Spare A Few Prayers? {Prayer Request}

I know everyone's prayer lists are long if they are anything like mine. I just couldn't neglect to ask even more moms to pray for another mama who could use some extra prayer warriors.

We are a community of faithful, prayerful friends whom may never meet, but we are always bound in prayer. Last year, many of us prayed for Sarah and were drawn to help her family after her passing. Back when everyone was praying for Paul, he and his wife touched my heart and I couldn't stop praying. I didn't even know Paul, but it didn't matter. He and his family needed us and we rose to the occasion.

On Palm Sunday, I was alerted by an old NET teammate via Facebook that another teammate's wife needed our prayers. She was diagnosed with large B-cell non-Hodgkins lymphoma. More tests found out it was a more aggressive "triple hit" lymphomia, isolated in her abdominal area, consisting of a few tumors, with one of them being almost 10 cm.

Again, my heart is heavy and praying continually as Annie begins the long road ahead. She will need many treatments in the coming months that will include 6-8 days in the hospital every few weeks. She just began her first round of treatment last Friday. While Annie and Curt are not a part of my daily inner circle of friends and we mostly keep in touch at Christmas time, my heart will always be bound to my NET team. My heart cannot help but ache when one of them is in need and I must respond.

Curt and Annie are a wonderful couple with a young family of five children. They need their mom and Curt needs his wife. They are a beautiful faith-filled family who are bound to stay positive and will need to lean on the prayers of many to get them through this.

Will you please pray with me for Annie and her family? I'd appreciate it.

If you feel called to financially help out Annie's family, you can go to her GoFundMe site. If you'd like to follow Annie's journey, you can do so over at her Caring Bridge site.

Update & A Thank You

Thank you to all of you who sent prayers and your love over the last few days after last week's prayer request.

I'm happy to report that Reed's dad finally returned home yesterday evening. One of the first things he did was go out for a walk in the woods (with company, of course). While his vision is the main concern and area affected, he is otherwise doing well. He is lacking eyesight in both eyes and unable to zero in on objects completely. Occasionally I think there is still some memory that is impacted too, but for the most part he is doing well. He has returned home with all of his sass minus his clear vision. lol. The biggest adjustment will be keeping an otherwise quite active man full of shenanigans a little bit more low key for a while. And of course, getting used to seeing him in the passenger seat. I cannot tell you how many times I've thought I heard the John Deere tractor or his mule he drives, going down the driveway. Only to be rudely jolted to the reality that he's not there doing that. We continue to remain hopeful and prayerful that his eyesight will return or at least become more clear so that he will be able to function even better. We are so grateful for the prayers that clearly aided in his recovery. Keep 'em coming!

As for my MIL, she is doing much better and up and around as normal. I'm sure the coming weeks will be an adjustment for her, but hopefully the help of family will be a support to her.

Lastly, my papa. He is still hospitalized and he has good days and then others that he's a little confused or things are a bit more difficult. The fluid on the lungs is better, but his blood pressure is low and they found his heart rate to be too. The doctor reports are mixed and one day they suggest a pacemaker and the next they say he's not a candidate. I presume that the family will be meeting with doctors more this week to decide on a course of action for him. Who knows where it will lead The Resurrection Man. Yesterday he was up sitting in the chair watching the Twins game and the day before he was telling grandkids his good-byes. Prayers for direction for my dad's family and the care of my grandpa are most appreciated as well.

Thank you again for being a strong faith-filled community that I was able to turn to for support. You have always been a blessed presence in my life, although most of us have never met. Thank You!

God's Curve Ball And Prayer Request

This week has been tiring, emotionally and physically.

In case you've questioned my absence, I thought I would catch you up to speed.

Even taking the time to check in and send out a prayer request here was time consuming, so I opted not to.


Briefly:

My FIL suffered a stroke earlier in the week. There are so many details to what happened, but I just can't find the time or energy to replay the scene. Thank God, he is doing remarkably well. He is up and around and each passing day he looks just a little bit better. The main thing affected is his eye sight in one eye that has gotten a little better, but I am unsure that it will completely heal.

He does still have blood on his brain that has not decreased and they also told us yesterday that they found a tear in an artery that goes up the back of the neck to the brain. This tear will need to be addressed in coming months. For now, he will be in the hospital over the weekend for sure to keep monitoring him and get him on blood pressure medication before going home.


