Ally Heintz

Well Ally has escaped the hospital yet again! She was discharged on Sunday but for now we are staying in Pittsburgh to wrap up things at the apartment. Plus, Ally's docs wanted her to have some follow up labs and a few chest x-rays done today. Then she will be seen in clinic on Thursday and we will be headed back to Eastern Pa on Friday morning.

The girls are having a busy week. On top of cleaning up all the little things at the apartment they are trying to see as many of their Pittsburgh friends as possible. I am not sure when we will be back in town so I think I have us a little over scheduled so that hopefully we can see everyone before we head back. Tomorrow we have plans to see people all day and then I think Ashley will be catching up with a bunch of her school friends Thursday afternoon at the Children's Museum. They also asked if they could go to the zoo since there are two new baby elelphants and a tiger cub. But at this rate a trip to the zoo would be nearly impossible to fit into the schedule!

Please keep a few of our friends in your prayers this week. All of the families I am about to mention have websites linked off of Ally's homepage. I am sure they would all appreciate the support so feel free to leave them a message on their websites.

First the Maichers, John had an appointment at Georgetown last week to discuss being listed for a small bowel transplant. Please pray for John's strength and also his parents, Sandy and John. Also pray that his doctors will make the right decision in which surgery would be best for him. Second, please pray for Gavin and his family. Gavin has yet another line infection and yet another stay at Hotel duPont. The last 2 years have been such a struggle for this family and Gavin really needs to catch a break. Speaking of a break, please keep Zac and his family in your prayers too. His parents,Brian and Deeana, got some disappointing news today and again they all just need to have a little bit of luck on their side. Not to mention Deeana is due to have a baby in just a few weeks so catching a break would be nice:)

Thanks for the support and love you all have shown to us and all of these other families.

Take care,
Jill

I'm glad so many of you enjoyed the last update. Having great news is always exciting to post!

This week started out being very rough, but as of now Ally and I are getting by just fine here in Pittsburgh. The week had its bumps here and there, but in general turned out to be some great times with Ally and I. We had lots of playtime, watched movies, had fun running the halls chasing Dr. Kyle with a squirt gun, and at the same time Daddy was sure to keep up with his full time work at Vanguard via his computer.

I know some of you think that Mom is the only one that can care for Ally and all her needs, but that is just not the case. I too have been along this 4 year ride of hospitals stays, battling with balancing work, Ally's health issues, being the best father to Ally and Ashley that time would allow, and also the best husband I could be to JIll. Allot to balance, which in turn created many nights of me wondering if what I was doing was right for our family. I often wonder if many of the folks who read this site could even begin to imagine what life is like having to deal with all of these issues year after year? Issues I know that will never go away completely, but hope they lesson as time passes.

At the end of the day, I still don't know if all I did was right for our family. Some of you feel I may have done wrong, and if you thought that, then you should of spoke up. It always easy to be a back seat driver, or see things in hindsight. As far as I see our future, it will always have its challenges. I as well as Jill are well equipped and ready to face each and every obstacle life throws our way!!

I am extremely proud of what all of us as a family have overcome. I am forever grateful for all the love and care Jill has provided our girls while I was away working. With everyday that God allows Jill and I to be parents, I am amazed at how strong both our little girls have become!! Also, let us not forget to remember the 4 people JIll and I could not do without . . .our parents!! I can not tell you how much our parents have contributed to getting us to this point in Ally's recovery. All four of them have been our Angels to JIll and myself!

I guess the reason to write what I am writing is to give you my last final view of a Dad who was in crisis, who is now praying from this week forward some things will finally end, and new lives will begin. I so look forward to all the challenges GOD has in store for our family! Good or bad, we can get through them!

Thank you to all of our friends for your continued support. Thanks to all of the nurses, doctors, and medical staff for your unbelievable talents for caring and healing Ally. Thank you to all of my friends back at Vanguard for your continued love, support, and everyday worry of my family and myself! Everything you all have contributed has finally given us the chance to be a family!

Thanks, Shane