This week in the life of the Rideouts

This week brought good news and better news. Katie was feeling poorly last week and had to go to the ER. She had an infection called thrush that is a result of one of her medications. They have some nasty swish and swallow medicine to take care of it and she is doing better.

The thrivent funds were released to the Rideouts Yeah! It surely will help, escpecially at this time of year. Thanks again to all who participated!

Katie had a neurology appointment and the neurologist was soooo pleased. He told Katie she made his day. He was so happy with how she is doing.

The Rhuematodologist (whew is that a big word?) has been pleased as well and has cut down one of Katie's medications as well. Her steriods have been playing havoc with her moods and appetitie so any decrease in them is welcome, plus it is a sign that things are going in the way they should!

Katie has been working really hard and is almost caught up with all her school work. Isn't that fantastic. Her At-Home Teacher has remarked that she is doing great on her work and hardly needs him at all. We should see her back in the classroom in January!!!

Katie has been working hard at therapy and a activity that she always enjoyed was roller-skating. So they have been working on that. Katie got the skating down really well but when her therapist asked her to fall and make a plan on how she was going to get up, that really stumped Katie. You never think of having to plan something like that out do you? That is Katie's reality now. It is amazing the amount of effort and determination it is taking on Katie's part. What an amazing little girl (although she would object to me calling her that!)

Kelly's FMLA is running out at the end of January and she has to go back to work or lose her job. She and Katie's teacher feels she will be able to attend at least 1/2 days at school by then but she tires out so easily. Kelly is going to need help in getting Katie somewhere she can rest after that 1/2 of school. If anyone has suggestions or can offer to let Katie rest at your house after that 1/2, that would be wonderful.

Keep praying and lifting them up to God!

1 Corinthians 8:6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

Thanksgiving scare

Kelly assures me that the Rideouts had a good thanksgiving but right afterward Kelly and Katie had a scare! Katie has got a cold. No just any cold. With the medications that Katie is taking a cold could be very serious so it was back to the Emergency department at Cardinal Glennon for Katie and Kelly. Katie was released to go home so that was a blessing and a great big whew for Kelly.
On another note, I found out that the funds from the bake sale have still not made it to the Rideouts! If anyone can tell me how to get Thrivent to release these funds please let me know. If I had known they would keep them so long I might not have gone for the matching. The Rideout need those funds yesterday. Anyone with insight? Who should I call?

The posts to this blog are infrequent now that Katie seems more stable. I will make posts as Kelly gives me information to pass on or if anyone else has items concerning Katie that needs to be shared. Thanks so much for all the support for the Rideouts. God has truely blessed them with wonderful friends!

Psalm 31:24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.

PIN DROP!

Katie was at therapy this last week and was playing a board game. The therapist told Katie it was time to go and without prompting, Katie started picking up the pieces (small) with her left hand. The whole room stopped what they were doing and watched. You could have heard a pin drop! The therapist said "Katie do you realize what you are doing?" Katie looked up and noticed everyone watching her and said "what?" The therapist was so overjoyed she laughed "you are using your left hand to pick up the pieces!" The whole room cheered.

You might have also seen Katie this Sunday singing with the Sunday school choir! It is so nice to have her back.

The Rideouts are running low on gas and none of the proceeds of the Bake sale have been released (they are with Thrivent right now) and with all the trips back and forth to therapy and the Doctors office, Kelly is out of gas. If anyone has a gas card they could donate it would be a great blessing.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”- Colossians 2:6-7

Therapy went better this week. Katie is really working hard. She gets to see her friends from school when they go to pick Mary up. All her friends really miss her! Another round of Doctors appointments and blood work. The long hard road back is just starting and we need to keep Katie and all the Rideout family in our prayers, they are not out of the woods yet! Let's continue to lift them up to God.

Philippians 4:13 (Read all of Philippians 4)
I can do all things in him that strengtheneth me.

BAKE SALE A HUGE SUCCESS!!!!

I am sorry it has been several days since the last post. Katie continues to go to therapy on Tues and Thursdays. She has frequent doctors appointments as well but she is doing well. The family is rejoicing at being all together at home.

The Bake sale was held Sat at the 5pm service and then between each of the services on Sunday. Thanks to all who came and helped man the tables, thanks to all the fantastic bakers, and thanks to all of you who bought the goodies. We made a phenomenal amount! Thrivent had already committed to matching up to $1000 thanks to Mary Wolfram and Kari Lovera who got the approval squeaked through at the last minute. The matching funds should not interfere with the trivia night because it is in 2009, next year!

So many people came by and expressed their love and concern for the Rideouts, the generosity and compassion were just mind boggling. I know our church always supports each other with prayer but to see the very real outpouring of physical support made me see what the Bible means when it says " Matthew 25:35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

To the saints at Salem....Thank you all

BAKE SALE

Remember the bake sale is Sat after the 5pm service and sun between services and after the 11 pm service till 1230. Please bring your baked goods to the church kitchen by Sat at 4pm. Thanks so much for your support!

Galloping

Therapy was really hard for Katie on Wed. They asked her to do alot of things she just couldn't do. Galloping was one of them. Katie decided that if she never galloped again, that was fine with her. Now you wouldn't think that galloping like a horse was a big deal but I guess it moves some muscles you don't normally use in just a walk. The therapist asked Katie to think of what she wanted to be able to do in the future. It is hard for a 10 year old to invision not being able to do what ever she wants so it was very hard for Katie to do that. She decided she really wants to be able to swim and run. She is going to discuss this with her physical therapist on thursday. She has to get some blood drawn and more therapy then so it will be a long hard day for her.

The family is so happy to all be together again and is really thankful for all your prayers and help. Keep praying

By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another John 13:35