Millie's Home!

Lisa was able to bring Millie home today. As soon as she walked into the waiting room and saw Lisa, Millie could not stop grinning.

 She had not smiled at all at us on either of the previous visits, and had only given a few feeble tail wags and a couple of licks. This time, she clearly was feeling better and happy to see us!

While Lisa settled the bill, I held Millie. She stretched as far as the leash would go and kept an eagle eye on Lisa.

Is this a happy dog or what??

Millie cannot jump up, and so Lisa built her some stairs next to the bed using tubs. She has a doggy bed, but prefers to sleep with Lisa.

She is sooooooo happy to be home, and we are delighted to have her back.

Welcome, Kate!!

Yesterday while heading down to Indianapolis to visit Millie, Cole texted that Emily had gone into labor and that they were headed to the hospital. A few hours later, Kate Marie Isenbarger was born!

 Kate Marie Isenbarger, 8 lbs. 3 oz., 19.5 inches long, born at 9:55 CDT in Nashville, Tennessee. (Vanderbilt Hospital.)

 I was honored when Cole told me that her middle name was for me. (It is mine as well.)

 Cole and his daughter.

Julie came to visit. I think Emily looks like a Madonna in this one.

 Look at Julie's happy grin at meeting her sister!

This is a beautiful picture of the three of them.

I am going to call my neurosurgeon on Monday and see if he will clear me to drive the seven hours down to Nashville so I can meet her. I can't wait! 

Millie's Better!

Craig and I went with Lisa to visit Millie this morning, and we were delighted to see that she was better! When they brought her into the room to see us, she weakly wagged her tail a couple of times and even licked my wrist twice.

Lisa brought Millie's favorite blanket for her to use in her hospital crate, and Craig had saved her a piece of bacon from his breakfast. She was VERY interested in that - good news as she has not been very interested in food.

"Ahhhh! I love a good neck scratch!"

Yesterday's medical "tee shirt" was gone, but Millie still has a belly band, her drains, and an IV in her front leg.

The surgeon, Dr. Brian Martin, came in and spoke with us as we visited and he is hopeful that Millie will be able to come home tomorrow.

We are beyond the moon!

More Summer Woes

And the challenges of the summer continue! This time it is Millie.

Tuesday, Millie began vomiting a bright yellow bile. After a rough night with more vomiting, Lisa took her to the vet Wednesday morning. The news was not good - tests showed her gallbladder had ruptured.

One thing led to another - more tests, another ultrasound, and a flying emergency run down to Carmel to MedVet, an emergence clinic.

Their tests confirmed that Millie's gallbladder had ruptured and, after discussing the quality of life Millie might have post-surgery and then considering the financial implications, Lisa decided to go forward with the operation.

It was a long day of tears for us all, but finding out that there was a good chance of full recovery and good quality of life was heartening. Lisa was so emotionally and physically wiped when we got home that she opted to stay with us overnight.

Millie came through the surgery well and we are hoping she will continue to have a good recovery. Lisa is going down daily to check on her, especially since we do not want her to feel she is back in a shelter and has been abandoned. (Lisa rescued her in 2013. Millie had been found wandering in southern Indiana, taken to a kill shelter, rescued from that and brought to Lafayette, and then spent eight months in a no-kill shelter before being adopted by Lisa.)

 She has two drains in her back and a large incision in her belly.

Poor sweetie! I can only hope we get you home as soon as possible so you are among your family and the things that are familiar to you.

My New Theme Song

One of the things Dr. Jackson did during my spinal surgery was to enlarge the facets that the nerve roots go through as they branch off the spinal cord. (I had a condition called spinal stenosis. It causes people to sit a lot and lean on counters and walls because their back hurts when they stand upright.)

Now that my back is feeling so much better, I can stand for longer periods of time. I'm really thrilled about it and even have a new theme song, thanks to an old Elton John song.

Don't you know that I'm still standing better than I ever did

Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid.

I'm still standing after all this time

Picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind.

I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah!

I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah!

I am so thankful to once again "still be standing!"

