Canada Geese

Myles and I had to go to St. Lukes hemophilia center today. We seem to still have a very hard time securing veins on him to treat him with factor (he had an ankle bleed) and after more than twelve times trying to find a vein I brought him to the hospital. Even they have a hard time. There is a large park by the hospital and buggies and I like to go there in search of baby Canada geese and boy did we find some. We could sit for hours just watching them as it takes all of the stress away. Myles finished his golf classes and won the award for best all around golfer! The assistant Pro who taught the class is recommending him for Varsity golf. He says that a Freshman has not been in Varsity in over five or six years. Go Bugs!!!!

Is it Spring yet?

Another below freezing night, old man winter doesn't seem to want to go to sleep. Normally I wouldn't mind but when you have hundreds of seedlings in your office (No greenhouse yet) it is getting a little crowded. I now have a neighbor to supply me with farm fresh eggs as my chickens are free roaming and every day is like a Easter egg hunt. My cat Tina has decided to be my gopher cat and eats them head and all, that is after torturing them for about an hour (yuk). Myles is doing great and is excited about the last day of school (of course) on May 30. I can't believe that he is going into HIGH SCHOOL this year. Kids are like puppies sometimes, you just wish that they could stay little for a while longer. We got some new additions to the farm yesterday, the ones with the puffy heads are the polish chickens with the funky hairdo's. It sure is wonderful not having ANY dark clouds hanging over our heads, just beautiful sunrises!

Love to all

IT'S FINALLY OVER

Court is finally over. It was an emotional and stressful day yesterday in court, but it's OVER!
This is an excert from the news:

You don't see this very often - a victim and defendant walking out of court arm in arm. But that's exactly what happened in Canyon County Monday.
The two are brothers - one set the other on fire last year, but no one will go to prison over this crime.
A Canyon County judge decided that Marc Sogoian, 27, and his family have suffered enough, and now an emotional case spanning more than a year is finally closed.
"Relief, total relief, they're happy it's over and I’m happy it's over for them because they have been through hell this last year," said Sogoian's attorney D.C. Carr.
The sentencing hearing was marked by emotional family testimony. Sogoian's mother spoke to the judge on her son's behalf; and the victim, Sogoian's younger brother Myles Ganley, begged a judge to be lenient in the sentencing of his big brother.
In the end, the judge sentenced Sogoian to three years probation, 100 hours of community service, and $1,150 in fines - but no prison time for burning his younger brother.
It was back in February 2007 that Sogoian flicked a lighter while filling up his car at a Nampa gas station. The fumes ignited and seriously burned his younger brother, Myles Ganley. He suffered second- and third-degree burns and is still in recovery.
In addition to family testimony, Sogoian also offered his remorse for the decision that changed his family forever.
"Honestly I look back on that day and I don't even recognize that person who chose to do that. I was such an idiot and it was that idiocy that severely injured my brother. It was that idiocy that brought great emotional turmoil to my family, my mom, my fiancée, myself, everyone who loves my brother," said Sogoian.
Because this case is so unique - involving the victim and the perpetrator in the same family - the judge ruled if Sogoian follows his parole guideline, the charges of injury to a child will be withdrawn.

Spring is such a busy time, for the birds, the bees (ha, ha) and for us. Myles is in golf at school and goes to the golf course twice a week. He loves it, probably because he is the best one. I have always been in awe at what a natural golfer he is. Even when he was four years old he seemed to have such a comfortable swing (unlike his mother, Ganley gift). His coach (pro assistant) is even impressed. Wouldn't it be great if he could make something of this and give hope and confidence to all kids with burns and hemophilia to achieve their dreams. Oh, by the way, he is officially taller than me now and just keeps getting better looking every day. We still go round and round over the hair issue but at thirteen I have to back down. I so miss seeing his face!

Love to all.......

