Tuesday, November 27, 2012 -- Mattie died 168 weeks ago today.

Tonight's picture was taken in November of 2008 after Mattie's second limb salvaging surgery. Mattie was in surgery and the recovery unit that day for over 12 hours. It was a harrowing experience because he had surgery on his left arm and wrist, and right leg all in one day. This photo was taken days after his surgeries. To me this is a photo that screams out resilience. Because even though Mattie couldn't walk or barely move, he found a way to smile, was alert, and appreciated what very little he had. In so many ways he was an inspiration to us and all those who cared for him.


Quote of the day: When one person is missing the whole world seems empty. ~ Pat Schweibert

I am still not feeling well. I have a migraine that is so intense, I am unable to function, eat, and at times even sleep. I am trying to spend little to no time on my blackberry or computer. The light from these devices hurts my eyes and head. In fact, I am trying to remove all stressors from my life today in order to recover. If you have never experienced a migraine then it is hard to relate to what I am talking about. This is much worse than a bad headache. It is simply debilitating. While I was sitting on the couch today trying to rest, up popped Patches to sit with me. So I snapped a picture of her. When I was in graduate school years ago (pre-Mattie), I developed an 103 degree fever. I was hallucinating at times, but one thing I remember very clearly was that Patches was right by my side, sitting on my bed. She never left me alone. Which is how she got the nickname.... nurse Patches. Nurse Patches was on duty today as well, a true companion!