Wink from Heaven: February 2009

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Blooming

I have a little purple flower that is always the first to bloom every Spring!
It always makes me so happy when it peeks out of the ground.
I know it will probably snow again...
but the hope of spring makes feel happy!
Caleb is also having the courage to peek!
He is healing well from his recent surgeries.
He hasn't thrown up since his nissin,
and he seems happy.
I know he'll likely still have some illness
before the Winter is through, but the hope of a healthier year makes my heart HAPPY!

Between my toes

I love to see Caleb use his senses!...This week I've been putting his fingers and toes into a container of rice and beans and corn for some sensory play. His vision therapist had fun putting the beans in between his toes! Couldn't you just eat those cute little tootsies? I could...beans and all!

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

New wheels!

Caleb got his wheel chair stroller adjusted yesterday! It took 4 months for the parts to come in... just in time for some Springtime strolls through the neighborhood!

Mitchell helped the "wheel chair guys" fix Caleb's stroller with a kitchen beater!

Friday, February 13, 2009

Pucker up!

I told Caleb that Valentines day is a day for smooching...

I told him to practice his pucker...

It took a lot of concentration...

So I decided I better better show him how...

Ahh... a happy boy now that the smooching is over! Eewww!

XOXOXOX

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Sunbeam

Jesus wants me for a SUNBEAM

To SHINE for Him each day

Caleb has done well the past few days! Over the weekend he broke out in big rash that covered his whole body so we had to take him to the Doctor. He couldn't figure out why he was having such a big systemic reaction, but some steroid cream and benadryl did the trick! We knew the rash had almost run it's course when it's last signs were in between his toes and on the tips of his ears! I guess we can't play "dot- to - Dot " on Caleb anymore!

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

A tribute to my brothers

(from Caleb's heart, transcribed by his mother)

I have really special brothers.
Heavenly Father knew he could trust them to love me completely.
They see me with their hearts.
They hold my arms around their necks so that I can hug them.
They crawl into my crib and cuddle me when I need it most.
They visit with me even when I can't speak with words.
They listen with their hearts.
Sometimes they worry about me when I'm in the hospital.
Sometimes it's hard for them to see me with new bandages on my body.
Sometimes they worry that they might hurt me
so they touch me with their hearts.
They are so good to me.
They don't complain.
They often don't realize the many ways they sacrifice for me.
They just love me because I'm their brother, and that's what brothers do.
I know that someday, my brothers and I will be with the Savior,
and He will heal me.
But I don't think I will seem much different to them,
because they see me as I really am.
But I will love to be able to hug them back
and thank them with words for all they did for me.
Because they are my brothers
and I love them with all of my heart.
Love Caleb

jiggety jig

Home again, Home again, jiggety jig!

Monday, February 2, 2009

There's no place like home

Caleb doesn't have any ruby slippers, but our wish was granted... He's coming home tomorrow! He got his chest tubes out today, and his lungs look good! He's tolerating his feedings well, and I've finished my g tube training. So we're preparing to be home by tomorrow evening! Caleb will still be recovering for quite a few weeks, but what better place to heal than his own cozy room, his own comfy bed, and his own family and friends to snuggle him? There's definitely no place like home!

A few pictures from the past few days:

Still not feeling so well...

Starting to feel better...

Getting a snuggle from a"HUG" his nurse gave him!

Sunday, February 1, 2009

A little dose of love

Caleb had a really good day today! When I arrived, I changed his trach then changed his G tube dressings and had some more training. By this afternoon we were moved out of the PICU and onto the floor! He still has his chest tubes in, but the drainage has almost stopped! Caleb also started a slow continuous feeding through his g tube. They started him at 5 ml. per hour and are slowly increasing. Once we were settled on the floor I crawled into bed with him and held him on my lap for over 3 hours. Those moments truly remind me what heaven felt like. I finally had to put him down when I got too numb and sweaty from sitting for so long :) Caleb loved being snuggled and held. It was just what the doctor ordered, for both of us. Caleb still has some challenges breathing, but he's getting close to his breathing patterns at home. If all goes well, we may be able to bring him home in a few days to continue his recovery with our home equipment!
Dear Caleb, thanks for the snuggles today. That big dose of L.O.V.E was just what I needed! I love you!

Heaven sent...
We were blessed with a little boy who always winked!
Caleb's brain did not form, and doctors didn't expect him to live for more than a few weeks. After 8 days in the NICU doctors sent us home saying there was nothing more they could do. Among his various physical challenges, Caleb was missing one of his eyes. Even though he was never be able to say "I love you" with words, he told us every day with his "wink!" His little wink was a daily message of love from heaven.

Caleb’s spirit radiated pure love. He brought the love of God and light of Christ into the lives of all who knew him. Caleb’s life was a precious gift and a tender miracle. His winking eye was a daily reminder of Caleb’s deep love for all of us. Caleb could have quickly returned to heaven but instead he brought heaven to us for seven years.

Caleb was a precious gift to our family, and now it is our priveledge to live in such a way that we will be reunited with him forever.

Prayer for Caleb

(written by Caleb's Grandma in her weekly column -2008-)

In my family we have a secret code to communicate our love for each other when we are out in public. We wink. When one of us is about to perform or speak, we look for a family member’s face in the crowd. Then we wink at each other. Closing one eye and winking is our secret code for saying, “I love you. You can do it. You’re wonderful.”

About three years ago, my grandson Caleb was born into our family. He must have known before birth that he would never be able to speak to us because he was born with one eyelid permanently closed. So, he is always “winking” at us, always communicating, “I love you. You can do it. You’re wonderful.”

Caleb has one eye lid permanently closed because he is missing one of his eyes . . . and he is also missing his brain. All the doctors said he would die soon after birth. They were wrong. Caleb is three years old. He is a medical miracle. The doctors say he can’t see, hear, speak, think or move. Those who know and love Caleb understand he has his own unique way of experiencing the world and communicating his love to those around him.

After Caleb was born the hospice people told us to buy a burial plot and continually warned us of his imminent death. We soon learned you can not live well in a state of fear and sadness. We decided we could spend Caleb’s entire life anxious and scared he might die at any moment, or we could celebrate each day we were blessed to have him with us. In the beginning, my daughter April celebrated Caleb’s birthday every week instead of every year with balloons and cupcakes because we simply did not know how long we would have him with us. We stopped the cupcakes after we gained ten pounds, but the celebrating goes on.

We all prayed for a miracle when we first learned about Caleb’s condition. We got one. Caleb’s birth, life and mission have had a deep and lasting impact on our lives. His spirit, eternal identity and most of all the loving, individual relationship he has with each of us is truly a miracle. Because of Caleb we know that each of us has a divine purpose and that the physical body is a sacred gift we should never take for granted. We better understand the worth of a soul and the resiliency of the human spirit.

Caleb’s five year old brother Matthew said, “Grandma. The doctors said Caleb was going to die, but he didn’t. That’s the first miracle I ever saw!”

Sometimes Caleb’s baby brother Mitchell pulls out his feeding tube while they hold hands riding together in their double stroller. Sometimes the only intervention that can get Caleb’s heart rate up is when his older brothers Josh and Matty crawl in his crib, hug him and sing, “I am a Child of God.” ...If you have a moment please offer a prayer for the little boy who has never been able to utter a single word and yet has taught everyone who knows and loves him – all the secrets of a rich and meaningful life.