Wow

It's been a while. Where do I begin? Myles is doing great and is definitely thirteen (all mom's know this age, ugh). He had the week off for spring break and has kept really busy golfing, movies, spending the night over at friend's houses. We just finished all the necessary paperwork so he can go to burn camp in June. Six days of rafting down a river in Salt Lake City, fifty two rapids (yikes) and the company of other teens who have been burned. This will be so great for him, being able to talk to other kids and them really knowing how he feels. We try to understand but I truly believe that unless you go through it, you really don't understand. My concern is him being out in the middle of NOWHERE on a raft with his hemophilia. The good that this will do him is outweighing the fear (at least that is what I am trying to convince myself).
We have also been busy with getting letters to the judge for Aaron's sentencing on April 21. Trying to explain to the judge, in a letter, about the love my two boys have for each other is very hard, a book could be written on their bond. We are all keeping a very positive outlook on the final sentencing and getting this behind us.
I have been, in the meantime, getting my organic gardening adventure together. I decided on the name "Garden Gate Farms". Ordering seeds, starting plants indoors, truckloads (and I mean truckloads, my pick-up is tired) of organic compost, disking the field, fixing up the shed out back for my vegetable stand, yeah I'm tired and sore. I am so excited about this, my love of gardening and cooking will definitely put a lot of love into this effort. Well I'm sure there is something I need to be doing (smile) an will keep updating as to all of our progress.

A big storm is brewing outside my window.

"We did not inherit the earth from our ancestors, but borrowed it from our children".

I don't know who wrote that, but I like it!

New Adventure

My hundreds of tulips and daffodils are coming up! We have all been real busy now that the snow is gone. What a winter, not that cold, just lots of snow. Myles is doing really good and continues to grow at an alarming rate. He golfed 18 holes last weekend with Aaron, Tuyet, and his best friend Dave (Dave's first time) and he continues to beat Aaron (ha, ha). I have been busy starting up my new buisness, ORGANIC GARDENING. Just starting with about a third of an acre to see how it goes. So much to learn as it is highly regulated but I got my 100% Organic certification. I still need to go to some more classes. Hopefully I will have a vegetable stand on my property and will also sell at the Farmer's Market on Saturdays. The field is plowed and waiting for me to start planting when it warms up.

Having trouble coming up with a name, my choices so far are:
Stella's Farm (my mom's name)
Our Side Farms (in reference to our side of the lake)
Fence Post Farms
Any ideas?

It's been a year

Wow, it's been a year ago today that our lives changed. Working so hard on the day to day, the complete year in it's entirety is hard to comprehend. The ER, lifeflight, the nightmare is all behind us now. Wow, it's only been a year? I can hardly remember when buggies wasn't burnt, when I wasn't washing pressure garments daily, physical therapy, wound care. How weird. It seems that I have been taking care of Myles' hemophilia and burns since the day he was born. Life is funny sometimes. All I know is that he is with us, loving us, inspiring us, telling us that he loves us, we are blessed. I won't allow myself to relive this past year, once was enough. We have all grown, learned, loved, and listened to what is really important in life, and I thank the strong and unbelievable sons that have been given to me. Like I said, I am blessed. To Myles: you give us the strength when there is none! I love you baby.

Myles is Growing Up

I can't believe how much Myles is changing now. Toby, our quarter horse, was full of mud so we decided to take some cool pictures.

A Visual Song

More Beauty

I can't help but share the beauty. Lot's of snow and it is gorgeous. Myles wants more snow days (hee, hee). We have been dealing with quite a few bleeds lately (and court) but we are doing well. It's not the best but it HAS BEEN WORSE. I want to bring all our animals in the house; horses, donkeys, goats, chickens, to get them out of the cold but can't. They seem to be handling all this OK. It truly seems to bother me more than them that they are out in the cold. The next court date is 2/19 and I can't wait for this to all be over. The stress of court seems to have a direct effect on buggies bleeds.

Beauty

I was driving home from taking Myles to school yesterday and was crossing over the lake. The sunrise was so beautiful. I took this picture with my cell phone but it doesn't do the majesty justice, the lake is partially frozen.

Myles is doing great. He has pretty much got over the hump as far as scar contraction and now his graphs are softening. His range of motion is back to normal as far as we can tell. He will still need to stay in his pressure garments for another six months to a year but he seems to find comfort wearing them. I can't believe how much he has grown lately as he is about a half inch shorter than me (I know, that's not saying alot!). His self-esteem is higher than ever, amazingly. He is truly wise beyond his years.

I hope that everyone has had a chance to catch a snowflake on their tongue this new year.

Fun!

They got him in the end!

Winter is Here!

Finally getting some snow!

To Susie

It's been a year ago today that we lost you Susie. Thank you for watching over us and giving us the strength to go on, a strength that you couldn't seem to have when you were here. You should of let us know of your pain. We have strength beyond words. We could of saved your soul, if you had only let us know. Your nephews and I miss you very much. Myles is really turning into a wonderful young man and Aaron is an unbelievable man, thank you for the influence that you gave them. I see a lot of you in them.

