Denise Graves-Criddle:  

Happy day MASH family, I am Mrs. Denise Graves Criddle, I am the proud wife and caregiver of Mr. Michael R. Criddle. We started this path Gods plan of different normals in 2010. 1st New Normal September 2010, this is when Michael was diagnosed with gastroparesis, the Drs at Parkland Hospital stated that there is NO cure but it can be maintain thru treatments. We thank God for Parkland Hospital fact without it neither of us would be able to afford medical treatments. Gastroparesis for Michael comes when it want and stays around as long as it wants. Sometimes it affect Michael norm for a day, a week or even over a month. When this occur Michael CANNOT eat food, CANNOT digest food, or keep down. Doing this time he goes thru dry heaving, nausea, sweats along with very bad stomach pain. His weight drops and he is very weak, sometimes disoriented. Blessing is God prepared me years ago working in the medical field back home in New Orleans, La. to be able to care for my husband now. 2nd New Normal December of 2014, we were leaving a late evening Dr appointment at Parkland. While walking to our vehicle and talking all of a sudden Michael got dizzy fell and broke his right arm. God was all in the mist, because Michael is left handed, NOR DID he hit his head, Hallelujah. He has a iron rod in his right arm and it does NOT extend out all the way but he CAN still use it. Look at God showing much favor. 3rd New Normal May 2016, we were home and Michael was going thru with the gastroparesis. He decided to get out the bed and take a shower on his own. While preparing lunch and dinner I heard water running. I check on Michael realized he was in the tub with water running on his feet. I asked him to get out the tub get dress, come to the front sit with me. After seeing the swelling of his foot I took his right foot placed it in a warm bucket of water trying to help it go down, thats when the inside part of the ankle skin came off. Once I got him dressed, the ride I petitioned arrived we got him to the hospital. By then his right foot had 3rd degree burns, left foot 2nd degree burns. This is when we found out he has neuropathy, he did NOT feel the heat rising in the water, because of it NOT filling up the tub it was just running thru. Parkland Hospital has the best Burn Unit in the country. Let me share with you all Gods Favor again. God presented us with Dr. Phelan 1 of the head surgeons in the unit. He is a Christian 1st plus, never once spoke about ambutation 2nd plus. His words was that he will do ALL he can to save Michael feet, 3rd plus. Michael had a total over a few months time 4 skin graft surgeries. He had to learn how to walk again dress himself again along with many other things. He did in time, thru therapy. But apparently Gods plan for us to go thru was, is NOT over because unfortunately even after a years time Michael right foot would NOT heal. 4th New Normal July 2017. Now let me catch you all up as much as I love My Boaz I did NOT realize he was going thru a depression time 2 months. He had gotten alittle rude out of order with me, but I put it on him being a pridef...Expand for more