Wednesday Afternoon

They finished up and wheeled her back to her room. There, they lifted her out of her wheelchair and back into bed. The picture shown is her being lifted in the special device. She was sitting on a green canvas wrap while in the wheelchair. This canvas wrap was then folded up around her and strapped onto the special lifter. She was lifted up and over and into bed. She seemed ready to rest.

Her doctor came in soon after. He gave us an update, filling us in on some stuff we learned late yesterday evening. Mom’s bedsore on her bottom seems to be actually getting better, we are told. So does her head sore. However, we are also told that the bedsore on her bottom had gotten so deep that it caused an infection in Mom’s tailbone. They found it with a bone scan Monday. They have attacked it with meds and treatment. Osteomyelitis along with the other infection her body is battling is very serious. Please pray for those infections to heal.

Dad and I suggested that the doctor take a 2nd look at Mom’s swallowing and breathing and speech. We felt like they were not being proactive enough with her in those areas. Our reasoning was that the sooner she can get rid of the tracheotomy and the sooner she can eat real food and the sooner her lungs get stronger, the sooner she can communicate and move and get progressively better in all areas. Please pray for her to have the drive to do that.

The doctor agreed, relaying that Mom seemed slightly malnourished. He ordered some cultures to assess her infections. He ordered more aggressive speech therapy. He ordered more aggressive respiratory therapy. He ordered an intensive swallow study to ensure Mom’s safety moving forward. Depending on the result of that study, he order fed her to be partially fed. Please pray for Mom to handle all those tests well.

Speech therapy and Dad and I tried to coerce Mom to talk this morning. She didn’t. She did say “Ahhh.” That’s better than nothing! We asked her why she didn’t want to talk? Did it hurt? She said it did. I asked her did it hurt or was it uncomfortable? She nodded at uncomfortable. We tried to coach her through it, telling her it is going to be uncomfortable while she tries to get used to it again. She agreed, tried real hard, but nothing. Please pray for Mom to grow in strength in her vocals and throat to breath and talk soon.

We are reexamining whether keeping Mom in her current location is the best for her care. We can’t move her to Orlando yet with her infections, because the center in Orlando won’t take her with those infections. So, we are seeking counsel on other options from some trusted medical folks here in town whom we know. Please pray for us to have wisdom in that regard.

Dad seemed really discouraged when we left Mom today. I tried to encourage him, reassuring him that Mom is going to have good days and bad days for a while to come. She really has only been unclear and less responsive when she has been fatigued, I told him. She has really been doing well, I told him. Even the therapists had communicated how responsive she was the first half of therapy this morning. I really tried to encourage him to stay positive.

Don’t tell him, but I was encouraging myself at the same time. Most days I am able to stay positive. However, after the run-in I had with Mom’s caretakers yesterday afternoon (we had a little talk about how attentive and communicative they have been in her care) and after the lack of clarity today, it is tough. I know we will make it. I know that. Just venting. Just being honest.

“Let not your heart be troubled,” Jesus said. He told His followers there would be days like these. But take heart, “for I have overcome the world.” I know that.

What that doesn’t mean is it’s going to be all right. Yeah – God is in control. I am not doubting that. But things don’t always work out like we want them to. Who wanted Mom and Dad to get hit by a Ford Expedition? And things aren’t promised to “be ok” for us. In fact, Jesus seemed to warn the opposite. His promise was that He’d be with us, not that He’d make it all okay for us.

He gives and takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Jesus, thank you for holding us through all of this. Thanks for good days and bad. Draw us closer to love and closer to each other and closer to Your heart. Please continue to heal Mom and Dad. Shine your light in her and in Dad and in us. Share your hope and promises through us. Your good news that even in difficult times, and there will be difficult times, and even in times where hope is thin, You are near. Your nearness never fades, and how You blossom togetherness among us is uplifting. Thank you Jesus.

And, man, does Mom need a lift today. Not just with that special device either.