Exciting news!!

A picture that reminds me how small we are in this great world that God created.

Ana after her appt with the eye doctor in Charleston.

Everything was normal! Praise God!

Last Saturday, my mom took us and our extended family to the fair!!!

All of the kids at the fair!

Ana posing on a horse at the fair! Ana ready for bed in her brace.

It has been a long week! Ana's left foot continues to turn in and drop due to weakness and her muscles continue to tighten. The Physical Therapist has recommended that we let her sleep in the left brace. Ana is not very happy about this, but is willing to try it if it means less wheelchair time. A couple more appointments have been made for the coming weeks. Ana will see a local Urologist who will work closely with Dr. Alam in Cincinnati. She is in need of a bladder scan to check for urine retention. Secondly, Ana will be evaluated by the head of pediatric physical therapy at MUSC in 1 week. Her therapist from Hilton Head will attend this evaluation in an effort to learn how to better care for Ana's physical needs and determine if she needs some type of walker. Let's see... umm... oh yes, Ana did get a mercury free flu vaccine this week and she did very well with it. After having the flu last year, we learned our lesson. Lastly, Ana's SleepSafe II Hi/Lo bed has been sent into insurance for precertification... we need everyone to be in prayer about this. Below I will post Ana's schedule for prayer... we need everyone praying about these appointments, not only for Ana, but also for the doctors and medical professionals treating her. We also need you guys praying for Ana's health... pray for her legs... pray for her bladder & kidneys... pray for our financial ability to get her to all of these upcoming appointments... pray for God to completely heal her!

I almost forgot the exciting news!! The NIH (National Institute of Health) is conducting a research study on the diagnosis and treatment of PRIMARY MITOCHONDRIAL DISEASE!!!!! This is the first step in government funding for research of PRIMARY mito!!! Thank you NIH for considering this a priority! We need our prayer warriors to pray about our participation in this study.

NOVEMBER

• 10th- Appt with ENT in Charleston
• 11th- Physical and Speech Therapy on HHI
• 13th- Meeting with the school district about services in home
• 14th- Appt with Urologist (will probably change)
• 17th- Physical Therapy Eval in Charleston
• Sleep Study will be this month

DECEMBER

• 3rd- Appt with Pulmonologist in Savannah
• 9th- Appt with Gastroenterologist in Savannah

JANUARY

• 3rd- Appt with Neurologist in Charleston
• 7th- Appt with Neurologist in Atlanta
• We will also have several appts in Cincinnati this month. I should have dates by the end of the week.

People often ask me how I do it or how I manage all of this and homeschool my other children. For those of you also wondering that, it is by faith, and faith alone. I take each minute that the Lord gives me and I use it with a thankful heart knowing that He didn't have to give it. Being able to "handle" all of this is something I have to pray about on a constant basis. I pray and ask believing that it will be given me, even before my prayer is answered. (Mark 11:24) I have complete faith that God will carry me through, me and Ana both. I know that all things that I ask in prayer, believing, I will receive. (Matthew 21:22) These are promises from God! If you would also like to know God personally, I encourage you to click on the link to the left, titled: "Want to know Ana's God personally?"