Comments From Mrs. Cyborg

Janelle said...

WOW, WOW, AND ANOTHER BIG WOW!!!
I have tears in my eyes that you have embraced Michael so, when really it is your family and sweet Zoe, and so many like yours that have taken a hold of our hearts and turned Michael into that Cyborg!!
When the Holy Spirit gives that quiet tug at ya, you try your best to answer. That's all you can do really, the grace of God does the rest, and I guess a cyborg is born!! So funny!
I think the hugs from you will mean more to Michael than you will ever know. It is your fervent witness, and beautiful humble witness at that, to the sanctity of life, abandonment to a Fathers plan, and persevering strength that may feel weak at times, that witnesses and teaches us daily. A few ironmans is the least we could do to open up some hearts to the same.
I only wish I could be there to meet you all too, and hold sweet Zoe, but we barely got Michael there.
Oh, and as far as ironman.com article disappearing, hmmm-don't know if our cause was too pro-life or what, but it was up three days---like the Trinity---like the third chromosome---funny or providential---maybe they will put it back if more people bug 'em in a nice way! Case in point--these wonderful children need the respect of any other child.
God bless you guys.

Zoe's Cyborg

It means that much to him.

Michael Hennessey wants to set the Guinness Book of World Record for the most Ironmans. He's doing it so that people start finding out about Trisomy 13 and 18. He's trying to qualify for a huge race in Kona, HI. He's doing more for kids like Zoe than anyone I know.

Makes me want to hug him. What about you? Well, he's coming to Madison, Wisconsin on September 7, and we Bats are going to break off our little trip away so we can give him a hug.

If you all plan on going to meet him in Madison, let us know and we'll all show up together. Who wants to see the Ironman with Zoe? I'll try and get a picture for you.

If you all have any more questions, please get them to me and we'll do a little q'n'a. That's question and answer.

Michael Hennessey's Article That Was Pulled From Ironman.com

for reasons we do not know, the article below appeared - and then disappeared from Ironman.com. If you click this link a few times, it might work. It's hidden on their server. Maybe we should all write the author and let him know - nicely, everyone - how much we support this man.

Ironmanlife: Michael Hennessey's Mission

Kevin Mackinnon profiles the man behind Ironman for Kids

Published Friday, June 13, 2008

While I am fully aware that attempting 20 Ironman races in a year is tough, Michael Hennessey isn't likely to get a whole lot of sympathy each time he returns from a race over the next year. Not when he's leaving his saint of a wife, Janelle, back home with ... are you ready for this ... six kids, the oldest a whopping seven years old.

I can remember when our oldest was seven. Her two younger brothers were five and two. My wife claims I covered as many races as I did for no other reason than to escape the bedlam of the household. That was with three. I can't imagine what it's like to deal with six. Heck, they probably have had at least three kids in diapers for the last four years.You’d have to have a pretty good reason to head out the door for 20 Ironman races over a year, knowing that you’re leaving that sort of work behind you, and Hennessey certainly has that. Hennessey has started a non-profit charity called Ironman for Kids. The charity is raising money to bring awareness of a genetic disorder called trisomy to the world.

Trisomy is a genetic disorder associated with the presence of extra material in the chromosomes. Trisomy 13 has as extra 13th chromosome, where as trisomy 18 has an extra 18th chromosome. Down’s Syndrome is trisomy 21.

“But the other trisomy syndromes don't get as much attention (compared to Down’s) until a mother is diagnosed at birth or prenatally with the early prenatal screening,” wrote TheresAnn, who’s daughter Natalia was born with trisomy 13, in an e-mail earlier this week. “In most cases families are told their child will not survive, futile to treat and the treatment option prenatally is termination or early induction. Trisomy families just want to bring awareness out so all families are informed of their options, so they, the parents can make the decisions, and not have the decisions made for them.”

Hennessey is working hard to help us all be aware of the syndrome, but he’s learning the hard way that it’s not going to be easy to achieve any of his goals. He had originally envisioned doing 18 Ironman races in a year, which he figured would get him a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records. That was until Stefaan Engels heard about his goal. Engels had planned 15 Ironman races this year … then moved that goal up to 18 so he could compete with Hennessey. I’m actually afraid to publish this column – now the two of them will likely start looking for mid-week Ironman events so they can get more in.

