn't arrive until 9:30PM on Friday and I had this picture of Patti out in the alley of the apartment complex, sitting in her wheelchair next to her suitcase on a cold and rainy night waiting for me to pick her up after I get off the plane...and then with no place to go!! How's that for a strong faith!

So I called a few friends to start up the prayer chain. I didn't blog the information as Patti does read it from time to time and I didn't want her to lose her focus before we really knew what was going on. I started talking to our insurance company and the rehab center trying to coordinate efforts to get Patti's stay extended. The doctor at the center wants her there for another 4 to 6 weeks. To keep this down to a readable length, let me summarize the blessings that God has provided as I have calmed down, repented over my fears and lack of faith, prayed with friends and with Patti and moved back to a trusting and faithful posture before the Lord:

1. Turns out we don't have inpatient rehab coverage in our insurance policy! So the two months we have spent here have been strictly the grace of God. Insurance approved an exception based on medical necessity.
2. When we find the place to stay, God has provided furniture for us to use so we don't have to pay for a furnished apartment or pack up the furniture at the house in West Monroe.
3. We will have to stay in a temporary location such as an extended stay hotel. Turns out there is a really nice one just a couple of blocks from the rehab center and they have a room!
4. Patti and I are actually looking forward to the change as we have been living apart for four months. God continues to minister peace to us even in times of stress and change.

Dictionarial Development

Our favorite, youngest son Stephen showed up for a visit this weekend! It is the first time he and Patti have seen each other since ICU in Monroe almost four months ago. Sweet reunion!

We hung out with him at Patti's sister and brother-in-law's house on Saturday, looked at Stephen's pictures of his Christmas trip to Europe, took it easy, and went to dinner together Saturday night.

Today, Sunday, we will head to Summerfields Baptist Church in Fort Worth where our favorite oldest son, Mike, is the worship pastor. After church we will spend the afternoon with Stephen at Mike and Morgan's enjoying each other and favorite grandson Aidan.

By the way, Aidan won't be our favorite grandson much longer as we found out this week that Abbey and Nick are expecting a BOY!!!!! This grandparenting thing is too fun! It's OK for Aidan though, as he will graduate to a new status as favorite, oldest grandson!

MULTI-SYLLABIC: Patti had a reputation at the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office for throwing out "five dollar" words that nobody else ever used or understood and, everybody always got a good laugh over those. Well, they will all be interested to know that her ability in that area appears to be blossoming out in full recovery! Yesterday while we were together with family she talked about how much she had improved since she was incapacitated! Yes, that's right, incapacitated! Six syllables and about five dropped jaws in the room!! For those of us who may be unfamiliar with the word, here it is:

in·ca·pac·i·tate
Pronunciation: "in-k&-'pa-s&-"tAt
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): -tat·ed; -tat·ing
1 : to make legally incapable or ineligible
2 : to deprive of capacity or natural power : DISABLE

So when you're ready to come visit, be sure and bring your Websters! Patti may recover past all of our education levels!

Forever in Him,

Mike

Squeezing In An Extra Hour

An ambitious week for Patti this week! While I was travelling on business this week, (and failing to blog), Patti was inaugurated into what is called a "monitored program" at the rehab center. This gives her an extra hour of therapy every day. It's not a formal, one-on-one session with a therapist, but she is given assignments to work on for an hour and help is available to her from the appropriate therapist at any time. The focus of this hour will likely be speech and reading comprehension. It will also be a challenge to her stamina each day as the regular four hour routine is pretty strenuous by itself. So far, though, she has taken the challenge to heart and is working hard to get the most out of it she can.

Also this week, she made the transition to unassisted living at night. If she needs any assistance or help, she now will pick up the phone and notify the operator and they will immediately send someone to the apartment to help. This is a big step and, as I have mentioned before, a great confidence builder for Patti.

She continues to persevere with a strong, positive and willing attitude! God is truly ministering to her heart through His faithfulnes and encouragement. Many have said to me they are impressed with what a "fighter" Patti has been through this time and it is true. Every day she gives it everything she has to overcome her temporary limitations and recover her life. I assure you that no one is more impressed than I am! We have worked hard together to hold each other up, hang on to God, and stay positive in His presence throughout, and she is a constant inspiration to me!