As all of this unfolded on Tuesday, it was wearing on everyone as you can imagine. That night, while my MIL stayed overnight at the hospital she ended up in ER with memory loss and confusion. They diagnosed her with Transient Global Amnesia. Essentially, she could remember up through Monday, but none of the events from Tuesday. She was admitted to the hospital, treated that day, tests ran and was discharged late Wednesday evening. She seems to be doing well, besides being tired from all the time spent visiting my FIL.


Lastly, to end our week, my 93 year old grandpa was admitted to the same hospital. He is being treated for fluid on his lungs and congestive heart failure. Yesterday when I visited him he was eating like usual and in chipper spirits, a big change from when I visited him at home last weekend. I was recently updated and found that he has gotten much quieter, his blood pressure is erratic and low and he had a rough night. Reed has dubbed him The Resurrection Man because he's always bounced back in the past. Many times we have thought he was in his last and he always came back. We will see what God's plan is for this wonderful, sweet man this time around.


At least for today, we are all home together. This week has kept Reed at the hospital, an hour away, every day and me holding down the fort. I've been to the hospital a couple times and yesterday was the first day we took all the kids. I think it did the Papa's well to see the kids and lift their spirits a bit.


Any prayers you can send are most appreciated. We know the healing power of prayer and trust that God will protect and watch over our loved ones who need His powerful touch.

Say A Prayer Please

I'm asking for your prayers that are needed today for baby Hazel's parents. I found out this morning that they had become pregnant and just this week found out that there is no heartbeat for baby and are in the midst of a miscarriage.

If you can keep them in your prayers in the coming days and weeks, I'd appreciate it. Not only are they now grieving this child, but with the coming holidays as well as the one year anniversary of Hazel's birth and death in January there are rough days ahead. There is sorrow and unanswered questions that consume this young couple.

Please help me wrap them in love and care with your prayers.

Where I've Been

**Editor's Note: Since publishing this post, I've gotten several comments of concern. Before you read this post, know that baby and mom are both doing well and resting at home.**

Tuesday morning started out like all the others, delirious and tired, but ready for the new day. Getting ready to hop in the shower I felt a sudden gush of fluid and thought I had a peeing accident. Upon checking I knew things were very different. Blood. It was surreal. I could not believe this was happening. In mere minutes, Reed was at my side, Dr. K was called and told me to get to ER, my in-laws were called to come stay with the kids who were still snuggled in bed. Disbelief filled my head. Panic and tears. This wasn't happening, couldn't be happening.

Within 20 minutes we were out the door. I grabbed my purse, my St. Gianna relic medal and my camera. If something went very wrong, I'd want to have it. But my mind was not going there. We were not giving up. This child is our little miracle, our blessing and it was counting on me not to give up hope. Arriving at ER, I walked in feeling completely fine. No cramping, not feeling sick, hungry if anything. Besides the bleeding, I felt like I shouldn't even be there.

My paperwork was ready to go since my doctor had called in letting them know of my arrival. I was escorted to a small room and the nurse began taking vitals, labs were drawn and I was in a hospital gown quickly. In appeared Dr. K and he talked with his reassuring voice, kept our hopes up and proceeded with caution and protocol. He listened for baby's heartbeat and almost instantly found it again. This was reassuring. Upon a physical exam, it was concluded that there didn't seem to be any other area that the bleeding was coming from up behind the placenta. That was good. Again Dr. K spoke with us laying before us what was possibly ahead of us and reminding us that unfortunately at 16 weeks if I delivered, there would be no chance for survival for baby. Before heading down to the ultrasound area, he asked if we should pray together. Not for the first time, I was reminded why we chose this physician, why we need this physician and why we are so blessed to have him supporting and guiding us. Tears filled my eyes as we prayed that God's will be done.

Our morning was again blessed with another wonderful staff person as the ultrasound tech cared for us very well. If nothing else, this whole episode granted us the chance to see our little one for the very first time. What a show-off! He/she was in there moving like crazy and kept moving their hand around reaching, waving, covering their face. Baby is completely fine. Measuring and looking exactly where he/she needs to be at this point. Again, good news.

