The stomach flu is going around, and it has found Arla.  Please pray that she will rest and recover comfortably.  Pray that God will be with Arla and Harold to strengthen them.  Arla was ill prior to Christmas with some other issues and now is not well again.  The roller coaster is not fun these days.   Every day she is unable to participate in therapies is a day she loses what she has fought to gain back, but we must remember that God is at work here.  We must ask Him to be in control.

When life is chaotic, when life seems out of control, when the weight of the world is upon us, God is most present in those times.  God, the Creator of all things, is in control.  It is in these times, we have to step back, take a breath, and pray.  Let God have the control, be quiet, and listen.  He will let you know what to do.

The Allen family wishes all our family, friends, and readers a Happy, Prosperous, and Healthy New Year!

We will begin this update with the frequently asked questions.  The most frequently asked question is “How is Arla?”  That as simple to answer as, what is the meaning of life? It also is a question that will elicit a different response from a different family member, and it depends on who is asking the question.  How much does the person asking really know about Arla’s current state of health, how often have they visited Arla, or how much have they been in contact with the family?

So here are other frequently asked questions (FAQs) that are easier to answer and may give the readers of this blog some insight into the reality of how Arla is doing?

FAQ:  Did Arla have a stroke or a heart attack?  Answer:  She had both.  On Aug 28, she suffered a mild heart attack and was treated via catheterization to try to open a blocked arteries.  It was also determined at that time that she had atrial fibrillation, which is an irregular rhythm of the heart which will cause blood clots to form.  At that time, Arla was given IV blood thinners.  On the morning of Aug 29, Arla had a stroke on the left side of the brain caused by a massive blood clot.  Since she was already on blood thinners, the only option for potential intervention was a catheterization to try to remove the clot in the brain.  The attempt was not totally successful, but the damage to the brain was not to the extent to affect respiration or consciousness.  Arla always breathed on her own and was aware of the people around her.

FAQ: Can Arla get out of bed by herself?  Answer: No, Arla is unable to get from a seated to standing position by herself.  She is unable to get from a prone position to an upright seated position alone.  Basically, Arla cannot move herself from bed to chair or back.

FAQ: Is Arla paralyzed?  Answer:  She does have paralysis on her right side.  She has no voluntary movement in her right arm and has minimal movement in the right leg.  Her left side is strong and she is able to move that side of her body.  She is aware of her right arm and leg, sometimes feeling pain or discomfort on that side.  The right side of her face is affected but her expressions and smile are very much the Arla we all know.

FAQ:  I hear Arla is talking more.  Is that correct?  Answer:  Arla says words from time to time, but she is not able to express her needs with words.  Currently, the therapists are working more on identification of pictures and words to help Arla find ways to clearly communicate her needs.  She has gotten much better at answering yes/no questions.   She is able to spell words in therapy using letter tiles and is working on a little writing.  Writing is tough when you were right handed and now have to do it with your left hand.

FAQ:  I thought Arla was eating.  Why does she still have her feeding tube?  Answer:  Arla is eating, but she is not eating enough to sustain her caloric needs.  Not yet, at least.  The feedings via the tube only happen overnight.  In addition to the caloric needs, the feeding tube is used to get her the amount of liquids she needs each day.  Since Arla has a bladder catheter, it is very important that she get enough fluid to flush bacteria away and prevent urinary tract infections.  Arla can drink thickened liquids, but she is not terribly fond of them.  Imagine drinking thick water.  It seems odd but the hardest thing for a stroke patient to swallow successfully is water.  Water is too thin and can easily be aspirated.

FAQ:  Is Arla still doing therapy?  Answer:  Yes.  She has physical, occupational, and speech therapy almost every day.  The therapy is moderate in intensity.  She is still making very slow progress and will continue with therapy until she no longer makes improvements.

FAQ:  Is Arla home yet?  How long until Arla can come home?  Answer:  Arla is still at Vancrest Rehab.   The answer is unknown about when she could come home.  No two strokes are the same.  And no two stroke patients recover the same.  The only thing common about all strokes is that they all suck (or stink, if suck is too strong for the readers).  Strokes change everything.  Some parts of life return; some parts of life come back only a little differently; some things are gone forever; and some new blessings occur. For a long while, Arla will remain at Vancrest.

FAQ:  Does she come home for visits?  Answer:  It would be very difficult to transfer Arla from the wheelchair to the car at this point.  And to be honest, if the doctor would allow it, such a trip would be exhausting for all involved which would probably outweigh the benefits of such a visit.

FAQ:  How is Harold doing?  Answer:  He is learning to adapt to this new way of life.  His world has been turned upside down.  One would think that Harold Allen could do anything, but he was very dependent on Arla.  Harold is with Arla everyday, all day.  He is there to assist and learn.  In many ways that is good, but in some ways, it is not so helpful.  Harold has made Arla dependent on him.  This is not always helping Arla.  Harold is also an eternal pessimist.  It is becoming hard to get him to see the improvements Arla makes and take life as it comes.  He is a worrier and can see the worst in all situations.   He constantly revisits that which he understands and would rather worry about something than take action or ask for help.  The children are spending more time intervening on his behalf and Arla’s behalf.  On some days, the uncertainty of the future is more than Harold can handle.

So back to the original FAQ:  How is Arla doing?  Answer:  Her health is actually very good.  She had a massive stroke, but her health is good.  She knows what is going on and enjoys life.  Progress is slow, but she has settled into a routine at Vancrest.

The Allen family is very blessed.  We have learned much about the love of God and the power of our Father to heal and bless.  We are still all here to end the year 2011.  Our matriarch is still with us.  God made that possible.  He is also teaching us to lean on Him and not try to do IT all ourselves.  We will have much to accomplish in 2012, but the struggle is not over.  Tough decisions and changes are to come.  Please continue to pray for Arla and Harold.

