Friday, April 17, 2009

A great email from Carrie...

Wow, Sarah, it has been while since we have sent you an update for the blog. Whew! We've all been quite busy!

I am not sure where to begin.
Let's start with the article--Last Sunday (Easter) there was an article about our family and the support of the church community in the News and Observer. It was a little shocking that it was on the front page!
Here is the link: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1482323.html

Chris and I realized after recounting our WHOLE story for the reporter a couple Saturdays ago that it was the first time that we had told the whole story together since everything happened. It was much more emotional than we had realized. Obviously Yonat (the reporter) did not have the space to recount our whole tale, but I think she did a lovely job telling about how the church communities have held us up in this whole time (she is a reporter for the RELIGION section). We are so grateful to Westminster for loving and welcoming us, and for First Burlington (the youth had a wonderful fundraiser for us a couple weeks ago and it was SO GREAT to see you all!) and Faith for continuing to support and pray for us.

What she could not possibly have done was to really make clear how MANY PEOPLE in so many ways have really held us up--alongside our churches. She wasn't able to express the love and unbelievable gratitude that we have for our families, who dropped everything and lived and breathed all our moments of horror and happiness with us. Or the folks from Cary Presbyterian for putting themselves out there to create the Good Samaritan Fund (we asked her not to mention this because we didn't want the church to get an onslaught of requests to make more work for them after all they have done for us). Or our friends, who flew in or drove in on a moments notice. Or the extended "family" of faith who held us up all over the world. Or the people we didn't even know, like the wonderful teachers at my mom's new school who made Christmas happen for Ella Brooks. Or the co-workers or professors who made it possible for our families to leave their jobs to be with us. Yes, I could go on and on and on.

And particularly--the staff at Duke Hospital--who became more like family to us during our long stay. They treated us with kindness and grace. They loved our son like he was their own. They gave us the courage to keep hoping.

Yes, words don't really touch our gratitude to any of you...

There I am, feeling a little mushy and emotive in this beautiful springtime.
Sometimes we look at each other and can't believe where we've been--usually with a look over our sweet children as they laugh or as Heath smiles his slightly toothy (2 teeth and counting!) grin and seems to have sheer joy just being in the world, like he knows that he is lucky to be in world.

We had our clinic visit the thursday before last and they took away a medicine--magnesium--which was great because it was the one that has hurt Heath's tummy. They were thrilled with his progress and we don't go back until JUNE 25!!!
They gave us the go-ahead to make 2 short trips. SO, mom and I took the kids up to Northern VA to see my family! The cousins had much fun together, and Heath had his first egg hunt. Traveling went well, too. Sleeping, not so much, but Heath hadn't been sleeping well anyway.
Then, after wondeful Easter services at Westminster, we hopped in the car and headed to Black Mountain to see Chris' family. It was the first time that Bop (Chris' 97-year-old grandfather) had seen Heath since the day before his diagnosis in November. Visit, wonderful. Sleeping, not so great! (you will see a pattern here)

We're now working on getting ready for our next move. Yes, we have a contract on a fabulous house here in Durham and we will close on April 30. It is perfect for us, and we're so excited. (it is the house in the background of the picture with heath and chris walking)
As of yesterday, we have a contract pending on our house in Greensboro. Please say a prayer that THIS person qualifies for the loan. whew.
AND, they are also showing our rental house, so periodically I have to get both children and the DOG (who is now on anti-anxiety meds and doing so much better!) :) out of the house. Frankly, these regular "worries" I will take any day.

As we have done before, we would ask your prayers for our dear friends, the Landreths, and their daughter, Olivia, who was Heath's roommate in the PICU at Duke. The day before she was to leave the hospital, Olivia took a turn for the worse, and is back in the PICU. Please prayer for her healing, and for her family, who have been at Duke since December.

Gosh, this is long, but not so surprising, I have much to say.
love to you all.
carrie

Blessings,

"Gran" Sarah

First Steps!!

Good News!! Carrie called and left a message for me today that Mr. Heath took his first steps today. He took two for the physical therapist and four for his mommy. Big day! These wonderful milestones are a celebration for any child but we are especially grateful for this milestone for Heath. Hope comes in many forms....today it came in the form of little feet making their first steps. Praise God!

Blessings,
"Gran" Sarh

Funny, Funny, Funny

Rainy Thursday Greetings!

Ok, Carrie has sent me probably the funniest pictures ever. I have laughed so hard I've cried. Here is her latest update with an "explanation" for the pictures!

"Couldn't resist sending you these...:) hee, hee. you have to have fun some way, right??
This is what happens when you have an older sister and it has been raining for a month..." hee, hee.

