Forever Friends

What a wonderful weekend! Cathy and Lenny came to visit us in Charlotte.
We were hoping that they could make it here this weekend because the kids would all be here (Renee, Philip and baby Asher, and Eliza and Rich) and of course we wanted everyone to see each other. 
We only had a few days together but we enjoyed every minute.


First thing I must say is that Cathy looks wonderful.  Her doctor is a miracle worker.  The last time I saw Cathy in person was in December.  Now her hair has grown out over her scars and it is cute and sassy looking!  Her nose looks great and the area between her eyes above the bridge of her nose looks fantastic.  Her doctor was able to remove scars and make the new scars almost invisible.  Cathy will undergo further revision and reconstruction in the Fall.  


When I look at Cathy I see and hear the Cathy I have always known.  I barely see or notice her injured eye.  My eyes see the same beautiful friend that I saw 30 years ago.  She still talks a mile a minute, does not even have a gray hair and she is slim and fit!  


Lenny is exceptionally attentive and loving to Cathy.  It is a joy to see that their relationship has deepened and grown despite all of the stress that they have endured.  Lenny is a lot more relaxed and easy-going and knows that every moment in life is a precious one.


One of my favorite moments this weekend was seeing Cathy feed a bottle to our grandson Asher and also seeing Lenny make Asher laugh at his funny faces.  29 years ago, Cathy fed bottles to Asher's mommy, Renee' and Lenny loved making Renee' laugh at his funny faces.   We all met in December of 1980 when Cathy and Lenny were young parents and Ira and I were expectant parents. Now we are still making happy memories as grandparents!


We missed the rest of the Herzfeld/Eagan clan and hope we get to see them soon too!


Before Cathy and Lenny left Charlotte we talked about future plans to travel together and enjoy this special time in our lives.  It is such a gift that Cathy was given a second chance at life and that we will all get to spend more precious time with her.


Love, 


Linda

She's Feeling Good!

Cathy made it through her first reconstruction surgery and she is home recovering.  The surgery went very well and she is not in a lot of pain, which is great!  She sounds happy and energetic and looking forward to continuous improvement.  Cathy, I wish I could be there with you to make you some soup or a dinner, or to just 'hang out' with you and talk.  However, we are miles apart.  Your local friends and family have been so wonderful to you that I know you are well taken care of.  They are bringing comfort and nourishment to you as you heal from the surgery.  If you visit with Cathy, please give her a hug from me!
Love, Linda

Cathy's Message to Her Wonderful Co-Workers

To my GANT Family,

I want to personally thank Janice Wilson for the beautiful comfort shawl that she made for me.  Friday afternoon, Janice and Kathy M. came by to present this to me and read the prayer to me.  I was so moved!  The outpouring of love and prayers continues even though it has already been six months since my accident. (The Prayer is attached below)

I want to acknowledge my entire GANT family as well.  I deeply appreciate all of you.  You have been supporting me through this entire ordeal.  I know the doctors know this, but I want to extend my gratitude to all of you as well for allowing me to work part-time when I am able and for saving my job for me.  I have a deep loyalty to GANT as I have been a part of it for so many years.  Returning to work in January was one of my main goals, and because of all of you, I definitely accomplished that goal.  I plan to continue my road to recovery starting today as I am about to undergo my first surgery.  Thank you all from the bottom of my heart!

Love, 

Cathy

Prayer For Comfort © 2010 All rights reserved

By: Cathleen O'Meara Murtha, DW www.shawlministry.com
As you wrap yourself in the prayer shawl of comfort...
May the Mother of Mercy, the Father of Faithfulness and the Spirit of Compassion
wrap you in their all-encompassing love this day.

May you find comfort
   from all that appears too much to bear at this moment
   from all that feels as if it might be the breaking point
   from all that seems to threaten your peace of heart.

May this prayer shawl be
   a shelter for time of overwhelming grief
   a shade in times of sorrow too deep for words
   a shield from times of unimaginable loss.

May you be comforted
   by the presence of those who love and support you
   by faith in the eternal Loving One
   by the memories of what you hold most dear.

May you be strengthened
   in your daily comings and goings
   in your tentative new beginnings
   in your unfolding new memories.

