Happy Birthday Randy!

Today is Randy's birthday, I won't mention how old, but we all know that he is young at heart. He and Carrie were able to take an excursion outside the hospital and spend a couple hours back at the apartment. Picture this..... Randy pushing Carrie down the streets of Seattle in her wheelchair four city blocks. It makes me chuckle and surely was fun for them. :)

The 1st heel replacement is scheduled for Tuesday morning so crank up those prayer chains and keep them in your heart.

The Vandals have started spring ball so Ty is back to the practice schedule and was featured in the newspaper last week. Bo has been busy with baseball and Jenn and her family are doing well.


NOTES - Idaho' Vandals first full-scale scrimmage will take place next Saturday at 10 a.m. The Vandals will also scrimmage April 11 and 18, leading up to their Silver and Gold Game on April 24. ...

Orofino rallied past St. Maries 17-8 in a rain-soaked Intermountain League prep baseball game. The second game was rained out. Doesn't the weather know it is baseball season, 5 inches of snow in Moscow today!

Grafts Look Great

The doctors removed the bandages today and the skin grafts look great. She still has external metal (rods and pins) attached to the ankle. They are now planning for the two major surgeries on the ankles and should know either today or tomorrow when they will be.

Randy went home over the weekend to bring the boys back, get more clothing, and take care of a few things at home. He also stopped and looked at the vehicle. He said it is truly amazing all the miracles that have come.

Keep up the prayers.

Surgery Went Well

Carrie had the skin graph surgery yesterday, the took skin off the right thigh and put it on the ankles. Miracles continue to happen as they took less skin then expected. She is resting well today and in some minor pain. They will keep them bandaged until Sunday and then look at them. They are still planning on surgery for next Tuesday on the heal.

The eye is still swollen but the docs are very optimistic that with time the swelling will go down.

Keep up the prayers and well wishes!

A letter from Carrie!!!

Thank you for your love, support and prayers! I cannot begin to describe the strength I receive from first of all God, and then my family, friends, and community.

When I was first told I might lose my legs, my response was simply, "That’s okay because I can still teach from a wheelchair".

Kids if you’re reading this, know that I love and miss all of you! On difficult days, thinking about you and my desire to get back to school is what keeps me going.

I am improving everyday and know that I will make a strong recovery.

I want to thank each and every person for all they’ve done to support my family and me during this time. I am receiving cards and letters of encouragement from across the nation.

Orofino truly is a little community with a great big heart! How fortunate I am to live in such a beautiful and spectacular area! I hope I have an opportunity to someday pay my family, friends and community back!

Take Care and Love to All,
Carrie Brooks

Scheduled Out, But Seeing a Light

They have re-scheduled the skin graph for next Tuesday morning. They will keep them bandaged for five days and check them on Sunday, March 22. Tentatively the world renowned foot surgeon will do the titanium heal bone (Calcaneus) replacement on Tuesday the 24th.

I found this great website to explain to me what the Calcaneus bone is and its function, I encourage you to take a look at it. (Note: it is kind of graphic for those that are queezy at heart)
http://www.mdmercy.com/footandankle/conditions/trauma/fracture_heelbone.html

They still one stitch in here right eye in order to keep it closed and moist and a lot of swelling but her vision continues to remain fine. Ty is headed to Seattle this weekend, and they are all looking forward to a weekend of rest and togetherness.

Today's Surgery

Carrie went in for skin graphs today, they ended up not doing them. They did an abrasion on the tissue to generate blood flow to the surface. They ended up pulling the tissue closer together and put some stitches in. They are planning the skin graph for next Tuesday. She will continue to have surgery every two days to do the bandage changes.

Randy's co-workers from across the state are together in Moscow this week for a conference and had a great fundraiser and rally of support.

Operation #9

Carrie will go in for operation number nine tomorrow for skin grafts. Her eye is still stitched shut but the doctors say it is in great shape. She is in great spirits and her and Randy are doing well!

Keep up the prayers, it is often said families need the most support weeks and even months after a crisis. Let's not let Carrie, Randy or the family down!

Turned the Corner

Had a great conversation with Randy. Surgery went well, they put a titanium plate in Carries forehead during the eye socket surgery. They still believe her vision fine and are amazed that she has no brain injuries. She came out of surgery with no tubes left in her except for the IV. After awaking from recovery she had Randy bringing her buckets of water and soap and brushes. She has a new outlook and is ready to get up and about. She will still have to go through the heal reconstruction, but all is looking very good.

Eye surgery

Randy and Carrie are waiting for the hospital to take her in for the Orbital Eye Socket Surgery today. They didn't get much sleep last night so hopefully Randy can rest during her surgery. I will post again when she gets out of surgery.

Amazing News

Carrie went in to surgery at 11:00, this was expected to be a 6 hour micro surgery, graphing muscle, tissue, and skin to the right ankle from the thigh. Randy received a call a little while ago from the Doc. When he got Carried into surgery they found that the skin, tissue, and muscle had started re-growth on their own. Mind you, just yesterday this process was not yet visible. Randy was very stoked regarding this news and couldn't wait for Carrie to come out of surgery and hear the news herself.

She is living proof that miracles do happen and the power of prayer is immense. Please keep up all the love, support and prayer. Sometimes it may seem that we are helpless and can't do much in their time of need, but all the love, support, and prayer are truly helping to create miracles.

More surgery ahead but spirits are high!

Carrie' s spirits have been high. Yesterday she walked Randy through their bills and knew all account numbers and passwords. He was very impressed with her lucidness. Her eyes are still very swollen due to last weeks surgery. She had a pressure bandage change this morning and will have surgery tomorrow. Tomorrow they will remove a long small muscle and skin from her inner thigh and graph it to her right ankle bone. This will be a fairly long surgery and will need to be watched carefully following to make sure the blood flow maintains through the veins. The right eye socket surgery will come after this now.

Randy has been reading comments from the blog to Carrie as well as cards from Orofino Elementary. He wanted me to pass on the following message:

"I am overwhelmed by the support from our community, family, friends, and even strangers. It is just amazing, I will be forever grateful of the outpouring."

Keep up the prayers, love and support.