Back to floor

Busy day! Ron had his abscess-o-gram this afternoon. It showed no fluid but the "cavity" still has not collapsed and fluid could still form so they felt it was best to leave the drain in.

Surprised to find at 4:30 visitation they were getting ready to move him. At 6PM he was moved back out of CCU and onto a regular floor. I confess we are a little anxious about this...we know they've been talking about moving him out all week; his care really doesn't fit the requirements of being in CCU; but we were hoping they would keep him longer. Such a huge comfort level in knowing the staff to patient ratio is lower and they are so accustomed to Ron's needs for care. Please pray for adjustment for all of us. And that the nurses will be especially attentive to his needs; he has alot of unusually complicated things going on. Good news is, one of us can stay with him 24/7! Aaron wanted to take the first shift and is staying the night with Ron.

Thanks for joining us in prayer! Sorry this is short, and I'm sure there is more to report but I'm very tired tonight!

Love to all!
Christie, Ryan, Aaron & Kristin

PS: WE REALLY NEED TO MAKE SURE RON IS ABLE TO GET SOME GOOD REST; SO WE CONTINUE TO ASK FOR NO VISITORS!!!
THANKS!!!

Thrown for a loop

We all had a good time spending the evening with Ron watching the Cowboys win against Green Bay!! Well, the guys and Kristin watched the game....I'm not much of a football fan but enjoyed being with my family!

Today was kind of crazy. Ryan and I both overslept this morning. He made it up to the hospital about 9:15; I didn't go until 11ish. The nephrologist threw us into a bit of a tailspin when he mentioned that there is always the option to transfer to another hospital, maybe a teaching hospital (like Baylor) that might have more experience with such a complicated case of pancreatitis such as Ron's. Internist (Dr. Chakraborty) was in later and when Ryan mentioned it to her, she said yes, that could be an option. Then Gastroenterologist (Dr. Firney) was in around 1 and said it could be an option but not sure he had an opinion as to whether or not this would be a good idea, it could very well be if we were to transfer; they would do nothing different. But he said he would discuss it with Ron's surgeon (Dr. Elieson) and let him know we would like to get his opinion. A couple of the Doctor's believe it could be necessary to go in surgically to remove infection. However, his surgeon feels that the only reason to open him up again would be if that was absoutely the only option. In other words he feels it is highly risky to go in again. If they were to go in now, they may fix one problem but create two more! And for now, they are able to manage all the drainage with the drainage tubes.

We feel very confident that Dr. Elieson has a good grasp on the situation. The problem is that this is way more than just pancreatitis...it's a very touchy surgical situation. This is a highly complicated case and no one knows Ron's insides better than Dr's Elieson and Pollard. To send Ron to someone someplace else, would basically be starting him over with someone who doesn't have the intimate knowledge, visual image, of what his belly looks like or what kind of condition his tissue, intestines, etc are really in. We've known all along that the further away from the previous surgeries we can go, without having to go back in, the much better the outcome will be.

Dr. Elieson came in this evening and it seems he thought WE were asking for a transfer; but we are not asking for a transfer! Once we got that straight, it was a very good conversation. We talked about the merits of seeking outside help and he has no problem (if we give him permission) to contact others in the area to see if there is any one reputable that would have different thoughts.

We believe Dr. Elieson is following the right path even though another specialist may see things differently, they have not experienced going into the hostile environment of Ron's belly. And seen firsthand what things look like as well as the fragile nature of the tissue.

Please pray for wisdom, discernment and unity for the doctors (as well as us). That we would have very clear, definitive answers to what is the best course of action.

And, as always, pray

• for white cell count to decrease
• leak to heal
• against infection
• blood pressure and heart rate (slightly up the last few days) to stabilize
• kidney function will remain stable (has been 1.4 last few days...very good for him)
• strength, esp. for Ron...obvisously he's very weak and tired
• *** COMPLETE HEALING....GOD IS ABLE...HE IS OUR GREAT PHYSICIAN ***
• that we would glorify God; that His light would shine brightly through us

Tomorrow, Ron will have an abcess-o-gram to see if the cavity (behind his kidney) where there was a pocket of fluid, has cleared up; if it has he may be able to get one of the drainage tubes out (the one that we think is causing him to have the groin pain).

God has reminded us constantly today that His word says "If any of you lacks wisdom let him ask of God who gives to all generously and without reproach, and he must ask in faith without any doubting..." James 1:5-6.

And God instructs us to "rejoice in hope, persevere in tribulation, and be devoted to prayer" Romans 12:12.

Thank you all for rejoicing with us over the small victories and for continuing to be devoted to prayer!! We know in this time of tribulation that God gives us strength enough to handle today! Tomorrow is a new day and no matter what happens, He'll give us the strength we need!

and the beat goes on...

Pretty good day, even though white cell count is now up to 23,000. Hemoglobin stayed at 8.7 and kidney function at 1.4. So far all blood cultures have come back negative.

Wound care specialist came in today to check on areas around drainage tubes (coming from and going into intestines) and is pleased with the way things look. They are watching these areas closely since this is where the leak is and it's bile so could be very caustic both internally and/or externally to the skin. She also checked his backside to make sure there are no bedsores forming...she said "Your's is the best-looking tushee I've seen all day!" I figured the "Cronies" in particular would get a kick out of that!!!

They also had a vascular surgeon come by and check on his blood clots to see if there was anything they could or should do but it was determined until they can get him on a blood thinner, there really isn't. He still has only been allowed to sit on side of bed dangling his legs a couple of times a day and once a day he's able to get in a chair for a short period of time.

We're hoping he'll have a very restful night. Ryan and I gave him a bath, washed his hair and Ryan even did some PT techniques on his back and shoulders (massage-type stuff) before we left (about 10 PM).

I can't begin to express how much we appreciate the blogs on our website! So encouraging and uplifting! I wish I had the time to write or call each of you to tell you how much you mean to us and how God is using you to bring encouragement! Please know, you are much appreciated and loved! Thank you, all!!!

