Tuesday, December 30, 2008

When The Lights Were Out . . .

Posted by Carrie Sue, not Carey Sue

For most of our children, a day without electricity means an adventure while staying wrapped up with blankets. You can bet the dust is blown off the antiquated board games. No one in the house remembers the rules that go with Scrabble. And it is hard to resist a good round of flashlight tag even though you are supposed to be "saving" the batteries.

Then you've got the "we're are without electricity" dining dilemma. You're family is down to the last loaf of Wonder Bread (pictured, baby not included), a fresh container of peanut butter, two jars of applesauce, and a handful of stale marshmallows.

I talked to our seven year old friend Rickie via his mom's cellphone shortly after the power went out and he said it was going to be awesome.

His mom, Carey Sue confided that she was worried about Rickie's cystic fibrosis. Manual chest percussions weren't nearly as effective as the treatments he received while wearing his vest.

By the time the power was returned to the 2,300 customers in Grosse Pointe, Rickie had missed three treatments that required electricity. During my last phone call with Rickie before the energy was restored, his voice was barely recognizable. Thick with mucous and deep from chest congestion, seven year old Rickie, bragged about everything he played with that wasn't electric.

"Mostly I'm playing with Star Wars guys and Matchbox cars. Then when I get bored I line up the Star Wars guys and use the Matchbox cars and play bowling 'til they are all knocked over. Oh, I've got a Hulk guy too but he doesn't stand very good. I need guys that stand good so I can bowl 'em over."
Long story short, my people, is once the power was restored and roads were cleared Rickie was in the doctor's office and the decision was made not to admit him to the hospital but to send him home with medication that included a minimum of four weeks on two antibiotics, and treatments are now four times a day instead of two.

Remember this plea? Well, we are at that point in time. Are you interested in making a huge difference? Have you got an envelope and a stamp? Can you spare five minutes to jot a quick message? Seven year old Rickie would love to hear from you!
Many of you have already responded and Rickie's mom has a small stash left of your mail to share with him during the long treatments. If you thought about responding during the first request and it slipped your mind ... well here is one more opportunity.

The unfortunate thing about cystic fibrosis is even when Rickie's come through this bout of congestion, you will have yet another chance to send him mail the NEXT time he gets ill.

And why do I feel so passionate about helping? I'll tell you why right now. On January 6 of 1996 I lost my chronically ill daughter, Madeleine. She was the same age as Rickie, seven. She had an undiagnosed degenerative neuromuscular disorder, but she died from complications with pneumonia.

Life's come full circle for me and through foster care, David and I are looking forward to adopting our two youngest children (a boy age seven and a girl age five) that we've been calling our own for the past two years.

I look at my healthy happy seven year old and know that he has two perfect lungs. I see his pink cheeks on his flushed face. I remember back thirteen years to a point where I watched another child of mine struggle for oxygen and never quite get enough no matter how much work we did on those lungs, no matter how hard we tried to get all the gunk removed ... well it was never quite enough to make a difference.

I won't continue, but this isn't about me. This is about making a difference for Rickie and right now, while his lungs are out of commission he still has an active mind and a busy body. Make a difference, send him a card and tell him someone in another section of our great land is thinking about him.

Contact me, Candid Carrie at carriestuckmann at gmail dot com and I will get his address to you right away. Be sure to put Rickie in the subject line. Thanks.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Don't Worry Be Happy, It Can Be Done...

I had this long and drawn out post today, to introduce this video. I deleted it.

Basically, it was talking about how bad the economy is and how concerned all of us are, and rightly so! I've asked my husband not to talk about it all the time with me, so I am taking my own advice and doing that with you! That being said, please watch this it really touched me, and made me realize (again) that we should be thankful for even the small things in our lives.

Please watch.






Thursday, December 18, 2008

You asked for it, and here she is!!

Sometimes when I get up in the morning, I feel very peculiar. I feel like I've just got to bite a cat! I feel like if I don't bite a cat before sundown, I'll go crazy! But then I just take a deep breath and forget about it. That's what is known as real maturity.
Peanuts
Snoopy


And that is exactly what Lucy does, she wakes up and goes straight for the cats. Scout, our mother cat loves Lucy. Yes, she really does...Lucy runs straight for her and Scout lays down and Lucy is all over her. (very amusing to watch)

I completely forgot what having a puppy was like until this passed week. I have a toddler, yes a toddler you have to watch her like a hawk, because if you didn't pick up something off the floor, it's in her mouth. Just a glimpse of Lucy. More pictures next week!

Enjoy CANDID CARRIE today shes having FRIDAY FOTO FINISH FIESTA!!!





Sunday, December 14, 2008

Happiness Is A Warm Puppy



Lucy is here! I'll show you better pictures later because right now we want to watch her sleep.

Hmmm ... I love the smell of puppy breath, how about you?
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Thursday, December 11, 2008

Do Not Worry About A Thing

Be careful with your babies.

Our children can feel the affect the economic situation has on their lives. Cut backs in the family, hearing it on the news constantly and from their parents worrying and discussing, sometimes when little ears shouldn't be listening.

So my motto this past week was "Don't Worry About A thing"

Every morning this week my children would come downstairs I would was playing this song and singing it to them and try to start their day off on a positive note!

My message to you out there is "everything's going to be alright!" Let your kids go to school on a happy note. Shelter them from receiving too much information. Protect them from the cold hard facts. You can tell them there will be changes, but they don't need to see the fear in your eyes and make it their own fear.

Bob Marley--Three Little Birds or Don't Worry About A Thing



Here is my Friday Foto ... this is Rickie being a kid! Let your kids be kids during this hard economic times! We are worried all of us, just don't discuss it non-stop with your children.



Spend time with your family. It is free. Blow the dust off your board games. Bonding as a family can be free (and priceless).

Monday, December 8, 2008

You're not going to believe this!!!

If you haven't had the chance to hear this amazing little girl heres your chance. .

Warning: Get some Kleenex, you're going to need it!!

Six year old Connie Talbot




Friday, December 5, 2008

I really miss my dad

I really miss my dad. He's in Alabama for the winter with my mom. This is my favorite picture of him. In this picture he was seventeen. He married my mom a year later.



Did you see that? I had to take a picture of a picture so that I could show you! My kids have not had time to show me how to scan. Maybe for Christmas they could teach me Scanning 101. I'd better put that on my Christmas list or know one will pay attention to it!


Anyway, when I was a little girl I thought that I would marry my dad. I would bring my friends in to "look" at my dad. When my brothers and I were young, he worked two or three jobs to make ends meet. As soon as he sat down he fell asleep. It wasn't a real nap, it was a "cat" nap.

So I would parade my girlfriends past my handsome daddy. "Isn't he cute?" I would ask and they would all shake their heads "yes" because no one wanted to wake him.

The entire time I was growing up I was always crazy about my dad. And it wasn't because I was the favorite. He didn't have favorites. I actually thought all girls were wild about their daddies until I started talking to friends in middle school and they thought their own dads were "dumb" or "old."

Jump ahead to high school and at that time I remember my friends telling me that my your dad is was good looking and nice. He really never said much or really interacted with them because he was the strong but silent type.



Even when I look at the picture above I vividly remember how loved and safe I felt with him. This picture was Thanksgiving at my aunt's house. I burst in the room with something to say and once again my daddy had given me his undivided attention.

Enjoy your vacation, dad. I miss you. Relax and come home safely.

Love, Carey