Michelle's Christmas Poem

My brother Leonard and my Sister In Laws story and picture were posted on Times Square. The screen is about 80 FEET tall! Here is her Christmas poem that she wrote herself (!) to her family and friends.

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the Mattingly house Not a creature was stirring except the cats with their toy mouse. The stockings were hung by the fish tank with care As the smell of a Yankee holiday candle filled the air. The children were finally asleep in beds, With clean diapers on and a fresh bottle by their heads. With me in bed and Ray sleeping on the couch, That spiked eggnog we had really knocked us out. When suddenly on the rooftop I heard such a clatter. I slowly limped out of bed to see what was the matter. After making it through the toy obstacle course at last I peered through the blinds across our neighbors grass. The moon shinning down on the freshly fallen rain Cast eerie shadows upon our windowpane. There were no sound of reindeers or sleigh up top, Only a few ravens making a midnight stop. I felt like returning to bed, but I paused and stayed. Then I closed my eyes and started to pray- God, thank you for allowing me to be a mother and a loving wife, And thank you for letting me live to see this night. Thank you for my husband- my hero, my friend. May we both live to be 110. I then kissed my hubby on the forehead And checked on the children asleep in bed. This night needs no jolly old man in a red suite, With rosy cheeks and big black boots. All it needs is what I have right here, A family that I cherish and love so dear. And to all our family and friends, north, south, east and west, May your holidays be merry and your lives be blessed. Merry Christmas for the Mattinglys

Our Country Christmas

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Michelle & J.J.'s Ordeal & Press Release

This post is in honor of Michelle, Leonard, Elektra and J.J. They are all survivors of an extraordinary situation. Michelle, Leonard, we are so happy that Michelle, and J.J.'s recovery is nothing short of a miracle for you all, and all of us that are so blessed to be in your lives. This is posted in Stanfords Press Release. It will help explain to those of you that prayed along with us, but were not completely sure of exactly what is was that was happening to Michelle and J.J. Emergency liver transplant and cesarean save pregnant mom with preemie baby. STANFORD, Calif. – Michelle Mattingly’s liver was failing so fast that doctors at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital thought the baby she was carrying – still 14 weeks before his due date – was doomed. It would be miraculous enough if they and their colleagues at Stanford Hospital & Clinics could save the life of the mother, who had fallen into a coma.

Over the next few days, the transplant team had to reject two donor livers. The first did not match Michelle’s immune system; the second contained cancerous cells. Finally, with time running out, a third liver became available. “They told me that if the liver wasn't a match, Michelle's chances were very slimThey told me if that liver wasn’t a match, I would need to start making funeral arrangements,” Leonard said. Luckily, the organ matched. At 11:03 a.m. Aug. 8, Druzin’s high-risk obstetrics team delivered John, who was rushed to the neonatal intensive care unit at Packard. Esquivel’s transplant team immediately began operating to give Michelle a new liver. The transplant worked. “To end up with the mom and child surviving all this is unbelievable,” said Esquivel. “The strength of being at a place like Packard is the ability to have world experts in all fields collaborate on very unusual cases like this,” Druzin added. After the operation, Michelle spent about a month in the hospital, gradually regaining awareness and healing from her surgeries. As a preemie, John stayed nearly three months at Packard Children’s before his mom, dad and sister welcomed him home in November. Michelle is still adjusting to her unexpected transplant and the unexpected birth of her son while she was in a coma. “When I was told what happened, I thought, OK, it’s done,” she said. “I wasn’t mad or angry. I just thought, what am I supposed to learn from this? What can I teach someone else?” Her entire family has a new appreciation for organ donation. “You don’t realize what it means until you see it in action,” Leonard said. Doctors at Packard Children’s and at Stanford Hospital say both mom and baby have excellent prospects, and the family is now joyously preparing for John’s first Christmas. “We’re going to go a little crazy with gifts for the kids,” Michelle said happily. “It’s definitely their Christmas this year.”

WE LOVE YOU ALL!

MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOUR FAMILY FOREVER AND EVER.