Sunday, September 30, 2007

Prayer

Tricia's not been breathing well since she got a cold last week. Thanks for your prayers. She's sleeping now.

Headed back to Durham for another week of PT tomorrow...

Nate

Saturday, September 29, 2007

For All of My Philly Family (Part II)

















One day left, winner plays in October, phillies go home...

M-E-T-S, METS, METS, METS!

Nate

Packing


Tricia, Don, Agnes and Frank are over at my house packing some boxes with books and other stuff that we can stow away in storage while we make our round-trip to Durham/Transplant and back over the next several months. I suppose I'll go home now and see if there's anything I can help with.

Having family so close can be a good thing... ;)

Nate

Thursday, September 27, 2007

We're Home!

...just sayin'...

Nate

Trunk Or Treat '06


Napoleon and Deb, ToT '06

Nate

Upcoming Stuffs

> Tricia has completed 11 of the 23 days of PT she needs to be placed on the active transplant list. At our rate, this mean the soonest she would probable be placed on the list is in about 3 weeks.

> Tricia, espeically, is very excited about the upcoming NC State Fair. I went with my family and the crazy Korbachs at least 15 years ago and haven't been since. From what I hear, NC does state fairs as good as anyone. We're literally just a few miles from the fairgrounds.

> Tricia's feeling much better, but the cold has given her lots of nasty mucus in her lungs. The build-up of mucus is what deteriorates her lungs because it allows bugs and bacteria and other stuff to get in and stay in. She has a lot of coughing to do.

> We're both excited that we might be able to participate in our church's HUGE Trunk or Treat event in October.


I'll give 27 points to the first person to find me in this photo AND figure out what famous movie character I was last year...

> We're going home today. I'll get two full work days in at the church instead of just one like last week. But, I've also been doing work here in Durham, so no need to fire me yet.

> I'm going to breakfast now to eat my granola and yogurt mix. Hopefully, the OJ will be "in of order"...

Nate

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

You Pick

32 points to anyone who can guess the following correctly...

Tomorrow, Tricia and I are:

A) Going to the NC State Fair

B) Going to an animal farm

C) Going home

D) Going to sleep until 3PM

Nate

Links

I just added a list of CF related links over there ----------->

Nate

Monday, September 24, 2007


We're back in Durham. Tricia's still sick, and she's losing her voice a little from coughing so much the past few days. I'm going to pick her up from PT now.

Nate

Friday, September 21, 2007

OBX Great Strides Walk '08

We're looking at another Sept. date for '08. Brochures will be printed in mid-October, so we've got less than a month to pick the date.

Any suggestions about how do to things better next year?

Nate

Going Home

I'm heading out from my free wifi hotspot to pick Tricia up and head home. Peace!


Nate

Tricia's Sick

Tricia is not feeling well today. She woke up with a sore throat. I'm making her go to PT anyway cause I'm mean.

Nate

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Name That Fruit!

I'll give 50 points to the first person who can name this fruit.


Hint: It's NOT native to Durham.

Nate

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

New NC Organ Donor Law

"North Carolina also joins a growing number of states that are reforming their organ-donation laws to fulfill people’s intentions to donate. Known as the “Heart Prevails” act, the new state law establishes the heart symbol as legal consent for organ donation."

Are you a donor, and does your family know?

Become A Donor Today!

Nate

Team Pattysue Great Strides


If you walked for Team Pattysue at the Great Strides Walk, we more than doubled our team goal with a total of $6,712.14. Way to go team!!!

Nate

A Day in the Life Of...

Here's what a normal day in Durham is looking like for us:

Wake up sometime before 9:30am to get to the complimentary breakfast. The breakfast is very good and part of the reason we'll probably pick this place as our home in Durham over the next few months. Here's what is usually included in breakfast:

> Sausage patties
> Eggs
> Sometimes biscuts and gravy (my favorite)
> Sometimes pancakes
> Yogurt
> Granola
> Waffles
> Bagles
> English muffins
> Muffins
> Fruit
> 3 choices of cold cereal
> Oatmeal
> Several choices of drink

Back to our suite to get ready for the rest of the day, read the paper, catch up with The Today Show and Sportscenter.

