* Popsicle Power *

Let me start by asking you this. Did you know that Grape Popsicles are filled with magical powers? Me either! Let me share with you how I know this to be true....

It was the bottom of Round Seven and Kitty Girl Johnson was getting pretty tired from her bout with Whirlwind of Illness. Whirlwind of Illness had just done a face plant and Kitty Girl Johnson was feeling the need for some help too. Whew! We are tired just watching this battle, imagine how Kitty Girl was feeling!
This, as you recall, is when Cocoa Puff the Hamster came running towards the ring, with what appeared to be a grape Popsicle! You see, Ladies & Gentlemen, what Cocoa Puff & Kitty Girl knew was that grape Popsicles would transfer tremendous, super-duper, electrifying strength! ** ME*O0ooWwwZZzaAaa ** Just a few licks and Kitty Girl would be as strong as an OX! So strong in fact, that it gave Cocoa Puff enough strength to chew threw the bars of his cage!!!! Oh yes, as amazing as this sounds, it is true! Popsicle Power would give Kitty Girl Johnson the power to kick some Whirlwind of Illness Bootie!

Now that you understand Popsicle Power, we can resume our fight now in progress....

"Round Seven proved to be a strong one for Kitty Girl Johnson here at The Sacred Heart Dome in Spokane, Washington. The crowd is cheering, Kitty Girl, Kitty Girl, GggOOOooo Kitty Girl! Her new coach, Nurse Jackie, has just helped Cocoa Puff to the ring and Kitty Girl is about to unleash the POWER OF THE POPSICLE!!!

*Ding-Ding: "It's the top of Round 8 and Whirlwind of Illness is looking a little scared as Kitty Girl Johnson is charging towards him with fist flying and legs kickin'!! **ME-O0ooOWwwZZzzaAAA** Whirlwind of Illness cannot escape Kitty's Girls Popsicle Power strength and looks like he's going down again, Ladies & Gentlemen! 1...2...3..
Wait! Whirlwind of Illness is getting back up! ( Booo-Booo ) Holy COW!!!! Kitty Girl Johnson has just taken her writing board and broke it over Whirlwind of Illnesses head! That's gonna leave a mark, Ladies & Gentlemen.
Look! Over There! Who is it?!?! I cannot make out who it is from here. All I can see is a big puffy cloud of pink smoke and glitter! But I hear a familiar sound. Is that? Could it be? Ladies & Gentlemen, I think I hear a guitar! Do you hear it? "

*Stay tuned for the continuing saga of Kitty Girl Johnson and her Popsicle Power...

Again, thank you for allowing me to entertain our Maddy. She's so very strong and if I can somehow bring a smile to her sweet face, I'm going to do it!
She is continuing to initiate her own breaths as her vent settings continue to be changed. She sat up yesterday, which was awesome!!! Her sats are in the high 80's and the low 90's. Which we are happy about as well. Her O2 on the vent is between 35-40% w/ the peep @ 8. She is proving to us each day that she is our miracle in the making and we are so very proud of her and how far she has come!
We also need you to know how much we appreciate your love. prayers, and support. It is so comforting to have all of you to share in Madelyn's progress. Thank you.
Sacred Heart, as usual you continue to Rock! Ronald McDonald House, thank you for providing a bed for the family. It's so comforting for Kara, Bob, & Mallory to be able to stay close to Maddy.
Here's to our Kitty Girl who is continuing to be STRONG! Keep up the Awesome Job Maddy!

The Adventures of Kitty Girl Continues....

Welcome Back LaiDddEeeeSSs & GentleMmeeEnNNn......


*Ding-Ding: "Round Six is proving to be a powerful bout as Kitty Girl Johnson is showing off some of her fancy footwork tonight as she dances around the ring sporting her new sparkling toenails and perky braids. She's no match for the Whirlwind of Illness, that's for sure! She's fired up and ready, Ladies & Gentlemen. Kitty Girl Johnson has just landed a powerful right hook to the face......Me*OOWwwwZZzza!!!!"

