Update from Carla

Just wanted to let everyone know how we are doing. The kids are back at school today. They had a very busy weekend. We went to the Razorback game on Saturday and we went to Boo at the Zoo last night. I'm trying to keep them busy. This morning I stopped at the cemetary. This was the first time I have visited since the funeral. The geese were all around the lake. It is a beautiful spot. I still can't believe Canon is gone. I came home to an empty house. No noise, no visitors, no Canon! I checked my email and Chandra Perkins had written me. She is my new friend in Texas. She also has a Canon. He had a liver transplant and is doing well. She came to know my Canon through one of his websites. She came to the service on Wednesday all the way from Texas. I can't believe how much of an impact Canon made on her life in only five short weeks. She only had seen pictures of him on the website. She wrote an entry in her journal about the funeral. It was very moving to me. What a touching tribute to a beautiful service. As for how I'm doing, well I'm living. I just get up in the morning and take each minute as it comes. Carla

Please continue to pray for Carla and her two children. May God supply all your needs according to his glorious riches. Phil. 4:19

I want to thank everyone for showing such an outpour of support to my family the last two days. This has meant the world to me and my family. These are things you hear that happen to other people and not to you. I feel so empty inside and very sad. The loss of a child is an undescribable pain. I am going to need you all to help me get through this tough time. Life is very short! Make the most out of your life just like Canon did. Please pray for my family and especially my two children, who have lost their bubba. Love to all, Carla Norman and Family

~ Mama Loves You Canon ~

Canon my beautiful angel from heaven passed away this morning. He had two major bleeds last night in his brain. Doctors could not do anything for Canon. I along with family and friends were with him when he died.

Thank you so much for all your prayers during this tough time. Canon is now playing baseball, football, basketball, and drinking all the Sprite he wants.

Love, Carla



Technorati Tags: death, grief, loss, medical, help, toddler, parenting, son, prayer, Christianity, hospital, sadness, family, donations, Arkansas, transplant, mother, fundraiser, goodbye

Urgent Prayer Request... Sad news.

I am watching Teresa's 3 boys and wanted to ask for urgent prayers right now on behalf of Carla and Canon (and their family). She left an hour ago to go to the hospital.

She just called me and told me that the doctors have told Carla that the bleeding is so severe there is nothing more they can do. They are taking him now to do an EKG and then make a decision based on if there are any brainwaves.

Please pray for Carla. Pray that if this doesn't work out the way we ALL WANT IT TO today, that her and her family will be comforted and given the peace that passes understanding. No mother can ever imagine the grief of loosing a child unless they have already experienced it. Please pray that God would work a miracle right now... and if not His will, pray that He would comfort Carla and her family as only He can. Pray her heart will heal, should Canon not get to go home with her. My heart is breaking for this family.


Thank you and God bless...
Heather

Technorati Tags: children, illness, heart condition, medical, help, toddler, parenting, son, prayer, Christianity, hospital, critical, transplant, donations, Arkansas, surgery, life, fundraiser, family

Canon's drain tube in his head had to replaced today due to high blood pressures. The doctor feels this will help relieve the pressure on his head and lower his blood pressure. He is still very critical. Canon is still swollen from all the fluids being pushed into his body. Fluid overload can be hard on his heart and lungs. The right side of his body is very weak.. The neurologist thinks he can overcome this. The path Canon takes is up to him. This has been such a shock! I am trying so hard to be positive. I need your continued prayers to help me get through this. Carla
I want to thank some very special people in my life who have been a mother to my children over the last month, and a mother to me as well. Tonya, (the best sister-in-law anyone could ever have), Kim Morgan, Michelle Holland, Julie Austin, Scarlett Smith, Donna Sweet, Shannon Resor, (my best friends who have taken care of my two precious children), Kim Wickliffe, (my other mother), Teresa Hardy, (my prayer warrior). What an honor it is to have friends like you. You guys have been WONDERFUL! I LOVE YOU ALL! Carla

The CT Scan showed no change. The bleed is still there, but is not any bigger. Canon's condition is still critical but stable. He now has a new set of nurses who are trained in operating the drain in his head. They are very attentive to Canon. He has a respiratory infection and is receiving very powerful antibiotics. Today the nurse opened Canon's eyes and I talked to him. His eyes followed my voice. It was comforting to know he hears my voice and realizes I am there. I continue to thank you for all your special prayers and notes. Carla

Yesterday Canon had a CT scan that showed a new bleed. Today the scan was repeated and there was no change. If the bleed gets bigger they will have to go in and do another surgery. He will have another scan tomorrow. Canon's vital signs are stable, but he is still very critical. He is holding on to a lot of fluid and is very swollen. The drain in his brain continues to help with the pressures. Doctors still don't know what has caused these strokes. They are in shock just like everyone else. The staff here loves Canon and are emotionally shaken as well. They cry along with us everyday. I keep asking myself how this could happen. It's just not fair! You know life's not fair and we may never know how or why this happened. I have faith that my little boy is going to overcome this. He is fighting so hard and he hears everyones prayers. So keep on praying because it's working. Love yall, Carla

Serious prayer request

Canon had a stroke yesterday. About 5:00 p.m. Canon became unresponsive. His right side of his body was not moving. Doctors sent him for a C.T. scan to look for any bleeding. Scan showed a substantial bleed. They immediately put a drain in to pull off fluid and blood that was causing a lot of pressure on the brain. Canon's brain was swelling and doctors said he would need to go to the operating room to remove the clot. Canon was taken to the operating room at 12:00 a.m. Surgery went well and doctors removed a clot the size of an adult fist. The Neurosugeon said he had been bleeding for a few days. They left the bone out in case they have to go back in. Canon is in critical condition and the next 48 hours are crucial. There was some brain damage, but we want know how much until he wakes up. This is a devastating blow to the recovery process. Canon needs your prayers more than ever. Thank you to all my friends and family who were with me throughout the surgery this morning. Carla

Fever Still Up!

