the waiting game

so, the baby is fully cooked. now we begin waiting. tomorrow is the 38 week mark, which would technically mean we would have 2 weeks to go. however, if you do the math it doesn't quite work. tomorrow would be 18 days till our due date.

this whole thing is actually confusing... i mean really - isn't it supposed to be 9 months? no - guess not.

anyway, things NOT MAKING SENSE is probably just prepping me for entering this new phase of my life titled, "what the cheese is going on!"

mac daddy

today i got my new macbook. so... we have everything we need for this baby to come (and us to blog our way through it). yeay macbook.

belly picts

come out. come out. wherever you are....

ouch

a few picts from the bad weekend...

- after stabilization at hospital -
- mom's back -
- dad doing much better on the ride home -
(smile)

back to life

I got home Monday evening and have been catching up (work, family, sleep).

I was really glad to go to home group last night and share all of the thoughts about prayer with them (we've been studying prayer in group). It was also cool because they were a group of people that I knew were on the journey with me via prayer.

I'm glad to be back with Erica - her tummy grow a bit while i was gone (I LOVE IT). I'm going to get some pictures on here to share with you all.

Tomorrow the baby will be "full term" with our actual "due date" 3 weeks away. We're ready (we think).

home at last

we made it. Dad was pretty rough the first hour. We got him in the front seat and he started to do much better. He was actually awake and alert for most of the trip. His long term memory is perfect. His short term memory is a bit sketchy - I'm praying for it, but am hopeful that it is due to the drugs and drowsiness.

I wild ride. I am so thankful for this family. My wife that supports me so well. A brother and sister that love each other and their parents. And my parents... they are where I start when I tell my testimony of why I believe in Jesus Christ. And really - what is more important than that!?!?! (okay they did also bring me into this world)

Mom and Dad are VERY thankful for all of the prayers and support that have come their way. They plan to send the rest of the week recovering at home, but welcome your support via email: kmiller@ginghamsburg.org and/or clark@notforsalecampaign.org

For those who have emailed and ask where to send something they are home at:
13 E. Dow St
Tipp City, Ohio 45371
(but please no visitors yet)

As for me - I'm getting on a plane tomorrow to go check on my baby in the oven! ;-) I'll still do some posts here - but much less frequent. Thanks again to all who have played a role in this miracle.

we're outta here

next blog from Ohio. We're working on getting out of the hospital and taking our 4-6 hour drive back to Tipp City, Ohio. Pray Dad isn't to uncomfortable and safe travels. we're almost home.

riddle of the day

how long does it take to read a cat scan?

I'm sure there is some funny answer about a cat not being able to read - but this is not funny - we're so ready to go home.

Dad's dressed and ready to go and we're... STILL WAITING. It's funny how mad the nurses get when you ask them about it. I think they get as annoyed with doctors as anyone.

Okay - so this is an all call... if you can read a cat scan and sign us out of here there is a $4.50 reward. please claim redemption code: broken chain upon checkout

gotta love to wait

CAT scan was right on time and only took about 5 minutes. Now we just need to figure out who we need to pay off to read the thing.

In 5 minutes I'm going to start photoshopping myself some credentials to check us out.

dad says hi

Dad says hi!

We have about 40 minutes till the scheduled CAT. Then maybe we get their blessing to get-on-outta-here.

no more tubes

dad is tube-free!

45 minutes till scheduled CAT.

quick update

They want us to do a CAT SCAN before they let us go. That is scheduled for 2pm.

He's more and more becoming himself (without the bad jokes).

a great hour

I just spent the last hour with my dad. he was able to eat scrambled eggs and some oatmeal. I can not believe how well he is doing. Every day of the rest of his life will be a miracle... and it may even be one without any spiritual, emotional or physical scars of the trauma from the last 3 days.

It was a very special hour with my dad. Docs here... gotta go.

good morning

Dad woke up this morning better then i've seen him yet. more alert and more comfortable.

doc says if we're okay keeping food (liquids) down and okay with the type of pain killers they have us set to go home with... then we can leave!! We might be out of here by lunch time and on the road back to Tipp City.

scary

He looks like's been through surgery. Honestly, pretty scary. I'm sure he is better than he looks - but it is really hard to see him like this.

