Sunday, June 28, 2009

Family Vacation & Birthdays

Well I said I was going to post some pictures of our trip and I have finally got around to it! We were able to go to San Antonio to celebrate my 1 year and go on a much needed family vacation. It was wonderful to get away and we had a great time! Hayden, Callie & Landon came with us so that made it even more fun! If you haven't noticed yet Faith LOVES anything that has four legs, crawls or has fur......basically any animal, so it was very exciting to be able to take her to Sea World! She loved to watch Shamu jump out of the water but she also enjoyed feeding the dolphins. Whenever you ask her what Shamu does she will say,"Splash Splash Splash!"

Mama, Faith & Shamu!

Love those dolphins


When it's really HOT outside ice-cream sandwiches just don't last very long


Pooped after a long day at Sea World

Well we did Sea World 1 day and then the next 2 days we were doing our own splashing and swimming at Schlitterbahn! I was a little more worried about the water park with Faith only because she is NOT by any means a dare devil when it comes to the water. She loves the water but she likes to play by herself in a quiet and calm setting. We played in the kid around for awhile (which was very nice) but then I decided she was just going to have to be brave and go on some of the big rides with us (I didn't come all the way to Schlitterbahn to play in the kid around all day! hehe) We strapped a life jacket on her and put her in her own baby tube and we set off to go down some of the tube rides. I have to say she did VERY well, she even went down the drops by herself (only because they don't let you hold onto their tube while you go down, they make sure though that you are right in front of them). Every time we would go through a "rapid" or drop I would call back (daddy held onto her tube)," Are you OK?" and I would get the same answer every time........"I BREEZING (freezing)!" Poor baby, purple lips and poops in the pants because the first drop scared her, she was quite the trooper but by the afternoon she was enjoying the rides more.

We had an awesome time and it was great to celebrate with my brother, sister and brother in-law!

Ya-Ya (Callie), Faith & Mama hanging at the pool

Ya-Ya & Ray (Callie & Hayden)

I breezing, mama!

We got to eat at our favorite restaurant there, The Gristmill! Yum Yum Yum, it was soo good!


The end of another long day



Feeding the Dolphins from Emily Mulkey on Vimeo.



Untitled from Emily Mulkey on Vimeo.



Also I celebrated another birthday. My brother, Landon and my birthday are a day apart but we are 10 years apart in age. So we have been partying all week! I have to say I'm a little tired from the week so I'm enjoying being home on this raining Sunday afternoon. Hope you all are doing well and enjoying your summer!

My sweet hubby took me out for my b-day

HAPPY 16th BIRTHDAY LANDON!


Nothing like a picture with your bloomers showing......or diaper



Friday, June 19, 2009

Conversations you might hear in a public restroom

It has been so fun (yet sad) to watch Faith grow in her ability to understand things, communicate with others and see her personality come out more and more. However with that said once they start talking you never know what might come out or when it will come out. It becomes not an IF it will happen but a WHEN it will happen and then you either have to laugh or be highly embarrassed by the situation. We had one of those this week. Of course, I never thought I would be posting about me being in a public restroom but this was too much to pass up.

I had to go get my routine blood work done at the hospital this week and it just so happened that I woke up having horrible cramps and constipation. I decided I could make it there but after I had checked in I had to excuse myself to the restroom. So here I am sitting in the restroom with Faith, feeling like I'm about to explode and in much pain and my daughter turns to me and says very sweetly but quite loudly, " Mama.......it really hard?" She continues to say this over and over again (that's one thing about toddlers they NEVER say something once!) I'm trying to acknowledge her and thank her for her concern for me but wishing she would just bring her voice down a little! Then, to top off the conversation that I'm sure everyone is enjoying.......she proclaims in a VERY loud screech (which she does at home), "EEEWWWW.......STINKY POOPS!" Now, everyone has a moment by moment play of our time together in the bathroom stall. I had to smile and laugh......what else do you do?


To give you a quick health update, I'm doing pretty well. I've been struggling with nausea, throwing up and dehydration (24/7) for about 3 months now (and NO I'm not pregnant so don't get concerned) however, I have had 4 good days this week. The doctors have been constantly changing my meds trying to figure out which one is causing me to be so sick. Yet, with my anti-rejection meds there are only so many you can switch too and have to stay in the right range so that your lungs don't go into rejection. My kidney function has been pretty high recently and they feel it's due to the nausea and dehydration so that is a little concerning. That's partly way I go in every week for labs to check it and continue to pray it will go down. Like I said before it is always a balancing act to keep everything working well. I try to focus on all the good things the Lord has given me and not focus on the difficult ones.

