Over Achiever

 

Here was today's to do list:

   • sit up in the chair [check]

   • walk [check]

   • get a few dozen foot rubs [check plus]

   • get an abdominal CT scan [check]

   • transfer to a regular room [check]  Rm 451

   • drink some Gatorade [check]

And one thing not on the list:

   • get a visit from the children

We are so blessed. At this time 5 nights ago, we were all holding our breaths that Will would survive this ordeal. We had no idea that we'd be in a regular room come Friday. 

The next hurdle for this boy is to get his gut to behave. You know how you can feel so absolutely miserable if you've got a good case of nausea? Well, that's Will. His innards aren't playing nicely. He can't keep anything down to speak of -- even just clear liquids. It's going to take a little time to get past this part of his recovery. 

Y'all are such wonderful prayer warriors. You bless us beyond measure! Thank you. 

Pray for sleep.

Will had a pretty good day. He got his NG tube removed and he got up and walked for a bit. 

But he realized how sore and exhausted he was in the process. 

Still, he didn't sleep any last night and he didn't nap any all day. 

After a series of events this afternoon they flirted with putting the NG tube back down. But they are going to wait a little longer for that. 

Now Will is really confused. He really, really needs to go to sleep. Like really. And he can't stop talking long enough to drift off. 

Please pray that he will relax enough to go to sleep. And that he will sleep all night. 

Tomorrow we have to do some more tests. 

Look at Those Eyes

 

When this young man decided to get better, he did it in style!

• He came off the ventilator this morning. 
• He went for a CAT scan thinking he had a pocket of nastiness in the space between his lung and his chest wall. Well, not so much. It was so small, they couldn't even drain it!
• He's sitting up in his bed eating ice chips -- making telephone calls to his children and his friends. 
• He's laughing with his nurse about silly stuff. 
• And he is adjusting to the idea that this is NOT Sunday!

So what's next?

We aren't exactly sure yet. Right now we are just enjoying these blue eyes and sweet smile!

     Great Are You Lord (Casting Crown)

     You give life, You are love

     You bring light to the darkness
     You give hope, You restore
     Every heart that is broken
     Great are you Lord

     Cause It's Your breath in our lungs
     So we pour out our praise, we pour out our praise
     It's Your breath in our lungs
     So we pour out our praise to You only!

Read more:  Casting Crowns - Great Are You Lord Lyrics | MetroLyrics 

No Moles Today -- Maybe Tomorrow

Yesterday we learned about "Whack-a-Mole" in the ICU. Today we kinda cruised through the day with no real issues (moles) to address. 

Unless you consider being unable to wean Will off the ventilator to be a rodent. 

Bless his heart, he got so agitated when they tried to wean him. It was wearing him out. 

So they are going to try to do it again tomorrow. 

How can you pray?

1. For Will to get some serious sleep tonight and to relax. 
2. For peace and calm for him tomorrow as they try to get him off this machine. It is a bit frightening. And because of the drugs, it's hard to rationalize with him. He just needs to relax and follow directions. 
3. For the doctors as they try to determine how to interpret his chest X-rays. There's a question about one spot that is puzzling. He might need a CAT scan tomorrow to determine more definitively what it is. And, of course, how to deal with whatever they find. (This is the one mole that I anticipate might try to pop up tomorrow.) 

God has blessed us countless times this week. Yes, Will is critically ill and we'd all rather be doing something -- just about anything -- else. But His hand has been on our son and on his healthcare team. Will is still getting better -- slowly. His doctors are all pleased with his progress. Thank you for your prayers, messages, hugs, and overwhelming love. We are blessed in spite of our situation!

Whack-A-Mole in the ICU

Remember that game in the arcade? A little mechanical critter peeks up out of the ground and you score points for whacking it in the head before it ducks back down. Just when you think you've gotten all the critters in check, two more pop out at the same time on opposite sides of the board. 

Well, we've been playing Whack-a-Mole in the ICU at St Joe. One crisis has popped up after another and the team has whacked it with their arsenal of drugs and other therapies. Then another one pops up and they hit it. 

Translation: in typical sepsis fashion, Will is experiencing multi-system organ failure. And they are treating each with supportive care until the sepsis subsides. It is affecting his:

    Kidneys

    Pancreas

    Liver

    Heart

    Lungs

So far, everything that has happened has been pretty textbook sepsis. 

And I am holding onto the hope that for a 29-year-old healthy man, his recovery will be textbook as well -- steady and complete. 

On that note, Will is responding to his therapy!

They have weaned various meds down or off. 

The nephrologist was totally unconcerned about what he saw. 

The infectious diseases doctor feels like they are on the right treatment track. 

The pulmonologist says he's not out of the woods but he likes the progress he is making. 

So we will continue to whack whatever mole lifts it's ugly head. 

And we know the Great Physician is in charge!

He's in Critical Condition

Our life got a big slap in the face today when our son became critically ill out of the blue. 

We talked to him a couple of times yesterday and I thought he sounded like he had the flu. He went to get checked out. Temp 103. Flu swab negative. Chest X-ray negative. So they gave him ibuprofen and sent him home. Fever responded. 

This morning he passed out a couple of times at home so his wife took him back to the ER. 

6 hours later he had been transported via ambulance to a bigger hospital with double pneumonia, sepsis, and acute renal failure. We each said quick "good-byes" and just like that he was intubated and on a ventilator. 

The next time we were able to see him, he had a central line in his neck, an arterial line in his leg, 10 IVs running in, and the ventilator breathing for him. If that won't take your breath away (no pun intended) to see your healthy 29-year-old son like that, nothing will. 

So now what?

I just lost my mother. Am I gonna lose my son, too?

Well, I don't know. 

But I know the One who does know. 

And He loves my son a gazillion times more than I do. He died for him. 

Lord, Before his intubation, I placed Will in your hands because I trust you to hold him firmly there. If it is your will to take him home, I know that he will be so excited to see you! If it is your will to restore him back to us, I will be so excited to see those beautiful blue eyes again. But, Lord, not my will but yours be done. I trust you. 

Hope Not Heroin

This afternoon many people gathered at the steps of the courthouse in support of "Hope Not Heroin."  Nikki spoke from her heart about her dear son, Brendon, pictured here just days before he died. 

Four others spoke about their gut-wrenching experiences.  

 

They were testimonies to the work God is doing in this sick and dying world. 

 

I was impressed by how this community has worked together to try to kick this disease. It seems like we have a long way to go. 

 

Who is our Hope?

Jesus. 

He is the "higher power" who can bring healing to the sick. 

He is the Truth -- Satan (the father of lies) has no power over Him. 

Lord, I claim your power over heroin in Madison County. Bring healing to those afflicted by this disease. Prevent its spread to others in our county. Empower us all to stand firm in our faith in you, our Great Physician.