We are long overdue on an update for Shae. 2024 was a busy year for him. In January of 2024 Shae had the opportunity to attend the Rose Bowl and National Championship in Pasadena with his brother Cade. The Michigan-Alabama game turned out to be a great football game to see. It was a one-day turn-around for them, flying into Pasadena the day of and leaving that same evening but well worth the experience.
In May of 2024 Shae graduated from Perry High School. His initial plan was to attend Chandler Gilbert Community College the following Fall, but he decided to take some time off to catch up on things he had missed out on. His plan now is to attend Grand Canyon University next fall and live on campus and be independent. We are gradually mentoring him to take over his own health care to give him even more independence.
Shae has a had a longtime desire to go to Michigan to see where he was born and attend a University of Michigan game. In September, 2024, he and Shannon traveled to Michigan for some sightseeing and to attend the Michigan-USC game. Another epic game to watch live and another item checked off his wish list.
Also, in 2024 Shae accompanied me on 2 separate duck hunting trips. If you know anything about duck hunting you know it isn’t for the faint of heart. On both trips he was able to harvest a duck, and he was so proud. He discovered he loves to hunt.
In the middle of these highlights he has attended several concerts, hung out with friends, gaming, attending his regular appointments and is now working part time at Extra Innings in Chandler.
Healthwise Shae is doing incredibly well. He has had a few biopsies, several ECHO’s, lots of bloodwork and a consultation for Pectus Surgery. His chest and sternum are severely deformed due to the many surgeries he’s had. Right now, it is not pressing on his heart but there is potential for that in the future. During the consultation his main concern was whether he had to have chest tubes or not. He has said after every surgery that the chest tubes are the most painful. The doctor explained to Shae that the tubes wouldn’t be that bad and without skipping a beat Shae asked the doctor if he ever had them. It was quite funny.
During his last regular appointment, the doctor was again discussing the Pectus surgery and the risks involved, the benefits and drawbacks and at one point mentioned that there was always the slight possibility of a 3rd heart transplant somewhere in the future if his current heart were to fail. Shae told the doctor that he would not have a 3rd heart transplant. To me that was a brave statement, and we pray he never has to make that decision. We talked about it on the way home and I asked him if he really wouldn’t have a 3rd transplant and his exact words were, “no, I will just pass and call it good”. It took me a second to come to grips with that but after all he has been through, I actually get it.
Shae has had an incredible eventful year and is living his life, still minor adjustments with medications and fluid intake but no other complications and certainly nothing serious. We continue to pray that this is the case for many more years to come. We thank ALL of you for your continued support of Shae and your continued prayers.