Karsen's due for another Surgery...

Karsen is due for another surgery on St. Patricks day. His Plastic Surgeon is going to go in and remove the Skin Graft and stretch his good skin over and close it so it will all be his smooth skin. If you can't tell Karsen's graft is pretty much attached to his bone. So when he wears his prosthetic it rubs wrong and causes scabbing which makes him uncomfortable. It also makes it hard to put on his transformer leg because he needs it to heal.

When they do the surgery they are going to put in a bubble. Two weeks after the surgery they will go in and slowly fill it will water once a week for 4 weeks. The bubble will help keep the skin from attaching to the bone. After that they will remove the bubble and **fingers crossed** it will look so much better and be able to handle longer wear on his prosthetic. I'm looking forward to that!!

On a more fun note. Karsen is CRAZY and is not afraid of much. Today he started trying to climb the fridge with his feet then the counter then the door. He succeeded after we moved some stuff out of the way and Voila' he is doing handstands up against the door. Love my monkey!!

There is hope...

Tonight we received this letter and decorated can from these two young adults. They dropped it on our door step and rang the doorbell and left. (How I would love to meet them!!) This kind of service and generosity is not something we would have expected from 16 year olds but here it is. These two have really done more then donated their birthday money to Karsen but they have truly given me hope as a mother. I have so many fears as a mother in these times and these two have give me hope that my children too can prevail through the muck this world is. We are so grateful and hope that Nicole & Jaden do know how truly inspiring they have been. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

Update and Much Gratitude!

I just wanted to update everyone on Karsen. Today we went and saw his Prosthetics Dr. Pete and his Ortho Dr. Marci and they like how he is healing and moving around. We are all concerned with where the Skin Graft is on the back side of his leg. The skin is not very flexible and looks as though it is stuck to the bone. The "sock" we put on before his Transformer prosthetic leg is silicone and is meant to to help his leg heal. When we put him in his leg for too long it rubs wrong and breaks the skin down creating scabbing. Marci told us to take him into his Plastic Surgeon Dr. Faizi and have him look at it. We most likely will end up doing a surgery to help loosen up the skin. We are scheduled to go in on January 12th so we will see what happens. I am happy to report we no longer need Scooby!! It is too big and he is getting around just great without it. He's actually quite the monkey.

I also took Karsen into his Pediatrician and ENT to have his 3 year old check up and his ear tube check up. Karsen had tubes put in his ears in December of 2007 and last February he had to have one replaced and the other unclogged. He gets ear infections and congested so often he really doesn't complain it's almost normal. I had both of these appointments set up right around the time of the accident and had to obviously hold off. Anyhow at his 3 yr check up our Pediatrician had told me that the right tube had fallen out and to keep an eye on him. Low and behold a week or two later he woke up in the middle of the night very uncomfortable we didn't know if it was his leg or his ear until the next morning. We took him in and the doc said he had a RAGING ear infection. We got him on antibiotics and I asked if we needed surgery to please do it before the end of the year and so we are on January 31st. Squeezing it in before deductibles start all over. He's amazing he will have had more surgeries then all of us combined poor dude!

On a much more HAPPIER & HUMBLER note I want to express our GRATITUDE to EVERYONE!! We have seen so many blessings and miracles in our time of trial and I feel like I can't express enough to everyone how incredibly thankful we are. We have had so many of you pray for us, donate money, donate time, donate food, and now donate several Christmas gifts for our family. I am overwhelmed with how Thankful I am and feel bad that I don't know how to show everyone how I feel. I love all of you and want you to know that the prayers, kind words, cards, concern, donations of all kinds, help with the kids, help with our home and absolutely everything has not gone unnoticed in anyway shape or form. Please let us know how we can return the favor and pay it forward.

Much LOVE, RESPECT, GRATITUDE & BELIEF,

Nicole

Update on My baby!

