Some people...

Called my dear husband to say good morning only to discover him very discouraged.

Today is the three year anniversary of his brother's going home to glory. Calvin was only fifty, he left us too early.

Add that to what a nurse callously told him yesterday and I guess he should be discouraged. She told him his bed sore will never heal and that he is a long term patient. Don't think it was her place to tell him, or that he should have been told without us being with him when he was told. And we should have been told if this in deed fact and not just her opinion.

Sometimes I just don't know how to encourage him. I love him dearly and try to keep his spirits up.

Friday he had a visit from Dr Paul and Ruth. We have known Ruth for many years and she recalled many happy memories. As our friend Gigi says, as we age these memories grow fonder. Along with a goody bag, Dr Paul and Ruth gave him two of the best gifts ever, smiles and prayer. Thanks.

A Sweet Date

Esther Faith's discharge was taking wa-a-a-a-ay longer than anticipated and Isaac was home alone....till his Mimi snagged him for a date. A sweet date.

I had called it and informed him that we were going on a date. But 10 year olds haven't got the total picture of dating--so after the order was placed at Tim Horton's it was my wallet that was used (along with my last Lincoln) to acquire our sweet treats. (the Tim Horton lady felt sorry me and gave a senior citizen discount--still not used to that).

We found a not so cozy seat and shared our drinks and timbits. Isaac tried the candy cane cocoa and declared it worthy of a return visit to Tim Horton's.

We talked school, secrets, and the wonderful features of our cell phones. He decided he needed to make sure everything was okay on mine and used half the battery feeding the frogs that live inside my phone.

Being a Grandmother racks in the top five best things in the world.

Here we go again, again

Yesterday Dwight went to wound care. We thought he was healing ok, slowly, some parts slower than others, but healing. We were told this by the nurses. We all want it to be faster, but it is what it is.

But the wound care Dr doesn't think so. "Horrid, just horrid." He admitted there is some progress, but some is much worse. So bad he wanted to admit Dwight to the hospital. But Dwight refused. He really does not want to go to the hospital. Am not sure what they would do there, other than IV antibiotic. I asked for a copy of the Doctors report but the night nurse couldn't find where the day nurse put it. We are waiting the results of a culture they took.

Then this morning Karin let us know they were taking Esther Faith to the ER. She has been vomiting all night. Waiting again...

I am glad I had my blue day earlier this week, this wouldn't be a good day for it. Am thankful for the beautiful snow, will be even more thankful if the road crews are doing a good job. Our street is plowed, but it is always one of the first, often better than RT 270!!!

Had Mr & Mrs cardinal at the window feeder this morning. So love watching the birds. And the cats watching the birds!!! Can't yell at them for sitting on the table with such temptation inches away.

Thank you in advance for all who will be praying.

Proverbs 14:13

Laughter can conceal a heavy heart,
but when the laughter ends, the grief remains.

This verse is how I awoke this morning. I am determined not the let the imps of hell win, I realize and acknowledge the greatness and goodness of God to the world, my family and myself. And that satan is a lair.

It is just my battery is almost dead and my charger is on super slow. But with God and His word I will be victorious.

Psalms 42:5,6a

Why am I discouraged?
...Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
...I will praise him again--
..my Savior and my God!

Miracle

Wednesday morning an aid entered Dwight's room to waken him for breakfast. What she saw shocked her and she ran--literally--to get a nurse--who also was very concerned. Dwight's catheter tubes for his dialysis had removed themselves overnight and were laying beside him on his bed.

Unfortunately, someone at the Nursing Home did not keep their concern to them self and Dwight became quite anxious, as I am sure any of us would. He called me, not sure what was going on, but very nervous. I called with a nurse friend, who explained the possible fatal result of the self removal. But, she asked, "Is he breathing? Then he is fine." (Possible results--as the tubes exited the body, air could have entered the void and then travel to the heart and causing death. Or at the exit of tubes, if it didn't close, he could have bleed to death.) But neither happened because God is in control and still has things for Dwight to do.

I called Dwight back, talked with him, prayed with him. God is faithful and Dwight felt His peace. I did not share what my friend had told me. Figured he had enough anxious thoughts for one day. He had an appointment in the afternoon, and new, longer tubes put in.(They had had trouble with those two week old tubes.)

BUT, Thursday, when Dwight went to dialysis all the workers there seemed to know about it and proceeded to tell Dwight how 'lucky' he was and what could have happened. Of course Dwight used it as an opportunity to share God with everyone in return.

Romans 8:28 And we know that causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.

Dwight may be in a nursing room, unable to get into his wheelchair, needing nurses and aids to help him with almost everything. His kidneys may not be working and he needs to rely on machines to clean his blood. But he is still loving God and serving Him, anywhere and everywhere He can. I thank God for my husband and his willingness to be God's man every chance he gets.

Another Fun Day

Wednesday morning, when the aid entered Dwight's room to wake him for his morning pain pills she found something she had never seen before. The catheter tubes for his dialysis were laying on the bed beside him. They had removed themselves in the night. Not sure how, or why. Guess they just didn't like Dwight.

She went flying out of the room to find a nurse, who was extremely concerned. In fact it caused such a stir that the night nurse talked to me quite awhile as I was leaving tonight.
Although, they didn't tell Dwight, this could have been a very serious situation. But God had other plans.

All this caused great anxiety in Dwight, who called me to help him calm down, altho' he was quite calm when he told me. We talked awhile, and prayed together. I called my nurse friend who reassured me that since they were out with no bleeding, etc, we should be thankful.

Dwight went and had new tubes inserted, he is alot of extra pain, and still slightly shaken, but ready to go off to dialysis tomorrow. Hopefully, with new tubes dialysis will be uneventful. Tuesday the tubes were partially blocked and needed opened and the machine kept setting off the alarms, resulting in a shortened dialysis. We like it best when things run smoothly.

Holding Pattern

Things seem to be pretty much in a routine now. There are some little ups and downs, but nothing big right now. Dialysis is on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, with adjustments made for holiday weeks. The bedsore is slowly healing with the aid of a wound vac and a couple of nurses who really care and know how to change it.

Unfortunately, yesterday, (Tuesday) Dwight was unable to have dialysis because the ports where plugged, again, it has only been two weeks since they were replaced. He goes this afternoon to have them replaced and then, time permitting, he will have dialysis.

Last week they did minor surgery on his left arm, again. The surgery in the wrist didn't grow large enough to use so now they are trying to create one near the elbow. They had to cut quite deep into his bicep to find a usable artery. He was told they have never dug that deep before. He did have huge muscles from working so hard. Of course, this continues to keep him from physcial therapy.

Dwight is handling most of this very well, altho' there are times he is very down, especially when the pain and loneliness get overwhelming. The cards and phone calls he receives are a great encouragement.

My granddaughter Aurora and I are quite excited to see the snow, but I can guarantee that my husband will have a very strong opposite reaction. Don't you love how different spouses are????

Again, thank you to all of you who are so caring and praying. Your prayers give us the added strength we need.