Cibbers and bits

Ocupational therapy

Mom sits up, leans forward

Prayer Request from Mom

Last night I sat with my mom and we had a sampling of left over cakes from the Houston Sip n See. I laid in bed with her and we looked at recipes for hours. It was a wonderful gift of time with her. As I was leaving I asked her how we can pray for her. Here are her requests:
Prayers for peace and no anxiety. The doctors are still trying to get her meds worked out and as of now we all feel she is being over medicated. We are going to have patient conference, this is where we sit down with mom's team of treating docs, nurses and therapists, on Wednesday to hopefully work this out.
Prayers for sleep. Mom has had no more than 2 hours sleep at a time since 17 days ago. The doctor said this alone would drive any one mad but coupled with her injuries it is causing high anxiety.
Prayers for prayers. Mom said due to the medication she feels she cant keep her prayers up. I have assured her that the Lord knows her heart and the words in it. Please pray that the Lord will give her waking times to talk to Him.

My prayers are for my daddy. Please continue to pray for him. He is such an amazing servant to all my family. Please pray that the Lord will renew his spirit and strength, help him to ask for help when he needs it and find unspeakable peace. I have set up grief counseling for my dad, please pray he finds comfort and favor with this therapist.

Please pray for my younger brother, Russell. He is a freshman at SFA and it is hard on him being away from home for the first time, starting his college career and dealing with all that is going on with mom from afar. Please pray that the Lord will bless his efforts to earn his degree, to giver perseverance, persistence and peace while he is at school.

Cib Update: I am afraid Cib has his first little cold along with Austin and I. Please pray for quick healing for us so we can get back to the tasks at hand.

BAYLOR INSTITUTE FOR REHABILITATION
3505 GASTON AVENUE
DALLAS, TX 75246

Salve for the heart

This weekend's trip to Houston was good salve for my heart. We saw lots of good friends who remain like family to us. Saturday I got my first 'mommy haircut' taking 6 inches off and saying, "Who the heck has time for long fashionable hair?!" Three of my favorite girl friends took me for drinks and sushi that night. I cant tell you what a world of good it did me.
Sunday was Cib's Sip n See with all our Houston folks. Here are some pictures of Cib with all of Austin's family and with his Aunt Celeste and Uncle Luke. Another pic of Cibbers with Great Grandpa Sparks. Cib did amazingly well yesterday - such a good boy. He slept and just chilled. Thank you to every single person we saw this weekend. Each hug, prayer offered, smile shared....words cant explain how it lifted our spirits.

My mom had a good weekend. She has started more extensive physical therapy now, which is leaving her pretty tired. She is basically non-stop busy about 8 hours a day. She is very excited to see any and everyone that might want to visit (I think visitors are a great distraction and welcome salve) I just ask that you give me or my mom a call on our cells before heading to the hospital. She is so tired that sometimes although she wants to be social, she really needs to sleep....so just give us a call before heading up.

This weekend my mom got a new roommate. We are still waiting and praying for a private room. Please pray that as rehab gets in full swing that my mom will have an extraordinary strength and determination. Please pray for a private room and full nights sleep for my mom. This week my dad and I will meet with mom's 'team' at Baylor and this will be a crucial time of info and learning for us. Please pray that my dad and I can balance everything this week and retain all the info we get. Please specifically pray for my sweet daddy. I have never known SUCH a servant hearted man. (Well I was actually very blessed to marry one) My dad is heart broken and exhausted. As he begins his grieving and healing process please pray for peace, rest, and strength for him. That the Lord would hush unfounded guilts and replace them with songs of worship and praise.

All of this has greatly reminded me and my whole family that we should daily tell each other of our love and that tomorrow is not promised to us here. That this world is not our home. To this end, my mom is planning to have a huge party when she gets home from the hospital. She said we will post it on the blog and ALL of you who have prayed for her should come and rejoice at what the Lord has done in her life.

It is my party!

Cibbers and friends

Some how this one didn't make it on to the blog. This is my Houston
bff's baby girl Saige and my Dallas bff's friend Nicholas. Cibbers is
already quite the entertainer.

A beautiful woman

I found these pictures today and I am reminded that my mother is a beautiful woman, inside and out. She is truly full of life.

Wheeewwww!

Well I think we have all exhaled just a little bit. Mom has made it safe and sound to Baylor Rehab and is doing well. Yesterday was just lots of paper work and meet-n-greets. Last night my mom was very brave and sent us all packing around 7:30 p.m. (two hours before visiting hours were over) Thank you for your prayers! The Lord was faithful in anwsering.