So I haven't updated lately we have all been so busy just trying to get things done.
I wanted to give you an update on Karsen. We got his prosthetic "Transformer" leg and had him in it twice a day for about 20 minutes each. We worried a little because his leg was healing and is bone was right up against the skin graft nearly poking through. We went in for a check up and was told to watch him close. It started looking better and they upped his time in his leg. We are now up to 2-4 hours a day.
I put his leg on today and then took him out and about and it was so nice to have him up and moving around. ALMOST normal. He struggled here and there but I took him out to take the girls to gymnastics and Jaxon to try Karate. While we were there he was very brave and walked everywhere. He even walked through the parking lot. Then we went in to watch the girls finish up and when we were leaving he wanted to run to the car like Jaxon and Larsen so I took his hand and we tried it. WOW he's so awesome he made it to the car and climbed in like he used to.
I am so excited to see him do new things. Like try to stand on one leg and hop or walk using his Scooby leg. I am hoping to re-potty train him soon very soon!!
Anyway that is what he is up to these days.

On another note...
Many people have asked how I am doing and to be honest I struggle. Some days are fine and some moments royally suck. I am truly inspired by his progress and absolutely love his perseverance. He makes me want to do more, work harder and be the best woman I can be.
My biggest struggle is the constant reminder. Had both his legs broken they would be healed by now but no everyday I am reminded of the horrible accident. I try my hardest not to see his screaming face or his leg all torn up or the hard moments but it is there. I am doing many things that help me through it. The mind is a powerful tool. I usually take the negative thought and think of the positive or just try to change my mind quickly. I work out almost everyday I have found it to be helping me a ton. Lifting weights relieves stress. I have also picked up more in my Mary Kay business. I have learned a lot of attitude and emotional management in my business and I didn't think that it would help me so much with a life situation. I absolutely love what I do. I love being a beauty consultant and help women all around me feel better about themselves and the amazing women I work with on my team and in my unit. I love helping change lives.

Between Karsen's amazing abilities, the strength of my beautiful children, my workout regime and my Mary Kay business things are getting better. I am of course only human so I know each day comes with its trials and it is up to me to decide how I will react.

Thank you to all of you who have helped us out I am at a loss for how to show my gratitude.
Just Recently...
My Aunt Peggy I love you. She sold over 400 loaves of her homemade wheat bread to raise over $600 for Karsen's trust fund. WOW!! Thank you so much and to everyone that supported her and our family. I had no idea she was doing it.

My dear friend and sister Director Jolinn Andrease and her Awesome family did a VERY SCARY Haunted House in their basement and raised over $1200 to go to Karsen's Trust Fund. Unbelievable Jolinn you are amazing and I value our friendship ever so much.

One of my favorite MK Mentors National Sales Director Julianne Nagel Hackett had a very powerful Fall retreat with the consultants and Directors in her area. She had asked me to come and speak at her retreat about the will to win. I spoke of Karsen's unfortunate event but the many things we have done to push through it and have the will to win. Their area too raised over $1000 to go to Karsen's trust fund. She personally had been donating 5% of her Party with a purpose sales just for Karsen. Julianne you are simple outstanding and I love you so much for training me in my younger MK years. I will POP with Pride!! Thank you too all over those that held a Party with a purpose you have truly touched our lives.

We have felt so overwhelming blessed and loved from so many giving people. All of you out their THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Your continued blessings, prayers, love and donations have done so much in Karsen's speedy recovery and will allow us the best care for him.

Much Love & Gratitude,

Nicole

Karsen's Extraordinary Determination!!

So I haven't reported much since we've been home. But since we got Karsen's new Transformer leg he has slowly gotten used to it. He is nervous and scared but today he broke belief barriers for all of us. He is simply amazing and we can't believe how determined he is. He faces his fears and does it anyway.

Karsen's 1st steps on his Transformer Leg!!

5K Video FINALLY!

Ok so there were so many pics I couldn't even put them all on here so I did a little video. So it's not too little it's like 12 or 13 minutes so enjoy!!