Blessings of the Angel of Comfort be with you and all you love now and forevermore.

Cathy's Beautiful Letter to Me

Cathy wrote this beautiful letter to me and asked me to post it for all of you to see.  It brought tears to my eyes!

March 7, 2010

Dear Linda,

How can I thank you for all that you have done for me since my accident?   You have always been there for me and my family, through thick and thin, good times and bad times, and every moment in between since the day we met in December 1980.   We have been friends now for almost 30 years!  Unbelievable.  I remember when you and Ira were our new friends.  Having the pleasure of helping welcome Renee and Eliza into the world was such a wonderful experience.  We became your “family” during that period of time you all lived here in Fort Worth.  Renee and Eliza are Texans, so their roots will always be from Texas.  Remember the quote, “Friends are the family you choose for yourselves.”  (I still have the t-shirt you made for me in my closet!)  Linda, you, Ira, Renee, Philip, Eliza, Rich, and of course, little Asher are our family.  Look how far we have come! 

You really stepped up to the plate the minute you found out about my horrible accident in Cabo in September.  I wished that I had been able to visit with you and see you when you first came.  Unfortunately, I had no idea of what had happened due to my condition and medications, etc.  I couldn’t believe you were with me, and I didn’t even know it.  Thank you so much for coming to help comfort Lenny and my family.  Though I wasn’t “there,” mentally, I know your presence and strength made a huge difference in helping them cope with the situation. 

The blog that you started, Cathy’s Climb to Recovery, was such a blessing for Lenny, Steven, Lisa, Kaje, Bari, but mostly for me.  As I woke up and was able to understand, Steven read the blog to me every day which gave me continued hope and strength.  Every day, I would ask him to please read me what you wrote.  And going back and reading the entire thing has helped me to better understand the seriousness of the situation and helped me to see just how far I have progressed since that awful day in September.  I was occasionally disappointed if you skipped a day as I looked forward to hearing your comforting words each day.  I think the entire community of Fort Worth, Steven’s friends in Austin, our friends and family in other cities, and even people I barely knew read the blog and kept up with my progress through it.  In such a serious accident and long recovery period, people hesitate calling and sometimes don’t really know what to do.  But so many people told me they followed the blog on a regular basis; in fact, I am still hearing from some that they wondered if there would be any more entries on the blog.  They miss your kind words, strength, and positive outlook.  I do too!  Many times, I heard from others how lucky I was to have a friend like you, doing such a wonderful thing by writing and keeping up the blog. 

You and Ira’s visit in December meant so much to me!   I couldn’t wait to actually get to see you this time.  We had a few wonderful days together.  Thank God, I was doing so well that we could have a great visit.  I can’t wait to see you again, hopefully soon.

Many of us in a lifetime do not find a friendship such as ours.  I have felt blessed and extremely fortunate to have met you and to have been such special friends to each other.  I am blessed that God spared me and has given me the chance to continue living my life.  Lenny and I look forward to sharing many more good times with you and Ira and the rest of your family in the years to come.  When you, Ira, Renee, and newborn Eliza left Fort Worth so many years ago, I was so afraid that our friendship wouldn’t stand the test of time.  But Linda, you promised me that we would always be friends.  And you were right!!   Your many moves over the years hasn’t changed anything, except bringing us closer.  Family is family no matter what, and that is how we feel about you!   The Basses and Herzfelds have a special bond which will last a lifetime. 

Linda, you are so special to me.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart for always being my friend, always being just a phone call away, and always having words of comfort, strength, and love for me, especially when I needed them the most.  I thank God that you came into my life, as my life would have never been the same if you hadn’t touched it. 

I love you.

Love, 

Cathy

A Letter from Cathy

Dear Family and Friends,

After many months of reading this blog written so beautifully by Linda as well as reading your many comments and good wishes, it is now time for me to “talk” to all of you. 

My life changed in an instant back in September in Cabo when I had my horrible accident.  I had no idea what had happened until 2½ weeks later when I “woke up” at John Peter Smith Hospital ICU and was told what had happened.  I was so drugged and out of it that I don’t think I really comprehended the seriousness of the situation.  As days rolled by, I asked lots of questions and got answers, some of which were terribly frightening and upsetting as well as some funny answers (like when I wanted something to eat, and they told me I couldn’t have anything, and I tried to bite Steven’s hand! – sorry Steven, you know when I am hungry, I want food!) 

