Friday

“The Lord is far from the wicked,

but He hears the prayer of the righteous.”

~Proverbs 15:29~

Beth G. Lee sent this birth announcement and the Kentwood connections.

After over 24 hours of labor, Jeremy and Sarah Purvis are the proud parents of Kendra Nicole Purvis. She weighed 8 lbs 12 oz, 21.5 in long. Jeremy is currently Student Minister @ Hixson First Baptist Church, Hixson, Tennessee. The proud paternal grandparents are Rusty and Becky Purvis. Kendra’s Great-grandparents are the late Edsel and Mary Ann Graham and the late Dr. Ben Purvis.

Jimmy and Retia Dukes

We were late to the Zephyrs game Tuesday night. I forgot to mention it in yesterday’s post. I bring it back up, simply to share with you something Caleb said that meant a lot to me. I thought it would mean a lot to you.

This happened Tuesday night. We had ordered Dad’s supper after taking him for a walk, and Uncle Danny was going to pick it up. Both Caleb and I wanted to see Mom again before we went to the game. We were also hungry. Smoothie King sounded good. The Peanut Power Plus is always a good meal replacement. Or a good snack. Or a good dessert. It’s just plain good.

Anyway, we were turning into Smoothie King, and I told Caleb that we were going to be late for the game, but I really wanted to drive back over to see Mom before we went. Here was his response:

“That’s okay, Daddy. Moms are more important than games anyway.”

I love that kid.

Well, speaking of moms, yesterday afternoon (Wednesday), after I had posted the last post on Caring Bridge, Caleb and I went to see Mom. She was very interactive. I helped the nurse change her bed dressing, and then we just talked with her. Caleb and I tried to keep it to shake-the-head and nod-the-head questions or multiple choice. It was fun.

We were about to go in order to get back over and take Dad some supper, so we closed our time with what has become our normal routine. We washed our hands thoroughly, and then leaned over Mom and told her how much we loved her. When we did, she looked straight at Caleb and mouthed, “Bye, I love you.”

Only thing is that this time she did more than mouth. She has been wearing that valve that is supposed to help her begin to get used to air going up through her vocal cords again. I told you she made some coughing noises through it, but no talking yet. Until last night. She didn’t just mouth “Bye, I love you.” She said it. Air was translated into speech and noise was shaped into words through the valve!!!

We were elated. I leaned down over her and said, “You just said that, Mom! Like, you really talked!!! Do it again! Do it again!!!”

She had a big half-smile and a proud look in her eye like, “Yeah. I did that.”

Caleb had a HUGE grin. We tried to get her to say more stuff. She really tried. She struggled to form words again, but she didn’t. We didn’t care. She “spoke.” We were thankful. It was awesome!!!

That was the great news. Now, the not-so-great news. The BIRC in Orlando won’t accept Mom until her infection resolves. We anticipated that. It is totally understandable. It just means we have to wait a bit longer to see when it resolves. The doctors have Mom on two different antibiotics, and their gut feeling is that within the next two weeks she should either be over it or show signs of being over it. Please pray it will be so. With Dad about to be shifted from in-patient rehab to out-patient rehab, being in Orlando would be best for him to have his own bed and his own bathroom and his own focus on being with Mom as we walk through this long journey together.

Don’t get me wrong. Being here has been amazing. The love poured out by family and friends here in New Orleans has been way beyond anything we could have ever imagined. Thank you so much to all of you from the Seminary and the surrounding church families. We can’t ever thank you enough. It has been such a joy to hear all of the stories from all of you of the many ways Mom and Dad touched your lives in their 30 plus years of being in this area. We’re not trying to rush away from this.

We are just trying to get Mom into a center that has been highly recommended to us that we believe will be the best for her health and recovery. In fact, we have in our church family in Orlando a young woman who has been through that very center and has recovered from a traumatic brain injury. She has been a huge encouragement to us, along with so many others. So, we are not trying to rush out of New Orleans. Just trying to get Mom toward her next step and the best care possible.

Besides, there is no Copeland’s or Praline Connection or an abundance of scallops (whatever they are) in Orlando. There is Mickey Mouse. Mom and Dad’s home. That brain center. Four of Mom and Dad’s grandkids. And my wife and kids. I miss them a lot. Mom and Dad do, too.

They miss time with Bill and Brenda. They miss eating out together and then chilling on the couch, laughing at some of those outlandish sit-coms Mom likes. Dad misses his shower head. It’s actually pretty cool – like a rain shower. Most importantly, they simply miss each other.

When we were trying to get Mom to talk, I asked her to tell me what she wanted me to tell Dad. She didn’t “speak” it, but she mouthed, “Tell him I love him.”

Dad could get discharged Monday. If he does, it will change a lot schedule-wise and need-wise. It will definitely be a positive, though, at least in one very significant way. Dad will get to see that woman who told me to tell him she loves him. Almost everyday if not everyday. That’d be special.

One thing I wanted to comment on and get some feedback from y’all. Many of you have left comments about the med-flight stuff for Mom. Erik and I really appreciate it. Here’s what we have found out from your comments and from some research over the last few weeks.

Angel Med-Flight is a free air-transportation service for patients who need high-quality medical care that they can’t get to easily. However, from what we understand, patients are required to be able to walk onto the plane and buckle themselves up. We were told by several sources that there is currently not a free flight service for patients who cannot get themselves on and off the plane without significant help. For example, Mom would need to be transported in a bed or stretcher. She would not be able to sit up that long and withstand the inertia of flying.

There are companies who offer this service and try to do so affordably. In fact, we are looking deeply into two options. The case worker from one of those companies is communicating with Mom’s case worker at the hospital, trying to get Mom and Dad’s insurance to pay for it. Also, we are working with an extended family member who has a friend in the med-flight industry. This is a promising situation, and they are offering the service at a fairly low cost. We are looking into both and trying to fully understand each option.

Please pray for us to have wisdom. And, pray for Mom to get remarkably better between now and when her infection resolves. That’s when she would be ready for the med-flight transfer to Orlando.

Thanks again to everyone who has been looking into this stuff with us and for us. It really means a lot. Please comment back with suggestions and helpful thoughts if you have them.

This afternoon will be fun. Dad’s facility gave us a pass again so that I can load him up in the Civic with Caleb and me and take him over to see Mom. I can’t wait!

He is in therapy right now. Two sessions were before lunch. Then a quick lunch. Then two more sessions. He will be tuckered out for sure. We are planning on making an afternoon and evening of it -seeing Mom, then grabbing supper with some family and friends before we bring him back.

Please pray for safety of travel and transfer in and out of the car as we go. Also, please pray that Mom would “say” something to Dad. That would rock the house!!!

By the way, Jen and I were talking last night on the phone about her day yesterday with the girls. She mentioned something that really grabbed me. I am sharing it with you in case it might encourage you, as well. I blogged about it on my blog. Even made a video about it for the girls. If you get a chance, click here to check it out. (http://jasoncdukes.wordpress.com/) Maybe enjoy the pictures, and then watch it again to especially listen to the words of the song. Please pass it on, also, to young women whom you think it might encourage.

I love and appreciate you. Post at you later.
-jason

KOMpray

http://www.imb.org/main/pray/page.asp?StoryID=6686&LanguageID=1709

Be sure to notice the age of the last MK.

Eugene N. Strong
(December 15, 1919 – May 12, 2009)

The picture was not available when I posted Mr. Strong’s obituary.