Therapy session!

Happy Saturday!

Sorry this is a long one, my therapy session for the week; how I deal with all that's going on in this crazy world of ours! Thanks for allowing me this outlet!

Yesterday, Ron went to Interventional Radiology. They replaced all tubes (G-tube included) and actually downsized the lower tube...signifying things are slowly getting better. They also injected the upper area that has the hematoma with a substance to help break it up which should help it to drain better. He's been rather sore, especially in his ribs which is where the g-tube goes through. But, thankfully, no fever so far! And again, Heather was able to do wound vac change while he was still under anesthesia. Thank you, Lord!

He will go back for abdominal CT and to Interventional Radiology for fistula-gram on Tuesday, and Heather has permission to wait until then to do his next wound vac change meaning....he has a 3 day break! YEEE HAAAWWW!!! Especially nice since Monday is our 29th anniversary.

There has been talk of sending him home again sometime later next week....not quite sure how we feel about that. Good to know they feel he's getting stable enough, but at the same time it's a little scary. We're somewhat anxious about how things would work. We know he would have to come back on a regular basis for IR but once the fistula is healed and they remove the tubes we would do the whole starting back on feeding at home, on our own.

We know they would send him home on TPN 24 hours a day...no more monkeying around with trying the cyclical where he's off 8 hours and on 16; he's proven he doesn't do well unless he's on 24 hour a day hydration. He will also have to have G-tube hooked up to the Gomco (huge suction device that has to be wheeled wherever he wants to be) and we'd be back to charting all his outputs, doing flushes, etc. Thank goodness we still have the box of 540 flushes from the first time we tried to go home! Along with all the other medications and medical supplies we have at Nordell General HealthCare Center.

We try not to think of the what if's? but in the back of my mind I wonder: what if he spikes a temp again? What if he gets dehydrated? What if I can't handle giving him his Lovenox (blood thinner) shots? What if his blood pressure gets unstable? What if his blood sugars get way off? What if I just go a little nutso knowing his care is on my shoulders??? Yes, I know God promises to provide whatever I need as I need it; and I have incredible kids, as well as other family members and friends who are more than willing to step in and help whenever; but sometimes the logistics just seem a little overwhelming!

Don't get me wrong; of course, it would be great to be back in our own home. To sleep in our own bed; relax in our recliners, do some therapy playing Wii, prepare my own food...whatever I want, when I want it! Praise the Lord, school will be out next Friday; that will relieve me of some pressure, to know all of my time can be devoted to Ron & his care. It would be especially nice for the kids not having to travel back and forth and to be close to all of you, our incredible support group. We've adapted to this routine and thought this is how life would be until he's totally healed and eating with no more tubes!

Please pray God would give his doctors discernment as to the best time for us to go home and for us to have a peace about it. Honestly, I'm hoping that Tuesday's tests show that things are healing much more quickly than they thought and that it's just a short time until he can have tubes removed and eat and that they think there's no sense in going home because it will be so quick!

Whatever God's will is; I choose to trust Him. Which falls right in with my devotional from Streams in the Desert this morning!

Psalm 33:11 says "The Lord's plans stand firm forever; His intentions can never be shaken."
We must be prepared to wait on God's timing. His timing is precise...He does things at the very time He has set. It's not for us to know His timing, and in fact we cannot know it...we must wait for it!.....So take heart, when God requires you to wait. The One you wait for will not disappoint you. He will never be even five minutes behind "the appointed time."

I haven't been able to write much lately but these are some random thoughts/verses God has been speaking to me:

Psalm 57:2 "I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill His purpose for me"
Charles H. Spurgeon says "The Lord will follow through on His covenant promises...His past mercies are guarantees for the future, and worthy reasons for continuing to cry out to Him."

John 18:11 "Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?"
No human heart can imagine the incomparable love God expresses...open your heart to the pain and suffering, and it will accomplish more good.

Enjoy your weekend! Much love!