Please keep Judy and her family in your prayers as she deals with losing her husband,
Rick Warren, to cancer... He battled for a year and will be greatly missed!
11-3-09: ABBEY CRISWELL (Gym Chix)
Abbey broke her arm while jumping to high bar and will undergo surgery in Macon... Please keep her in your prayers!
UPDATE: 11-4-09 12:15pm - Abbey is out of surgery & doing well. She is expected to be able to come home tomorrow!
UPDATE: 11-10-09-Abbey and her sling will attend class tonight... 3 wks & then a cast :(... but we're proud of our brave Abbey!
UPDATE: 1-10-I ran into Lori and Abbey is on her 3rd cast as they want to make extra sure she is okay to run freely without it...
what a remarkable young lady... keep her in your prayers!
9/2/09-From Sherrie Johns (mom of team members; Lauryn & Gracie)
Please pray for several parents in McRae, Ga... a 14th month old little boy accidently drown in the family pool (Lisa & Craig Clements)
& a 4th grade boy died after a soccer match (Haymons Family) - so much grief, please pray for strength & God's guidance!
MEGAN CALLOWAY (a former VGC student & team sibling); JUNE 2009
UPDATE 7-2-09;We have FINALLY made it home!! Megan has come > a long way and still has a long way to go but we are HOME
> and it feels GREAT!!! PRAISE THE LORD!!! Although the tests confirmed that Meg's stomach
> muscles don't work as they should, due to her weakened condition from the pneumonia, blood infection, and
> malnutrition, her physicians feel it would be best to wait and discuss a more permanent (surgery) treatment once her
> condition has improved. She is still having migraines, which causes her to be nauseated, which in tern starts
> another cycle of vomiting. We felt we could better manage the migraines and their complications at home since
> it took the nurses about 1 1/2-2 hours to get her migraine medication when she asked for it and I can better control
> the noise level at home. She is extremely weak but in great spirits! Now that we are home we both can
> actually get a "complete" night of sleep. (which both of us need desperately)
> Continue to pray for her to regain her strength as she is able to tolerate food again.
>
> Our family can never say enough how much each of your thoughts and prayers have meant to us during this time! We have been
> touched as old and new friends have expressed their concern and offered their support to us during Megan's extended
> illness. We are so fortunate to be a part of a community that cares for others and, as I have said before,
> KNOWS HOW TO PRAY!! We give God the Glory and have claimed her healing in Jesus' name!!!
Thanks again and GOD BLESS!!
For those of you who don't know Megan was diagnosed with a rare digestive disorder in 2000 and has been hospitalized several times since then.
I can't believe a whole week has passed since my last email. This week has proven to be quite a
challenge in Megan's recovery and I will attempt to update you as best as possible.
>
> Megan continued to do as well as to be expected on Saturday, even had what we considered her best day yet since
> her illness began. Although she was still not taking anything in by mouth she was able to move around and walk
> with little assistance, vomiting or pain. She had another migraine on Saturday night which continued into
> Sunday. She became extremely weak and by Sunday night she had taken a turn for the worse and started running a
> high temperature. Despite the medications they were giving her we were unable to keep it down. By
> Monday she was running fevers of 104+ for the majority of the day. They did blood work and confirmed that she
> was septic (severe bacterial infection in the bloodstream). They have continued to run more tests
> and blood work to determine the source of the infection and as a precaution removed her central IV line that was being
> used to give her medications and "liquid food" on Monday afternoon. A "special procedure"
> nurse was then brought in to place an IV deep into her rt. upper arm since they were unable to access any of her other
> veins and replacing the central line is too risky at this time. So far this site is holding up but they are
> unable to give her "liquid food" or draw her blood work from this IV so they won't chance losing it or
> risking another infection. She now has another physician on her care team that specializes in
> "infectious diseases" that is managing her treatment for the infection.