Please continue to pray:

• for pancreas inflammation to continue to decrease...that God has slain this enemy!!!
• for leakage to heal completely on it's own (with no medical intervention)
• for intestinal system to "wake up" and begin to function more normally
• for body to continue to produce healthy blood cells; and decrease white cell count
• for pain in groin to go away
• for pain in right leg (from blood clot) to go away
• for strength to return; Thurs it will be 6 weeks that he's been in hospital (7 weeks if you count original surgery...was in Oct 8-15, then returned again Oct 18 until ???
• for Aaron as he has a couple of upcoming job interviews; and for he and Kristin as they finish out their semester while travelling back and forth from Abilene each weekend
• for Ryan as he gets his license to practice PT transferred from Florida...lengthy and costly process
• for peace, comfort and rest...second night in a row none of us have slept in Critical Care Unit waiting area at hospital!
• that we would stay healthy as we continue with this crazy schedule
• that God would continue to bless the business and give Ron's employee (Larry) a sense of peace, as well as discernment, as he strives to do alot of things that are out of his comfort zone; that he would not be overwhelmed or frustrated
• and always that blood sugar, heart rate and blood pressure will continue to be stable

Much love,

Christie, Ryan, Aaron & Kristin

"He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge...O LORD, what is man that you care for him, the son of man that you think of him?" Psalm 144:2-3

Any day that's not a bad day.....

Not much to report today, hemoglobin is 8.7 (good to see back up from 8.4 yesterday), White blood cell count 20,000 (not so good that it's been climbing back up since a low of 12,000 last week) and low grade temp off and on throughout the day, not concerning. Overall, he's been feeling good; able to enjoy a bit of reading, sat up in the chair for about 30 minutes and even looked at some paperwork on the computer this evening. He did have a small problem with a stitch attaching one of his drains to skin pulling slightly out, but Dr. Elieson was able to stitch it back on there in the room.

So, as Dr. Elieson says any day that's not a bad day is a good day!

It was a busy day in Critical Care Unit...they received 10 new patients today. Please pray for the nurses, techs and doctors as they seek to care for them. And for those of us who have been here long-term; that we will be able to minister to and encourage their family members and friends. And please continue to pray for Don Calhoun (one of the other patients) and his family. His complicated surgery did not go as well as they had hoped but he's hanging in there. This is a family of strong believers; may they anchor deep in their faith right now!

Much love.

Christie, Ryan, Aaron & Kristin

"He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us." 2 Corinthians 1:4 NLT

Waiting.....

Today was a long day of waiting...for CT Scan and then for doctor to come with results! Finally, about 4:30 Dr. Elieson came in. He's pleased with the results from the scan...the inflammation of the pancreas has decreased; the overall inflammation in his belly has decreased; the pocket of fluid behind his kidney has decreased. They still believe the pain in his groin is because of one of the drainage tubes pressing on a nerve...the pain can be managed with Morphine, but the drain is more important at this point. There is still a leak in the upper intestine but it is a small leak; as opposed to that of a soaker hose as shown on the last CT scan.

Ron's having trouble sleeping again...the Morphine makes him drowsy throughout the day; but it's difficult to sleep at night. He looks very tired and feels pretty weak. Because of the two blood clots, his legs feel like lead which makes him feel even weaker. The only physical activity he can do is sit with his legs dangling off the side of the bed for very short period of time when PT is there (for the next 48+ hours).

Please continue to pray
against discouragement for Ron; he's pleased with the news but is so very tired and Satan is trying to get him down! As well as for his total healing.
For Aaron and Kristin as they are back at school; that they will not be distracted but able to concentrate on everything that needs to be taken care of this last couple of weeks at school.
for the doctors, nurses, techs and everyone else who cares for Ron
for the other families we have formed relationships with in the Critical Care Unit; especially Don as he had a complicated surgery today
as well as all our previously stated issues

Know that you are much appreciated!

Love, Christie, Ryan, Aaron and Kristin.

I was reminded today of Psalm 139 for Dad. Verse 13" For you formed my inward parts; you wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are your works and my soul knows it well....in your book were all written the days that were ordained for me....how precious are your thoughts of me oh God, how vast is the sum of them."
Just a reminder of how God is all knowing, all powerful and how He loves us so much!!
Ryan

Be anxious for nothing

Restless night for all of us. Trying to "be anxious for nothing" but still had trouble sleeping. When I arrived this morning, Ron's nurse informed me he'd had a rough night with a spike in his temp, 102.2, as well as another decrease in his hemoglobin (now 9.0) and increase in white blood cell count (17,000). It was good to see doctor in early. He is not overly concerned with any of this. They've been debating changing his PICC line thinking this could become a source of infection so have decided today is the day...he believes this could attribute to the fever and increase in white cell count. The fact that his hemoglobin is slowly going down does not alarm him...they draw blood multiple times a day so that in itself will decrease the hemoglobin count some. It was encouraging to hear him and see his demeanor. We were reminded that he is recovering but still has a long road ahead of him and these "bumps" are to be expected; so the blood clot, as well as these other issues, don't surprise him. We're still on track to have the CT scan tomorrow.

Thank you so much for lifting us up....we have definitely felt your prayers bring us peace, comfort, strength and hope. It's amazing how we could feel the calm, soothing Spirit as we gathered in his room this morning. We know God is in control even though things aren't going the way we think they should go...His plan is perfect!

Ryan reminded us of when Aaron was in the hospital we had such a difficult time understanding why he had to go through the many weeks of infection and surgeries to contain the infection. It was after all was said and done we could see how God had used that time to keep him in a coma as He brought healing to his brain. What we saw as harm, God had used for His good!

Last night, as I was reading my devotional (Unto the Hills by Billy Graham) the scripture reference was James 1:2 -3. It talked about how we ARE going to face trials and we should strive to be like Paul who learned to be content no matter what his circumstances. We are to REFUSE to allow our circumstances to determine our joy (or lack thereof). We are not to live in defeat but to know "the joy of the Lord is my strength".

New Living Translation: "when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. "
The Message: "Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way."

This morning, Ryan received an e-mail to encourage him and it was quoting a book that was teaching on James 1:2-3! Isn't God amazing, how He brings everything together just when you need it???