Mostly he's REALLY out of it. In two months I don't think you will even know anything happened.

Could be a long two months for him.

he's on his way up to the room!

That's all I know... he's finally coming.

andy's better details

Howdy folks,

This should be our final update assuming things continue to go well. Clark's surgery took about two hours, and we are waiting for him to be brought back to the room once he comes out of the anesthesia. Clark had 3 titanium plates and 16 screws put into his jawbone, cheek bone, and above his left eye in the ebrow area. The surgeon told us that things went very well, and that the surgery had been quick and uneventful for this type of procedure. So much so that they apparently listened to Metallica the whole time the worked on him. Clark will need to only eat soft foods for the next month or so, and will not actually have to have his jaw wired shut, as we previously thought. It looks like he will be released tomorrow morning to go back to Ohio, but will have several weeks of recovery to work through along with at least 2 trips back to Grand Rapids to see the surgeon who performed the operation.

Heidi and I will likely stay with Clark and Kim for a few days while Kim's leg gets better and help her manage things around the house. Right now we feel very fortunate for Clark's improved condition, the success of the surgery, and all the thoughts and prayers that have been sent to us via email and phone messages. Clark has been especially encouraged by the messages and we have been reading them to him when he has been awake today. It has certainly brightened his spirits, and for that we are very thankful.

Again we thank you for all the kind words and support.

more waiting

still haven't seen dad... apparently he's tired (ummmm yea).

So he's still in recovery until they fell he is alert enough to come join our party. Yea - we're trying to make the best of this.

WE'RE OUT

Just talked to the surgeon. Everything went perfect. We have a total of 3 plates and 12 screws. No problems at all!

Doc thinks we can drive him home tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WaHoooooooooo

Thanks to everyone for prayers... I sincerely believe it is the reason we can celebrate right now.

i just want to be a blessing

There was a guy that I used to know and work with from Ohio named Ray Jones. No matter what you said or did or what he said or did, he would just say, "I just want to be a blessing."

It was cliche, it was funny, it was a joke... but he was serious. Kind of. I think he just wanted to be a pleasure to be around.

Well, 10 years later - Ray lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan. And he has been here with our family pretty much non-stop. He's never said out loud ,"I just want to be a blessing." BUT He IS A BLESSING.

He also happens to be a doctor here - PERFECT. He doesn't interfere, is super respectful of our family - but he is here for anything we need. And just here for us if we don't need anything.

Then there is my friend's Mike and Katie. Erica and I were at their house when I got the call. Keep in mind they have a 2 week old baby and he's cooking us dinner at the time... Whatever we needed! He was about to drive me up here! He was about to give me 100,000 sky miles! Are you kidding?! You run a business, have a 2 week old baby and you would drive me 14 hours north through the night?!

Are these people angels? No. They are not. They are people who understand friendship, fellowship and serving a living God who can do GREAT things through them (like being a blessing).

here we go

Dad's in surgery. Docs are acting that it is not that bad and should not be any problem. Should be a 2 - 2.5 hour surgery.... and... there is even a chance he could go home in the morning. AMAZING.

Wow.

Here we go - need all warriors praying through this surgery and I'll post again as soon as we're out of here.

Benj

no surgery yet

we've been delayed. apparently life threatening spinal injuries take
precedence around here.

sheesssh

;-)

--
Benj Miller

// all new: www.eye-SPEAK.com

some pre-surg picts

good night

it has been a long and emotional 24 hours. it is still often emotional
to look over and see your hero so broken.

I want to share with all of you the emotions that I (we) have gone
through... but I don't know how. I think every emotion possible has
gone flying thru my vains.

in the end God's GLORY is big. Between iowa, georgia, ohio, michigan,
oregon, to africa and europe... I believe so many saints were pounding
on heaven's door that God had to listen.

Mom's ankle has swollen up pretty large. Dad is sleeping a lot still.
All I can say is how blessed we are to still have both our parents.

