Savior Please

Thanks for you patience. It typically takes me a day or so to process all that's going on but here's the latest:

A REALLY BAD weekend made it seem as if things were crushing in on us. Unfortunately, we've seen no results from the new medication (domperidone); he continues to have MAJOR reflux along with continued "yakking", despite being on a liquid diet. This leads to sleepless nights...literally he slept about 2 hours total Saturday night and not much more than that on Friday. He looked awful Sunday and I was getting quite concerned. Sunday night I was at a very difficult place where I told God I just didn't know what to pray or even how to pray any more! We were at the end of our options, with Ron continuing on this downward trend. I was begging God to give us a glimmer of hope.

Yesterday's appointment verified Ron has lost even more weight...I call him my Auschwitz man...thus, the reason for the PICC line placement. We were so thankful they were able to work him in down in radiology, therefore avoiding another trip to Presby this week. TPN (IV nutrition) will begin in the next day or so, once they receive lab results and come up with the correct formula for him. The hope is that after an initial regimen to get him balanced, he will then only require TPN a few nights a week to keep him "tanked up". And decision was made to continue on domperidone for a while with the hope that it might still kick in.

We are blessed to have such tenacious, persistent doctors...our glimmer of hope! Dr. A is not willing to believe there is nothing left to be done. He still feels Ron's symptoms are more in correlation with an obstruction or stricture of some sort, as opposed to a section of nonfunctioning bowel. He recommends another type of enteroscopy that will enable them to see the entire small intestine (to look farther down than he was able to go) to see if there is anything going on. This procedure is only done at Baylor Hospital in Dallas so Dr. A is referring Ron to the specialist there. He himself will contact this specialist and let us know as soon as the procedure is scheduled.

The possibilities we know of at this point are:
if they do the enteroscope and find a narrowing or stricture they may possibly be able to use a balloon to "stretch" it (may need to be done over several times)
if they find an obstruction then surgery may be an option

Dr. A and Dr. S have been talking back and forth and are still reluctant to do surgery. Dr. S says: "if intestine doesn't work, then taking out more intestine may leave more nonfunctioning bowel segments. Also, Ron's abdomen is not the easiest place to enter to do surgery." There is also a greater chance than normal that he could once again have the same problems as before with fistulas, etc. Ron would really like to continue to explore this option, he wants to strive for a better quality of life; his current status is quite difficult.

Please join us in praying for wisdom and discernment, but mostly, definitive answers! We would prefer a solution that does not require surgery.

He is able!
Christie

Just as a boat must face storms head on; we must face our storms (trials) in the same way...head on! Trials are guaranteed; our part is to be prepared.

"Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad--because these trials will make you partners with Christ in His suffering, and afterward you will have the wonderful joy of sharing His glory..." I Peter 4:12-13 NLT

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4

*** I've added a playlist of some of my favorite songs so BEFORE you can listen to a link you must scroll to bottom of page to pause the songs playing from my playlist.

Savior Please
Josh Wilson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCLr_pvuwH4

Savior, please take my hand
I work so hard, I live so fast
This life begins, and then it ends
And I do the best that I can, but I don't know how long I'll last

I try to be so tough
But I'm just not strong enough
I can't do this alone, God I need You to hold on to me
I try to be good enough
But I'm nothing without Your love
Savior, please keep saving me

Savior, please help me stand
I fall so hard, I fade so fast
Will You begin right where I end
And be the God of all I am because You're all I have

I try to be so tough
But I'm just not strong enough
I can't do this alone, God I need You to hold on to me
I try to be good enough
But I'm nothing without Your love
Savior, please keep saving me

Hallelujah
Everything You are to me
Is everything I'll ever need
And I am learning to believe
That I don't have to prove a thing
'Cause You're the one who's saving me

I try to be so tough
But I'm just not strong enough
I can't do this alone, God I need You to hold on to me
I try to be good enough
But I'm nothing without Your love
Savior, please keep saving me