Roadbumps

Ron's had a couple of small bumps in the road this week and hasn't been out of bed much. His tube sites have been exceptionally painful the last few days making it very difficult to move. He continues to have leakage issues as well but they've finally found a skin barrier cream that is helping to reduce the raw irritated areas. Still a large area, but Dr. Shires says he can definitely see slow improvement, skin is not as red and isn't bleeding. He doesn't think they will try tube feeds again for quite a while, the problems this has caused outweigh the benefit at this point.

He has also been getting these "mini-migraine's" each night for the last several nights, they wake him up and take a couple of hours to get under control. He can't swallow anything (it would just get sucked out by the gastric tube) but they've been giving him an Imitrex nasal spray that works well, once they can get it from pharmacy. And top that off with a new "neighbor" who screams out alot, especially at night.

These roadbumps made Ron a little grouchy Monday. Despite his grumbling and complaining, late in the afternoon I had the nurses help me load him into a wheelchair, attach all his machines to a pole on the back and pretty much forced him outside. First time I've done this on my own, usually have the boys here to help but I did not want to pass up this opportunity since the weather is so unpredictable this time of year. It was quite an ordeal, the machines make the wheelchair very heavy and Ron cannot get out or the weight of the machines cause the wheelchair to do a wheelie (all the way to the ground!) The weather was gorgeous and he was very happy once I got him out. We sat by the fountain and just enjoyed being surrounded by nature...well, as much nature as you can find on a hospital campus in the middle of Dallas! It was warm enough that Ron actually got hot, so we took off his socks and rolled up his pant legs! It was glorious!!!

There has been no talk as to when he might be able to go home but Dr. Shires did mention in passing that they may possibly try to schedule his big surgery for sometime in April. He would like to have him home for about a month before surgery...gaining strength and weight. Of course, all of this is very dependent upon how healing progresses. Still needing colonic fistula (hole in colon) to seal as well as any other small tears there may be in his intestines. Please join us in praying that these will heal quickly and that the intestines will not atrophy but be as healthy as possible. Also pray that God would reveal His perfect timing to Dr. Shires as to when this surgery should take place.

All the news for now!
Love, Christie

"My grace is sufficient for you." 2 Corinthian
"My gracious favor is all you need." NLT

"Little faith will bring your souls to heaven, but great faith will bring heaven to your souls." Charles H. Spurgeon