We are home!! I brought Mark home last night. YEAH!! I am so happy to have him home and feeling better. The virus is still affecting him. He has some headache pain and nausea but feeling much better than the start of the week or last weekend.
Continue to pray that he fully recovers from viral meningitis (the official diagnosis) and gets back to working on strength and weight building. Thanks for your prayers and well wishes. We are so thankful to have such a large support system.
While I would like to say that this was our "LAST" time in the hospital - I am coming to realize that the hospital will now be a part of our "new normal." At least until Mark is off of all of his immune suppression drugs..... New Goal: no more than 7 days a month in the hospital! I am some-what teasing, but at the same time it might be a realistic goal for us right now.
I am slowly working on convincing myself that this is our new life. It was easier to just power though in Seattle. Strange city, new apartment and consumed with medical care. But back home it seems so odd that Mark is still so sick and that we have to try and do all of our normal activities (work, school, church, small group, hanging out with family and friends, cooking and cleaning, etc....) AND oncology and physical therapy appointment, blood draws, IV's + all the medication, eating plan and working out at home. It is a lot of work and scheduling to make it all happen - but more than that - it seems so weird and strange to be doing it all here back home. I don't like it very much but I am trying to stay positive and work some fun, joy-filled family time in between it all. There are also chunks of time set aside for Karen. I know that I need time for me to relax. I also know that even if there are bad days and I don't always like what I have to do - I can keep this family going with help from family and friends, as long as I keep my eyes on Christ and lean on the Holy Spirit.
I have to remind myself often of these truths:
We love each other
There are brighter days ahead of us
I am strong enough
God loves us
He will continue to provide all we need
I am strong enough
My children are sweet & beautiful and just need love, encouragement and structure
My husband will feel better soon
I am strong enough
Joy can be found each day
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Monday, January 21, 2013
Progress??
Well, after days of tests and waiting for cultures we now know Mark does not have anything super serious or anything bacterial. Everyone can stop wearing masks and gowns in the room.
The doctors are leaning towards viral meningitis. For most people the treatment would just be literally "go home take an aspirin and call the dr if you feel worse" it would run its corse in a few days. With Marks immune system suppressed it will take longer and require hospitalization so that he can be monitored closely. The fevers and headaches are the most concerning right now. Our dr has brought in a neurologist for his opinion. The Drs are in agreement that the plan is to watch him close for the next two days for improvement. The goal is to see the fevers stop and pain subside - which would get him off the morphine pump. Then we can talk about going home. Just a waiting game now.
Continue to pray for health and rest. Pray for the doctors to be sharp and not miss anything. Pray for my parents as they have the boys for me. Pray for my energy and attitude.
The doctors are leaning towards viral meningitis. For most people the treatment would just be literally "go home take an aspirin and call the dr if you feel worse" it would run its corse in a few days. With Marks immune system suppressed it will take longer and require hospitalization so that he can be monitored closely. The fevers and headaches are the most concerning right now. Our dr has brought in a neurologist for his opinion. The Drs are in agreement that the plan is to watch him close for the next two days for improvement. The goal is to see the fevers stop and pain subside - which would get him off the morphine pump. Then we can talk about going home. Just a waiting game now.
Continue to pray for health and rest. Pray for the doctors to be sharp and not miss anything. Pray for my parents as they have the boys for me. Pray for my energy and attitude.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Sometimes you're up, and.....
Sometimes you're down.
Into the ER at 1:00 Friday morning. Mark started having headaches on tuesday that got longer and stronger until really painful + fever by thursday night. Called Dr. then headed to ER. Spinal tap, brain MRI, belly ultrasound, blood test, urine test, nose swap.... seems like hundred tests later - we know it isn't any of the "serious" things that they were concerned about but won't know until Sunday afternoon when we get the spinal fluid cultures back what type of virus infection we are dealing with. Strong antibiotics, fluids, fever reducer and strong pain meds are all in the works until then. We are settling in and mark is sleeping lots. Will be in hospital "couple of days" .... We'll see what that really turns out to be. Boys are with my parents. We are doing "fine".
For now, please pray for clear answers on tests. Alert minds for the Drs to pick up on anything and everything they need to. Pray for effective treatment and no complications of GVHD with this infection. Pray for peace and rest for us all. Thank you.
