A few pictures from the last couple of months!

My Spitfire Turned 7

Our Valentines Night at The Children's Museum

My poor baby and her awful stitches ( 3 of them to be exact)

Being silly on Christmas Eve Day!

Just because she is so stinking cute!!!!
Enjoy...more to come!

Please Join Us

TAKE STEPS BE HEARD

You're Invited!!!

Make Plans To Attend

Dinner Dance for Straton's Team

Date: Saturday April 24th, 2010

Time: Doors will open at 6:00pm, Dinner will start at 7:00pm
Silent Auctions will be announced at 11:30pm

Location: The Knights of Columbus
511 E. Thompson Rd
Indianapolis, IN 46227

Admission Fee: $50 a couple for PRE-SALE tickets or $60 a couple at the door

How to Participate: If you would like PRE-SALE tickets you are welcome to pay with a credit card by going to www.cctakesteps.org and click on Donate to a walker Donate $50 under Amber McGaha and I will put your name on the sign in list! ( if you have already donated, your names are on the list)

If you would like to pay with cash or check please call or email me with your name, how many and a good day to meet. You may also mail any checks to this address MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: CCFA

4438 Vestry Place
Indianapolis, IN 46237

If you do mail funds to me please also include your names( If different than the name on the check) so we can put those on the sign in list as well.

We will be having dinner, music, cash bar, silent auction, raffles, door prizes and plenty of info about the walk, the foundation and of course about Crohn's and Colitis Diseases!!!

100% of the proceeds from this will go directly to the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (The CCFA) for more research and programs! We are hoping to also bring awareness to these diseases to help any and all patients who live with this disease!

This will be a fun night for all so we hope you will make it!!!

Amber McGaha
317-828-1701
amberm11283@yahoo.com

The dreadful sight in the mirror

I have to laugh at this now cause it was funny, but at the time it wasn't at all!!!

My beautiful Angel woke up this morning for school. She was just going about her usual morning routine and suddenly I noticed them, the awful, the depressing, and unsightful things we call ZITS ( they weren't just red spots, but the nasty ones with little white heads, I know TMI)!

Mind you she is only 8 so when I noticed these 3 nice zits clumped together on her little soft cheek, I was shocked! I looked at her (well at them) and couldn't decide if I should tell her and if I do tell her should I tell her they are zits? What's a mother to do in a situation like this??? I freaked a little actually, then I just asked her " kiddo have you looked in the mirror yet this morning?" she replied with "NO why?" I calmly said sweet cheeks you have a few zits on your cheek... oh the nerves were bubbling up inside me for what could happen next!

She ran over to the mirror to see if indeed she really did have them or if I was tricking her. To her surprise they were really there! She kept saying I don't have zits, those are not zits, pop them mom, make them go away and then she said, "I am not going to school like this"!!! I said sorry but yes you are, I told her I would try to find something to put on them to hide those little scary things and she was a little relieved!

After I said this to her I thought to myself am I teaching her that wearing cover up or make up at 8 is ok because to me it is definitely not. I was worried if I did in fact cover them up would the cover up make them worse? I was worried I was going to make her innocent, soft, beautiful skin oily and she doesn't need that! So we were so busy getting ready for school I was going to act like I forgot, but she however did not! I took her into my bathroom to cover them up and to my goofy surprise... Oh, my cover up is too dark for her pale skin, DUH!!!!! Just to clarify I did not put this anywhere on her face but the zitted ( LOL funny word!) area. I was freaking out cause the cover up was noticable and she was freaking out cause it didn't cover them up at all, it sadly made them stand out more! Well with nothing else to offer her, but the reminder of how important it is to wash your face every morning and night...we went to school!

My little girl is sadly starting to be a young lady and I was not ready for this at all! I don't think she was either! So as I sit here thinking of our very stressful morning all I can do is chuckle...Hahaha!!!!

The Power of God is AMAZING!!!!!

I have to say if you would have asked me a year ago how I would feel if any of my children were diagnosed with a chronic disease, I know I would have said, " I don't think I could handle it, I think I would breakdown".

Well by the Grace of God I do not feel that way at all. He has moved me this week in ways I would have never thought possible! I feel him lifting me up every morning and all through out the day. The feeling is truly amazing, oh how I praise him! He has my mind going 100mph while my eyes are open and closed. My brain has not rested in 4 days!

