Pray for Taylor

Time is Flying By!

2012-01-19T08:42:00.009-06:00

I can't believe it is almost February! This school year has flown by! Tanner man is in the 1st grade and still loving school. His favorite subject is Science followed by Math. He is very shy at school, but makes up for it at home. Tate has started going to a Pre School program once a week with his cousin Kennedy and loves it. He has finally mastered writing his own name! He is also very much

Great News!

2011-07-16T20:17:00.009-05:00

Let's start with the great news! Friday, Taylor had an appointment with her cardiologist, Dr.Hannon. After he previewed the pictures of her echo, he said, "this is amazing...Taylor is finally starting to grow into her heart. This is the best echo she's had yet." He went on to say from the naked eye, he wouldn't even think Taylor had cardiomyopathy. Her heart looked and measured like any other

Sunday, March 27, 2011

2011-03-27T19:04:00.009-05:00

I can't believe March is almost over! This year is flying by! Taylor is doing well....hospital free since July(which was planned because of the new diet). We are so thrilled to say we've had a good year! Everything has pretty much been the same, with the exception of Taylor's continued small seizure activity that has started back since Christmas. Weird thing is she only has them when she wakes

Happy New Year!

2011-01-06T18:55:00.006-06:00

We hope everybody had a very Merry Christmas and a great New Year! We were able to fly to IA to spend 10 fantastic days with Jeff's family. The boys had the best time playing in the snow and spending time with family. Taylor was spoiled non stop with the amount of attention she was getting! I think that girl was held 24/7. It was really nice being able to see all of our IA family and friends. It

September 15, 2010

2010-09-15T07:10:00.008-05:00

Saturday, (9/11) Taylor celebrated her 2nd birthday!!! We had a full day of fun as we started out going to Farmer's Day and ended it with a big birthday celebration! We had a lots of family and friends over for the occasion. Taylor seemed to like all the attention! She received lots of new adorable clothes and also got a cute hot pink bean bag chair.Tanner started kindergarten this year and for

September 6, 2010

2010-09-06T21:47:00.002-05:00

Let's see....Taylor is continuing to do very well on this new diet. Over the past 6 weeks, her neurologist has decreased her phenobarbital (one of her seizure medications) by 40 percent. They are planning to decrease it by 20 percent every month. So, hopefully 6 months from now, we can say bye bye to phenobarbital! Taylor also had a very positive echo check in July. Dr. Hannon said her heart

Taylor's sweet voice!

2010-09-06T21:29:00.005-05:00

Smiling Taylor...August 1, 2010

2010-08-01T23:11:00.003-05:00

I took Taylor swimming at my friend Angela's pool. As you can see by the picture, Taylor really enjoyed herself!!!

New Equipment--Thursday, July 23,2010

2010-07-22T14:35:00.004-05:00

Yay! Taylor got her kid-kart and stander today! She did very well for her first day!

Scrappy bustin a move! Enjoy!!!

2010-07-21T22:57:00.001-05:00

Wednesday, July 21,2010

2010-07-21T22:15:00.018-05:00

Taylor passed out after a long hour of PT! LOL!Life is like a box of Chocolates!Finally, some good news! Taylor was admitted to Duke University Medical Hospital July 6th-13th to start a new diet called a ketogenic diet. This was very exciting news because we have been waiting since Febuary for Duke to hire a Nutritionist that specializes in this diet. She stayed in the hospital for 6 days in

4/20/2010

2010-04-29T15:14:00.002-05:00

This past week has been very difficult. On Wednesday, the 14th Taylor started having an abnormal amount of seizures. Her nurse called to inform me of increased seizure activity about mid morning and advised me to call Duke and consult with her neurologist. Within an hour, her seizures got worse. She was having one right after another. They are called cluster seizures. (Cluster Seizures: Two or

March 12, 2010

2010-04-09T13:47:00.003-05:00

Note: Sorry for the delay. Just going through some old emails and realized this update got lost in the shuffle.---------------------------------------------------Friday, March 5th Taylor had an appointment in Greenville to see Dr. Strope. He decided to discontinue her Prevacid because we did not feel it was making a difference with Taylor's upper respiratory congestion. He also mentioned that we

2010-03-03T14:50:00.003-06:00

Happy March everybody...February landed Taylor at Duke Medical Hospital for a week in order to try and figure out what to do about her seizures. The neurologist ended up taking Taylor off two seizure medications (sabril and topomax). They are trying her on a new seizure medication called zonegran. Since her stay at the hospital, Taylor's seizures have decreased slightly. She still has between

