A little Update on Shane...

I received an email response from Debbie this morning. She has been at her home for the week and for Tiffany's 5th birthday. WOW! I can't believe she is that old. Any way she(Debbie)and her father are headed to Walter Reed to be with Shane. Her father will be there for only a week.
Debbie said every time they (her and Shane) talk on the phone he cries for her. She said it is sooo hard hearing him cry for her. It is cool to know there is nothing like a "Mommy's" touch, voice and love to bring you through hard times like these. I am sure this makes Debbie feel loved by him. I know her and Shane had some very trying years that would make her question his love.
Besides Shane, her main request to God right now is that she gets to feel rested. Debbie said she tired down to her bones. She needs to rest on the plane so that she can be there mentally for Shane when she returns. So please pray that she can rest on the plane and feel like she has had a weeks worth of sleep.

Thank You All for your prayers!!
Lori

Okay I Spoke to Soon....

So, I was looking through my VHS tapes and DVD's for sell. Corbin is helping me get them together for a lady who is going to purchase them all. He walks off and realizes he had left the dogs outside. Well, Po'nani was still in the yard BUT Ned wasn't (as always). So I find Ned, and he is covered in POOP and not just the smell of poop or skunk (as any other time). He is covered in actual POOP! It was so gross. I wanted to beat him and then Corbin. However, I made Ned go through a bath and Corbin had to help me bathe him. Corbin is very sensitive to smells so it was tortured for him. YUCK!!!!! I so hate dogs somedays. When I see someone letting their dog kiss them on the lips I think of things like this. YUCK!!!!!

I just wanted to tell you a few things.....
I have had a 7 days so far...I had a Military Moms Makeover, I saw the new Indiana Jones movie, I have hung out with family and friends. It was a great Memorial Weekend. I have to confess though, I cried many times. I cried for many different things. I cried for me, my family, my country and ALL the men and women who are serving our country. I cried for all the wounded and all the ones who paid with their lives. Some were sad tears, some were joyful tears and some were cleansing tears. They were all Great tears!
I watched a show I taped on my DVR, it was Kellie Picklers USO Diary. It was so funny and so good. She was so humble and so greatful. She really got the message across about our military serving over there. Some have been there for many many tours. (Yes, I creid watching it also. But who wouldn't have.) Here is day 1 of her tour of Iraq on youtube.

Anyway, God Bless all of yall

Upadte on the ending to last week.

May 22
Ikea with the help of Visible Changes and a few other companies did a "Military Mom Make Over Day!" It was awesome! I know all the ladies that were there when I was there were all having a great time. We recieved a bag of goodies from Ikea, a hair cut and style from Visible Changes, a massage (that was really nice), and our make up done. I would like to thank my sister-in-law for telling me about it. http://www.operationhomefront.net/Chapter_root/chapter_index.asp?Chapter_ID=44
Please go to there website and check it out. After talking to lady in charge, I am saddened by the lack of stuff our country men and women are doing for our military. She received an email, from a solider in Iraq, telling her that he and his 10 guys had been in Iraq for a year and had not received one care package. WOW. I wonder how many others there are. Troops are coming back and have not bedding, no bed or pillow, etc. to rest on or sleep on. If you would like to help please contact them. Or go see what you can donate to help. http://www.operationhomefront.net/Chapter_root/masterdonate.asp?Chapter_ID=44
http://www.operationhomefront.net/Chapter_root/chapter_needs.asp?Chapter_ID=44
http://www.operationhomefront.net/Chapter_root/chapter_sponsors.asp?Chapter_ID=44
http://www.addasmile.com/operationhome07.htm
Go check it all out!

Friday started off a great weekend. we spent time at the Cigar shop and with family at the cigar shop. Sunday we had a bbq and Monday I took my kids to see the new Indiana Jones movie. Which was good and it was funny. I had a nice and relaxing weekend.

My Cousin needs your prayers....