Tuesday was a blow to me, it was honestly a very rough day. I had a few mini melt downs ( alone of course). I went to bed that night asking God to help me deal with this and to help me find a way to make a difference! Well he heard me loud and clear because as soon as I rolled out of bed I was 100% energized and ready to focus! I found myself looking for support groups and I stumbled upon the CCFA ( The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America) and the Crohn's walk! I of course started a team and from there my brain hasn't slept! I honestly can't stop thinking of ways to raise money for our walk for the foundation, it keeps me up all night and has even woke me up in the middle of the night with ideas!

He has opened hearts and minds of so many people this week. I had the idea of putting on a big fundraiser to raise money for our walk, in which 100% of the proceeds will go directly to the CCFA. I am just amazed at God's hand and his ability to touch so many people. I have people I know and don't know joining our team. I have tons of people willing to help me put on this fundraiser and my biggest surprise is the amount of people and businesses willing to donate items to our fundraiser! My heart is so warm and I just feel so happy at a time most people would think is sad and depressing. He has showed me more this week than I ever thought possible. He has showed me is really always there, he has given me hope, given me strength, lifted me up when I needed it, used me for my talents of event planning and wanting to make a difference in my lifetime! When you have faith amazing things do happen and I am so grateful for him and all he has and will do in my life here and in eternity. God is Good :)

I will ask you though, please continue praying for my family. Pray for Straton during her tests, pray she feels better, starts to feel healthier and has no pain, pray that God will continue to show me the way to help this foundation and all patients who live with intestinal diseases, pray that we continue to give him all the Glory even during difficult times we might face, pray for strength and guidance for my family. I again can't express the gratitude I feel for everyone of you who has been praying for us. Keep it up because he is hearing us!

Join Straton's Team

Please help me in raising awareness and money for this disease. Go to www.cctakesteps.org and search for "Straton's Team" and register to walk with us on June 5, 2010 to Bring Noise and Be Heard!!!! Please pass the word on to all of your friends and family members to donate to you or for them to join the team! We appreciate everyone's support and prayers during this journey.

The #1 Question I keep getting

For all of you who are asking or wanting to know what Crohns Disease is...

Crohn’s disease is an ongoing disorder that causes inflammation of the digestive tract, also referred to as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Crohn’s disease can affect any area of the GI tract, from the mouth to the anus, but it most commonly affects the lower part of the small intestine, called the ileum. The swelling extends deep into the lining of the affected organ. The swelling can cause pain and can make the intestines empty frequently, resulting in diarrhea.

The digestive system.

Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease, the general name for diseases that cause swelling in the intestines. Because the symptoms of Crohn’s disease are similar to other intestinal disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome and ulcerative colitis, it can be difficult to diagnose. Ulcerative colitis causes inflammation and ulcers in the top layer of the lining of the large intestine. In Crohn’s disease, all layers of the intestine may be involved, and normal healthy bowel can be found between sections of diseased bowel.

Crohn’s disease affects men and women equally and seems to run in some families. About 20 percent of people with Crohn’s disease have a blood relative with some form of inflammatory bowel disease, most often a brother or sister and sometimes a parent or child. Crohn’s disease can occur in people of all age groups, but it is more often diagnosed in people between the ages of 20 and 30. People of Jewish heritage have an increased risk of developing Crohn’s disease, and African Americans are at decreased risk for developing Crohn’s disease.

Crohn’s disease may also be called ileitis or enteritis.

A 1% Chance

Last Tuesday the Doctor told us he was 99% sure that Miss Spitfire did NOT have Crohns disease. Today I met with him to go over all of her results from her colonoscopy and endoscope. I was very anxious to go and get these results to hear what could be wrong since we figured it wasn't Crohns. I was also a little nervous to know what the next step would be in helping her feel better.

Well that 1% chance that she did have Crohns was pretty much the answer I got today. My heart sank in to the pit of my stomach when he said this. I was going in thinking this wasn't even a possibility. He however did not come right out and say she has this. He said the scope could not go into the small intestines, but where the scopes started and stopped in the small intestines was inflamed. The intestines is where Crohns lives. So he is sending us to St.Francis on Friday for an X-ray of her small intestines. She has to drink a purple drink and they will watch it travel through her body. This will give him a better idea of how bad her intestines are inflamed and if she does in fact have Crohns.

As I have mentioned before Crohns runs in my family ( 3 cousins have it) and it is hereditary. So I asked the Doctor today if Friday he finds that it is not Crohns could it in fact turn into or grow into Crohns and he said yes it probably will, since we have such a strong family history of this. He wrote her a prescription for a medicine that is used to treat Crohns and she will stay on this for a month. After the X-ray and he sees the reaction to her taking this medication he will then decide if she should stay on it or be put on something new.