January 29, 2010

2010-01-29T15:31:00.000-06:00

Good evening everybody,A lot has happened with Taylor over the last couple of weeks. We'll start with the good news....Actually, it is great news! Taylor had an echo last Friday (the 22nd) and Dr. Hannon said her heart has made significant improvement over the past year. Her left ventricle looked smaller in size and her two leaky valves were almost non-detectable! Her injection fracture also

Tuesday, January 4

2010-01-05T13:36:00.002-06:00

First of all, we hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We had a very excited Christmas as we watched our two boys tear through their Christmas presents in a record 1 minute and 22 seconds! Then, for the rest of the day they played their little hearts out! Taylor was also as cute as a bug throwing us a smile here and there. All in all, it was a great day for the family.In

Thursday, Nov 12

2009-11-14T11:47:00.001-06:00

Here's a little update for the blog to let everyone know how Taylor's doing..... Tuesday, Taylor woke up with a temp of 102.4 and she sounded terrible. I took her to her pediatrician and they sent her to Onslow Memorial Hospital to get blood and urine cultures, as well as, chest x-rays and an RSV test. Everything came back normal and the doctor felt like Taylor had a viral

Thursday, October 29

2009-11-05T21:28:00.002-06:00

Hello all! I would think by now, life would be easier and slow down a little bit. However, with 3 children under 4 years old I think that might be impossible!!! :-) Little Miss Taylor is growing more and more everyday! Her hair is so beautiful and getting so long. Pretty soon her hair will be long enough to put a pony tail in it!She continues to have PT and OT weekly and has her good days and bad

Thursday, October 15 (Guest Blogger)

2009-10-15T15:42:00.002-05:00

My son Tim asked me if I would write an entry for the blog. We know that many people check the blog frequently, looking for news about Taylor and her progress. It is understandable that Tammy and Jeff are very busy. Both are back at work, and when they are home, their time is consumed by Taylor's needs, as well as the needs of their very active boys. Dick and I have just returned from four days

Saturday, September 12

2009-09-12T08:49:00.003-05:00

Can you believe our little angel turned one yesterday? Nine months ago, we didn't know if we would be celebrating this day.... However, by God's Grace and Taylor's fighting spirit, we have so much to be thankful for. Happy Birthday to our precious girl! Last Friday, we met with Mrs. Rollings from The Governor of Morehead School of the Blind. It was mostly filling out paper work and

Sunday, August 23

2009-08-23T22:12:00.004-05:00

Here's the latest on Taylor.....Hello all! Lots are happening in the Whitehead house! Taylor has seen the cardiologist, neurologist, gastrointestinal doctor, had a swallow study, and also had a 6 hour EEG performed on her in the last 6 weeks. Tanner turned 4 yesterday...and Jeff and I started back work on Monday!!!At her visit with the cardiologist, Taylor had an echo that showed slight

Wednesday, August 12 - Message from Jeff

2009-08-12T10:35:00.004-05:00

Saturday was a smashing success. We are all amazed by the love, support, and Prayers that Taylor continues to receive.Below is a message sent by Jeff... We cannot thank you all enough for your support. God Bless.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Words cannot properly describe the gratitude my

Thursday, July 30 - Taylor Whitehead Benefit

2009-07-30T00:09:00.018-05:00

Taylor Whitehead Benefit Saturday, August 8thRolling Acres Golf Course, Center Point IA 522134 Person Best Shot Tournament starts at 12:00$40 per player ~ Flighted PrizesSorry, the golf tournament filled up fastand we are no longer accepting teams.However, please join us for other activities.After the golf tournament, please join us for additional activities: Silent Auction 4:00-8:00 Flat screen

Thursday, July 16

2009-07-16T01:48:00.003-05:00

I have an update from Tammy with some pics from a family vacation. But first... For those of you in the Iowa area. Mark August 8th on the calendar. We will be having a benefit for Taylor at the golf course in Center Point. Details to come. Also, we still have Pray For Taylor t-shirt available. See the order form in the previous post. All proceeds go towards Taylor's care.And above all else...

Now Available!

