A fund has been established for donations to help the Wood family. Please follow this link to the Love for Heather Wood site. A donation of any amount is greatly appreciated!
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| Picture courtesy of M. Knight-Cordova via C. Smith Fitzgerald |
****I will continue to post updates at the bottom of this original post*****
The first day I walked into Press Elementary in McKinney as the Instructional Specialist and Response to Intervention Coordinator, I was a little intimidated. It was a new school, almost every staff member was from a different district, and I really didn't know anyone. The building was available for us to move in literally days before school started. I was on maternity leave with my first child and I was trying to get my room set-up so that my substitute could get to work while I stayed home for the first six weeks of school. I was unpacking boxes while my newborn lay on a blanket on the floor. I hadn't been there very long when I met one of the fourth grade teachers whose room was in the same hallway as mine. I knew that she had also just had a baby and I asked her to keep an eye on Imma while I went off to run an errand. I wasn't gone more than five minutes but when I returned, I found Heather swaying back and forth, humming to my baby, as if she was her own. I knew from that moment, this woman was someone special.
Heather and I worked together in different capacities for four years. She was a teacher the first year. Then, she was Frick to my Frack as I was the Reading Instructional Specialist while she was the Math Instructional Specialist. We co-handled RTI. We were almost always together, especially the second year we worked as dual-IS's, as we also served on a lot of district committees together. If I wasn't sure about something, I asked Heather. If I needed someone to cover something for me or read something before I sent it, or just talk me down off of the proverbial ledge, she was there. She knows everything there is to know about elementary math. She is a wealth of knowledge about RTI, struggling students, and differentiation. She went on to be an outstanding Assistant Principal and Principal. No one ever hesitates to approach Heather, regardless of how intimidating some situations can be, because she is a servant leader who truly cares about the people she works with. She loves every student in the building as if he or she was her very own child. Heather is an amazing educator.
Heather is also an incredible wife and mother. Over the years, I've seen hundreds of pictures of Heather with her two beautiful daughters. I love to hear about their adventures on the lake, visiting family in Oklahoma, or just hanging out on their little farm with all of their animals. They actually named one of their horses Charlie--as in "Charlie Horse"--which is totally cute and silly and just one more reason why Heather and her family are so very lovable.
A few years ago, Heather had a health scare. Everything turned out to be okay but I remember how terrified all of us on the IS team at the time were. It was very unsettling but in the end everything turned out alright. Heather doesn't like to talk about her health and I respect that, but it's something many of us have been concerned about over the years and even when I have gone a while without talking to her, I've always hoped and prayed that she was feeling well.
Over the years, we have gone our separate ways. We ended up in two different districts and while she is now back in McKinney, I'm not. Our main mode of communication is Facebook. Her posts are always cheery and happy, full of silly things her girls have said or places they have visited. Now, however, Heather's Facebook page has turned into a make-shift Prayer Vigil, as she is in an ICU, fighting for her life. The posts today have been a little more positive than yesterday but she is still in grave danger and needs our prayers and positive thoughts.
This page is about education, it's about teaching kids how to read and sharing the wealth of knowledge that we as educators have to impart on each other. Today, however, it is also about one of our own who desperately needs our help. Maybe you're a vigilant Prayer Warrior yourself. Maybe not. But whether you drop to your knees and ask for God's divine intervention or just think, "Gosh, I hope that lady gets better!" it will help. I believe it will help. So I'm asking all of you to please pray or at least think positive thoughts on Heather's behalf. Heather is the type of person who makes the world a better place. She cares about other people, she gives whole-heartedly to those in need, she loves unconditionally. If Heather were to leave us, not only would the world of education sorely miss her, but the world in general would lose a little piece of Heaven.
As we start thinking about returning to school, back to the classroom, back to the students that need us, please keep Heather in your thoughts and prayers. I will keep you updated here as I get more information. Thank you for reading and sharing the post as we spread the word that one of our fellow educators truly needs our help.