Forever in Him,

Mike

Quiet Weekend

A long, cold weekend in Dallas! Patti and I got to spend most of it together as some light icing and very cold weather kept us inside. Even with just a little ice, we decided to not risk a fall by venturing out. That would be about the last thing we would need at this point!

Patti is doing really well on the walker. She is moving around steadily and with very little shakiness on her legs. She also finds that moving around on the walker is more tiring than the wheelchair, but she is developing good strength and endurance in the process.

We had the great blessing of visiting with some neighbors and LIFE group members from West Monroe, David and Carolyn Warner on Sunday. David and I went out and picked up some Mexican food that really hit the spot.

That was the BIG highlight of the weekend! Otherwise, we just spent the time quietly enjoying each other, watching the olympics and a couple of movies. Funny how at some times in your life you really appreciate the quiet weekends!

Forever in Him,

Mike

Walker Rides Again

Well, the therapy crowd over at CNS has handed Patti more accolades and a promotion! She is now officially on the walker at the therapy center and at her apartment! Yes, we knew it was coming, but it's still nice to see it. She will still use a wheel chair to transfer from one facility to another and when she is out in public, but the day is clearly on the horizon when she will be wheel-less! This actually occured Monday of this week (I'm a little late, again).

Patti is also preparing to step down from 24 hour assistance at the apartment. She will always have someone available, if she needs help, by phone, but in the near future the overnight assistance will be removed. This will probably make for more peaceful nights as the TV in the den will finally get a rest. This is another significant step in the process of building confidence and independence.

Medical update: The medical director for CNS gave Patti a routine checkup on Monday and pronounced her in great shape! Interestingly, Dr. Johnson had made a point to listen to Patti's heart before the procedure to close the hole took place. She said as she listened to Patti's heart it was just a normal, quiet thump, thump. Before she was able to hear a whooshing sound from the hole. No noise is good noise! (pun intended)

So, here we are, three and a half months away from a major stroke, and Patti is walking well with assistance, speaking better every week, has significant restoration of movement in arm, leg and body, and working hard every day to progress and keeping a wonderful, cheerful and grateful attitude. God has truly been gracious to us! His hand of restoration and blessing is all over Patti and He has kept her, healed her, protected her and lifted her. I'm reminded of Psalm 3:3 which says:
But You, O LORD, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head.
I've realized that when your head is down you are looking at your circumstances. You are looking at where you are with no perspective of a positive outcome. But when God lifts your head you are able to see the outcomes of His purpose in your life. You are able to see Him and look into the eyes of love that never leave you or forsake you. You are able to see the truth of His promises and allow Him to move you from where you are to where He wants you to be. In Luke 21:28 Jesus said:
But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.
God has lifted our heads and shown us our redemption! And we are grateful to Him!

Forever in Him,

Mike

Blogged Down!

Sorry for the delay in blogging! I was travelling this week and was unable to update.

The downside of travelling is being away from Patti. The upside, however, is seeing how much she has progressed while I was away! She gets visibly stronger every week. Charlotte is getting more and more movement. She can wiggle her middle, ring and pinky now. The thumb and forefinger aren't that far along yet. With her right foot she can now wiggle the same middle to outside toes with a little less in her big toe and second, but she can move her foot around normally. She still has trouble controlling the leg muscles smoothly, but it is definitely coming along!

Thanks to friends and family who visited with Patti this week while I was gone! Thanks to all those back home in West Monroe who continue to pray and encourage us and whom we miss so much!

Forever in Him,

Mike

All Checked Out!

Patti has been successfully discharged from the hospital and is feeling great! She also feels a little like an ex-con as after a while hospitals can feel a little confining!

The doctor's exam and report this morning were excellent and Patti is back at her apartment and looking forward to getting back into her therapy program.

This procedure was, as I describe it, the last speed bump on the road to recovery. It is very strong protection against stroke recurrence and it will accelerate the process of getting Patti off of the various drugs she has been on throughout. She can go through her therapy and look forward to returning to a normal life down the road without having to wonder if the same thing is going to happen again with no warning.

