a very manzo christmas indeed

The Manzos would like to say...

"MERRY CHRISTMAS from the Manzo Family! We want to THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS for all who helped make today 'A Very Manzo Christmas.' We are beyond blessed and truly grateful. We will never forget this day. Thank you also for the continued prayers for improving health."

"It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air." - W.T. Ellis
"Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love!"
- Hamilton Wright Mabie

miraculous

It's been a rough week for Wendy. She's had little to no appetite, has struggled with extreme nausea, and has vomited a lot. She's lost a great deal of weight in only a few days time. She's been so weak that she's been unable to walk.

Wendy had a follow up appointment with her local doctor to discuss some tests she had done last week. The doctor found some irregularities in her colon. They are running more tests. The irregularities might be causing her lack of appetite, nausea, and vomiting. She hopes to get the results by the end of the week.

Wendy is asking for a miraculous intervention. She is desperate for good health. Please pray for miraculous healing over Wendy's body.

Show me your ways, oh Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Psalm 25:4-5

meals for manzos

Wendy is hopeful that she will get to return to her home with her husband and boys by January. As incredible as the homecoming will be it will be complicated. Wendy is still in a lot of pain and is restricted from doing ANYTHING except for eating, healing, and resting. Grocery shopping and making meals will be out of the question.

There are already a lot of kind people signed up to deliver dinners. It would be even more helpful and wonderful if they could have a dinner delivered every single night during the month of January! Let's continue to help make this transition back to "normal" life as easy for Wendy and her family as possible. If you would like to deliver a meal to the Manzos or already have and would like to give yet another, please contact Erin at egunstream@gmail.com

continue

This recovery has been more complicated, extensive, painful, and trying than Wendy could have ever imagined. She definitely thought she would have been back on her feet by now. Your continued prayers are much needed and appreciated more than you could ever imagine. Pray for her health, her body to be strong and to heal quickly. Pray for her mind and soul that it is protected from doubt or sadness. Pray for her closest support system, her husband, sons, mom, dad, and brothers. Pray for their strength emotionally and physically as they care for Wendy.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth,
give I unto you. Let your heart not be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27

relief please

Wendy has been extremely nauseous and has had an almost non existent appetite for the past two days. A wound specialist came today and removed dead skin from her wound. The specialist is ordering a special enzyme treatment to speed up the healing process.

Wendy was excited to watch The Office tonight. It's good to know some things never change.

Please pray for Wendy to have less pain and a BIG appetite tomorrow.

"Don't try to hold God's hand; let Him hold yours. Let Him do the holding
and you do the trusting." - H. William Webb-Peploe

Don't be afraid, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine. Isaiah 43:1

garage sale/holiday boutique for wendy

Friends of Wendy are hosting a Garage Sale/Holiday Boutique to raise money for her and her family. The event is scheduled for Saturday, December 19th from 8 am to 1 pm. It will take place at the Murrietta home, 750 East Indianapolis in the Old Fig area, just East of Christmas Tree Lane. Please contact Sarah at murrietta_s@madera.k12.ca.us if you would like to donate old items or sell new items. A large amount of clothing and other items are being collected by Sarah's sister-in-law in Southern California. She is most likely going to need to rent a U-Haul to get everything to Fresno! It promises to be a packed sale. Hot chocolate and other tasty treats will be available for purchase the morning of the event. Please mark your calendar for this special sale!

wound v.a.c. out

Wendy's home health nurse was able to remove the Wound VAC today. The wound is sealed with gauze and tape at the present moment. Tomorrow the wound will be reassessed to see how it does with just the simple closures. The home healthy nurse will check it again on Wednesday and put a "sealant" along the wound to help keep it protected. Wendy is THRILLED. It is the first day since October 19th that she is free and not connected to any wires, tubes or cords. Please pray that the wound (which is still open) continues to heal quickly and that no new infections develop. She said it feels great to hobble around without carrying a heavy wound VAC and dragging a long cord everywhere she goes.

Shout with joy to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of His name; make His praise glorious!
Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds! Psalm 66:1-3b

stop sign show off

Wendy continues to have tough mornings. Her nausea and pain seem to be the most severe when she first wakes up. Pray for those mornings to get easier.

Wendy walked to the stop sign at the end of her parents' street today without a walker or cane! What an incredible accomplishment this is! If only her physical therapist could see her now. It can't be confirmed, but there is word that she might have even done a little celebratory jig around the sign. She didn't use her cane while walking around the house today either. She shuffles slowly, the potential for her legs to buckle out from underneath her is still a possibility. She continues to exhibit incredible strength!