Although she was brave and open to staying alone she did not have a good night. Her room mate, Claire, a quadraplegic from West Nile Virus, arrived two days before mom and is having a pretty rough go of it. Her room mate, bless her heart, is having regular middle of the night accidents and needing two showers a night. With the shower on my mom's side of the room, she didnt go to sleep until 3 a.m. :( Please pray that the Lord will deafen my mom's ears to extra noise at night and that a private room will open up soon. Please also pray for Claire. She didnt have any family or visitors yesterday. Please pray that my family can some how bring her comfort and share the good news with her through our actions. And PLEASE, wear OFF! I had NO idea you could become paralized from West Nile.

Today Austin and I are headed to Houston for Cib's Houston Sip n See. I am struggling with leaving but my parents said that they insist we go. Please pray the Lord will use this time for me to gain rest - both waking and sleeping and to spend good quailty time with those friend I hold so close to my heart. And that while I am away my dad would sleep well at night and my mom would have a good over all weekend.

I am taking Cibbers to the hospital before we head out of town and hopefully by Labor and Delivery to show off his favorite nurse Jaclyn her handy work. :) Pray that the visit with my mom and Cib will a time of sweet bonding and that Cib will be quietly awake. :)

Mom's first weigh in!

Room 413 Baylor rehab center. Not the same as the hospital.

Moving Day

The ambulance just arrived to carry my mom from ETMC Tyler to Baylor Dallas. She will be on the 4th floor (The Spinal Rehab Floor) at Balyor. I will send room info later. Today is 'Orientation Day' which means facility tours, staff meetings, initial move in day unpacking, etc.

Please pray for my mom. They have asked that no one stay over night with my mom. PLEASE make this prayer top priority: That when it is time for us to leave her for the night that my mom will feel strong and ready to stay alone. That the Lord will calm her fears and silent any insecurities of being alone.

Please also pray for my dad and I as it will be hard to leave her, especially if she is asking us not to. (put hopefully the above prayer works and this doesnt happen :))

Another prayer is for my dad as well. I know all of our family loves my mom dearly, but I think some are having a harder time than others respecting or understanding his decisions. Please pray that the Lord will help my dad to feel confident in his decision to put her in rehab and to be unaffected by others questionings or disagreements.

Thank you all for your continued prayers. I will post more info later after she is settled at Baylor.

Are you my future husband?

Mom got her moon boots today

Update

My mom is doing very well and is excited (and a little nervou) about
starting rehab at Baylor. She will be moved to Baylor tomorrow or
Thursday. Her blood count is still low, please pray that this will go
up.

My mom has asked for some specific prayers: that the phantom feet and
leg pains stop. She said she feels like her feet are in cement boots.
She is having similar phantom fellings around her wasteline where live
nerves meet dying ones.

We found out today that Baylor has a kitchen outfitted for her
disability where she can start cooking again. She was really excited
about that!

She also continues to ask us to join her in prayer asking the lord to
use this for his glory and make clear how she can serve him now and
inthe future.

I would ask for prayers for her roommate at Baylor. That this person
will be an uplifting presence and companion for my mom. That each
doctor, nurse, and therapist will me up beat and full of kind
compassion.

Baylor has told us they believe my mom will be in rehab for 8 to 12
weeks. My mom said her goal is to be home by thanksgiving and to have
a huge party because she has a lot to me thankful for.

Today is my brother russells birthday; please pray that despite a
heavy heart that my brother feels loved and joyful today.

A message from mom

Momma says, " the healing has begun"

A legacy of BBQ

Good morning daddy

Blessings

Today was such a blessing and good food for my soul. I saw my mom and she was smiling and in SUCH good spirits. She told me her story about the accident and her testimony is amazing! I thought about posting it but it is not my story to tell. I will wait and let my mother tell you her story. She is an amazing woman and I am honored to be her daughter. Thank you all for your prayers. I felt them today in a real way.

My mom is able to move to a regular room today, they are just waiting for one to become available. They are going to remove the chest tube as soon as possible. When they went to put the second chest tube in they did a confirmation x ray and all the fluid build up was gone! Praise the Lord! She did not have to have the second chest tube. The doctors now have her meds under control and managing her pain as best they can. I was talking to my mom today about when she moves to Baylor and when she gets to go home. She said and I quote, "Losing my legs is a real bummer, but I will glorify God with this. And I can not wait to go home. I understand that going home depends on how hard I work. No pain, No gain." I dont know if I would be so optimistic if I were in my mothers shoes but praise the Lord for His strength in her.