RUN KARSEN RUN 5K

The 5K for Karsen was UNBELIEVABLE!! We guesstimated that 300-350 people were there and we raised over $6000. Rick and I were literally blown away to see family, old and new friends, people we work with and complete strangers. We had a great time thank you to Jason and Cindy Jacobson for coordinating everything to the 2nd ward for the breakfast it was all fantastic, Steve Crane and the donation of Fat Boys, Macey's for their donation of oranges and $100 gift certificate and Costco for the Water bottles and to Wasatch Running for the racing bibs and the giveaways. The shirts from Zues Printing were AWESOME loved them!! I am going to try and create a slide show I have tons of pictures. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT CAME OUT TO SUPPORT MY LITTLE MAN KARSEN AND OUR FAMILY IT MEANS THE WORLD TO US!! LOTS OF LOVE!!

Shriner's Adventure Day 2 and what's up today!

Ok so Tuesday morning I got up early to go run (gotta prep for the 5k and the gym is great therapy:) Got home hurried and got us all ready. Ran the girls to school and Jaxon to Aunt Chelsea's for preschool. We got up to Shriner's and went to prosthetic's. We met with Pete and he brought in Karsen's new Scooby Doo plastic sleeve. Karsen flipped out and no longer wanted it he wanted to keep his leg wrapped the way it was. After spending time trying to calm him down and getting him to cooperate we finally got it on. After he realized he was just fine and then loved it so we went to show Marci and she was so happy to see him and loved the new sleeve. The sleeve keeps his leg straight till we can actually get him a prosthetic leg. If he were to leave it bent it would ruin his chance of being able to where a prosthetic leg. He was super excited to show everyone his new leg.

After we left the hospital I went a different went home and ended up near my grandparents house so we went to see them. My grandpa had a meeting so my Grandma Norma, Karsen and I went to get a subway sandwich. It was really nice just us 3.
We got home and I attempted to nap while he laid with me talking to me a lot I gave him his meds when we got home cause he whined quite a bit and I wanted to help him. Hello VALIUM makes him happy and talkative but NOT tired.
I went to my Mary Kay meeting like I do every Tuesday and I got a text from Rick's facebook saying he was watching Karsen go up the stairs. I tried to tell him to hold him down I was on my way home but Karsen had even started without his knowledge. But dad videotaped it Thank Goodness!!
I got home and he was playing waiting for me to give him a bath. Marci wanted to have us give a bath today. The first real bath in 3 weeks woohoo!! Rick and I put him in and again doing something new with his leg unwrapped really stressed him out. He was uneasy for a bit but a few toys and realizing it wasn't going to hurt helped him relax. It was neat to see Jaxon interact with him. He was very cool while seeing his leg and the skin graft and everything. It's been great to see them play for a while they didn't get along. We got Karsen all cleaned up and now he is not so nervous.

We have shown the girls Karsen's leg and let them ask questions and I do my best to answer all of them. Except the details of the accident. I'm not a fan of talking about that with them. They know what they need to know. HE IS LITERALLY MY HERO. He is so strong and amazing. Very determined and very independent. I love my Karsen so much and couldn't be more proud of him and all of my kids for who they are and the love we have in our home.

ON a side note. Through all of this we just went to Parent Teacher Conferences for the girls and they are ROCKSTARS!! They both are way above grade level for reading and are doing great in every subject. Jazmine is doing so great in every area and even though she has missed a lot of school having strep 2 times. Kyliane is the big helper in her class she finishes her work and then helps her friends with theirs. Seriously makes me so happy to see how well they are doing even though they have been through this all with us. I have amazingly smart independent children. LOVE THEM!!