You all know what has been going on with me, thanks to the wonderful blog that my special friend, Linda, started and continued during my recovery.  The last entry was in January back at work and functioning quite well considering it had only been 3½ months since that dreadful day. 

My recovery has gone well but is about to start a new chapter.  I have seen many doctors over the past few months and have found Dr. Ducic, who is a craniofacial, ENT, and plastic surgeon here in Fort Worth.  Lenny and I were very comfortable with him the minute we met him, and we are very confident that he can help me get back to being “normal” again.  I have quite a bit of damage to my face including my right eye and nose and some fractured areas that need to be corrected.  I will be facing several surgeries beginning next Monday, March 15, and continuing for about a year.  The first surgery will be to correct my eye by adding a custom implant to shift the eye to the correct position and some corrective work with bone grafts to the right orbit.  This is scheduled as an outpatient for which I am very thankful.  We are still thinking positive that with the surgeries, my right eye vision will improve and maybe I can someday see normal again.  I am still having the double vision with lots of blurriness as my right eye has severe damage. 

My second surgery is scheduled for April 19.  This will be reconstruction and repair of my nose as Dr. Ducic said it was “unhealthy” and will not function properly for the long term.  I showed him a photo of myself before the accident, and he said my nose wasn’t pretty; can you imagine that?!  I asked him to make my new nose pretty.  We’ll see when the time comes. 

After recovering from surgeries 1 & 2, we will proceed to schedule more surgeries, one at a time, until he says I am in good shape.  Don’t know the progression, but will keep you updated via the blog when I have answers. 

I am somewhat apprehensive about the road on which I am about to embark.  However, I thank God every day that I have been given a second chance.  I have tried to stay positive, though at times, it is very difficult to do.  The support of my family and friends has gotten me to this point, and I know you will continue to support me and pray for me throughout my journey. 

I have learned many lessons over the course of the last six months.  I now appreciate things and people I took for granted.  We get so busy in our lives that we often forget what is important.  Lenny is the best husband ever, and I could have never made it this far without his love and support.  He truly is my “Superman.”   I am truly the luckiest woman in the world to have such a wonderful husband, and my love for him gets stronger every day.  Steven, Lisa, and Kaje are the best children.  They all have such a special place in my heart and know how much I love each of them.  And of course, my granddaughter, Audrey – she is the light of my life.  She has been and continues to be so loving and caring for me, and I thank God again for allowing me to be in her life.  My sister, Bari, spent lots of time with me and my family during my hospitalization and recovery, and I realize how lucky I am to have her for a sister.  Thanks to Bari, Jason, and Ethan for your support and love as well as all my family and friends for caring so much. 

I think that God has a purpose for all of us.  I feel that he is using me as a tool to help other people in times of need.  Many have told me that I have been an inspiration to them through my recovery.  I want this accident and road to recovery to have meaning, and I pray that in the future, I can look back at this time in my life and know what my purpose is.  I know I have the strength to face each day, one day at a time, and I will strive to keep a positive outlook for myself, my family, and my friends. 

I have depended on the Serenity Prayer which has helped me with my life.  It gives me comfort and helps me through each day.  I will share it with all of you.

God grant us the Serenity to accept the things we cannot change

The Courage to change the things we can, and

The Wisdom to know the difference. 

I pray that I will continue to maintain the strength I so very much need in the coming months.  With all the continued prayers, support, and love from my family and friends, I will fully recover and get back to a “normal” life.  Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. 

Love,

Cathy

Cathy at Work

Cathy has been working every day from 10am - 2:30pm.  She is doing a great job and typing as fast as she did before.  Her eyes have accommodated to her new way of seeing things and she is able to see the computer screen clearly enough to work.  Cathy is even driving to and from work by herself every day.  These things are amazing accomplishments!  I remember that first glimpse of Cathy after her accident and thinking that she might not even make it.  Her doctor, at that time, said it would take at least a year for her to recover.  Well it has only been a few months and look at this miracle!

