Tricia and I love this video...what a great way to explain what Cystic Fibrosis is...the cute British accents don't hurt...
Nate
Monday, December 13, 2010
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Pre-School
This is just a quick post to let you know that a certain little girl began pre-school this past week. She's attending a special class at the local elementary school for children with disabilities...her 5-6 classmates share similar developmental delays, and her teachers are all therapists. She loves it!
Nate
Nate
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Have Yourself an Ugly Little Christmas!
This past Monday night, a few of our small groups from church got together for an "Ugly Christmas Sweater Party". For those who might not know, this is basically your normal Christmas party, made 10 times more fun because everyone is asked to wear an ugly Christmas sweater (is there such thing as a not ugly Christmas sweater?). Both of the groups that hosted this party are "mommy" groups, and just about everyone came, including husbands, and including about 30 children. To add to the fun, ColemanShots and I set up a photo booth...probably the best party ever.
My sister's family...
My uncle and aunt...
"Real men in womens sweaters"
Mustaches make any photo better...
I hope your Christmas season is as fun as ours!
Nate
My sister's family...
My uncle and aunt...
"Real men in womens sweaters"
Mustaches make any photo better...
I hope your Christmas season is as fun as ours!Nate
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Blessed to be a Blessing
This week, Tricia and I began a new adventure. This week, Tricia and I became foster parents.
Of course, I won't be able to share specific info about the children we will be caring for, but we are so excited about this new opportunity and wanted to share about it with you. We began the process several months ago and received our first placement this week.
I've shared with you in the past about our heart for adoption, and while it is still an option that we are considering for the future, our goal right now is to simply provide a safe place for children to live during difficult situations. As you may remember, Tricia (and two of her brothers) was adopted after being placed in the Kirschner house as a foster child. I have a few cousins, uncles and aunts and others in my family who have been adopted. And, we have many friends who are adoptive and foster parents.
We have been blessed to be a blessing. I believe that with all my heart. To not take the blessings He has given to Tricia, Gwyneth and I and turn them into blessings for others would be selfish. Being foster parents is a great way for Tricia and I to be a blessing...we have the time, we have the space, we have the heart for children.
I don't think it's any coincidence that we are beginning this journey during the Christmas season...God gave us His Son so that He could become our heavenly Father. No greater gift could He have given to us. Christmas should be a time for us to be thankful for our blessings and give from our heart to those in need.
Last year, Tricia and I participate in Advent Conspiracy. It forever changed the way we celebrate Christmas and gave us one more reason to consider becoming foster parents. Not everyone can open their home to children, but we can all invest in the lives of others in some way. Take a look at the video below, visit the Advent Conspiracy Website, and consider making this the best Christmas you've ever had.
Nate
Of course, I won't be able to share specific info about the children we will be caring for, but we are so excited about this new opportunity and wanted to share about it with you. We began the process several months ago and received our first placement this week.
I've shared with you in the past about our heart for adoption, and while it is still an option that we are considering for the future, our goal right now is to simply provide a safe place for children to live during difficult situations. As you may remember, Tricia (and two of her brothers) was adopted after being placed in the Kirschner house as a foster child. I have a few cousins, uncles and aunts and others in my family who have been adopted. And, we have many friends who are adoptive and foster parents.
We have been blessed to be a blessing. I believe that with all my heart. To not take the blessings He has given to Tricia, Gwyneth and I and turn them into blessings for others would be selfish. Being foster parents is a great way for Tricia and I to be a blessing...we have the time, we have the space, we have the heart for children.
I don't think it's any coincidence that we are beginning this journey during the Christmas season...God gave us His Son so that He could become our heavenly Father. No greater gift could He have given to us. Christmas should be a time for us to be thankful for our blessings and give from our heart to those in need.
Last year, Tricia and I participate in Advent Conspiracy. It forever changed the way we celebrate Christmas and gave us one more reason to consider becoming foster parents. Not everyone can open their home to children, but we can all invest in the lives of others in some way. Take a look at the video below, visit the Advent Conspiracy Website, and consider making this the best Christmas you've ever had.
Nate
Monday, November 29, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
Fast Track (Updated 11.1.10)
So, I figured for those of you who are just joining us and don't have the time or desire to spend the few hours that it would take to read through every post here, this is a good way to learn all about us in just a few minutes.