The other picture is our wonderful physical therapist Robin. Heath was standing on a stool in the kitchen. One bad part of pt--they have to teach them how to climb, etc...to help their progress. Now you turn around for 30 seconds and he is on top of something. I guess I shouldn't complain!!

We were unbelievably moved to learn about the FPC Child Development Center's wonderful fundraiser for us last night. The time and effort that goes into something like that is so great--and we are so grateful for the gift.

I have had many questions about costs, so here is a little bit: The cost of medicine has been pretty shocking--even with good insurance. It has made me wonder how anyone who doesn't have insurance deals with what happened to us. Even with insurance, meds will be a several hundred dollars every 2 months (one of the meds he has to take for life costs $900 a bottle without insurance--isn't that unbelievable??) So, all that is to say--THANK YOU CDC staff and families! I can't really find the words right now.

Yesterday I traveled to Greensboro with both kids to take a look at our house (or as we lovingly call it--"our Greensboro vacation home...") and see what needed to be done. I am not sure what I thought I was going to be able to do with both kids, but I filled the car with yard stuff and cleaning supplies and a few toys and went on my way. Luckily, our angel neighbor, Daphne, found us and promptly potted the flowers I had brought and welcomed us into her home for a chick fil-a lunch picnic. I don't know what we would have done without her! We also got to see our dear friends Abby and Melissa Burris, which was so great. I hadn't realized until I was getting off the exit how I might be emotionally affected by coming back to our house and Greensboro. The last time we were there was the night that I was feeding Heath a bottle on the couch before we headed to UNC for our life to change forever. It was our first house, and one that we loved dearly. So many memories flooded back--it was tougher than I had anticipated. Everything happened so fast that we never really got a chance to miss all our friends and special places in Greensboro and Burlington until now.

We are so excited to be in Durham and especially at Westminster, but it was somewhat cathartic to just get a chance to yearn for the past for a few minutes (only minutes because I was immediately thrown in the world of ella brooks doing the pee pee dance in the middle of the garden store and realizing that I had left my house key in durham as the rain picked up, which quickly brought me back to earth...) :) I love parenting.

Ok, enough thoughts for now. I really just wanted to say thank you to our friends at cdc and embarrass my sweet boy with his dress-up outfit. "

Blessings to all.

Love, Carrie

I'll bet you're smiling!!....

Blessings,

"Gran" Sarah

March 23 Update

An update from Carrie....

So, Heath's 3-month heath cath was on Thursday (March 19). It went very well (results today show that he is NOT rejecting the heart!). In fact, we couldn't believe that we were home watching the ncaa tourney on the couch at 1 pm!! Heath's heart seems to continue to become "elastic," which means that it is pumping even better. They said that the numbers continue to go the way we want! YEAH! We were even told that we could SLIGHTLY join the world again too (no big crowds, still try to not go to the stores, etc...) We should get the results of the biopsy tomorrow. Have we ever explained the biopsy part? They do the regular cath to measure pressures in the heart, and then they take a small piece of the heart to biopsy. This biopsy can tell us in the earliest stages if Heath is having an rejection issues. Remember that there is always some rejection--it would probably be treated just with a change in medication--but knowing early, early could make a huge difference in Heath's health.
Folks have been asking when we will be able to fully join the world again. That is a tricky questions in that Heath will always be immune-suppressed. It will lessen in time, but since it is due to the medicines he is taking and will be taking, we will have to always try to watch it. I get that feeling that by a year we'll be able to get him out more.

Other than that, we're great. Chris is busy with church. Ella Brooks is loving school and church. We are looking forward to getting settled in a house of our own--other than the one we own still in Greensboro. :) We're still hoping to sell that house...but step by step. The good weather has been so fabulous for us. Heath and Ella Brooks have been enjoying the swings at our local playground. It is so great to see his grin as he swings, especially when his best girl (his sister, sometimes his mom) pushes him. He finally got a tooth and now it looks like the rest that we have been waiting for are coming too. Walking is coming--although i think it will be a few more weeks before he really feels comfortable letting go of our hands. We did finally get him some shoes--the adventure to the stride rite at southpoint was quite fun. They were fabulous about wiping everything down for germs and then measuring his feet.

Chris' installation service as pastor of Westminster is next Sunday, March 29 at 3:00 p.m. at Westminster. Dr. Ron Shive is preaching. We would love to have any friends from surrounding areas (Greensboro, Burlington) to join us along with the folks from Westminster. We'd love to see you!

Love to all. We'll try to be a little better about updating in the next couple weeks. Maybe we'll even have a picture of a new house?? :)

Many Blessings,

"Gran"Sarah

March 4 Update

Greetings folks! Here is an update from Carrie...

Tuttles are hanging in there, really doing quite well. Ella Brooks decided at 4:30 this morning that it was "time to go downstairs and have breakfast" and was completely WIDE AWAKE, which was thrilling, especially since Heath was finally SLEEPING!