Just a little background, she has been sick off and on since 2006. More on than off though. I believe she is 24 years old. She acts and sounds like an 80 year old. Her mind is not all there at all. She is so tired of being sick and not young and vibrant. The note below is from her mother:
I haven't sent an update on Stephanie in a long time. She has been off work (again) since the end of March. Her fatigue and lacking mental capacity got the best of her. I took her to our family doctor and said that it is time for us to figure out what is wrong with her. She did some extensive blood work and nothing new popped up. So, our family doctor sent us to a neurologist and a hematologist. We haven't met with the hematologist yet (that is scheduled for Thur, May 22). The neurologist seems to really care about finding out what is wrong. He agrees that she was too healthy and is way too young to be this sick. I gave him my chart on all of the blood work that has been done on Steph since July 2006. (Yes, it has been almost two years.) He spent almost an hour with us, going over the last two years, putting her through mental tests, tested for her balance, etc. He did promise to not rule anything out just because of her age. He also didn't hint that it is all in her head (we have been to a couple of those types). He requested more blood work, ordered two MRI's (head and neck), and an EEG. We are seeing the hematologist because Steph's platelet numbers have been high since July '06. So, I am asking that you keep Steph and her doctor's in your prayers. Maybe this round they will find something that they can treat. Love to ya'll. Christine
P.S. Please feel free to pass this on to those I forgot to include. (Ok, maybe my mental state ain't all that it used to be, either.) Feel free to share my site with others who are prayer warriors to pray.

UPDATE on Shane

Hello Family, Friends, Neighbors and Prayer Partners,
Shane is in surgery again today. He continues to look better and better each day and I know it is because of the many prayers said on his behalf. I sincerely thank you for that.
Please pray specifically for Shane's left hand and fingers. That God will give the doctors wisdom and skill to continue the repair and perfect the use and movement of his hand and fingers. Also, please pray that the skin grafts take well and that blood flow and circulation are not restricted, that the nerves and vessels will heal to 100%.
Hazel is doing well. She is a strong young woman and I am so proud of her faith and strength to get through this with Shane. A special thank you for the cards, words of encouragement and everything you are doing to support our family in this difficult time.
I also appreciate the prayers for Sgt. Daggett and his family. I am so sad to say that he passed away on May 15 with his family at his side.
Your continued prayers for this grieving family are much appreciated. May God bless and keep you all in the palm of his capable hands and under the cover of his mighty wings.

Love to all,
Debbie

Armed Forces Day

Have you showed your support yet? If not, I listed many ways to support the military a couple of days ago. Make sure as you go around town over the next few days you take everyone in a
military uniform. They really like it when people do this. It makes every day they are away from
loved ones worth while. So show your support for the rest of the week and on Saturday May 17th.
Show your support by wearing patriotic clothing or military t-shirts. Thank you to all of you.

Military Moms and Wives Day of Pampering

My sister-in-law saw this yesterday and sent it to me. I am excited to say I will be getting a make over at 10:15 at IKEA. How cool is that! I can't wait, I will post before and after pictures of myself.

IKEA and VisibleCHANGES has teamed up with Operation Homefront Texas to thank the wives of the US Armed Forces in the Houston area. A day of pampering and relaxation will be provided by IKEA to military wives on Thursday, May 22th at the IKEA Restaurant located on the second floor - 7810 Katy Freeway - Houston, Texas. The first 50 ladies that RSVP with Operation Homefront will receive Hair Styling; Free Breakfast or Lunch; Make-up Consultation; and a Massage. IKEA will provide entertainment and meals for the children. You must RSVP by Friday, May 16th for one of the following time slots: 10:15 am; 12:15 pm; or 2:15 pm. Please RSVP with the following information to texas@operationhomefront.net - time slot you would like to attend and number of children you will be bringing. You will receive a return email confirming your appointment. For further information, please contact Operation Homefront at 1-800-779-5921. Hurry and RSVP - limited slots are available! You deserve a day of pampering! Please click on the link for additional information: chapter_images/IKEA - MilitaryWife_Invite - May 22.jpg

Operation Home Front Texas Chapter

I just thought I would share a website or more with yall today.

http://www.operationhomefront.net/Chapter_root/chapter_index.asp?Chapter_ID=44

http://www.soldiersangels.org/

http://www.adoptaplatoon.org/new/

Check them out and maybe even be inspired to help somewhere.