*Ding-Ding: "Ladies & Gentlemen, I have seen some amazing turn of event in this ring, but this one takes the cake. Kitty Girl Johnson is on a rampage! She cannot be stopped! The Whirlwind of Illness is losing ground as the seconds count down. OooHHhh!!!! AaHHh!!!! ( I can't look!!! ) Holy GuaCaMOle, Kitty Girl has got Whirlwind of Illness in a head lock and is about to unleash a world of hurt on him. #!!SMACK#**!!!**!.....1..2...3.. ( The crowd is on their feet, eyes popping out in horror ) "Oh NOOOoooo.....Whirlwind of Illness is trying to get back up, but he's wobbling around the ring like Kitty Girl's Grandpa, fresh off the Srambler at the carnival. Oh MY!!! This is gettin' ugly, Ladies & Gentlemen. Whirlwind of Illness has just kissed the mat again!!!!! 1...2....3......... Will he get up???? Will this be the end for Whirlwind of Illness??!?!?!?

Out of the crowd pops Cocoa Puff, the Hamster! He's running towards the ring.....he seems to have something in his paw. "What could it be??? It looks kind of purple and ....Could it be?!?! It looks like a Grape POPSICLE!!??!! He must have escaped his cage when he sensed his beloved Kitty Girl was in danger.... He's trying to make it to Kitty Girl.......Ladies & Gentlemen, I have never seen a grape popsicle carrying hamster move so fast! What will happen next??!?......"

Stay Tuned for the Adventures of Kitty Girl Johnson & The Whirlwind of Illness

Thank you for keeping posted on the Adventures of Kitty Girl Johnson. Now that Maddy can read her blog, I thought it was time to make it a little more fun and a little less medical. Maddy is just as strong as her alter ego, Kitty Girl! She's been kickin' some major Illness booty for the 3 weeks and I for one, could not be prouder! GO Maddy GO!!!!! Keep up the AWESOME job Kitty Girl!!!!

Her sats continue to look good and each day she becomes stronger. Her vent settings continue to be adjusted to allow her to initiate more of her own breaths. This is a positive step in the right direction. She's still in need of all of our love, support, and prayers. Now is the time to really show her how many of us are behind her, cheering her on!

Once again, Thank you Family....all of you! We are so lucky to have each of you to fill our days with love, hope, and cookies! MMMmmmm!!!!! And, thank you for letting me be extra silly for Maddy. She needs as many laughs as she can possibly fit into her day.

Now, let's go out and greet the day with the zest that Kitty Girl has for kicking Whirlwind of Illnesses butt! ME*O00oooWwwwZZZzzAAAaaaa**!!!!

For the Love of Family

Family is what gets you through the bad times, and cheers you on in the good times. Family is the bond that connects us, that teaches us how to love and to give. Family is about sharing a strong sense of love that you cannot put into words, it simply is.
Today I want to celebrate Family. Each of you who have shared in our sorrow when we didn't understand how this could have happened to Madelyn. To those of you who thought that a home cooked meal would be a big help. To those who have selflessly donated their pto time because they understand the meaning of family. To those nurses who take the extra time to do Maddy's hair and make sure she is as comfortable as possible. You see, family comes in all shapes and sizes and is not always related by blood. We have become a family with our common love and support of Madelyn. Thank you Sacred Hearter's*Hamblen Students-Teaches-Parents-Pastors*Neighbors*Friends*Friends of Friends*Family. We have come together as a family and this is truly amazing to witness. Here's to a girl named Madelyn, who throughout her fight has proven to us, the meaning of family!

Madelyn is continuing to become stronger each day. She was able to actually read her blog last night and is playing with her webkins on her laptop in her ICU room.
Maddy got a manicure from her Mom and will get sparkles on her toes today! This is a good day indeed! Her sats are moving in the right direction and we are grateful for her progress.

Thank you, Family. Thank you to each of you who care, pray, feed, and love.

She Floats like a Butterfly....and Stings like a Bee

“LAAaaaDddIieeSSSs & GennTtttLlleeeMMmmeEEnNnnnn…….In the right corner of the ring, wearing a puppy and kitty hospital gown and sporting a kick-butt ventilator, Madelyn * Kitty Girl * Johnson …. And…In the left Corner…..The Whirlwind of Illness”

* Ding-Ding : “ Round One goes to, Whirlwind of Illness!!!! ( the crowd goes silent )
It looks like Whirlwind of Illness is coming on strong, Ladies & Gentlemen, with a swift upper-cut to the Lungs!!! Man, that’s gotta hurt!”