Shriner's adventure Day 1

So last Saturday some friends of ours invited us to go out to dinner with them so we took up the offer and went to dinner. As we were sitting down I got a phone call that stressed me out a bit. My babysitter Raygan called and said "Nicole I was taking him to the bathroom and please don't be mad!" She was plainly scared and stressed out. So I tried understand her then she passed the phone over to my friend Ruth who she had called over to help her.
Basically Karsen had to go potty (#2) and Raygan put him on the potty but didn't take his pants off all of the way. He had gotten some poop on his pants and she went to pull them off well his splint had come off with it. SCARED HER TO DEATH!! Rightfully so I probably would've freaked out too. As I was talking to Ruth I could hear Karsen crying. Of course I was way freaked myself. I hurried and called the Dr's offices trying with 2 phones to get a hold of someone to tell me what to do. We were told when we left the hospital not to let him put pressure on his leg or rub it on anything so my main concern was that it had rubbed the skin graft. I finally got a hold of a plastic surgeon and he made me feel 1000 times better. He said the skin graft would be just fine since its been two weeks. He explained how to rewrap it so I called Ruth and Raygan and Becky (Rachel the friend I was out to dinner with had called her she lives like 3 houses down and is a nurse) I told them how to do it. They took great care of him he had talked to me and told me he was all better. The good news is that he wasn't really in pain just really freaked out. It was new to him.
Sunday came along and we were at Rick's Sisters for his mother's birthday dinner and his splint had slid down again past his knee. So Rick, Steve (my bro in law) and I went in the bedroom and rewrapped it again. He freaked out and wanted it back on again. I have to admit it was REALLY HARD to see it. I did all I could to keep myself together to get it taken care of. His swelling has gone down and so the splints that were molded around his leg no longer fit.
Monday morning I had taken him and Jaxon to Ruth's while I went with the girls to Harmony and when I picked him up it was sliding again. I brought him home and so I unwrapped it and started making phone calls.
Jaxon was the only one here with me I asked him to help me keep him distracted and he totally did as he stared at his leg he kept saying "Karsen watch Scooby Doo" he was such a big boy about it and handled seeing it very well. I got a hold of the doc's and they said take him to Shriners.
I took Jax back over to Ruth. So thankful for her!!
Karsen and I went up to Shriners where we were checked right in and taken back to the casting room. As we were hanging out I was distracting him because his splint was off. We read books, sang some songs and laughed. As we were hanging out his Plastic Surgeon walked in the room by chance. I was actually listening to a message from his office. He said let's take a look at it. Unwrapped it and said it looks great! I asked if he was sure and he said I know it looks terrible to you but it looks just fine to me. So that saved me the appointment on Thursday with him. Then Marci his Ortho doc came in and checked him out and took out his staples. She sent us to Prosthetics to be fitted for his plastic sleeve. His Camo Scooby Doo leg is what he calls it. Then we went down and resplinted it and then we were sent to Physical Therapy they were closed till 1 so we went and had lunch together. We headed up there and they gave him a walker and WOW is all I can say. He was amazing. Crawled off the bed he was on and walked across the room a little. He is so strong it was such a happy moment for both of us.
5 hours later with no stroller we were very ready to go home. We had done so much in one day I think we were both so exhausted. When we got home he was so excited to show Daddy, Jazmine, Kyliane and Jaxon how he could hop with his walker. They were so supportive and excited for him. It made me as a mother feel so proud to be their mother. I was so happy and full of joy to see them cheering him on.

5K Run/Walk & BREAKFAST!!

Just got back from Shriners...

.Karsen loves his new Scooby Doo leg. He freaked out for a bit but now he can't wait to show daddy, Jaz, Kyli & Jaxon.

Getting used to things....

Nothing holds Karsen back!

Karsen gets his walker!

Karsen has had a productive morning. We came up cuz his casting was coming off. Then his plastics doc gave us the ok. Then Marci our ortho doc (love her) took out the staples. Then Pete made him a plastic cast we will get tomorrow. Here he is with the PT for a walker. Long morning :) but we are great.