Yes, she does have more surgeries ahead of her, but she has fought so hard and has recovered much faster than we all dreamed of.  We visited Cathy and Lenny in December and now that I see her photo, just a month later, I notice how much more her right eye is open.  She has stretched her jaw with her new dynasplint device.  She is regaining feeling in her face and head and also has recovered some of her taste and smell.
Her hair has grown enough so that she can part it over her scar.

Cathy has been so brave, her family and friends so loving and supportive.  It is so good to know that GOOD things DO happen to GOOD people.

Cathy, you are really making progress in your climb to recovery. Below is the chorus portion from a song "Climb Every Mountain" from "The Sound of Music".  Think about this when you get weary from your climb:

"Climb every mountain,
Ford every stream, 
Follow every rainbow,
Till you find your dream."

Ok, so here she is, at work. This is so amazing....

We are all so proud of you Cathy.

Love, Linda

Back to Work!

Happy New Year!  Big News! Cathy is going back to work tomorrow!  This is great!  Cathy has worked so hard to achieve this goal.  She will work part time for now and continue to work on attaining a full recovery.  Cathy's recovery is truly amazing.  She is going to start driving short distances this week.  She is healthy, confidant and strong.  Everyone's prayers and positive thoughts have really helped her along in this great achievement.
I know many of you have been touched and inspired by Cathy's strength and progress.  I personally feel stronger by watching Cathy, Lenny and the entire family and the strength and determination that they have had throughout this process.
There is a lot to be thankful for and a lot to celebrate. A life has been saved.  I am confidant that the year 2010 will be a happy and healthy one for the Herzfeld family.
Love, Linda

What a beautiful sight!!

This past weekend Ira and I finally went back to Ft. Worth to visit Cathy and Lenny.  We had not been there since 2 days after Cathy's horrible accident.  The last time we saw her she was swollen and attached to tubes from her mouth, nose and skull.  Her face was unrecognizable.  We have all followed her progress over the last few months.  Each week she made improvements.  She went from being weaned from a breathing tube to learning how to swallow real food, and then getting strong enough to walk on her own.  She pushed through her fatigue and pain and was finally able to go home to her loving family.
We were so excited that Cathy was ready to see us!  When I walked out of the airport to see her waiting for us, all I could think of was, "What a beautiful sight"!  I had waited a long time to hug this wonderful friend who has always been like family and she looked great.  Her injured eye is opening more and her jaw is showing improved movement as well.  This weekend we cooked potato latkes together and shared Hanukkah fun with Cathy and Lenny, Lisa, Kaje and sweet Audrey.  Cathy has a cute new nose and a short hair cut but she is still the Cathy that we know and love.  How lucky we all are!
Cathy did not realize how far she has come until she had the courage to look at the photos that we had of her first day in the ICU.  She did this today and now realizes all the progress she has made.
Cathy you are brave and strong and need to remember to stay positive.  Always think of what you CAN do and do not concentrate on what you cannot do for now.  Yes, you still have to keep climbing but each step gets you closer to the top.  Love you and miss you already!  Linda

Surgery Cancelled

Cathy was supposed to have surgery on her jaw on Dec. 11th but everyone involved has decided to postpone it.
They think it is too soon to do this procedure because Cathy may still have the ability to stretch her jaw and improve on her own.  The surgeon has given her methods to work on her jaw mobility and she will work hard to accomplish this in the coming weeks.
Yesterday Cathy visited the ophthalmologist.  Her right eye has improved since the last visit!  There is hope that the right eye will heal and be quite useful in the future.  The integrity of the eye was spared in the accident and it is now allowing more peripheral vision.  The eyelid is also opening more easily each day.  Many people who suffer from eye injuries are able to maintain their vision due to the brain's ability to somehow accommodate for the damage.
Now, the crazy news...Lenny is having surgery on Dec. 11th!!  He has  a growth on his finger that the doctor needs to remove ASAP.  Now that the surgeon has Cathy's time slot available, Lenny has taken it!  Cathy will have the pleasure of nursing Lenny back to health!
So, that is the Herzfeld update for today.  Cathy, we are so thrilled that everything is healing.  We can't wait to see you on Dec. 12th.  Lenny, get ready to be the patient for a change!  Love, Linda and Ira