2009-06-15T13:07:00.020-05:00

(Front Logo)pray for taylor t-shirts now on sale!As a fundraiser activity for the Taylor Whitehead Fund, we have ordered our first production of the "pray for taylor" t-shirts! To reduce production costs, the initial offering will be White shirts only in the following sizes: Child Medium, Adult Medium, Adult Large, and Adult XL. If we have enough interest in a different size we will look to

June 04, 2009

2009-06-04T21:17:00.003-05:00

Update from Tammy---------------------------Taylor has had several appointments since I last updated. Friday, Taylor met with her cardiologist and had another echo performed on her heart. Dr.Hannon felt her heart was still unchanged. She has also seen her pediatrician because of an infection to her G-Tube. We are treating it with silver nitrate and zinc oxide; however it is taking a while to

Thursday, May 14

2009-05-14T22:27:00.004-05:00

Update and pics from Tammy...-------Sorry, I haven't updated on little Miss in a while. Saying we have been busy is an understatement!!! We have had so many different people in the home to do an assessment on Taylor, as well has a handful of appointments! Yesterday, Taylor had two appointments in Greenville. Unfortunately, because she has had two UTI's in the past 7 weeks the doctors ordered

Happy Birthday Tammy

2009-05-13T17:54:00.002-05:00

Just wanted to wish Tammy a happy birthday. You are an amazing women, one of the strongest spirits that I know. May your birthday be blessed with simple pleasures, love, and happiness.God Bless~

Monday, May 4

2009-05-04T21:59:00.001-05:00

Just a quick note... Taylor was able to come back home on Thursday. On Friday, their in-house nurse started and she has been a great fit, the entire family loves her! God Bless~

Tuesday, April 28

2009-04-28T21:06:00.002-05:00

Just a quick update. It turns out that Taylor has phenomena and a urinary tract infection. So she is back in the hospital for a couple of days while they push some antibiotics. I guess it's a little reminder that Talyor has come so far, but will continue to meet challenges along the way. The good news is that she has Christ leading the way as she overcomes all odds and continues to be a testament

Monday, April 27

2009-04-27T22:25:00.005-05:00

It’s been a big week. For those that haven’t heard, Taylor got to come home for good on Friday! We also just found out today that she is going to be approved for in-house nursing for 8 hours a day! This will be a huge help for the family. Below is an update that Tammy sent last night. I’m so proud of all of them, and am grateful for the blessings the Lord has bestowed. Late addition: On the

Thursday, April 23

2009-04-23T22:59:00.002-05:00

To precious, had to post.God Bless~

Saturday, April 18

2009-04-18T09:13:00.002-05:00

It's been a whirlwind week, but Tammy was able to send an update last night.----------------------------------------------Here's the latest news...As you know, Taylor had surgery on Tuesday. Everything went well and she has not thrown up since the surgery. She was extremely sore the first couple of days, so they kept her on morphine, tylenol, and valium to help control the pain. Today(Friday),

Tuesday, April 14

2009-04-14T15:39:00.002-05:00

I just received a text from Jeff."Taylor pulled through with flying colors! Praise the Lord!"God Bless~

Monday, April 13

2009-04-13T20:29:00.004-05:00

First off… I hope everyone had a joyful Easter weekend. Another reminder of how awesome Christ is.A quick, but important update on Taylor. Taylor and family arrived safely at Duke on Saturday to prepare for her G-tube surgery. Her surgery is scheduled for 11:00 am tomorrow morning (Tuesday). I know we have all been praying for Taylor, and she will be in our hearts and prayers during surgery. As

Wednesday, April 8

2009-04-08T20:21:00.002-05:00

JDNews.com has a nice article about Taylor and family. Thought I would pass it along.http://www.jdnews.com/articles/taylor_63475___article.html/hospital_memorial.htmlGod Bless~

Monday, April 6

2009-04-06T23:04:00.001-05:00

Since my last entry, Taylor continued to threw up 2-3 times per day. On Tuesday, March 31st the doctors decided to put Taylor on continuous feeds(24 hours a day). Now, she gets fed one ounce over a one hour time period. It's a little bit of a set back because this is how she was fed in the ICU. The initial goal was for Taylor to eat like a normal child over a five to ten minute time period.