*Ding-Ding : “ Round Two is looking like Whirlwind of Illness is going to continue to be aggressive in his attack. I just hope Kitty Girl Johnson has some fight in her tonight” ( booooo-booooo!!!! )

* Ding-Ding : “ Round Three goes to…. Wait! Ladies & Gentlemen! I cannot believe what I am seeing!!! It looks like Kitty Girl Johnson is turning this fight around! ( the crowd goes wild ) Her coaches, Dr. Lee & Nurse Sarah are in disbelief! What an amazing turn of events here tonight, Ladies & Gentlemen “ ( the crowd is on their feet, cheering…. )

* Ding-Ding : “ It looks like Kitty Girl Johnson has just landed her first jab to the groin and Whirlwind of Illness is DOWN! 1, 2, 3, 4,…. Kitty Girl Johnson is starting the comeback of all comebacks, Ladies & Gentlemen. She is fired up and kicking Whirlwind of Illness's butt!” ( The crowd goes wild!!!,*Go Kitty Girl,Go!*! )

*** Stay Tuned as the fight continues.....

"Maddy, Maddy!" We are all cheering on our Kitty Girl and she is proving to be quite a fighter these days in SO many ways. Maddy is tenacious and determined to get better. In physical therapy, when they ask her to do 5 leg raises, she will do 8! If you try to help her write, she'll insist on doing it herself. And, when she's had enough of her vent, well, she'll try to pull the sucker out. Which she has had some success with. She is showing us that she still has a lot of fight left in her as she continue to progress each day. Her lungs are still a real area of concern and she will remain on the ventilator for a while longer to allow those lungs of hers to heal up. Her sats are also continuing to look positive and we are super happy about that. Remember, we are at about round 5 and the fight is just getting really exciting. We need to continue to keep her spirits up as we cheer her on!

I also need to clear-up a little mis-information from yesterday's blog. My apologies for this. Maddy is not able to read her blog yet, but her Mom & Dad are sharing the information with her. She is still pretty sedated during a large portion of her day and the medication really makes it hard to focus to read. I can tell you that she has watched her video and seemed to love it. Again, she is on some pretty strong meds, so the clarity of written words are tough for her at the moment. But we also understand that this is simply part of her recovery and it will take time.

Here's to our little fighter, Kitty Girl Johnson, who is working SO very hard to be well. Let's continue to come together and cheer her on along the way. Thank you Sacred Hearter's, Friends, and Family. She's come this far with your love and support and we are grateful. Thank you!

Slow and Steady.....

Slow and Steady is working well for Madelyn and we are all cheering her on along the way. We know that Maddy has already been through more than anyone thought possible and is continuing to kick some butt in her recovery! Way to Go Maddy! You are an inspiration to us all and we love you so much!

Sacred Hearter's, Maddy's cat scan showed no more necrotic tissue, however we now have a clear picture of what condition her lungs are in. The cat scan showed her right lung to be about 1/3 of the size of her left lung. Her sats are continuing to improve and our hope is that with the trach - new ventilator placement her lungs will heal better, faster. Although slow & steady is perfectly fine with us. We will be patient with her healing and encourage her every step of the way.

Thank you goes out to all of you. Team Maddy is doing an awesome job! Keep up the good work Team! Maddy is now able to view her blog and is enjoying all of your heartfelt comments and prayers. Although she cannot talk, her writing-communication skills are really working wonderfully and her smile....Ah, that smile!!!! We are able to see that wonderful smile of hers once again! Amen!

Please continue to keep Madelyn in your thoughts and prayers. We are so very touched by the generosity you have shared with us. I can speak for all of the Johnson-Flock's when I tell you that we truly appreciate what all of you have done and are continuing to do to let us and Maddy know how much you care. Thank you!

Here's to our little butterfly who is slowly, but surely coming out of her cocoon as she nears the day when she can spread her wings and fly once again. Go Maddy Go!

Our Chatty Maddy

For those of us who know how talkative our little Madelyn is, you will be able to appreciate how much we have all missed her chatter. She can talk about bugs and cats more than anyone I know. We love this about Maddy!

