Anyone who wants to send some encouragement to Caleb

Caleb's NEW Address:
132 Hillside Dr
Norfolk, NE 68701



Elkhorn Valley Bank
Caleb R. Baber Medical Fund
800 West Benjamin Avenue
P.O. Box 1007
Norfolk, NE 68702-1007
Phone: 402-371-0722

Recovery in full swing

Recovery in full swing

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Please note Caleb's new address listed above. That's all!

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Wednesday Appointment

Hi all,
Sorry it's been awhile since I've written, it's been busy. Tomorrow Caleb has a burn Dr appointment in Lincoln. Todd & I will be picking him up at Bennington (where he is staying) & taking him to Lincoln for the appointment. They will be checking the Integra. It looked really good last week & they are hoping to put a skingraft over it after 21 days. It had a good blood supply and was nice & pink.

I will update you as soon as I can. But it is the New Year holiday, so I'll do my best. Thank you to all the people who have commented on the Daily News article on Caleb. We are praying that God continues to use it to bring Glory to himself & we are mere vessels!!

Love, Tami

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Home for the Holidays

As I write this, Caleb is visiting with a cousin Darrin Kraft. They have been very close growing up & I am glad they are getting some time together.

I had a wonderful Christmas having Caleb here. We were able to go to a Christmas Eve service with other family members & it was very moving. Just being with other believers & sharing in God's love towards us was a cool experience.

Caleb spent Christmas day with his dad & family & then stayed over at his dad's house all day on Friday also & came to our house again today. He plans to go back to his dad's later as his is planning to go to church with them. Then it will be back to Bennington for rehab on Monday.

Wednesday he will go back to the burn Dr to have his Integra looked at. After approx. 21 days they will do a skingraft on that leg. So far it looks really good. Todd & I got to see it when we took him to his last appointment. It has been filling in very nicely. The Integra will provide a "base " for the skingraft & padding for his prosthetic.

Please continue to pray for his left hand. We are asking God to increase the mobility there. Thank You for all your prayers & support. We really appreciate each & everyone of you!! Love, Tami

Friday, December 26, 2008

http://www.norfolkdailynews.com/main.asp?SectionID=3&SubSectionID=104&ArticleID=13959

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Felt much better

By the time Caleb went to the Dr. he was feeling much better. Thank you Lord. I guess Moms still "fret" when their kids are ill, even when they are 20!!!!

Have a Merry Christmas!!!

Love, Tami

Monday, December 22, 2008

12/22/08 Update

As I write this, things are VERY chaotic at work. So it's taken me a while to get to posting on the blog. Levi is out at the house with Caleb & he said that Caleb is not feeling too well. I've cancelled his dental appointment for this afternoon & he had an appointment with the Dr already scheduled for today at 3:50. I'm sure the timing is good. Hopefully he's not coming down with something.

Tonight he will go to Kristin & Jim's for his rehab appointment for tomorrow. Grandpa Bob is taking him, THANKS!!! Then on Wed, Todd & I will pick him up at Kristin's & take him to Omaha for his appointment with his burn Dr. Then we will go to Rani's for Christmas.

I don't think I'll be writing much between now & then, so bare with me. I will try to update tomorrow after he goes to the Dr. today. Otherwise, I'm gonna try to just enjoy Christmas with the Fam.........

Have a VERY Merry Christmas!! Love, Tami

Friday, December 19, 2008

Update!

I know that Caleb has been getting in touch with friends as a few of you have come out to the house to visit & he got snowed in town last night with friends. On the way home from Lincoln he asked "Do I have a curfew?"

He was able to pull off a surprise being home with his brother & dad the first night he was here. He enjoyed that!

He will begin assessments at QLI in Omaha on Tuesday & then start therapy on Monday the 29th. He has to go back to the burn surgeon on Wednesday the 24th to have him look at his leg. In 3-4 weeks they expect to do a skin graft on that leg & then let it heal & get his prosthetic. We are continuing to pray for that leg & left hand. It still can't grip.

Sometimes I am in such awe that we have been Blessed enough to 1) have him alive & 2) have him for Thanksgiving in NE & 3) HOME for Christmas!! God has so richly poured out Grace on our family. When He promised to never leave us nor forsake us, I am so grateful!! You never know how you will respond when something like this happens to you or your loved one, but God has carried us through! THANK YOU Lord!! For everything!!!
Love, Tami

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

HOME!!!

