Update on Papa Don

Dave is back in Louisville this week, and the news about his dad is all very good. I can't tell you how grateful we are for the friends and family who have prayed along with us! A few short weeks ago things were not looking up, and now... well, get this:

-Dad is completely off the ventilator.
-Dad is breathing through his own nose and mouth, not through the tracheostomy.
-If Dad continues to breathe as well as he has been for the last day or so, they will soon remove the tracheostomy and allow that to heal.
-Dad is able  to talk. (Just not too much, since it wears him out.)
-Dad is able to do some exercise.
-Dad passed his barium test, which helps the doctors determine whether or not he's ready to begin eating (liquids) again.
-If all continues along these lines, Dad will probably be transferred to a rehabilitation facility sometime next week, and...
-Dad could be HOME by the beginning of July. He will still have a long road before life begins to look "normal" again, but still... home. That would be very, very good.

I'm getting all of my information from phone conversations with Dave (which are sometimes distracted on my end), so I hope I have everything correct. At any rate, we are praising God. Even Dad's nurses have called his recovery a miracle, and... well, we know Who works miracles. Thank you, Lord.

Keep praying!

Memorial Day

Praying for Papa Don

My husband's dad, Papa Don to our kids, is in a Louisville hospital tonight, trying to adjust to a significantly reduced round of meds. At the beginning of April, Dad had surgery to remove part of his esophagus, which had cancerous cells in it. His recovery seemed to go well for about the first week, but it's taken many turns since then. Today's change in the meds is in response to the latest twist. At this point, no one knows what's going to happen... no one except the Lord.

The kids and I are here at home, holding the fort and praying. Dave is in Kentucky, spending much of each day at the hospital and praying. I know that some of you who read this blog are already praying as well. If you're not, would you please join us? Tonight I am asking God for a full recovery, a peaceful night's sleep, wisdom for the doctors, strength and peace for Dad's sweet wife, Jan.

Thank you so much for your love and support.

Rollin' On a River

I didn't know until yesterday that the Tina Turner song I'm referencing here is actually called "Proud Mary." That's definitely a better song title than "Rollin' on a River."

Of course, this post has nothing to do either with women named Mary or with rivers. It's about rollin'. Rollin' over, that is.

Us'n got a baby who done learned to do it this week. Back to tummy. He looks like he's in slow motion when he does the flip... one, long, smooth movement and he's over! Now hims rolls every chance hims can get. Including in the middle of a 2 a.m. diaper change.

(By the way, these pictures were not taken during the 2 a.m. diaper change.)



Isn't hims too cute?


I think he's proud of himself.


By the way, the mean old red patches on Graham's cheeks are pretty obvious in these pics. Unfortunately, the elimination of all wheat, eggs and dairy from my diet doesn't seem to be helping his eczema at all. He's back on the steroid cream, which keeps it under control, but just barely. Doctor says we need to take him to a pediatric dermatologist... evidently the nearest one he can recommend is at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. Yikes. Hopefully we can get him in before the end of 2012.

Being Two Hurts

Heart-Melting