GJ's update for today! No breathing Tube!

He was extubated couple hours ago and he looks really good. He was not fussy, he just lying calm and watching cartoons program on the television.

This picture was when they are ready to remove the breathing tube.

He knows what was going on. He criesd a little bit!

Gerald stayed very calm. The RT's are preparing to extubate him.

With nurse Maryrose...she was emptying his stomach by drawing out some of the air and fluid by a syringe.

He is progressing a little bit now. Hopefully this is a positive steps for him. Let's pray for him that this is the last time for him to have that breathing tube.

Baby Shower Party March-7th-2009

Picture of us with my friends in Nelly's kitchen:)

Group picture in the living room

Picture with the yummy foods.

BABY SHOWER PARTY AND FUN FUN FUN!

Yesterday, I had my baby shower hosted by my two good friend Nelly and Belen held at Nelly's house. We just had a small baby shower party, but we are all had fun and had a wonderful time. It was my very first baby shower party , although this was my second baby my husband told me that I just don’t have to many friends before:). Anyway, yesterday I felt very special because all my friends attention were all focus on me. To all of them who came and hosted my baby shower party, I really appreciate what you’ve done for me and effort to make my shower party successful. To this very moment I still remember all the laughter that we shared together. I really appreciated your presence and presents as well, but most of all the happiness you shared with that no could ever ever take it away from me.

Most of all , I would like to thank my two wonderful friend Nelly and Belen for their generosity and Kindness. God bless you, us and all!

My Life and My Experiences: New bumps on the ROAD

My Life and My Experiences: New bumps on the ROAD

New bumps on the ROAD

This picture was taken last Feb. 4th. He was very sedated because he wiggles a lot. He almost remove his breathing tube.

It has been a while since the last time I updated my blog about my son's health condition. Three days ago, the doctor found out from the result of the CT Scan that he might have infection in his lungs, aside from the infection in his bone (sternum). The CT Scan result there was some fluid sac in his lung that might be another infection. The infection control doctor thought that it might be the same kind of infection that he got after the surgery which is MRSA. They told us that it might just the onset of the infection called emphima ( a fluid sac in his lungs). The same night that Gerald had the heart CAT (Feb. 3) he had a bronchioscophy (can't spell) where they look at inside of GJ's throat upto his left bronchus and they flashed it with saline solution. The instrument that the doctor used (I can't remember the name of the instrument) it was a long tiny black rubbery tube with camera and suction attached at the tip of the tube. When they flashed inside the throat it suction the fluid out. They did this to see if the fluid sac of his lungs is an infection. They sent the fluid that they got out from his lungs to the laboratory for culture, and so far it came back negative. What a relief.
Also, there was a test that was done yesterday. This test (I forgot what it's called, but they used a x-ray to get the fluid in the right spot in his lungs) is to figure out if the pleural cavity around his lungs is also infected. The same thing that they did, they get fluid sample and sent to the laboratory for culture. The result is not out yet. It takes two to three days to know the result for culture. They did the gram staining process and the result was negative for any bacteria. This is another good news.
So far, Gerald is feeling better, but he is still intubated. He opens his eyes and just stares on the selling which make us scared. But the doctor told us that he was just drug up. He hasn't have the prn medication (make him sleep) for more than twenty four hours, so I suspected that the night stuff last Wednesday night gave him to much of sleeping juice. I was not a big deal though , but he scared us when he opened his eyes and stared at nowhere. I hope all his test result will be negative for any bacteria.
I have been doing a novena to the DIVINE MERCY which ate Elaine gave me through the multiply website. Today is the third day. I said to my novena that I will do this for three consecutive days and also say my intention. I do believe that God is listening, because I can see a little progress to my son's health condition.

PRAISE TO OUR GOD!

My Apology

I would like to apologized to all my friends who have been very supportive to my son's health conditions. I wasn't able to get online because of not getting any good signals for wireless internet here at the hospital. I will catch up to you as soon as I can. Again, my apology to all!
God Bless you all!