My name is Nathan Lawrenson (most people call me Nate). On June 27, 2004, I married Patricia Suzanne Kirschner (everyone calls her Tricia), and we began our crazy life together. Up until September of 2007, we had been living in Nags Head, on the Outer Banks (OBX) of NC for two years with our dog, Meka and our cat, Ralphie.
Tricia has Cystic Fibrosis (CF), a terminal, genetically inherited disease that especially affects the lungs. When we were married, she was showing outward signs of the deterioration that her CF was causing to her body, and, with the support of her medical team, we quickly began trying to start a family, knowing that our window of opportunity was small.
In May of 2007, after a few unsuccessful years of trying to become pregnant, Tricia’s disease had progressed to the point at which her doctors strongly advised that we stop our efforts to conceive and consider undergoing the evaluation process for the double lung transplant that could save Tricia’s life. Trusting in our doctors’ wisdom and in God’s control, and coming to terms with the fact that we would never be able to have our own children after that point, we took their advice.
Yet, all this time, since before we were even married, Tricia had been praying a secret prayer…it was even a secret to me. Tricia had been praying for a miracle baby.
In July of 2007, Tricia went through the week long evaluation process at Duke University Medical Center to determine if she was a candidate for a transplant. She was a candidate, and we began making plans to temporarily move to Durham, NC to be close to Duke.
In early September, the day before Tricia was to begin the physical therapy that would prepare her to be placed on the transplant list, we found out that we were unexpectedly pregnant. Against the advice of many of our doctors, we chose to keep the pregnancy, having been told that both Tricia and the baby had less than a 50% chance of surviving.
From September through December, Tricia participated in physical therapy five days per week to keep her body in the best shape possible, all the while growing sicker and more dependent on oxygen. On December 27, Tricia went into the hospital for what we hoped would be a short stay. The short stay turned into a long stay.
Because of her deteriorated health, Tricia was moved, on January 3, 2008, to an ICU room. During this time, Tricia was getting less than one hour of sleep per every twenty-four hours. The baby was just under twenty-four weeks old (gestation) and doing as well as possible.
On January 8, Tricia was taken to the OR where she was sedated, given a tracheostomy and placed on a ventilator, with the hope that she could carry the baby for a few more days. The trach and ventilation went well, but Tricia was too unstable to return to the ICU, and the decision was made to perform an emergency C-Section right there in the OR. There were no less than 75 medical staff with Tricia in that room that day.
Gwyneth Rose Lawrenson was born that day at 24 weeks and 4 days gestation, weighing just under 1 lb 6 oz and measuring 12 inches long.
Following Gwyneth's arrival, Tricia was placed in a medically induced coma for nine days. She was slowly weaned off the paralytic and sedation meds until she was fully awake and aware of all that had taken place.
Tricia remained on the vent in the hospital for over four months as she slowly regained some of her strength. On February 22, less than seven weeks after giving birth, Tricia was listed and activated on the double lung transplant list. She was given a high score but was told that new lungs may be difficult to find because her blood type was very rare. In the meantime, she was walking nearly a mile everyday (with the help of a vent and a walker) and visiting Gwyneth for just a few minutes each day.
On April 2, my 27th birthday, we got the call that changed our lives forever. Tricia was going to receive a second chance at life. That night, and throughout the early-morning hours of the next day, Tricia underwent the nine hour surgery to replace her old, sick lungs with a new, healthy pair.
As of November 1, 2010:
Gwyneth Rose spent over eighteen weeks in the NICU. On May 15 (2008), we finally brought her home (to our hotel in Durham). Although she remains on a few medications to help her premature body grow, and her development is progressing slowly, she continues to do incredibly well with no major setbacks. Gwyneth has amazed everyone, including her nurses and doctors. At 2.5 years old, Gwyneth finally began walking on her own, and, with the help of glasses and hearing aids, she is discovering how to communicate with others with sign language and a slowly growing vocal vocabulary. Although she is very small for her age as a former micro-preemie, she is now growing at a very steady pace and is well over 24 lbs. Gwyneth is the joy of our hearts and a smiling baby, and we are having so much fun introducing her to the all of the things that God has given us in this beautiful world!
