Funeral arrangements

Please be in prayer for safe travels to and from the funeral. Also, please continue to pray for Emily's parents, brother, grandparents and all who loved her.

The Chickasha News printed this obituary today:
Funeral services for Emily Schenk, 21, of Chickasha, will be held Tuesday, September 29, 2009, at 10:30 a.m. in the Epworth United Methodist Church in Chickasha.

Emily Beth Schenk was born February 24, 1988, in Chickasha, the daughter of Jeff Schenk and Susan Harrison Schenk Woolver. She went peacefully at 4:50 a.m. on Friday, September 25, 2009 in Edmond, Oklahoma.

Emily attended Pioneer School, graduating from 8th grade in May 2002, continuing her education at Chickasha High School until her graduation in May 2006. During her school years Emily was a member of the National Honor Society and was active in basketball and FFA. At the time of her death Emily was attending Oklahoma City Community College where she was preparing to further her studies to earn a post graduate pharmacy degree. She was employed as a Senior Pharmacy Technician with Walgreen’s in Edmond where she had been accepted into the Pharmacy Educational Assistance Program.

Emily is survived by her father Jeff Schenk, her mother Susan Woolver and stepfather Jeremy Woolver, brother Justin and sister-in-law Jacqulin Schenk, stepsister Brianna Woolver, all of Chickasha; grandparents Don and Beth Ann Schenk of Chickasha; Becky and Dave Harrison of Velma; Gailen and Frankie Harrison of Albuquerque, N.M. Ellen and Dave Heller of Ilion, NY; great grandparents Helen Gunn of Plano, TX and Bea North of Brownfield, TX; aunts and uncles Alan and Kendra Schenk of Chickasha; Dona and Chris Parrish of Pocasset; Steve Harrison of Velma; and Keith and Laura Barron of McKinney, TX; and a herd of cousins, family members, and friends.

Internment will be in the Fairlawn Cemetery under the direction of Ferguson Funeral Home.

Kids first Triathlon

Wow! What an exciting morning. The kids rocked the Stonebridge Ranch Kids Playtri. We are so proud of them for giving it all they had and their amazing results. It was a chily morning and as you can tell from the first pictures of each of them they have goosebumps.

Connor Barron Short Course M 9-10 (50M swim, 3 mile bike, 1/2 mile run)
Chip Time: 22:03





Courtney Barron Long Course F 11-12 (100M swim, 6 mile bike, 1 mile run)
Chip Time: 43:50






They are looking forward to the next one!

P.S. Happy 2nd Birthday, Gavin and Happy Heavenly Birthday, mom!

Emily gave the greatest gift

"The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." Psalm 18:2

My beautiful neice, Emily, was pronounced brain dead and taken off life support. Our family is broken hearted and will miss Emily dearly. Emily's family has made the decision to donate her organs. There is no greater gift to give. Emily's organs will save the lives of many people waiting for transplants. She will live on in her donated organs and in heaven. I have no words to convey how I am feeling this evening and want to thank you all for the outpouring of love you have shown our family.

Please continue to pray for peace, comfort and rest for her family.

A dear friend's mom gave me the poem below when my mom passed. My mom was the recepient of a double lung transplant. It has brought great comfort to me over the years.

Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow;
I am the diamond glints on the snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain;
I am the gentle autumn's rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush;
of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft star that shines at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there; I did not die.
-Author Unknown
Rest in Peace sweet Emily.

Thursday

My heart is breaking as I sit and await news on our precious neice Emily. I spoke with my mother-in-law who received a call from Emily's step dad to get to the hospital. An EEG was done this morning and they are awaiting the results from the Neurologist. The doctors tried removing the ventilator to see if Emily would breathe on her own. She was unable to breathe on her own and the ventilator is back on. The family is awaiting the results of the EEG but based on this information things do not look good.

Please continue to pray for Emily and her family. Pray for the doctors treating her and all those who love her.

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12

Wednesday update

I don't have much to report today. The neurologist has rescheduled the EEG for tomorrow. Emily had a rough night and had to be sedated. She has yet to regain conciousness and somehow bit her tongue last night while thrashing about. That is why she had to be sedated. We don't know if it was another seizure. We are getting information second and third hand so we may not be getting all of it. Please continue with your prayers for Emily and her parents, Susan and Jeff, and brother Justin.