Tuesday, March 31

2009-03-31T09:28:00.004-05:00

The past week has been a little frustrating. Taylor continues to have problems keeping food down. Over the last week, Taylor has gone from throwing up once a day to two and even three times a day. The doctors tried to do a gastric emptying study (Definition at bottom) on Thursday to get answers to why she continues to get sick. Basically, they stopped her feeds at 9:30am and didn't feed her until

Monday, March 23

2009-03-23T11:30:00.001-05:00

I’ve combined the last two updates from Tammy below. We continue to be thankful for the gifts the Lord is providing. Taylor has been blessed with excellent therapists and loving family and friends. We continue to pray for her heart, mind, and body to make a full recovery.Update on Friday - 2/20 Taylor is still hanging in there. Last weekend, when she was dehydrated and they did two urine samples

Monday, March 16

2009-03-16T22:46:00.002-05:00

We have had an interesting weekend. Friday, Taylor started spitting up more than usual. She got a little worse as the weekend progressed. The doctors stopped her feeds on Sunday around noon and started her on a IV drip. They were worried that she was dehydrated because she didn't have the urine output that she should have had. They were contemplating sending her to either ICU or to the Ped's

Thursday, March 12

2009-03-15T20:51:00.000-05:00

OK, although I’m posting this on Sunday, I’ve titled it as a Thursday post as that was when Tammy sent this info. Sorry, hectic week in the office…Tammy talks a little bit about Taylor not holding her formula down. Apparently this has continued into the weekend and they have placed an IV. I will hopefully get more details tomorrow. We are confident the power of Prayer and the love of Christ will

Tuesday,

2009-03-10T17:12:00.001-05:00

A little recap of what's going on with Taylor. We had another Care Conference on Monday. All of her therapist said they feel she is making great progress. They feel she will definitely benefit to stay here for the next 4 to 5 weeks as estimated. Since, she was on a "two week" trial basis, they have to call our insurance back and make sure everything is good on their end. Our case worker doesn't

Sunday, March 8

2009-03-08T20:25:00.004-05:00

Recap of the weekend from Tammy with some pics.------Life is good! Both the boys got to see Taylor on Friday and Saturday! Thankfully, because the weather is so nice in NC, we were able to spend time together as a family. We took the boys outside to the huge playground connected to the rehab facility and had a picnic. We even took Taylor with us! Tate is going to be the one to watch. He kept

Thursday, March 5

2009-03-05T20:29:00.003-06:00

Taylor continues to do well in therapy. An Ear/Throat/Nose specialist examined Taylor today. They were a little concerned that her vocal cords have been damaged, but the report is that her vocal cords are in excellent condition!Tammy posted this video today... While Taylor still has a long road to recovery, it really shows the progress she has made! The Lord has shown us his greatness so many

Wednesday, March 4

2009-03-04T17:47:00.003-06:00

I got some emails from Donna (Jeff’s Mom) with some recent developments with Taylor. I am so happy for them all! The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want...----Tammy just called on her way back to Greenville. She had some good news... she will probably email with it later, but I can't wait to share it with everyone. I had to call Dad at work and interrupt a meeting... Jeff had called her to tell

Tuesday, March 3

2009-03-03T22:13:00.002-06:00

A quick recap that Tammy sent yesterday… We can’t help but be thankful for the friends, family, and blessings that the Lord has bestowed us. Taylor is still doing a good job in therapy. Today, she coo-ed doing both her sessions with OT. It made my heart smile. J Jeff and I had our first Care Conference this morning. Basically, this was a meeting with everyone who

Monday, March 2

2009-03-02T23:43:00.002-06:00

I got my update in the car on my way home from work, so hopefully I will remember enough to provide a quick update. I will try to get more detailed information the first chance I get!Tammy and Jeff had a team meeting with several therapists/doctors in the rehab facility. They have set goals for her, and they told Jeff and Tammy that they plan to keep her there for the full 6 weeks, and at the end

Friday, February 27

2009-02-27T21:03:00.002-06:00

Today Tanner got to see Taylor for the first time in 7 weeks. My sister Karen brought Tanner and her son Jaden to see us. Getting two three olds out of the car and into the building was a challenge. They both were karate chopping each other and trying to race to see who would be first to the door. Just like boys... :--> Tanner was so adorable when he saw her......The first thing he said was, "

Thursday, February 26

2009-02-26T18:32:00.000-06:00

We finally made it!!! We arrived at Pitt Memorial Hospital around 12:30pm. Taylor is resting comfortably, probably dreaming of her brothers. All of the staff in the Rehab facility have been outstanding. They are so sweet and so encouraging. They have Taylor on the schedule to start rehab at 8:30 in the morning. Occupation, Speech, and Physical Therapy will access her to see what her goals

