• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Blue House Blog

believer | creating a home of peace, health, abundance and beauty | laughing a lot

  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • Truth
    • Contact Me
  • Recipes
    • Trim Healthy Mama
    • Nourishing Traditions
  • My Home
    • Remodeling
    • Before and After
  • The Fine Print
    • Disclosure
    • Privacy
    • Media
  • Shop

A Success Story.

Melissa Beene Ford/ Uncategorized

This week marks my six-month anniversary at my job as the Director of Social Services at Truman W. Smith Children’s Care Center.

I love my job.

Though if you had told me five months and three weeks ago I would still be working here in November, I would have laughed, cried, thrown up, then checked myself into the psychiatric hospital.

An easy place to work, its NOT, but its exactly what I needed…. a very stressful, very overwhelming way to spend 8 hours per day where I’m so incredibly busy that I forget to eat lunch some days… its a good distraction from the world outside of this facility. Which is what I needed.

This job is truly a blessing from the Lord, and I’m so happy that I get to be a part of this amazing place. I’m really proud of the work that’s done here and that I get to be a part of it.

Today I had the opportunity to write a Success Story and I wanted to share it here. *The name has been changed…

Truman W. Smith Success Story: *Julia

Everyone at Truman W. Smith Children’s Care Center knows Julia as an adorable, lively two-year-old who keeps the staff amused and entertained. By looking at her today, one would never know the complicated medical situation she once faced. Admitted to Truman as a six-month-old, Julia had already undergone many grueling months of extensive medical care for problems that had been present since her birth.

Julia was born unable to breathe well and required immediate chest compressions and ventilation. Her heart rate was very low and her prognosis was poor. Her feeding was so weak that she required placement of a g-tube. Julia underwent various surgeries and was in and out of the hospital with illnesses, a very weak and sickly little baby with little hope of having a healthy childhood.

As soon as Julia was stabilized from all the illnesses and surgeries, she was transferred to Truman where the amazing staff loved her as if she were their own baby. Julia flourished with the care she received at Truman,

including physical and occupational therapy, speech therapy, respiratory therapy, activities with the activity director, and a diet specially ordered just for her. Most important to her recovery, though, was the abundance of love and attention she received from the staff who took a personal interest in helping this little one to thrive.

Fast-forward a year and a half, and this once weak and
sickly infant is a happy, healthy, well-nourished toddler who is reaching
milestones, running, playing, eating, communicating, and by most appearances doing everything a two-year-old should do. She’s been weaned from the vent and the g-tube and no longer requires therapy.

It’s with mixed emotions that Truman is now preparing for Julia to return home to her parents. While each staff person who has come to know and love Julia will miss her terribly after she leaves, they can honestly say that they are happy to see little Julia have the opportunity to return to her family and to have had a hand in helping her live a “normal” life outside of an institution. Julia is truly a picture of the success made possible by the amazing staff of Truman W. Smith.

Recent Posts

  • Ask
  • Two Natural Ways to Cope with Grief
  • Covers Over
  • God vs Earthly Parents
  • For they are ever with me

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Michawn says

    November 10, 2010 at 3:04 pm

    i spent some time at truman smith during clinicals. such a one-of-a-kind place. a difficult place to work, but so very rewarding…such a great need that is. i know that you are being used in a mighty way there…and i am so excited that you definitely (sounds like) found your niche there. glad for you.

    Reply
  2. Kathy says

    November 12, 2010 at 9:02 pm

    Amazing. Seriously. What an wonderful opportunity to love people. I bet you're wonderful at it. Prayers for your joureny there.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Let’s Connect!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

About Me


Hey there... I'm Melissa! Texas girl. Mom to three + one goldendoodle. Believer. Old house fanatic. Creating a happy + healthy home with purpose is my passion. I'm so glad you're here!

Be sure to subscribe to emails so you don't miss a post!

Search for Something

ARCHIVES

I don’t know who’s big idea it was to strip 80 I don’t know who’s big idea it was to strip 80 years of paint off of this door down to the wood and start over… but that person has no business starting new projects. 😅 My neighbors must have thought this project would never end. *I* thought this project would never end. 😰 If you’re thinking of doing this yourself? Just don’t, ok? Throw the whole door away and buy a new one. 😂🤣 Just kidding.  Old house weirdos like me… we can’t just do things the easy way. Anyhoo… after some trial and error, @sherwinwilliams Celestial is what I landed on, and I have to say… I like it. Periwinkle-ish blue looks great with the yellow house and will look even better when the azaleas are in bloom. Was it all worth it? That’s not important right now. 🤭 Will I do this all again in two years? The magic eight ball says… without a doubt. 👏🏻 I’ve already picked the next color. #gluttonforpunishment #somefoolsneverlearn #oldhouselove #oldhomelove #makinghome #southernliving #gardenandgun #azaleadistrict #tylertx
Spring in the Azalea District makes the winters in Spring in the Azalea District makes the winters in an 80-year-old house completely worth it … what broken pipes, icy hardwood floors and drafty windows? 🤔 I forgot already. #comeonspring #azaleadistrict #tylertx
Happy Saturday ☀️ Happy Saturday ☀️
Salt Lake City is always magical ✨ Salt Lake City is always magical ✨
2022 had its highs and lows for sure, but scrollin 2022 had its highs and lows for sure, but scrolling through my pics from the last twelve months made me realize how blessed and content I am. Prosperity, love, and peace have been ours in abundance, in spite of the pain of losing my dad. The second picture is the last picture of him… the last time I saw him. 💔 But God has been good to my family this year and 2022 is ending far better than it began. 😄 #2022inreview #thanksforthememories
Who wants a Christmas tour of my home? 🙋🏼‍ Who wants a Christmas tour of my home? 🙋🏼‍♀️
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
That’s it. That’s the tour. (Slide two). 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It’s a new trend I’m starting: bare Christmas tree. Lowe’s tag still attached (so quirky and unexpected)! Christmas ornaments still in boxes. Coming soon to an Anthropologie window display near you. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Every year I think, “next year I’ll do better. Next year I’ll have it together.” And then, here we are on the SIXTH Christmas that we’ve been in this house, the sixth Christmas I’ve dragged our chaotic bunch of Christmas mess out of a chaotic garage I still haven’t unpacked from our move six years ago. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Maybe this year is the year I’ll organize it all and put it back neatly so that by Christmas number 7, it will be smooth sailing. People will flock to my social media to see how I’ve pulled everything off SO PERFECTLY. Next year will be my year. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Seems every year there’s less and less bandwidth for all these things. There’s more grief and stress, less money. More demands, less grace. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I put this sign on the wall in my office so I could keep it in front of my eyes: Love. Joy. Peace. And all that. I am SO unlike Jesus most days. So lacking in all of these character qualities. And that’s WITH waking up most mornings and spending my first 30 minutes with God Himself. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
How lost would I be without that? Geez. I can’t fathom. I REQUIRE being transformed by renewing my mind every single morning, and even then, responding to people and life with love, joy, peace and patience doesn’t come naturally. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It’s the goal, though. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
This weary world needs that from us Believers during this season, more than ever… even more than an Anthropologie-window-display worthy Christmas home tour. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I’m working on both.
Instagram post 18046618504353300 Instagram post 18046618504353300
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2023 · Ella Theme by Code + Coconut