We are grateful for so much and we are grateful for the application of technology that will provide so much freedom for Patti! Also, we had never met the doctor before yesterday. He came recommended from the physicians over at Zale-Lipshy. He was great! Very nice, informative, caring and, from all we can tell, very proficient at what he does. I thank the Lord for putting us with the right people at the right times!!

Forever in Him,

Mike

Digital Update

OK! As promised, here are some new pictures. Number one is from last Sunday, January 30th, after haircut and on the way to church. Numbers two and three are from a park outing with Mike, Morgan and Aidan recently.

Heartening News

Patti is out of surgery and everything is fine. The doctor's report is that everything looked and went as expected. The hole closed perfectly with no evident remaining leakage and there are no other issues with her heart they were able to see.

Thanks for all of the prayers. God's continued grace is evident to us through this time!

Patti is scheduled to return to the apartment tomorrow and will rest for a few more days before resuming a full therapy schedule, probably, on Wednesday.

Forever in Him,

Mike

All Checked In

Patti is all checked in and taking it easy in anticipation of her surgery tomorrow. Unfortunately, they wanted us checked in at 11 this morning, so we are having to deal with a long "hang out" time this afternoon and tonight. We've both decided we don't like being in hospitals anyway, and having too much time, well, just another opportunity to exercise patience!!

The procedure is scheduled for 9AM CST. I'll post later tomorrow after completion. Thanks to all for your prayers and support!

Forever in Him,

Mike

Random Updates

Patti heads out to dinner tonight with a few girlfriends from the area. She will really enjoy this as the next two nights she gets to enjoy hospital food again!

Yesterday they put her up on a walker at the rehab center and that is now her mode of transportation while she is there each day. She is still in the wheelchair at the apartment and when out in public, but she should graduate at the apartment in the next two weeks. Great progress! Thank you, Lord!

Ooops, forgot one! About three weeks ago, Patti and I went to do her grocery shopping at Wal-Mart. (Yes, we still go to WM at least once a week!) In my creative and supportive wisdom I thought it would be a good idea to let Patti use one of their electric carts so she wouldn't get so tired wheeling through such a big store. After trying to figure out how to position it next to the car so she could easily transfer on to it, we then had a brief driving lesson on how to operate the controls. After that, we had a brief driving lesson on how to operate the controls. After that,...well, you get the idea. If you have never driven one of these things, you should go to WM and try one out just for the experience!! They are not as straightforward to handle and operate as you would think! Anyway, to make a long story short, Patti managed to handle the device throughout our excursion into shopping excellence with only a minimal amount of difficulty. And, we only took down ONE aisle display! A couple of really nice people walking by pitched in to help us put things back together. After all was said and done, Patti allowed as how she would rather staple a skunk to her forehead than do that again!!!! (I'm probably not going to suggest we use it again, either!!)

Yes, I know I owe everyone a picture, but the excuse is the battery is dead on the camera and the charging cord isn't with me right now so I can't upload the pics. I promise to correct the situation in the next day or two!

Forever in Him,

Mike

The Heart of the Matter

Hey everyone! A beautiful weekend in Dallas after the rain was over. Patti and I attended church Sunday at Prestonwood Baptist again and then went to son Mike's in Fort Worth and enjoyed steaks with him, favorite daughter-in-law Morgan and favorite grandson Aidan. I also had the privilege of briefly being in West Monroe to take care of personal business on Friday and Saturday and got to see daughter Abbey, son-in-law Nick (He can't be my favorite cause we have two son-in-laws!) and favorite granddaughter Cadence. Four kids and both grandkids in one weekend...awesome!!!

Most of you remember that Patti was diagnosed with a hole in her heart called a Patent-Foramen-Ovale. Just to refresh, 100% of us are born with it, 60% close up right after birth, 20% close up by age 18 and the other 20% walk around with it for the rest of their lives and don't know they have it until something like this happens. The hole is between the two upper chambers of the heart and the speculation is that a clot or emboli gets into the right chamber, passes through to the left which pumps to the brain and, whammo, you have a stroke.