Please continue your prayers. Please pray that my mom would have a strength and peace that is not her own. Please pray that the Lord will calm her fears. That at night she would feel safe and gaurded. That she will be blessed with restful sleep. That her good spirits would continue and as she begins to more fully grieve that the Lord will guide her. That she will not have an infection, pneumonia or blood clots. And that she can be moved to Baylor soon to start the rehabilitation process. Please pray that as my family begins to look ahead to bringing my mom home that the Lord will guide our decisions and make VERY clear His will for our family and my mom's care.

Bless each of you. I pray that the Lord will return blessings to you ten fold.

Cib Update:
My precious son lights up my life even in moments of darkness. He is beginning to smile, laugh and coo. He is taking the formula like a champ and sleeping through the night now. (although we cant seem to shake the 2 a.m. poopy diaper -- like clock work his bowels are)

Cib says go horns!

A good night

Last night was a MUCH better night. We have some how gotten some one to stay in the ICU with my mom 24/7 now. I think this is a result of sheer determination on my aunt and grandmother's part, and a blessing from above! I am afraid getting out of ICU might be a while. Please continue prayers for acurate medications and little side effects. Please pray for my family as we rotate spending the night at the hospital with little sleep and high emotions.
Yesterday, while she was not mentally present most of the day, my mom had about a 15 minute period right before I left the hospital where she was with me. It made a hard day seem much better. She told me she loves me and we prayed together. When I asked her how I could pray for her she asked for two things. 1) That the Lord make this monumental task ahead of her seem possible in her own mind. 2) That she be an amazing friend to her children. (I cant believe that even NOW she is still the selfless woman I grew up admiring)
This morning was the benefit breakfast here in Eustace. It was a great success! Over 250 people came to show their support for my mom. Here are some pictures of the breakfast and precious Cib there showing his support for Nana. Everyone serving breakfast is wearing yellow: my mom's favorite color.

No visitors

Due to her conditions noyted only last post it is best for now that
she have no visitors. Thank you for understanding. We will let
everyone know when she can have visitors again.

Update Thursday

My mother is not doing well. She will not be out of icu for several
more days. She needs a second chest tube on the left side ( her other
tube is onthe right) she has had a phsycotic reaction to her pain meds.
Please pray for her mind. She is saying and doing things that are not
her.

Update Wednesday

I have made it out to Eustace with two babies, one granny nanny, one husband, one bestest friend and a crap load of baby equipment. It feels good to know I am even 30 minutes closer to my mom.

I just got back from the hospital. Great news: It looks like a second back surgery to remove bone fragments will not be necessary. Praise the Lord! My mom started more intensive physical therapy today and is very tired. She is still having a mix of emotions but is trying to stay positive. The doctor has removed the pump on the chest tube but not the chest tube itself. They hope to move my mom from ICU this coming Friday and into a room at East Texas Medical. The doctors say they hope to move her to Baylor Dallas next Friday, Sept. 26th

Continued prayers for healing, strength and peace. My mom is very anxious to be out of ICU and have my dad with her over night as these are the 'worrying hours' for her.

Thank you again for your prayers. This has been an incredibly humbling experience so far to need so much help but also to have more help offered than you thought possible. Thank you all for making us feel SO loved and cared for. Bless you!

Update Tuesday on Nana and Cib

Today my mom start very light physical therapy. They are saying she will be moved to a private room in Tyler tonight or tomorrow. This will give her a few days to rest before we move her to Baylor Dallas. She is much more alert and awake now. The nights seem to be the hardest as she isnt sleeping well and having too much alone time to think. Once she is in a private room we can stay with her over night and this will make a huge difference. She is sleeping well now and this afternoon she will sit up in a chair for the first time. The doctors hope to remove the chest tube in the next few days. Praise the Lord for the progress she is making! She is already beating all odds and doctors expectations! I want to especially thank those who have driven so far to just give us a hug and offer support. It means so much to my family and my mom. She is already overwhelmed by the visitors, prayers and support.