--
Benj Miller

// all new: www.eye-SPEAK.com

better details from Andy & Heidi

Kim is doing great - limping some, but up and around and on her computer emailing and otherwise being normal. Clark is sitting up, has a pretty impressive shiner, and goes into surgery this afternoon to fix the bones in his cheek that are broken. He is on a lot of pain killers now and is sort of in and out, but is breathing on his own, making jokes and talking some when he is awake. He looks very well considering the circumstances, and his prognosis for a complete recovery is excellent.As far as details of what happened, the best we can piece together at this point is that a bus that picks up and drops of disable people was parked letting someone off at the side of the road, and pulled out in front of Clark and Kim. They were traveling about 60mph when this happened. They were on a larger motorcycle and pulling a small motorcycle camper behind them. Clark stopped the bike as quickly as he could, and this caused the trailer to fishtail behind them, swing around and pull the bike down on its side and to be facing the opposite direction. Kim was thrown from the bike and slid under the bus, and it appears that Clark's head may have hit the bumper of the bus itself. He remarkably has very few cuts on has face, but has an extremely swollen left check and ear area, a black eye, and a deep cut on the back of his head.We will be here for at least a couple of days I think while we figure out what to do with the motorcycle and trailer, and help as we are able. Thank you all so much for your emails and calls of encouragement, as well as your prayers and thoughts. Clark's condition is truly remarkable, and we are very grateful for all of your support.

only good news

The quick of it... AMAZING. My parents and my God.

Dad is pretty drugged up - but he is going to be fine. The nastiest black eye ever. His spirit could be a bit broken (could be the drugs). sinus, cheek and jaw bone are all broken or shattered. some other random stitches.

He is excited about having an all liquid diet (ice cream) for a month or two.

BTW - my mom is hilarious, with only a slight limp.

JUST IN, surgery is tomorrow at 10am.

cellphones aren't allowed on this floor - so i won't be texting, calling, emailing much.

THANK YOU ALL for your prayers - I'll write more later - but this is NOTHING short of a miricle... lots and lots of big, amazing, tear jerking miricles.

almost there

I am driving from flint to grand rapids. should be to hospital in
about 1.5 hours.

My sister just got there and is reporting good things (nothing short
of miricles). Dad is actually sitting up. will report more when I hear
or see more.

surgery is set for monday.

--
Benj

mom and dad accident

these are the first two emails written by andy (my brother-in-law) last night. I am flying up there this morning and will do my best to post here and keep this up to date with what we know:

A few hours ago Clark and Kim Miller, Heidi's parents, were in a motorcycle crash in northern Michigan. We do not know many details at this time, but we have talked with Kim, who has been released with minor injuries from the hospital in near Muskegon where the accident occurred. Clark was care-flighted from the scene due to a head injury sustained in the crash. Kim said that he was in and out of consciousness while they were waiting for the ambulance, but that his helmet came off in the accident. He was able to move his body during this time, and was speaking some. The paramedics apparently sedated him at the scene for the ride in the helicopter. Kim is on the way to the hospital in Grand Rapids where Clark has been taken, and will be with Clark shortly. Heidi and I are packing and will be likely leaving for Grand Rapids tonight.

Details of the accident are difficult to know now, as Kim's recollection is spotty, but it appears that a bus pulled out in front of their motorcycle, and Clark had to brake suddenly at a high rate of speed, causing the motorcycle to fall on its side and them to be knocked off of it.

This is a great time of need for our family and we ask for your prayers and hearts to be with Clark and all of us. This is the best way we know to help at this point. We will send another email once we know more about the situation.


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

Just wanted to let everyone know that we just heard from Kim, and initial CAT scans of Clark's brain are ok. He is still heavily sedated, but is responding some when Kim talks to him. It looks like all of the bones on the left side of his cheek are broken (jaw, sinus, and cheek), and he will need plastic surgery, but the hope now is that everything with his brain is OK, and that he can soon be breathing on his own. We are on the way now to Michigan and will likely not be able to email again until tomorrow.