The closure is fairly simple involving a catheter into the leg and the insertion of a closure device in the heart. The procedure takes about 1 and 1/2 hours including recovery.

Patti will be transferred to a Dallas hospital on Thursday evening and the surgery will be performed early Friday morning. She will stay at the hospital for observation Friday night and check out on Saturday morning. As you know, the Super Bowl is Sunday and we wouldn't want her to miss that!!

This is a preventative measure as we still don't know what caused the stroke. It should be simple and risk free. The doctor performing the operation is very experienced and highly recommended. It is a big step towards getting her off of blood thinners and greatly reducing future stroke risk.

Prayer requests:

1. Pray for Holy Spirit guidance for the doctor and a normal procedure.
2. Pray for rapid and regular recovery for Patti so she can be back in therapy Monday morning.
3. Pray for peace for family members. We're all a little hospital shy at this point.

Praise:

Brother Tom is being discharged from the hospital today. His kidneys are up over 50% so he has been taken off of dialysis! He will have some diminished lung capacity and will be on blood thinners to protect against lung clots, but otherwise will be back to a "close to normal" life. God was gracious to him to pull him through what was a very difficult situation. Thank you for your prayers for him and his continued recovery and strengthening.

Forever in Him,

Mike

A Meeting of the Minds - A Long Report

Today Patti and I attended our first patient conference at CNS since Patti's arrival. The objective of the conference is to review Patti's assessments and progress. In the process I want to say that there is great glory to be received by God in this report.

The overall consensus of the CNS Team including Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Counseling and Residential Evaluation is that Patti is making "vast" progress.

In almost all of her activities at the apartment she requires minimal to no assistance. This evaluation includes all sorts of things such as motivation to do things, initiating activities without being asked, cooking, grocery shopping, sleeping, laundry, toileting, bathing, etc.

Physical therapy presented a lot of data on Patti's torso and leg function indicating great progress in strength, balance, flexibility and range of motion. Her desire to work and improve was noted as significant. They will be working with her over the next couple of weeks to move her from the wheelchair at the residence and rehab center on to a walker or poles. She will still stay in a wheelchair in public for safety. Again, significant progress.

Occupational therapy had much the same report. Many of the things she is able to do in terms of motor skill re-development, motion, accuracy, flexibility and control of her arm and hand all showed huge improvement in the last few weeks. They are currently working with Charlotte to strengthen wrist movement and isolate muscle movements to specific groups. Patti can now grip with Charlote when she is on the walker, but must really concentrate to maintain that grip. They were thrilled with all of her development.

Speech is the area she has the farthest to go, but even here the progress has been substantial. She will have several months of work here as she begins to put back together her reading, comprehension, math skills as well as speaking. You don't realize how complicated and extensive all these things really are until you have to start re-learning things you first learned years ago.

Counseling noted her wonderful attitude, desire to improve and strong sense of self-worth as improvement contributors as well as her strong faith in God and strong family and friend support. There was nothing in her profile that was out of the ordinary for someone in her position other than her great mental state.

Here is what's important: It is obvious to me, and I hope to you, that God continues to have His hand in Patti's amazing recovery! Praise His Name!! Patti was described today as the "star" at CNS because she has covered so much ground in so short a time. They are thrilled with her progress. Here are some factors and circumstances that should be remembered as we think about this:

1. Patti is only a little over 2 and 1/2 months removed from a "major" stroke affecting the entire left hemisphere of her brain and virtually paralyzing her entire right side and robbing her of most of her speech and short-term memory.
2. When she transferred to Dallas after two weeks in the hospital in Monroe, her therapy time there was limited by the Thanksgiving holidays, a few days of illness from a head cold, and her overall lack of strength and stamina.
3. When she transferred to CNS, she lost a lot of time due to the 4-day Christmas and 3-day New Year's holidays.
4. She had a significant interruption when she had to be hospitalized for dehydration and low blood pressure early in January.

It seems sometimes that many things were working against her improvement, but they have all been overcome and Patti's recovery goes against all normal expectations for this type of situation.

That can only be God.