Thankful

Cathy, we were thrilled that you were able to enjoy Thanksgiving this year with your family.  We are all so thankful that you have been given the gift of life and that you continue to climb the ladder to recovery.  Your jaw surgery is coming up soon and hopefully you will be able to open your mouth wider and be able to eat more easily.  We are so excited about coming to Fort Worth and seeing you.  This is the time of year that most of us want to be with our good friends and family.  Ira and I are so thankful that we will get to spend Chanukah with you and Lenny and the entire family.  Almost every time I speak with you, you have a positive attitude.  You are getting out and staying busy and everything is improving slowly.  Incisions are healing, swelling is improving, your injured eye is opening, your hair is growing back, and you are living your life.  You are a miracle and we are all thankful.  Love, Linda

Happy Birthday Cathy!!

Please wish Cathy a Happy Birthday today!  We all love you Cathy and I know you are going to have a wonderful birthday celebration today with some of your friends and family.  We are all grateful that you are here with us and feeling better and getting stronger every day. Enjoy every minute, you deserve it.  Love, Linda

Loving life

Cathy is loving life and enjoying her time with family and friends.  She has asked me to tell everyone to not be afraid to call her!  She looks forward to visiting with friends every day and catching up.  She is getting out and even went to the gym to do water aerobics!  Tomorrow friends are coming over to exercise her mind and play Mah Jong with her.  Cathy was able to keep her right eye open a bit, all day today.  She was very excited about that.  When she has ventured out with family or friends she is starting to feel more confident walking independently.
By the way, don't tell anyone, (haha :), but next week is Cathy's birthday!!!! (Nov. 17th)  I wish I could be there to give her a big hug, but since I can't, if you see her please give her a BIG HUG for me!!! She has a lot to celebrate, she has her life, her family and her friends!
Ira and I will be visiting Cathy and Lenny on Dec. 12th, and we can't wait to see all the progress she has made.  The last time we saw her she was in the hospital bed, semi-conscious, and did not remember that we were there.
So Cathy, keep loving life because we love life with YOU!
Love, Linda

Doing Great!

Cathy sounds wonderful!  She went to the doctor today and he picked off all of her scabs.  I learned something new today.  I thought we weren't supposed to pick off our scabs, however the doctor says that scabs inhibit the healing process.  The doctor will probably do the jaw surgery sometime in December or January.  At that time he will remove a bone to allow more movement.  The great news is that Cathy is now allowed to eat all foods!  She still eats very slowly and carefully but she no longer has to eat mushy or pureed food.
Cathy is enjoying her friends visiting every day.  I wish I could be there too but I will come to visit in a few weeks. Until then, stay strong, stay positive and remember that a lot of people love you and think about you every day.  Love, Linda

Bravery and Patience

Today was a tough one for Cathy.  A long day at the Neuro-Ophthalmologist and no definitive answers as to whether the right eye will function.  Right now the doctor is not very hopeful about the eye.  The good news is that Cathy does see very well with her left eye.  The doctor assured her that if she does not eventually regain the use of  the right eye she still will be able to work, drive and do all the activities she did prior to the accident by using her good left eye.  As you can imagine this whole experience is overwhelming emotionally and physically for Cathy.  I wish I was there so I could give you a BIG HUG!!  Cathy, please think about what we discussed today and come up with a plan for the coming days.  I saw a quote that I thought was very appropriate,
"We could never learn to be brave and patient if there were only joy in the world." 
That quote is from Helen Keller!  Cathy try to be brave, try to be patient.  Love, Linda

Ira's message

Cathy, Ira has a message for you:
Cathy, if there is one thing I have learned since my world was turned upside down 2 years ago when I was asked to leave the agency I worked for, it is the importance of a positive attitude. Life's crazy and stuff happens that we never intended. And, when you think you're stuck with nowhere to go, something magical happens. You re-invent yourself. You just might find that although your physical appearance has changed, your mental outlook on life has or will as well. And, what's around the next corner is something you probably never thought would be there waiting for you. I wake up every morning and say 2 things to myself before I get out of bed. The first is Thank You. Thank you for another day. Thank you for my health. Thank you for my family. Thank you for my life with all its twists and turns. And, then I remind myself to stay positive. You see it's all about the law of attraction. What you think comes back to you. Let yourself think only positive thoughts about your recovery and you will. Think about all the joy you'll have for the rest of your life and you will. Think about the inspiration you'll be to others and you will be. Cathy, we've been friends for almost 30 years and you've always persevered. You can do it! You always have. Stay Positive. Love, Ira