This morning Madelyn is having a surgery to allow her to begin the recovery of her vocal cords. She will have a tracheotomy to allow her ventilator to be removed from her mouth and attached directly to her windpipe. She's pretty scared, but understands that this will be the quickest way to getting better overall. Her sats are looking strong and we are super grateful for her team of doctors here at Sacred Heart. The Sacred Hearter's are a very special group of individuals who have one common goal, making the sick well. Thank you Please take a moment this morning to keep Maddy in your prayers as she undergoes her surgery. Thank you.

* As of 12:45 this afternoon, Madelyn is in recovery from her surgery. The surgery went just as planned. She was also able to receive a catscan and her lungs are still in poor condition, but they don't show any more neucrotic tissue. Great!

We are eagerly awaiting the day when Maddy will be talking our ears off once again, singing in her band with her Sister Mallory & Dad, and telling us stories of bugs, kitties, and her everyday adventures. We sure do miss hearing her stories.

We thank you for your continued support and love. We are surrounded by so much love and it truly warms our hearts.

Here's to a successful surgery and to our Chatty Maddy. She is in our prayers today and always.

Reunited.....and it feels SO good!!!!

The Johnson Girls have been Reunited!!!! Yeah-HOOoooooOOOooo Johnson Girls!!!!!

Madelyn and Mallory were able to spend some time together yesterday and although it was hard for Mallory to see her sister so sick, it was also comforting for her to be able to hold her hand and tell her sister that she loved her. This morning Madelyn wrote out, I Love Mallory on her writing board. SO very special!

Madelyn is continuing to show improvement each day and we are so very proud of the progress she has made thus far. We recognize that the race is long, but as we know.....Slow and Steady wins the race.

I'm keeping this blog short and sweet today. Let's continue to keep Madelyn in our thoughts and prayers today as she continues to fight to get well.

For all of you Hamblen students and parents, please understand that this is very hard on Mallory to be away from her sister. If you want to know how Madelyn is progressing, please continue to visit the blog. Thank you.

Thank you goes out to all of you! Thank you for everything that you are doing and have done to make our lives better.

Sacred Hearter's, Thank you!!!!! You Rock! She's looking good today and we are very grateful! Tomorrow she gets the trach. She's scared, but we believe this will make her quality of life better and aid in her recovery.

Here's to the love of being Reunited and feeling So good!!!!

Sisters

Today I wish to dedicate this to Mallory & Madelyn Johnson as they are continuing to show amazing strength throughout this journey of healing.

Each morning when we get Mal Pal ready for school and the questions is asked, "Can I see my sister today?!?!" "Will I be able to go in her room yet?" You see, Mallory has not been able to even be in the same room as her sister in 16 days. I can't even go through more than a day or two before I need to talk to mine, her Mom. So, I can only imagine how extremely hard this has been for her. She rarely shows her disappointment when we tell her no, rather her understanding that her sister's health is the most important thing and we cannot risk making her worse. What a wonderful little Sis.

For the last 5 days Mallory has been able to stand outside of Madelyn's room in ICU and the girls wave to one another. It always fills me with a feeling of love, sisterly love, and brings such a big smile to our faces. We are hoping with all of our hearts that today will be the day that Mallory is able to hold her sister's hand and share with her all the special things she's wanted to tell her over the past 16 days. I pray for this for both of them today.

Sacred Hearter's: Today they are discussing having a trach put in. Her sats are looking really good this morning and she has a restful nights sleep. Her vent is still @ 60% O2 with the peep ratio between 4-24. She is still in ICU in critical, but stable condition and her fever is much better this morning as well. Each day she is continuing to become stronger with your help and love. Thank you doesn't seem to begin to express our feeling of gratitude. Thank you to all who are playing a role in Madelyn's recovery. We are so lucky to have such an awesome team working with her to make her well.

Here's to Sisters, to Family, to all of You who have made our lives richer over these past 16 days. I hope that each of you understand that your support is what has made the difference in our lives and we SO appreciate you!

Please keep Madelyn in your thoughts and prayers today as she continues to fight hard. Please also say a little prayer for Mallory in hopes she is well enough to hold her sisters hand today.

Homework

I'd like to begin today with a very special message to Madelyn's DAWG teacher. Many of you will be able to appreciate the absolute joy of this as you understand how much Maddy loves school and learning.

Let me make something very clear. Madelyn cannot talk with us. She cannot tell us easily what is wrong because she is on the ventilator for breathing, which makes this so very touching.