Now it's true that Patti hasn't experienced a miraculous, get-up-and-walk type of miracle. But she has experienced a life changing event that God is using to develop new character qualities in Patti, myself and even our whole family. She has experienced the value of a daily walk of faith and dependence on God for even the smallest of things. Yes not all of His miracles are instant explosions of eternity in the mortal realm! In Patti's case it has been a day-by-day, on-going manifestation of the grace and power of God as He meets her needs, answers the prayers of His children and glorifies Himself through all He does through Patti.

I mention all of these things for two reasons:

1. If you have been a part of this through prayer, friendship and support including cards, letters, phone calls and e-mails, you have played a direct part in Patti's recovery and God is daily answering your prayers and ministering to Patti through you! Thank you!!!!! And be encouraged! He will answer you for all of your needs!

2. If you are visiting this web site just to find out what's going on, at the recommendation of a friend, or just by accident and you have ever wondered if God still answers prayers or even if there is a God, then this story is for you! God is interested in you and showing you how He can change your life and overcome even the most disastrous of events or dire situations by surrounding you with His love, his children and providing you with eternal life through Jesus Christ. This is what he has done and is doing with Patti and I. If you want to know more about how to allow Him to do that, click on the link to E-mail Mike and contact me. I will be glad to get back to you with more information.

Patti still has a long way to go, but the way is shorter with God and has a rich meaning and purpose associated with it for her good and the good of others.

Love in Christ,

Mike

Taking a Stand!

Yesterday when I got to the apartment to spend time with Patti things were a little different. She was in the kitchen cooking dinner (yes she can can still cook!) but was standing up at the counter moving things around and getting things out of the cabinets above the stove! I asked her what was going on and she told me the therapists have encouraged her to position her wheelchair by the cabinets, lock the wheels and stand up to do things. This will begin to make standing more of the normal status rather than sitting. Another small development, but one with a much greater and long lasting purpose.

So I told her if she could do that then she could just as easily roll across the room, lock the wheels and stand up and give me a hug. So she did.

Forever in Him,

Mike

It's Good to be Back!!

I confess I have not been online the last couple of days other than verrrry briefly, but with good reason. After being gone so long I have enjoyed getting back to "normal."

This week Patti got her hair highlighted, cut and styled on Thursday. It looks great and I'll publish a picture in the next couple of days. Afterwards, we went to dinner and spent some time at the apartment just visiting and catching up.

Friday I came over to the rehab center and had lunch with Patti and then spent about 30 minutes in her physical therapy session before I had to leave to tend to business. Here is what I can tell you about her "floor exercises." She is able to move herself down and on to a large mat from the wheelchair with little or no assistance. The therapist straps Charlotte to a styrofoam board to keep her spread out and the palm flat. Patti then does several exercises on all fours that stretches muscles and forces the right arm and leg to support her. She can also walk around on her knees frontwards, backwards and shuffling side-to-side. All of these are great coordination and response building exercises.

Also, I was told later that about five minutes until two o'clock, when the session was about to end, that everyone started preparing to put up equipment and get ready to go to the 2:00 PM session. Everybody, that is, except Patti. She told the therapist "nothing doing! I've still got five minutes so give me something else to do!!" She certainly intends to get Blue Cross's money's worth!! And you've got to love the attitude.

Saturday was shopping day primarily for new sneakers. It was great getting out on a pretty day and spending time together with no time pressures. Patti's speech continues to come along very well, but she is still frustrated at the pace. She is wanting to talk normally and just can't quite get there yet. But she is thinking about and working to get out very long complete sentences. We spend time in the car reviewing names, places and other information to help work on her speaking and mental associations. She's pretty much working on stuff one way or another about 14 hours a day.

Sunday has been a really great day! FIRST SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICE SINCE THE STROKE TODAY!!! I spent the night at the apartment last night and we got up early enough to enjoy breakfast, on a very rainy and cold day, and then drove out to Prestonwood Baptist for church at 11 AM. Today was a wonderful day to be there because their music department just completed a new album and they presented it this morning. So we got to enjoy a service 100% oriented to worship and praise and it was PERFECT for Patti! She sang, hummed and cried with enjoyment through the whole thing! We got to go to lunch afterwards with the family I'm staying with now, John and Carol Ferguson and another family as well. It was a really precious and enjoyable time!

