Today was a quiet day, beautifully quiet. I was able to sleep just about the whole night through, without getting up or soaking my feet in the water or having throbbing discomfort in my feet. I woke up at 6 this morning for the first time and the nurses came in, checked me out, ran some new IVs with antibiotics etc., took some blood. After they left, I went back to sleep.
The bloodwork results were a bit better than yesterday - hemoglobin was up three points (though it should be higher after two units yesterday) but it was high enough that I didn't need blood today. I'm not getting a good response with the hemoglobin right now (maybe due to the infection) and the numbers are poor. My platelets were low, so I had my usual breakfast dose of platelets. After the lasix treatment yesterday, a lot of the swelling in my feet has gone down. This, as well as the nerve drugs, have really helped my hands and feet feel much better. Other than that, just regular meds today. My bilirubin number and colour continues to improve. I don't have fever anymore and I remain on antibiotics. While we are still waiting for blood culture results for typing of the infection, it appears that the infection was covered well by the broad spectrum antibiotics and is under control.
I have struggled to get out of bed or to get to the washroom or even walk, and I need complete assistance to do so. Barb helped me with breakfast and then we decided to tackle a shower. It was a long procedure... I am very weak and my legs are very tired. Afterwards, I got back into bed and Barb started reading a book to me. She got through the introduction and I fell asleep... Karen and Sarah had just arrived, so Barb went down to visit with them and baby Timothy. Sarah came up to visit me for a while and we had nice chats, between me falling asleep.
I had a good afternoon nap and then Barb and Karen came back upstairs afterwards. We actually were able to play a game of cards and I won! I didn't fall asleep because Barb threatened to take my picture if I did and post it on facebook... she would've. I even felt up to writing the blog this afternoon, with Karen typing for me.
So Karen asked me if I had any thoughts for the end of the blog and all I could come up with is "Oh great... It's supper time again." We have even changed the menu so that I get breakfast foods three times a day, which are the most appetizing to me. However, eating is a daily challenge.
We are so thankful for the little improvements today that have made everything much easier - a good stretch of sleep and some relief of the pain in my feet/legs/hands. Good answers to prayer! Now, we hope for improvement in strength in my legs and an increase in energy and stamina.
Good encouragement from our devotions from Spurgeon this evening:
"It is a high privilege to rest in God when danger or pain strikes. ... Do not fret; that will not help. Do not fear the future; that will not improve your condition. Put yourself (this is your privilege) in the keeping of those dear hands that were pierced for you. Surrender to the love of that heart which was pierced to purchase your redemption."
4 comments:
Richard, with you in prayer ... God is good ... and loves you very very much ...Cousin Ron
Me again, my irish twin grandskids will be different ages again in 45 minutes with the older irish twin the first to fall asleep tonight. I am not sure what to say, but want you to know we love you. We may have fought as kids, we may have disagreed once or twice (who is counting any ways), maybe we still do on one or two things. The humaness is still in us, not sure humaness is a word, but someday tiny differences won't matter, when we've being singing praise to God 10000 years we will have no less days to come. God is able to heal. God is able to fix the unfixable. Find the lost ... I was not going to share this story ... but a number of years ago now getting ready for my Mom's 70th birthday I was a little careless, running behind and trying to put up an electric fence in the snow felt a tough on my finger, looked down to se my ring was gone. Searched and prayed, waited for snow to melt searched, prayed looked and searched, expanded my search and then months latter really realizing I was not going to find the ring without God's intervention. And prsyed: God I'd really like my ring back, I know you could put it on the kitchen table or the back step and then I added something I thought was a little more logical or feasible and said or you could let my grandkids find it this weekend when they come over. Within a couple of minutes God chose to answer my prayer in a way I did not expect. On what I now see as the back step on the barn in a 6 inch clean piece of cement, my wedding ring appeared. My Grandkids are now all asleep, (and yes the second youngest turned 7) but they have asked is that the best prayer God ever answered for you ... and I have to tell them no.. but it is one that stands out. God gives healing and health ... way more precious than a ring... God healed in bible times ... God can heal now. God can complete that healing in you. God we pray for complete healing for Richard. We pray for faith that can move mountains (in this case a mountain of sickness) faith that believes in God. God heals, God keeps promises, God can remove this disease, as far as east is from the west. God please grant that faith and when we doubt, help us be like Thomas who said and asked, "Lord help my unbelief" Richard thanks for your strength and example.
felt a tug not a tough ... Ron
Glad that things are slowly improving for you. Lean on Him, and He will be strong for you when you are unable to even stand on your own!
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