Going down Hill

Going down hill...that is what the cardiologist has to say early this morning. Apparently, Gerald had a few since yesterday. His temperature hasn't gone down even they gave him two kinds of fever medicine. His recovery keeps changing from poor to good and then going back from good to poor for quite sometimes. According to the cardiologist, Gerald is not improving at all. I thought he was improving, I guess he was not.
Today, he is going to have a CT scan and later might have the heart catheterization. Since he has fever since yesterday they might delay the heart cath until his fever is totally over. The infection keeps coming back. I don't know if the same infection but it totally using Gerald's body and that is why Gerald is sometime he feels better and sometime he feels weak and worse.
The cardiologist talks about the worse posibilitiies of getting another surgery to scrap off teh infection in GJ's sternum, if the infection is really growing in his sternum they might cut off some but part of his bone and replace with (hmmm I forgot what kind of tissue he was talking about), anyway they have to do the best for my son. It is getting uglier this time and we are just so worried now. We got a lot of going on in our family. Six weeks from now I am going to have my second baby (which is exciting), but I hope Gerald is out of the hospital. Another, my father-in-law is very sick too and we are just not in a better situation of losing strength here. We have to stronger all the time.

To all my friends here, please pray for all of us and most especially for Gerald and his grandpa.

MRSA infection : News video

I got this video from CNN website, thought that it might be interesting to post since Gerald got the same infection. MRSA is a tough bug and can be very fatal for children like Gerald's age.

Pregnant twice!? How that happened?

Amazing isn't it?

Dr. Connie Hedmark is my friend's daughter. She got this video from CNN, and sent it to me so that I can see it. And now I am posting it here for you guys to watch.

Just another day !

Last night, GJ was trying to remove the breathing tube by moving his head from side to side. He managed to detached the 02 connector (blue and white tubing). He did it couple times before the night shift ends.

Picture of GJ after they removed the staples on his chest.
I was watching the nurse practitioner cutting the staple off his chest, and every time she picked it I say "ouch" for my son's behalf.

This picture taken this morning. He was sleeping comfortably.

Today, he is doing great ( but still ventilated). He is going to have a heart catheterization its either by Tuesday or Wednesday. They also did a blood culture, urine culture , and sputum culture to test if MRSA is still present in his body. He had the temperature this afternoon that is why they did these test.
The blood culture last Saturday came back negative, so that is a good news.
Nothing is exciting happened for today as far as GJ is concerned.

Active little fellow

This video taken February 3rd, 2009 in the OR waiting area.
He was very active and very movable.

Just in case everyone is wondering what is Gerald look like before he underwent surgery. I would like to post this video so that everyone might see how healthy he was.
Sometimes, when I'm feeling so sad just by looking at him in the hospital bed lying unconscious. To eased my sadness and pettiness about his situation, because I can't do anything for him at this time to help him. I watch this video of him. It made me feel that sooner or later he'll be walking and doing what Gerald's wants to do.
His father misses him so much, when he coddles his dad and slept by his side.
He is a sweet little boy and I really missed his smiles and his sweetness.

Quite Day

Gerald had an electrocardiogram this morning. As the cardiologist look at the possibilities of what causing Gerald's lungs to not functioning well, he found blood clot in the vein from his lower extremities and going up to the aorta. The doctor didn't think that it might be the cause of his problem right now, but they want to deal with it before it become a major problem. He is now getting a heparin shot on his belly couple times a day. Ouch! but that will make him get better in the long run.
So far, he was doing great although he is intubated again. His heart functioned real well. As what the cardiologist told me this morning he might just have fluid built up in his lungs and he needs to drained all those fluids through urination. As they said dry lung is a good lung.
They also tried to use nitrite oxide machine to help his lungs, but it was not helping him at all. At this time he have great numbers , his stats were in the high 80's and his heart beat were in the 130's. He have 24 breaths per minute so that's good. I hope that one day when he is ready for the breathing tube to come out, he will keep in the positive healing process.
I will keep praying for his fast healing and I know all my friends and family does it to and thank you very much for your prayers.

Intubated Again!