Update: (3:03 PM Sat. Jan. 4th) I just heard that Heather's white blood cell count is going up and that kidney function is improving but she still desperately needs our healing prayers. I truly believe that our prayers are working! Please continue to pray for her! Thank you!!
Update: (3:18 PM Sat. Jan. 4th) From a family member: continued slight improvement - bleeding under control except in neck. Platelet count has been stable at 35 after being as low as 9 yesterday. Ventilator at 40% after being at 100% at one point yesterday. Lungs look better. Pulmonologist quote from a few minutes ago: "she's not out of the woods, but she's getting there." Our prayers are working! Please keep them coming!
Update: (8:35 PM Sat. Jan. 4th) Heather's status has been upgraded from critical to "critical but stable." This is good news! Our prayers and positive thoughts are working. Since this time last night when I received word that her little girls had been called in to say good-bye, she has made a vast improvement! Doctors now think she may actually walk out of the hospital on her own in 5-8 weeks! But please don't stop praying now! She still needs to feel our love and support. Thank you so much for all of your kind words and positive thoughts. I know she can feel all of us sending her our love!
Update: (11:03 PM Sat. Jan. 4th) A CaringBridge site has been established for Heather. Here is the link.
Update: (1:19 PM Sun. Jan 5th) Heather continues to make incremental improvements. We still need to pray specifically that the bleeding stops in her neck and that she continues to improve her ability to clot. She has been more responsive today and her color is better. Please continue to pray for Heather's body to heal, for her medical team to continue down the right path, and for comfort for her family and friends. Thank you all very much!
Update: (9:17 AM Mon. Jan 6th) Heather had a great night last night. She was able to respond to all commands and responded when the hospital staff talked about her daughters. We need to continue to pray that her platelet count increases and that her body continues to heal. Thank you all again for all of your prayers and positive thoughts!
Update (12:57 PM Jan 7th) Heather had another good night. She was able to respond to simple commands and teared up at the mention of her girls. Please continue to pray for body to fight off the infection. Even these incremental improvements are blessings.
Update (7:45 AM Jan. 8th) Heather had another good night last night. It was expected that she would need temporary dialysis but when her labs came back, they showed that her kidneys were functioning well enough that she does not need any dialysis at this time. She has also been able to stay fever free for the last few days. Specific prayers needed now are that she continues to fight the infection and that her extremities begin to heal. Both Heather and her husband, Eddie, are educators. Once they run out of sick days, they will have no income coming in at all. Please consider donating to the Love for Heather Wood fund so that this family does not have a financial crises to deal with once this medical crises is over.
Update (7:45 AM Jan. 9th) Heather has stabilized and continues to make slow progress. Her sister, who is also a nurse, reports that she is doing a little better each day and she is fine with the slow progress as long as she does not get any worse. Heather's donation site had hundreds of visitors yesterday and the goal had to be increased because of the amazing generosity of her friends, family, and even strangers who had heard of her story. If you would like to donate, please see the link in the post above. Please continue to pray for Heather and her family.
Update (7:45 Jan. 13) It has been a good weekend for Heather! She continues to make slow and steady progress. She was allowed to come out of sedation and has been very responsive. She has spent most of her time sleeping while her body continues to heal. Thank you all so very much for your continued prayers!
Update (7:45 Jan. 16) Heather is doing amazingly well! She started opening her eyes a few days, followed shortly by talking! She was actually able to make a phone call to one of her friends yesterday. This is truly a miracle! We are all so thankful for all of the prayers and well-wishes. Please continue to pray that Heather will find her strength and keep fighting the infection so that she can be home with her family soon.
Update: (7:45 Jan. 22) Heather's recovery has been nothing short of a miracle. While she still needs to regain her strength and continue to fight the infection, she is able to talk, visit with her family, and stay awake for long stretches of time. Thanks again for all of your prayers!
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