....If you are at a place in your life where you feel like you can't take one step without the Lord's help, be glad. He has you where He wants you. If you're wondering, "Have I done something wrong?," the answer is most likely, "No, you have done something right" God has you on this path, no matter how difficult and impossible it may seem right now, because you are willing to follow Him. He wants to accomplish great things through you that can only come out of a life of faith. He wants your undivided attention because you can't do these things on your own. The path is not a punishment; it's a privilege. It's not a restriction; It's a reward.

"......count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience" James 1:2-3
(Thanks, Stacee for sharing this!)

Our God is still on His throne and our hope is still in tact!

Praise:
blood pressure and heart rate are more stable today

Prayer:
for things to go smoothly as they put in a new PICC line today
for Kristin as she travels back to Abilene this afternoon and as she prepares for 3 tests over the next 3 days
for Aaron as he travels back to Abilene tomorrow morning; as he prepares for finals and as he searches for a job here in the DFW area (if you know of anyone who is hiring he would love any help he can get; his degree is in Exercise Science with minor in Psychology but is willing to look at anything; he enjoys the business field as well)
for Ryan and all the changes taking place as he prepares for the Texas law portion of exam to move his license to practice Physical Therapy here and looks for a job
for me as I try to balance getting work done each week, dealing with Ron's business and home stuff (the world still goes on...bills have to be paid, etc. etc)

Huge thanks to all of you....you have gone way above and beyond to see that our needs are being met! This is what life is all about, family, friends and a wonderful church family to rely on for support and encouragement!

Much love to each of you!

Enough for Today

We feel that we've had a little bit of the wind knocked out of our sails today! Ron's heart rate was elevated and blood pressure low a good part of the day and when he was up in the chair this morning he was having some blurred vision and dizziness. He is slightly "dry" (dehydrated) so they've been giving him more IV fluid as well as Albumin which helps with the balance of fluid between body tissue and vascular (veins). Ron's blood sugar took a little dip earlier, too, but they were able to get that adjusted quickly. He has also had a slight drop in his hemoglobin (9.6 as compared to 10.4 yesterday).

Most discouraging is, they found another blood clot...this one is in his right thigh. He was beginning to feel some pain and weakness in his right thigh yesterday and today when they did physical therapy he said it kept trying to buckle on him and was painful. They did a doppler (sonogram) this afternoon and found the blood clot. It's very important that this clot not dislodge. He has the filter in which will prevent any damage to the heart or lungs if it were to dislodge but it could also cause the filter to clog and cause loss of blood supply to cause damage to the rest of the body! And, obviously, they cannot use any blood thinners to help dissolve it. Not sure how this will affect progress; we think they will want to try to continue physical therapy but not sure how much.

Our hearts are a little bruised. It seems just when we feel we're beginning to make some headway, something else pops up! We're trying not to feel anxious but we're all ready to get off this roller coaster! We want to move forward with no backward slips!

Please pray:
against discouragement & anxiety
for the blood clot not to dislodge and cause other problems
for our spirit's to be at peace
for his blood sugar, heart rate and blood pressure to stabilize and remain stable!
for his blood to continue to produce well and keep hemoglobin steady
for Aaron & Kristin as they go back to school this week...3 weeks from today is Aaron's graduation and they both have a lot to get done before the end of the semester. I know it's so hard for them to go back; especially when it seems we've taken a step backwards. And as they have so many decisions to make about new school situation for Kristin and job for Aaron
for Ryan as he looks for a job here and tries to figure out the best time to go back to Florida to finish up some paperwork and get things moved
for Ron....that God would wrap him in His arms; whisper words of encouragement, peace and healing and that He would continue to knit back together all those intricate parts of his body that He has created. That He would continue to bless him and bring healing; knowing we will be faithful to give Him all the glory.
for me....I am more than ready for all this to be over...It's so hard to see my sweet husband going through so much and knowing there is absolutely nothing I can do for him. I want our mundane, routine life back! At times, I feel I'm on edge, wondering what the next bit of news might be and so very much wanting it to only be good news! Oh, how I long for the day for Ron to be well and at home again.

Ron's constantly reminding us "One day at a time" and I know God gives us enough (of whatever we need) for each day! Thanks for letting me vent....I'm not losing faith, just in need of the reminder that faith "is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see." Hebrews 11:1 NLT

I know we can count on you to keep praying!

Watch & Wait

Today was another good day for Ron. Dr. Elieson came in the early afternoon and is in no rush to do anything at this point since Ron has stabilized. He opted not to do a CT scan for now but continue to wait and watch.
Praises:

• hemoglobin levels: His hemoglobin has remained steady for the last 12-18 hours @ 9 (as opposed to 6 when he was rushed back to CCU on Sat).
• heart rate and blood pressure continue to be stable
• signs of intestines awakening
• kidney still remains strong

Prayer requests:

• SLEEP FOR RON...he's not been able to get good sleep in a VERY LONG TIME...his body needs to sleep in order to heal
• blood sugar levels to stabilize (been up and down all day so they've been constantly adjusting his insulin levels)
• bleeding will stop on it's own with no intervention needed!!!
• Still so many things to battle: infection, side effects of pancreatitis, discouragement, etc

Late night, and we're extremely tired....I'll try to update earlier tomorrow when my mind is more clear!

Love,
Christie, Ryan, Aaron & Kristin

"I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety" Psalm 4:8

He hears and answers

Today has been a fairly quiet day. Ron has remained stable and decision was made to wait until tomorrow when Dr. Elieson is back to do anything. They also felt it would be better to wait for the regular radiologist who has read his other CT scans to be on duty, since he will be able to make a better comparison. They did give him more blood as well as fresh-frozen plasma. He says he's been feeling good all day! I took this opportunity to go home and get some much needed rest. I actually slept several hours this afternoon in my own bed; it was wonderful!!!!

Thanks for your continued prayer support! Major prayer needs are:

• that the source of bleeding will seal off on it's own...quickly!
• heart rate, blood pressure and blood sugar levels will continue to be stable
  as well as all the other continued issues

The next couple of days will be busy ones for Ryan, Aaron, Kristin & me...personal and business issues to deal with. Please pray for discernment and best possible solutions; ones much better than we would have ever expected! We serve a BIG, BIG God; He knows our every need and has already provided for them!

Much love!