Tuesday, February 24

2009-02-24T20:24:00.001-06:00

Well... we have another delay and Taylor did not go back to Pitt Memorial this morning. It appears that Taylor has a second infection developing in her Broviac Catheter tube and they will need to remove it after all. Pitt Memorial won’t accept her with an IV, so they will have to finish the antibiotic cycle at the very least. Below is an email Tammy sent late this afternoon with more details.----

Monday, February 23

2009-02-23T21:39:00.001-06:00

Good News! The insurance company accepted Taylor’s rehab! Greenville is aware of the infection with the Broviac and has agreed to treat that as well and they are ready for her. They will be leaving Duke at 9:30 in the morning (Tuesday). We thank the Lord for this blessing!! The RPN at Duke told them she was thankful that Jeff and Tammy pushed the issue. She said sometimes parents don’t know to be

Sunday, February 22

2009-02-22T21:22:00.001-06:00

Just a quick update for tonight. They have determined what caused Taylor’s episode on Thursday night. Apparently a bacteria issue with the Broviac Catheter was responsible for the fever and heart rate issues. This left the doctors with a couple options; either remove the Broviac or try to treat the infection. As of tonight, they are going to try and treat the infection so they can still take

Friday, February 20

2009-02-20T23:04:00.003-06:00

I often compile information I receive from family members or Jeff and Tammy directly to provide an update. But I really can't say it any better than Tammy's email today.---------------------Great news... I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to GEICO... Just kidding...You have to make yourself laugh here, or you go nuts in this tiny room....... Anyways, Taylor had a

Thursday, February 19

2009-02-19T21:50:00.001-06:00

Taylor had a scary night last night. At 3am, the nurse paged the doctor because of how high Taylor's heart rate was. It was in the 190's. The doctor came in and examined her for about 10 minutes and then said to page her back if she didn't get any better. About ten minutes later, her heart rate jumped to 215 and the room got real crazy! About 10 different doctors and nurses piled into the

Wednesday, February 18

2009-02-18T21:08:00.002-06:00

Talking to Jeff this afternoon he said the day could best be described as frustrating. Yesterday they made a decision on Taylor’s surgery. None of the Duke University Hospital Doctors are comfortable with recommending the surgery in the condition that Taylor is in, so they have elected to not do the surgery. Unfortunately, the surgery was a requirement for Taylor to get admitted into the Pitt

Saturday, February 14

2009-02-14T20:57:00.005-06:00

It’s been a few days since I have had a chance to post an update, but I think it’s fitting that on a day symbolized by a heart, I found myself waking this morning with Taylor weighing heavily on my own.The last few days Taylor has been very comfortable. When she has been awake, her fussy spells have been less and less. Today she slept a lot and was pretty restful and when she was awake she seemed

Wed, Feb 11

2009-02-11T10:05:00.002-06:00

Since Sunday, they have been concerned that Taylor has been congested, so they did a chest x-ray on Monday night. The x-ray did show some fluid in her lungs. They are also concerned that her breath rate is high; sometimes she is taking 90 to 100 breaths a minute. So they will continue to closely monitor both those issues.They did some vision and hearing tests on Taylor on Tuesday. They will have

Monday, Feb 9

2009-02-09T22:42:00.000-06:00

Good evening everyone. Today the Neurologist stopped in. She has reviewed all of the previous MRI’s that Pitt Memorial Hospital performed. It’s always good to get a second opinion. According to the Duke University Hospital Neurologist, the MRI’s all looked pretty similar. They show that the damage isn’t really isolated to the lobes discussed earlier; it is more global, which would be consistent

Sunday, February 8

2009-02-08T18:49:00.003-06:00

We got some more information around the EEG they performed all last night. It is showing that she is still having seizure activity, especially when she is sleeping. When she is a sleep the episodes are happening several times an hour. They decided to add another medication this morning in addition to the Phenobarbital they have been using. They are aggressively trying to get the seizures under

Saturday, February 7

2009-02-07T20:46:00.001-06:00

A recap of the past couple of days… Yesterday they kept Taylor hooked up to the EEG all day to try and determine if she was indeed still having seizures. And the tests confirmed that she was still having seizures. They gave her a load dose of medicines to help this and she slept a good part of the day today. This afternoon they hooked her up to the EEG again and will leave her on it until

Wednesday, February 4

2009-02-04T22:17:00.001-06:00

Well, what’s the saying... Two steps forward, one step back? The echocardiogram they performed at the Duke University Hospital is showing that Taylor’s heart is now functioning around 35%. So her surgery has been postponed for now while they observe her at Duke and determine if she is strong enough to handle surgery. As we all know, it’s going to be a long road to recovery and we continue to pray