Update on Shane

Hello Family, Friends, Neighbors and Prayer Partners:

Shane had a really rough day today. He was in surgery for many hours. The doctors are trying to get his pain under control so he went back to surgery to have a procedure that will block the feeling to the nerves in his left leg and his left arm. He also underwent some skin grafting. Shane's injuries and care are very complex but the team of doctors assured me there would be no leaf left unturned with respect to Shane's medical care. I am very impressed with the excellent care he is getting at Walter Reed. Some have asked how long he will be here. I simply don't have an answer to that yet.

He's taking baby steps toward recovery and has many more surgeries ahead as well as rehab. So I do appreciate everyone keeping Shane a daily part of your prayer life for a while.

Yesterday, he was able to tolerate a small amount of physical therapy on his right leg and right arm. He is still in the process of being evaluated for brain injury. The ENT doc gave him a smell test and he was pretty pooped after a few minutes of that. There's a lot they have to do to determine brain injury, and even though Shane is talking, his speech is slurred and it's very difficult to determine if it is the heavy medication he is on, or the pain he is having, or what is causing the slurring. He still gets very disoriented and has to be reminded where he is and that he is safe. He'll wake up and relive the trauma and start yelling to find out if everyone is okay, thinking he is back in Iraq with his fellow soldiers. Pray for his peace of mind and heart. According to what Shane told the doctor about the accident, he never lost consciousness so he was aware of every detail as it happened. I am sure he will struggle with that but with God's help I pray he can learn to have peace and get through this.

Love to all,
Debbie

Everyone please keep this family help high in your prayers. Pray that Shane gets relief from the struggle of the battle going off in his head. As a fellow Army mother I can only pray that all these young men and women stay safe. My heart goes out to Debbie as a mother and as a friend. I know God is in control so please plead with him for Shanes recovery.

Funny Navy Video

Okay for those of you who think all I do is sit around and eat BonBon's all day. Well, NOT, I sit around watching youtube videos. Check out what I found today. This one is very funny yet sad all at the same time. Well, not sad for me but for the Navy. It is funny for me and not the Navy either. Well,anyway it is funny.

Something Fun

I decided that my blog was getting sadder and sadder, which is not and was not my intention at all. I just get a soap box and have a hard time coming down off of it. So I decided to include a fun song. Me and Ms. bee turn this one up as loud as we can get it.

I hope it makes you as happy as it makes us.

Just A Thought

I just wanted to share this video with yall. They wrote this song, I believe, for the Vietnam War, but I think this version of the video is good for todays war. They even show you pictures of some of the protesting that is going on. We need to make sure we support the Troops regardless to how we feel about the war itself.



There are lots of ways to support our troops. Through prayer, adopt a solider program, sewing blankets and pillowcases, sending cards and letters the list goes on. When you see someone in unifrom tell them "Thank You"! If their family is with them thank them too. Remember they are just doing their job. They are making sure our Freedom is here to stay.

I just wanted to add something for you think about when you are praying and thinking about all our military men and women. Dont forget alot of these people have families who are depending on them more than we are.