I lift up my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. --Psalm 121:1-2

I thought I'd share a picture of Emily and her brother when they were younger. They were both in our wedding. The flower girl and ring bearer. Keith and I celebrate out 16th wedding anniversary on October 16th.



Thank you again for all your prayers!

My rambling thoughts today

My sister posted this in her status yesterday on facebook "doesn't know if it's because I'm getting older, or just more connected with more people (like on FB), but it feels like our world is getting more and more sick - physically - with things like cancer and terrible illnesses. I feel blessed to have my health and feel more committed to maintaining it for my kids and my future."

It really has me thinking today. It seems like every time we turn around we hear of someone being diagnosed with a terminal illness, suffering a loss of a loved one, unexplained accidents and so on. Since Saturday, if you follow my blog, we have found out our 21 year old niece had a seizure and is on life support, Keith's step dad is in the hospital with a blood clot and a friend/client had their home of two months struck by lighting and they need to find a rental for 6 months until it can be repaired. I could go on and on about my brother's wife losing her 26 year old cousin to breast cancer, a co-worker being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, a former classmate losing her spouse to a brain tumor and so many more.

Is it just because we are getting older or that we have facebook, blogs, Internet and email to keep us better connected with family and friends?

I stopped listening to the news on tv years ago because it was so depressing and now it's not only about people on the news or celebrities on tv but it is happening to those I love and care for more and more.

It really makes you stop and think. Let those around you know how much you care for and love them because life can change in the blink of an eye. Get out there and exercise and eat healthy to TRY and avoid unnecessary health issues. Do random acts of kindness because you never know what struggles someone else is facing and that may be the one thing that makes them smile that day. Reach out to those that you've had disagreements with and reconcile your relationship.

I know that God puts struggles in our lives and like this verse states "God can do immeasurably more than all we could ask or imagine." Ephesians 3:20.

I know my faith is being tested. I need to obey this verse: "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you". 1 Peter 5:7

Thank you God for loving us unconditionally!

Tuesday update

There is one more test to be run, but it will not be run until tomorrow morning. She responds to light and pain, but the last reading by the neurologist showed no brain activity. They have taken her completely off of her medications and are waiting 24hours for the narcotics to wear off before they do another brain scan.

Thank you for all the prayers and please keep them coming!

More prayers please (Updated)

Update 1:31: Emily's parents have called in another specialist to review Emily's case and to run some additional tests. As you can imagine they want to exhaust every possible option available to her. I can't imagine the pain they are going through and the heart wrenching decisions that ultimately need to be made.

Keith's step dad, Dave, was also admitted to the hospital. He has a blood clot and I'm not sure of all the details. Please pray for him as well.

I just received a message from Keith and the results of the brain scan are in. There is no brain function. I don't know what they can do from here so please pray for Emily and her family. As a friend said to me in a comment, "We serve an awesome God", he can preform miracles. I am certainly praying for one.

Finally, some small praises to report

I just got off the phone with Keith. Emily has made some small improvements. I mentioned in my last post she had opened and closed her eyes when her parents asked her to. She has also wiggled her toes, winced in pain during a shot and moaned in pain. These are good signs as her body and brain are responding. The latest doctor to check on her has said that these are good signs and he hopes they continue. Praise God for these little signs of hope.

Doctors are people too. We have to remember that they can only report what they see but we know that they can't always predict the outcome of these situations and God is the one in control. Prayer is so powerful and I thank you all for your prayers for Emily and her family, keep them coming.

I did find out more information on the seizure. The seizures she experienced as a child could never be diagnosed by the doctors she saw. They became fewer and fewer over the years and were always small ones. Apparently, over the course of the last several months she has had 6-7 seizures and two just this past week leading up to this Grand Mal Seizure. Unfortunately, she did not tell her family and the only one that knew about them was her significant other. They did not seek out a doctor or inform the family for treatment prior to this. I desperately wish one of them would have said something but we can't change the past.

I know God was watching out for Emily. It just so happens the restaurant that she had the seizure in is across the street from the hospital so she was able to get there quickly once she was found.

Her core temperature is remaining stable with the help of the cooling pads.