Into the ER at 1:00 Friday morning. Mark started having headaches on tuesday that got longer and stronger until really painful + fever by thursday night. Called Dr. then headed to ER. Spinal tap, brain MRI, belly ultrasound, blood test, urine test, nose swap.... seems like hundred tests later - we know it isn't any of the "serious" things that they were concerned about but won't know until Sunday afternoon when we get the spinal fluid cultures back what type of virus infection we are dealing with. Strong antibiotics, fluids, fever reducer and strong pain meds are all in the works until then. We are settling in and mark is sleeping lots. Will be in hospital "couple of days" .... We'll see what that really turns out to be. Boys are with my parents. We are doing "fine".
For now, please pray for clear answers on tests. Alert minds for the Drs to pick up on anything and everything they need to. Pray for effective treatment and no complications of GVHD with this infection. Pray for peace and rest for us all. Thank you.
Monday, January 14, 2013
New Years! + Back to "Normal"?!?
NEW YEARS
New years service in my home church, sitting among my church family, singing Great is Thy Faithfulness, tears running down my face and glad to be home!
Great is Thy faithfulness, oh God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.
Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
I can't tell you (or maybe I have through this blog) how true this Hymm is for me and my family this year. He has been Faithful!
___________________________________________
Normal!?!
Being home is great! Let me be clear about that. We are thankful to be home, close to family and friends and feel amazingly blessed to live in the home we do with our happy, healthy children. The Lord has been good to us!
But are we back to "normal"? - No. Just like every step in the adventure, being home and transitioning has not been as easy as I thought it would be. When you are a optimist like me - and you are facing truly tough stuff - you are often surprised with how hard/difficult things can be when it is time to face them. I am getting used to taking a deep breath and pressing forward even if things don't meet my expectations. That is the definition of my "new Normal." I am learning to take what I get and be thankful. A friend reminded me tonight that the good days do out-number the difficult ones and that as the good continue to become more frequent the number of difficult have to decrease.
Mark is doing well. The transplant Dr.'s say he is right where he should be and doing fine. It is going to be a slow road back to good health. We have a schedule of care set up here with our oncologist and physical therapy. We're taking it one day at a time and looking for the positive whenever we can. I love him, and he loves me. We love our children and they are happy. We love our God and He loves us. For today, that is enough for me.
Posts may be farther and fewer between as things are changing so slowly now. Progress is measured in weeks rather than days. I am headed back to work tomorrow and will be much more busy - if that is even possible...
Please continue to pray. For strength and endurance. For patience and joy. Thank you.
Embrace the person the Lord has created you to be today and find joy.
New years service in my home church, sitting among my church family, singing Great is Thy Faithfulness, tears running down my face and glad to be home!
Great is Thy faithfulness, oh God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.
Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
I can't tell you (or maybe I have through this blog) how true this Hymm is for me and my family this year. He has been Faithful!
___________________________________________
Normal!?!
Being home is great! Let me be clear about that. We are thankful to be home, close to family and friends and feel amazingly blessed to live in the home we do with our happy, healthy children. The Lord has been good to us!
But are we back to "normal"? - No. Just like every step in the adventure, being home and transitioning has not been as easy as I thought it would be. When you are a optimist like me - and you are facing truly tough stuff - you are often surprised with how hard/difficult things can be when it is time to face them. I am getting used to taking a deep breath and pressing forward even if things don't meet my expectations. That is the definition of my "new Normal." I am learning to take what I get and be thankful. A friend reminded me tonight that the good days do out-number the difficult ones and that as the good continue to become more frequent the number of difficult have to decrease.
Mark is doing well. The transplant Dr.'s say he is right where he should be and doing fine. It is going to be a slow road back to good health. We have a schedule of care set up here with our oncologist and physical therapy. We're taking it one day at a time and looking for the positive whenever we can. I love him, and he loves me. We love our children and they are happy. We love our God and He loves us. For today, that is enough for me.
Posts may be farther and fewer between as things are changing so slowly now. Progress is measured in weeks rather than days. I am headed back to work tomorrow and will be much more busy - if that is even possible...
Please continue to pray. For strength and endurance. For patience and joy. Thank you.
Embrace the person the Lord has created you to be today and find joy.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)