On the Farm...

Ok, so while we were gone to surgery, something attacked our sheep and goats again! This time while they were in the barn… well, it was my dad and brother’s dogs. We lost our second goat and one of the sheep is limping. Dad is going to find a home for his dog… she is really sweet and trained (but can’t live on a farm) if you know anyone who wants her. My brother said he isn’t getting rid of his dog and will keep him with him at all times (tonight he is at work and the dog is running around… I put him in their house.)

The shotgun is ready to pick up from the repair guy…

We just got some homing pigeons (they don’t have a home yet) and they are white… so beautiful! I love the sound they make… they are named Yonah and Zipporah. They are a mating pair so we will have babies that can home eventually.

Otherwise, all is well… we are expecting lambs and a calf in February. I’m trying to clean my house and working on my garden while Shelly is recuperating.

Busy times ahead!

Final Update on Shelly

Whew! I’m exhausted… But we are home! Yay! My own bed felt so comfortable after sleeping in chairs, hospital rooms and hotel beds!

So,  Tuesday morning ICU has Shelly up in the chair at 4 am and by 7 we’re headin’ to the MRI and then to the regular room. The Docs came in and said everything looked great and asked Shelly if she wanted to go home today! (I’m a little stressed by now and wonder if we can’t wait til Wednesday?) But, alas, the docs had different ideas! Shelly walked around the ward a couple times and took a couple catnaps, ate breakfast and lunch and sat in her chair until the Surgeon came by to take the central line out. 

They finished getting everything done and by 5pm we were heading to the Ronald McDonald house to clean up and load up. We ate dinner there and started for home about 6:30. We had to get some prescriptions filled on the way home and by the time we got to Huntsville we ended up going to 3 pharmacies to get them. Then we headed home.

Shelly’s night went well, she was up early this morning and came in to bed with me for a catnap. She has been up today helping a bit and ate a good breakfast. She is resting now and the swelling has gone down to just minimal. She gets cold easy, probably due to no hair, and tires out quick, but that will get better in a few days. She will have her staples out a week from Thursday!

Our Thanksgiving and prayers go first to the Heavenly Father who has His hand in all we do and has made miracles as we walked this difficult path. And second to each of you who have walked with us, holding us up in prayer as we have made tough decisions and faced fearful situations. 

Special thanks and blessings to those of you who have helped us through with encouragement and physical and financial aid, we could not have done this without your obedience to the Father. Our sincerest gratitude for your obedience.

We pray now for each of you that Yahweh bless and keep you, Yahweh make his face shine upon you and be gracious unto you, and Yahweh turn His face toward you and give you Shalom. Amen.

Yahweh is amazing!

Post Cards

If you have been praying for Shelly, we would love for you to send her a post card… she has people praying for her all over the world and we thought she would really enjoy getting a post card from each of you with your location on the picture. It would encourage her during the recovery time and give her something to look forward to. We want to make a collage for her room to reminder her how Yahweh uses His people to pray and stand in the gap. If you can send her just a simple post card with a word of encouragement we would appreciate it!

Send your postcard to:

Shelly Berry
PO Box 8391
Huntsville, AL 35808

Second Surgery Update

Ok, So Shelly is out of surgery and in ICU until tomorrow. Lots has happened today. This morning the neurologist did a test to find the good areas around the bad area of the brain… wanting to make sure they don’t disturb the good areas when they to the resection (removal of the area of brain that is causing the seizures.) The test should take about 2 hours. So they get started and the nurse decides that she needs to start the plasma that was ordered for an hour earlier right when the doc is trying to set up for the test.. hmmm. So the doc stops the test and waits until she is done.

Then the blood pressure machine starts beeping because she didn’t turn it off. Then the nurse call button starts calling the nurse (but no one is pushing the button). Hmmmm. Then the remote control (connected to the call button) starts changing the channel all by itself. Then the plasma finishes and the machine starts beeping… then Shelly has to go to the bathroom and we finally take a break…. start back up with test and the doc gets an emergency page. Then a student calls him and he goes out to meet her so she can find him so she can observe. 3 hours later we finally finish the testing! The enemy was really in the way.

The test results are in and the brain mapping is done and they come to talk to me. The neurologist that was doing the language analysis said that her language area had remapped to another area of the brain (same as the physical when we did the MEG last spring). The seizure data showed that there is a very precise area in the brain that is causing the seizures. They told me this info at 1:30 today and said they would be taking her to surgery as soon as the OR opened up (at 3:30).  I asked one of the neurologists if he were to put a percentage on a cure from this surgery for Shelly what would it be… he told me better than 75%! Yahweh is Great!

Shelly’s surgery went well. She has a really bad headache. Satch is staying with her tonight in ICU. Tomorrow they want her up and moving early, 6 AM in the chair. Her eyes will be swollen for a while and there is a lot of bruising from surgery, but she has come through with flying colors. They did an EEG after her surgery and she had no more seizure spikes!

