Thursday, June 28, 2007

What To Do About Your Brain-Injured Child

I applied for the What To Do About Your Brain-Injured Child Course scheduled for July 23 to 27, 2007 in Singapore by the IAHP and i think the institutes tried to call me for a phone interview at 11pm last night when i was putting the kids to bed and missed their call. coz they are at philadelphia, thus our time difference :( i think they are exactly 12 hours behind us.

Anyway, i also received an email from them requesting for a detailed description of Jeremiah's development from birth to the present time, including information about the pregnancy, labor, and delivery and this description must be in parent's own words.

Stress!!!! lemme pray before i start....

it's trackback time for not just jere but me too.... pregnancy, labour and delivery....
so for those of you who always wondered....
stay tuned :)

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Hope

in the darkest hour.....

that's the message i concluded from a strangest dream i had last night.

The dream....
I dreamt we were in some war or something and were all captured and made to march. There was so much fear in us....
As we march, i caught a glimpse of the back of the gal who was marching in front of me. She had a scar on her spine like that of Jere and so i had to ask her, telling her i was curious coz my son had it too. She then shared that she too had spina bifida but look at her she's ok now. she's marching, walking, running like any normal person and she even told me she had twice as much the strength she used to have even marching in this thing.

usually, i wake up from my dream not being able to piece things together but this dream felt so real.

and so i concluded that we are all just caught up in this really dark and fallen world but there's hope within if only we believe.

Thank you Lord for my faith.

Monday, June 25, 2007

A Call to Minister

We were invited by Henreeta to a session on the 16th June at Novena church meant for the communion ministers.
Our whole family went and brought my dad along.
I went coz i always thought though i am not yet in any ministry, God has given me Jeremiah so that i can minister to others.
Tim always thought he is in the "father" and "husband" ministry which is no easy feat to him, he said :P
Father Augustine was there with another priest Father Verghese.
This was what we heard for the evening...

A psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
Psalms 63:1
O God, you are my God-- for you I long! For you my body yearns; for you my soul thirsts, Like a land parched, lifeless, and without water.
So I look to you in the sanctuary to see your power and glory.

1. invoking God
2. Intellectual level, in the mind
3. Personal attachment -- you are my God

My God knows my needs, satisfies my needs and You know me through and through. You know my strengths, my weaknesses
My soul thirsts for you - the love that I have for you, that I experience from you
I do this with joy for You where I minister, it is Your sanctuary. So we have to sanctify ourselves so that we can be empowered to minister. What we are doing are for the greater glory of God.

Luke 9:1
He summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal (the sick).

Mark 3:13-15
He went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him.
He appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons


We are a fallen race but we are lifted up in the hands of Jesus. Those whom He wanted are those whom He loved and that's us! We are fallen but never NEVER ABANDONED

C
He's got the whole world in His hands.
G7
He's got the whole world in His hands.
C
He's got the whole world in His hands.
G7 C
He's got the whole world in His hands.


He's got the wind and the rain...
He's got you and me brother (sister)...
He's got the tiny little baby...

Joshua 3:1-5
Early the next morning, Joshua moved with all the Israelites from Shittim to the Jordan, where they lodged before crossing over.
2
Three days later the officers went through the camp
3
and issued these instructions to the people: "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD, your God, which the levitical priests will carry, you must also break camp and follow it,
4
that you may know the way to take, for you have not gone over this road before. But let there be a space of two thousand cubits between you and the ark. Do not come nearer to it."
5
Joshua also said to the people, "Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will perform wonders among you."


the 3 days is like a triduum... the triduum that we always have before a feast day
the levitical priests is like our ministry carrying the ark of the covenant, the ministry entrusted by God.
we have to sanctify ourselves today for the Lord will work wonders for us.
In serving, in ministering, we have to have the grace.
Father jokingly said, we human beings should have the labels as on glassware or petroleum
"HUMAN BEING - HANDLE WITH CARE. FRAGILE. HIGHLY INFLAMMABLE"
jus look how easily we snap and flare up at others... How true is this :P

7
Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know I am with you, as I was with Moses.


the above said is a confirmation of the power given.
and so with the power of faith, absolute faith, they crossed the river of Jordan.

Therefore we trust that God will be with us, empower us and sanctify us and counsel us.

