Celebration DVD

Hi guys, it has been a while since you’ve heard from me. Our family is in the process of partnering with a video studio in crafting Samuel’s Celebration of Life DVD. There were a lot of people who wanted to be there and couldn’t due to location or prior commitment so we decided to set up an unmanned video camera in the back of the church during the celebration. Because it was unmanned we ran into some issues. We are having a company improve the sound quality since some of us were harder to hear than others (for once in my life that would be me), and they are going to improve picture quality for us. We are also adding a picture slide show to the video. Our plan is to upload this DVD to the Blog for anyone who would like to see it, although there is still some question (which I am researching) as to whether you will be able to view it in its entirety, or if it will be broken up into sections. I know that YouTube doesn’t do videos longer than 15 min., but I am looking into Viddler. I will also be uploading Samuel’s final DVD that I created for his Celebration. However, we wanted to offer a DVD copy of the Celebration to anyone who was interested. If you are then you may contact me via e-mail and we will have a copy sent to you when all the preparation is finalized. This DVD will not be a need five tissues production, so do not feel that you emotionally cannot watch it. It is a celebration, not a funeral.

Special Request

First of all, I wanted to thank all of you for both coming and supporting our family with your presence and prayers last night, or for supporting and praying for us from afar. I will have Samuel's final DVD on here in the coming week.

There was a recurring theme last night that our family should write a book on Samuel’s life. None of you who made reference too this, or asked me to never stop writing, could have known the burden the Lord had already laid on my heart the night before.

We’ve been urged from very early on in our journey with Samuel to write about our experiences as a family. My parents have been urged time and again. There isn’t really anything from the perspective of siblings available for families in similar circumstances. There isn’t really much from the parent’s perspective either. While there is some material about getting through hard situations like the ones we have faced over the past 16 months, there is rarely anything that encourages people to see the possibilities these special children like Samuel have.

My family and I believe that Samuel’s story doesn’t end here. I don’t think the Lord intends for Samuel’s ministry, or even ours, to end in his death. There is still a story that needs to be told, and I believe the primary story that should be told is how a little boy whose life was expected to be meaningless would go on to impact the world from his home and hospital, never even uttering a word.

Most of you don’t realize that I am an unpublished writer of fiction (hoping to soon be published). I’ve been culminating and honing my love for words and writing for years, but especially in the last four. The Lord doesn’t do anything arbitrarily. I believe the Lord placed me in the family He did for a reason. I believe he gave me the gifts that He did for a purpose. I don’t think it is coincidence that He has blessed me with the ability to touch lives through the words He gives me, or that He just happened to placed me as a central part of Samuel’s life to use that gift for His ultimate glory.

So, we are beginning to exploring the possibilities, and the burden laid on my heart, and that of my family. What I’d really like from all of you is your personal input. We are asking now, while the memories are still fresh, to encourage each of you to tell us any and all of your memories. Tell us your thoughts, interactions, conversations, and anything else that struck you or impacted your life through Samuel. Please remind us of things that occurred, this has been 16 long months and we are likely to have forgotten some things, help jog our memory. We would like this to not be directed to us personally, but more of story stand alone format. They can be simple statements, I’m not asking or expecting you to be elaborate (you can leave that to me).

Give us bullet points if you want. How did Samuel impact you? Bullet point. How did the Glennon staff impact you? Bullet point. How did the family impact you? Bullet point. This may turn into several different works, depending on how the Lord leads, or be one complete book.

I may use the things you say as quotes, so please be sure to include whatever name you would prefer to be known by. If you are a Joe to us, but would prefer to be called Joseph in the book, then let us know. And for any of you who feel uncomfortable with your name being in print then just let me know you would rather be title as anonymous.

I might take the things you say and interweave them as a part of the story, or I might take your e-mails and use them in their letter format. Please give me as much information as you can. This is something that will go out to families all over if the Lord blesses this work (which I believe He will). My desire is that this book will change the thinking and lives of those whose hands it falls into.

There are two things that happened at Glennon that I will never forget. Each of them has a rippling effect that cannot be measured.

The first is something that I shared with some of you last night. I will never forget when a young medical student came up to me and said “I just wanted you to know that Samuel’s life has impacted me so much that I have decided to change my major to become a brain trauma specialist to help other children in Samuel’s situation.”