Yesterday, while working on her communicating with her parents Maddy seemed to be troubled by something. She began spelling out, h....o....m.....e...... Her Dad asked, " Do you want to go home?" Mad shook her head No. . ......w.....o...... Her Mom asked, "Homework?" "Are you worried about your homework?" HOMEWORK!!!! Madelyn was worried about HOMEWORK!
All I could think was how proud Ms. Johnson would be. Here she is, on paralytic drugs, fighting so hard to get well, on a ventilator, with a fever, with two strains of pneumonia, with all sorts of medicines and tubes in her, and she is worried about her Homework!!!!
This is why we love this kid! She has continued to amaze us each day! Joy fills my heart and overflows with love for her. SO proud to be her Aunt!

I think that today, as all of us move through our day we need to take a moment to be grateful for all the wonderful things we have and are able to do, without even having to think twice about it. Madelyn would do anything just to be able to talk with us.....and to be able to do her Homework once again. Be grateful for today.

To the Sacred Hearter's out there.....Maddy is here today because of you. You have worked so very hard to keep her alive and on the path to recovery. What I have learned by watching is that medicine is a combination of love, brains, and a little bit of Vegas all rolled into one. Some days it's a crap-shoot and thank goodness you have a whole lot of brains & love to ride out the storm as you try so hard to figure it all out for each of your patients. I'd say that with Madelyn, you're hitting the jackpot. Thank you!

Once again, if you have a cold, fever, sore throat, cough, etc. please do not visit the family. Madelyn continues to develop new strains of illnesses while in the hospital and we all need to be mindful about her health and not put her in greater jeopardy. Thank you for understanding.

Please continue to keep Madelyn in your thoughts and prayers today. We cannot thank you enough for all of your love in support. It comes in many forms and we are grateful for each and every one! Thank you.

Now, let's head out with the enthusiasm Maddy has for Homework as we live a day filled with Gratitude.

Survivor

Madelyn is proving to us all that she is indeed a Survivor!

You know, like on the reality show when you get dropped off in the middle of the Amazon with no food, water, fire, or a clue as to how you will make it. You go through the challenges and tribal council. You are beat down, tired, sleep deprived, covered in bug & insect bites and forced to go to the bathroom in the most disgusting places on earth. Well, this makes that look like a day at Disneyland compared to what Madelyn has gone through. She is a Survivor!

She is resting this morning and is pretty sedated to keep her in a happy, sleepy place.
I am happy to share with you that Madelyn responded to me once again last night. Well, not just me, but all of her family. Tears filled my eyes and soaked my face mask. This is a good thing!

Madelyn continues to be on the ventilator, in ICU in critical, but stable condition. She has developed a new strain of pneumonia and is fighting that as hard as she can with a new round of meds. She is continuing to show much improvement on the ventilator as well. Last night her sat was up to 99 when I was caressing her forehead. 99!!!! This is awesome!!! Her blood pressure is a little more stable now as well. Again, these are baby steps, but baby steps in the right direction.

Again, we thank all of you who continue to keep Maddy in your thoughts and prayers. We thank everyone at Sacred Heart for taking such wonderful care of our little Survivor, and to all of you who log on each day to share your thoughts and messages for Madelyn and our family. We thank you! Thank you for all of your amazing generosity, we don't know how we would get through this without you. I also want to give a special thank you for Mrs. Johnson. She was the force behind the video and are so appreciative! Thank you!

She's a Survivor & she's not going to give up!

Friendship & Love

Continuing on in appreciation of your Friendship & Love......

Michael Pickering created the most beautiful video that we would like to share with you. It's messages from Madelyn's classmates and teachers. Really very touching and so greatly appreciated. Thank you Michael!
At this time we cannot directly link you to it, however you can find this on Bob's facebook page, Sharla's facebook page, and on youtube (www.youtube.com) under Maddy's Movie.
Link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BidH5PiIKHs

Madelyn is continuing to give us hope as she fights on through! Madelyn is still on her ventilator to get those lungs of her healthy. She has developed a new strain of pneumonia yesterday and we ask that if you have a cold, sore throat, cough, or flu you do not visit. Thank you.
She remembers communicating with her family yesterday and her being able to see her sister for the first time in 11 days! Mallory was walking on sunshine today!