We were able to go on a family vacation to celebrate my 1 year anniversary and it was a great time! I hope to post some videos and pictures of that next week!

Friday, June 5, 2009

Reflecting over 1 year....

It's hard for me to even put into words the journey I have been on since I got that call on June 8, 2008. I got that call around 9:00 pm to tell me that they had a possible match, new lungs for me. I went into surgery around 7:00 am and 9 hours later for the first time I no longer had CF lungs. From that moment it has been quite a journey of ups and downs and as I have read over all that was written on my blog during that time, I'm just amazed again at where the Lord has brought me. Your words of encouragement, prayers, cards, meals and love over this past year have been a blessing beyond words for us. Since it's difficult to put into words all the emotions of this year I thought I would just share some videos and pictures so that you can PRAISE the Lord with us as we celebrate 1 YEAR!


My journey & recovery with new lungs.....



Seeing Mama after surgery from Emily Mulkey on Vimeo.




Taking my first laps from Emily Mulkey on Vimeo.




Ringing the Bell from Emily Mulkey on Vimeo.



These are pictures of some of the wonderful opportunities I have been able to do and be apart of with my new lungs!


This are some verses that I wrote down during my time of waiting and recovery and how the Lord spoke peace to me through them.

"Before they call I will answer, while they are still speaking I will hear". Isa. 65:24
(I know the Lord was speaking to his people here in Isaiah but in 2007/2008 those words gave me hope that even before the transplant coordinator called me He had already put in motion His perfect plan. He had already answered before I ever picked up the phone)

"You restored me to health and let me live. Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish". Isa. 38:17
(There was a reason I waited a year for these lungs and went through some difficult times and though I hate to suffer I am thankful for what I have learned and only pray I come out not only with healthy lungs but a changed daughter of the Lord. He never wants my suffering to be in vain, thank you, Lord!)

"The God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were. Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him..........21) being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised". Romans 4:17-21
(At times it felt like we were running out of time but this verse kept coming back to me that when it seemed like there was no hope for Abraham and his wife to have a child because of their age that he just continued to put his hope in the Lord and believe He could do anything! That sometimes the things we consider dead or hopeless are the very things God brings to life and brings hope when there is none to be found. My husband continued to share this very thing with me when I felt like I just couldn't do it anymore)


It has not been an easy road and continues to be a daily balancing act to keep my body healthy and try to find solutions for the many side effects from the drugs. I have to take it one day at a time and just be thankful for every moment I have. I know this is a long post but I wanted to share some thoughts over the past year and to say THANK YOU again for your love, support & prayers!

Friday, May 22, 2009

Family Pictures

These are some family pictures we took the end of April by the very talented Abbie (Thanks Abbie!). As I have mentioned before I love having family pictures but I always dread taking them because it usually is stressful. However, Faith behaved so well and was very smiley, it was a joy to do, & Maggie didn't do too bad either! Hope you enjoy them!






Health Update~
After I came home, I continued to be very nauseated and could not eat (I lost about 12 pds, which is bad for me). So, the doctors switched one of my anti-rejection meds that I thought was causing all the trouble and put me on a different one. Since Monday, Praise the Lord I have not been sick and been very hungry! Food tastes so good again! I am still having trouble getting my blood level at the right place. I am having to do the blood thinner shots, which I give myself in my stomach and blood thinner pills for the blood clots. I continue to struggle with a cough at night but over all I'm feeling stronger and better. Thank you again for the many prayers.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Back in TX

Well I was discharged around noon yesterday and we left for TX right away. It was a long 18 hour trip home as I was coughing and nauseated the whole time. Faith did well until the evening when she continued to tell us she was "stuck", stuck that is in her car seat. =) My mother in-law, Mitzi helped out with Faith all week and was a huge help to me on the ride home. I have the most loving and caring mother in-law. What a blessing she is in my life! I was disappointed that I just did not have the strength to make it to the CF walk this morning however I'm thankful for the family that went out to walk and for those who supported us financially. THANK YOU!!!