Tuesday, Feb 3

2009-02-03T22:07:00.000-06:00

Good evening. They were satisfied with Taylor’s progress with her feedings so they moved her to the Duke University Hospital last night. They transported her by ambulance. They also transported another baby even younger than Taylor in the same ambulance. A reminder that other families are going through trials of their own. My heart and Prayers go out to them as well. Tammy followed the ambulance

Monday, Feb 2

2009-02-02T11:30:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone had a good weekend. Not a whole lot to report, but here is a quick update.Jeff spent the weekend at the hospital with Taylor and Tammy was able to come home and see the boys. Now that Taylor is in Pediatrics either Jeff or Tammy will be staying in the room with her. She has slept through the night the past 3 nights, so that will allow for Jeff and Tammy to be able to get some

Friday, January 30

2009-01-30T21:32:00.001-06:00

Good evening. Today’s update is a bit discouraging. The doctors are concerned that Taylor may be having seizures again. She will be alert and fussing, then all of a sudden her body will go limp and her blood pressure will drop considerably. They performed an EEG on her brain today to see if they could tell anything, but in the 20-minute procedure she did not have a spell. So it really didn’t

Thursday, January 29

2009-01-29T22:46:00.001-06:00

Not a lot of change other than I got more information on what was posted yesterday. Taylor is now on the PEDs floor. Which is nice because they have some more privacy. The room in the ICU was rather small and didn’t accommodate guests very well.The process to expand Taylor’s tummy consists of feeding 30 minutes straight every 3 hours. I believe the basic philosophy is to eat large amounts of food

Wednesday, January 28

2009-01-28T22:47:00.000-06:00

Good evening… I got my update tonight from my sister, who got it from my mom. So I hope I have my info correct.Today’s update is short and sweet, but full of hope! They are moving Taylor out of the ICU and into the Pediatrics wing. The main goal when she gets to Peds will be to stretch her tummy. This could take a few days to a few weeks. Once they stretch her tummy to the desired state, Taylor

Tuesday, January 27

2009-01-28T00:26:00.001-06:00

Sorry, no update for today. Some pics of Taylor after bath time.God Bless.

2009-01-26T23:38:00.003-06:00

Today's update comes from an email that Tammy sent Lindsey. Also some cute pics of Taylor, it's nice to see her without all the tubes.-----------Today has been another peaceful day. Taylor has slept much of the day. Unfortunately, she has her days and nights mixed up. Rehab came in for a consult this morning and said Taylor would definitely be going to their floor as soon as she is ready. In

Sunday, January 25

2009-01-25T21:42:00.001-06:00

Not a whole lot to report today, I believe for the most part it was a quiet Sunday for Taylor and company. They did do the echocardiogram and we are still waiting for the official report but during the procedure the Cardiologist was encouraged, as the lining of the heart appeared to be helping to pump blood more efficiently. Of course he still needed to go back and compare to previous images and

Saturday, January 24

2009-01-24T20:54:00.002-06:00

Good evening. Let’s get started with Friday’s events. The surgery to insert the Broviac went well, although Taylor was pretty sore afterwards. Which brings us to the latest little miracle. Taylor cried yesterday. Although you would never think to be happy to see a child cry, it was a blessing to hear it from Taylor. Even the doctors found it encouraging.The Echocardiogram that was to be performed

Friday, January 23

2009-01-23T21:02:00.003-06:00

Sorry, no update today... I will post something tomorrow.Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. -- Psalms 27:14

Thursday, January 22

2009-01-22T21:57:00.001-06:00

Taylor was up and around a lot today, with plenty of stretching exercises. Tammy and Jeff have both been using the techniques that the physical therapist gave them to help keep Taylor relaxed. I think Jeff relishes the chance to do something. From what I hear, the coach in him has come out and Taylor is his star athlete at the moment. ;-)Today also was a little disheartening. Tammy asked the

Wednesday, January 21

2009-01-21T20:42:00.001-06:00

Just a quick update today. Another blessing for Taylor, they were able to remove the oxygen and one of the remaining nasal tubes. So now Taylor only has the tube that is used for feeding still in her nose. I know this will go a long way in helping to keep Taylor relaxed. They also told Jeff and Tammy they want them to hold Taylor as much as possible when she is awake. So all three are enjoying