Sacred Hearter's : Her chest x-ray looked better today. Her sats was up to 90 at one point and with her new ventilator setting she is at 55% with her peep fluctuating between 4-24% ratio.
Other than that, it's about the same.

* For the Kids......
I also want to send a special message to all of Maddy's special friends and classmates. We understand that this is really tough on all of you too. I can only imagine how it feels to not see her at school, at recess, at lunch, or after school for play dates. We know how hard this is for you and we want to thank you for being so strong! For being such wonderful friends to Madelyn and for keeping her in your thoughts and prayers. Madelyn won't be back to school this year because even after she begins to get better, she will be weak and we don't want to risk her getting sick again. I think it's good for you to know this so you understand why you won't see her at school. But, what we also want you to understand is that she is getting better! She is getting stronger everyday with your help, through your messages and cards.
So, to all you Hamblen Kids out there, Keep up the Good Work!!!!! Madelyn is very lucky to have you as her friends!
* Please don't shed a tear today when you think about how much you miss your friend Maddy. Instead, take a moment to think of a fun, special time you shared together and let that bring a smile to you face. That would make Madelyn SO happy too! I'll bet some of her dreams even include you.

Again, we cannot express to you enough our most sincere appreciation for everything you have done for Madelyn and our family. Your friendship, love, and support are what keeps us going through this difficult time. We have been blessed, first by Madelyn coming into this world and are now blessed once again as she unites us with a sense of love! Thank you Friends, Sacred Hearter's, and Family. Thank you!

Let's take a moment to send positive, loving, healing thoughts to Madelyn today as she continues to fight hard. Let's surround her with a feeling of Friendship and Love.

You've got a Friend....

This morning I want to begin with a little something about Friendship.

Madelyn is the most caring, thoughtful kind of friend a person could have and I have to say that her friends are a reflection of that. Each of you have reached out to Maddy in your own way and we all have developed a kind of bond that is so very special because Madelyn is the thread that weaves through our lives at this moment.

Whether you work with Bob, Kara cuts your hair, you used to go to college Bob, you teach Madeyln in math, you have heard about Maddy through a friend....however you have connected with us, we thank you. WE thank YOU. You who have baked us cookies. YOU who have told us you are praying for Maddy. YOU who have written. YOU who have made us a home cooked meal. YOU who have told us that you are here for us. YOU who have offered to tutor Maddy. YOU who have worked extra hard to keep Madelyn alive. YOU who have donated your time. YOU who have shared your love with us and Madelyn. This my friend, is the very definition of friendship and we are grateful for you.

Madelyn turned a corner yesterday and I am happy to share with you that she was able to communicate with her Mom through head nods. She is so very weak and is still on the ventilator and on the "Milk of Amnesia" medicine, but she is bright! That girl of ours is smart as a tack! She understands that all of her doctors, nurses, respiratory therapist, physical therapists, and her parents are all there to help her and she is not afraid. The fact that she is not afraid is so Madelyn. She is so strong and at times a little more fearless than her Mom would like, but I believe that this is going to help her so much as she continues to fight to be well.

Her numbers did drop, which is not good and her blood pressure was more elevated than it should be. Overall, her condition is still about the same. She is still on the ventilator, which is keeping her lungs filled with good oxygen for healing and also to make sure they don't collapse. Her body is so very weak and she will need much physical therapy throughout the coming months. Although she is able to move her head and shoulders very slightly, she doesn't have enough strength to move her fingers. The doctors are determining this morning if they will increase her paralytic medication to allow more sleep and hopefully keep her blood pressure down.

** As of 1:20 today, the doctors have determined that Madelyn has a new strain of pneumonia that she has developed, in addition to the new influenza virus. We encourage all people with any kind of illness, cough, cold, sore throat do not visit the family at the hospital. Thank you for understanding. We need her to get well and it's harder for her to do this when she develops new illnesses while in the hospital. Madelyn's immune system is completely maxed-out and cannot fight off thing she normally would be able to. We need to take every precaution possible. Thank you.

Sacred Hearter's, no real new numbers to report to you today. We are so happy that she is still fighting and we thank you for keeping her alive!

As you start your day today, please keep Madelyn in your thoughts and prayers. She still have a very long road ahead of her. Slow and steady Mad. Slow and Steady is winning the race and we are all cheering you on. You can do it!