Off to The Center For Living to drop Tricia off for 4-5 hrs of physical therapy and transplant classes. Usually stop somewhere on the way to pick up lunch or snacks for Tricia.

I either find soething to do in Durham or return to the hotel to eat lunch and do some blogging, check email, do some work, walk my pug, watch some OJ Simpson drama, etc.

Return around 4pm to pick Tricia up between 4-4:30.

Return to the hotel and hang out for a little while.

Grab some complementary dinner at the hotel Mon-Thu. Dinner varies every night:

> Hot wings
> Golden Corral pot roast
> Chilli and rice
> Spaghetti
> Pizza
> Etc.

Return to the room and either hang there for the rest of the night or go out and find something to do.

Get to sleep.

That's about it. Not too exciting at this point. We'll find more to do in the area as we stay here longer. I'm learning my way around the city and surrounding area, and we've found all of the close shopping places, etc.

Nate

Tricia's Blog Updated!

Check It Out!

Nate

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

sICk

Me. I think it's allergies...I woke up this morning and my sinuses were dripping, my tonsils are now swollen and I've been tired and a little warm all day. Could be the ups and downs of the weather, could be the Durham air, could be the hotel room...don't know.

This is what I feel like...


Nate

Downtown Durham

Part of it's very nice. There's a cool set of old warehouses that they are turning into some nice shops and restaurants. Tricia, Meka and I are hanging here today.


Nate

Monday, September 17, 2007

Sweet Victory!


Hail to the Redskins
Hail Victory
Braves on the warpath
Fight for 'ol DC!

Nate

For All of My Philly Family...


Nate

Back In Durham

We're back in Durham. I just checked into our extended stay hotel after dropping Tricia off at her PT. We've got Meka with us this time, so I have somebody to hang out with while Tricia is doing her transplant stuff every day!


Nate

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Team Pattysue!


Team Pattysue walking to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis!

Nate

Pics From Walk

Thanks to Rich Coleman of ColemanShots.com for these pics!



































THANK YOU!!!

To all of the local businesses who sponsored the Great Strides Walk!

Nags Head Bowling
The Quacker Connection
Susan Basnight
Publisher’s Warehouse
Gold N Gifts
First Colony Inn
Cloud Nine
Beach Memories
Gold N Gifts
OBX Boarding Co.
Adult Fitness Center
Nags Head Hammocks
Ace
The Good Life Gourmet
Black Pelican Seafood Co.
Jolly Roger
Cold Stone Creamery
Little Ceasars
T-Tops Racing
Walmart
Diva’s Day Spa
Nancy Ware
Lost Treasure Miniature Golf
Compass Rose
Pizzaz
Bellalago
Miss Lizzies at the Marketplace
Meridian 42
Little Ceasars
The Outer Banks Paint Store
Sherwin Williams
Jimmy’s Buffet
158 Surf and Skate
Wooden Feather
The Bird Store
Jefferson Glover
Cheryl Glover
Yellow House Gallery
James Melvin
The Coffee House of Roanoke Island
Beach N’ Life
We’re Art
Papa John's
Harris Teeter
Prime Only
Grits Grill
Kill Devil's
SOS Enterprises
Subway
Food Lion
Duck Deli
Pepsi
Bethany Benson
Marilyn Dolley
Kitty Hawk Kites
Advanced Chiropractic

Thank you so much!

Nate

Saturday, September 15, 2007

And The Grand Total Is...

$30,000!!! This number will go up even higher over the next few days as more money trickles in!

Our original goal (set almost a year ago) was $15,000, and a few weeks ago we bumped it up to $20,000. I really have no idea where the extra $10,000 or so came from, but I'm guessing it had something to do with the 150+ people who showed up even with the sketchy weather.

I'll post more tonight or tomorrow after I've gotten some rest and have my head back on straight.

Go God!

Nate

Friday, September 14, 2007

Walk With Us Tomorrow...if We Survive Tonight...