“I’m also learning that getting to the start line of all these races is often harder than the race itself,” Hennessey says. On his way to Ironman Brazil a few weeks ago, the 42-year-old Texan was kicked off the plane until he could get a visa. A whirlwind tour of Houston got him to the Brazilian consulate in time – he got to the race with 16 hours to spare.

Hennessey isn’t just trying to finish most of these events, either. He’s hoping to complete Ford Ironman Coeur d’Alene in 10 hours next weekend, which he hopes will net him a qualifying spot for Kona in the 40 to 44 age group.

There’s only one man on the planet who would agree to coach anyone with a race schedule that includes 18 to 20 Ironmans – that would be Petr Vabrousek, who routinely finishes eight to 12 Ironman and long distance triathlon events a year, almost always in the top-five. I think the only reason the Czech pro is helping Hennessey is so that he can finally answer the inevitable “Why do you do so many Ironman races every year?” question at every press conference with “I’m only doing half as many as the guys I’m coaching.”

Hennessey is quickly becoming a living endorsement of Ironman’s “Anything is Possible” theme. He did his first Ironman in 1984 when, as an 18-year-old, he was the third-to-last finisher in Kona in 16:53. Twenty years later he raced at Ford Ironman Florida, where he knocked more than six hours off his time. Now he’s trying to get back to Kona again, all-the-while raising money and awareness for a great cause.
Just ask ThereseAnn, who I’m sure would be more than willing to help Janelle out any time, despite her own challenges at home. I hope you’ll find a way to help out, too.

You can learn more about the program at www.ironmanforkids.com

You can reach Kevin Mackinnon at kevin@ironman.com

Zoe at 161

I know there's a few of you out there who have kept up with us and Zoe for all 161 days, so when I write that Robbie Seay wrote me last night to ask how Zoe was doing, and that Your Favorite Baseball Player Chris Sampson's wife txted me last night...I don't have to explain. That I'm going to see Ironman Hennessey next weekend.

Or just to tell you that Zoe is now 8 pounds, 15 ounces of chunkatude and has actually hit - and by hit we mean made the very lowest echelon of, but still hit - the healthy kids chart of growth and development (somewhere there is a healthy kid who is 23 inches and 8 pounds and 15 ounces. He or she might not be 161 days old.)

Could anything surprise you? Me either. I fed Zoe much of last night and she's now developed a scraping claw move that means, look...you better feed me the bottle or I'm going to dig a hole in your skin and pull the arm tendons my ownself to move your bottle arm. 8 pounds of attitude. But does that surprise you? How about that she's breathing this morning at all?

How about the Australian contingent of this blog's readership? Or the extensive Canadian audience? The Texans commenting loud and proud? How about this: Cecil Cooper, former Milwaukee Brewer, is now the manager of the Astros. Surprising? Me either.

161 days has a way of beating surprise out of you. This story is longer than we thought. But it's a pretty good story. And now I'm wondering, cautiously: the doctors told me 159 days ago how the story was going to end. They gave us the lethal diagnosis. I don't doubt that my daughter has full, non-mosaic Trisomy 18. But could there be another 161 days? Would you be surprised?

(Wait...I did think of something surprising: did you know that those Ironman people swim over 2 miles, then bike over 150 miles, then run a marathon? I mistakenly called them triathletes. They're cyborgs. Just our guy is driven by a mission.)

Eternal God
by Robbie Seay Band

Forever, forever
You have been my home
Patience, patience
You've got all the time in the world
So we are more than blades of grass
Distant dreams fading fast
How long will You have us wait
We will wait on You

These days are fleeting
And life is hard
God eternal
Come back to us
And with the sun bring surprising love
To this day of eternal God

Trisomy In The White House?

John McCain's pick for Vice President is Sarah Palin, who has a four month old child with Trisomy 21 - Down's syndrome. She didn't abort little Trig, like 80% of parents who find out they have a Trisomy 21 child do.