Today Canon is still running a fever. It ranges from 102-103. He is very weak and sleeps a lot. Tylenol is given every four hours, but it doesn't make a big difference. Doctors started him on more antibiotics and a viral medicine. They are still puzzled at the cause. Canon is eating some jello, yogurt, and drinking a small amount of sprite every four hours. I'm worn out with the whole hospital thing. It looks like were going to be here for a while.

Today Canon had a pretty quiet day. He is getting physical therapy to help him gain his strength back. He still has a fever and therapists are working on his lung. One of his blood cultures came back positive for CMV. Doctor's say it's only a small trace, but they are going to monitor it closely. CMV is like a cold, but it can be dangerous to transplant patients who are immune suppressed. He is also continuing to have irregular heartbeats and an electrophysiologist will consult tomorrow. On a more positive note, Chase was able to walk in Canon's room today and his face lit up. He smiled from ear to ear. Thank you for your continued prayers. I would ask all of you to pray for two of my fellow colleagues, and friends tonight as well. Rebecca Rochelle lost her daughter and Gail Kirkaby lost her son. Two young people whose life was tragically taken. My heart goes out to them and their family. Carla

Three weeks ago today Canon received his transplant. Today Canon is still running a fever and his left lung is still down. Doctors were giving him one hour sprints off the bi-pap, but are no longer. They say he is to weak. He has started a new fixation with washcloths. He wants me to rub his body with wet washcloths. Go figure! I think his body is hot and this helps cool his skin. We are also trying to decorate his room for Halloween. His meme bought him a spider that hangs from the ceiling. When you clap it moves up and down. Hopefully this will give him something to think about besides SPRITE! Carla

Update from MEME

Canon rested well last night. His day started off rocky with a temp and his left lung being down. He is still on Bi-pap and getting regular scheduled breathing treatments. He has had some irregularities on his monitor today which the doctors are watching very closely! He recieved a package a couple of days ago from his "TEXAS CANON FAMILY" which along with some other great things contained a book about a baseball HERO. I began to read this book to him this afternoon and amazingly his persistent longing for sprite subsided as he listen to my reading, until of course I was at the end of the book. Hugs and kisses to Canon Perkins and his special family for all your thoughtfulness. Tonight Canon is resting comfortably and no longer has fever, his lung sounds better although it is still down and his irregularities on his heart monitor have slowed down. Today I would put in the rocky but good day column. MEME

Dear God Please Be With Canon

Today Canon had his heart cath and biopsy. Canon's left and right ventricle are very stiff. His venous pressures are high which is causing fluid to leak out of the capillaries into the lung. Doctors were concerned that Canon could be rejecting his heart. The biopsy showed minimal rejection (1R) at this point. (0 being the best.) Doctor's told me Canon is still very sick. He is having breathing problems at this time. We will repeat the biopsy in two weeks. Today has been a hard day. Thank you for the many prayers. "God please let Canon catch a break!" Carla

PLEASE PRAY AGAINST HEART REJECTION

Hi there. This is Heather, Teresa's friend (vicariously Carla's friend). I am updating the blog for both of them since they are understandably busy at the moment. They URGENTLY need your prayers, as does Canon:

I just sent this message out to the email lists I am on and I hope you will spread the word to all your prayer warrior friends:

Today the doctors did a biopsy and discovered that it is possible that his body might be rejecting his new heart. He is still on a ventilator, but coherent and very scared. His mother is beside herself. Please pray for her.


THANK YOU...

... FOR STAYING UPDATED WITH VISITS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS TO THIS BLOG!

THANK YOU...

... FOR PRAYING!


Psalm 41:3 - The LORD will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness.


Technorati Tags: children, illness, heart condition, medical, help, toddler, parenting, son, prayer, Christianity, hospital, critical, transplant, donations, Arkansas, surgery, life, fundraiser, family

Update from Carla

Canon is having a bad day. He is still heavily sedated and on the vent, but overnight he began to have problems with his left lung. His x-ray showed haze in the upper lobe. Doctors ordered a ultra-sound which reflected a pocket of fluid under the arm area. He is still pleading his case for SPRITE to anyone who arouses him. We are still hoping to come off the vent after his biopsy tomorrow. Carla.


Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
This path that Carla and her family are on at the moment is hard to understand. God knew there would be times when we would not understand. That is why he said "lean not on our own understanding." I pray right now that Carla, Canon and family will lean on God's wisdom for understanding. I pray they will lean on God's mighty hand for comfort, strength and rest.
I love you all and we are in constant prayer for you. May the Lord increase your trust in Him.
Teresa

A message from MeMe!
Where do I begin to express my gratitude for all the wonderful acts of love and kindness that you all have shown to Canon, Carla and myself. The out-pouring of love for my daughter and her family has been unbelievable. There are no words to thank you enough. For all your prayers, your visits, your gifts, your calls, your notes of encouragement on the web site, I THANK YOU! For those friends who saved our lives by taking care of and offering to take care of Chase and Kamryn, I THANK YOU!
And to ALL four of my other special grandchildren that I love just as much as Canon who have understood and endured my absences for my need to be at Canon's side, I THANK YOU AND LOVE YOU VERY VERY VERY MUCH. YOU ARE ALL MEME' S ANGELS!
There is no sweeter love than for mother and child, unless maybe grandmother and grandchild. (my opinion)
Thanks again to ALL who knows and loves us.
I LOVE YOU BACK!
MeMe
Sue Pettey