Christie, Ryan, Aaron & Kristin

"I love the Lord because He hears and answers my prayers. Because He bends down and listens, I will pray as long as I have breath! ....How kind the Lord is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours!" Psalm 116:1-2 & 5

Roller Coaster.....

What a roller coaster ride today has been! This morning I awoke around 6AM to a slew of nurses rushing into Ron's room where I was sleeping. They could see on their monitors that Ron's heart rate had skyrocketed and his blood pressure was extremely low, he was very lethargic, too. Within the next few minutes we were rushing back to the Critical Care Unit. It was a frenzy of activity for the next hour and a half, and I confess, my hope was wavering! Ron's blood level had dropped to 6.2 (average should be around 10 or above) a sign that he had more internal bleeding, and his belly and back pain had returned. They immediately started him on meds to stabilize blood pressure and heart rate, extra IV fluids, and replaced 4 units of pack cells (the "good" part of blood product). He stabilized fairly quickly after that. Dr. Eaton (Dr. Elieson's partner) came in, as well as Dr. Elieson...even though it was his weekend off. Decision was made to watch and see how he does, we've known he has a leak and thought the existing drains were taking care of it and the hope is it will seal up on it's own. It would be "very hostile to go into an even more hostile situation at this point, unless there is no other choice." Basically, it would be extremely risky to go into any abdominal surgery at this point, secondary to the already present inflammation from previous 2 surgeries. So, they put a couple of the drains on suction which pulled quite a bit of bloody fluid (most looked like old blood) out of his belly, which tremendously reduced the belly & back pain. And actually since late afternoon, he's been saying "I know it sounds crazy since my heart almost gave out this morning, but I really feel good!"

This is all a result of that crazy pancreatitis. They keep telling us he'll have bad times until this finally runs it's course, but we certainly weren't expecting this!

We feel like we've been hit by a mack truck and run through the ringer all at the same time!
Poor Ryan, he had another call to Florida to "get here, QUICK!" Aaron & Kristin, fortunately, were at our house so were here within 10 minutes. Our hearts, minds and emotions were going crazy! We couldn't imagine that God would bring Ron this far just to drop him!

God continues to be gracious! Our hearts are at peace knowing He is Sovereign!!! Satan may have won a skirmish but we refuse to give up, God has won the battle and victory belongs to Him! "Greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world."

And we know God goes before us and evidence of that came this morning as we were talking to his nurse. When she arrived at work this morning, she had no patients! Since they were over-staffed, they were going to have her doing tech work instead. So, when Ron was rushed over here...Susan was available to take him on, one-on-one, as her only patient for the entire day!

I know you will continue to join me in praying for a complete recovery...we would like it to come quickly!
Please pray specifically:
that the pancreatitis will "settle down" for good!
that his blood pressure, blood sugar level and heart rate will remain stable
that the source of bleeding will stop!
for conclusive answers when they do CT scan tomorrow

Thank you dear prayer warriors! You are much loved and appreciated!

Christie, Ryan, Aaron and Kristin

Psalm 62: 5-8 "I wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me....trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge."

Urgent prayer needed!

Ron has been moved back to the ICU. He is losing blood internally and his heart rate had gone up. He has now stablized after receiving pack cell (sp?--thicker blood) because his hemoglobin was down to 6.2. They are going to do a cat scan later to see if they can determine where blood is coming from. As for now they are watching him as they do not want to do any surgery unless absolutely necessary.

Please continue to pray for Ron, Christie, Aaron, Kristen and Ryan (he is on a flight back from Florida and should arrive around 12:30 today).

Thank you all for your support.
Debbie (Christie's sister)

CT results

We've been praying for definitive answers from the CT scan and we just got the results from Dr. Elieson:

There's fluid (pancreatic juices) behind Ron's kidney, not uncommon for someone with severe pancreatitis; but his is increasing in size. So, this afternoon he will have a procedure performed that will place a "percutaneous" (I think this means through the skin?) drain in to help get rid of this fluid. It will also help drain any fluid the pancreas continues to produce. This procedure will be done by the radiologist using ultrasound to guide where to best place the drain.

The CT scan also revealed that he has a bowel perforation (basically his upper intestine is leaking into his abdominal cavity), most likely at the place in the intestine where the upper drain was placed. During the surgery they had tried to remove as much of the dead intestine as possible but evidently the integrity of the intestine made it hard to determine how far to go. This leak should be controllable with the existing drains and should hopefully heal itself and could better be dealt with later if needed.

The consensus is this is most likely the cause of both the elevated white blood cell count and temperature. He will continue to be on heavy-duty antibiotics and obviously they will monitor this condition very carefully.

Please join us in praying:

• that the procedure to place the drain will go without any problems
• that the bowel perforation will heal itself (quickly!!)
• that God would heal him of any/all infection;
• .....actually, complete healing is what we are praying for!

On a better note: Ron rested better last night than he has in a long time. He's gotten a bit tired today from all the running around they've done to CT and Xray; but overall is having a pretty good day!

I know people really want to visit; but at this point Ron is NOT READY FOR VISITORS. You can best minister to us by your continued prayers.

"If the Lord delights in a man's way, He makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand." Psalm 27: 23-24

Sleepover!

Yeah!!! My night to spend the night with my hubby!

Today has been a decent day...Ron had a rough night last night without much sleep so he's tried to catch up some today. I was able to catch 5 out of 6 of his docs today which made me feel good. There is still concern that he has infection somewhere since his temp and white blood cell count are back up (wbc now at 37,000). They did an Xray of his sinuses today to see if maybe he had a sinus infection but everything there was clear and his chest Xray looks good, too. So....tomorrow they will do a CT scan of his belly; this is the most prevalent area of concern for infection since, as the doctor put it, when they did surgery the second time it was basically for "damage control"...get in; get bleeding stopped and get out without causing further trauma. They've told us all along they were not able to get all the dead tissue in his belly. This type of infection is almost expected in someone who has severe pancreatitis, regardless of whether or not they have any kind of surgery.

If they don't find anything on CT scan; they will take out the PICC line to see if this is the source of infection, and find another site for a new one.