February 28, 2009

Last day of this month! Sigh…I was hoping that GJ will continue to have a great day everyday after they removed the breathing tube. So far I don’t know what to say… I am very sad to say this that he is back with breathing tube again. Last night before I went to bed he was doing alright although he was not saying any words. I went to bed around 12mn after I cleaned him up and everytime I open my eyes to check on him, he was already checking on me. I was surprised because it seems that he was watching me while I was asleep. Around 2am I decided to stay up with him. He was not fussy at all, he was just lying on his bed. Then later around 3:30am he started to rolled around in his crib. He was very restless, he even manage to pulled the vital signs monitor out of the box and it fell on the floor. He tangled himself with all the cords that was connected to his body, he turned round 365 degrees, which was causing his IV to bleed. He kept his nurses on toes between last night and today.
Today, he woke up around 7:30 am when the doctors came in. I thought he was gonna have another beautiful day today, but the notion that I felt turned around. Around 10:30 am when I took a peek on him before I was gonna take a shower; however, I saw him taking off his feeding tube and O2 canula and breathing very labored. So, few nurses came in to our room and take a look at him. The next time that I know is that doctor came and told me that he needs another breathing tube. I was not surprised at all , because I can see how harder he breathes and I have no other choice. As much as I hate to see him with the ventilator, it would be better for him anyways to help his lungs to function well. The doctor suspected that he might have a pneumonia or the MRSA infection is still working in his body. It is very frustrating because I can't help him. I was hoping that he can go home next week so that he can visit his grandpa. But he turned the other way around. I took some video of him in the morning which is very different than the afternoon video.

I still don't lose hope though, and I do believed that God will take care of him always. I just need to have more faith in him.

GOD IS GOOD, AND HE IS OUR HEALER.

Video of Gerald in the morning. He was breathing harder already.
He was sitting on the foam chair and watching his favorite kids movie.

This is GJ's video in the afternoon. Intubated again.
His lungs was not doing what it supposed to do.

Its another blessed day of GJ's recovery

Video of Gerald today 2-26-09

Today , I would say the best day ever after the emergency surgery of Gerald that happened last 12th of February. His appearance has a dramatic improvement since Sunday . His face looks normal now and less swollen, but his stomach is still bigger than normal. He only have one major IV on his left thigh ( this IV will stay for quite sometime because he needs to have the full dose of antibiotics and its deliver through intravenously). Also, he is on the high dose of O2, I think 7liters 100 % /hour. I can't really remember how exactly the dosage of oxygen is given. He is back on his feeds. As the amount of milk per ml goes up, the nurses will turn down the amount of nutrition that Gerald getting through his IV. He's still on the low dose of pain meds, but I think they are going to wean him off with that by tomorrow. Therefore, he might just have the oral medicine afterwards and he can be walking anything soon.

Another, since he was really awake today, we was able to watch the television. But he kept me on my toes, I have to always reposition him because he always lying vertically on his bed. They want him on in upright position so that he can have a normal function of his lungs. He sound congested so far, but if he can just cough all the white plem in his throat he would be sound a whole lot better.
Anyway, it was a pleasant day for all of us here. Thank God for keeping my son in HIS powerful healing hand.
And to all my friends that offered prayers for him. God bless you and I hope you will continue to pray for him. I appreciated your help very much!
God Bless us all!

Good day today after 14th day in bed

Gerald was watching TV and his big brother came to visit.

♥ I don’t want to say things ahead of time, but I think today is one of those wonderful days that happened to Gerald after the major surgery and after they removed his breathing tube. He looks happier and more comfortable. This morning, I woke almost 8am, and Gerald’s nurse Tiffany told me that they are going to removed GJ’s chest tube. I was barely awake but at the same time I answered “okay” to her. I was gonna go back to bed but the nurse practitioner put on a gown and gloves and ready to remove GJ’s chest tube. The nurse gave Gerald a pain meds so that he cannot feel anything. I was watching them pulled the tube and for Gerald it was nothing because he slept through it. Anyway, we started a beautiful morning and until the end of the day. The only problem that Gerald had was congestion. The Respiratory therapist kept suctioned his nose and mouth to get raid of the flame (can’t spell) in his throat. Also, Gerald was feeling well today I saw him smiled again for few seconds only. The reason why he smiled is because I turned on the TV and it was a cartoon program sponge boob. He like sponge boob. Anyway, it was a wonderful day today and Gerald looks really good. I hope this is the beginning of the beautiful week of recovery. It was a huge improvement since last couple days past. Praise God that He keeps Gerald in his powerful healing hand.