We should be going home on Wednesday and will have a couple weeks before the staples come out and 6 weeks before she can go back to full normal activity.

We will be keeping a low profile for the next couple weeks while she recuperates. Keep us in prayer (so we don’t go stir crazy!) and in a few weeks we would love to have company!

Late Update, Shelly is in Surgery

Hello all,

Shelly went into surgery at 3:30 pm today and is still in surgery. The Docs were able to compile the data and map her procedure earlier. They did a language evaluation and test to see where her language center was in the area with the electrodes. Once that was completed, they took her to surgery…

I will let everyone know how things go tonight.

Thank you for your continued prayers.

Shelly's Seizure Update

This morning they moved Shelly from the NICU to the Seizure monitoring unit. She hadn’t had any seizures through the night. We were hopeful today that seizures would come and they did. She began having mild seizure activity that was only detectable by the internal monitor, but they were not showing up in her body. We had to stay with her to monitor when the seizures showed in her body. Well, my dad and brother had made it to visit and get Satch’s truck home and my mom and I saw an opportunity to take a break and we walked down to the street. My phone rang and it was my brother telling me that Shelly had gone into seizure. We hurried back upstairs.

They had given her 2 mg of ativan to stop the seizure by the time we arrived. The seizure didn’t stop, so they gave her 2 more. The seizure didn’t stop. The neurologist asked me how long it takes for her to come out of seizure. I told him when you give her enough meds! She was having a generalized tonic clonic that went static (for those of you who know seizure terminology.) The doc was really concerned and gave her another 2 mg of ativan, it was 45 minutes into the seizure. Still it didn’t stop, so he asked me how much we give her. I told him 10 mg of diastat at a time up to 20 mg. He called the nurse for the ambu bag and we cleared the room (except for mom and me.)  They gave her another 2 mg of ativan and loaded her with dilantin. She finally started showing signs of the seizure activity slowing down. He asked if she had ever had a static seizure before and I explained that for the last several years all of her seizures were static. They were very concerned and sent her back to the NICU.

She is doing better tonight. She is sleeping mostly and Satch is staying with her in the NICU.

The docs have decided that they have enough info for surgery and that they don’t want to see her go into stasis again (prolonged seizure.) They have her back on her meds and it seems that they may do the surgery Monday afternoon. We will know better tomorrow.  Yahweh has blessed.

Shelly's First Surgery Update

Shelly got out of surgery at 11:30 and is doing well. The mesh is in place and she is hooked to the monitor. She has a headache and sore throat from the vent tube. When she was finally hungry, they brought her a big piece of chocolate cake which she quickly devoured! Tonight she will be in the NICU (Neuro-surgical ICU) to be monitored. We found favor with the neurosurgeon and got special permission to stay with her in the NICU. Tomorrow they will move her to the seizure monitoring unit. Now we wait. They want to monitor the beginning of her seizures, a minimum of 3, so it may take a little time to get 3 or more separate incidences. We are praying they come quickly.

We are not getting much sleep, so please pray also for us to get restful sleep.

More updates to come.

What's been happening

Hey to all!

We came down to B-ham on Wed… The Ronald McDonald house did not have an opening, so it was off to the Motel (not much sleep there, it was right next to the freeway!)

Then Satch’s truck broke down on the way down here last night and I had to wake up and drive to get him (hasatan is still alive and well and bothering people on planet Earth!)

This morning we visited with the doc and anesthesiologist and did Shelly’s blood work. She cried, but was brave and all was well. She still wants to go home!

Satch had the truck towed to the nearest exit and My dad and Brother will bring my mom’s car (so Satch can get home on Sunday) and their truck and car hauler down on Saturday. They will visit and then pick up Satch’s truck on the way home.

This afternoon we got into the Ronald McDonald house (thank goodness, ’cause now we have to repair a truck!) and went to get some groceries. Money doesn’t go as far here as it does at home! $250 of groceries was very little! But we found out that they will feed us here at the House breakfast and dinner, so we just needed lunch stuff.

We have to be at the hospital tomorrow morning at 5AM so it will be an early night tonight.

Blessings to all who are praying for us!

Christie

4 days until Surgery

Shelly is nervous and wishing it was all over…

The Father has truly stepped in and provided for our finances! Baruch HaShem Yahweh! Thank you to everyone that has helped us! May Yahweh Bless you and Keep you!

Shelly's Progress

Hello to all,
On Jan 20th Shelly will be going in for brain surgery. Please pray God’s hand in all that happens. I will update our blog from the hospital as I can.

The hotel will run us $45/night (plus tax) and we expect to be there for 2 weeks. Currently there is a waiting list at the Ronald McDonald house of 20 families. You can make donations via paypal to clberryr@gmail.com. Thank you!