And They Grow Up

Many of my students stay in contact with me after they leave my class, something I love and appreciate. I've been teaching long enough that a good number of them are adults, married, and even parents themselves!

Today on Facebook I ran across a picture of Adam Blackman, the son of Curt and Cole's soccer coach, Randy Blackman, and thought of a funny story about him when he was in my 5th grade class at Yankee Ridge.

I had just had my hip replaced and was not yet back in the classroom. For my first post-op trip out of the house, Craig and I went to see the boys' soccer games at the high school. Naturally Adam was there, along with his best friend, Kolton Williford, another student who was in my class.

I sat down on the very first bleacher, and they came running over to say hello. One thing led to another, and soon they were messing (with my permission) with my walker, playing with it, discovering how it worked, etc.  Since it had wheels, Adam discovered that you could run with it, then jump up and ride it for it bit as it scooted along the track that surrounded the soccer field! It was pretty hilarious to watch.

He and Kolton did this until Adam's mother put a stop to it - she was afraid they would damage the walker. But truly, I didn't care and was enjoying seeing them having fun. It's a memory that still makes me smile, and reflects both boys' playful natures.

They are now adults and married. And both are have gone into the ministry.

 Adam with his wife, Cassandra, and someone I do not know.

Kolton, teaching (TEACHING!! Wow!) in Thailand on a ministry trip.

Looking back, I would have thought that Adam might do something in soccer as he was very, very talented. And he did go on to play soccer at Wheaton College. Kolton? He was SUCH a Vikings fan, and is why I know what I do about the team. I thought he might do football and go into the sports field in some capacity. He attended Olivet Nazarene University prior to going into the ministry.

While it is still a little hard to think of those two walker-riding boys I knew as married men, I do know that their hearts were always in the right place and they were honest, upright kids.

No doubt they are contributing to a lot of good in this world as they pursue their ministries.

"What Do You Think Christ is Saying to You?"

I had an interesting encounter in the temple during my last Tuesday night shift before my spinal fusion. I am still thinking about it and wondering just what all it means.

I had been assigned to Sealing Room Door Duty - someone who sort of guards the door and makes sure no one walks in on an active sealing and disrupts it. It's mostly a quiet spot, and I get to sit in a chair for most of the shift.

The temple has beautiful paintings throughout, and I look at those paintings sometimes, trying to figure out why they were selected and placed just where they are. (I have no doubt it is very deliberate and well thought out.)

Behind the chair I was sitting in is this one:

President Miskin came walking down the hallway and came over to say "hello." But then he did something unexpected.

"Lynn," he said looking me straight in the eye, "in this painting, what do you think Christ is saying to you, Lynn Isenbarger?"

His question was so unexpected that I'm afraid I stammered a bit in response, finally saying, "Probably He would say, 'Come unto me.'"

President Miskin continued to look at me directly, even intently, in the eye, and then he spoke again. "I think He is saying, 'Well done, My good and faithful servant, Lynn.'"

Not knowing what to say, I again fumbled to respond, replying that I hoped He would say that to me some day but that I still had a long way to go.

But President Miskin held my eyes a few more minutes and countered, "I think He is saying, 'Well done, My good and faithful servant, Lynn.'"

And he walked past me down the hall, leaving me feeling more than just a bit puzzled and wondering why on earth he had felt compelled to tell me that. 

Twice.

"You've Got This, Mrs. I!"

I did not tell my class, or many people aside from my family, that I was up for the PAEMST award. I am not someone who wins things, and I only went for it because I feel that 1) if you are nominated by someone you should honor that, and 2) because my principal encouraged me, telling me she thought I really could win the award.

I would do a lot for Linda Fields - she's the best principal I've ever had. And so I went through the rigorous nomination process of hours and hours of paperwork, documentation, writing reflections, and webinars. It was VERY stressful. But I still did not think I had any chance of winning.

One of the things I had to do was submit a 45 minute film of myself teaching a Science class. No easy task to set up cameras and have a filmographer in front of twenty-four kids and then not have questions! So I finally told my class rather sheepishly what was up.