My husband and I are very happy to see him getting much better everyday.

Gerald has been extubated today

I would say that today is a good day for Gerald. He has been on the breathing tube for two weeks and doctors were really concerned that he is not improving. Yesterday, they put a new folly catheter on him to help him urinate. Guess what? It did works , he was urinating like crazy within the twenty four hours. I was really trilled. He was not urinating normally for quite a while, and that is why he was so swollen. After Gerald urinated a few liters of fluid, the doctors decided to removed his breathing tube. I took a video of him calling me, and he was trying to wiggle around. I hope he'll keep breathing by himself, so that he will not need a breathing tube again.
I offered a prayer to God right and after they took the tube out.
Please Lord Jesus, keep him in your powerful healing hands.

Gerald's day 13 of being intubated

"Mary would you please help me!" GJ's nurse calling out for help to her co-worker . That is how I woke up this morning. I was in the corner of Gerald's room fast asleep ( even though few nurses I heard coming in and out in this room) when I heard nurse Nicole asking for help from her co- worker. I was suddenly jump out of the small bed and put a gown and gloves to helped her comforting GJ. He was not so happy. He wiggles and trying to get up; however, he should not be getting up yet because he still intubated. The nurse couldn't leave him to get his medication, because GJ was so strong and very persistent to do his own plans...getting up. Anyway, a good nurse came to rescue us and brought a prn medication for GJ to calm him down. After he had a dose of meds he fall asleep until 7:30 am.

He was gonna have a catheter on his abdomen to drain some of his excess fluid (due to the surgery he was susceptible of gaining fluid in his tissue). However, the doctor ordered to put a new folly catheter on him to help him urinate. I think this folly catheter really works because last night alone he pee more than 600 ml. If he continued to urinate and less swollen, he might not need to have the abdominal catheter done.

The plans for today is to extubate (remove the breathing tube) him. I hope he can manage not have the breathing tube although he is swollen. I just pray to God that all will be in his hands, and according to his will. Today is day 13 since GJ on his back. I hope that he can be more movable in few days.

Bed Bath for GJ

I was just helping of giving him a bath.

Nurse Nicole was the expert of giving him a bed bath. She took care of GJ since he was a baby, and also she was the one who gave him his first bath.

I was just helping the nurse to give him a bed bath last night. Although GJ was awake, he was fine with it. He always want to be cleaned up anyways.
Anyway, as far as his recovery is concern, he is slowly improving. I just spoke to the on call cardiologist few minutes ago, and he said that GJ is slowly progressing. Heart wise is looks good, and GJ's heart function well as they expected. I crossed my fingers for all the good recovery for him.
GJ still swollen and ventilated. This is day 11th of having that breathing tube. I could imagine how it feels like to have a tube in his throat. I bet it is very uncomfortable and painful, i would guess.

Also, I went home yesterday and do some house cleaning in the morning, and I attend a baby shower in the afternoon. When I was cleaning at home, I run across GJ's little shoes. I couldn't help to cry. I remembered how he use to give me his blue plastic shoes every morning, because he want to go out in the backyard and play with the chicken. He has been here for 3 weeks and my house usually emptied with his voice and his laughter. I missed all of those. I hope to see him moving around and smiling again soon.

I pray to our God to heal my son.