We were also reminded that although everyone is thrilled with how well Ron is doing (considering prognosis 10 days ago); he still has a severe case of pancreatitis to deal with along with all the other issues. In other words, he is still one sick puppy!!! He is in the hospital to rest and heal; thus the reason for NO VISITORS!

I was also able to be here during his Physical Therapy. It was so great to see him taking about 10 steps with the walker. It was exhausting for him but what an accomplishment!

He's feeling somewhat better this evening and is thrilled to have a much quieter room that even has windows, instead of those obnoxiously bright lights night and day. Now he can see the sunshine and how the leaves are changing color. We are especially thankful one of us can be with him most of the time and even stay the night...much better than in CCU.

Please continue to join us in praying:
against infections!!!
for decrease in temp and white blood count
for definitive answers from CT scan
that God would remove all issues with pancreas
for rest
for **** Complete healing!!! ****
for Ryan as he travels to Florida to finish out some paperwork at his clinic there and prepares for moving back to Texas end of November (he leaves 6AM tomorrow morn; returns 8:30ish Saturday night; then will go back in a couple of weeks to have stuff moved here)
for Aaron & Kristin as they are back at school and travelling here as often as possible
for all of us as we seek to get into some kind of routine now that Ron is in the step down unit with different restrictions...peace about returning to our jobs, school, etc and how to work all of this around having time to spend with Ron

He still has a VERY long ways to go; docs are talking about at least another month in hospital then transferring to an acute care/rehab unit (not sure how long he would need to be there at this point). We know you join us in rejoiceing over each victory; no matter how small!

Much love!
Christie, Ryan, Aaron & Kristin

"I said to the Lord, 'You are my Lord; apart from You I have no good thing.'" Psalm 16:2

Another good day!

Ron has finally made the move off of the Critical Care Unit and over to a transitional care room. Not quite a regular hospital room but not as busy as the full on CCU room. Hopefully, this will allow for quieter nights and more rest. He still has strict visitation hours and we are reminding everyone PLEASE, NO VISITORS UNTIL WE SAY DIFFERENTLY. Until he has a few days to get acclimated, even family visits are limited to only Christie, Ryan, Aaron & Kristin!!! He needs to get as much rest as possible and this is becoming increasingly difficult the longer he stays in the hospital! I am staying with him tonight in his new room and we will most likely take shifts. There is one pull out chair! Comfy!

Weight has dropped some more as he is beginning to be able to void fluids on his own. The Doctors decided to run a small amount of saline (less than 10cc's over 4 hours) through the tube connected to his small intestine. This will help to progress towards tube feeding (still many weeks away). Currently he is still on TPN (IV nutrition).

He was able to be assisted to sit in a chair today for @ two hours! This is a huge praise the Lord because mobility will help return functioning of his intestines and will continue to allow his body to get rid of fluid retention.

He's been running a slight fever today (101.9) and his white cell count went back up to 31,000. His Doctors said this could be indicative of infection and will keep a very close eye on this. He is to see an infectious disease specialist again tomorrow. With old blood and bile in his abdominal cavity, along with all the external tubes and lines he has had, he is at a very high risk for infection. Please continue to pray that there will be no infections anywhere in his body!

He has started physical therapy and is able to stand with assistance of a PT and a walker. He has not been able to walk yet but today he did a few repetitions of marching in place and some mini squats. This wore him out and he seems to be sleeping well after all this new activity.

Thanks for praying!

Love,
Ryan (for Christie, Aaron & Kristin, too)

God continues to bless!

Dr. Elieson returned today and is very pleased with how well Ron is recovering. He ordered a PT evaluation so Ron was seen this afternoon (with Dr. Ryan Nordell in attendance!). It was very enlightening for Ron to see just how far he has to go. He is extremely weak and has lost alot of muscle strength but they did have him sit up on the edge of the bed and even stand a couple of times (for about 30 seconds). It was an exhausting session but he did not have pain afterwards which is very good. In fact, he has not used his pain meds at all today.

As long as he has another good night, he will be moving to a new room tomorrow. He will move to the Cardiac Step-down Unit (less intensive than the Critical Care Unit; but more supervision than a regular floor). We will still have limited visitation hours but I think one of us will be able to stay the night with him in his room once he's there. Hopefully, it will be quieter than CCU so he'll rest more.

Dr. Elieson has also confirmed that Ron will most likely be in hospital another month or so and then transfer to an acute care/rehabilitation facility for a while.

Some big decisions have been made within our family. After much prayer and confirmation from God, Ryan has decided to move back to Texas. He's been saying he wanted to move back after a couple of years of PT under his belt but this has made him reevaluate his priorities and has come to the conclusion family is most important to him. Please pray for him as he flies back to Florida Thursday to wrap up some paperwork and prepare his belongings to be moved. He will return home Saturday and then go back to Florida the end of Nov to actually move.

Aaron and Kristin have also decided to move back home. They have always said, too, they eventually wanted to end up back here but determined now is the time! Aaron will graduate December 15 and end their lease the end of December. Please pray for Aaron and Kristin as they seek to finish out this semester strong (I know it's very hard on them to be away.)

Praise:

• White cell count down to 28,000!! WOO HOO! Still needs to continue to go down but first time in a very long time that it has been under 30,000.

Prayer requests:

• wound care for those areas that are blisters/sores from tape; these will clear up quickly...against infection
• heart rate, blood pressure, etc. will continue to be stable
• white cell count continue to trend downward
• Ron's "gut" will begin to "wake up". Doc says they are thinking about put some saline in his lower intestine to see if they can get things working
• strength for Ron as they begin to get him up more
• for peace as we adjust to change to new room and staff
• Ryan
• Aaron & Kristin
• Huge step for us today is that we decided we need to sleep at home tonight. Hard to do, but know it's time
• Business issues
  

Thank you for blessing us with your prayer support!
Love, Christie, Ryan, Aaron and Kristin.

"...In all our troubles my joy knows no bounds." 2 Corinthians 7:4b

Hallucinating

Last night was a rough one for Ron. He did not sleep at all. He would drift off and have bizarre dreams/hallucinations and wake with a start. This same thing happened once before and they found when he has the continuous drip of morphine (or any other pain med) it causes these side effects so they have removed the continuous drip and have him on morphine as needed.