Well, when Caleb's Dr came out to talk to us after surgery, he said "You can take him home!"

PRAISE GOD!!!

We went back to Madonna, packed up his room & stopped at the mall for a quick stop & CAME HOME!

I still can hardly believe he is here!!! So, if you are in Norfolk, Caleb will be here until either Sunday or Monday & then he will go to Jim & Kristin's to begin rehab. He might be here again the following weekend for the New Year, but HE IS HOME!!!!!

Thank you for all of your prayers!! Love, Tami

Monday, December 15, 2008

GREAT weekend!!

It's been a busy & GREAT weekend! Caleb got to get together with several of his friends & his little brother & hang out for the weekend. I was glad for him to get out of the hospital and hang out with friends. Unfortunately, he didn't give me many details to share with you. He is expecting his friend Eric tonight to hang out. Eric has been out of the country & unable to connect with Caleb in person. I know he is looking forward to seeing Eric.

Caleb went for a home visit today to his Aunt Kristin & Uncle Jim's house. The plan is to live with them while he is in OUT Patient rehab. They live in Bennington & have opened their home to him. We are so grateful to them & all they are doing. We will never be able to thank them enough!! They were able to go through the house with Caleb & determine what might need done. For example: hand rails in the bath tub. That sort of thing.

Caleb is so hoping & praying to be able to be discharged before Christmas. We are praying that God has His healing hand on the left leg & that it heals well enough to be home for the Holidays.

The next step in the recovery process is a skin graft on Wednesday. Todd & I are planning to go down there & of course, the weather is now calling for 4-6 inches of snow...RRRR...I normally love the snow & it's not that I don't, but it sure seems like we get the "fun" weather when we are suppose to go to Lincoln.

I don't have a lot more to add. But I am always in awe at how God has moved in our lives. We watched a show last night that made me think again of how close we came to spending our first Holidays without Caleb all together! Life is so fragile. I don't think we tell people that we love how much we love them nearly enough. Thank you all for your prayers & I am praying that everyone ready this has a most Blessed Christmas!!
Love, Tami

Friday, December 12, 2008

WOW!!

Caleb, thank you so much for posting on the blog. I think the pictures are marvelous!! You look GREAT, by the way! I am so proud of you & how you have leaned on God so well since Sept 20.

Caleb is asking for continued prayer concerning his left hand. He is still unable to make a fist with it. All the signs have been good, but there is no way to really tell what nerves may have been damaged. TIME will tell. This makes holding the crutches a bit challenging.

The left shoulder is stretching & moving well. He is pretty sure that he may not need surgery to relieve that skin graft. He also has good elbow movement. The right leg is GREAT! The chin is GREAT!

The left leg is still needing a skin graft & we are praying that it heals really well to be home in time for Christmas. As Caleb said, it is in the Lord's hands whether he is out or not.

God has been so good these last 3 months. Not that He isn't good all the time, but I know that He carried us through. I don't know how we would have made it without Him. I am praying that He has used this situation to strengthen your faith as He has ours.

Have a GREAT weekend!! Caleb is expecting to hang out with the guys this weekend & Todd & I are doing MUCH needed housework this weekend!!! Love, Tami

PS Laura Katherine, I am still praying for your father!!

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Short Surgery

Well, Caleb is out of surgery. The Allograft had taken about 75%, which meant that there was bacteria there & the Integra (an artificial graft) would not have taken, so they did another Allograft. The Dr said that could end up being done 3-4 times. We are just sitting in his room now while he is waking up. They've left the splint on. Caleb feels like he is able to flex that leg a little straighter, so it appears to be helping.

God has been so good to us through the last 2 months & I want to take a moment to Thank Him. Please pray for the Grace to continue through this. We love you all. Love, Tami

Monday, December 8, 2008

Wow! Quick weekend!

Well, to start off, I apologize for slacking over the weekend! We walked into Caleb's room on Sunday to have him tell us that the Dr said he could have a pass for the afternoon and boy, was he ready to get out!! So Rani & Kevin came over from Omaha & we loaded up & took him to Valentino's and then to the mall. We didn't even purchase anything, it was just good for him to get out!!

Then we came back to Madonna & visited with Brendee, Shellee & Tyler. A friend Logan & girlfriend stopped over before we left too. From what Caleb said he had lots of visitors on Saturday. Mainly Levi & dad & family.

Caleb is really wanting to get out before Christmas, but we'll have to wait & see.

