The following was posted on our TARS support group today from Ethan's mom; he has always been an inspiration to us. Ethan is a 17 yr old high school senior with the shortest arms like Zac. He also had fused knees at birth, so you can see why he is such an inspiration. (even as TARS is very rare, shortest arms and fused knees is no more than 20% that have TARS -Dr. Paley said Zac's condition has no less than 1 in 1 million births) It is awesome to have the internet, and to be able to connect with other amazing kids with the same conditions! We actually recently found a little boy who is 5 who's knees are fused in exactly the same way as Zac's with the shortest arms. Dr. Paley introduced us, and called Zac and this little boy twins. This little guy's parents are also considering the same procedure as what Dr. Paley did for Zac! What is even more awesome, the procedure that Zac had done has never been done before, and Dr. Paley created it; now someone else may benefit from what he learned with Zac. Sometimes I just get so amazed by this journey!!!
The Multicultural Journalism Workshop drew to its close yesterday
evening after two intensive weeks for the 20 junior and senior high
school students who experienced working with some awesome
professionals from the fields of print and broadcast news. At the
presentation ceremony the students got to show off the fruits of their
hard labor, a newspaper,a radio broadcast, and a television news
broadcast. Now here is the very most awesome part....Ethan was
awarded the top college scholarship which will be determined to be
from $10-$15 thousand! We are so proud of him!
This may have been a life changing experience for Ethan. He loved
everything about it, waking early to meet for breakfast at the
university cafeteria to review the previous day's work with his
instructors and peers, working on story interviews on the phone and
out in the field, learning how to write a lead, having his stories
edited, and working late into the night on the newspaper layout. We
hired a personal attendant to come in the morning and evening to help
him with assembling his prosthetic leg, and other than that he was
completely independent. It was good for him and for his dad and me. I
think we all grew a lot from the experience.
Chris, Ethan's Mom (17 years old)
Friday, June 27, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
e-mail update for 6-21
Hi all,
We are excited to announce that we have another date for Zac's surgery: July 23rd, the pre-op apt. is July 21st. Zac is doing well, and does seem to be healthy, with some allergy issues. Please pray that he will stay well through the surgery. This is the third attempt to start the process on his left leg. Dr. Standard has been named as the attending physician this time. We don't think that this makes much difference as he has been involved in all of his other surgeries. Dr. Paley will at least be available, if not working along side of Dr. Standard. Please pray for these men as we prepare for this major surgery.
It will be one year ago on July 17th that we started the surgery on his right leg. All is well now, he is in a full leg brace, and is starting to weight bear, and walk in a walker. I don't think that he will completely walk with the walker until both legs are straight. We think that he will be able to that even with the fixator on his left leg. We are getting ready to order a power chair that he should have by the time he is 3 (the process takes a while with paper work). Zac turned 2 yrs in May. He is a typical 2 yr old! He and Cai are great buddies one minute, and typical brothers the next.
As you pray for Zac, we ask that you continue to pray for us. We are facing decisions, and need direction as far as employment. We have both been looking and interviewing, but nothing has turned up yet. James continues to take classes with ECPI to complete an Associates degree in Technology in the spring, and then a Bachelors with the accelerated program in the fall ('09). We do not have clear direction as to relocate, and/ or to sell our house, but we may soon have to make that decision. We feel strongly that what is best for Zac is to continue with the surgeries, especially as we have the right leg completed, it is the sooner the better for his progress. As we keep up with Cobra, we do not have anymore deductibles until September, so if we have the surgery now, it is 100% covered. We are seeking God's direction in all of these things, but at times the silence is deafening. We also know that it is a difficult time for many people, we are not alone. God has blessed us with many caring individuals that pray, and that is where we are at. We feel that He uses our situation, and we give Him the glory in all things. He has supplied our needs in so many amazing ways, we know that He will continue to do so. It is in our human that we desire to know the when, where, and the hows, and not to mention the whys. Because He has been so faithful, and because we love Him, we continue to trust, and believe. We know that He is in control.