Praises:

• they removed his nasal cannula (oxygen thing in his nose; NOT the NG tube that drains his stomach) so he is now breathing 100% on his own
• creatnine (kidney function) is down to 1.5 (normal for him) so they gave him a dose of diuretic to help get the swelling down by voiding more fluid
• White blood count is down to 31,000
  

Please pray for:

• restful sleep (especially for Ron)
• white blood count to continue on a downward trend
• against nausea
• against pancreatitis problems
• blood sugar management;
• against infection of any kind; sepsis (go back to normal!)
• Aaron & Kristin as they are back in Abilene (at least for a few days to talk with profs and get graduation stuff handled for Aaron); this was VERY HARD for them to do
• Ryan as he makes decisions with his work, etc.
• Ron's business as we try to keep it up and running (my family is doing a fabulous job of stepping in to help in this regard!!! Thanks so much!!!!!)
• and all the other issues we still must deal with
  

We're anxious to see Dr. Elieson (surgeon) tomorrow. He's been out of town so we have not seen him since Wed. evening.

Most of our family has gone back to their respective homes in Mexico, Georgia, and various parts of Texas. We are going to miss them a great deal...their support has been invaluable; but we know it's time to settle into our new "normal" for a while. Not sure what that looks like as yet but I know we have a huge support system in place and are so thankful for each of you!

Good night! Thanks for your intercession on our behalf!

Christie

"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this; He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him...If the Lord delights in a man's way, He makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall; for the Lord upholds him with His hand."
Psalm 37:4-7; 23-24

What a mighty God we serve!!!

Joy in the journey

We started our day on a wonderful note with Ron asking Ryan to lead us as a family in a time of prayer and reading in Psalms. God especially spoke to Ron through Psalm 5:11-12

"But let all who take refuge in You be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread Your protection over them, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You. For surely, O Lord, You bless the righteous; You surround them with Your favor as with a shield"

Praises today:

• other Central Line removed
• blood sugar has somewhat stabilized
• Ryan and Aaron were able to give him some much-needed grooming (mustache & goatee were looking pretty shabby!)
• pain management has improved a great deal...as the nurse was changing his dressing on his belly early this morning she noticed he was very raw and red and asked him if he was allergic to adhesives...something we had totally forgotten to mention in the whirlwind of the week...he was blistered pretty badly which evidently was causing alot of the pain he was experiencing; they treated it with a cream and have called in a wound care specialist; after putting on fresh gauze they also put a corset-type binding on him awhich is much more comfortable
• sat in cardio chair (bed) for @ 3 hours
• He lost 12 lbs of fluid in the last 24 hours

Please continue to pray for everything listed previously; and especially for:

• fluid to continue to decrease
• for all his body to adjust to this new "normal" body system (diabetic issues, etc)
• for healing of the blistering on belly
• good rest for all of us but especially Ron
• Ryan, Aaron, Kristin & me as we try to make decisions about work, school, etc

Things are looking better day by day...but we have a LONG journey ahead!

As always, we appreciate your prayer support!

Blessed

Hope I didn't cause anyone alarm by not sending out an update last night but we had a late night business meeting and afterwards I was exhausted!

God continues to bless!!! Yesterday, they took out Ron's arterial line and one of his Central Lines....the more tubes they can remove the less entryways for infections. His White Blood Count is still around 35,000.

Please pray specifically for:

• Pancreatitis to completely resolve and give no more problems
• White cell count to come down
• Fluids to be voided w/o assistance of meds (he's retaining about 80 lbs of fluid! He says he feels like a huge watermelon)
• Doc says one of our main areas of focus is on keeping him healthy by avoiding infection from being in the hospital...way too many germs here!
• Pain management...between his belly pain and back pain from being laid up, it's sometimes hard to keep on top of. He really does not want to be groggy. He has been at a 7 (of 10) level of pain most of the day yesterday.
  

**** blood sugar levels **** last night we had a little bit of a scare, he was seeming a little lethargic and we were attributing it to the morphine and late night; when they took his blood sugar level it had dropped to 36!! NOT GOOD! When asked how he was feeling he said foggy, shaky, dizzy...but attributing them to the morphine...as soon as they infused him with some sugar, he immediately started feeling better. He's under strict instructions to tell the nurses of anything he feels that is different and let them figure out the source! Our nurse last night (Joy) told him he is not a nurse; to quit trying to do her job! Blood sugar level is huge issue; at this point a balancing act with amount of insulin level to give.

When we went in for our last visit of the night, they had the bed in a sitting position! It was so good to see him "upright"!!!

God promises to "open the floodgates of heaven" and we are definitely the recepients! Praise God for His mercy, grace and favor!!!!

TO HIM BE ALL GLORY!!!

Another good day!

Praises:

• Off respirator and doing well!!!!
• Blood work looks good; no indication of any new bleeding
• heart rate and blood pressure remain stable
• kidney level down another couple of notches
• meds have been drastically decreased over the last several days

Things to pray for:

• body will begin to void all the excess fluid he has required without assistance of meds (they do not want to have to use diuretics in order to protect kidney); his entire body is extremely swollen; left leg may continue to be very swollen due to blood clot
• White Blood Count to come down...it's at 35,000 but needs to keep trending down to more normal level (which is 10,000 or lower); this along with fever spikes would indicate infection
• Pancreatitis is still our biggest enemy! Still could cause further complications if the enzymes continue attacking. ...we're praying the pancreatitis will be stopped in it's tracks!
  against dead tissue forming an abscess
• He still has sepsis
• for the doctors, nurses, techs...everyone who cares for Ron

Prediction is he will be on TPN (IV nutrition, which, from what we're told, is $1000 a day!) for at least 4-6 weeks before at which time they hope to attempt to feed him through tube. The doctors continue to be amazed; and we're quick to give God the glory!!! We were humbled to hear the nurse tonight tell us everyone loves coming into Ron's room; they call him the miracle man! She says it's refreshing to see that we give praise to God, acknowledging the miracle comes from Him. We're their favorite family...they all know what's been going on and are impressed with the sweet attitude we exhibit. May we continue to walk in a manner worthy of this call!