At home

Ok so I feel bad I haven't updated you on my little mans progress so here I am. Wow coming back to life is a reality shock. Fortunately Rick has been home so he has helped tremendously. He makes a better housewife then I do. This has given me a chance to jump back into my Mary Kay business and get to work. I love that I get to work around my family. I have never been so grateful for that until now. I have an amazing team they are the "Rockstars" and they have blown me out of the water from their hard work and perseverance. I also have found that I am grateful for working when I am strong to build a cliental and unit so that if and when an accident or illness occurs I can take as much time off as I need with wonderful women to help pick up where I can not. Thank you Krista Johnson my senior director for all that you do for me! The only unfortunate thing is Rick not working makes it a lot harder around here financially. If he's not working he's not making any money. Gotta love construction :)
Anyway on to what is going on. We got home on Thursday. On our way home we picked up Jaxon from preschool and he was so excited to see Karsen in the car. Even told him he loved him. Then Jazmine had called and said she wasn't feeling well so I figured what the heck I'll go pull the girls out of school and they were so excited to see Karsen when they got home it was awesome.
The kids have adjusted well and have been great helpers. Jaxon's been given the job to be our monitor and tell us if Karsen wakes up. After a few days he didn't like that job so much. He would come tell us Karsen was awake and then climb in our bed as one of us would go take care of Karsen. He's been playing and helping Kars as well as fighting with him like normal. Gotta love boys.
Jazmine and Kyli have been great big sisters and have helped out by doing activities with him and hanging out with him. They are awesome.
We have been just plugging along. Our daily care for Karsen isn't too bad. We have to unwrap and rewrap his donor site leg. We also blowdry his bandage a little to help it dry out faster. We don't have to do anything with his left leg. We go in on Thursday the 22nd to see his plastic surgeon and his ortho surgeon.
Today he has tried to get himself around a little. His buddy Bronson Dixon came over to play and I put Karsen on the floor to play cars with him. I heard him over by the stairs playing with some monster trucks on the bottom step. He is definitely a find a way make a way type of kid.
His pain has been pretty mild and has been really good for the most part. He is sleeping well through the night and loves snuggling in the morning.
Thank you again for all your love, prayers and support without them all I don't know where we would be. I will continue to keep updating on the progress of his speedy recovery!

CHILI's DAY!! and a few other things

Today is the Chili's Fundraiser for Karsen. I have a wonderful friend Joy Zoellner. She works at Chili's and will be there all day. If you need a flyer she has extra's so please ask for her. Thank you to all of you who are planning on going. We appreciate the support and love you all. You have no idea how grateful Rick and I are for everything you all have done for our Family.

Our family will be there at 6pm to enjoy dinner as well.

Also my great friend Melony Pulley is hosting a Lia Sophia/Glitter Toes/Mary Kay Open House

Date:	Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Time:	6:30pm - 9:00pm
Location:	Melony's Home
Street:	4717 Aire Drive

This is a fun filled evening that will benefit The Karsen Mery Trust Fund! Amy Blair has signed on to offer $20.00 glitter toes that evening and donate proceeds to the Trust as well! Check her out on nailartbyamyblair.blogspot.com usually they are $25 but for this fundraiser she'll do them for $20 and donate to our cause! Also I am a sales director for Mary Kay and will be on hand to provide color makeovers and any products you might have. This will all help support Karsens health as he grows and help support the family as their ability to work is deeply reduced in dealing with this!

Thanks again for the love and support!! Hope to see you tonight.

Ah, Home sweet home....

Now, this is where I belong!

A picture says a thousand words.....

GOING HOME!!!!!!!

HE GETS TO COME HOME!!

Karsen just finished his last procedure. They removed the wound vac and his graft looks awesome. He is healing great and it is doing what it needs to do. They redressed his donor site (they said that will hurt a little) and it is healing good as well. He's such a champ. Get to rest tonight and go home in the morning. 2 weeks exactly from his accident. Thank you again for all the love, support, messages, prayers, gifts and donations. I know that Heavenly Father has heard you all and has blessed my baby and our family beyond measures.
Love & Belief, Nicole