What can we say? Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Lord!...and all of our friends and family for the many prayers that are being answered. Today we told Daddy about Johnnys plane crash. Daddy handled it very well considering the total shock...all Daddy could say was "My boy, my boy, I need to be with him." Daddy's doctor said we can bring him home tomorrow so he can get some "good food"! It will be so good to have him back home!
We are going to have Daddy talk to Johnny at 5pm today via cell phone and we think that will be good for both of them. This way they will know how the other is doing.

Keep the prayers going!

love from the Birmingham gang,
Betty, Sandra and Alicia

Friday July 28, 2006

Today we have some good news from Wisconsin. They have removed Uncle Johnny's ventilator. He is breathing on his own. He can talk. He also remembers the plane crash. It is very hard to understand what he is saying right now, however that is common after removing a breathing tube. Uncle Johnny does recognize each of us, and is able to call us by name. He has a great deal of pain, and of course he is very uncomfortable. Those are things that he can overcome. We are very optimistic at this point, and we know that everyone's prayers are continuing his miracle. Please keep up the prayers, and know that we are eternally grateful. Much love,
Amity

Thursday July 27, 2006

Today Paw-Paw (Johnny Sr.) is doing better. The doctors say he should be able to go home on Saturday. Home to Gulfport. He cannot wait. We are all very excited by this good news.
Uncle Johnny has pneumonia and a staph infection. They are treating him with very strong antibiotics and he is responding to them. He is still on the breathing tube, and they expect to put a trach. in on Saturday. He responds by moving his legs when we talk and pray over him. All in all he is doing well for what he has been through. Please keep up the prayers. And many thanks for everyone's concern and love.

johnny fayard

johnny fayard Today is Monday, July 24, 2006. Big Johnny is doing better today. The Doctors said his blood work is almost normal. The Doctors called in specialists because he has a sore throat, a cough and has trouble with reflux. A speech therapist came and said everything was fine with his swallowing and speech, so that was a bit of good news. Tomorrow we will know more about his tests today. Little Johnny is still the same, the Doctors are keeping him heavily sedated until the swelling goes down and he has recovered a bit more. Little Johnny is still on a ventilator and the Doctors will try to remove it tomorrow. Little Johnny's Doctors will have a conference tomorrow and we should have more information. Please continue to keep the two Johnny's in your prayers. Miracles happen everyday and your prayers bring about these miracles....all that we can say is Thank you so very much for all of your prayers. We feel so blessed to have so many people praying. Love from the Fayard Family

Saturday 22 July 2006

We decided to start this blog so that we could keep everyone updated on Johnny and Daddy. We are overwhelmed by the kindness, love, thoughts and prayers you all have given to our family and we appreciate this so much. We will start from the beginning for those of you have not heard everything. June 6 Daddy was admitted to the hospital in Meridian, Ms with double pneumonia. His condition did not improve so he was taken to UAB in Birmingham on Father's Day. The following Thursday it was discovered that he needed exploratory surgery and they found a hole in his intestine. He now has a colostomy which can be reversed in several months. He has had quite a few setbacks which included last Tuesday when we were all called to Birmingham. By the time we arrived he was doing better and we all agreed that Johnny should keep his appointment at Mayo in Rochester on Thursday morning. He had been fitted for a leg brace for his RSD in June and he was going back to get his leg brace and have a physical. Johnny flew back to Gulfport in the wee hours of the morning Wednesday and then caught his flight to Rochester, Mn at 6am. He called us at one of the stops to check on Daddy and was informed that he was doing better. The next call we got was when the 2nd nightmare began. One of the first respoders to the crash site was given our office number by Johnny who asked that he please call and let us know what had happened. Some members of our family flew to La Crosse on Wednesday afternoon to be with him. They were able to see him in i.c.u. that evening. He sustained right rib injuries, a closed head injury, right shoulder blade fracture, and fractures to his upper neck. He has overall been doing very well. He is in stable condition. He has undergone surgery for the neck fractures and currently has a "halo" brace to help stablize his neck. He has been sedated, but when the sedation is decreased, he opens his eyes and follows commands appropriately. He has been doing very well. The doctors anticipate a full recovery but will take some time due to his multiple injuries. They hope that once he is further recovered, he will be getting closer to home hopefully within the next couple of weeks. Robert Paulk, Johnny's friend who was also on the plane seems to be improving. Please keep him and his family in your prayers too. Both of the pilots will be buried this week and our hearts and prayers go out to them. We will keep updating as we get information. Miracles are happening. Thanks be to God and the Blessed Virgin Mary.