Can you, mom and dad, continue to watch over us for a little while.

Miss you so much,

Your little sister

A NEW YEAR!!!

I don't think that I can come up with the words to describe the ending of this year. I know that it will not be one of those uneventful years that you really don't remember anything "that happened that year". It almost seems that a lifetime has existed in 2007 with every emotion that one can have in a complete lifetime. Fear, pain, sorrow, joy, love, hate, faith, hope, helplessness, despair, compassion, hopelessness, strength....................there is more I'm sure. If we have ever felt that we have survived and succeeded it is now. I truly believe that if Aaron, Tuyet, Myles, and I have triumphed over 2007, we can survive anything that comes in our path in our futures (excuse me, I had to knock on wood). We know that we could not of done this without all of you, your love, prayers, support, and strength, that everyone has given us will never be forgotten. We are all healing in body, mind, and spirit. To a NEW year. May it be a very uneventful one for all of us.

Merry Christmas 2007

Hey All,
Yeah, it's that busy time of the year. Hope everyone had a loving and joyful Christmas. We enjoyed a small and loving time. It was just Aaron, Tuyet, Myles, and myself, we were blessed to be together. We had a little bit of snow on Christmas day, but OH BOY, today is making up for it. Words can not explain the beauty and the feel up here. I applied for a really great position for a job in Idaho, Medical FDA regulations, right up my alley. We will keep our fingers crossed as it is right across the street from Aaron's apartment and very close to Myles' school. We still have some big issue's on infusing buggies through his grafts but we are working to resolve that problem. Aaron's court is coming up soon and weighs very heavy on our minds and souls. Let His will be done! We have survived this far and I am amazed and hopeful that we can continue our strength to the finish of this journey. WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS!
To the New Year!
With love, as always,
Sherry and Myles

December 3 2007

Winter is definitely coming! I have removed all of the flip flops from the wicker bin by the door and filled it with hats, gloves, and scarves. It has snowed a few times already but none has really stuck to the ground. We had a real foggy day last week with 20 degree temps and it sure awakens the sleeping ice crystals. Everything had crystals on it, the horses wiskers, every blade of grass, even the horse hairs that hang from the arena (the picture above). Only God could create such beauty in it's perfection. What a difference from southern California, I love the beauty that each season brings, it's own beauty that no other season has.

We have all been sick around here with the flu's and colds. Aaron, Tuyet, Myles, and I have been ever so lovingly sharing all of our viruses with each other. Myles and I are trying to get our animals ready for Christmas but as you can see in the pictures, that they don't have that Christmas spirit YET. Love from us.

I think Myles has him beat!

Myles met and spent a lot of time with Matt Damon at a fund raiser for Hemophilia five years ago in California. It is so strange to me now to see Myles' arms and hands without the burns.

I think buggies is cuter don't you?

Thankfulness

I have been pondering how I was going to feel about Thanksgiving this year. This year, it sounds like such a short time for all that has happened. I have come to realize that I am truly more thankful this year than any of my past years. What a revelation and a calmness to the pain and scars that this year has left. I would like to share what I am truly thankful for:

Myles is alive.

My sister Sue is in Gods arms and her pain is gone.

The acknowlegement of how amazing the power of prayer is.

That through pain and suffering we grow and truly appreciate lifes every moment.

That my FAMILY is larger than just my two sons.

That things truly do happen for a reason that we may not ever understand but faith will help you accept that fact.

How love can help you bear all burdens.

That my family has become stronger, closer, and wiser.

That when you think that you have no more strength left, God gives you a shoulder to lean on, her name is Mona.

For all of the wonderful people who went through this with us, you shared our pain, sorrows, milestones, triumphs, and gave us strength. THANK YOU!

This Thanksgiving, from our family, is for all of you.

The sunrise pictures where from this morning at my house.

Halloween

Myles thought that this would be an appropriate costume this year. Things are going well but we might have to have another surgery to implant a port in Myles. His hemophilia is really acting up lately maybe due to the fact that he is growing so fast. It took me eleven needles sticks to secure a vein in him the other day for an ankle bleed. It's so hard to find veins through his grafts. Will keep you posted.

With love.............

A Goat?

This is an update on Hope our bottle fed pygmy goat. After two months, she is finally off the bottle and being introduced to the real life of a goat. No more sleeping in front of the fireplace in her warm and fuzzy bed. The other goats are pretty rough on her as she is very, I repeat, very spoiled. She has decided that she does not want to be a goat but a cat. She lives outside with the cats, sleeps with the cats, and spends her whole day doing whatever the cats do. They are truly inseparable. When they chase mice she runs like crazy along side them but has yet to "catch" a mouse herself. Any ideas on her identity crisis?

