Did anyone else miss January?

Sometimes I wonder if God laughs at our confident little plans for the future. I know I would. I'm already thinking of moving my new year's resolutions to 2008. The only one still on track is my pregnancy. Baby Richey will probably be early, right? Just in case, my new plan is to prepare the apartment like, right now. Spring cleaning can't wait this time.

A Site for Andrew

For those of you checking my blog for updates about my brother, we started a blog just for that purpose: prayingforandrew.blogspot.com
Updates there will be more frequent. Feel free to leave comments here or there, email, call or ask questions.
Thank you for your prayers and support.

Andrew Update

Andrew remains stable in ICU these last few days. He is still unable to fully "wake up" perhaps because he is on so many powerful medications. This week's plan is to move him from ICU to a special floor of the hospital where staff are more specifically trained in waking a patient up from a coma. Hopefully, this more specialized atmosphere of stimulation will help his mental recovery more as his body continues to heal. Due to some slight anemia, he received a blood transfusion today which helped relieve his fever.
As today is Andrew's 24th birthday, any birthday thoughts or wishes you'd like to send I'd be glad to print and put on his wall for him.
Again, thank you for your continued prayers and encouraging words.

Wedding Bells

My friend Rachel is getting married this June, and she asked me to be a bridesmaid! Here is the dress we're wearing. Imagine it tea-length, brown instead of yellow with a dusty pink sash.

Birthdays

My birthday is today, Andrew's is Sunday, and we're now down to double digits 'til baby's birthday! How time flies. Can you believe Jarrod and I will be parenting soon!

The Latest

Andrew's progress is still very slow, but it IS progress. The most encouraging event occurred yesterday. My dad asked Andrew to move his feet for us, which he did several times on command. While this may seem small, it tells us that he heard, processed and carried out a command. Until then, most things could be shrugged off as only natural reflexes. Hopefully, this means he is actually awake from his induced coma, just unable to repond. Please pray that the Lord increases his ability to communicate as I know he must be frustrated at this barrier.
His pneumonia continues to diminish and his breathing stays pretty steady with a little help from a respirator. Today's biggest challenge is getting in a feeding tube of some sort. There are several options, so please pray that the first attempt works without any problems.
We continue reading to him and talking as though he can hear us. Jarrod (my husband) fixed up an ipod for Andrew with many of his favorite songs. When the family is sent out between visiting hours, they can leave it playing in his ear to guard against boredom and loneliness, not to mention stimulate his brain with familiar tunes.
God has been merciful to Andrew and my family. Thank you again for your continued prayer and support. There is still a long way to go before anything is certain. Andrew's life is sustained only by the hand of his Creator. We are trying to be thankful for each day more He gives us with him rather than thinking of the future and worrying about the "what if's."
Do send me anything you think Andrew would enjoy having read to him, letters, scriptures, stories, news, etc...

Andrew Update

Thank you all for your prayers and encouraging words for my family.
There is both good news and bad news about Andrew. Since being cooled Wednesday for a deep sleep his body has been warmed back up to normal body temperature. He is breathing better on his own, and the pneumonia that began creeping in is now going away. A CAT scan of his brain today showed no "red flags," but another is scheduled for Monday (since he's too asleep to really tell much now). These are all good things.
The bad news is that doctors and family have been unable to wake him up from his coma. Some doctors are hopeful he will wake up late. Others think he should have by this point, 48 hours after surgery. We continue to visit him, speak to him and touch him in the hope that God will direct his mind back to us. Pray that the Lord brings him back to us soon.

My Brother, Andrew

I am writing on belhalf of my brother, Andrew, asking for your
prayers. Andrew has been battling asthmatic bronchitis for over
a week at home with the aid of an oxygen tank, nebulizer and
many medications. Yesterday morning, he was taken to the
emergency room because he could no longer take in enough
oxygen. Unable to intubate him, the doctors performed a
tracheaotomy. The sugery went well. He was kept in a cooled
coma-like state until this morning when they began to warm
his body back to normal. Hopefully, he will wake sometime
this afternoon when the sedatives are pulled back enough.
Please pray that the Lord protects him from further
complication. Ask the Lord for continued strength for my
family. In his providence, He placed me in Alexandria on
this particular week where I have been able to help care
for Andrew while he was at home and tend to my family while
my parents dealt with his emergency. Thanks for your prayers.

Prego Picture Update!

Asian Cuisine Night

We fixed Asian food on the rachlette, delicious!Menu: teriyaki chicken, yellow rice, chopped suey (however that's spelled!), brussels sprouts, corn, green beans for the pregnant one.






Even Jarrod can get into Asian food night!