Exodus 15:26
"If you really listen to the voice of the LORD, your God," he told them, "and do what is right in his eyes: if you heed his commandments and keep all his precepts, I will not afflict you with any of the diseases with which I afflicted the Egyptians; for I, the LORD, am your healer."


I Am The God That Healeth
F Am
I AM THE GOD THAT HEALETH THEE
Gm7 Bb/C Bb/F F C/E Dm
I AM THE LORD YOUR HEAL--ER
Gm
I SENT MY WORD AND HEALED YOUR DISEASE
Gm7/C C7 Gm/F F Csus C
I AM THE LORD YOUR HEAL--ER

F Am
YOU ARE THE GOD THAT HEALETH ME
Gm7 Bb/C Bb/F F C/E Dm
YOU ARE THE LORD MY HEAL--ER
Gm
YOU SENT YOUR WORD AND HEALED MY DISEASE
Gm7/C C7 Gm/F F Csus C
YOU ARE THE LORD MY HEAL--ER

We were told that there was a Praise and Worship session at the Church of the Holy Spirit on the 20th June at 7.30pm. For sure we will go :)

Thursday, June 21, 2007

2nd Neurologist Assessment - June 2007

It went well! Praise the Lord!

Well....maybe she had more time this time,
Maybe we were her last patient and she wasn't rushing for a lunch appointment this time,
Maybe she had a feedback from one of the other neurologist who is in private practice but a visiting consultant at kkh that we consulted in mid June.
Maybe somebody else complained :P coz the last time when i was turned away, another was also turned away behind us.
maybe maybe so many maybes.....

most importantly i pray that God have touched her heart and yes let's believe it was that :)
you guys must have prayed for us for a good assessment. Thank you angels :)

Yes, we had the same doc that kinda turned us out some 3 months ago cos she was rushing for her lunch appointment. She was so much nicer this time. She spent a good whole 15-20 min with us.
I would say she did a much better job this time in testing Jere and Thank God for that coz i was telling myself before i went in that if she's gonna have the same attitude like the last time, i would complain and request for a change of doctor.

She kinda tested Jere's reflexes and legs holding them pushing them and said
"This guy's gonna be a crawler!"
PRAISE THE LORD!!!!
Yes! Jere will crawl and walk and run and dance for the Lord! Amen! Alleluia! Praise the Lord! Thank you Lord!
She gave Jere a small cube to hold, i think she was trying to test his pincer grip. Of coz Jere can do that coz he practises with the raisins that he always wanna put in his mouth :)
She even carried Jere for a brief moment, put him on her lap and sang London Bridge is falling down, mentioning that that's her son's favourite.
I asked her how is Jere globally and she said Jere is fine in all areas except his motor development that is falling behind his peers. We praise and thank God for blessing Jere in cognitive, hands and all great development and continue to pray for his motor development in his legs.

We went down to the physiotherapist after to see if we could get a smaller left side dennis brown for Jere but no... they did not have any so i thought big better than small so we will just make do.

We called the children's ah ta (paternal grandfather) to see if he could fetch them back home but he was kinda still sleeping . He probably drove his cab till late last night as it was already past 1pm.
So i put nat and ros and jere up the shuttle bus back to novena station where they got an mrt back home to amk :) saved my cab fare for them. Nat was excited to take the shuttle bus :P i was a little worried though.... wondering if ros could cope but i had to rush back to work as i escaped during my lunch time.

Thank you Lord for paving our way and making it a good one today :)

To top it all, it was even a better day as i was leaving the hospital to catch a train back to the office, the clinic assistants who were coming back from their lunch saw me and so warmly spoke to me asking if all ok, going home? and even offered me the fruits that they have brought back from lunch. They really offered! as in opening the bags and insist i take a piece! I was really touched by their warmth :)

Thank you Lord for being in all these people :)God bless their hearts

2nd Neurologist appointment

@1150hr kkh.

Please pray for a good session, assessment.

God speed.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

A Friend's Prayer

This was Laura's prayer for me and my family last night via sms

I pray Lord that Michele will have restful uninterrupted sleep tonight.
Take all her cares away and send your angels to watch over Tim, Nat, Jere and Ros.
Renew her so that when the sun rises tomorrow
when she sees all Your creation around her, she will feel joy
that You are a powerful God
and everything that is happening is in Your control.
Bless the family and keep them safe.
Amen.

and indeed we had a good peaceful night's rest.
i really had an uninterrupted sleep last night. it's been so long. i woke up so refreshed and charged.
Thank you Lord. Thank you for my friend Laura. God Bless her heart!