:)

It's 11:25PM, just 6 hours until I get tomorrow started. We're walking to find a cure for CF. We're still doing stuff to get ready...

Nate

Thursday, September 13, 2007

I Just Thought I'd Let You Know...

...I really like the picture below.

...and, it's nice having a Mac with a built-in camera.

...I almost look as good as my wife in this picture.

That's all.

Nate

On The Road Again...

We're heading home for the weekend this morning. Great Strides happens this Saturday. Hopefully I can get some work done and we can get some packing done at some point. Thanks!

Nate

Us Packing!

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Great Strides Update!

$225 in the bank!

Thanks to:

Scott&Julie L.
Bonnie B.

Nate

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Great Strides Update!


I've got $125 in the bank for CF thanks to:

Mike & Tina H.
Peggy B.

Thanks!!! You could donate too!

Nate
I took this picture of Tricia on 9-11-2001...


She probably won't be happy with me for posting this one, but I like it.

Nate

Get The Word Out

Was God thinking about CF when He inspired these words thousands of years ago?


Psalm 34:1-4

I bless God every chance I get;
my lungs expand with His praise.

I live and breathe God;
if things aren't going well, hear this and be happy:

Join me in spreading the news;
together let's get the word out.

God met me more than halfway,
He freed me from my anxious fears.

And, be sure to check out the Rest of the Chapter.

Nate

Prayer

Please pray for us today. Thanks.

Nate

Please...



Donate Today and help me save my wife and thousands of others.

Thank you.

Nate

Up Late...

...I've been up by 6am the past two days and will be up at 5:30 (5 hours from now) to drive out to Durham to be with Tricia for a few days. I need sleep but I'm not tired yet.

...we have a BIG appointment tomorrow at Duke that will help us figure out what's going on with Tricia and what we should be expecting over the next several months. We appreciate your prayers.

...the Great Strides Walk for CF that I have been organizing (not by myself, thanks to an awesome team) is this Saturday, and we're still getting things ready. Please, pray that the weather is good and lots of people show up. We've nearly met our financial goal!

...that's all for now...

Nate

Friday, September 7, 2007

Puppets

Ever feel like your life is completely out of your control...that you're a puppet on a string...yeah...


Nate

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

(Bump) Not A Fight



You'll notice that I refer to Tricia's experience with CF as either an "adventure" or a "journey". We all know people who have been through a "fight" with one disease or another...usually cancer. I'm not saying anything bad about those people or the people who use that phrase...I simply choose to not use that word.

To say that Tricia is "fighting" CF would imply that I believe that CF is an evil thing, which I do not. Yes, it's basically killing my wife, it makes both of our lives complicated, and it is something we pray that she will be free of one day, but it is not evil.

I believe that Tricia is who she is because of her CF...she's a beautiful, fun, positive, compassionate person in large part because of her experience with CF. I also believe that Tricia has CF because that is the exact way that God created her...CF is as much a part of Tricia as my bowed legs are a part of me. Psalm 139:13 says that it was God who literally decided exactly who I would be as I was growing in my mother's womb...He did the same with Tricia. If God created Tricia with CF, then I have to believe that it was for a good purpose.

So, you will not hear me talk about Tricia "fighting" CF. We both realize that this is God's plan for our lives, no matter the outcome. We are doing everything possible to insure that Tricia has the best quality and quantity of life possible, and at times, it certainly does feel more like a struggle than anything else. We are on this journey together, and on the really good days, we're on an adventure.

If you still don't quite understand what I'm talking about, please, read Tricia's Story...

Nate

BTW...that's us in the picture above, beginning our journey together on our honeymoon in Maui.

Tricia's Blog

Tricia is supposed to be updating Her Blog at least once a week as we go through this journey together.

We'll also be making a video journal that we'll be posting on youtube.

Our goal is to keep our family and friends and anyone else informed as well as provide another resource for other CFers who may travel this road in the future.

Nate

New Adventure = New Blog


So, yesterday officially began our adventure with double lung transplant. Actually, it's really Tricia's adventure...I feel like I'm just along for the ride sometimes...

Nate