Afterwards we took it easy at the apartment sleeping through football and working on her homework and chores.

As I said, we worked hard at getting back to normal this weekend! I mentioned the special splint for her right hand that she will get to use either at the end of this upcoming week or the first of the following week. If you would like to see what it looks like highlight and copy the link below and paste it into the address line of your browser. It may take you there if you just click on it, but I don't know for sure.

http://www.saebo.com/seaboflex.html

Prayer requests:

1. Continue to pray for Patti's patience, particularly with her speech. This is a time when she needs to keep pressing forward without discouragement.
2. We are trying to get her heart procedure scheduled as soon as possible. The nursing staff at CNS is trying to get the doctor to move her ahead of other patients. We would like the surgery as soon as we can get it and we would like for the arrangements and insurance coverage to be seamless!

Thank you for taking the time to read Patti's blog! Thank you for your prayers, thoughts and support! We are still getting cards and e-mails and Patti dearly loves to hear from all!

We love you in Christ!!

Forever in Him,

Mike

Question and Answer

Q: Mike, where are you now?
A: I just got back to Dallas this afternoon on a 3:45 flight.

Q: How's your brother in Florida doing?
A: He's feeling better, but he's not out of the woods yet. His surgery on Monday was successful in relieving pressure on his lungs and allowing him to breathe easier. He is still on dialysis, will have limited lung capacity and we are waiting on lab results from biopsies performed during surgery. We'll know more from the doctors after the lab results come in.

Q: What's the first thing you did today when you got back to Dallas?
A: I got my car and went to see my beloved Patti whom I was desperately missing!!

Q: Were you guys glad to see each other?
A: Oh yeah! It was great to see her and she was happy to see me! She even raised up Charlotte to give me a hug! That's a first!

Q: Anything else different since you left?
A: Well, really, a lot. One thing I noticed is her legs are stronger when she stands up to transfer from one place to another or when she sits down. It's a lot easier for her than it was when I left. Also, tonight she had her contact lenses on. She was enjoying not having to wear her glasses. Also, her face is much less tired looking, especially around the eyes. She just looked serene and peaceful and happy!!

Q: That's great! Anything else?
A: Well, she did her own grocery shopping this week without me along. She checked herself out of her apartment and got on the "bus" with other residents and did the Wal-Mart thing on Tuesday afternoon. I'm really proud of her for doing it and not getting discouraged because I wasn't there! Also, she's really doing a lot of walking with the walking stick in rehab. They are even to the point of bumping into her as she walks to help her re-develop her reflexes and balance. I'm hoping this means she'll be out of her wheelchair in a few weeks!

Q: That would be wonderful! Is she doing anything else new in therapy?
A: Since I haven't been here for the last several days, I haven't seen everything she's doing, but she did start doing "floor exercises" today which, as best I can tell, consist of stretching, exercising and other activities to assist in general recovery. Oh, and also, sometime in the next week or two she will receive her electronic "splint" for Charlotte! She told me that it is really high-tech and will do a lot to speed her motor skills recovery. I'll have to get and pass along a more detailed description of it.

Q: Yeah, that would be great! So how are you doing?
A: I'm tired but happy to be back with Patti. We went out for dinner tonight and had a great visit. I filed her fingernails for her when we got back to the apartment. I'm actually getting pretty good at it. Then we read some Bible verses together, prayed together and then said goodnight. I'm looking forward to getting some work done the rest of this week and then having a relaxing weekend together with Patti. Let me give the glory to God because He is my strength and my joy! I couldn't even begin to make it through this stuff without Him. He is also ministering peace and faith in Patti's heart and that is beautiful to see!

Q: Sounds like everything is OK, then?
A: Yep! Things are fine. We are still rejoicing in the little things each day and trying not to look too far ahead or too hard at the past. We are just blessing God every day!

Forever in Him,

Mike

Florida Update

Hi everyone! The Everett family is gathered around our stricken brother Tom in Florida. Patti is doing well in Dallas and is blessed to have friends and family around to keep her company while I'm away. This is a very difficult time and we are both lonely for each other.