They were immediately in my corner, and asked why I had not said something to them beforehand.

"Oh, I won't win this," I said. "What are the chances?"

There was an immediate outcry that yes, I would, too, win! AY even went so far as to say, "You've got this, Mrs. I.!" in a voice of not only encouragement, but also one of "how could you think otherwise??"

While I was very touched at their fierce support, I also thought about how young they were, how their perspective was so limited, and that they really had no idea of the scope of the PAEMST award.

Well, lo and behold, it was the teacher who got schooled.  The scriptures talk about how "a little child shall lead them," which is true in this case - I have learned something from that experience with my students' faith in me. I saw myself then as a very strong Language Arts teacher, and an average Science one.

They saw more.

"You've got this, Mrs. I.," indeed. Thanks, kids.

Tippecanoe School Corporation

July 15 at 3:02pm · 

Congratulations Lynn Isenbarger of Hershey Elementary School on being selected as a state-level finalist for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) program. This prestigious award recognizes her outstanding contributions as a teacher of science in Indiana. Pictured: Mrs. Isenbarger giving instructions before students begin delving into the anatomy of an octopus.

Thom Reed - What It Means To Be Truly Converted

Thom Reed is a long-time family friend (25+ years.)

When he was one of Craig's students at the University of Illinois, he used to come hang out at our home. Our kids loved to have him around; one of my favorite memories is when we went back to school shopping for Family Home Evening at Kmart, and Thom came along with us. As we walked through the aisles, other kids looked at Thom (who's is 6'5" or so) with wide eyes, whispering, ""Shaquille O'Neil! It's Shaq! Wow!" which cracked us all up.

He now works for the Church and is responsible for the Freedmen's Bureau Project, a project  that reaches out to the African American community and helps them trace their roots through slave records.

Thom is one of the best of the best. Recently Sarah asked him to talk about what it means to him to be truly converted to the Lord, and this is what he had to say. It's about five minutes long, but a truly touching testimony.

Got an Itch!

I am not yet cleared for driving post-op, so Craig has been taking me every day to University Place to see my mother. Afterward, he drives me out for a visit with Abby. (Add in everything else the man is having to do for me... he is simply the best!)

Saturday afternoon, I was able to give Abby a good scritchin'.



She was really enjoying herself! (And so was I.)

Back Surgery

Friday, July 8, I had another orthopedic surgery (my twelfth.) New territory this time - my spine!

My right leg had become weaker and weaker, to the point that I was having to grab ahold of my pants to lift my leg into the car, bed, etc. I was going up and down stairs very infrequently, and when I did, I would use both feet per stair like a toddler does.

I went to see Dr. Morris because I was having pain in the top of my foot. When he asked me to get on the examining table and saw me drag my leg up, he asked, "How long has this been going on?" My response was that it had been several years.

Long story short, he said he thought both the foot pain and the dragging of my leg were caused by a spine issue and had X-rays taken then and there. After looking at them, he sent me to Dr. Loyd, a pain relief specialist who did two epidurals on my back in May.

Those had little effect, and so spinal surgery was recommended. GULP!!

Enter Dr. Garret Jackson, a neurosurgeon who is a product of TSC's Gifted program. He's young, maybe a bit cocky, but the more I met with him, the more I liked him. (He's also a future Hershey parent - he has a one year old and lives in the Hershey area!) Dr. Morris said he had heard only good things about the man, and when I went in for more X-rays, the radiologist looked at who had ordered them and volunteered, "You are in good hands. I have helped Dr. Jackson with several procedures, and he is up to date on the newest procedures and very good. You will be fine."

He was right.

 Second day post-op selfie.

I have two collapsed discs, one at L2/L3 and another at L5/S1. I also have spinal stenosis, sliding vertebrae, and arthritic growths. The pain I feel came from L5/S1, but the leg issues stemmed from L2/L3. Dr.  Jackson was concerned that if he fused both places, then there would be issues with the discs and vertebrae between the two sites and I would end up with a complete spinal fusion.