Politics aside - practically impossible for me or most Batiansilas to do - it's moving to know someone might be sitting in the White House who has made a choice like we did with Zoe, and understands the joy of life like we do.

S'more Good Reading

Here's an interesting article talking about medicine's terminology and why it is failing many parents. And children who need treatment and would receive it if they weren't deemed to have a "Lethal Anamoly."

Some Interesting Interviews

Here's a link to some interesting interviews with two doctors about Trisomy babies. I might try to follow up with an interview of my own, since...is the one pediatrician saying that Trisomy babies who survive birth live past age 1? Why haven't I heard that??????

Plot Twists

Isabel spent some time last night trying to decide which college to send her ACT scores to. She and Teia are taking the test in late October, and for the first time, Izzi had to consider a future beyond this weekend or next year. What did she want to do? Where did she want to go?

It's a feeling of supreme freedom that might even cause some of us to get jealous. It seems, for some of us, that those questions have already been asked and answered. We're on a path, and that's the path, I guess, we're going to stay on until...until we're done.

Somewhere beyond Izzi's freedom or our confidence in what's going to happen tomorrow is God, who may or may not agree with any of those emotions. The truth is God will do what He will do, and we will find peace when we understand that the time and the place for those things will be for His good and glory.

Take the story of Phil Eszterhas. He was one of Hollywood's highest paid screenwriters, writing great-looking filth like "Basic Instinct" and "Jade." If you wanted total nudity and murder and drug use and sex onscreen, but in a highly stylized and simmering way, Phil was your guy. But, the truth is, I repeat, God will do what he will do.

Izzi asked me if we were moving the other night. I told her I don't know. I don't know where, or when. I don't know how, exactly yet. But if God wants us to move, we will. And wherever that next place is will be as wonderful as this. There's just no evidence that God will be working things for evil for those who love Him. Quite the opposite, right?

I guess what I'm saying is the hardest lesson I've learned in Zoe and Izzi and through all of this is the idea that it's really not up to me at all.

Keep Praying

Zoe's had a rougher last few days.

One trait she has had for months is a reflex to lift and then pound her head into you as she is held. I'm sure it's not voluntary and before, it wasn't much of a negative, but as she grows, she has an even greater ability to forcefully drive her head into you.

Lately, she's been awake a lot at night. More than usual, and when she's been awake it's been an extremely fidgety and uncomfortable time for her. She squirms and writhes and just can't sit still. She can't put her little head down for very long. And because she's related to me, she has almost unlimited energy to squirm and writhe and drive her head into you and cry and holler at you.

I'm being careful to avoid saying she's hurting. I'm not sure. I'm not sure if she's just got uncontrollable movement or is restless and can't settle. I don't know if she has acid reflux or what is making her so unhappy when she's awake. But it's been a while since she's been able to sit and do her usual - observe the world with her enormous eyes.

Right now, she's sleeping on my chest wrapped in a blanket. At peace. Breathing well. So lift her up in prayer as she fights for another minute or day or whatever she's given.

BIRTHDAY GREETINGS

What do you get for a girl who has...almost everything?

At 5 months, Zoe's got a family full of people who love her, adoring fans around the world, the doting affection of a MLB pitcher, and a God who has kept her in His palm of His hand this whole time.

We are still...always...so proud.

Moved

Bat and Christa have moved, no thanks to me.

All thanks goes to Heidi, Phil, Kirin, Tari, Renee, Erin, Martina, Deirdre and the rest of the cast of thousands.

I'm going to be part of the moving in team, helping Bat and Christa get set up in a house they own and can't be kicked out of with little notice.

They've found a nice place closer to Green Bay and worthy of their years of trust and service. God again shows His goodness to His servants.

Zoe Meets Your Favorite Baseball Player, Chris Sampson

It couldn't have been a more perfect night.

Your Favorite Baseball Player, Chris Sampson, waited to meet Zoe before the Astros - Brewers game...but traffic held us up. So he took the mound in relief, struck out one guy and got the other guy out.

