We are thankful for our freedom.

We are thankful for our land.

We are thankful for the trials and tribulations of our forefathers.

Stop and think. What are you thankful for? Now ask yourself: Is everyone able to give the same thanks? If the answer is no, what can you do to change this?

Give a lending hand. Mentor. Help at your local soup kitchen. Donate your unused belongings to a shelter. Instead of tossing change to the beggar, give him/her a bus pass and instructions on how to get to the local shelter, a coupon for a dinner at a fast food restaurant, hope.

What are you thankful for?

Where's your flag? Is it out today? Have you thought about the thousands of Americans who died just eight years ago, today? The thousands more who've died, been maimed, are struggling as they fight in a war for justice and to preserve your freedom? Those left behind? Those who work tirelessly on home soil to protect and preserve our freedom? Don't let the memories slip away. Don't forget to thank those who have worked to give you your freedom. Don't. Forget.

A few years ago the kidlets and I took part in a special tribute to the 2,996 victims of September 11, 2001. Author D. C. Roe had spearheaded, Never Forget. He vowed to never forget the 2,996 lives that had been taken from this planet that fateful day, their contributions and the families and loved ones they left behind. The boys and I were given five names to research, learn about and join D. C. Roe in vowing to remember them.

We are thinking of Ernest Alikako, Francis J. Nazario, Frederick Kuo Jr., Jimmy Audiffred and Juan Salas who were victims of 9-11. We will be thinking of their families. Of their contributions to this world, to our country before their untimely demise. We will be lifting them up, their families up. We challenge you to do the same. For more information about the project, to participate or read the tributes other bloggers have put together to never forget the other 2,991 victims, visit Roe's new website at: http://project2996.wordpress.com/

I don't know where the person got their info about the CT and the Dr meeting and update, buuuuut they were wrong. All of [that about the tests updated last night] didn't happen. Last night was tough again. Our superhero nurses worked very hard all night as Sean's ICP wanted to climb. This morning he is high teens, low twenties. He is in day 5 as of midnight last night. God is good and He is holding tight to Sean.

As for us, Vince and I had a heart to heart this morning and realized that we are starting to hit critical mass and we brain stormed (not easy with tired brains) on how to handle the next few days better. What we came up with is that we need to curtail the visitors a little and to update in person less. So on the advice of wise friends we are asking that people limit their visits and get their updates on Sean from this page. We really don't want people to stay away as we need your love and support but we know that you will understand our need to reserve our energy for each other.

Okay your assignment for the day is to spend some time praying for the people you love, not just the ones in crisis but for every one you love. I think that when we take the time to raise up our loved ones to the Lord, we deepen our love and appreciation for them and for One who put them in our lives.
God is great and He is present.

Love

Terri, Vince, Sean,& Kiersten

Here's the most recent update:

Well after I posted about the ICP 11, things went a little awry. Sean had a junction heart rhythm. You will have to google that because I don't understand it well enough to explain it. It only lasted for a little while then his heart went back to sinus rhythm. After that they did an EEG to try to determine what caused it, the barbiturates or the brain injury.

His EEG went well. It showed his brain firing as it should. They didn't fully figure out the cause but they did some med adjustments. His ICP has been anywhere from 11 to 31, mainly high teens, low twenties. Sooooo he's stable, he's hanging in there.

I wish I could report that he was on the mend but I have been told this is a long slow process. Right now we have to be thankful for every day and not get to excited about small changes either direction.

We are also hanging in there. Feeling a little worse for wear riding an emotional roller coaster, but God and friends and family are holding us when we are week.

I will post again later but I suspect things will be about the same for the next couple of days. As I said before lets just be thankful for stability.

As always thanks so much for the much needed prayers and support. Keep on praying prayer warriors!

Former City of Chico Firefighter, and current Sacramento City Truck Captain Jeff Helvin responded to a two story residential structure fire this afternoon.  Upon arrival there were no visible flames, but heavy black smoke was coming from the upstairs rear windows.

Captain Helvin and his crew advanced a line to the second story and performed a search.  The conditions upstairs were very hot and smokey with little visibility, but no fire.  Jeff  broke out three windows in an attempt to get some horizontal ventilation.  Conditions worsened and Jeff ordered his crew to evacuate.  Just as he gave the order their hose line burst.

Captain Helvin put out a Mayday as his crew got log jammed on the stairwell.  His crew got out, but Jeff was still trapped on the stairwell.

Jeff stated that he was burning up and there was no way for him to get past the crew that was blocking the stairwell.   He went upstairs to bail out the windows he had earlier broken out, but the conditions had worsened and he had zero visibility.  Jeff was almost out of air, and said that "By the grace of God I stumbled across my hose line"

His low air alarm had been going off for some time, and Jeff knew he was close to being out of air.  He followed his hose line to the stairs and saw what he thought was the front door and sprinted towards it.  It turned out to be a closed sliding glass door.  Jeff smashed through the sliding glass door into the yard, and with his momentum smashed through the backyard fence as well.  He landed in the neighbors yard.

Jeff was transported to UC Davis hospital with 2nd and 3rd degree burns to his left hand, 2nd degree burns to his right hand, 2nd and 3rd degree burns to his neck and 1st degree burns over his entire body.

Jeff is in a lot of pain, and is pretty upset, but the Captain I talked to said all things considered his spirits are pretty good.

--------------------

Please keep Jeff and his crew (according to the reports we heard last night, several were taken to UC Davis as well, treated and released ... except for Jeff) in your thoughts and prayers. 

It's this kind of report that makes me nervous when I hear a call go out that my husband is on.  Right on down to the low air alarm going off "for quite some time."

Brothers and sisters, your loved ones are far more precious than being a badass and turning off your low air alarms.  Thankfully Helvin had one on.

So in memory of Ernest Alikako, Jimmy Audiffred,  Juan Salas, Francis J. Nazario and Frederick Kuo, Jr. and the other 2,991 souls lost that fateful day, the hundreds upon thousands of men and women we've lost in the war against terror and their families, I offer this:

My children are being raised with a more profound sense of pride, respect and responsibility because of what happened on September 11th, 2001.  I have renewed my vestment in America, the country which has afforded me life, liberty and justice but most importantly freedom because of what happened on September 11, 2001.  My husband's daily fight to preserve life and safety has not been forgotten as he drives the fire engine to calls with our American flag waving gloriously above the cab.

I stopped today to remember
    and I remembered last week, too
In fact, I often remember since 9/11/01
    and sometimes stop to do so.

As an American, I had forgotten
    how precious my freedom is.
I have taken for granted
    my inalienable rights.

But when life and liberty
    was taken from my fellow Americans,
I remembered.  It's a painful
    memory to endure.

I support justice.
    I support liberty.
        I support life.
But most of all, I support freedom
And honor those who have
Reminded me to never stop.
                                       Never Forget 9/11/08
                                       by Kathie Leung (c) 2008