So, the surgical plan was to address the leg weakness since it affected my functioning everywhere and daily, clean out the collapsed disc, take off the arthritic growths, grind them up and blend them into a slurry that was injected between the discs which had been separated and held into place with wire mesh, and finally secure it all with iron rods. All in all, the process would take three hours.

But, when he got in there, the two discs had already begun growing together, and he was concerned that separating them would cause more problems. So, he did not scaffold a space between them, instead putting wire mesh around them, taking off the arthritic bumps, and putting in the iron rods. Three hours later, I was in recovery, and then back in my room. (With double vision and more than a bit loopy from the anesthesia.)

Within 24 hours, I noticed that I was beginning to freely swing my right leg, no longer needing to use my hands to lift it into bed. When Dr. Jackson checked me, he was quite impressed with the strength in the leg as well.

As for pain, the surgical site had minimal. The non-surgical site, though, was different. Starting the afternoon of the first full day post-op, it began to REALLY hurt, and I ended up in tears a time or two. I knew there would be problems with it, but had not expected such excruciating pain. IV narcotics helped me get through that, and now both places are doing well.

I came home Monday afternoon and have been doing really well. I am walking around the main floor of our home freely, and am able to get in and out of bed without help. I cannot do laundry, vacuum, sweep, mop, etc. for four weeks, and that's a bit frustrating. I also have "BLT" instructions - no bending, lifting, or twisting. 

Visiting Grandma

While they were here, Kyle and Sarah's family all got in a visit to Granny Slash.

She was reluctant to be photographed, and I am glad she relented.

4th of July - Miscellaneous

The 4th of July was a BUSY day for our family. But what a great one, too!

Todd and Kyle.

We started the day by heading to church for the annual pancake breakfast and flag raising.

Trinity and Mila.

Tim and Loni saved seats for our family while we went through the serving line. I left my cell phone with Tim so he could see recent pictures of the horses.

I guess I should not have been surprised that Craig began getting texts from "me."

Then we headed to Indianapolis for lunch at Jenny's home.

Craig and Carla.

Leslie and Ian.

Cole, Emily, and Julie.

Todd, Andrew, and Titan.

 Vanessa, Lisa, and Jessica.

Curt and Kyle...

... get photobombed by Carla.

Sisters!

After the bocce tournament, we walked across the street into the park and took some family pictures.

Craig, me, and our kids. 

After we got back to West Lafayette, the two year olds had baths.

Then we headed to Aunt Lisa's for fireworks.

Lisa and Ian.

And other goofy ways to celebrate.

Julie was tuckered out and fell asleep in the back of the car with her pom poms in her lap.

4th of July - Bocce Tournament

One of the highlights of the summer for our family is the annual 4th of July Bocce Tournament held at my sister Jenny's home.

We gather at "Historic Martin Field" for the tournament.

Cole, Curt, and JC emceed this year's tournament.

Emily and Julie await the start of the competition.

Pre-game instructions include a display of the ribbons and trophy...

... an explanation of the rules...

... and Jessica leading us all in singing Back Home Again in Indiana.

Then we put our hands over our hearts...

... and sing the national anthem...

... followed by a "flyover" by Cole. And the tournament begins!

Leslie and Craig.

Lisa and Jenny.

Cole and Jessica.

Sometimes there's a bit of a kerfuffle over the results and Curt and Cole have to step in.

Kyle and Andrew.

Trinity and Ellen Harrington, a friend of Jenny's from high school.

Cole.

JC.

Emily, Cole, and Vanessa.

Andrew and Leslie.

This was an amazing round - how on earth do you determine who wins in this case??

JC and Curt bring out the tape measures while Ian watches.

Lisa and Jenny.

Curt, Kyle, Andrew, and Carla.

Me, Mila, and Craig. (I was 16th seed of 17 - how could my boys do that to me??)

Jessica and Titan.

Sarah.

Curt.

The ladies dominated the tournament this year, with Carla, Ellen, Laurinda, and Lisa all in the final round.

And Carla won!

The trophy is heading to Tennessee, having already been to Indiana once and Colorado twice.