Gerald is doing a little better

Gerald so far is doing a little better than in the past few days. He drained some of those excess fluids in his body and now his weight is getting better. I would say that he gained almost 5 pound in a week. It was not fat in his body but more on fluids in his tissue. That is the reason why he was very puffy.
The infection wise is still there in the wound and his mucus. They did the blood culture yesterday morning and still came back negative, which is very good. I hope it will keep it that way.
Today the plan is to extubate him (remove the breathing tube). They said that he is ready for it. He keeps fighting that breathing tube since yesterday. My husband and I were really doubted that if they remove the breathing tube in his situation right now, he might need it because he is still swollen. We had this situation before that after they extubated him, he could hardly breath and when they tried to put the tube back in they have to call the specialist after the fourth attempt of those doctors. Gerald's air passage way was not clearly seen at that time due to his swelling throat. He has been unconscious for 7 days and hopefully he'll be able to totally breath of his own so that they can remove the breathing tube today.

So far so good and I praised God for taking care of him!

Swollen Gerald

Lord Jesus Christ the son of our Almighty God. Please touch my son with your powerful healing hand, so that he may have a fast recovery from his surgery.


We been here at the hospital for couple weeks and thing are going so slow. Sometime I feel like losing my energy just to look at my son's situation. I couldn't image how he feel now. Gerald's body might have fight the infection for the short period of time with the help of the antibiotics, but it doesn't mean that the infection is totally cleared up. The doctors told us that they are very positive now. The result of the blood culture for 3 consecutive days came back negative for infection in his blood stream.That is a good news in my book. I just couldn't help my self to think and feel very hopeless. Sometimes, I feel nervous and weak, but I have to be strong for my baby. If he is strong to fight all of these thing why can't I right?
O God, please help me!

Arterial and Central line Procedure

I did not leave the room so I have to wear a mask and surgical cup in the corner:).

Nurse Maryrose taking care of GJ. GJ was very much sedated so he didn't feel anything when they put the ART and CTR line.

Today, we finally received the result of the specimen culture. We were very surprised that Gerald have MRSA (Methicillin-resistance Stap Aureus). No wonder why Gerald was very irritable after the surgery. I know that this kind of infection is very common in the hospital: however, how did he get it? if they are all practicing antiseptic procedure in the Hospital.

Anyway, as Gerald continue to fight with the MRSA infection, they need to put arterial and Central line to deliver the IV medications. His nurse tried many times to find viens that will handle the antibiotics meds when infusion, but she failed after 3 pokes. Therefore, nurse Maryrose decided to asked the doctors that he needs more access to give the IV medications. The only way is to put arterial line and central that will last longer than the regular IV. Gerald's veins were all shot. He probably had 20 pokes in his whole body not to mention the other art line and central line when they put before the FONTAN surgery.

Gerald has gone through a lot, and I am very proud of him that he is very strong to fight all of these things on him. There is truly one GOD that keeps him more tougher and tougher everyday, and I praise the Lord Almighty for keeping us stronger.


More info about MRSA from the cdc.gov website

"MRSA occurs most frequently among patients who undergo invasive medical procedures or who have weakened immune systems and are being treated in hospitals and healthcare facilities such as nursing homes and dialysis centers. MRSA in healthcare settings commonly causes serious and potentially life threatening infections, such as bloodstream infections, surgical site infections, or pneumonia."

The Journey of my Life: Another day at the Hospital

The Journey of my Life: Another day at the Hospital

Another day at the Hospital

Video of Gerald and nurse Maryrose while changing the dressing on his chest.

Happy Valentines day to all and to my family!

Today is just another day of us here at PCTICU -Pediatrics Cardiothoracic ICU. Gerald still intubated and very swollen. He is swelling due to the infection that prefuse or leaks out the blood vessels.
Also, they used staples on his skin to put his chest together. I was really surprised when the nurse said the used staple gun ( and you know what I mean) but staple gun for skin not for wood.
Anyway, he still swollen and sometime he wakes up crying. But they keep sedated. They increased the dose of his meds so that they can feed him and he won't wiggle a lot. So far his is not ready to remove his breathing tube. It may take few days before they do that, and when GJ is ready for sure.

Also, I would like to thank Maryrose for taking care of my baby, and Nicole King (night nurse) for taking such a good care of him last night and for letting me slept through the whole night. I felt very good today, because I got enough sleep. Thanks a lot to all our nurses here at ST. Joseph's Hospital.