The doctor's are saying he will most likely require many months of rehabilitation and healing. Although, he is continually moving his feet and arms and tonight he was saying he needs to get up so he can be ready to see Aaron graduate (December 15). We're trying to be realistic, but also not limit God! His ways are not our ways nor are His thoughts our thoughts!

This morning, as I was headed home for a shower and rest I was reminded of Abraham and Isaac and how God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham was willingly obedient and God blessed Him mightly by sparing Isaac because of this obedience. I praise God for allowing our obedience (to be willing to give Ron up) to be enough sacrifice!

I'm not sure why God has blessed me three times in sparing one of my loved ones lives (twice Ron; 1 time Aaron) but am so thankful He has!!! Then again, His word says He longs to be gracious to us! Thank you, Father!!!

Keep praying and giving all glory back to Him!!!

Hooray!

Praise the Lord!! We had another success this morning. Ron's oxygen levels were good and his breathing was going well so they decided to extubate him. He is now off the ventilator! This is very good because he has been complaining of chest and throat pain from this an now he can talk to us!! It was so so good to hear his voice!! He won't really be able to talk normally for a few days and it requires alot of effort but it is another step in the right direction.

Just wanted to share the good news with everyone! His first few words were to tell us that he loves us, and he also said "So I guess I gave ya'll quite a scare huh?" It was funny and at the same time so true! We laughed, rejoiced and cried at the sound of his voice! More news to come this evening.

Thank you for your continued prayers!

...sweeter than the day before

Each day is better than the day before! Sounds like a familiar tune....Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.....

Ron continues to hold his own. His heart rate, blood pressure and kidney function are all doing well. He has a great deal of swelling from all the fluids, so he looks "puffed up like a toad" as Dr. Elieson said he would. They are talking about possibly removing him from the ventilator tomorrow and decided today he was stable enough to place the filter in his inferior vena cava which will help catch any clots that might dislodge, reducing the chance of the blood clot in his leg from causing any damage to his heart. Procedure went very well and he was resting comfortably afterwards...he was actually awake during the procedure and told us which leg they ran the catheter through to place the filter!

He continues to use the symbol/alphabet chart to communicate with us and is asking very thoughtful questions, such as "how long have I been here?"; "how's my pancreas?" "what's the next step?"; asking about his Mom and Dad and how they are doing; asked about a good friend's mom who has been very ill and has asked us to pray with him!

It's a wonderful picture we paint...but we still need to cover him in prayer. He's still very, very ill and susceptible to all the things listed in the previous e-mails. It's very evident that GOD IS IN CONTROL!!! He has great things planned for us and we are trying to patiently wait on His timing!

There is probably something I'm forgetting, but it's late and I'm tired! So if I think of anything else, I'll report it tomorrow.

Good night! We know you will continue to pray!

Much love,
Christie, Ryan, Aaron and Kristin

"With God all things are possible"

How GREAT is our GOD!!!!

Ron miraculously pulled through the surgery and the doctor was very pleased (and surprised) with how well things went. The main area of bleeding was in the tail of his pancreas, Dr. Elieson said it was "audibly bleeding"; meaing they could actually hear the blood pumping out of it! They were able to remove this portion and stop the bleeding in the other minor areas as well. The pancreas is necrotic (basically dead tissue) but they did not remove it due to the extra trauma this would cause. The pancreas handles digestive enzymes and insulin production therefore he will now be a fragile diabetic for the rest of his life and will also require medication to replace the enzymes his body will no longer produce. The concentration was on getting the small intestine in the best shape possible for now. They were able to put a tube in each end area that was cut away; one that will eventually drain bile, the other will eventually be used for feeding. The next 48-72 hours are critical....he still has a VERY long, rocky road ahead and is in no way "out of the woods" but still in a day by day situation; but it's wonderful to hear doctors talking about plans for the future (more surgeries to follow down the road) instead of no hope at all! The prognosis is that we are talking possibly months in critical care unit and up to a year for healing.

He is holding his own at this point. His blood pressure and heart rate are very good without assistance of any meds. His kidney function is good as well. He is being kept heavily sedated for the next 48 hours or so in order to allow his body to rest and heal. However, he has been coherent at times and communicating with us through the symbol/alphabet chart.

Things to pray for:
there is still the possibility he could once again begin to bleed internally and "bleed out" so we need the blood to continue to clot well
blood clot (deep vein thrombosis) will not dislodge prematurely (in left leg)
*** against pneumonia and infection ***
kidney function to remain stable
liver function to continue to do well
pray for his spirits to remain high so he can continue to fight!!!
Ryan, Aaron, Kristin and me (as well as our extended family)


Praise God:
for all the miracles He has already done and all He is going to do!
for the many doctors, nurses, techs, etc who have treated Ron with such compassion (many have told us they and their familes are praying for Ron)
for the priviliege of praying over Dr. Elieson right before he went in to perform surgery
FOR GRACIOUSLY SPARING RON'S LIFE!!!!!

Thank you, dear ones, for faithfully holding us up in prayer. I know we can count on you to continue to do so!!

Much love,
Christie, Ryan, Aaron and Kristin

"My grace is sufficient.....my power is made perfect in weakness"

Pray fervently...Believing!!!

Most of you know Ron took a turn for the worse yesterday. He was moved to ICU around 10:30 am and shortly after getting there his heart rate sky-rocketed and his blood pressure bottomed out!!! They had to inject him with something to get the heart going again. He had septic shock (basically an infection in the entire blood stream impacting all organs and vessels). They were able to stabilize him enough to intubate (put on a ventilator) and put in a central line (to give access to even more IV ports). They replaced 2 units of blood while I was in there and were about to start two more...obvious indication there was internal bleeding. Decision was made to do exploratory surgery as soon as they could get an OR available. And I was told I needed to get the boys here; this was a life-threatening emergency.