Homework

Homework project:
Autobiographical Incident: By Myles Ganley 10/23/07

My pulse, my breath, my skin is deteriorating moment by moment. This is by far the worst pain anyone can ever have and it was laid upon me to bear it. Jaws were dropped and tears were flowing like rivers, and denial was everywhere.

Family was screaming with pain and denial. The air was thick with sorrow and unbearable fear. How could this happen to me and my family, why would this happen to me and my family? This couldn’t be true, but be just a horrible nightmare.

Torture was laid upon my small family with nothing that can help that doesn’t include pain upon my body and emotions. Everyday asking how and why over and over, it was said through countless minds. Scraping and screaming, I was tortured only so I could get better.

My family was there every moment by moment and all I could say was that “I love you.” I was thankful that I had them, and grateful that I am alive and emotionally more capable than before.

Healing was full of joyful tears and still sorrow for my little family. Through the whole thing all I asked myself was why and how. We pulled through with love and hope for the best but it was still the most unbearable thing my family and I could take.

Myles Ganley

The Picture

The picture is worth a thousand words. Good stuff!!

Autumn

Autumn is so beautiful. It's a time for mother nature to make drastic changes in everything (except in So Cal, smile). We have all been so busy up here with our changes lately. Aaron and Tuyet are in their new place, Myles is back in school, winterizing the farm and pastures, putting the garden to bed. Auntie Mona came up to see us for a while and it was wonderful and heart warming. She hadn't seen Myles since Feb in Salt Lake City when she came there to be my rock, as she always is. It's amazing to think that she was by my side, actually in the room, when both my sons were born. She has been my best friend, sister, mother, and guardian angel for almost thirty years now. I truly hope that everyone has a "Mona" in their lives.

Myles is doing good with his grafts and playing a lot of basketball. You can really tell that the graphs are maturing and softening up. He is growing quite a bit right now and turning more handsome every day (and boy do the girls notice). Gotta love thirteen. Aaron's ordeal has been postponed until Jan 08 because of lawyer changes. We were hoping that this would be over sooner but it is what it is. I am trying to accept the silence of the day and enjoy the short but beautiful gift of Autumn.

Saturday Sept. 15, 2007

Family update:
Myles is doing good. We finally got the hole in his arm to seal shut but it opened again yesterday while he was playing basketball. Other than that, his grafts have finally reached their peak and should start to soften now. It takes anywhere from six to eight months before the grafts "mature" and stop getting tighter, redder, and thicker. The doctors told us that it will get worse during this time and then start the slow progress of softening, yeah for buggies. He is doing good in school and seems to be back to normal but VERY popular. Thank goodness that Aaron can help him with his Algebra as I don't remember that much (very, very, very long time ago for me).
Aaron and Tuyet are doing well. They are both working a lot, Tuyet has two jobs right now and leaves at eight in the morning and doesn't get home until one am (youth!). The weekends are a welcome time for both of them to relax. They are going to get an apartment at the end of this month in town. We went and saw it today and it is beautiful. It's three levels with around 1200 square feet, two bedrooms, two baths, with the master bedroom in the loft. The complex is gorgeously landscaped with a lake, swimming pool, clubhouse, and complete gym (it even has an indoor basketball court). They are in total awe that it is under half of what they paid for in Orange County for a tiny one bedroom apt. This will be so good for them as this was the plan when they moved here over a year ago and got majorly delayed with all that has happened. Myles and I are going to miss having them live here but we know that it is time. It is time to get back to normal and all start living our lives again. They both want to go back to school, Aaron for his Masters and Tuyet to finish up her Bachelors degree. Hopefully they can buy a house in the near future. At least they are only going to be about twenty minutes away.
I myself am doing OK. I wasn't coping very well there for a while and finally went to the Dr's. They put me on some coping "meds" and I think that they are finally starting to work. I slept a lot the first week (much needed) while my body got used to them. I can definitely tell that my attitude toward life is getting much stronger and back to somewhat normal as I don't feel so defeated as I did. Rough year but I think that we might finally be turning the corner. We have one more thing to deal with for Aaron but I pray that all goes well. Love and thanks to all for your prayers, support, and love.