Please continue to pray for Tom. Monday he will undergo surgery that will be very serious. He has almost complete blockage of one lung and 70% of the other. He has been on dialysis four straight days and, overall, is very weak. The surgery is to try and determine what exactly is going on. They will biopsy the lungs, liver and kidneys. The risks of this surgery will be very high as they will also try to clean out his lungs so he can breathe. There is a very good chance he will be on a ventilator for some period of time after the surgery. Pray also for an opportunity to share the love of Christ and for an open heart.

Forever in Him,

Mike

Thirty Two Years and Counting

Today, January 12, 2006, Patti and I celebrate our 32nd wedding anniversary. Unfortunately, I'm in Florida with my brother who is ill and my other brother and my Mom and can't be with my beloved. She did receive flowers today, but as we have learned over the last two and 1/2 months, nothing can substitute for being there!

For those of you who have come this far, you know how special it is. For those of you who are still a few years short of the mark, it is worth the wait and worth working through whatever issues you feel stand in the way of getting there. God is able to work out whatever issues and problems that may be contained in a marriage. It only takes two hearts that are willing to trust Him.

In Matthew 15:8, 9 Jesus said,
8 ‘This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far away from Me.
9 ‘But in vain do they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’"

Many times we come to church or we come into our marriage with all the right words on our lips. We can sound good, but God knows our hearts and, usually, we do too. We need to forget the "precepts of men" and examine what God commands us to do. We need to commit our hearts so that our words and our lives line up together.

Patti, I'm looking forward to the next 32!!

For us, the best is yet to come!!

I love you!

Mike

Walk Softly and Carry a Big Stick !!

Here's the latest: Patti, in physical therapy, is now using a pole to walk with instead of a walker. This gives her better centering and balance as she works to strengthen her right leg and improve her walking motion. This is a good step forward and also is easier as she doesn't need Charlotte for support on a walker.

Speaking of Charlotte, Patti is working to generate more movement in her arm to qualify for a special splint that will send electrical impulses through her hand to stimulate even more movement and nerve regeneration. Pray that she gets there quickly as she is anxious to continue moving forward as fast as possible!

Her speech is still frustrating her, but she is working very hard to express complex thoughts and sentences. So she has jumped from just trying to say words to trying to put together normal speech and is working very hard at it.

Tonight we picked up a couple of puzzles for Patti to work and she has started playing Solitare using real cards. This helps her with patterns, numbers and visual acuity.

Prayer requests:
1. I have to travel to Florida with other family members to attend to a seriously ill brother. His name is Tom. Pray for Tom's recovery from pneumonia and kidney failure.
2. Pray for Patti and I as this will be a four day seperation we had not planned for. Strenth and patience.

Forever in Him,

Mike

Contact Options for Patti

I've had several people tell me it is difficult to get on the blog and leave comments, but they want to send a note to Patti. If you prefer not to blog or if you have difficulty blogging, just click the link down to the left to Email Mike. I check e-mail with Patti every evening and read with her all that come in.

Mike

Reach Out And Touch Someone

Hi everyone! Patti and I are enjoying a relaxing Sunday morning watching NFL playoffs, drinking Starbucks coffee (sometimes known as "fourbucks" coffee), "yakking" on the phone, and doing phonics flash cards.

Yesterday Patti did something completely new and significant. We were in Mardel's, a Christian book and office supply store looking for puzzles. In the middle of a cellphone conversation with our daughter Paige, holding the phone in her good left hand, she spied something she wanted to look at and without thinking about it tried to reach out with Charlotte and grab it! She didn't get very far, but just the natural effort to use the hand that has been disabled is a huge mental step and a sign of impending progress!

Then this morning I got an e-mail from one of our Houston friends, Laurel Taylor, with a great story and idea about how to get Charlotte back in the game and, after yesterday, was soooo appropriate. So I just had to share this with all of Patti's friends:

Mike, Here is my idea..............

One of my favorite memories of the Patti Cakes is this: we were in a jr league provisional class and there were many classes, mostly boring(is mostly a word?) These classes were verrrrry boring, trust me on this. Patti Cakes sat in one of the front rows..........Her contribution to the boring meetings was to extend the boredom........... The little speaker of boringness would, at the end of the meeting, ask if anyone had a question...............invariably........... up would go Patti's hand ..........oh maybe 5 or 6 times............the rest of us would silenty groan.........