Keep Climbing

Yesterday Cathy visited the doctor to review the MRI of her jaw.  The doctor thinks her jaw problem can be fixed by cutting a muscle.  This can be done through her mouth via outpatient surgery.  She will have to work hard to regain full use of her jaw but it is possible!  She is so thankful that this can be done.  Tomorrow she will visit the opthomologist to evaluate her right eye.  It is difficult for Cathy to see properly without the use of that eye so hopefully the doctors will come up with a good plan to improve her sight. 
I am so proud of how brave Cathy has been through all the ups and downs.  She is getting out in the world and is looking forward to buying some cute hats to wear.  She has looked beyond her own recovery and ventured out to visit her friend who had surgery.
One of Cathy's goals is to get back to work by January.  I am sure she can do it.  Cathy, keep climbing, we are all there to cheer you on!  Love, Linda

Pray for Good News

Please pray for some good news this week.  Cathy is very concerned about her eye and her jaw situation.  She has already undergone an MRI this week and will get the results from the surgeon tomorrow.  We are thankful for all that Cathy has accomplished in just a few weeks but of course we all hope for a 100% recovery.
Cathy wants to be able to return to work and lead a normal life.  Please pray for Cathy to have her vision restored to as normal as possible.  Please pray for Cathy to be able to open her mouth enough to enjoy regular food and to be able to maintain her teeth properly.  Send your positive thoughts her way.
Cathy, keep fighting and stay positive.  We all love you.  Love, Linda

"Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder"

Lenny has sent a beautiful poem for Cathy:

"Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder"


Cathy,

When I looked at you before the accident, I saw your beauty. 

When I look at you now, I still see your beauty.

When I look at you in the future, I will continue to see your beauty.

Cathy, you were, are, and will always be beautiful to me.

I love you,

Lenny

So Strong!

Cathy it amazes me about how strong you are, physically and mentally.  You made it to the fundraising concert in Austin and did not just sit there like we expected.  You walked around and visited people in the crowd and actually stood up and thanked everyone for their kindness to you and your family.  I heard that Steven's friends are quite impressive.  They organized this wonderful concert as well as a silent auction.  They even had t-shirts and bracelets made for people to wear to show their support for you!  We are all so proud of you and your wonderful family.  I know that you will make a full recovery.  You are stronger than you think.
Love, Linda

Home is Heaven

Cathy said that when she laid her head down on her own pillow in her own bed, it was like heaven!  Lenny held her in his arms as they listened to the soothing music of a waterfalls CD as they drifted off to sleep.
Today was tough.  The surgeon was not successful in opening Cathy's jaw any further.  Next week she will undergo an MRI of her jaw area so that the doctors can try to come up with another plan to open up her jaw.  She may have to have additional surgery in a few weeks to facilitate this.  Currently, her jaw will only open 20 millimeters and it needs to open 40 millimeters.  Thankfully, she is not in any pain from the procedure today.
Tomorrow she and Lenny, Lisa and Audrey are travelling to Austin for the big fundraising concert.  I hope it is very successful because there are a lot of expenses right now and only one salary coming in.  Cathy is looking forward to seeing all of Steven's friends who have been so kind to organize this event.
Cathy will continue to eat pureed foods such as soups, yogurts, sherbet, mashed potatoes, cream of wheat, etc., for a while until she is allowed to chew.  If you make a good soup please drop some off to Cathy and Lenny; I am sure they would love it.  Cathy has lost 14 pounds and really needs to keep up her strength and stamina.
Tonight we talked about the fact that this recovery will take some time and have some ups and downs.  Cathy is sad that she will have to have additional surgeries.  She just wants to be back to normal again.  She is worried about being a burden to Lenny and the family.  We are all in awe of you Cathy.  The fact that you can walk and talk is a miracle.  YOU are not a burden to anyone and it is our privilege to have you in our lives.
Please pray for Cathy to have the strength to endure the trip to Austin, and to return home on Thursday ready to climb the ladder to her recovery.  Love, Linda