Still Sabbath, March 16
Update on John

Last Monday, we drove to St. Louis for three medical appointments.  Dr. Maniar was the first, after a chest X-ray.  We saw his Nurse Practitioner before him and it was nice to meet her since we had talked to her on the phone several times.  They were pleased with his progress and encouraged him to EAT UP and to do whatever he felt able to do.  We had gotten there at 10:45 and didn't finish till after 12:30 and our next appointment with the plastic surgeon was at 12:45.  They gave us GRACE and let us go and eat lunch.  We went to the Children's hospital cafeteria and we thoroughly enjoyed our food there.  We got to the plastic surgeon's office and were seen in about 30 minutes making us late for our third appointment, too.  Dr. Kels said NO LIFTING for another two months.  She is concerned about the abdomin where she removed rectus abdominus, or stomach muscles.  Internal healing takes a lot longer than internal healing.  So, though his wounds have healed, she is concerned with the internal lack of support that he now has with that muscle gone so nothing is there to support his internal organs.

Dr. Vasquez was last in the Infectious Disease area.  She was the kindest and most sympathetic doctor of any that we saw and so we were thrilled to see her again.  With consultation with her boss, it was decided that John would come off IV antibiotics that day.  His pic line was removed and we were thrilled.  He was prescribed antibiotics by mouth and takes Ciproflaxacin morning and night, the rest of his life, or as long as he can tolerate it.

When we finished with her it was late and so went back to the children's hospital cafeteria and ate supper there before starting home.  John did amazingly well for such a long day.  Tuesday, he did rest and recover a lot!  His tailbone sore is slowly, slowly closing up.  His cousin from Germany sent some special salve that we use twice a day and it is supposed to be tops for this kind of sore.  She also sent some wonderful german chocolates.  Stop by if you want a sample!

Another surprise package arrived this week in an Amazon.com box.  I wondered what John had ordered and he wondered what I had ordered!  Turned out it was Chicken Noodle Soup!  Ha....we've laughed and laughed and wondered who sent us THAT!

We still have our up and down days but mostly we are saying "Yes" to this process of very slow recuperation.  I feel very stretched at times trying to be at work and yet needing to be here at home for John.  He is not at all demanding, thank goodness!  But I put pressure on myself especially for meal time.  I have to try different foods to find something that tastes good to him and that can take a while.

This has been a slow and restful Sabbath, something we both needed.  He is having lots of pain in his abdominal area.  Where the muscles have been removed, the inner parts want to pouch out and that hurts!  We've had the McIntires here from Salem Church and the Springers from Rolla and have enjoyed their company.  Tomorrow we have some company coming, too...

Lots and lots of love to all of you!