Wendy was thrilled to finally get to see her grandparents today. She hasn't seem them since October 18th. They came to visit and "babysit" her while her parents attended a luncheon. They enjoyed a peaceful afternoon together. It was a wonderful visit and she loved every minute spent with them.

The tentative plan is for Wendy's Wound V.A.C. to be removed tomorrow! Please pray that all goes as planned. Pray that the incision site looks good. Pray it is the perfect time for removal and that is removed without pain. Pray for clarity and guidance over the home health nurse that will remove it.

We know how dearly God loves us, and we feel this warm love everywhere. Romans 5:5

recovering and surviving...

Wendy is at home, resting after a long and painful day.

The nurse had a difficult time getting Wendy's IV started. As a result Wendy has a bruised and sore arm. Because Wendy only has one lung they didn't sedate her as much as she or they would have liked to. She felt a great deal of pressure during the surgery. It has been a painful recovery since this morning. Due to an overall exhausting and physically demanding day her large incision site has been causing her a great deal of discomfort.

She is on a new antibiotic that also has an anti-inflammatory property. She is hopeful it will help reduce any potential swelling.

Pray...

• Wendy sleeps well tonight.

• Her road to recovery is free from any additional bumps.

• Wendy's family can rest peacefully tonight, knowing today's surgery is over.

"To be grateful for the good things that happen in our lives is easy, but to be grateful for all of our lives - the good as well as the bad, the moments of joy as well as the moments of sorrow, the successes as well as the failures, the rewards as well as the rejections - that requires hard spiritual work. Still, we are only grateful people when we can say thank you for all that has brought us to the present moment. As long as we keep dividing our lives between events and people we would like to remember and those we would rather forget, we cannot claim the fullness of our beings as a gift of God to be grateful for. Let's not be afraid to look at everything that has brought us to where we are now and trust that we will soon see it in the guiding hand of a loving God." - Brennan Manning

out patient surgery

Due to complications Wendy will have out patient surgery tomorrow at 8 am. Please pray that she feels less anxious and scared tonight. Pray for decreased pain and discomfort and a quick recovery from surgery.

Wendy is NPO tonight and tomorrow morning. She can't take Motrin until after her surgery tomorrow. Consequently she is in a lot of pain right now. She has to wake up very early for pre-surgery procedures. She will be sedated with twilight sleep anesthesia, which means she will be awake but not completely conscious. She is anxious about being awake. Pray she doesn't experience fear or anxiety during the surgery. Pray for strength for her remaining lung during surgery.

Pray for healing over her numb leg and large incision site. She is experiencing a lot of setbacks due to the many complications that have occurred this past week.

Micah, Skyler and Jadon were misdiagnosed at the walk-in clinic. They do not have staph infections. All three are on antibiotics for a viral infection.

Pray...

• Protection and peace over Wendy during surgery.

• She heals quickly and moves forward rapidly in the recovery process.

Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. I Peter 5:7

wendy's meals on wheels

Wendy's recovery has been more complicated and intense than anyone could have ever imagined. Meals for Wendy and her family have had to be postponed many times now. Finally, Wendy's Meals on Wheels is ready to start back up! If you are signed up to deliver a meal and need a date reminder please contact Erin Gunstream at egunstream@gmail.com

If you are not signed up to deliver a meal and would like to, please get in touch with Erin through email. Thank you to all that have and are committing to deliver meals. The family is asking that meals be dropped off with Micah in Fresno. He will deliver them to Wendy, where she and the family will enjoy them in Madera. Please, still no visitors at this time. Wendy and her family are so grateful for all of the continued love and support.

better half of the day

Yesterday was a better day for Wendy than the four previous. She was nauseous, in a lot of pain, and had no appetite for the first half of the day. The second half of the day was a little bit better.

She had her Wound V.A.C. changed yesterday. The nurse that changed it is in-training. The process wasn't the most comfortable or very speedy. Wendy is worn out from being learned and practiced on by nurses and medical assistants. She welcomes all veteran medical professionals from here on out.

Wendy enjoyed a wonderful, homemade Mexican food for dinner. She sat in her recliner and her mom and dad joined her, sitting on either side. Her appetite was back in the evening and she was finally able to enjoy a meal.

Her left eye is still causing her a lot of discomfort. Warm compresses are helping. She hopes this stye situation is over soon.

Micah took Skyler to his pediatrician yesterday. It is confirmed that Skyler does have a staph infection. Skyler's pediatrician put him on a less invasive, lower dose of antibiotics. Micah and Jadon both have staph infections now as well.

Pray...

• The stye in Wendy's eye is healed.

• All future medical professionals that help Wendy are extremely experienced.

• Micah, Skyler, and Jadon are healed from staph infections soon.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.
I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27