Tuesday, January 20

2009-01-20T21:14:00.003-06:00

North Carolina got hit with a snowstorm last night, so the Neurologist wasn’t able to make it into the hospital, but Tammy was able to speak to her over the phone about the MRI results. Overall the MRI was not much different from the last time. The basal ganglia area that we have discussed earlier does show damage, which could explain the abnormal arm movements they are calling "chorea." The

Monday, January 19

2009-01-19T20:38:00.001-06:00

Good evening. Just a quick update today, as today turned out to be another restful day for Taylor. We will start with a nice update. The x-ray showed enough improvement in Taylor’s lung that they were able to remove the nasal ventilation tubes. This was a very awkward tube that caused a lot of agitation for Taylor, so we were glad to see it removed and Taylor was able to rest much more

Sunday, January 18

2009-01-18T21:15:00.002-06:00

Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.Little ones to Him belong; they are weak but He is strong.At Jeff and Tammy’s church this morning, the Pastor gave an update on Taylor. On our trip to the hospital today, my mother shared that on a previous visit to the hospital, the Pastor mentioned how appropriate this song is to Taylor’s situation. It is His strength that will get her

Saturday, January 17

2009-01-17T20:40:00.002-06:00

Good evening everyone. Today started out with Jeff coming home to spend some time with Tanner and Tate. The boys were very excited when he walked in the front door. So Mom and Lindsey took off for the hospital while Jeff and I enjoyed the day with the boys. And let me tell you, we played hard.Overall, Taylor’s day was pretty uneventful. After some initial discomfort, they made some adjustments

Friday, January 16

2009-01-16T18:57:00.000-06:00

It’s never easy to see a baby in the hospital with IV tubes hooked up and ventilation tubes in her nose, but it felt so good to be able to see Taylor and be able to give Jeff and Tammy a hug! Taylor is such a beautiful child and looked fairly peaceful today. Overall, today was a pretty quiet day. They did another echocardiogram around 2:00ish, as of 5:30 the Cardiologist hadn’t stopped in to

Thursday, January 15

2009-01-16T08:36:00.002-06:00

Hello Everyone, sorry for the update delay. My sister and I flew to North Carolina yesterday and didn’t actually make it to Richlands until 2:30 this morning.I didn’t get to talk to Jeff or Tammy yesterday, but according to Mom it sounds like it was a quiet day yesterday. Tammy was able to make it home to see the boys yesterday; she was even able to wake Tate up. The boys loved having her here

Wednesday, January 14

2009-01-14T21:12:00.000-06:00

I talked to Tammy this evening, they extubated Taylor this morning at 8:05. I know she was glad to get that tube out of her throat. She responded pretty normal, as she was really raspy at first. They did a breathing treatment of Racemic Epinephrine and that seemed to really help. Around 11, Taylor started to show signs of what the Neurologist calls "Chorea." Taylor has been vigorously moving

Tuesday, January 13

2009-01-13T21:08:00.001-06:00

There is a certain song that my Grandpa Blasi would always sing that has been residing in my mind this past week… Onward, Christian Soldiers. With so many people standing by Taylor’s side as she fights this battle, this song seems appropriate.We can sigh a collective breath of relief. The Neurologist has confirmed the MRI results! She also said that if the decision were made that Taylor does need

Message from Jeff and Tammy

2009-01-13T11:18:00.002-06:00

Jeff and I want to say thank you for your overwhelming love and support. From the large amount of annual leave days that have been provided by our outstanding Onslow County Employees, to the overflowing cash donations from family, friends, and churches everywhere, to the snacks and meals that have been provided......we can't thank you enough. You have touched our hearts in so many ways and have

Monday, January 12 - Evening Update

2009-01-12T19:53:00.000-06:00

Do you believe in miracles?!? This is all preliminary, BUT the attending physician said from what he and the radiologist could see, the MRI indicated only minor abnormalities in Taylor’s brain! We still have to wait for the Neurologist to give the official word, but the news looks good so far. They aren’t sure what to make of the minor abnormalities and said those could mean nothing as well. The

Monday, January 12 - Morning

2009-01-12T09:55:00.001-06:00

I received a text from Jeff this morning. They are going to do an MRI on Taylor today. She will be heavily sedated and still on support with a host of nurses and a doctor on hand just in case complications arise. I pray for the MRI to reveal some good news!Also, below are some snippets from an email Tammy sent my wife. Thought I would share it with you all. “We are all leaning on each other for