We are so grateful to each of you. We look forward to sharing good reports about Zac's surgery.
For those who have prayed for our dear friend Lenni, she went home this week. Her new room was completed. We are thankful to know her, for her life, and for her faithfulness. We give God praise that her son and daughter came to know Jesus as their own savior the night before she passed. Please keep her family in your prayers.
Thank you,
James, LeAnn, Cai, and Zac
We are excited to announce that we have another date for Zac's surgery: July 23rd, the pre-op apt. is July 21st. Zac is doing well, and does seem to be healthy, with some allergy issues. Please pray that he will stay well through the surgery. This is the third attempt to start the process on his left leg. Dr. Standard has been named as the attending physician this time. We don't think that this makes much difference as he has been involved in all of his other surgeries. Dr. Paley will at least be available, if not working along side of Dr. Standard. Please pray for these men as we prepare for this major surgery.
It will be one year ago on July 17th that we started the surgery on his right leg. All is well now, he is in a full leg brace, and is starting to weight bear, and walk in a walker. I don't think that he will completely walk with the walker until both legs are straight. We think that he will be able to that even with the fixator on his left leg. We are getting ready to order a power chair that he should have by the time he is 3 (the process takes a while with paper work). Zac turned 2 yrs in May. He is a typical 2 yr old! He and Cai are great buddies one minute, and typical brothers the next.
As you pray for Zac, we ask that you continue to pray for us. We are facing decisions, and need direction as far as employment. We have both been looking and interviewing, but nothing has turned up yet. James continues to take classes with ECPI to complete an Associates degree in Technology in the spring, and then a Bachelors with the accelerated program in the fall ('09). We do not have clear direction as to relocate, and/ or to sell our house, but we may soon have to make that decision. We feel strongly that what is best for Zac is to continue with the surgeries, especially as we have the right leg completed, it is the sooner the better for his progress. As we keep up with Cobra, we do not have anymore deductibles until September, so if we have the surgery now, it is 100% covered. We are seeking God's direction in all of these things, but at times the silence is deafening. We also know that it is a difficult time for many people, we are not alone. God has blessed us with many caring individuals that pray, and that is where we are at. We feel that He uses our situation, and we give Him the glory in all things. He has supplied our needs in so many amazing ways, we know that He will continue to do so. It is in our human that we desire to know the when, where, and the hows, and not to mention the whys. Because He has been so faithful, and because we love Him, we continue to trust, and believe. We know that He is in control.
We are so grateful to each of you. We look forward to sharing good reports about Zac's surgery.
For those who have prayed for our dear friend Lenni, she went home this week. Her new room was completed. We are thankful to know her, for her life, and for her faithfulness. We give God praise that her son and daughter came to know Jesus as their own savior the night before she passed. Please keep her family in your prayers.
Thank you,
James, LeAnn, Cai, and Zac
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
A friend goes home
My heart is heavy tonight as we say good bye to a dear friend. Lenni went home today. She has suffered from a rare cancer for several months. The last week has been difficult and she was on her way to her earthly home today with hospice called in, and instead went to her heavenly home to be with her beloved savior.
My heart rejoices with her as she told me several times that if the treatment did not work she would just beat the rest of us to be with Jesus. She is in love with him and has an amazing faith! She has been one of our faithful prayer warriors. I will miss seeing her face each Sunday morning as she served the rest of us coffee in the back of the sanctuary. I will miss hearing her amazing wisdom as she would share in our Sunday School class. I will miss hearing her poems, and beautifully written words.
When Lenni learned that she had cancer she shared that she had been praying that God would use her as a vessel for Him; she believed that through the cancer, He was answering her prayer. She also added, "when you pray in that way, you have to stay in The Word."