When one of us begins to feel stressed or overwhelmed, we remember a few things.

1. We got out of bed by ourselves today.  No one had to help us get up.

2.  We went into the bathroom alone and were able to take care of using the bathroom by ourselves.

3.  We moved freely about our environment today, drove to the locations of our choice, moved from room to room in our house.

4.  We called people on the phone and spoke with them today.

5.  We uttered the words  I Love You  or Praise God.

If you did any of these things today, thank God for your blessings.

Arla wishes you a Merry Christmas in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  She will spend a quiet Christmas Eve communing with her Lord, and she encourages you to do the same.  Tomorrow is Sunday, and Arla would love for you to attend a church service in your community.  She cannot attend her church at this time, so you can go to a church near you and worship in her place.

Remember, one does not need a voice or physical strength or riches or a dozen wrapped presents to come before the King.  All you need is a heart of love!  Christmas is the day we remember the ultimate gift, given freely and without price.  Praise God!  Do not get upset about the meal or the presents or the clean house.  All that matters is loving the people around you.

Please continue to remember all those people who are in extended care facilities, are battling a disease, are having poor health, or who live alone. It is so easy to remember people when they are initially ill or immediately after a health incident. It becomes easy to forget about these people as we learn to live without having them directely present in our lives.

However, the daily struggle continues for these people. So, please, remember them in your prayers, with your visits, with your calls and cards, and with your visits.  Sometimes what we do for them we may be doing more for their family.  Remember!

Today, we ask for prayers for Baby Lane.  See the information below from a Facebook post.   Remember, we don’t need all the details to pray…we just need to know there is a need or even to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit.

“Baby Lane was born on 12/9/11 at 32 weeks gestation. When he was born he was initially doing very well, but started to struggle breathing. He ended up having holes in both of his lungs, causing him to need a chest tube. Very early Sunday morning he continued to struggle to breathe, and they found that he had fluid and air built up around his heart. The Dr’s told his parents that there was a slim chance he was going to make it. Tons and tons of people prayed and he pulled through. He is still a sick little baby and needs prayers. His parents believe in the power of prayer, and would LOVE for you to say a prayer for him…even if you do not know him.

I would like as many people that can to pray for baby Lane tomorrow (Tuesday) morning at 10:00am. Set your alarm on your phone!

Matthew 18:20 says “Where two or more are gathered, there I am with them.” I believe if we can get as many people as possible praying for this little guy, God will produce BIG results!!!

Please always keep him, and his parents (Broc and Megan) in your prayers, but I think it would be extra special if we could all pray at once!!”

We would add that it would also be powerful today to pray for lungs and lung diseases.  We know of several people right now battling lung issues.  Please pray that God will touch those and work within them to his will.

Arla got a new room today.  If you go to Vancrest to visit her, she is no longer in room G1.  She is now down the next hallway in room F3.  This is still in the rehab section of Vancrest.

The new room has a new view and is bigger….so bring on the visitors.

This is Kelsey, Arla’s oldest grandchild.  Grandma has had many visitors during this holiday season.  Her daughter Janeen, son-in-law Bob, and three grandchildren Kelsey, Zach, and Jared came to visit all the way from Akron, Ohio.  Arla has made much improvement since the last time we saw her.  The last time I was here was a month ago when my parents and I took a trip up to Bowling Green State University to visit the campus.  I am a senior in high school and am looking at many colleges.  Senior year is very busy, so it is hard to get out here, but I am very grateful for the time I do have to visit with my grandmother. 

On Thanksgiving day, I took the car out by myself and gave Arla a surprise visit.  When I arrived, I saw she was working hard in physical therapy. When I walked in, her eyes lit up and it was clear she was happy to see me. She was a little emotional, but I knew they were tears of joy.  I hugged her, and she hugged back and kissed my forehead.  I watched her participate in therapy, standing up and strengthening her arm by passing a balloon back and forth with a weight wrapped around her wrist.  It was so amazing to see Arla pushing herself to get better, with Harold and I to encourage and motivate her. 

After therapy, Arla and I went to the lobby and watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade.  It was nice to chat and catch up on things, one-on-one.  I told my grandma that I am doing well in school, that I’ve been accepted to Bowling Green, and am enjoying singing in my school’s choir.  She was engrossed in my conversation, and was able to add comments.  Also, I was able to go in the dining hall while she ate lunch.  I had never seen her eat since the stroke, so I was pleased to see her doing so well.

When I was little, I came to Van Wert during the summer and stayed with my Aunt Mary.  Whenever I went to town with Grandma, she was always saying hello to everyone, whether it was at Dairy’s, McDonald’s, the fair, bank…  I thought she was famous because so many people knew and said hi to her. Seeing Grandma at Van Crest reminded me of what it was like being a kid. As we sat in the lobby, Arla waved to the other residents and made an effort to talk to them.  Even at Van Crest, Arla was famous and knew everyone.  She seemed so much like the grandma I have always known as she said hello to everyone that passed by. 

Today, the rest of the Akron family came to visit.  Zach, working on getting his license very soon, drove us out to Van Crest as we feared for our lives.  Grandma was very happy to see us.  We brought Grandma a cuddle blanket with sleeves so she can lay and still be able to move her arms around without needing to be uncovered.  We talked and shared many laughs with all the funny stories we had to tell.  It was refreshing to see her laugh and smile so much, like she always has. 

Grandma showed us how she can write on the dry-erase board. She practiced writing her name, and showed off by writing all of our names. She even drew us an apple and wrote what it was (upside down in the picture)! We were all tickled to see her write and draw so well, and we were happy to see such an improvement.