Weathering the Storm

Rick is finally home. For those of you who do not know, the last blog I wrote said he was coming home Tuesday. That did not happen. Monday he was diagnosed with CDIFF, so they held him a little longer. He was released, and came home Thursday. So not much difference, but it was still a difference.

That morning, I had the privilege to speak with New Covenant Academy's elementary school. I spoke about putting on the Armor of God. I have to get up every morning, prepared to take on the day, no matter what it throws at me. And boy, it sure has thrown a lot at me lately.



Rick is doing well. Really well. He is in Broad Acres in Wellsboro Pa. Praying that we can get him soon. He is on dialysis 3 days a week. We are now moving forward to transplant. My hope and prayers are that we find a donor. That takes a lot less time than it does waiting on the list.

Thank you everyone for your prayers and support!!!

HomeComing

After 5 or so long weeks, he is coming home! Rick will be home Tuesday. His plane arrives at 3pm. I am so excited!!!   Words cannot express how excited we both are to see each other again. I will pick him up and take him to Broad Acres in Wellsboro. Then from there, when he is ready, he will be home home.

I will post more later!

Time

It's been too long since I wrote. A lot of things have happened. Rick had his leg amputated 6cm below the knee. About a week after that, things went wrong.


He was hallucinating, slurring his words, falling asleep at the drop of a hat, things just weren't right. His blood glucose was dropping often. Too low. Finally, last Thursday, things got bad. He stopped going to the bathroom, they had to use a catheter (sp). Later in the night, was even worse. He went unresponsive on us. They had to do a rapid response on him to bring him back.

I found out a couple hours later and was so scared. I have my opinion. I believe he was over medicated. But of course there is no true way to prove it.

He is better now. Everything that I was worried about has changed since then.

We were told yesterday he was accepted into BroadAcres nursing facility in Wellsboro. The hospital believes he could be released Saturday. So if all goes well, he could be "home" Sunday.

It's possible though it might be pushed back. Today, during PT, he was in the bathroom, and the non slip sock, slipped. Rick fell and broke the wound open. They had to go back in to the OR today and clean it and staple it back together.

I can't tell you how scary this has all been. Please continue to pray for us!

Surgery

Rick had his surgery today. After finally getting to speak with the doctor, things went well. They took the leg 6cm below the knee. The leg was more swollen than ideal, but it went well.

Rick is in a lot of pain right now. It's no wonder because of the muscle and tissue they had to go through.

Right now I'm tired. It's been a long day. A very emotional day. It's hard not being there. I've realized people are questioning me not being there. The only way to answer that is financials. It's killing me not being there. If Rick was receiving his disability, I would be there. But right now, I can't afford even 2 days off in a row, let a lone a few days to go to Missouri. It's hard. But I have to do what I need to do. We both understand that.


Prayers would be appreciated right now.

Other than me being sick, spirits have been pretty high. Rick will be having the final surgery tomorrow. He's holdin up really well. Even though surgery is tomorrow, he has his first PT today. He was very excited to tell me about it.

I had the opportunity to go with my mom and sister yesterday to see the Gaither Vocal Band. I have been a fan for a long time now. One of the members, Mark Lowry, is a comedian, and has a way of just lifting you up when you feel down. And it sure gave me even more courage. Bill Gaither wrote a song called Because He Lives. Here is the chorus:

Because he lives
I can face tomorrow
Because he lives
All fear is gone
Because i know he holds the future
And life is worth the living
Just because he lives.


And it really is that simple. Because He lives, we can trust that He is with us at all times.

Many of my friends have said that my faith is inspiring, that I am strong. Well, guess what, I don't feel strong. My faith is being tested, I'm hurting, we are hurting. What couple just shy of their 2nd wedding anniversary, accepts truly what is happening. It is the scariest thing I've ever had to deal with. I'm sure it won't be the scariest when we are even older, but right now, I'm scared. Sometimes I feel numb. I doubt. I cry. I scream. I question many things.

But without knowing that He lives, and that He is ALWAYS here, I would be a complete mess. I wouldn't be getting out of bed, I wouldn't want to care. But I do. I know he is with me always.

The Gaither's are also in the process of recording a new song. The chorus was this:

You reap exactly what you sow,
sow mercy,
sow grace,
sow kindess,
sow faith,
words are like water sprinkled with love
You will harves all your hearts been dreaming of.

I will leave you with those words. If I can't trust and put my faith first through all of this, I can't show that to my husband or to anyone else.

Day after surgery 1

Rick did well during surgery. They removed the foot starting at the ankle. He is in pain, but so far his spirits are high. Friday should be the day for surgery number 2. This is where it can get really difficult. I am afraid for him. I can't imagine the pain he will be enduring after wards. Not just from losing the limb, but from the rehab to follow.The next couple of months are going to be quite rough. Pray that his spirits stay high, that healing comes quickly, pain is little, and rehab is fast.


Yesterday, I woke up and started sneezing. I sneezed all day. I thought it was allergies. Last night it went into my chest and has seemed to settle there. It's hard. Here I am trying to be strong and do everything I can, and I get sick. I hate being sick. I hate the congestion, the confusion, the pain. But it's a cold, it's temporary. It will go away. Rick losing his leg is permanent.

If you are going through something similar, remember to stay strong. A limb can be replaced. Your entire body cannot. Don't try to save something that will kill you like this. Save the rest of you. Be strong and courageous.

Be a friend, be a lover, be a companion. Love like tomorrow is the last. For any time, we can go. God has his timing for us.

In Sunday School at my church, we are going through a book called One Month to Live. So far, it's been really good for me. With everything I am going through, I need to remember our lives are numbered. We have to remember to live every day like it could be our last. Restore broken relationships, study the Bible more, love your family better, do things you never thought you could do. Discover your courage, discover who you are. Live, Love and Learn.

Official (unoficially)

So last nights post should be tonights post. It's happening tomorrow. I finally was able to speak with the surgeon myself this evening.

Tomorrow will be surgery #1. They will be starting at the ankle. For those of you who know him, you may have realized his leg is really swollen. So this first surgery will not be fully closed up. They will leave it open to allow the leg to drain. This is going to hopefully assist in bringing the swelling down. Then Friday or Monday they will be removing the leg from right below the knee.

Wow. This is actually happening. We knew it was probably going to happen. Even sure it would happen. But I can't believe it's here. We are both very nervous. I am sure he is more nervous than I am. I can't even imagine what he is feeling right now.

Today was a rough day. There is always the change dialysis will be a permanent thing. That he will be on it from here on out. But we are praying it's temporary.

Please think of us tomorrow. I will update once I find out how things go tomorrow.