The second story is one that I couldn’t stop thinking about the night before Samuel’s Celebration when I felt overwhelmed with these thoughts. One of the most tragic things that happened while we were at Glennon was very early on in our stay. I remember being in the hospital and another family down the hall from us was pressured to end their newborn’s life. They were a young couple and bought into the lies the doctors were telling them. They pulled the plug and watched their little girl struggle for her last breaths. As soon as her life was over the Father ran from the room and came into the parent’s lounge where I was sitting. I will never forget the look on his face or the words he said. “I will never forgive myself for being persuaded to end her life because it was the “right” thing to do!” I later heard what had gone on from another family who was staying at the Ronald McDonald House with us. They were room buddies with the family.

I couldn’t stop thinking the night before Samuel’s 2^nd Celebration of life, ‘What if we had done that to Samuel?’ What if we had pulled the plug? How many lives would we have impacted negatively by that one choice? How many lives would have been affected? If not for Samuel, how many children and families would miss out on the impact that that young medical student would one day have on them?

Would it have been easier? Some say it would. But I hope no family will ever go through what this young couple did, because the anguish I saw on that Father’s face has haunted me ever since. So please, seriously search your hearts and share with us and the world how Samuel impacted you personally, or those you know. May the Lord bless each and every one of us who will join together to further the message the Lord has given.

In Christ,

Kaitlyn

P.S. Please take your time, you don’t have to rush. However, keep in mind the sooner we compile everything, the earlier (Lord willing) this will be delivered into the hands of families in need. Even if something comes to your attention later, even after you have submitted your e-mail (submissions can be sent to kaitlyn@contractcallers.com ), please send it anyway. You may never know the impact that one sentence may have on someone down the road.

A Second Celebration of Life

Thank you all for sending your prayers our way.

Our desire has always been to celebrate Samuel’s life and the amazing miracle of his birth, this desire has not changed. Once again we would like to invite all of you, his faithful prayer warriors, to join us in a celebration of Samuel’s life. On Wednesday evening, October 13^th 2010, we will be having a short ceremony highlighting the life of faithful service lived out by Samuel. This event will begin at 7 p.m. and end when we are through (approximately 30min to an hour depending on how things go). After the service we invite all of you to join us in a time of light refreshment and fellowship. Our family will be available until 10 p.m. to mingle among those we love and who love us. No one needs to feel rushed or hurried; we will be there until the last person leaves.

Although our hearts break at our personal loss we want to remember the life of a faithful soldier for Christ who is now safe in the arms of God. Samuel has touched so many lives through his faithful witness, and we would like people to e-mail us ways in which Samuel’s life either ministered to, or impacted them. We would like to ask that the emphasis of these e-mails not be on Samuel’s death and our loss, but on his life and our gain. We want this time of remembrance to be about the blessing and enrichment of Samuel’s life. We will have a time during the service where we will read some of these e-mails, but if you would prefer we keep them private then we understand. People who attend will be given the opportunity to say something about Samuel’s life if they feel led.

We would like to remind everyone of how blessed we have been in having Samuel among us for as long as the Lord has allowed. Samuel should not have survived his birth, but the Lord allowed us to be able to experience the beauty of Samuel’s love and life. We wish that we had been given more time with our precious treasure, but we recognize the graciousness and mercy of Christ in leaving him with us for as long as He did.

Please dress casually, and do not feel required to wear black. Our family is celebrating Samuel’s life, and though we feel his loss deeply, we will not be mourning. This invitation goes out to all those who have been a part of our lives and Samuel’s even in the smallest and most distant of ways. This gathering is not merely for our family and church, but everyone who has a love for Samuel and our family.

The family will accompany Samuel to the graveside on Saturday, and we would appreciate your prayers for us during this time as our hearts rejoice in Samuel’s gain, but mourn our own loss.

Anyone who would like to attend Samuel’s second Celebration of Life can e-mail [ kaitlyn@contractcallers.com ]me for directions.

In Christ’s Love,

Kaitlyn

A Race Well Run

On October 10^th 2010 Samuel Ian Emery went to be with the Lord around 11 o’clock. I have known lots of heartache over the years, but I have never felt a pain like the one I now feel. I know that Samuel has no more pain, that his life has been well lived and he is now able to rest his weary body, I know Samuel has heard those beloved words ‘well done, good and faithful servant’, but those truths don’t deaden the feeling of being robbed of a sacred treasure.