Please share this blog site with all who will pray for us during this difficult time. You can read Shelly’s Story here.

Thank you and Blessings,
Richard and Christie Berry

Bye Bye Matilde, we will miss you!

Well, Matilde’s health is going down hill. She won’t weight bear anymore and she is not as alert. So, today I will cut her hair and when Satch gets home we will put her down… I just can’t do it. But, I also can’t keep her suffering.

Sometimes it is difficult to know what is best. How long to wait, when to decide there is nothing more to do. I know that all things work for our good through Messiah, but it is hard.

The rest of the animals have made it through the cold snap and we have been closing the sheep and goats in the barn at night. Father, keep our animals protected.

Farm Journal 1/07/10

It was sleeting when I went out for chores this morning… I found Matilde (one of my 3 angora goats) lying on her side in the ice! I thought for sure she was dead! She had been attacked sometime in the night. Her skin on her right side is slashed and there is a large gaping would where the skin is open the size of a fist. She was alive and I drug her into the barn. I gave her some vit b complex, antibiotic, prevail, feed with molasses, warm water and hay. She was eating a bit. After chores I brought her to the house to clean up her wounds and warm her up, she was wet to the bone and half froze. I cut the hair away and found a real mess. I cleaned her wounds, sprayed them with furall. I think I’m going to have to stitch up the largest wound. Maybe I can shave it and get away with some super glue, but I’m not sure, will try that first. She is warming up now on the floor in the kitchen in front of the fire. I hope she makes it, she is the oldest and may just give up… we’ll see.

Praying for Yah’s hand on our animals as we figure out what to do and what happened.

Matilde and the Weather

Matilde is still with us. She made it through the night, she is still quite wet and not willing to stand. She is eating and pottying (on my kitchen floor!) She did stand for a few seconds last night. We are watching for infection. I am hoping I can move her to the back porch today before Sabbath, but we may have her in the kitchen for Sabbath instead because of the weather!

The weather… We are in the teens at night and warm up to freezing during the day. Not normal for our neck of the woods. Darn global warming! High today is supposed to get up to 23F if it makes it! So, sick goat will not do well outside if she won’t walk.

Today’s list of todo’s will include yesterday’s list since yesterday was spent vetting Matilde. I’ll post a pic in the gallery as soon as I have a minute.

Update on Matilde

Well, it is now evening, Matilde has been eating a little bit. She hasn’t attempted to get up yet, the super glue is holding. Now we wait. We pray Yah’s hand on His creation! She is drying out and resting.

Farm Journal 1/03/10 Update

Ok, so we didn’t do the bad deed with Spot… it is way too cold today, it warmed up to a whopping 27 F so far! Wow, heat wave!

I have good news!!! Our Bees are alive!!!! Yay, David went out to get the hives to clean up, but I suggested he check to see if they may still be alive… sure enough they were clustered way at the bottom of the hive box, still buzzing…very quietly and staying warm. He put a brick on top of the lid so it wouldn’t shift off and they should be ok!!! Makes me want to cry! I’m so happy!

Another piece of good news… 31 is in standing heat! Came in this afternoon… called Kelly to AI and he should be here in the morning. It’s a good day!

Farm Journal 1/03/10

It is a cold day with the temp this morning sitting at 16F ~ Brrrrrr!

We’ve been getting around 7-8 eggs daily (so glad the roosters are outa there!)

Shemayim’s dry-off is going well. She gets upset when we go out and she doesn’t get to eat as much, but she’ll be fine, just perturbed.

We lost our last bee hive this past week. :(  I went out to feed them before this recent freeze and they were dead. Apparently, the lid was askew and they froze (could’ve been dogs using the hive to hop the fence?). So now I will have to buy 4 splits to be where I am supposed to be this spring. 

Expensive honey!

Today we will castrate Spot-O-Beef! Oh Joy! Last night Satch watched Dirty Jobs and Mike Rowe was cutting lambs! He had pulled the ball sac with his teeth… yuck! I promised Satch I wouldn’t use my teeth! Bleh! I won’t be able to video tape the process because we are short handed for the work, but will give a blow by blow description when we are done!

We will pick up the stove pipe and chimney for the wood cook stove today… hope to get it in soon so we can have better heat in the house… currently we are using an LP ventless wall mount heater, sitting on bricks with canisters of propane attached to it. The propane isn’t piped into the house yet, hope to do that this spring. If we can get the wood stove in it is big enough to heat the great room, then we can use the propane at night for the bedrooms.

I started a Medical Missionary course last night. There are 2 10 day classes: the first started last night and continues nightly until the 12th. The second will be in February.  Last night I learned so much I was overwhelmed and so excited! I look forward to the rest of the classes and to be able to help people with disease! The outcomes are amazing.

Well, I’ll catch you up with the castrating later! Yew!