Thank you for visiting us today for the update. Having to log on to the site instead of getting the email update takes a little more effort. The reality is my email buffer was overloaded. This allows people to see some of the comments I get to read. Mom today was moved to the "step down" ICU wing. The potential of life threatening incidents occuring has been minimized I guess. I'm not all that convinced yet. Mom is off the morphine with occasional dosages of pain killer as needed. Earl...

Fathering attributes are mainly protection, provision and love. God continues to demonstrate them with Mom today. As of 3 pm, Mom was no longer being given any morphine. As of midnight, this was still true. She has been determining the number of breathes per minute, not the respirator which is down to 15 (was 20) that aides in pressure for the lungs. When that number gets down to around 7, she will be doing everything on her own and will not need the respirator shortly there after. The vit...

Mom had the tracheotomy at 10:45 am along with the feeding tube going directly to her stomach. All went well. Once the drugs wore off around 3pm, they started weaning Mom back off the respirator to the point of where she was at before surgery. All the tubes are now out of her mouth and nose! Hopefully the throat and vocal chords were not damaged beyond the body's ability to repair itself. The prayer log is under the article heading of "prayer log", where you will be able to see what tim...

Last night, I went to see our little "chatter bug". She said, "hello". She was very tired from rehab and fell asleep during our devotional reading. Dan, I did read your New Year's letter to her. When I showed Mom the picture of your beautiful pride to be, she had a big grin on her face and stayed awake for the entire letter. A grin also came across her face when I told her about Steve in Texas (son) looking for a bigger 3 BR or more house to buy both wondering the same thing......hmmmmm...

1/28 Today is Shea's birthday. 33 yrs ago, he and Mom were on there way to the hospital behind a snowplow leading the way that was called out so they could make it to the hospital. This morning, Shea stood in his driveway waiting for me with the plow because he could not get out due the the 2-3 ft drifts in his driveway. This all came to mind with Shea and was somewhat depressing I think. So what birthday gift could bring the biggest smile ( and some tears of joy in this case also)? Read o...

Mom's pneumonia is clearing up nicely where she breathes a lot easier now! Her rehab is going well where evidence of coordination particularly with the right arm is most evident. Mom is struggling with her sleeping habits. Please pray that this would become more regulated and consistant for her. She tires easily still where by 7:30pm, she has often fell asleep while I read. I do try to sound upbeat and talk with passion when reading, but I am sure she's just exhausted. Talking wit...

Visiting Mom in the early evenings, it's obvious she gets tired around 6:30-7pm due to the rehab. Her gym time has increased some. Two things I noticed before leaving was her guiding the right hand to grab the bar on the side of the bed and grasping it. The ability to coordinate that movement and carrying it out is very encouraging. When walking away to leave, I waived bye. She picked up her right hand and forearm and waived gently good bye also. The pneumonia is clearing up! Her brea...

Mom has had a good week in rehab in that she has endured it's rigors and shown a willingness for the most part to embrace what they are doing there. The good news is that she will remain at this rehab center in Syracuse and not have to go to a less aggressive rehab center in Albany. The one thing I have noticed this week is Mom's overall awareness of people and eye contact with them. The statement, "the eye is the gateway into the soul", has never had more profound to me then when I look at...

"What Drives Your Life?", is the title of Chapter 3. Before reading on, jot down the down 5 things that realistically drives your life...... My answer was God's approval and peace, children, debt (good and bad), anger (righteous and unrighteous) and sonship attitudes. I'll explain these later. My immediate question afterwards was, "What stalls my life or makes me veer off into the weeds?". The biggy would be unrighteous anger whose root for me is mainly fostered out of unforgiveness a...

1/16, Friday morning, our family was in meeting discussing Mom and we received a phone call from the hospital. It appeared that the pneumonia( yellow mucus, fever, etc) may be acting up again and that they would not admit her to the rehab center but to review her case next Tuesday. 1/17, Saturday early afternoon, Mom's fever is down and the decision is made to admit her into rehab at University Hospital. You don't know how amazing this is being admitted here. No one thought she had a "pray...

Mom was moved out of ICU Monday evening to the 5th floor where there are "normal" hospital rooms. She sits in her recliner during the day 4-8 hrs looking out her window of western Syracuse area. These rooms seem a lot smaller to me than I remember them from my days of youth. Since Mom has been off the ventilator now for 9 days and counting, she appears more alert of her surroundings and can respond to basic commands to move her extremities, we've been able to get her admitted to the brain reh...

As of now, 6pm, Mom has been off the ventilator for 130 hrs!!!! She is still coughing up flem from the pneumonia that creates havoc for her breathing but she is coughing it up on her own instead of the nurses having to suction it out. Please pray that the pneumonia would pass for this is the one thing that hinders Mom's progress that could put her back on the ventilator. Other good news is her blood pressure. It has steadily been at acceptable to good levels for about 5 days straight now. ...

Today had some surprising news and obvious improvement! Mom was lifted up by some harness and put into a recliner/chair today. It wasn't for long, but she did OK. As of 9pm tonight, she had been 31 hrs off the ventilator, but the best news is that her blood pressure was good throughout the entire day. It was almost normal. There is more voluntary and involuntary movement of feet, legs and the right arm. Seeing her yawn twice just blew me away! A few days ago, some of the nurses that enjoy...

The weaning from the ventilator continues as Mom works on her endurance. Pray for this along with the blood pressure coming under control. Focus praying for all of you out there today. "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. " Eph 3:20,21

Sorry for any concern caused recently in not updating this lately. I was in western NY visiting family who didn't have internet access. Mom is continuing to build her endurance. Currently, she is up to 27 hrs without the ventilator and still strong. The longest before was 22 hrs. Her blood pressure is still high but now manageable. She went off the heparin blood thinner 1/1/04 and was put on coumadin, another blood thinner. This may be helping the blood pressure also. The pneumonia h...