Ryan was en route from Florida; Aaron & Kristin from Abilene. The news following surgery was (and is) very grim. They found he had a lot of bleeding; the pancreas was basically "digesting" itself, surrounding tissue and a portion of the small intestine. They did everything they could but the bleeding would not stop. Decision was made at this point to "pack him" to contain the bleeding as best they could, sew him back up and try to keep him alive long enough for the kids to arrive. Ryan was due in at 7; Aaron & Kristin arrived @ 5. They were not sure he would last until 7; thankfully, he did. The hardest thing I've ever had to tell my boys is that their dad would not live much longer...we were able to gather in his room, pray and share our hearts and love for him. All family was called in to say their goodbyes.

Praise the Lord he made it through the night! Miraculously his body has somewhat stabilized but we are still in a moment by moment; hour by hour situation. The doctor's are amazed he's pretty much holding his own (with the help of many meds); he is conscious and can even communicate with us with the use of a symbol chart. They are aggressively treating him and the next 48-72 hours are crucial! I can't begin to tell you all the miracles God has already worked! That he is still alive is something only God could do! He is able to be awake and communicate with us; and his only kidney is functioning relatively well; they've been able to wean him off several meds already and his vital stats are staying strong. If he continues to remain stable they will take him back in to surgery Tuesday morning at 10AM. They will try to accomplish what they originally set out to do which is stop the bleeding, remove some of the dead tissue and now do something about the intestines. They are hoping to have better success since he is now off the blood thinners, his blood pressure and heart rate are fairly stable and the sepsis is being treated.

The mortality rate is still VERY HIGH...but our God is a God of miracles!!! Only other option is to do nothing which will lead to certain death.

Please join us in praying GOD WOULD SPARE HIS LIFE!!! Pray specifically that they will be able to stop all bleeding (that the blood would clot); that the tissue WILL NOT disintegrate but will sucessfully hold a clamp or stitch; the pancreas will "settle down" and not give them any trouble...that the digestive enzymes it produces will not eat away at any other tissue or organs; that they will be able to either rejoin the intestines or do whatever necessary to give them a way to "feed" him (his body needs more than the TPN...IV nutrition...to fight); that his heart rate & blood pressure will be stable; and that he will be able to handle the trauma of the surgery! Also, pray for his surgeon Dr. Elieson and his assisting partner (Dr. Pollard) and all those who will be a part of this crucial surgery.

God has gone before for us...He has prepared the way...the battle belongs to Him and He has already won the victory! To Him be all glory!!!!!

Pray fervently! Believing God longs to be gracious to us!

And so it continues....

Oh, how we long for speedy healing! And look forward to a more normal, mundane, routine life again!

Nothing new to report today...Ron continues to be in pain (both belly and back), blood count still elevated, and temp has remained between 100.5 and 102.1; meds barely "ooch" it down. (Did I use that word correctly, Cronies???)

He's been needing the Demerol more than he has in quite a while, poor guy. So, as you can see, things are pretty much the same as yesterday. This afternoon he was finally allowed to get up for a short period of time but is so very weak he can't get up without assistance and it really wore him out! They continue to use a broad spectrum of antibiotics and an antifungal to cover everything there might possibly be. Infectious Disease Specialist came by today and says everything is coming back negative. It's all related to the pancreatitis.

Today, Ron's parents were able to come see him for the first time since he was hospitalized Oct 8! Thanks, Shar, for bringing them up!!

It's been hard on them, they are used to seeing him a couple of times a week. And to have to see him like this was upsetting. I keep them informed but in very general terms, not real detailed; enough to where they know what's going on but not so much that they sit around worrying. I usually try to go over and tell them things in person so I'm sure they both hear me and kind of understand what's going on. Today was the day I had to tell them it could possibly be several more weeks that he'll be here in the hospital and that was very difficult for them to hear.

We are reminded daily of what a blessing it is to have such faithful, supportive family and friends!

Our motto is "Enough for today"...that's what God promises.

Love, Christie

"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him! "Isaiah 30:18 NIV

"But God's not finished. He's waiting around to be gracious to you. He's gathering strength to show mercy to you. God takes the time to do everything right—everything. Those who wait around for him are the lucky ones. " The Message

Pancreatitis~NO BUENO!!!!

Where do I begin...

First off we had a surprise visit from Aaron and Kristin! They decided to drive in last night even though Aaron has to work a lock-in tonight, so they were here less than 24 hours but so good to have them here!

Unfortunately Ron is staying true to form to all of his previous hospital stays and can't do anything simple! Today, I decided to start my day at the hospital to see if I could catch as many docs as possible. So glad I did! Ron's temperature was continuing to rise, his White blood cell count has gone up even more (now in 40,000's) and there has been blood in his urine so they have catheterized him again. He has also developed more pain, (which was finally beginning to decrease) and his heart rate is elevated (which could be from the pain). So they did another CT scan to make sure they weren't missing anything (such as a pocket of fluid, abscess, block in intestines, etc) but the CT scan had no changes from the one earlier this week...alot of inflammation of the pancreas but no sign of anything else. The doctors are frustrated, baffled, concerned...as we all are, about this step backward. They have called in an Infectious Disease Specialist to see if there is something they might be missing but so far, specialist has found nothing! They even had the pathologist do something where they look more closely at the white blood cells to see if they could possibly be cancerous but PTL they ARE NOT! They are treating him with a multitude of high-powered antibiotics to cover all their bases.

We've been told pancreatitis is a VERY BAD disease and they rate attacks as mild, moderate or severe...docs say he is on the high side of moderate. It can be a roller-coaster ride and we are on the low side today!

We know God is faithful; He has promised to never leave or forsake us...and we're clinging to this promise.

Thanks for your continued prayers!

*** Still no visitors please! ***

Christie

PS: We are very thankful it's the weekend and I can actually spend the night with my hubby!! Yeah!!!!

Status Quo

Missed 2 out of 3 doctor visits today but Ron informs me they said the good news is: there is no bad news to report today! Everything is status quo.

The swelling in his legs has greatly reduced...pretty much back to normal. Ron's looking forward to the 72 hours being up tomorrow evening...he's so tired of being in bed. It's been very difficult for him to get comfortable and his back continues to hurt.

Still baffled as to why his white blood cell count is staying so high other than this is the way his body is choosing to react to the inflammation of the pancreas. And for some reason today he has been running a bit of a fever, had a little more belly pain than the last few days and also been a little more nauseous.

I know you continue to pray...and we are very appreciative!