Rough day

Gerald with nurse Laurel
I promised her the night before she took care of Gerald that he won't give her a hard time if she takes care of him. I apologized that it turned out this way. To nurse LAUREL Thank you very much for your hard work, and for taking such a good care of my boy.

Gerald from the OR with breathing tube.

Gerald had a rough night last Wednesday night. He was irritable and seems he was in pain. I'm always asking his nurses that he might need some more pain medicine, and they always grant my request. Then finally yesterday (Thursday , Feb 12, 2009) he was not feeling well than I expected too. He was still grunting and couldn’t find a comfortable position in his crib. My nurse was very concerned about him. Although she had another patient to take care of, she make sure that Gerald meets his needs. Around 11am yesterday, I gave him water through the syringe. He sucked it very fast and asked for more. I gave him water probably about 60 ml which is not very much that he used to drink. But anyway, the last 10ml that he drunk he coughed really hard, and he could hardly breath for few seconds. His saturation when down below 60’s. Then I laid him down on his back and few minutes later his nurse changed the dressing on his chest ( he had a chest tube days before yesterday and also the suture opened quite a bit). While the couple nurses cleaning his wound, I heard Gerald harsh breathing. I told the nurse that he doesn’t sound good to me. So his nurse Laurel decided to suction him, my husband Ralph assisted her. After they had finished suctioning we saw blood oozing from his wound. In less than a minute the gauze that was covering GJ’s wound soaked in blood. It was really scary and his nurse was scared too. She said she never seen this things happened before. The nurse called the on call doctor here in PCTICU. Dr. Lisa Grimalde checked GJ’s wound and her opinion was to suture the open wound again. GJ’s primary surgeon Dr. David Cleveland came up too his room and checked GJ’s wound, and he decided to bring him back in the operating room to see what is going on inside his chest and also to suture his wound again. The procedure took probably 2 hours plus the anesthesia range from 11/2 hours. After the procedure was done I spoke to the surgeon and he said that Gerald’s suture in his sternum came apart from top to bottom. Also, they took a sample from the sternum and send to the laboratory for culture, and there is a bacteria (unknown yet) found. Right now he is on the antibiotic and still intubated through the night, which gives me the opportunity to get enough sleep. Right now he is currently lying on his bed sedated. Doctor’s order to remove his breathing tube sometime today.

We will be here in the hospital for a while. So I am just glad that I didn’t take any classes this semester.

Gerald will be alright, its just it take him a while to get heal.

Feeding Tube Issue

Gerald woke up this morning and his feeding tube was not in placed. So, I literally took it off see if he can manage to drink milk in a straw through out the day. Fortunately, he did well drinking fluids through a straw. Then later tonight, he refused to drink milk. His father cleaned up his tube and showed it to him or more accurate to say is that Ralph gave Garald choices . If he want the tube placed in or drink milk. For the first attempt it works. He picked the milk rather than the feeding tube. When the time came to put Gerald in bed, I told Ralph to feed him before bed so that he wont be hungry later and my plans was to wake him up tomorrow morning to give meds and feed him again, but he refused to drink. Therefore, he got the tube back in his nose. It was not a big deal to put the tube back in his nose, but the uncomfortable sensation when it pass through his throat was his complain. He cried a little bit but that was about it. He did well the whole day anyway. Big improvement every day. Thanks to the Almighty Father in heaven.

Rose, inspiring woman with good advise

This was a forwarded email to my husband. I read it and I said it is worth sharing. Have a wonderful day!

On the first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder.

I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being.

She said, "Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?"

I laughed and enthusiastically responded, "Of course you may!" and she gave me a giant squeeze.

"Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?" I asked.

She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, and have a couple of kids..."

"No seriously," I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age.

"I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!" she told me.

After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake.

We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesme rized listening to thi s "time machine" as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.

Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.

At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I'll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor.

Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, "I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know."

As we laughed she cleared her throat and began, "We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing.

There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die.

We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it!
There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up.

If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight.

Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change. Have no regrets.

The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets."

She concluded her speech by courageously singing "The Rose."

She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives. At the year's end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago.

One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.

Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be.