Heath's next heart cath/biopsy was scheduled for March 19, and after that, if all goes well, we won't have another one for six months, I think. That is pretty exciting.

He is doing incredibly well--"talking" (he makes VERY loud noises that sound like words and definitely is saying momma, dada, baby and a few other things). He is climbing stairs and walking with only a little help for balance. He is all boy--the other day he looked at my mom, smiled and tumbled head first out of a chair. She caught him and yelled "this child is fearless!" to me in the other room. He is so busy. Of course my child with the heart transplant would be the one who throws caution to the wind...He still doesn't have any teeth, but we keep thinking that they're just right there waiting to pop out. This isn't unusual because we discovered that I didn't have teeth until 13 months either. He had his year old check up yesterday (yes, we actually did this...which felt very funny after all that we've been through, but it was very helpful) and is completely on track with growth and development. I just can't believe it after all that has happened in the last four months to him.

I sent you a couple pictures--Heath and EB on the stairs, I hope she'll forgive me for the shirtless pics in public when she's older, but it was her idea! Heath trying to walk--he looks so proud of himself. AND, Heath in the cupboard in the bathroom. We were laughing about what lengths we are going to find interesting things to do while being hold up in the house together!

The rest of us are also doing well. Ella Brooks had a little skin infection that has been pretty uncomfortable for her, but she is doing better and is off right now with her "boyfriend" (teasing)Andrew and his wonderful mom Jennifer Feiler who takes her somewhere fun every Wednesday morning. She is very "three" right now, but is really doing a great job being a big sister and with being in the house so much. We take drives to look at houses and get little snacks. She is a good sport.

We are still hoping to sell our house in Greensboro after the first contract fell through. We have some great house possibilities here in Durham--which is exciting to think about getting settled in our own house. Chris is enjoying really getting into a rhythm at Westminster, and we're enjoying getting to know people so much more.

Other than that, we're hanging in here, and looking forward to the weather getting nicer so we can get out of the house.

We are so grateful again for all your well wishes--and thoughts and prayers and assistance. The months that Westminster folks have fed us have been so appreciated--and delicious. It really made it possible for us to get through these last few months. We were so moved to hear about the spaghetti dinner that the CDC at First Burlington is doing for us on March 25. It made me stop in my tracks and cry--and thank God for such wonderful friends we have made over the years. We miss you all!

Ok, that is enough for now. i will try to send more updates as we go.
love, carrie

Blessings,

"Gran" Sarah

Good Monday Update

I had a great conversation with Carrie today. She had gone for a drive with the children in order to get out of the house a bit-but as you know she really can't go in to any stores with Heath! So, it's their way of getting out of the house without the germ exposure!

Ella Brooks is feeling much better and is fully recovered from her tummy bug. As they were riding in the car, EB was lecturing her brother on sharing the one toy he had in his hand with his sister!! Quite the "in-charge" girl!

Carrie said they are doing really well. Chris took Heath to his regularly scheduled doctor's appointment last Thursday and got a great report. In fact, the report was so good that Heath's next appt. is not until April 2! He will probably be scheduled for a routine heart cath. sometime in April but for now, all seems to be nice and steady.

Heath's physical therapist is thrilled with his progress. Carrie said he is one busy, active one-year old! Yeah!

Still no word on a sale for their house in Greensboro but they are hopeful to have a buyer soon. They would love to find a permanent home in the Durham area and begin to be part of a neighborhood soon! Carrie said she had found that sometimes waiting is the only solution-difficult when you are a planner!

That's the good news for now....

Blessings,
"Gran" Sarah

Uh-Oh- Tummy Bug!

Carrie emailed me this afternoon and especially asked for prayers for the Warren family in the loss of their 7 year old son, Luke, this past Sunday morning. The Warrens were at Duke at the same time the Tuttles were, both children in the PICU, and the families became very close friends. Sadly, Carrie went to the visitation last night to see the family.

As Carrie was leaving the very difficult visitation, she received a call from her mother, "Ama". "Ama" reported that Ella Brooks was not feeling well and was crying and asking for mommy. It turns out that Ella Brooks now has a stomach bug. For most families, that would not be cause for great concern. However, that means that Chris and Heath are now quarantined at "Ama's" house while Carrie is quarantined at home with Ella Brooks! Carrie proclaims, "Never a dull moment in the Tuttle house!". This is one time they hope that Ella Brooks does NOT share with her brother!

So please continue to keep the Tuttles in your prayers as they deal with this latest bump in the road. Once again, the Tuttles covet your prayers for the Warren family as they deal with the devastating loss of their sweet son.

Many blessings,
"Gran" Sarah