Tricia is has recovered very well from the transplant surgery. After less than three weeks of recovery, she was finally discharged from the hospital on April 22 (2008) and completed several weeks of rehab at Duke by the beginning of June. While there have been no signs of rejection in her new lungs, Tricia has had some issues with lung infection and was diagnosed in June of 2008 with Post-Transplant Lymphoma (PTLD). As of November (2008), the lymphoma has been in remission. Although she experiences constant minor health issues related to her immunosuppressant meds and her lingering CF , Tricia is now feeling healthier than she has in years as she continues to live with a strong heart and a smile on her face. She is taking to her long awaited roll as a mother with as much joy, grace and determination as she approaches everything in her life.
I literally lived at the hospital with Tricia from December of '07 to April of '08, spending most of my time in Tricia's room and making several visits with Gwyneth every day, sleeping most nights at Tricia's feet, and only returning to our hotel for a little sleep and to spend some time with our dog, Meka. Tricia's mother, Agnes was there with us for most of that time as well, and much of our family (from NC and NJ) spent lots of time with Tricia and Gwyneth whenever they were able.
Tricia and I are slowly returning to a more normal sense of life. We are incredibly excited to have Gwyneth home, and are enjoying our lives as full-time parents. We finally returned home to the OBX in early June of 2008 and purchased our first home in the fall of 2008. We are spending a lot of time with our families, traveling to visit friends, and are looking forward to another awesome summer on the beach!
We are forever grateful to Tricia's donor and his/her family for making the decision to give Tricia a chance to be a mother and wife (not to mention and daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece and aunt) for several more years.
We are also humbled to have this opportunity to allow God to use our story to show Himself and bring our passion for awareness of and support for Cystic Fibrosis, Organ Donation, Premature Birth and Lymphoma to the minds and hearts of even more compassionate people.
Thank you for reading our story, and feel free to check back in as we update the blog often. Also, take advantage of the links on the right-hand sidebar to find out even more about our story.
My name is Nathan Lawrenson (most people call me Nate). On June 27, 2004, I married Patricia Suzanne Kirschner (everyone calls her Tricia), and we began our crazy life together. Up until September of 2007, we had been living in Nags Head, on the Outer Banks (OBX) of NC for two years with our dog, Meka and our cat, Ralphie.
Tricia has Cystic Fibrosis (CF), a terminal, genetically inherited disease that especially affects the lungs. When we were married, she was showing outward signs of the deterioration that her CF was causing to her body, and, with the support of her medical team, we quickly began trying to start a family, knowing that our window of opportunity was small.In May of 2007, after a few unsuccessful years of trying to become pregnant, Tricia’s disease had progressed to the point at which her doctors strongly advised that we stop our efforts to conceive and consider undergoing the evaluation process for the double lung transplant that could save Tricia’s life. Trusting in our doctors’ wisdom and in God’s control, and coming to terms with the fact that we would never be able to have our own children after that point, we took their advice.
Yet, all this time, since before we were even married, Tricia had been praying a secret prayer…it was even a secret to me. Tricia had been praying for a miracle baby.
In July of 2007, Tricia went through the week long evaluation process at Duke University Medical Center to determine if she was a candidate for a transplant. She was a candidate, and we began making plans to temporarily move to Durham, NC to be close to Duke.
In early September, the day before Tricia was to begin the physical therapy that would prepare her to be placed on the transplant list, we found out that we were unexpectedly pregnant. Against the advice of many of our doctors, we chose to keep the pregnancy, having been told that both Tricia and the baby had less than a 50% chance of surviving.
From September through December, Tricia participated in physical therapy five days per week to keep her body in the best shape possible, all the while growing sicker and more dependent on oxygen. On December 27, Tricia went into the hospital for what we hoped would be a short stay. The short stay turned into a long stay.
Because of her deteriorated health, Tricia was moved, on January 3, 2008, to an ICU room. During this time, Tricia was getting less than one hour of sleep per every twenty-four hours. The baby was just under twenty-four weeks old (gestation) and doing as well as possible.
On January 8, Tricia was taken to the OR where she was sedated, given a tracheostomy and placed on a ventilator, with the hope that she could carry the baby for a few more days. The trach and ventilation went well, but Tricia was too unstable to return to the ICU, and the decision was made to perform an emergency C-Section right there in the OR. There were no less than 75 medical staff with Tricia in that room that day.