Monday, June 18, 2007

How God speaks

and yes He speaks....

He knows I am down and He sends His angels to minister to me...

these are the comforting and encouraging words that I received via sms from Laura

Michele, U r doing the best in ur circumstances.
U have been brave for so long.
There is no doubt to God or ur family n frens that u have taken up ur cross so obediently never giving up.
Don't be so hard on urself.
Mothering is by trial and error
and you are doing your best learning hoping deciding praying.
I read a website of a mom with a special child.
She said her son is a joy to the family and loves God
(Jere can say Amen so cutely right?)
In man's eyes, Jere may not be considered well but in God's eyes he may be perfect coz God looks at the heart.
You can do all things thru Him who gives u strength!
Your reward is in heaven.
Our time on earth is a short time compared to eternity in heaven.
God bless.

after reading the message, I teared.
Lord I know you are walking this with me and all things are possible thru You Lord.
Thank you for speaking to me.
Thank you for your angels on earth.
Thank you Laura.
Thank you all you friends that journey with me.

God Knows

Yes, He knows when I am feeling down.

I have my moments too....

As it comes to almost a year since Jere was born and everyone asking me if there's gonna be a celebration or not, the memory of the pain when Jere was born, how he went into surgery and all the fear almost a year ago gripped me! It felt so tight, so suffocating. Suddenly i felt so so down, thinking that I have not done enough for this little life that I've given birth. Looking at how fast the time flies and how little i have accomplished with him suddenly saddened me. There seems so much to do for Jere but so little time. Is it because I am working that I can't accomplish as much??? but if i don't work, how are we gonna cope with the bills? Can tim sustain???

I cried and cried at healing mass last saturday. I felt so suffocated by all that is happening. Work, family, and all the crazy rush to the hospitals for all the checks, the mri scans, the ultrasounds.... and more tests coming up that I've pushed till after Jere's first birthday

What's bothering me? i really don't know....

Counting, more than ten friends had babies the same year that Jere was born. All of them have more or less hit all the milestones. The milestones set by humans. Everytime someone sees us, they would ask... can he crawl? Is he cruising? Can he walk? We never ever thought such a simple question could cause so much hurt in a mother. Never. And yes, YES it's hurting inside everytime someone asks. Why can't humans just see what they can see and appreciate what they can see?

Why can't doctors and nurses use kinder words? I was trying to be nice when I saw this nurse in kkh who had used kinda nasty tones at us before when I saw her while wandering around kkh waiting for our turn at physio last Saturday. I said Good morning while this is how she greeted me "Still haven do ah?"(the clean intermittent catheterization she means) She did not even return the Good morning. How sad for these people. In 2 days' time, we've got an appointment with the neurologist at kkh who turned us away when I knocked on her door some 3 months ago. She said she's gotta rush for a lunch appointment. We had waited for more than an hour for our turn after 3 months of waiting for the appointment to have Jere assessed globally and when it was finally our turn, Jere was fast asleep. She said not to wake him and just asked me questions like is he babbling? is he sitting? crawling? and sent us out. Jere woke the minute we stepped out of her office so i knocked to ask her to assess him and she said she was rushing for a lunch appointment and walked right past us and off she went. Frankly, I don't look forward to seeing her at all and she's supposedly active in the organisation club rainbow. She certainly didn't seem compassionate to me at all.
The urologist is supposed to get back to me on the report of the last ultrasound as she promised but it's been how long since the ultrasound, i have not heard from her. She had told us that she would be going on a school trip with her daugther and she might be missing in action for a while. We saw her after the report was out the day the ultrasound was done. The report showed thickened bladder walls but no numerical values attached to it and I have asked her about it as the previous ultrasound showed thickened bladder walls but had a numerical value of 4mm. All she had to say was, you gotta do something... cathetherization or some punching of hole on the bladder or even circumsicion. Wait a minute, cant we do a comparison of the ultrasounds properly first before we make any decision???? Well, maybe the bladder walls are thickened but it could be lesser than the previous time? Shouldn't there be a numerical value or something to compare? otherwise how do we even plot a graph and assess what's the progress? then what's the purpose of doing all these scans???

