The Basic Story
Welcome to our blog, our house and our life! My name is Tara and while I’m usually the main contributor to the blog, my husband Floyd does jump on from time to time with his thoughts and experiences as well. Its always refreshing! Since this blog is all about the house, this page is to tell you a little about us!
We’ll celebrate our 5 year wedding anniversary this October 8th and I can hardly believe how fast the time has gone! On August 6th, 2007 our first child arrived 9 weeks early weighing 3 pounds, 14 ounces and measured 15 inches long. Needless to say, Grady Paul gave us quite the scare but other then a 28 day NICU stay, he was right as rain! Our little miracle had no health issues on account of being early.
Unfortunately, I didn’t seem to be recovering from my pregnancy and even though my 7 months was wrought with toxemia and eclampsia, I should have been getting better not worse. In April of 2008 I had my first of 5 strokes. The doctors didn’t know it was a stroke, not imagining that a 22 year old was likely to have one! This began a horrible year of seeking a diagnosis. That year I had 5 strokes, saw over 35 doctors, had dozens of tests done, drove hundreds of miles to Mayo clinic twice, desperately trying to find answers to my crooked smile and aching body. Doctor after doctor offered me no help and no sympathy. It was incredibly hard because I had no answers no matter how many doctors I saw or how much money slipped from my pocket into theirs. Finally in March 2009, I was officially diagnosed with a blood clotting disorder called Antiphospholipid Syndrome. I was also diagnosed with another autoimmune disease called Mixed Connective Tissue Disorder.
At this point we were sinking into financial despair because of our medical bills, prescriptions and daily needs. Floyd worked as much as he could, even picking up a second job. I was desperate to try and help ease the burden somehow. This lead us to finding the octagon house in the summer of 2009. I was online using a search engine for cheap cheap cheap homes and it popped up! This poor house was just pleading for love and we wanted to give it. We were actually looking for an apartment, mobile home, anything! to help ease our monetary burden. But instead, we got our dream home.
We have quite a few struggles and things haven’t gotten easier. In November of 2009 I had to have a hysterectomy at 23 and in March I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. July 14th, 2010 Grady was diagnosed with Autisim and a Sensory Disorder: He’s never spoken, just babbles. Life is still hard. Floyd is the most hard working man I’ve ever seen in my life. He works from sun up to sun down and into the wee hours of the morning. He has a sickly wife who he never knows is going to have a pulmonary embolism one day or if his son is going to just sit and refuse to eat all day for Lord knows what reason because we have no way of communicating with him.
But we have each other. And we have this amazing house. And we have the most amazing heavenly Father who put us all together under this tin roof for a reason and I thank Him for it.
So there you have it! That is about us! This blog the house but occasionally blurbs about the people who live in it slips through and if you ever want to know more just ask! I’ve never been called shy in my life! 
Floyd and Tara
Grady
Well THANKS ALOT GUYS for making me cry!!!!!!!! I love you all so incredibly much! I pray God Blesses the three of you more than you can ever pray for or imagine.
Good luck you guys! This is a great story – I hope things work out for you both.
Wow! What a story. I wish your family well and I
hope all your dreams for the house come true. My
daughter & son-in-law just bought a house in
Sparland; thus the Google search which brought me
to your site.
I wish you health and happiness.
Actually strokes are common for girls in their twenties. My niece also had a couple in her twenties. I have two Doc friends marries to each other and to whom I consult with questions. Usually recovery is good. Do you still have Bell’s palsy? It also should pass…
I too have a heavy duty autoimmune disease. So do my four sisters we were in Peoria as Teens and each has something a little different. There is something in that place that is defeating to many. Many of my HS friends are now ill. The kids in our neighborhood also have same disease. We lived on a golf course and brook. We think it was the DDT used for mosquitoes.
Keep on truckin’ is all you can do. the house can heal you as you spend more and more time there. Have you really moved in???