Today was a rough day! I felt like I got kicked in the gut by a bull! After one mini melt down I have realized this is something we can't be sad or angry about, we must stand strong and get my baby girl feeling healthy. I will always be her voice in this and will always stay strong for her. With all that she has gone through and could possibly go through she deserves a strong and positive Mom to be by her side through all of it and that is just what I am gonna do.

I say it in almost all of my posts, but to God be the Glory. I trust in him 100% and know that this is all for him and he will be the one to see us through these difficult times. He is my strength, my savior, my healer, my God! He is awesome :)

My hopes for our living room

Sectional Sofa Living Room - MyHomeIdeas.com

I found this wonderful picture while searching for Do-It-Yourself projects. I am currently trying to find inspirations to re-do my living room. I have to say this is the exact same sectional that we have and I fell in love with the pillows and colors in this room. I plan on brightening our living space up and this is just perfect for us. So I will be starting this new adventure soon and I am soooo excited about it! I will definitely let you know if I pull this off, even though it will take sometime for me to completely finish this project as money does not fall off trees...as much as I wish it did! LOL!

I plan on hitting up local thrift shops, auctions and of course my favorite store...The Dollar Store, to find all of my perfect treasures to pull this off :) Wish me luck and if you know of any awesome cheap places that I haven't heard of or thought of, let me know!!!!!

Update

Ok I apologize I am a little late on Miss Spitfire's update from her surgery! Tuesday went great! She had no idea what was going on because I told her it was just a doctors appointment, I knew if I told her what was going to happen she would have freaked out and things probably wouldn't have gone as smoothly as they did.

I first want to say the Doctors, nurses and anesthesiologist at St.Vincent's were absolutely wonderful. They were all fabulous with my Spitfire, she was very comfortable with all of them. The surgery itself went great. We won't really know anything until February 9th but the Dr. did say he was 99% sure she did NOT have Crohns disease which was music to my ears. That was the main reason for having this procedure done, it runs in my family. She came out of the anesthestic so well. She had an upset belly for a little bit, but as soon as she ate she felt great.

So all we do now is just wait until the 9th for the results! Thank you everyone for all of your prayers and encouraging thoughts and words. I will update again after we talk to the Doc next week :)

Prayers for my Spitfire please

I am asking anyone who reads this to please keep my vibrant, beautiful and now 7 year old Spitfire in your thoughts and prayers.

Today she will being taking a laxative every hour for 14 hours to clean and flush out her system for her colonoscopy and endoscope procedures tomorrow. I am the mean Mom who has not told her anything about this medicine ( if I tell her she won't drink it).

She has to stay home today obviously and she is very upset about this. Her teacher has been on maternity leave since December 15th and today will be her first day back, Miss Spitfire is very upset she won't get to see her until Wednesday! I think it is so cute that she likes her teacher much :)

Anyway back to my post ( I can get side-tracked very easily, lol)! Please pray she is not in any pain today while she takes all of this medicine, pray she is not sore, pray her belly stays full from the 3 small meals she allowed to eat today, pray I don't give in to her asking me for snacks and more food ( I hate that she can't eat, but all the other kids can). Please pray for us tomorrow as she will be put to sleep and I am very nervous about this, pray we get there on time, pray the doctors are well rested, pray that the tools and machines all work correctly, pray she will be ok being wheeled to the back without me, pray for her to come out of her anesthetic quick and ok, pray the doctors find some answers with procedures they are doing!

I know God is watching over us and I know he knows how this day and tomorrow are gonna go...I have trust in him 100%! I just ask for you all to boost her up to our heavenly father for the extra guidance and support tomorrow.

I thank everyone of you who have been praying for her! To God be the Glory!

I would like to ad on another prayer request if you don't mind. My Uncle J should be coming home today from is surgery he had last Wednesday. He had extensive radiation surgery to kill the cancer in his leg. Please pray that he heals quickly and has minimal pain. Please pray my cousin, his son makes it up safely from Florida today, give my cousin the strength to take care of my Uncle with the actual lifting, carrying and just day to day task he will be doing to help him get back on his feet! Please pray this surgery was the healer, pray the doctors got all of the cancer and that he is now CANCER FREE!!!!!! Please continue to pray for his family has this past week has been a difficult and tiring week for them.