Down Time

I am always amazed at the strength of people when tragedy calls. Is it the flow of adrenaline, the necessity of the moment, something that is inside of us that shines through? People are always saying to me that they could never handle what we are going through, that they are not that strong of a person. I tell them that they would not believe what they can handle when it involves the ones that they love, a strength that comes from depths of your soul. You don't have to get this strength, it is always there, just waiting for the times that you need it, it comes from God. It happens during earthquakes, it happens during fires, it happens during bombings of the trade center, it happens in the Intensive Care Units at hospitals. A strength that comes out in a person that no one knows is there, until it is needed. You do what you have to do, no questions, no hesitations, you just do it. If you would of asked Myles if he could of endured the all of this pain he has been through, he would of said no. I myself, if asked, if I could of handled all of this, I would of said "NO Way". But we have and are. I haven't posted in a while. My body is catching up to all of the last eight months. When you are in the "immediate response" of it all, you don't physically feel, you mentally do. Your body takes to the sidelines while your mind deals with what is being played out. BUT in the long run, your body will have to step in and tell you what you have been through, physical exertion, mental stress, insanity. It will demand that you physically feel what you have mentally gone through. Body, mind, and spirit, as it should be.

Other Things

Aaron has created a new blog for my need of wanting to express "other stuff". I will continue to update this blog regarding Myles, our ranch, our life. There are so so many wonderful people who care about not only Myles but our family and we love you all. Here is the website for my other stuff regarding my/ours life, my opinions, what I have learned and am still learning.
http://sherryganley.blogspot.com/

The Healing of Burns

I have been nuturing things since I was a little girl. My sons, animals, plants, even food. Myles and Aaron laugh at me because if a garlic head or a sweet potato sprouts in my drawer I have to plant it (respect of it surviving in adversity). Burns have to be one of the hardest of all. It is so unlike a broken arm or a cut that is at it's worst when it happens and then heals. Burns almost have a life of their own, kind of like that movie "Backdraft". You think that they are healing or done and then they rear their heads with a vegence out of no where. Myles' finger, I thought, was the last of putting out the fire of his wounds but sorry to say I was wrong. During bandage change and removing the pressure garment on his left arm, in the front of his elbow, there was a hole. Not a small little hole but a hole the size of a nickel! This arm had nothing on it the day before, not a clue to this eruption of integrity. Buggies said he hadn't done anything at school or home that would of "caused" this. Immediately I take pictures to send to Salt Lake as they are my closest access to burn knowledge. According to them this is going to possibly happen with the growth of Myles. (You have got to be kidding, right). It is called a deepish ulcer and something that is VERY hard to heal (quote from the doctor). It forms when the areas of tightness on his graphs literally split open which will continue as long as he is growing. Myles is barely five feet and with his father being six one, I fear that he has a lot of growing to do. He is going to have to wear a splint on his arm until it heals, which is not a good thing for therapy, OR if it doesn't heal, he will need to go for another surgery in Salt Lake to relieve the tightness and regraph the hole.
I know that many of you that read this blog are probably getting tired of the set backs in our lives, so am I, but it is my way of keeping a journal of what we are going through. I truly envy all of you that can just choose not to log onto a website if you don't want to deal with it, it is not an option for me. I am glad of this fact, as I am in it for the long haul, the true MOM thing to do.

On a good note, other than this, Myles is doing great... in attitude, school, and his acceptance of all of this. He truly is amazing, his spirit, his acceptance, his just being buggies, him telling me that it is ALL going to be alright, he saves my soul and I am blessed for both of my sons.

Fearful decisions

Sometimes in our lives we have to make fearful decisions. Not a decision based upon fact, intuition, or the true meaning of justice, but on fear. It is a very difficult thing to do. We as a family,are faced with one of these decisions now. Do you agree to something that you know is not right just to "get it over with" and not prolong the anxiety and stress of it all? Do you agree to something that you know is not right because you fear that justice will not be served. I know that things must happen to "get the bad guy" and in this fact, innocence must pay sometimes, but it is a hard thing to accept. Please say a prayer for our clarity for this decision as it is a big one, a difficult one, a scary one. Love to all and thanks.

P.S. The picture is of the baby swallows on our front porch whom I hope fly the coup real soon because their mother is getting a little aggresive.

Their First Day

Myles had a great day at school. He was pretty tired when he got home as he is not used to waking up at 6:30 in the morning. Hope had a pretty good first day too. She is doing great for only being a day old. I took her out to play with the other babies but they didn't play nice so she hung out with Myles.