maybe..... maybe all these pent up frustrations is just driving me a little mad....

i just need to surrender them to the Lord.
Lord, make me a channel of your peace.
this jus reminds me of the prayer of St Francis.
We just need to give of ourselves to meet the needs of others for it is in giving that we receive. that as we give of ourselves, we receive the peace and blessing of our risen Lord Jesus. It is our sins that block our claim on the eternal life. Lord, help me to forgive these people that hurt me. help me to let go Lord. I know deep down inside i still kinda can't forgive the gynae that saw me thru my pregnancy and delivered Jere. Just felt that he did not inform us enough of the tests that we should have taken and that aside, after the delivery, he was hardly compassionate about the whole thing. He even charge me a hundred plus for the post natal check. ok. maybe he was trying to be professional. but somehow he just gave me a feeling like he's kinda afraid we gonna pick up charges against him or something. straight after i delivered, he dragged tim aside and asked him, you didn't do the test???? tim was like what test?? did you even tell us??? all that i can remember is he always said.... it's ok la, you all are still young, just do the normal test will do la... the optional ones can skip.... and when things happen....???? Lord help me to see the goodness of it and let go.
Lord, grant me the peace, the consolation, the hope, the light and the joy in all these situations now Lord.

Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me bring your love.
Where there is injury, your Pardon, Lord,
and where there's doubt, true faith in you.

Make me a channel of your peace.
Where ther's despair in life, let me bring hope.
Where there is darkness, only light,
and where there's sadness ever joy.

O Master, grant that I may never seek
so much to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved, as to love, with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.
In giving of ourselves that we receive,
and in dying that we're born to eternal life.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

The Bill

arrived in the mail last week. The bill for Jere's last MRI scan came up to almost 1.4k in cash after subsidy and medisave deduction. Gosh! is that expensive or what? and we are talking about Jere being already in C class, that is the lowest class there is and not even staying overnight at the hospital and the bill can come up to this....so much for public medical....

Sometimes they should do a case to case basis. All the write up about special needs children in the papers but no mention about spina bifida children. I really think the awareness should be raised here.

Saturday, June 9, 2007

Second pair of Dennis Brown shoes

Yes, we are blessed once again, with another pair of hand-me-down Dennis Brown shoes. This time without the base plates and the screws. Thank you Lord. The physio therapist Ghim Hui was really nice. She got us another pair and said she'll look out for us for the next pair too. She said Jere will probably need this shoes for a very long time till at least 6 years old and I retorted :P well, there could be a miracle! and she smiled :)

Yes, people. Let's unite in prayer and pray that the Lord would lay His healing hands upon Jeremiah and straighten his right foot and strengthen his hips down legs feet and all that soon he need no Dennis Brown shoes anymore.

Friday, June 8, 2007

Dennis Brown Shoes - Part 2

Gosh this post is like 3 months overdue!

I said I had to post part 2 about these Dennis Brown Shoes till today I am gonna get the second pair and I still have not gotten it done!

That day when we went to get the shoes, in my heart I was still thinking to get or not to get... so EXPENSIVE! $155 per pair.

Then while we were speaking to the therapist, I was ranting of how much we have spent and how costly these shoes were. Aren't there any rental? or you know pre loved ones that are still good? like you know you can get those adidas, nike off the yahoo auction....

Then the therapist smiled and walked out of the room. She returned with this huge screwdriver and a pair of the shoes. The shoes had some metal plate screwed below which the therapist said Jere did not need and if we could unscrew that plate off, the shoes were ours to keep. So Tim who was there went.. ok... no matter what i gonna yank that plate out! He tried and he tried but in vain... anyhow, we left the place thanking the therapist assuring her we'll find a way. And so we got the shoes FREE! Thank You Lord! Look how the Lord watches over us and blesses us!

We went home and Tim took out all his tools in his tool box and tried and tried but still could not get the darn plate out of the shoe. He was trying for the rest of the afternoon and night till he went to bed.
That's how much your daddy loves you Jere.