The not so good news was that the ultrasound also revealed why I was bleeding. I have marginal placenta previa. Normally the bleeding would start due to a fall or something else traumatic that triggered it, but I had nothing in the days prior to it. I felt pretty much normal, no cramping, no pain, no spotting. If there is a good side, there is still a chance for the placenta to move up further as baby grows and would move away from the cervix causing the risk to be much less and for me to carry through pregnancy and allow for a normal delivery.

Due to the fact that I was still at least bleeding some, it was decided that I needed to stay in the hospital for observation. I was stationed in a room somewhere between post-op geriatrics and pediatrics. I felt so completely fine that I felt completely out of place. In order for optimal observation, I stayed overnight and was monitored. I was given numerous chances to hear baby's heartbeat again as they checked it. Sweet sounds to a worried mama. Baby has also decided to take the opportunity in the last day to make his/herself known and I'm feeling more and more little flutters as baby moves. I take each of these as sweet rewards and assurances that everything is going to be all right. And I pray.

I arrived back at home late this morning and I'm on household bed rest for the next week. I can be up and around at home, but need to rest and put my feet up often too. This is critical and important for baby and I, this much I know. BUT, I cannot help but feel worry and fear as it tempts to creep in. We're praying that changes come in the coming weeks and placenta and baby do move up. This would be a welcome blessing. I'm also praying that the small amount of bleeding does subside and that an episode such as this does not reoccur.

I will take this time to slow down and take it as a way of drawing us closer to God. I will also be honest in sharing with you that this is all tough for a 'planner' mama. A mom who has homeschooling to start next week, who has a September calendar filled to overflowing, who would like to be outside walking on the cooler days ahead. Yes, this is all for the greater good and I need to do all that is possible to make this a restful time for mine and baby's safety and health.

I come here again asking for your prayers because I know that you are women (and perhaps men) of faith who I need so desperately to storm heaven with prayer. Thank you in advance.


**Here's your bonus to making it to the end of this very lengthy post: Baby photos!

In The Arms Of The Angels

Our Great-niece, baby Hazel Marie, entered God's eternal kingdom at 11:44 this morning. She was held in her mother's loving embrace, as her father hummed her to sleep. Hazel fought hard for almost two weeks, but her little body could not take any more.

We weep with sadness as our hearts ache because we are not able to join her. She rejoices today as she enters her Heavenly reward. In her short time here on earth, she blessed so any lives. Hazel brought so many to their knees as we awaited a miracle. Her parents exhibited a deep faith and strength beyond belief as they shared their journey with us and became such witnesses to those of us who waited. Hazel's mission was simple: to bring a piece of Heaven here for a short time on earth. Today, she rests peacefully in Jesus' arms.

The family has felt your continued support through prayers you sent their way in abundance. Please keep them coming as we continue on from here without the littlest member of our extended family.



Eternal rest grant unto Hazel, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her.

Calling All Prayer Warriors!!

When you read this, please say a prayer. Or perhaps two.

Our dear great-niece, baby Hazel, whom we have been praying for has taken a turn into an unknown outcome. She has been gradually taken off of her ECMO machine for her heart, today. While we are remaining prayerful and hopeful, her parents are preparing for the worst since her body is not responding as it should. There are too many complications and too many signs of other problems and conditions that are not allowing her to heal normally and completely.

Members of the family are making the trek to the Mayo Clinic and could use prayers for safety. The rest of us wait by our computers, hanging on every update. We are trying not to give up, but our hearts are aching with sadness at the possibilities.

We are pleading for a miracle, if that be a part of God's plan. And if not, we are praying for strength and grace for Hazel's parents and grandparents as they are led down a path with an unknown future.

May Hazel's guardian angel watch over and protect her as Jesus leads her in His perfect plan.

*Update* On Baby Hazel

Your prayers are helping! Keep them coming!

Miss Hazel, my newest great-niece, made it through her surgery on Tuesday. Unfortunately, it was found that she has an issue with her lungs, pulmonary hypertension. She is still on a machine for this and also still on a bypass machine since her surgery. She has not been able to be taken off of these yet as the doctors are cautious and making sure that the heart and lungs are strong enough first. They are hoping to give it a try tomorrow, Friday.