Thank you hardly feels like enough. We feel so very fortunate to have all of you as our Friends.
May all of the good you have shared with us return to you in your time of need.

Our Sleeping Beauty

I hope this day finds you well as you check in on our little sleeping beauty, Madelyn Marie.
Madelyn is now in a deep, resting, healing induced state to allow her lungs to heal.
The doctors had allowed her to be slightly less sedated to determine if there was any brain damage due to the embolic shower. The fact that she could make small movements on both sides of her body, open her eyes, and communicate through slight nods of her head has given us a little peace of mind.
For now, it is time for our Maddy to stay sleeping as long as she needs as her poor little lungs are in need of some major healing. My hope is that she is able to dream of butterflies, hamsters, kitties, soccer, her Momma, Dad, Sister, and yes, motorcycles. All of her favorite things!

Sacred Hearter's, not too much new news. Her sat is still right around 80-84%. Still much lower than they would like. They talked about moving her to another room, but agreed that she is not stable enough for that. A special thanks to the 6 north crew for their generosity. Thank you!

Thank you to all who have left special, heart-felt messages for Maddy, Kara, Bob, & Mallory. It's comforting to know how many of you are praying for our little Madelyn.

Please continue to keep Madelyn in your thoughts and prayers. She has shown us how truly tough she is. Her coach once gave her the " Goalies Fear Me" award. I think she deserves a, "Strep Infection-Embolic Shower-Pneunmonia-Toxic Shock Syndrome, Beat-up Lungs Fear ME" award! She is a miracle in the making and I could not be more proud of how hard she is fighting! Please continue to hold Madelyn in your prayers. She is still in need of them.

Sleep well our Sweet, Sweet, Madelyn Marie. We are all here for you, cheering you on as you continue to fight. Sleep well, our little Sleeping Beauty.

From Cocoon to a Butterfly

As many of you know, Madelyn is a lover of all kinds of bugs, insects, and Butterflies. So it is only natural for me to compare her to a butterfly who is resting inside it's cocoon, waiting for the day that she no longer needs the protection of her medication, oxygen, and special air bed. Madelyn is in her cocoon surrounded by the most loving doctors, nurses, physical therapists, respiratory therapist, and most importantly her Mom & Dad. They are all reassuring her that her progress is wonderful, that they are proud of her accomplishments thus far, and are looking forward to the day when she able to sheds all of her health problems and leave the hospital.

This transformation has been a miracle in the making and we are so very proud of her strength thus far. We are very aware that Maddy is still very sick. She is still in ICU in critical, but stable condition. They removed her chest tube last night, but she remains on the ventilator for lung-breathing support. They are currently changing the air flow pressure that holds her lungs full of air to a longer amount of time to allow more healing.

I want to thank Madelyn for the gift she gave me yesterday as I had to leave for the airport. She opened her big blue eyes and looked right over to me as I told her that her Aunt Sharla loved her. Thank you Maddy for fighting so very hard! She has continued to respond to her Mom, Dad, physical therapist, and nurses yesterday by opening her eyes and subtle movements.
All of this is really amazing considering the paralytic drugs she is on.

As usual, the Sacred Hearter's are the dream team in action and we appreciate everything that they are doing for Madelyn and our family. They are changing her vent numbers, which as you know, effects everything else. Her O2 is running between 70-90%. No other new numbers to report now.

Thank you to all of the Hamblen parents, students, and teachers who are continuing to support Madelyn and her family. We appreciate all of your love, support, and prayers.

As you enter into your world today please take a moment to think about our little Butterfly that is working hard to shed her cocoon and be healthy once again.

Thank you for keeping Madeyln in your prayers

Moving Forward

This morning I want to first say that when it comes to awesome parents, Bob & Kara take the cake. To have two daughter who hold so much strength is a reflection of what they have instilled in them. Madelyn is fighting so very hard to get well and Mallory is showing more strength than any of us. Way to go Johnson Girls! Way to go Bob & Kara!

We are happy to share that we are moving slowly forward today. She is still in an induced coma due to the paralytic drugs. Madelyn had another good night and responded to the sound of her Dad, Mom, and nurse Scott last night. She also opened her eyes at the mention of a hampster. The pet that she has been begging her parents for. She wiggled her hands and feet to voice command as well. This is reassuring us in so many ways that she is fighting and is working as hard as she can to get well. She is still on the ventilator and will be for a while to allow her body to continue to heal, especially her lungs, which were hit hard.