Today I am staying in Dallas as Cib had his 2 month check up and shots today. Ugh...it was hard for me to watch but Cib did SO well! I am so proud of him. He cried for a couple minutes and then went to sleep. He is playing with Granny Nanny right now and offering those beautiful smiles up! He currently weighs 14 pounds and 11 ounces and is 26 inches long. Both of these put him in the 95% for weight and height....my baby chunks! The doctor has encouraged me that since Cib is doing so well we can introduce formula for one feeding a day to help me get more milk in the freezer. Thank you for your prayers for my efforts to juggle breast feeding and being at the hospital, please continue those prayers...they are working!

Austin, Cib, Natasha, Saige and I will be heading out to my parents house tomorrow (Wed) where we will be closer to the hospital by 30 minutes and that extra hour a day will help. Austin will be out there until next Monday working remotely and I will be out there with Cib until my mom is moved to Baylor. My parents home number is 903-425-2002 I will have access to my email via Iphone and my cell is always on.

Keep up the prayers my prayer warriors! They are working!

Part two Hope Fund

Mail donations to :
Franklin bank
Attn: Darrell Thompson
2507 university blvd
Tyler, tx 75701

Make donation payable to;
Renee Templeton Hope fund

The Renee Templeton Hope Fund

Thank you all for your continued support and prayers. So many of you
have asked how you can help my family, to that end I have opened the
Hope Fund. This fund will make sure that no stone goes unturned, no
treatment out of reach. Please pass this information to those who
might would like to help.

This Saturday, sept 20th there will be a benefit breakfast in honor of
my extrodinary mom. Eustace baptist church in eustace tx from 7 am to
9 am. For more information email me at amber@fatheree.info

God bless each of you for your prayers!

My mom is very awake today and saying to God be the glory! Because He
lives, she too knows life.

Update Monday sept 15

After the surgery yesterday the doctor told us he had visual
confirmation of the spinal cord sever. He also told us my mom is not
out of the woods. The "immediate threat to her life" will last for
another 7 to 10 days. After that she will be moved to Baylor Dallas
for rehab. Due to her age, she could me ready to go home as soon as 30
days.

Last night was a very very hard one for my mom. Her pain management
was very hard. She is now awake enough to know what has happened and
really understand for the first time. She has been refusing medication
because she says she doesn't want to miss any of our visits or lose
any more time. We are working with the doctor to male sure she can't
refuse meds any more.

Please pray for easy rest for my mom. That the lord will bless her an
extrodinary will to survive and heal. That she would have an unearthly
strength and energy when rehab starts. That for now she will know a
peace that passes all understanding. That today as I begin to cut
through a mountain of red tape and paper work with insurance, social
security, etc that the lord will bless my efforts and give me favor
with those I speak to.

This may seem very cheesy but I feel the lord has given me a song of
comfort. It is called held. I'd says," this is what it means to be
held. This is how it feels to have the sacred torn from your life and
you survive.
This is what it is to be loved and to know that the promise is that
when every thing fell, we would be held."

Thank Jesus for the miracle of my mothers life and for holding her in
the palm of your hand. Praise you soverign king!

Benefit Breakfast

There will be a benefit breakfast this Saturday at the First Baptist
Church of Eustace from 7am to 9am. A five dollar per plate donation
will be accepted as well as any other donations anyone would like to
contribute.

For those who can't make it we will be opening a disaster relief fund
for the Templeton family on Monday. We will post details here on Monday.

Thank you for all of your prayers,
Austin

She's out

We don't know much but that she did great and they are closing now.
The doctor will call with more soon.

No news is good news?

We haven't had an update but are assured all is fine. My family is in
much better spirits today. Thank you for your prayers of peace, they
are felt here.

She just went back for surgery

Update

We are waiting for my mom to go back for surgery. She had a hard night
with pain and anxiety. Please pray for her peace this morning. Please
pray for a smooth surgery, it will last about two or three hours.

Update

My mom will undergo surgery tomorrow morning, Sunday at 8 a.m. at East Texas Medical, Tyler TX I will be updating the blog via Iphone. Please continue the prayers my sweet friends. They mean more to my family than I can say.

Update

All,

Thank you for your continued prayers and concern. My mom slept comfortably through the night. THe doctors are giving her a medicine similar to twlight sleep which is wonderful for keeping her out of pain but not helping her mental state. Every time she comes to she has to be told all over again about her condition. She thinks she has just arrived at the hospital each time she wakes up. Once she is told, she is either very positive or begins to cry. She is very worried about being a burden to her family and being 'put in a home'-- which will obviously never happen.

