Stories

Loving Isaiah

Isaiah Montgomery Buchanon was born on January 11, 2005 at Vanderbilt Hospital. He was born at 7:08 am, weighing in at 8lbs and 10 ounces and 21 inches long. At 20 weeks gestation, an ultrasound determined that Isaiah’s head did not measure correctly. At 27 weeks their journey of testing, ultrasounds, and the unknown began.

When he was born, the doctors knew they were correct in their abnormal findings. Isaiah’s obvious problems were mitten hands, syndactly of the feet, cleft palate, and his brain was protruding from his skull in the forehead area. After giving his parents a chance to hold him, he was rushed to the NICU. On January 12, 2005 a clinical diagnosis determined Isaiah has Aperts Syndrome. He then spent 11 days in the NICU to establish his feeding and wean him down to a low enough oxygen rate so he could go home. The family went home with oxygen and numerous other machines. His journey of operations began on April 12, 2005. All of Isaiah’s operations have been performed by the staff and surgeons of Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital. To date, Isaiah has been in the operating room around 30 times. The surgeries have varied from minor to very complex. Some trips have been for a simple central line and others have been for major craniofacial surgeries and a tracheotomy was performed on August 30, 2006. He is on a home vent due to central apnea.

With Isaiah’s syndrome come many difficult surgeries. Then with Isaiah being himself come many more complications. Isaiah is developmentally delayed physically and cognitively. Things such as sitting, crawling, walking, and speech are a huge obstacle for Isaiah. Isaiah has very small airways (which go with his syndrome) which has caused huge issues since birth and eventually he was unsuccessful being pulled from a breathing tube, this caused him to have to have a trach. Isaiah also suffers from severe seizures which seem to come with no prediction. Along with these problems comes a whole list which you can read about in the journal on his parents’ website.

I hope you will pray for and follow updates on Isaiah at his website which is run by his mom and dad here

Farmer Undaunted

Jacob Wooley isn’t your average farmer. Injured in a tragic car accident in 2005, Jacob is paralyzed from the waist down.

He was hit in the driver’s side of his truck by a minivan that ran a stop sign going 60 mph. Jacob was not wearing a seatbelt as he drove just down the road on the way to his girlfriend’s house. He was thrown from his truck, landing in a ditch full of rocks. Doctors told him that he would never walk again.

After the accident, he was determined not to let his disability prohibit him from continuing what he loves. Jacob began by pulling himself up into his combine by a rope to get back working on his 400 plus acre farm that he began when he was 19. He called the University of Kentucky after he realized he needed a better way to get into his tractor. Today, Jacob has a custom designed and installed lift on his combine and tractor that UK independently funded and built for him.

Jacob’s attitude since the accident has been admired by many in the community.

His friends and family say he has more determination than anyone they have ever met.

In December 2007, Jacob had the opportunity to particapate in experimental surgery in Costa Rica. Jacob was given several test injections and has since gained the ability to move his toes and sometimes his legs. He is determined to walk again one day.

Jacob’s daily activities consist of farming and spending time with his dad. Most days, a combination takes place, and Jacob and his dad, Larry, spend the mornings getting the combine ready for the day’s work. Jacob’s dad often naps in a shady spot while he shells soybeans on the farm. Jacob is 30 years old and lives in Melber, Ky.

Trading Places

Twenty-three years after caring for a friend, the roles are reversed. Full-time caretaker Nidia Riley has lived with and cared for her long-time friend, Ann Williams for the past seven years. Ann and Nidia were first introduced 30 years ago at a church service in Bowling Green, Ky.

When Nidia became pregnant with her last child 23 years ago, she had surgery and was away from home at the hospital. Ann stepped in and began caring for Nidia’s family.

“She helped raised my children,”Nidia said. “I don’t know what I would have done without her at that point in my life.” It brings tears to Nidia’s eyes to describe her friendship with Ann over the years.

Several years ago Ann was diagnosed with dementia and Nidia stepped up to take care of her. “She took care of me and now I will take care of her,” Nidia said. “It doesn’t matter how long; I’m with her until she dies.” Ann’s memory has faded greatly and she has forgotten how to speak and interact with people.

Even the most basic of tasks are a challenge for Ann. Nidia goes the extra mile to make sure Ann remembers as much as she can, often giving her small tasks to help around the house and throughout the day. Nida and Ann attend church each day and are involved in a number of activities to keep Ann’s mind busy.