So here is the plan..........take the girlfriend to a really boring town meeting..........tie Ralph(my name for her left hand) down and leave Charlotte free..............The boring speaker at the boring town meeting will ask if there are any questions..................Charlotte will shoot up to ask a question that no one in the whole room wants an answer to................It is a great plan don't you think? Maybe this plan should go into the medical archives.......................

Call me when you set this thing up...............I will be there to witness the reactivation of Charlotte..........................regards..........Laurel

We laughed ourselves to tears over this one!

Forever in Him,

Mike

*** Change In Mailing Address ***

If you would like to contact Patti by phone or mail, please e-mail Mike at mikeeverett@jam.rr.com. We are no longer publishing contact information on the blog as a security precaution.
Mike

First Pictures

Last week Trish Phillips, our close friend and neighbor from West Monroe came over and blessed Patti with a visit. In the process she was able to get the first set of pictures (there are others) that Patti has "blessed" for publication. So here we go! All these were taken in the lobby of the CNS Rehab facility.

Back in the Saddle Again

Patti got back to her apartment today at about 2:oo PM after being discharged. The final medical report was great. First of all, no pneumonia with all the doctors signing off on the diagnosis. Thank you Lord! Secondly, no other complications. We just need to get her water consumption back up to snuff. She will be back in her rehab program tomorrow. (Friday)

Hated to go to the hospital for two days to learn that, but sometimes that's what it takes.

Thank YOU for all of your prayers. One thing I have learned through all of this is that as Believers and as members of the body of Christ, prayer over the little things on behalf of others is just as important as prayer over the big things. Even if someone doesn't specifically know you are praying for them God does and by His Spirit they will know the effect.

In Hebrews 7:25 the Bible says "Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." The Bible also says in John 14:12 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father."

Now on an individual level we may not believe we will ever raise the dead or heal the sick, but we sure can pray for one another. We can "make intercession" just as Jesus does for us and literally fulfill His Word when we do because we are doing one of His works and, I believe, one of the "greater" works He intended for us.

So many of you have "made intercession" on Patti's and my behalf and with astounding results. In just the two days at the new hospital this week the staff kept coming around and marveling at her recovery. We had several opportunities to share a little of her story and God's marvelous provision. I know that in several places there God received the glory that He is due for Patti's recovery. Please pray that the ripples from those contacts will touch many.

Forever in Him,

Mike

Hospital Update

I apologize for my difficulty in staying current on the blog.

Patti is doing fine and feeling much stronger today. It does not look like she has pneumonia according to the doctor late this afternoon. They will do one final x-ray check before discharge.

Her blood pressure drop was due to dehydration and her dehydration was due to not taking in enough fluids. So we will be making sure we pay attention to that in the future.

She is still receiving antibiotics to knock out some throat and sinus congestion and will continue on those for several days.

She will be discharged tomorrow (Thursday) for sure and will be back at CNS to hit her therapy full speed! By the way, yesterday afternoon and today her speech took a nice step forward. She noticed it and was bragging a little this afternoon. Bragg Patti, bragg!!! I love to hear it!

Thanks to all for your prayers. Our Father is faithful and I am convinced this was a feeble attempt by the enemy of Patti's soul to discourage her. It certainly hasn't worked!

Forever in Him,

Mike

Medical Update - Prayer Request

This morning Patti had to be taken to the hospital with low blood pressure. Her pressure has stabilized but there is concern that she has a mild case of pneumonia. The pressure was most likely a reaction to medication and is not considered a long-term risk issue. Two doctors who have examined her can't agree that she has pneumonia so they will treat her as though she does and re-check her tomorrow. My expectation is that she will be released sometime tomorrow or Thursday at the very latest.

Patti is pretty frustrated being back in the hospital and considers it a real setback for her. So please pray that her stay will be short; her pressure and pneumonia problems will yield quickly; and her attitude will stay strong and avoid discouragement.

Mike