The next day, Tim was on leave, for what really i can't recall but i definitely remember how he was still trying to get the metal base plate off the shoe. He went to the bicycle shop after sending me to work and asked them if they could help. They tried but in vain. Tim went to another hardware shop asking for help but they too could not unscrew the plate. Tim then returned to the bicycle shop and the people there almost thought he was crazy. I guess no one really understands how only a parent could feel and want to do what they can do for their child who is so helpless in the situation. Tim then went for lunch still thinking of the Dennis Brown over his bowl of Lor Mee at the market nearby. When he told me what was going through his mind, i was really touched at his love for little Jere. People all celebrate a mother's love but i guess we should celebrate how great our father's love is too! He told me that the whole world can don't unscrew the shoes but he has to do it coz he will be able to do it coz he's the father! and so he quickly finished his noodles and returned to the bicycle shop. The people looked at him with unbelieving eyes and he just humbly asked if he could borrow their machines to do it. The boss agreed. So Tim went in and tried his hand at it. The boss soon joined him looking at how determined he was. Together they finally yanked the plate off and Jere wore the shoes for a good 2 months :)
Thank you Daddy....

Okie, later during lunch i gonna zoom down to the hospital to get a new pair for Jere after waiting for a month for the appointment since he outgrown those shoes. I pray that the Lord God watches over us and send His blessings upon us wherever we go.
Pray that i get another Hand Me Down :) but without the metal base plate this time or at least one that is not screwed so tightly :P

Thursday, June 7, 2007

Praise the Lord Alleluia


*click for better view*
Jere raising his hands in praise to His Lord that healeth him :)
I'm not kidding! this is what he does when you say "Praise the Lord Alleluia!"
The pictures above were taken 22nd April 2007

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

In exactly a month

Jeremiah will be ONE!
How time flies!

Everyone's been asking me to put a wish list so they won't end up buying stuff that would seem useless to us. Thank you Lord that all your wonderful angels on earth wanna contribute to the progress of Jeremiah in some way or another.

But right now, really, i can think of nothing but prayers prayers and more prayers. So those of you who have been praying, keep praying. And those of you who don't pray, maybe can start now. NO... not kidding... start now :P of coz if u don't mind, we'll be most glad :)

Actually, God has been granting so many things to us already even before i put up the list. I had wanted to get my hands on lotsa Glenn Doman stuff which God has sent many to us in His own ways. Thanks Belinda for the Glenn Doman stuff and making most of the stuff gifts and so affordable to us.

Will put a wish list up soon. I try. I promise :)

till then, keep Jeremiah in your prayers.

Monday, June 4, 2007

Healing Masses

I am getting so addicted to these healing masses and I think it's a good addiction ;)It just somehow rejuvenates me and recharges me so wonderfully.
Plus you should see how Jere raises his hands in Praise and Worship and how he tries to sing :D
I remember my helper Ros asked me if she wasn't sick should she go and receive the healing and this was what i told her. Well, you don't need to be sick or have someone sick to attend such a service.In my opinion, everyone needs healing in some form or another. Today she's ever so ready to go to the healing masses. She says she always return home feeling so light so charged.
well, the next one will be

16th May 2007
3rd Sat Mass with Healing Service
Church of St Michael
Fr Michael Arro
Rosary session 6.45pm
Praise & Worship 7.30pm
Mass with healing session 8.00pm

and if you are afraid of being alone, just gimme a shout :)

Sunday, June 3, 2007

June's Medical Calendar

Jun 06 - 1155 @ KKH Specialist Clinic P Orthopaedic Dr Arjandas review. Paed Surg dept referred us as Dr Y thought Jere's toes were clawed and she kinda freaked out when she saw how Jere had bitten his toes without feeling it.

Jun 08 - 1330 to see therapist at Rehab for a new fitting of the DENNIS BROWN SHOES. Yikes! i'm not exactly looking forward to buying that expensive shoes and letting Jere wearing them again. Jere had been free from them since he outgrew them. Yes! expensive! it cost $155 per pair for the small size ones and the prices goes up with the size! *faint*

Jun 16 - 0830 Physiotherapy Session with Satyaki @ kkh.

Jun 21 - 1150 Specialist Clinic P with Dr J W

Please pray for Jere's hips down to be strengthened and his legs to be straightened and strengthened. Also Jeremiah's bladder walls to normalise and protection of his kidneys to be good and growing well. Amen.