>
> She continued to run high temperatures on Tuesday & Wednesday and by late
> Tuesday afternoon was having a lot of trouble breathing. By Wednesday morning she was struggling to
> breathe. A CT of her chest was done and confirmed that she had bilateral (both sides) pneumonia. Apparently
> she had aspirated the acidic fluid from her stomach into her lungs with all the vomiting she has been doing. That
> was the bad news, but the good news was that she did NOT have a blood clot in either lung. She is still having
> a hard time breathing but better tonight than last night. The constant coughing makes her throw up even
> more than before. Her "specialist" changed her antibiotics on Wednesday to cover both
> infections and said he was confident with time that her fevers and infections would resolve. Fevers are still up and down.
>
> We decided despite Megan's condition to proceed with the gastric emptying
> nuclear test that was scheduled for Monday morning. The staff in Radiology here was extremely patient and
> helpful so that Megan could complete the test to get the answers the doctor needed. The test confirmed that
> Megan has gastro paresis. "Gastro paresis is a condition in which the muscles in your stomach don't function normally.
> Ordinarily, strong muscular contractions propel food through your digestive tract. But in gastro paresis, the muscles in
> the wall of your stomach work poorly or not at all, preventing your stomach from emptying properly. This can
> interfere with digestion, cause nausea and vomiting, and play havoc with blood sugar levels and nutrition." (per
> Mayo Clinic definition) They performed another CT of the abdomen which showed no complications from the surgery
> or new problems. They ran another test today that confirmed that there are no "structural"
> abnormalities of the small or large intestine. Megan's nausea/vomiting and abdominal pain has
> been relentless despite all of the medications that they have given her. Due to her
> current condition, her physicians (now a team of 5) are not even discussing treatment for the
> "stomach" problems until she has recovered from the infections and in a more stable
> condition. They have also told us they are not discussing when we might get to go home either.
>
> Although she has not felt that well, I read her the texts, emails and facebook comments that everyone writes as well as tell her
> about all of the phone calls (our phone # in room 819-4705). We KNOW that GOD has a hand in Megan's
> care (I count him in her team of 5 physicians because he is the greatest physician of all) and we continue to trust in
> his wisdom and guidance of the other physicians involved in her care. We have certainly been reminded of that as
> we have watched Mrs. Darley's condition continue to improve!! (those of you from the school system know
> what I am referring to) I can only continue to say how much your thoughtfulness and prayers are appreciated!!
> I will continue to update everyone as often as possible. GOD BLESS!!!
>
> Sincerely, Sheila E. Caraway, RN,CLC,CCE
SCOTT TERRY; JUNE 8th, 2009
A little 7 year old boy, Scott Terry, had to be flown to Savannah on Friday,
May 15 to undergo surgery to repair a hole in his intestines.
The next few days after his surgery, he failed to improve.
Scott had to go back through surgery where the doctors found several more holes that had to be repaired.
Scott was placed on a respirator and his mother, Dana,
was told Scott may or may not pull through. The next 5 days were filled with ups and downs.
Thank GOD, Scott is improving. Dana is hoping to bring her little boy home any day now.
However, Dana will not be receiving a pay check from her work.
She is a single parent and has stayed by Scott’s side. Dana and Scott attend Vidalia Baptist Temple.
Dana is a Sunday school teacher for the 9-11 year olds.
Scott attends school in the Toombs Co. School System.
Please join us for a benefit sing as we support this very deserving family.
Vidalia Baptist Temple June 20 at 6:30 pm
Singers - Darren Taylor and New Vision
Bluegrass Gospel Express
Free admission!
A love offering will be taken for the family.
Please announce at your church if possible!
5/17/09: Ross Dubberly (Trainer-Hannah's Brother)
UPDATE: Hey Robin, I'm finally sending you the update on Ross that I promised you.
Ross was left with double vision after his last surgery in May.
He didn't tell us that he had the d.v. until almost 6 weeks after surgery. We saw his dr.
at Emory the end of July and at that visit that determined that the tumor was hemorrhaging some, but not to the extent of having
to be in the hospitalized. The only option to correct the double vision is to damage the good eye & make it match the bad.
We, of course, opted not to do that, as Ross will most likely become blind in the left eye which would only mean now 2 "bad" eyes.