I still could use your prayers as I am very weak, nauseated and feel pretty beaten up. It is wonderful to be home though. Towards the end of my week the doctors found that I had several blood clots in my neck and so they had to remove the PICC line that was put in 2 days before. I am now on blood thinners and will be for a couple of months. Hope you and your families have had a good week and would love to get updates on you as well! Love ya....

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

3 MORE DAYS!

We have 3 more days till our big Cystic Fibrosis walk on Saturday. I am praying that I will be able to go home so I can attend this event. I haven't been able to do the CF walks for a couple of years now and so I'm very excited about it. Some of you have already donated as well as signed up to be a walker that day and I can't THANK YOU enough for your generosity and support! I set the goal for my team to raise $3,000.00 and so far we have raised $225.00. I have not had a lot of time to do all the promoting for this walk like I would have wanted too so I thank you for want you have given. I know it's been a difficult time for people financially but this is a battle we could not win without your help. Below is my story and the web page site were you can donate and see the progress we are making. THANK YOU again for your love and support!


*Our CF shirts for the walk this year say,
"Take a deep breath and think of someone who can't".




Hopes or dreams were not much of a reality for people with Cystic Fibrosis when I was born, yet today not only are hopes and dreams coming true there are miracles! When I was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at the age of 3 months old, the hope that I would ever live very long or have a normal life were small. Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a devastating genetic disease that affects tens of thousands of children and young adults in the United States.
Though my journey with CF has been quite a battle to fight, I am thankful for the life I have and the many blessings I have been given. I have had the wonderful blessing of being a wife to an amazing man and in 2006 we found out we would be expecting our miracle baby. Faith, who is now 2 1/2 yrs. old is healthy, beautiful, fun and a joy to our family!
In 2007 I was put on the transplant list due to my failing lungs. My lung function at the time was 16 to 18%. It was a difficult year as I waited for some healthy lungs, but on June 8, 2008 I was given that miracle. A family that didn't even know me gave me a second chance at life. THANK YOU!!! I no longer have CF in my lungs yet I will always deal with the other issues that go along with CF (pancreas, sinus...etc). My journey with CF, and now as a transplant patient has been a rough road and I could not have done it without the amazing support of my family and friends. Over the years you all have given so much to us and we could never say thank you enough.
There has been great steps in furthering the quality of life for those with CF, yet there is STILL so much to be done. Until we hear the words "Cure Found" our mission is not done! Please consider making a gift that will be used efficiently and effectively, as nearly 90 cents of every dollar of revenue raised is available for investment in vital CF programs to support research, care and education.
Making a donation is easy and secure! Just click the "Click to Donate" button on this page to go to make a donation that will be credited to my team. Any amount you can donate is greatly appreciated!
If you would also like to come out and be apart of the GREAT STRIDES walk with us, the walk will take place on Saturday, May 16th at LCU starting at 8:30 AM.
Thank you for supporting the mission of the CF Foundation and GREAT STRIDES!
Many Blessings, Emily Mulkey

Quick Update~

Sorry this post is so long but wanted to give you an update. My ultrasound of my stomach came back good yet I am still dealing with nausea and keeping things down. They are trying to figure out which medicine is causing this and maybe we can change some of them. Lord willing we will be going home in a couple of days. I continue to thank the Lord for His mercy toward me because I surely don't deserve it. I'm thankful the Lord's compassion and grace is stronger then His anger and that He is patient in teaching me the same lessons over and over again.

"He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities under foot". Micah 7:18-19

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Tuesday update

I'm sorry I haven't given an update in a couple of days but I was pretty sick yesterday dealing with nausea and throwing up. Like I said before I've been struggling with nausea for quite some time now and so they are trying to find the answer to that. They did an ultrasound of my stomach but we don't know the results of that. However, it looks like there is no rejection. I'm so thankful for the Lord's mercy and grace. They still believe that it is some type of pneumonia. Hopefully we will be able to go home in a couple of days. Thank you for your prayers. Your encouragement and support have lifted us up again and again.

This verse has been continually running through my head and gives me great encouragement to keep pressing on not just physically but in every area of my life.