For the Sacred Hearters : Peep @ 11 w/ O2 @ 60%. Labs are still steady. Blood pressure elevates when we enter the room.

We are smiling with tears of hope in our eyes today and are feeling more optimistic of Maddy's recovery with each passing minute, hour, and day.

Thank you once again to all of you. This takes the kind of loving team-work that you are giving the family and Madelyn and we could not imagine trying to go through this without you all.

Please continue to keep Madelyn in your thoughts and prayers as she still has a long way to go in her healing journey.

Madelyn's Progress Report : March 17th

Today, being St. Patty's Day we think of Luck. This morning Madelyn's doctor told Kara & Bob that she is lucky to be alive and it is a good thing that her heart is as strong as it is. It has helped to keep her alive throughout this. We are SO lucky that she is still with us and still fighting. We are lucky to have all of you to support us and Madelyn.

She is still in ICU in critical condition and still on her ventilator. Although her levels are looking a little better this morning.

Ok, for all of you Sacred Heart people. Here are her stats. :
60% O2 @ 12 Peep. Her Sats are @ 84%. Her creat. level is at 0.87 and she is off the lasix for now. In a 24 hour period, 90cc out in chest tube. They also lowered nitric oxide to 20.
And Bob's blood sugar level is at 500 due to amount of cookies he has gobbled down. Maddy calls her Dad a pig and he's living up to the name with your help. thanks. : )

For everyone else, this basically means that she is more stable and her kidneys and liver are looking better today. She is making baby steps forward and we are grateful for every positive step she is taking. Other than that, she is still a very sick little girl who still needs our prayers.

Thank you to everyone who has shown their support through food, prayers, cards, balloons, cookies, cakes, pie...and most important, Hugs & Love. Kara & Bob are so very lucky to have all of you to support them in this difficult time.

We also want to thank everyone here at Sacred Heart. What an amazing group of people! Thank you for taking such good care of Madelyn. We are Lucky to have you to watch over her.
Keep up the good work everyone!

Maddy still has a long way to go on her road to recovery and we will continue to support her along the way.

Madelyn's Progress

Good Afternoon to all of you.... loving, caring, friends and family.
Madelyn is still holding on and continuing to be the fighter that we know she is.
There is no real change, still in ICU in critical condition and they are working on addressing her overall health needs by adjusting her meds. She is still on the ventilator and in an induced coma state and will be in this condition for as long as she needs to be in order to get well.
She still has the new influenza virus, so please be mindful of not coming to the hospital if you are at all sick.
We are not allowed to spend time with her today as it is too much stimulus for her. As you can imagine is very difficult for the family, but this is what Madelyn needs right now for her healing.
We still remain cautiously optimistic and are all looking towards to day when she is well.
Kara & Bob are so very thankful for all of your love. Your words and prayers are so heartfelt and appreciated.
Mallory is also on the mend and will be back to school Monday, which she is super excited about. She misses her sister so much, but understands that her sister needs to be at the hospital to get better.
We cannot say enough good things about Madelyn's team of doctors, nurses, and respiratory therapist here at Sacred Heart. Madelyn could not be in better hands. We thank them all for taking such good care of our Maddy. We also are grateful for the generosity shown by Bob's co-worker's. Their pto/vacation donation hours are an amazing gift. Thank you.
I will continue to keep you all updated as I know more.
Again, please continue to keep Madelyn in your prayers. She is still in great need of your prayers, love, and positive thoughts as she has a long way to go on her road to recovery.
Thank you.

Madelyn

Madelyn is in ICU in critical condition and needs your continued love, positive thoughts, and prayers.
For those of you who are not aware, Madelyn is in an induced coma with hemmoratic pneumonia, toxic shock syndrome, strep infection in her blood, and embolic shower, influenza, and is on a ventilator fighting for her life now.
If you live in the Spokane area we ask that if you are sick, have a cold, cough, or sniffle please do not come to the hospital. This is for the safety of Madelyn. Thank you.
**Sorry, No visitors are allowed in her room at this time due to the recent influenza virus**
We remain cautiously optimistic and are grateful for everything that you have done for all of the family.
Thank you so much for your continued support. I will continue to update this blog page daily.