Tomorrow he is to go back to St. Elizabeth's for them to look at the left leg. They will make a decision on what type of graft they will do when he is in surgery. So Todd & I will go down either tonight or tomorrow weather depending.

Caleb's goal is to get back to Madonna on Tuesday afternoon & get up on his new prosthetic on the parallel bars. I really hope he gets to do that while we are there. I will take lots of pictures!!

Well, work is now in full swing & I gotta go! Have a GREAT day!! And always remember that God loves you more than you will ever understand!!!
Love, Tami

Friday, December 5, 2008

Oh it's good to hear from Caleb!!

Caleb, You are so welcome!! I love you very much 2 !!!!

Thank you for posting on your blog!! I went to add to it this morning & you gave a much better update than I could have. (At least more thorough) THANK YOU!!! I'm sure that people are glad to hear about your Road to Recovery from you.........and of course the picture helps 2.......

It's been a usual Friday at the Middle School. Things get a little crazy by the end of the week.

If I learn anything new, I will post it, or maybe Caleb will give you an update later again......

Love, Tami

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Guess Who?


First of all, I want to thank my mother...she has remained strong for me and all of the readers of this blog through some of the toughest times of our lives. I love you mom!

Well today was a very important day on this road to recovery and an adequate independence for a return to school. I had my right residual limb casted for the first mold for creating a prosthetic! The third and it seems final phase of recovery has begun! That was in the morning, and this afternoon I went downstairs to their offices and their workshop. He had already finished the plaster mold of my stump. He told me that he has me labeled a k3 when it comes to prosthetics which means I'll be on legs that will allow me to do pretty much everything but run. After I get up on them and show that I can handle any surface, he will bump me up to a k4 which means if the insurance will cover them I'll get the running Ossur carbon fiber legs like the ones Oscar Pistorius has. I'm excited to get my first one sometime next week if things go as planned for them.

Thank you all for your continued support and prayers. I have learned through this how incredibly strong my support is. My family is stronger and closer than I had ever imagined and my friends have done the same. Please continue to seek the Lord and all that He has for us to learn through this process! I don't know how or why, but I know that this whole time and even injury has been worked into a good thing by our wonderful Savior.

caleb

LONG Day/Week

I just realized before I left work that I haven't posted anything. Caleb didn't have a lot to say earlier, so I have nothing new to report. Caleb if you read this, feel free to post something!! I've given you log in information!!! Anyway, it's been a long day & I am bushed!!! Love, Tami

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Surgery went well

Surgery went well. It was really short compared to the other surgeries he's had. He was in his room before 11:30. The left knee still won't extend as well as it should, so they put it in a splint. We are just hanging out with Caleb in his room waiting for the Madonna van to come get him. We'll grab a bite to eat for the 3 of us & hang out with him a little longer. He's doing really well. Rani is suppose to come over from Omaha for a visit! There's really not a lot more to add, other than Thank You for all the prayers. Love, Tami

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Thanks!

I would like to say Thanks to Zach &/or Charlie for posting the pictures for me. Doesn't he look GREAT!!! A little skinny, but he's doing his best to catch up. Charlie brought him some cereal to snack on & I know one night over the weekend he ate 4 bowls!! I am bringing some Marshmellow Maties with me when we go down for surgery!

Surgery #13 will be his Allograft. Please pray that it heals exceptionally well. I know he is getting ansy to get up on his prosthetics. They have delayed the caste of his right leg because of surgery, but hopefully soon I'll have pictures of him standing upright on his own accord!!

Due to the weather, snow suppose to be coming in, we are debating whether or not to go down tonight. Caleb has decided that he wants his own clothes, so we are bringing all of those with us.

Laura Katherine, I will continue to pray that your Dad is able to keep his knee!!!

Love, Tami

Monday, December 1, 2008

Allograft for Wed.

I talked to Caleb this morning & he is suppose to go to St. Elizabeth's to have his Allograft surgery on Wed. at 10:30. He will be spending the night over there for sure. We are praying that he is able to return to Madonna the next day. Please pray that everything goes well.

I brought back pictures from the weekend to work & he's looking so good! I am awed at how God moves.........THANK YOU !!!!!!!

Love, Tami

Laura Katherine

I am so sorry to hear about your Dad. We will most definately keep him in our prayers. No matter how hard this is for you or him, if there's one thing I know, God doesn't leave us to go through these situations by ourselves. He loves you soooo much!!! Please take care & keep us posted on how your Dad is doing. Love, Tami