Sunday, November 30, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving

Cracking-Up With Grandma
John Deere Time With Grandpa

Christmas ELF



















Six of the eleven great-grandkids

We had a great Thanksgiving weekend. We spent Thanksgiving day with Macie's Grandma Vaughn (Mike's mom) side of the family.
We hung Christmas lights.
On Sunday Grandma and Grandpa Hawkins (my parents) brought pizza and hung out.


























Sunday, November 23, 2008

Little Blue Diamonds


Macie and I were moving some books around this weekend and found this poem. I have been looking for this poem since Macie came home after transplant. I must have tucked it away in one of her books.


Little blue diamonds, Heaven sent to me,

Fairest as can be and so wonderful to see,

Though they are only little Macie's eyes,

They are beacons on this road to paradise,

God gave me Heaven's greatest treasure,

When He gave me this pleasure of,

Little blue diamonds of mine.

~Lullaby sang to Donna Avers by her mom long ago


When Macie went into Cardiac Arrest for the second time she was impatient on the floor. She was immediately sent to the PICU. She needed labs ran stat. No one could get access. After getting poked many times, I lost it and told them to get someone else in there, NOW! God sent us Donna Avers. Donna sang this song to Macie and got the needed labs. She often checked in on Macie. I would like to run into her during one of Macie's scheduled appointments. Donna was at Children's for the first heart transplant and shared inspirational stories of hope with Mike and I.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

2009 Heart Walk


Michelle Schnepper and her daughter, Macie, at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008. (Journal Gazette/ Times-Courier, Kevin Kilhoffer)

Macie Schnepper was 3 months old when she went into cardiac arrest. Denny Throneburg was 54 years old when he had quadruple bypass. Throneburg and Michelle Schnepper, Macie’s mother, were featured speakers Wednesday morning at the kickoff breakfast for the 2009 Start! Coles County Heartwalk.The annual Heartwalk to raise funds for heart disease awareness and research will be held Feb. 1 at Cross County Mall.

Team captains and volunteers met Wednesday at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center to launch their efforts. Amanda Buckler, corporate events director for the American Heart Association’s Midwest affiliate, said one in three people will be affected by heart disease. “Almost everyone you talk to has a story,” she said. “They know either a family member or a friend, but they’ve been affected in some way.”
Throneburg, Lake Land College’s athletic director and softball coach, certainly didn’t think he would have heart disease. He had been an athlete in high school and college, coached sports for many years, does not smoke, isn’t overweight and works out.“There was no indication that I had a heart problem,” he said. “I was a good example of a person who shouldn’t have heart problems.” Thinking he had some acid reflux, Throneburg saw his physician who sent him to the hospital for tests. “He said you’re lucky to be alive,” Throneburg said of the physician. Two of Throneburg’s arteries were completely blocked; two others were 80 percent blocked. “I went from thinking I’m perfectly healthy to quadruple bypass,” Throneburg. He has since participated in and “graduated” from the METS exercise program at Sarah Bush Lincoln, adopted a more healthy diet and has “learned to appreciate things more.” “The motto of my story is: Get yourself checked out,” he said.
Macie Schnepper was born 2 months premature with an inflammation of the heart in May 2006, according to her mom, Michelle. Macie seemed healthy but at 8 weeks had some difficulty breathing. At 3 months, she went into cardiac arrest. “Our only option was a heart transplant,” Mrs. Schnepper said. “We were in and out of the hospital for the next month. Thirty-five days later, a heart donor became available.” On Oct. 5, 2006, Macie underwent a heart transplant. “It was very scary,” Mrs. Schnepper said. “My husband (Mike) and I are organ donors but we never thought (transplants) would include a child. While we were thankful for the heart for Macie we grieved for the donor family as well.” The new heart was a perfect match, the mother said. Mrs. Schnepper said an infant’s heart is the size of an almond but Macie’s heart was about three times the normal size. The Schneppers, who live in Dieterich, plan to participate in the Feb. 1 Heartwalk event.
Why a walk to focus attention on heart disease? Beckler said studies have shown that walking has the lowest rate of dropouts from various forms of exercise.“It’s inexpensive and you don’t have to have a partner,” she said. “It’s the easiest and cheapest form of exercise.”Beckler also said research indicates that for every hour of exercise a person gains two hours of life expectancy.Anyone wishing to enter a team or participate in the Heartwalk should call Sara East at SBLHC, 258-2571 or 348-2571.Contact Lair at blair@jg-tc.com or 238-6865.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Poem From A Heart Mommy


Such is life with these little heart-babies.
It means falling asleep watching the digital line dancing up and down on her monitor indicating her heart is beating
It means second guessing every gurgle, hic-up and coo from the back-seat.
It means worrying that every bug or infection could turn into something life-threatening
It means constant acknowledgement that every breath is a gift from the Lord
It means having home, beeper and cell phone numbers for 5 doctors that you are on a first-name-basis with
It means choosing not to go to church, the mall, a party because of exposure to germs
It means thanking God for the privilege of each dirty diaper I get to change
It means standing over her crib praying for another day to love her
It means thanking the Lord each morning when she wakes and smiles that He has given her another day

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Macie's Two Year Check-up In STL

Playing a viedo game in X-ray with Luke Napping in the hotel between appiontments with daddy

Hanging out with Luke in labs




Macie had her two year post transplant check-up on Thursday. All labs, x-rays, the echo and EKG came back with good results. Dr Canter (Macie's Cardiologist) gave Mike and I great piece of mind when he told us his babies don't reject, "the rejection is ZERO with babies like Macie". He feels very confident in Macie! We met with an endocrine doctor, Dr Wagner to discuss growth hormone. Macie is still very tiny and has not caught-up to the charts (heart babies are often tiny). Macie is a candidate for growth hormone, but we will wait until she is 4yrs to re-evaluate. Mike and I were impressed with Dr Wagner, she seemed very connected to her patients. She feels we will see good growth with the hormone, when it is time.

Macie had a date with Luke, Wednesday evening. They were so cute together. We enjoyed our visit with Luke and his family. Luke had a good check-up too!

During Macie's Celebration Of Life Party earlier this month we collected over 80 blankets to take to the Cardiac Floor at Children's! During her check-up we took the blankets to the floor and Macie passed some out. She LOVED it! Especially when she got to see the babies. The families really appreciated the blankets. It was hard at first going back up to the cardiac floor where Macie spent so much time. Mike and I were grateful to be able to share some of Macie's story and give inspiration to other families. There are so many children in the CICU and on the floor who need prayers.

We had to sneak in a shopping trip while in STL. Our Macie LOVES to shop. We went to STL Mills. Macie and I left dad in Cabals and we took off. Needless to say she ended up with a few new things.

Thank you for keeping Macie in your prayers. We are blessed with each day.