Rathgeber Hospitality House

http://www.rathgeberhospitalityhouse.org/index.php?Page=home

Those of you who are on Facebook have heard this before...I'm ready to go home. Shawn is ready to go home. Gage is probably most ready to go home. But that's not possible now, so our home away from home is the Rathgeber Hospitality House right across the street from United Regional. Its NOT home, but it's fairly close. The best part about this whole ordeal is we have a maid....I always wanted a maid. That whole "be careful what you ask for" has a whole new meaning to me now.

If you are like me, Im sure you have heard of the Rathgeber House. i've seen letters to the editor in the paper. i've heard people talk about staying here. and i never really thought twice about it. i've always been a big supporter of the Ronald McDonald House ( even though i vow to NEVER eat in mcdonalds again). but let me tell you, this place is a resting place for the weary. if you dont believe in angels, come by here and let me introduce you to a few. shawn and i kind of feel like we own the place..lol. i just cant tell you how incredibly important it is to be less than 5 minutes from gage. twice during our stay here so far he crashed, and even with the ice and snow we were in his room in CCU in 5 minutes from the call. there is not a price in the world that can be placed on that.

for $35 a night people who are grieving, who are scared out of their minds, who have cried until they are numb can find a place to recharge their body, mind and soul. its not the hilton. its something far better. every person on the staff here knows us by name, knows gage's name and condition, and stops what they are doing when they see one of us to see how he is. sally and donna feel like sisters. no telling how many blouses ive ruined over the last 36 days. but they smile when they see me, ask if i need anything, want to know about ravyn, am i ok, have i eaten....everyone around me asks that alot for some reason..

i dont know who might stubble across these words, but if you give to charity, if your church sponsors worthy causes, if your sewing club has pet projects...im praying you will consider this amazing place. its hard to rest when your afraid the person you love wont make it thru the night. its hard to eat when your baby hasnt had food in 36 days. its really hard to sit in a hospital room day and night with fear and grief eating away at you. to walk in the door and have someone come hug you and ask about your situation means the world to you. knowing someone is praying, is listening, just cares can give you the courage to face tomorrow. i am blessed to have a church family who supports me. i am extra blessed to have family close enough to come keep me sane. and the friends God has graced me with have absolutely no idea how much i love them. the prayers that surround and support us truly help me take one more step, one more breath, one more day. we've met others here that are too far from home to have that support. but they get it here. we are a family.

i've seen people loose their loved one. and i grieve with them. these people who have crossed my path in life have changed me. i may never see them again. i hope that some time in the future they will think of us, and say a prayer for us. i know i will for them. i look at Gage and forget to breathe when i remember those 17 days that i just didnt know if God would allow me to keep him. the people here loved me thru the pain. and they didnt have to. they didnt know me. that's just what angels do.

ive had so many people ask me "what can i do?" for gage all anyone can do is pray. send a card. if you're really brave, text him ( 940-212-0515) but be forewarned...he will respond...A LOT..lol. he's bored to tears. what can i say. but if you really want to make a difference you can send $35 to the rathgeber house now and then in honor of Gage Firestone. it may pay for a night of peace and comfort for a mother who has no one else some night. it may provide a place to lay down for a little while and just cry in peace for a son/daughter who is saying goodbye to their parent. it might just provide a shelter for you, God forbid, some day in the future when you have no other place to go when someone you love is critically ill.

I am blessed. Im not hungry. I have a bed to rest on. Warm water to bathe in. Clean clothes to wear. Family & friends who care about us, who love us and are praying for us. People all around me who stay in touch and are concerned. 36 days is a long time to be stressed and worried and away from home. Rathgeber Hospitality House is a light in the darkness. Ya'll know how much I hate the darkness.

I hope that someone reading this will be able to help out. If everyone I know could just send $5, imagine what a difference that could make for somone. God tells us to help those around us. All anyone can really do for Gage is pray. Shawn and I are ok for now. When we are back on our feet, I will be sending what I can to this amazing place. I will gladly do without a few things to know some mother who is here with a critically sick child has a clean safe place to try to rest. To know some son/daughter has a quiet place to go when its time to say goodbye to a parent. If you ACTIVELY want to do something worthy, send what you can, five dollars or 500 dollars, in honor of Gage. All I ask is that you pass along the word. This IS God's work. And be sure to put Matthew 25:35-40 on your note.....

35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' 37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

February is gone

Today is March 1st. I sit here lookin out across wichita falls and see all the cars, people walkin and going on with their lives. I cant believe we have been here 30 days. an entire month lost. Im so grateful to still have my son, but i am so tired of being in a hospital room. The Rathgeber House is a God send, and we are so thankful to be here, but we want to go home. selfish huh?

you dont realize all the little things you take for granted until you have to do without them, or until they are just flat gone. i miss my dogs. i miss being able to cook a meal. i miss work. and our church. the things that make life your own. i miss passing people on the street and waving, no one does that in wichita falls. i always take olney for granted until i've been away for a little while.

Gage got a bigger room yesterday, he's calling it his "apartment"...it has a nice view, so that is something to be thankful for! The respitory therapists have brought a "cap" to put on the end of his trach tube to help him talk. In 19 years, i havent seen much that phases him, but everytime they put that cap on, he has pure terror on his face. it just breaks my heart to not be able to do anything about it. There is something just wrong about being so helpless. There is so much about this whole thing that i dont have answers to. i pray for wisdom to help get him through the hard days.

The blood infection is back. Or they never really got rid of it, im not sure which statement is the most accurate. How ANYTHING can live through all the antibiotics he's had in the past 30 days just boggles my mind. He has another urinary tract infection. His left lung shows an air pocket, which is good news. the right lung is still not functioning like it should. pneumonia just wants to hang around. Gage doesnt want to sleep. He told me yesterday that he's afraid to go to sleep, because he's afraid he wont wake up. He's still critical so i cant even reassure him that he's fine. What does a mom say to her child to give him peace when she is terrified herself?

I am absolutely floored by all the prayers, cards, calls, texts and visits we have had. to look up and see a familiar face is worth a pile of gold. God has blessed us with people who not only care, but take time to show it. i know that everything happens for a reason, and i may never know the reason we are going thru this, but i am ready for the lesson to be over. We have learned how many people care about us. we have learned we can get through so many obstacles because we have God on our side. a crystal ball would be nice, because everyone knows patience is NOT my virtue...but i know that when i think i cant keep going, all i have to do is look around. i have multitude of friends who are just waiting to hold my hand and walk with me. I love ya'll. Thanks for checking on us, for praying for us, for the calls and texts emails and FB posts. It means more than you can imagine.