Sunday, January 11

2009-01-11T18:38:00.000-06:00

Taylor is 4 months old today! Overall, it seemed to be a quiet day. Taylor was more awake and moving her hands and feet. When you touched her she reacted like every other baby would. The doctors and nurses seemed please with this.The Neurologist stopped in to discuss the CAT Scan; she really didn’t provide any additional information that Jeff and Tammy didn’t already know. She did state that they

Saturday, January 10

2009-01-10T22:14:00.001-06:00

Good evening.Let’s start with some good news. After sleeping the majority of the day Taylor decided to wake up and provide a highlight for the day. She moved both arms and legs and was fairly agitated by all the IV tubes and respirator. They finally had to sedate her more because the tubes were bothering her so much. I think Jeff and Tammy were glad to see their baby awake and alert. She has

Friday, January 9

2009-01-09T21:46:00.001-06:00

Hello everyone.Jeff was able to come home today and spend some time with boys in a normal setting. As young as the boys are, this is difficult for them as well. Keep them in your Prayers.Last night at midnight they took Taylor down for a Cat Scan. For starters, it was a good sign that Taylor was stable enough to be able to do this. For the first time they were able to take her off the respirator,

Thursday, January 8

2009-01-08T19:49:00.001-06:00

Apparently it was a pretty quiet day for everyone today. Which may be what everyone needed! Taylor was more heavily sedated than normal today. They gave her a triple dose (load dose) of the meds needed to control the brain seizures. This will more quickly build up her system. The result was that Taylor slept most the day and didn’t open her eyes or move during the day. Although Jeff said she

Wednesday, January 07 – Evening Update

2009-01-07T22:20:00.000-06:00

From the conversations I’ve had with everyone I think the key word from today is Optimism. I was able to touch base with Jeff and both my parents, and Lindsey talked to Tammy for a bit. Everyone seems very upbeat and optimistic. The fact that they can take comfort in the fact that Taylor is in the Lord’s hands has everyone confident that Taylor is going to pull through.The consensus seems to be

Wed. Jan 7 - Morning update

2009-01-07T11:48:00.001-06:00

Just a quick update.They got the results back from the Echocardiogram they performed yesterday on Taylor’s heart. It showed some slight improvement, and also seemed to answer some other questions. Apparently a sac of fluid or something is on the heart which indicates that the heart issues are due to a virus and they think her heart was fine when she was born. So now the doctors think that the RSV

Tuesday, Jan 6 Update

2009-01-06T17:13:00.002-06:00

Just got an update from Mom and Dad.Taylor is still in critical condition and her left lung is still collapsed. She is also running a fever now, which usually indicates an infection. The Doctors are busy trying to figure out what is causing this. They had her on an antibacterial medicine already but have moved her to something broader. They also performed an Echocardiogram this morning, this uses

Tuesday. January 6

2009-01-06T15:40:00.002-06:00

(Lindsey- wrote this 1-6-09)I talked to Mom this morning. No new news at the moment. Just that her left lung has collapsed, she is breathing 60% on her own now instead of %50 but her heart was weaker yesterday then the day before. They are going to do another X-ray today to see what the lungs are doing. They also increased some of her heart meds to try to help with the 2 leaky valves so they

Monday, January 5

2009-01-06T15:39:00.001-06:00

I got more details from Dad this morning. Jeff and Tammy were back at the hospital and Mom and Dad were getting ready to join them. Overall, Dad was impressed by the hospital the night before. To see Taylor, you must put scrubs on and wash really well before you are allowed to see her. It is a very controlled environment right now.Dad described tubes going into her all over the place. She is

The Beginning -- Sunday January 4

2009-01-06T12:58:00.002-06:00

We received a call from Donna this morning on Taylor's update. She had been in the hospital earlier in December for about a week, but we they were able to come home for Christmas and we were all hoping everyone was getting back to good health.Saturday (Jan 3) they were back in the hospital as Taylor has not been getting any better and her breathing was much labored. I believe at this time, the

Please Pray for Taylor

2009-01-06T12:53:00.001-06:00

The Whitehead family would like to thank everyone for having Taylor Whitehead and Jeff, Tammy, and family in their thoughts and prayers. It seems everyone we know is thinking and praying for Taylor to make a full recovery and we are all looking forward to seeing her back home. We cannot thank everyone enough for their concern, kind thoughts and words, and above all the Prayers.It is such a