Hazel did open her eyes to watch mommy and daddy today and look around her room. She also moved her toes and fingers a little bit too. Her parents have become an amazing testimony of strength as they have shared of their reliance on God during this time and witnessed to His greatness and plan in all of this. Wonderful testimony for young parents in their early twenties!

Keep those prayers flooding this way. There's a little girl who is relying on every single one of them.

Urgent Prayer Request!

Our family could use prayer warriors, especially today. So, naturally, I am turning to you.

I am confident that you will wrap my dear little great-niece, Hazel, in an abundance of prayers from wherever you are. Hazel was born New Year's day and was airlifted Saturday night to the Mayo Clinic. She has been diagnosed with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrom and needs an initial surgery, with another at six months and a third, at two-five years old.

Little Hazel has been stable, but surgery is scheduled for 7:00 am TODAY and is expected to last eight hours.

Please keep Hazel, her physicians, nurses and parents in your prayers as much as possible. It is appreciated beyond measure.

Prayer Request *update*

Earlier this month I asked for immediate prayers for a family member, but at that time I was unable to share more information. I am now able to share a little more with you and once again ask that you continue those prayers.

The prayer request was for my cousin, who is just a few months younger than myself. He is a physician who is working on finishing his residency at the Mayo Clinic. He is very intelligent. He is most humble. He is a husband and a father to two dear little boys. He is loved and supported by many. He has cancer.

Just over 7 years ago, the non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was diagnosed and was predicted to progress quite rapidly due to the amount there was in his body. It was decided that my cousin stood better odds by waiting it out, without drastic treatment. He did have some removals of small tumors and lymphs through the years, but no chemo or radiation. He continued to be watched and monitored and several times over these years we have been notified that certain tumors have become bigger. Through all of this, my cousin pressed on and continued with life and living each day to the fullest. It was only until this latest occurance that his fellow colleagues in his unit were told that he was sick. All of these years, he didn't even tell them. He worked the gruelling hours of residency and surgery and has done his best to be present with his family as much as he is able.

Earlier this month, he was hospitalized due to extreme pain he was having. The PET scan revealed that one of the tumors had grown to the size of a grapefruit. His cancer has become more agressive. He immediately began treatment through five different types of chemotherapy. Each with its own side effects and dangers.

So, I come to you today to again ask that you help me wrap your arms around him in prayer. Today, he will begin his second round of treatment. This is an especially difficult time with the holidays approaching, but also with the unsettled realities. My cousin and his wife are strong Catholics, in fact, she is a convert. Our family is filled with prayerful Catholics. And yet, we also realize that there is strength in numbers and the cloak of prayer from faithful prayer warriors is powerful.

Please continue to pray, especially today. Perhaps, if you can, again pray to Our Lady of Good Remedy. Thank you!

Prayers, Please!

Because I know that you are a community of prayer warriors and intercession, please send your prayers this way! They are needed for a member of my extended family. Due to privacy issues and a number of other reasons, please just pray for restored health and a miracle if it be God's Will. Pray for peace and strength for our family.

I hope to one day give you a better report and more information, but for today all I ask is that you continue to pray. However you are led, please join me.

Prayers are powerful and right now are most appreciated.



Prayer to Our Lady of Good Remedy

O QUEEN OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, Most Holy Virgin, we venerate thee. Thou art the beloved Daughter of the Most High God, the chosen Mother of the Incarnate Word, the Immaculate Spouse of the Holy Spirit, the Sacred Vessel of the Most Holy Trinity.
O Mother of the Divine Redeemer, who under the title of Our Lady of Good Remedy comes to the aid of all who call upon thee, extend thy maternal protection to us. We depend on thee, Dear Mother, as helpless and needy children depend on a tender and caring mother.

Hail, Mary....

O LADY OF GOOD REMEDY, source of unfailing help, grant that we may draw from thy treasury of graces in our time of need.
Touch the hearts of sinners, that they may seek reconciliation and forgiveness. Bring comfort to the afflicted and the lonely; help the poor and the hopeless; aid the sick and the suffering. May they be healed in body and strengthened in spirit to endure their sufferings with patient resignation and Christian fortitude.

Hail, Mary....