Praise God! Please continue to pray.

Update on Emily

Keith has made it to Oklahoma and is at the hospital with his mom and sister and has gotten to go in ICU and see Emily.

Since so many have asked let me try and tell you what has happened to the best of my ability. Emily was out at a fast food restaurant on Friday and had eaten her meal and gone into the restroom. While in the RR she had a seizure. Food asperated into her lungs and she was without oxygen to her brain for an undetermined amount of time.
She was rushed to the hospital and put in a drug induced coma, ventilator and tubes placed in her lungs to clear them out. She had a brain scan and the result was a 2, not sure what exactly that means although we've been told it is not good, she could be brain dead. Her core body temperature reached 105 (the part of the brain that regulates this has been affected) so they placed her on cooling pads to get the temperature down. It helped but when they tried to remove the cooling pads her temperature began to rise so they are using them again. Her heart rate has been low and her blood sugar levels have been high so they have been giving her insulin which appears to be helping. The doctors yesterday believed that she would not be able to function on her own without the help of life support that she currently is on.

At some point during the night (Saturday) or early morning Sunday they started to ween her out of the drug induced coma. She has opened and closed her eyes when asked by her parents to do so. Most of the medications she is on for pain have been reduced and some as much as half. However, she is not fully concious and is still on the respirator. The neurologist who examined her today said he does not see a change in her from yesterday.

This is all I know at the current time, I know it is jumbled as I'm trying to relay what Keith told me and his mom told him. Please continue to keep Emily and her family in your prayers. Please continue to pray for the doctors treating her and that God will preform a miracle on her as we know he can.

We love you, Emily!

Prayers needed for my neice

My neice Emily (Keith's sister Sue is her mom) had a seizure yesterday and is on life support and in a coma in the hospital in Oklahoma where she lives. Please pray for Emily and her family as they have many dificult decisions ahead of them. They have been told if she comes off life support she will have brain and lung damage. Please pray for wisdom for the doctors that are caring for her that they will be able to heal her with God's help. She is a beautiful young girl (21) with a bright future ahead of her.

It's September?

Wow, time is certainly flying by. School is in full swing and the kids have completed their second week. Courtney is enjoying Middle School and Connor is settling in to 4th grade.

We are staying busy with extra curricular activities as well. Keith and I joined Lifetime Fitness two weeks ago. I've managed to make it 3 days a week. I've done a Core Class and really enjoyed the Hydro Training (water aerobics). I think I like the Hydro Training the best since it is easier on your joints and I have knee problems so it seems to be the best fit for me to get back in the swing of exercise. It doesn't hurt that I'm one of the youngest in the class.

Connor is playing soccer for his 6th year and Keith is coaching. It has proven to be a challenging season as we only have 8 players and we need at least 6 on the field for a game so lots of field time for the boys.

Courtney is playing volleyball again, her 3rd year, and it will probably be her last season. She is not enjoying it as much as she once did.

Our neighbor told us about the Frisco Velodrome. An outdoor cycling track with fixed gear track bikes. I really thought that Connor would love this, HE DOES, but was surprised to find out Courtney wanted to try it out and she too loves it. The coach said that Courtney was made for this sport. Both kids are doing awesome, Keith and I are so proud. Race season starts this Friday however, it will probably be a few more weeks before they can participate in the races as they are still learning the bikes, track and all the in's and out's of the sport.

We also signed the kids up for their first triathlon. Stonebridge Ranch puts on a kids triathlon every year and it is a great opportunity to see if there is a real desire to do these. Both kids are excited and the event is later this month so we have been training at the track, pool and biking the course. Connor will participate in the 7-10 year old division which consists of a 50M swim, 3 mile bike ride and 1/2 mile run. Courtney is with the 11-14 year old's: 100M swim, 6 mile bike, 1 mile run. It's a very doable race for them both so I hope they enjoy it as much after participating as they are excited about it coming up.

We are trying to lead a more active lifestyle and enjoyed two family bike rides over the weekend. The kids got to do some rock wall climbing at Lifetime Fitness too.

Enjoy the pictures.

Courtney on rockwall:

Connor on rockwall:

Courtney at Velodrome:

Connor at Velodrome:

In the video Courtney is first, the Mason, next is another child and last is Connor.