Letters from Weslee's Warriors

Hi, folks.  Remember that news story local Channel 9 did on Weslee?  ( http://www.9news.com/rss/story.aspx?storyid=334516 ).  Just in time, it brought Weslee letters, get well cards and postcards, drawings and even a couple of gifts! Having me open the mail while he was in the hospital having his brain surgeries helped to lift his spirits a little bit.  (Heavy pain killers, pain and confusion ruled his life for about 2 weeks.)

Pic to right is some of his letters.

Now he is struggling to find a new normal... With difficulties speaking, very little memory, huge vision problems and major side effects to the many meds that he is on..., well, we need your help again.

He is so depressed. Side effect of the meds (we hope).

Please send him letters again, telling him not to give up. Remember, he can't really read anymore, so write/type big.

Send to:

Weslee Lawrence
44011 Morning Star Ct.
Elizabeth, CO. 80107



P.s. I want to compile all of his letters into a book to help raise money for his medical bills. We hope you don't mind.


BTW, we have 5 new baby chicks! Wonderful mama hatched our eggs.

Weslee is not doing great

Weslee's not doing well.  It's been 5 days since his first surgery, where the implanted electrodes into and onto his brain.

He's still bleeding from that one spot on his incision.  He's barely drinking (even tho I keep trying to tempt him) and doesn't really want to eat.  This morning breakfast was a bite of bacon, a bite of eggs scrambled with cheese, a bite of chocolate chip pancake, and two sips of vanilla goat yogurt Hubby brought the other day.

Lots of pain = lots of pain meds = lots of sleeping = no seizures. If he doesn't have any today or tomorrow, they may postpone the next surgery for possibly a week, depending on surgeon's schedule.

He's only had one visitor (no offense, but Hubby, doctors, nurses, and aids don't count).

It's getting depressing, being alone in this hosp room with my very-in-pain child, nurses and doctors galore, answering the same questions over and over, me fighting migraines and intense knee pain, and trying to find a way to keep my son awake plus find a way to get him to seize.

The pain in his eyes is horrible. And I can't help him.

He's getting a washing from the nurse right now. That's waking him up just a tad. Once she's done, I'll start reading some more letters from Weslee's Warriors to him. And maybe the nurse will get someone in here to help me keep him awake and get him to talk about movies, kinda use his brain. Maybe that'll cause a seizure.

Thank you for your support. Please keep the letters coming.

Thanks.

Weslee is Freaking Out

Weslee started asking questions yesterday about the surgery.  Can he have a scar in the shape of a lightening bolt (after his fave movie, BOLT), (answer from surgeon, not really).  Will it hurt. Will his brain feel the electrodes on it. And so on.

Because he's expected to have a speech defect after the 2nd surgery, I bought some learning sign language DVDs and flashcards for us to learn ASL during the week between the first and second surgery. He's not thrilled, but I reminded him that people are donating money and with some of it, we'll buy him a really cool IPAD with a really cool program where he'll just touch the screen and it'll talk for him.  AND use sign language.

(He's also obsessed with writing a screenplay and making a movie based on The Great Dog Robbery .. also known as 101 Dalmatians ... so I got him a couple of books for the hospital on script writing.)

Also reminded him (I had to) he might have other problems, like walking, memories, change of personality. He's really hating that there's a slight possibility that he'll lose his memories. One of his autistic traits is that he files away memories by year and it's really important to him that he keep those. He's hoping there's no change in his personality, but I explained that no matter what, I'll love him and we'll work through it all.

He's so stresssed that he's barely sleeping or eating.  The only thing he's looking forward to is watching the Disney channel at the hospital, and all of these letters (and packages!) that are coming to him.  Keep them coming!

Pic taken the summer after our wedding.
Weslee on the float, Doug in front.

A BIG thanks to you all ... you wonderful people are keeping Weslee from completely falling apart.

I have to note here that I wish the news story had at least mentioned that our biggest support is my husband, Doug. We've been married just over 5 years, and Weslee adores him. Thank you, dear hubby. I'm not sure how strong I would have been if I'd had to do this alone.


Two videos featuring Weslee:
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWLnFBXPwT0
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v19GF17O2ws

Wow! More Letters!

Weslee loves it when Hubby brings home the mail.  He got another 12 letters yesterday PLUS a FedEx from a CNN Sr. V.P. with a letter, t-shirt, baseball cap and notebook.  Already packed the notebook in his hospital suitcase (can't take the cap or t-shirt because of the electrodes going directly from his brain to a machine).  (Wanna see the 9-news spot again? Click here!)

HAD to go into town yesterday to get him a haircut, underwear, jammies and a few other things for the hosp stay. So glad I found 3 pairs of button-down pajamas because I could only find ONE set for his January hospital stay. He did have a seizure after we came home. Of course.

He's getting more and more nervous. Convinced the "hole" the surgeon will make in his head will never close up. Since his short term memory is kinda shot, I keep explaining.  Oh, and he wants me to ask the neurosurgeon if he'll make his scar in the shape of a lightening bolt (i.e. BOLT his favorite movie). I need to sit him down and explain in detail the procedures, and maybe write them down, and draw pictures (although I really really can't draw).

Other News:
We're finally getting rain so maybe we'll pull out of the drought. Colorado's been really bad / dry.  Unfortunately, this moisture is killing my knees so I can barely walk today even with my cane. Too bad I can't have the surgery until the end of the year (let's just get Weslee whole first). Goat babies are finally putting on weight; got the girl to drink from a bowl since she wouldn't take the bottle.  Chickens are happy with their new tunnels and runs. Busy baking and getting ready for Saturday's garage sale.  Krypto the dog will be boarded at his vet's, and found a good foster home for the goat babies while we're at the hospital.

Now... if I can just get the strawberries and potatoes in the ground, and the tomato seedlings repotted before Tuesday.

Again, a big thanks to everyone for their good wishes and letters to Weslee. He really appreciates that people do care about him. Keep 'em coming!

LOTSO LETTERS TO WESLEE!

We're flabbergasted!

Hubby brought home the mail yesterday and in there (among the medical and other bills) were 15 letters! Wow!  Weslee was so excited he could hardly contain himself. But a storm was coming so we had to get the chickens closed up and eggs collected, the dog walked, dinner made and the 2 orphaned goat babies bottle-fed.  Then we curled up on the big bed and read letters.

He's lost some of his reading skills from a week of intense seizures so it was slow going. Nonetheless, he (and Hubby) read the letters aloud.  Weslee laughed and smiled! It made him so happy and sleepy tho so we put the 6 we read to the side and will get to some more tonight.

Thank you all so much for writing your letters.  We're calling you Weslee's Warriors!  And remember our bake sale this Saturday! I'm making lots of cupcakes, breads and other goodies!