DEAR LADY OF GOOD REMEDY, source of unfailing help, thy compassionate heart knows a remedy for every affliction and misery we encounter in life. Help me with thy prayers and intercession to find a remedy for my problems and needs, especially for... (Indicate your special intentions here).
On my part, O loving Mother, I pledge myself to a more intensely Christian lifestyle, to a more careful observance of the laws of God, to be more conscientious in fulfilling the obligations of my state in life, and to strive to be a source of healing in this broken world of ours.
Dear Lady of Good Remedy, be ever present to me, and through thy intercession, may I enjoy health of body and peace of mind, and grow stronger in the faith and in the love of thy Son, Jesus.

Hail, Mary.....

V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of Good Remedy,
R. That we may deepen our dedication to thy Son, and make the world alive with His Spirit.

Chalice Of Strength

Until next June, Catholics around the world are being invited to pray in a special way during The Year Of The Priest. In our home we've been praying, but I'll admit I'm still searching for something more to do to honor our faithful priests. As I've said here before, a number of them are friends of ours and they deeply impact our lives. We are so grateful for them and their vocation.

This week our family is blessed to have the 'Traveling Chalice' in our midst in our home. It is visiting us from my hometown parish where the priest has asked that one of his personal chalices travel each week to a different home within his parishes. My parents asked us months ago if we would like to participate and we eagerly agreed. The priest there is a beloved man of God, Fr. Mark. If you have ever met this gifted man, you would know that he is a spirit-filled man with a true servants heart. He asked that this chalice would travel so that each family would be blessed with its presence and that each one would also pray that week in particular for priests throughout this Year of the Priest. Isn't that a wonderful idea?

So, yes, this week pray we will. I ask that you also intercede and pray along with us as well, wherever you are. Near or far. Please pray for priests in a special way and also pray for Fr. Mark in particular. He is currently on a six month sabbatical as he tries to return to better health. He is currently fighting his second bout of cancer. Yes, so close to Christ's heart is he that he has been chosen again to fight this disease.

This post is also timely because Fr. Mark appeared just last week on one of the major news channels here in MN as he shared briefly his story, his faith and HOPE.(Can you see why this priest is near and dear to my heart?) Fr. Mark's first bout with cancer was in his final year of seminary, before becoming a priest. He was given special permission by the Pope and the bishop ordained him early since they didn't think he would make it in his fight with cancer. Shortly after ordination, the tumors began to shrink and he survived. That was 19 years ago. He has spoken his story to many through the years and he has never forgotten to given God all the glory for his miracle he received.

Prayers are powerful and Fr. Mark knows and believes that. Just yesterday he shared that he can feel his tumors shrinking and this round of chemo is going so much better for him. That is why I am asking you to join me this week in prayer. Fr. Mark will receive four more treatments in the next couple of months and I know he would appreciate you prayers for his continued healing. You can read his journal entries on his Caring Bridge site and keep updated on his progress. Don't be shy, please sign his comments and let him know you are praying for him this week. I told him last week that I would be sharing his story with all of you and you'd send him an abundance of prayers!




Prayer for Priests

Gracious and loving God, we thank you for the gift of our priests. Through them, we experience your presence in the sacraments.

Help our priests to be strong in their vocation. Set their souls on fire with the love for your people. Grant them the wisdom, understanding and strength they need to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Inspire them with the vision of your Kingdom.

Give them the words they need to spread the Gospel. Allow them to experience joy in their ministry and help them to become instruments of your divine grace.

We ask this through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns as our Eternal Priest. Amen.

Prayers For Jamie

My friend and fellow blogger, Jamie, could use your prayers this evening. She is going in to deliver her sweet baby TODAY and we all cannot wait to hear the news of the arrival of healthy baby Bridget.

Jamie will have a c-section and she could use special intercession on her behalf to our Blessed Mother Mary for her and baby's safety since this is her fifth c-section.

Please join me and pray for sweet Jamie, won't you?

Do You Have Prayers to Spare??

A good IRL friend and blogging mommy could use your prayers. Jamie is a mom with four children and another on the way. She broke her ankle on Friday and even had to have surgery. She should be home from the hospital tomorrow. Baby is doing fine, but Jamie will have a long road to recovery.

Please pray for her and her family as they make this long transition over the coming weeks. Thanks!