After consulting with a doctor in LA, Houston and her dr in Tyler they have decided that she has a T12 fracture and a complete sever of her spinal cord. This means, as of now, there is no surgery to restore function. She will have two surgeries. One tomorrow to stabalize the spine and another in the immediate days following to remove bone fragments and 'clean up' nerve endings. Please pray for the surgeon, Dr. Renfro, that will be performing these surgeries. Please pray for success in the stabilzation. Please pray for good pain management and mental state for my mom.

Please continue to pray for my family. We are all still in major shock, this is not real to us yes in it's intirety. We cant help but think ahead and that is more than we can wrap our minds around.

My mom will be moved from East Texas Medical in Tyler in about a week to Baylor Dallas where we have researched that she will recieve top care.

We all have a very long road ahead, please pray for all of us. Prayers we dont even know we need. Just a blanket of God's grace, peace and understanding of His pefect will for our lives.

So many of you have asked what you can do in the way of bringing meals or sending flowers to brighten my moms room. I would ask that you please hold off as a fund is being set up in my mother's name. This would be the best way to help her and our family. Thank you again for your thoughtfulness and care.

My Mother: Update

I beseech your prayers. My precious mother suffered a severe back break today while helping my father clear trees from their land. We have been told that this damage will leave her permanently paralyzed from the waste down. In addition her lung is collapsed and some of her ribs are broken. The doctors have said her life is not in danger at this time. PLEASE pray for my mother. Please pray for healing, a miracle of a healing. Please pray for my family. We are all sick with unspeakable grief and yet rejoicing that the Lord did not see fit to take her life. Please send this to anyone who would lift her up in prayer. I know the Lord can heal her. Please pray for that.

My mother is extraordinary. I saw her very briefly twice and although she was very medicated, the first thing she said to me was Please pray that the Lord will show me how to use this for His glory. Please also pray this prayer for her.

My mom spoke of severe burning and pain from her ribs, lung and (the doctors say) nerve ending in her upper back. Please pray that the Lord will take this pain from her. I know her body is in shock and the pain will only grow in the upper part of her body. Please pray she recieves just the right medication to keep her as pain free as possible.

My mom does know her situation. She is very out of it though so we fear she might not remember from day to day. Please pray the Lord will help her absorb and handle this information. Please pray that He will cover her with His feathers (from the psalms) and that she will rest in the Shadow of His wings.

As of now, Austin and I have come home to care for Cib over night and weather the storm in a safe place. We can only see my mom five times a day for 15 minutes. The storm is headed for Tyler and we all decided to get home and be safe. My mom is scheduled to have surgery on Sunday to stabilize her spine to prevent further damage. We are speaking with many doctors to insure that this procedure is done by the best doctors at the best hospital. Please pray the doctors will see her scans clearly and make just the right decisions for a hopeful recovery. That she will be seen by the best of the best. And that the weather will not complicate or limit her options for care.

All of our minds at this point can not wrap themselves around this situation. I honestly feel incredibly numb as I make calls to family, as if I am talking about someone Else's mother. It cant be mine, I just saw her yesterday night and she was fine. Please pray that we can find peace, rest and understanding.

Please also pray that despite the stress of this situation that I might be able to find some rest, be able to eat so that I can continue to breast feed Cib. I want what is very best for him and I pray the Lord will bless my efforts to give that to Cib.

I will keep everyone posted. Thank you for your prayers.

East Texas Medical Center
Tyler, TX

Cib in more of his big boy clothes

Thanks aunt claire for making bath time cute!

Get your kleenex ready!

http://www.meenajeanesphotography.com/cibbers



We finally had our family photos done and WOW! I cant say enough about the slide show above done by Meena Jean Photography! For our Dallas friends, this is a steal! $50 for her to come and shoot these photos in our home and prints are even more reasonable. The slide show she did in the link above was included! Enjoy this show...I know I cried through the whole thing!

Mr. Bits has lunch

Sleeping like a big boy!

Well, I am not sure it will be consistent or that it will stick...but Cibbers slept through the night last night! We did have to use the paci and swing to get him there but OMG! Austin woke me up at 5 a.m. and said should you wake him up and feed him? To which I gave a gasp of horror and said Let the boy sleep! Cib slept from 10 p.m. to 5:45 a.m. with a few but mild interruptions. Praise the Lord, a full night's sleep for mommy and daddy is on the horizon!

Nana and Poppa came for a visit

The eyes of Texas are upon you

I am learning to hold my head up and wearing my 6 months clothes !

Play time with daddy

Sittin pretty

Looking at the ceiling fan in my bumbo

Happy labor day

Captain Jim sings Cib a Song