Gwyneth Rose Lawrenson was born that day at 24 weeks and 4 days gestation, weighing just under 1 lb 6 oz and measuring 12 inches long.
Following Gwyneth's arrival, Tricia was placed in a medically induced coma for nine days. She was slowly weaned off the paralytic and sedation meds until she was fully awake and aware of all that had taken place.Tricia remained on the vent in the hospital for over four months as she slowly regained some of her strength. On February 22, less than seven weeks after giving birth, Tricia was listed and activated on the double lung transplant list. She was given a high score but was told that new lungs may be difficult to find because her blood type was very rare. In the meantime, she was walking nearly a mile everyday (with the help of a vent and a walker) and visiting Gwyneth for just a few minutes each day.
On April 2, my 27th birthday, we got the call that changed our lives forever. Tricia was going to receive a second chance at life. That night, and throughout the early-morning hours of the next day, Tricia underwent the nine hour surgery to replace her old, sick lungs with a new, healthy pair.
As of November 1, 2010:
Gwyneth Rose spent over eighteen weeks in the NICU. On May 15 (2008), we finally brought her home (to our hotel in Durham). Although she remains on a few medications to help her premature body grow, and her development is progressing slowly, she continues to do incredibly well with no major setbacks. Gwyneth has amazed everyone, including her nurses and doctors. At 2.5 years old, Gwyneth finally began walking on her own, and, with the help of glasses and hearing aids, she is discovering how to communicate with others with sign language and a slowly growing vocal vocabulary. Although she is very small for her age as a former micro-preemie, she is now growing at a very steady pace and is well over 24 lbs. Gwyneth is the joy of our hearts and a smiling baby, and we are having so much fun introducing her to the all of the things that God has given us in this beautiful world!
Tricia is has recovered very well from the transplant surgery. After less than three weeks of recovery, she was finally discharged from the hospital on April 22 (2008) and completed several weeks of rehab at Duke by the beginning of June. While there have been no signs of rejection in her new lungs, Tricia has had some issues with lung infection and was diagnosed in June of 2008 with Post-Transplant Lymphoma (PTLD). As of November (2008), the lymphoma has been in remission. Although she experiences constant minor health issues related to her immunosuppressant meds and her lingering CF , Tricia is now feeling healthier than she has in years as she continues to live with a strong heart and a smile on her face. She is taking to her long awaited roll as a mother with as much joy, grace and determination as she approaches everything in her life.
I literally lived at the hospital with Tricia from December of '07 to April of '08, spending most of my time in Tricia's room and making several visits with Gwyneth every day, sleeping most nights at Tricia's feet, and only returning to our hotel for a little sleep and to spend some time with our dog, Meka. Tricia's mother, Agnes was there with us for most of that time as well, and much of our family (from NC and NJ) spent lots of time with Tricia and Gwyneth whenever they were able.Tricia and I are slowly returning to a more normal sense of life. We are incredibly excited to have Gwyneth home, and are enjoying our lives as full-time parents. We finally returned home to the OBX in early June of 2008 and purchased our first home in the fall of 2008. We are spending a lot of time with our families, traveling to visit friends, and are looking forward to another awesome summer on the beach!
We are forever grateful to Tricia's donor and his/her family for making the decision to give Tricia a chance to be a mother and wife (not to mention and daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece and aunt) for several more years.
We are also humbled to have this opportunity to allow God to use our story to show Himself and bring our passion for awareness of and support for Cystic Fibrosis, Organ Donation, Premature Birth and Lymphoma to the minds and hearts of even more compassionate people.
Thank you for reading our story, and feel free to check back in as we update the blog often. Also, take advantage of the links on the right-hand sidebar to find out even more about our story.
Nate, Tricia and Gwyneth Rose
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Fall Family Fotos
Last week, on our way home from a short trip to our college town of Lynchburg, VA, we took a short detour in rural VA to visit our amazing friends, the Lawler family, at Faith Farm. Tricia loves the idea of living on a farm, Gwyneth loves checking out the animals, and it was a perfect location to grab some great family photos!
BTW, if you love farming, barnyard animals, hard-working people, and incredible southern food, do yourself a favor and read This Article about the Lawlers' journey from south Jersey to central Virginia.
BTW, if you love farming, barnyard animals, hard-working people, and incredible southern food, do yourself a favor and read This Article about the Lawlers' journey from south Jersey to central Virginia.