And let us not become weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
Galatians 6:9

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Happy Mother's Day

I realize this holiday brings tears of joy and tears of sorrow for some of you as you might have lost your mother or are becoming a brand new mom this year. Whatever your relationship is with your mother one thing is for sure and that is she has left a forever mark in your life. Now as a mama of Faith I continue to be amazed at what a huge yet wonderful gift, service God has given me to do. It is not always an easy road to become the mother you want to be but I am beginning to learn that it is through my failures that I can teach her more about the Lord, life and herself then when I am "doing everything right". Motherhood is not just a journey to teach your child about life lessons but it becomes a journey you take with your Savior. A journey in which you begin to see how you respond and act in the same way to your Heavenly Father as your child does you. A road in which you learn to love, forgive, cry, laugh, extend grace, test patience and become a student all over again.


Love you, Mom!


Mothers & Daughters




Taking care of me once again in the hospital and celebrating the miracle of new lungs

Love my Nannie


I am thankful for the mother I have and the love and joy she has brought to my life. She has not had an easy job raising me with all of my health issues (and maybe some stubbornness along the way) but I have never once heard her complain. The countless hours she did over the years in helping with my breathing treatments, giving me my CPT (percussion), keeping up with all of my meds, the many doctors visits and hospital stays as well as staying up with me throughout the night due to coughing so much. Not only did she take care of me physically but her love for the Lord and her leadership in teaching her children about the Lord gave me a spiritual seed to grow. We are good friends....well we refer to each other most of the time as sisters and I'm forever thankful for all that she is and all that she has done for me. I LOVE YOU MOM!!!

Update~
I got to Birmingham around midnight and they took another x-ray and the doctor felt that it is probably pneumonia instead of rejection. However, they will still do a bronch probably today to check everything. We continue to pray that it is not rejection and that these meds clear up whatever infection I have. Please pray that I do well with the bronch as I always seem to struggle with it. (Hopefully NO more shots in my rear this time in the recovery room....see older post Crazy Lady on the Loose!) Thank you so much for your prayers, it means so much to us. Jason, Faith and Mimi (Jason's mom) arrived here this afternoon. They drove the 18 hour drive through the night and so we thank you for lifting them up in your prayers.

My Grandma sent me this and I thought it was so funny and so true! Hope you enjoy reading it and laugh at some of the funny things we do as moms.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL YOU GREAT MOMS!

~Lessons you learn from your mom~

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE. "If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."

2. My mother taught me RELIGION. "You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL . "If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

4. My mother taught me LOGIC . " Because I said so, that's why."

5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC. "If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT. "Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident ."

7. My mother taught me IRONY. "Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."

8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS. "Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM . "Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA. "You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11. My mother taught me about WEATHER. "This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY. "If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE . "I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION. "Stop acting like your father!"
15. My mother taught me about ENVY. "There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."

16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION. "Just wait until we get home."

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING . "You are going to get it when you get home!"

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE . "If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to get stuck that way."

19. My mother taught me ESP. "Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

20. My mother taught me HUMOR. "When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT. "If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

22. My mother taught me GENETICS. "You're just like your father."

23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS . "Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24. My mother taught me WISDOM. "When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

25. And my favorite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE. "One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you.
"Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed" Proverbs 31:25-28

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Headed to Birmingham

My x-ray from yesterday and today showed a possible pneumonia and I was coughing some blood up this morning. However all the test that they have done have come back negative so my transplant team wants me to be transported to Birmingham to check for rejection. They don't feel that pneumonia can set in that quickly. We just want to be on the safe side and make sure we are not missing anything. Jason and Faith will either drive or fly out as soon as we know when I will be leaving.

I really can't share what all is going on in my heart right now but I've been praying and asking for the same thing that the man in Mark 9:24 asked of Jesus.

Jesus says, "Everything is possible for him who believes."
Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" Mark 9:23-24

Friday, May 8, 2009

Health update

Well I spent most of the day in the ER yesterday. I've been struggling with nausea for several weeks now and I woke up running a high fever on Thursday and feeling very drained. Come to find out I was severely dehydrated (this was caused by a number of things that I've been battling with) and probably have a viral infection. I stayed in the hospital last night and have been receiving fluids and some antibiotics. My oxygen has been low too so they put me on some oxygen for right now. I'm not sure how long I'll be in here but I feel like the fluids are helping some.

I could use your prayers right now as I feel very emotionally drained. Jason and I were talking this morning about this past year, and although we have had some wonderful times it has also been a very long and difficult one. I guess I'm just feeling a little beat up and defeated at the moment. Thank you for your prayers for us.

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Cor. 12:8-9