Sabbath, March 23, 2013

Rose is always ready to come lay in my lap when I get home

Last night as we welcomed the Sabbath, we realized that it was four weeks ago that we came home from Barnes Jewish Hospital.  I got out my journal and read John some of the things that he said while he was still in ICU: 

"Give me something to drink besides embryonic fluid." 

"I need some upward mobility." 

"If someone wants to do me a favor, put in 2 sets of lungs." 

"We need to pray about mission possible here." 

To my friend Angela he said, "You probably haven't seen me look this bad."  She said, "You were handsome and  you are still handsome," to which he replied, "You shouldn't be drinking on Friday nights!" 

Good laughs all around!

Reading my notes helped us realize that John was in ICU for 18 days, on the step down unit for 13, moving to 7577 on Valentines day where we stayed for 9, making our total wilderness journey 40 days.  Thankfully, our journey was shared by our daughters, our siblings, our friends, and many church members.  We know it was orchestrated by the Great Physician, through His many faithful servants including six medical teams (vascular surgeons, plastic surgeons, infectious disease specialists, anesthesiologists, renal specialists, and cardiologists), a host of nurses, and therapists.  We are grateful for so much support.  The rest of our lives will be characterized by a deeper empathy for catastrophic illness and those who suffer from them, along with their families.

John wrote on Facebook last night:

Feeling slightly stronger every day. Must wait for doctor and Conference clearance, before I go back to pastoring. Once the mandatory time that I cannot lift any weights over 5 lbs is over and past, then Anytime Fitness Center will see lots of me. My lack of one of two abdomen muscles is still an issue, but the body will have to figure out how to compensate. For now, there's lots to look forward too, and everyday will be an adventure. Just remember, your prayers put "Humpty Dumpty" back together again. God's Word is such real food, and prayers do that which God would not do, if we didn't ask. Thanks forever to all of you!

This last Monday we went back to Dr. Martin, a local cardiologist, because John had gained three pounds in one day indicating fluid retention.  The Home Health Nurse also thought she heard some pneumonia in John's lungs.  His chest x-ray was negative, thankfully, and an extra water pill helped decrease his retained fluid.  What helped the most this week was the "Bear Hug" or girdle/corset with velcro that John can wear around his mid-section.  It makes him feel AND look lots more comfortable but he is still learning HOW and WHEN to wear it.  

My week escalated into more than 40 hours of work and that feeling of being pulled:  John eats better when I am here, he needs my company, appreciates help with exercise.  So the tension between being needed at home and being at work mounted with two after-work meetings and some pretty significant drama. 

One night we ate at Subway--that was after our doctor appointment.  It did not taste good to John when before it was always his favorite!  So on Thursday nite we ate at Taco Bell, lately his worst.  But this time he loved it and then asked me to bring home some more tostadas for lunch yesterday.  Hey, whatever it takes!

My trusty, beautiful red laptop that John gave me for Christmas two years ago is a casualty of this illness.  I've had it in the shop this week after I left it in a bag with a water bottle.  The cost of repair is too much though they do have access to my data which they will download to disc for me....should get that back on Monday.