Lenni loved Zac, Cai too. But with Zac, she said that she wanted to write an article about all the lessons that she learned from Zac. I don't know if she ever wrote it. I hope so. When he was an infant we never took him to nursery for fear of illness, so she always played with him in the back while she attended the coffee shop (at church). One of the other reasons that she connected with Zac was that she announced that she would be a grandma for the first time the same Sunday we announced that we were expecting a baby (Zac). Her grandson is about 1 month older than Zac. She also watched our boys one time, so James and I could have a date.
I was honored just 2 Sundays ago to experience another act of her generosity. Lenni found out that it was my birthday, and wanted to surprise me with a party in SS class. Even as she was not feeling well, she was still thinking of others! I was extremely humbled, and honored. I was looking forward to this Saturday though, as it is Lenni's Birthday, and her dear friend had planned a surprise birthday party for her. I thought what a great thing that her act will be returned to her in a wonderful way. I think that this Saturday, we will be celebrating her life in a different way, but celebrating just the same.
It is amazing to see God work through our earthly trials, and to know that He is in control. I believe that God has answered my good friend Lenni's prayer to be a vessel, you see last night both her son, and daughter came to know Jesus as their own savior!
Lenni, I rejoice with you as you are with Jesus, and without pain. Thank you for all of these things, you will be missed! I will be praying for your family, especially your son and daughter who are so new to this faith.
Lenni wrote this to us the last time Zac's surgery was canceled.
My heart rejoices with her as she told me several times that if the treatment did not work she would just beat the rest of us to be with Jesus. She is in love with him and has an amazing faith! She has been one of our faithful prayer warriors. I will miss seeing her face each Sunday morning as she served the rest of us coffee in the back of the sanctuary. I will miss hearing her amazing wisdom as she would share in our Sunday School class. I will miss hearing her poems, and beautifully written words.
When Lenni learned that she had cancer she shared that she had been praying that God would use her as a vessel for Him; she believed that through the cancer, He was answering her prayer. She also added, "when you pray in that way, you have to stay in The Word."
Lenni loved Zac, Cai too. But with Zac, she said that she wanted to write an article about all the lessons that she learned from Zac. I don't know if she ever wrote it. I hope so. When he was an infant we never took him to nursery for fear of illness, so she always played with him in the back while she attended the coffee shop (at church). One of the other reasons that she connected with Zac was that she announced that she would be a grandma for the first time the same Sunday we announced that we were expecting a baby (Zac). Her grandson is about 1 month older than Zac. She also watched our boys one time, so James and I could have a date.
I was honored just 2 Sundays ago to experience another act of her generosity. Lenni found out that it was my birthday, and wanted to surprise me with a party in SS class. Even as she was not feeling well, she was still thinking of others! I was extremely humbled, and honored. I was looking forward to this Saturday though, as it is Lenni's Birthday, and her dear friend had planned a surprise birthday party for her. I thought what a great thing that her act will be returned to her in a wonderful way. I think that this Saturday, we will be celebrating her life in a different way, but celebrating just the same.
It is amazing to see God work through our earthly trials, and to know that He is in control. I believe that God has answered my good friend Lenni's prayer to be a vessel, you see last night both her son, and daughter came to know Jesus as their own savior!
Lenni, I rejoice with you as you are with Jesus, and without pain. Thank you for all of these things, you will be missed! I will be praying for your family, especially your son and daughter who are so new to this faith.
Lenni wrote this to us the last time Zac's surgery was canceled.
What Can I Say? Dear Snider Family Our flesh and bone gets so tired of waiting,We look, we long, days spent anticipating, Jesus loves me this I know,Why do answers seem so slow? Blessed are those that suffer,How many more blessing needed to make us tougher? In this fallen world we are helpless,Thank you for your grace we are not hopeless. Your journey seems so long,Consider those that walked in a circle, in a desert, 40 years but not astrap wore on a sandal thong. Last thing you want to hear,Is another hang in there. We hurt with love for your family,And pray for a breakthrough openly. May God bless you with answers to all of our prayers for your family,With Much Love,Lenni
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