He has a very small field of normal vision in the left eye and is definitely not going to get to be the running-back
for his football team this season. Nor will he get to play baseball. This has all been trying for Ross.
However; he is handling it better and learning to cope.
The doctors say the double vision has a small chance of going away on its own.
We also found out at the last visit that a prosthetic eye isn't even an option for Ross.
The tumor would still be in his face and is such a vascular mass that he would lose
way too much blood to even try to remove the entire tumor.
His dr. did say that if absolutely necessary he would try to de-bulk it if he had to.
The prognosis isn't very good. We are still very thankful that this is not cancer, though!
His drs are hoping there will a breakthrough in research & that something will be found to help him.
We covet your prayers and ask that you pray especially for a peace of mind for Ross and for me & Rusty.
Also, please pray that something will come along in the way of research. Of course,
always pray for strength to deal with this daily as I know that there is some reason God isn't healing my child. I know
ithout a doubt that HE is in control & we all be just fine. In His time...
Thanks for such a loving & prayerful gym family,
Rusty & Lynn Dubberly.... parents of Hannah L2
Email from Lynn (mom): Ross was diagnosed at 5 with an eye tumor (benign) thank God, but this type of tumor is extremely rare and
hemorrhages. He has had about 6 surgeries to drain the tumor of the hemorrhage, but unfortunately there
is no way of removing the tumor. The bad tissue of it is entwined with all the good. When he is not in a
flare up stage his vision is 20/20!! He has been totally blind in this eye before, but every time God has
restored his vision. There is no known cure or medicines for this type of tumor. Also, Ross' behaves just
like a malignant tumor although they are certain that it is not.
To remove the tumor would mean that he would lose his eye. There is a chance that it can shrink , so of course,
this is an absolute last resort for the doctors.
Last Sept. he began to have some problems and we thought the tumor was hemorrhaging again, but it was not.
It had actually grown to about double its original size (& it was already huge). The eye dr. at that time removed
2/3 of the bone under his eye to give the tumor a little more room so that it would take pressure off his optic nerve,
so that he would begin to feel better.
We took him back in Dec. & on April 1 and there had been no change whatsoever in the size of the tumor so his dr
decided not to do any more bone removal. He did well and almost suddenly he began to have problems again a couple
of wks ago. His eye was bulging horribly & he gradually began to feel worse & worse. When we got back to the dr
he informed us that it had more than doubled in size again & just since April 1, '09!!! We were devastated because
now his eye dr cannot even get to the bone he needs to. He sent us to a pediatric ENT and he is actually going
to go through Ross' nose & open up the sinus cavity to allow the tumor to move into it. He has already started losing
vision and feeling lethargic and tired. This surgery is very risky we are told, but the dr. says we have no other
option at this point. As of today, I am waiting to hear from the office, but the tentative surgery date is this Tues.
May 19, 2009. The dr was booked solid for the next 6 weeks, but is working Ross in. Please keep us in your
prayers as this is very tedious and most likely a long surgery. Ross, of course, is extremely emotional because
he wants to be a surgeon when he grows up and is very talented at sports. His passion is football... of all things!!!
&& even our varsity coaches say he is really good. My heart bleeds for him. I cannot put a band aid on this.
2/4/2009: Carson Scott (level 8 gymnast)
UPDATE 4/09: Carson is back in the gym and training once again
(congrats... Carson is going to be another BIG SISTER)!
UPDATE 2/6/09: Carson was moved to the Douglas Hospital.
She underwent surgery to remove her appendix... It was abscessed to the point
of infecting an ovary. She is expected to be home soon!
2/4/09: Carson is in the Alamo Hospital (room 117)!
She was admitted with an abscess ovary... The doctors are working to keep
her white blood count and fever down in hopes that the ovary will
return to normal... to avoid having to remove it! Please pray for our Carson!
12/2008: Carson has been out for the past 2 months will a knee/ankle injury
she obtained. After exploratory surgery; the doctor has given her
the green light to return to the gym... Can't keep a good gymnast down!