Here is the lastest on Shane

Dear Family, Friends & Neighbors: Thank you for your prayers, please don't stop praying. I have attach some pictures but please open with caution as some are graphic and may be difficult and upsetting for you to see. The only thing I can say is that a picture is worth a thousand words and I wanted you to personally see the 22 year old enwar hero you are praying for. He was given a purple heart with valor medal. I pray that his suffering and sacrifice will be used for God's glory and that it will be a reminder to us all that freedom isn't free. Pray for all of our military, we owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude and respect. They are not forgotten! Shane is still in intensive care and has already had two surgeries since we arrived late Sunday evening. He is going into surgery again tomorrow. He has extensive injuries all over and as a result Shane has a long road of pain, more surgeries and rehabilitation to face. It is more difficult than words can express to see our son lying in such pain. We are so proud of him for his bravery in battle and now his battle to recover. Due to his pain, he can only rest and sleep for very short periods of time. He is disoriented when he wakes up sometimes and doesn't know where he is and sometimes he is very irritable and struggles with the immense pain, and other times he is a complete cut up and will make us laugh. He is a real trooper! The doctors are trying very hard to alleviate Shane's pain as much as possible, but the meds they are giving him, if given too much, will cause his blood pressure to drop and his heart to stop. His case is very tedious and complex, so please pray for the doctors and staff as they make medical decisions in Shane's best interest. He is surrounded with lots of family at his bedside who have flown in from various parts of the U.S. We are thankful he is alive and as we face this crisis with courage and strength that only God can give, we trust that God has better days ahead and that is what we look forward to. We claim God's promise in Joshua 1:9, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." May God also comfort you with this verse with wherever you are in life and whatever difficulties you face. May God continue to watch over you and bless your families. We are overwhelmed by the help and response to meet our families needs through the efforts of the American Red Cross, the Soldier Family Assistance Center at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the Warrior In Transition Liaison of the 25th Infantry Division, the Able Troop Warrior Transition Brigade at Walter Reed, the Chaplain assigned to Shane's Intensive Care Unit, and many charitable organizations that have welcomed us with open arms, given us a shoulder to cry on, and assisted with our family's needs. Again, I can't say it enough, we are thankful to tears for the love and concern everyone has had for our son and our family and more importantly your continual prayers. May God get the glory!!
Much love,Debbie Stuard

I am only including one of the pictures because of the graphic nature of some of them.

Prayer Request

I have a urgent prayer request. I had posted awhile back a few pictures. One of those was a picture of Shane Stuard. We have known the Stuard family for many years. Shane joined the Army to grow up and take care of his family. He is a Stryker, which means he is one of the first ones into building to clear it. It is so awesome to see where he was (bad boy) to who he has turned out to be (great Dad and Husband). However, he is in Germany at the military hospital there and headed to Walter Reed here soon. Here is his picture again please click on it and make it bigger. Then print it out and post it on your frig. Then pray and pray for him and his young family. His wife's name is Hazel and they have 3 children. In the article below you can see a picture of both Shane and Hazel together when he went home in Feb. I believe. Here is an article from the miltary newspaper about military recreation and shane and hazel are in it.

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=49547

I recieved a few emails now from his mother (Debbie) and here they are.

