Yippee! An update!!!

Good news!!! December 4, Ron passed the 1 year mark...1 year since he has had an inpatient hospital stay! Heartfelt thanks go to Dr. A's wonderful care as he worked with us in so many ways to make this possible. Yes, he has had multiple outpatient procedures and has many ongoing issues, but no inpatient stays~Hallelujah!

God continues to stretch us and grow us in so many ways. Asking us to trust Him even when (or maybe especially when) He calls us to step out of our comfort zone.

So what's been going on? Ron's dehydration has gotten much better and he's been off of the IV boluses for 10 days now. He has not had the dizzy, light-headed feeling for about a week. Being off of his newest medication has helped in this regard, however, he has been much more tired, a little more quiet/introspective and sleeping quite a bit; some of the reasons he had been started on that medication to begin with. Unfortunately, his kidney function has ooched up again this week so they are working on tweaking the different levels of chloride, etc in his TPN to see if they can get things back in balance. He will continue to have labs drawn weekly to keep a close eye on things. Being on long-term TPN is always a delicate balancing act.

He continues to yak pretty much daily and often twice a day. Plans are in the works to have a motility study done, hopefully before the end of the year but they aren't sure if they want to do anything new until they can get his kidney function in a more "normal" range. The push to get this procedure done before the end of the year is because as of December 31; Presbyterian; or any other hospital within the Texas Health Resources network which includes all of Presbyterian hospitals, all Harris hospitals, as well as Arlington Memorial, and each of their outpatient and short stay facilities; will no longer be providers on our insurance . Evidently THR is in negotiations, but so far has not reached an agreement with, Blue Cross Blue Shield.

This is on top of the fact that as of November, our fabulous Dr. A is no longer a provider for Blue Cross Blue Shield either. In fact, all of Digestive Health Associates of Texas (DHAT)--which is each and every one of the gastroenterologists that has treated Ron in the last 3 years at both Presby and Harris HEB--are no longer accepted providers for BCBS. Contract negotiations are ongoing between DHAT and BCBS and have been since the beginning of summer. We have been told they do not foresee a solution for the next 6-9 months.

We've been told we are free to continue to use these doctors/facilities, however, we will have to pay at a much higher out-of-network level (along with meeting all deductibles up front).

Please be in prayer regarding this issue. Dr. A has been a lifesaver in that he has continued to provide treatment for Ron and it has all been through e-mail, text and phone calls, therefore avoiding payment of ANY sort. He is so incredibly diligent in his care of Ron; having done much research and talking with many colleagues across the country on Ron's unusual case . He has always made us feel as if Ron is his only patient; willing to take our calls, texts, etc. any time, day or night, including weekends...whether or not he was the doctor on call. God has certainly blessed.

The really sticky part comes when Ron needs to have a procedure done, like now. How do we know what to do? Is God calling us to seek out a new doctor and new hospital? Or is he going to provide the added funding needed to pay for the higher out-of-network expenses and have us stay with those who are intimately familiar with him literally inside and out?

It's times like this that I really struggle with hearing God's call. If this is His call--to leave behind all that is familiar-- am I brave enough, faithful enough to go. Do I have the kind of obedience Abram had when God called him to leave his country, his relatives and his father's house and go to the land He would show him? God called him to go, and he went...without knowing where he was going! (Gen 12:1). Or am I being overly dramatic here? Typically, choosing a new doctor is not THAT big of a deal; not big enough to be compared with leaving your country and relatives! But, leave behind three years worth of intensive, ongoing care-giving???

Oh, Father; help us to be obedient to whatever Your call may be. May we have the courage to walk by faith, not by our limited sight. That we may respond as Abram did as written in Gen 12:4 "So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed him..."

We covet your prayers, faithful ones!
Christie

“Some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them.”
~ Charles Stanley

We must believe what Christ has in store for us is worth our present pain.