Sorry I haven’t posted any updates this weekend, folks. This is the first time since Dad was hospitalized that I’ve missed even a day.
Dad’s health is still good, and he’s continuing to recover his strength. He’s started using the computer again, too, but he’s not on it for very long at a time.
I’ll write more later, but I ask that you please continue to pray for Dad and our entire family.
Dad slept very well again last night, as he has ever since Marty got his MS Contin dosage back to him, and felt really good this morning. So, it looks like rest won’t be such an issue for Pop any more.
Mom shared with me some more detail about how well Dad’s appointment with Dr. Diffee went yesterday. She said that when Dad had talked about not getting stronger, he was a referring to what Dr. Misulis had told Mom and Dad on his last visit back in February. Dr. Misulis had said that though Dad would probably recover more strength and mental acumen, he would never return to where he was before all this occurred.
As Mom recalls, Dr. Diffee said later that he would like to have a list of all the medication Dad is taking now, and Dad handed him a printed list. Dr. Diffee said, “who typed this?” Of course, Dad had. Mom said Dr. Diffee’s response was, “Johnny, a month ago Dr. Misulis would have said that you’d never be able to do that. Don’t put too much stock in what doctors tell you that you can or can’t achieve. If God wants you to get better, you’ll get better.” That’s good advice for anyone.
Dad had a very good visit with Dr. Diffee today. He was very pleased with Dad’s progress, and very encouraging about his potential for continued improvement. Dad told the doctor that he didn’t understand why (in Dad’s view) he wasn’t getting his strength back, and said that Dr. Diffee gave him “a whole new perspective on it” by telling him “Well, Johnny, it’s gonna take a while!”
It seems that while everyone around Dad can see that his progress has been amazingly rapid, it seems painfully slow to him. That’s understandable, but it still gets him a little down if he starts to dwell on it. When we remind him of how much progress he’s already made in a very short time, he becomes much more upbeat.
Dr. Diffee told Dad that he wants to see him again in a month, and sent him on his way. Overall, it was a very encouraging visit, both for Dad and for Mom. Thanks again for all your continuing prayers, folks—we know who is responsible for all this and has so generously answered all our requests on Dad’s behalf.
Dad has slept better for the last two nights, since his WTTC nurse restored his MS Contin dosage. It provides a very tiny timed-release dose, equal to about one milligram of morphine sulfate per hour, but apparently it’s enough to make Dad comfortable. When he’s comfortable, he sleeps well, and when he’s sleeping well, he feels a lot stronger and healthier. As a result, Dad says that he feels better now than he has since last year.
Dad’s appointment yesterday with Dr. Misulis was rescheduled for two weeks from now, since he hadn’t been able to rest well over the weekend and didn’t feel quite up to it yet. He has an appointment today, though, with Dr. Diffee, and he and Mom are planning to keep it. Please pray for Dad that he handles the trip and the visit well, and that he continues his remarkable improvement.
Dad continues to do better. Marty has got his MS Contin medication back to him yesterday evening, he slept very well last night. Discomfort and lack of rest has been Dad’s biggest problem during his recovery, so this will go a long way toward letting him regain his strength and health. He’s getting more active all the time, and I think he’s just about recovered from the stress of the move back home. Please continue praying for him and Mom.
On a more personal note, today is my third wedding anniversary. Christie and I were married on March 25, 2000 in Stephenville, Texas. We even had a wedding website to keep all our friends and relatives informed and connected, and I’ve put it back online to mark the occasion. I hope all of you get to meet Christie someday. She’s an absolutely wonderful girl, and I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect person with whom to spend the last three years, or the next three hundred.
Dad’s continuing to do better. He tells me that he had more strength today than he’s had since he left the hospital. Marty, his nurse, came out to check on him and verify that he was getting all the medication he was supposed to, and found that they hadn’t included MS Contin in his take-home meds. MS Contin was what finally allowed him to sleep well when he was at Transitional Care, so that may explain why he hasn’t rested as well since he got home. They were bringing him that medication tonight, so he should be sleeping better even now.
Thanks for all your continuing prayers, folks!
Dad’s taking a while to recover from the move and get his strength back up, but he’s doing very well considering what he’s been through. Mom was attended services this morning with the Madison County Church of Christ and later planted a row of Irish potatoes, and Dad was fine by himself during both outings. (Mom’s legs are doing much better, by the way.)
Dad’s not consistently sleeping well at night yet, and that may take a while. Hopefully when he resumes his physical therapy sessions this week, it will help him to rest more easily at night. Please continue to pray for Dad and Mom that their health continues to improve.
Dad’s recovering from the stress of the move home. He slept poorly Thursday night, and was very tired all day yesterday, but slept much better last night. Though he’s feeling better today, he still feels “pretty rough.”
He was too tired yesterday to do his exercises—actually, he was asleep when the physical therapist came by, and had asked Mom to tell him that he wouldn’t be able to work out. The therapist said that was fine, and they’ll get it done next time.
Marty, Dad’s nurse, wasn’t able to come by yesterday but said she’d come later. That’s all well and good, as Dad needs the rest. He’s napping a lot today, and seems to feel better after every nap.
Please keep praying for Dad that he can rest well and regain his strength quickly, and for Mom that her health continues to improve.
Mom says that Dad’s first night went pretty well. He was a bit restless and got up a couple times, but he’d promised Mom that he’d stay in the house and not try to walk out onto the porch or anywhere like that. As for Mom, she “slept like a log.” They both got up and had breakfast together about 6:30am, which was great.
Marty, Dad’s nurse, will be coming out this morning to check on him, and his physical therapist will come by this afternoon to work with him a bit. They won’t be making daily visits, but they just want to make sure that he keeps up the routine of exercise, diet and medication that’s gotten him this far.
Thanks for your continuing thoughts and prayers, folks!
After 54 days of hospitalization, surgery, ICU care, hospice and rehab, Dad finally went home early this afternoon. He’s already settled in there, where we hope that he will continue his recovery through diet, exercise, medication and lots of prayer.
Dad says that he was surprised that the trip tired him out as much as it did, but it’s been almost eight weeks since he’s gone anywhere sitting upright, so that’s understandable. He’s in his favorite recliner now, feet propped up and remote control in hand, catching up on the events overseas and thrilled to pieces to be home.
Mom had her appointment with Dr. Diffee this morning. He examined her, x-rayed her legs and read her tea leaves, and decided that it wasn’t arthritis or rheumatism. Instead, he thinks it’s either tendinitis or bursitis. He gave her something that would clear it up and sent her home. She’s also been using an emu-oil gel on her legs, and she says that it helps a lot.
Ain’t God GOOD!!! Thanks so much for everyone’s continued prayers and support!