God is a Rock of strength and a strong one at that, as a good friend reminded me while Samuel made his journey to Cardinal Glennon. We rest our all upon him, and there are no other arms large enough to support our aching hearts. At this point I feel utterly unable to communicate anything of substance and I’m really not sure I can say anything more. My mind is still reeling and my heart feels physically ill. I wrestle with the thoughts of ‘Why God’, all the while knowing that the answer is because Samuel has fulfilled his purpose here on earth, he was a faithful witness who never lost sight of the goal. And yet my heart still breaks as I hold my sweet little Elianna and wonder how we will break this news to her. She who idolizes her baby brother, who gives him 40 kisses after a stay in the hospital, who fixes his drool rages with the utmost of care, how will we tell her that our most priceless gift has been returned to the Giver?

Thank you all for all your love and support over the last year and beyond. This will not be the last time you hear from me, but for now I have things to do, prayers to pray, and a heart in desperate need of a Savior’s soothing touch. May the Lord richly bless you this day.

In Christ’s Love,

Kaitlyn

Urgent Prayer Needs!

Okay everybody, Samuel is headed up to the ER where he will probably be admitted into the hospital. In the last hour he has gone into physical distress. He is on oxygen, breathing treatments, and antibiotics, so he shouldn’t be needing more and more oxygen. Samuel’s heart rate has gone from 160 to 200 in the last hour and he is not doing well at all. My parents are loading him up and we hope that the hour drive to Cardinal Glennon will not make him more distressed. At this point I can’t give you any information because we don’t know anything. He’s not maintaining his saturation, he’s having diarrhea, his heart rate is out of control, and he’s breathing heavily. To complicate matters Elianna has seemed to contract whatever Samuel has and she started throwing up profusely last night. She had a fever like Samuel and is clingy and fretful. She will be remaining behind with me. Please keep these concerns in your prayers this evening, we could use them.

Christ is the Ultimate Physician. Nothing take him by surprise. We try to keep these thoughts in our minds when these situations come up. I will let you know when I have any information.

In Christ,

Kaitlyn

Prayer Update

Sorry I didn’t get back to you guys right away, things were hectic yesterday. The ultimate decision was to put Samuel on Albuterol based off of his symptoms. Samuel had responded well to the Albuterol in the past. Yesterday his heart rate and breathing increased (side effects of the Albuterol) but he seems to have some small improvement today. It normally takes 72 hours on the Albuterol before you can really see a difference. However, Samuel is less distressed than he was before, so I think he’ll be okay once he gets his treatments in his body and his lungs start clearing out.

As for my mom, she has a DNC scheduled for Tuesday; she has until then to miscarry on her own.

Thanks for all your prayers,

Kaitlyn

Samuel's 52nd Post

As we head into RSV season things aren’t as good as they could be for Samuel. Last Friday he went to the Hospital for another x-ray of his arm, and the Dr.’s office. His arm has been declared fully healed and we are glad to be over that hurdle (yeah!). Now we have a new situation we would like you all to commit to prayer.

On Tuesday Samuel started running a temp and feeling generally uncomfortable. By Wednesday morning his temp was 103 and his nose was snotting like crazy. He would not maintain his oxygen saturation, and eventually we had to put him on his oxygen. He has continued on oxygen through the night and into today. This is uncharacteristic of Samuel because he is only on oxygen when he is in distress. His temperature remains high and his nose is still running like crazy. His lungs have also become extremely junky and my mom is thinking he might be starting to wheeze. The bottom line is, Samuel feels lousy, and he looks it too.

No one in the house is, or has been, sick, and Samuel hasn’t been around anyone else. We figure he probably got something from Glennon or the Dr’s, but we can’t be sure. So, we have two options. My mom is waiting to hear back from Glennon, but the thought is we could either take Samuel up to Glennon and get a culture done (possibly exposing his weakened system to something else) or we could put him on a prescription that may not be the most accurate medication for what he’s dealing with.

Please keep Samuel in your prayers and ask that the Lord would give us wisdom in how to deal with this situation. Also, continue to keep my mother in your prayers. She still has not miscarried the twins and is coming down to the point where she has to miscarry or the Dr.’s will be forced to do a DNC. A DNC would complicate the issues my mom already has with her pregnancies, but we are getting down to the point where the situation could become hazardous to her health.

Thanks for your prayers and support. I will keep you posted on both situations.

In Christ,

Kaitlyn