Pretty good night. But his dear wife Heather had come up to meet Zoe and during the game, and asked us to come and meet Chris. So we joined Heather and Chris down deep inside Miller Park.

Chris held Zoe and she couldn't stop looking at him. He talked to her and her blue eyes locked on him and for minute after minute, they connected.

Sounds like Chris and Heather are working on a special event down in Houston where they hope to get some media and press around a signing raising some money for Baby Zoe. These are special people.

I told them tonight I am equally more moved and touched by the connections. Robbie with my family. Brooke with me. Heather with Zoe. Chris with Heather and Zoe. Chris holding Zoe after he had a great game. Me, staggered by it all.

Edited

Teia just told me that the article I first linked to about a previous post has been updated to a point where the point of the article has changed. I trust Teia. "I think it was just that the writer knew a couple of details at first and guessed at parts and then published the article," Teia told me via Facebook.

I'll let Teia make the call. "I just think i noticed where peopl eare coming from, given the new information that was added," Teia told me.

So...BLAMMO! The post is gone.

QB Kellen

Kellen made his first (scrimmage) debut as QB on his high school team. They've moved from some 50's style Lombardi kinda offense to a wide-open, line up 4 wides and let's throw it around offense.

Kellen appeared to make some good throws and even better decisions, meaning he has little of his father's decision-making genes.

Zoe To Meet Your Favorite Baseball Player?

Tomorrow, we hope to bring Zoe to meet Chris and Heather. I'll warm up the family digital camera so you all can see.

Zoe Update

Zoe is growing and eating. It's day 149 and she's a wonder to us.

She's still struggling. Friday was her worst day in a while and even before that, every night is a long one. She still needs lots of attention and help with constipation.

The doctors had her switch formulas and changed her meds for acid reflux - they still believe that's what the "fits" are. Now, as she moans and wails her way through, we're unsure if it's the meds, the formula, or none of the above. It's a frustrating time for both of us, especially Jen. It takes all of you and then all of your faith and then all of your patience and then all of your prayers. So thank you.

A Freedom Of Religion Tip

China says they have freedom of religion. They also say that they are just "taking care" of the 30o Bibles they confiscated from Americans who intended to distribute them. So next time you enter a country that says they have freedom of religion, make sure you don't test that freedom in the country.

What would China be afraid of? If it's a mindless book, then how would it harm China?

Deeper Communion

Old men ought to be explorers
Here and there does not matter
We must be still and still moving
Into another intensity
For a further union, a deeper communion

-TS Eliot

Batblog Feeling All Kinds Of Official-Like

I think we've crossed some kind of threshhold: Batblog being quoted by a website.

Michael Hennessey, our Favorite Ironman competitior Ever, did an interview with www.lifesitenews.com , which liberally quotes Michael's interview with us on the Batblog!

Now, if only lifesitenews.com would have contacted me, we could have traded links and become powerful internet friends. (hint, hint, lifesitenews.com).

The Turtle And The Telephone Pole

What's wrong with this article?

I'll help. What's wrong with the article is that the writer didn't expunge all of the hope and faith from the article to make it a story of some anonymous and strange "religion."

Or...maybe it's because the writer couldn't remove all of the hope and faith because he wouldn't have anything to write.

What about you? If someone came and interviewed you, could they write an article without mentioning God's hand and plan in your life? God isn't something that works for me or Danny Wuerffel or Robbie Seay, but doesn't work for you. He's not a pill that some people like to take to get through. He's not Viagra.

He's more like gravity. He is. He's here. He rules. He's the one who is ordering our lives. And, like gravity, our acknowledgement of His existence does not call Him into existence. Whether you want to believe there is gravity or not is immaterial to whether it truly exists.

If you said you didn't believe in gravity, it would not release you from its laws and let you float.

If you said you didn't believe in God, He would not relent and let you out of His love and His plan and His call for you. A call for you. Can you hear it? He's calling you and me and Zoe and Bat. And Carol Post and Andreas. And Ted and Dan and Erika. And Brooke and Your Favorite Baseball Player Chris Sampson. Once you hear it, and it's working in you, you might not know how you got there, but the view sure is great.