Hello Family, Friends and Neighbors, Since my last email to everyone, I have learned more on Shane's condition, have spoken to him twice on the phone, as well as to Hazel. I have also received information regarding the attack and will share that information with you as well.
Shane's condition: His injuries are now classified as "serious" but stable meaning he's been downgraded from a "life threatning" to "possible life threatening" classification and "stable" meaning his vitals are the same, neither improving nor getting worse. That's a praise! He's been transported from 86 Combat Hospital to Balad and is in intensive care there. Tomorrow he will be flown to Landstuhl, Germany for further treatment and evaluation. And then from there to a hospital in the U.S., where and when, I do not know just yet.
The Attack
Below is information I received from Captain Kurt Pressell which clears up some misinformation I was previously given, i.e., Shane was not inside a stryker vehicle when his injuries were incurred. Please see the information below: "1. At approximately 1434 01 May 08 , 1st Platoon, B Company, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry was engaged by RPG and small arms fire in a complex attack near Sadr City, Baghdad, Iraq. The attack resulted in two TF 1-14 injured Soldiers. 2. Bushmaster injured Soldiers: SPC Shane Wallace Stuard and SGT John Kyle Daggett
3. SPC Shane Stuard was wounded during a RPG and machine gun attack. Soldier was evacuated to COP Callahan and further evacuated to 86th Combat Support Hospital (CSH). Soldier received severe burns and multiple shrapnel to both arms and soft tissue damage to left thigh with possible fracture, he is currently intubated and in the trauma room at the 86th CSH.
4. SGT John Daggett was wounded during a RPG and machine gun attack. Soldier was evacuated to COP Callahan and further to 86th CSH. Soldier received severe burns and multiple shrapnel to right arm, severe burns to face, and head trauma. He was intubated in trauma room at 86th CSH and then evacuated to the 332nd Air Force Theater Hospital in Balad, Iraq.
5. LTC Boccardi's, 1-14 IN's Battalion Commander, most up-to-date e-mail: SGT Daggett is out of surgery. He's on his way to Landstuhl now. His heart and lungs are strong, but there was a lot of bleeding in the head. This type of injury and affect does not usually end w/ good prognosis. Pray hard. He's as tough as they come. Once he gets to Germany they will try to wake him...this is where it all starts.
Please keep these injured Golden Dragon Hereos and their Families in your thoughts and prayers.
Respectfully, Kurt Pressell CPT, IN 1-14 IN Rear-D Commander"
I am also informed by sources I cannot reveal that even after very serious injury, Shane continued to fight and would not quit.
When I spoke to Shane late this afternoon, I told him how many people were praying for him. He was overwhelmed. Then he said, "please tell everybody to please direct their prayers more for Sgt John Daggett. He needs lots of prayers. Tell them, Mom, to please pray for Sgt Daggett."
My promise to him is that I would "tell them," so I have. Please also pray hard for Sgt Daggett and his family.
Thank you Prayer Warriors! Debbie Stuard Proud and Grateful Army Mom
Hello Everyone, God is answering your prayers! Praise God -- He is the One who hears all, knows all, and sees all!! Okay guys, I will give you as detailed of an account as I can of Shane's injuries so you can pray very specifically for those needs. Here we go...
Shane is now in Landstuhl Germany. He is undergoing surgery for irrigation and debridement of all of his wounds. Shane has significant injuries to his left hand (his fingers were blown off and sewn back on) so during the irrigation and debridement, the orthopedic surgeon will take an extensive look at his hand and note his findings in the doctors report. Shane has signficant injuries to his left foot as well. The surgeon will also look extensively at that foot and note his findings. He has signficant injuries to the left leg (left femur open fracture) with external fixation device put into place for that thigh. He also has a wound vac on the open wound to the thigh which will keep the drainage and any infection off that wound. For those of you not familiar with a wound vac, it's pretty cool because its like a constant sucking bandage over the wound and it promotes quicker healing of an open wound as it literally pulls the wound together. There is soft tissue damage to both left and right arms. He has a tube in his right lung and they will keep that tube in so they can keep his lung inflated and suctioned out. There's a dressing over his right chest wound. He has 2 significant dorsal wounds to the left foot. He suffered moderate facial burns; his eye lashes are singed off and he has drainage from his eyes. Both ear drums are perforated with about 60% hearing ability at this time.
As I said, the doctors in Germany will wash out all of his wounds, debride the wounds and give him sterile dressings and get him ready to fly to Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C. tomorrow. We will finally get to fly to see Shane in Washington. Since we will be leaving as early as tomorrow or Monday, I also ask for prayer for safe travel. Unless Shane's condition worsens, I will email you Update #4 from Walter Reed after I see Shane. Larry and I, again, extend our deepest thanks and appreciate the prayers, your time and efforts to forward our updates to your family, friends and churches and prayer chains. The only thing I can think of to say is we are overwhelmed by your love and care.