Moving Good!!

Today I am feeling good and am moving good! The muscles (yes I have them!) are not wavering between tense and jello.

Looking forward to going to the doctor tomorrow and hopefully getting all the tape off my knees. It is more annoying than anything.

Tomorrow will also be my first time out of the house in ten days!! Brian has a doctor appointment on Thursday and we want to go to Small Group.

Our Small Group has been absolutely amazing - they have been bringing dinner since I arrived home - it will be tough to feed ourselves.

We are so very blessed.

Healing Frustration part 2

Since Vicki came home last week, we have had a visiting nurse and a wonderful physical therapist visiting the home treating Vicki and getting her moving agian. The frustrating thing is that the doctor says one thing. the therapist says another and the nusrse yet another. Who do you believe?

Since Vicki is taking Coumidin, her nusrse is suppose to monitor the blood and regulate the dosage. Tuesday the nurse arrived and Vicki had just finished PT so her blood pressure was slightly elevated. The nurse took her blood and told her the coumidin was at a 1.5 and she needed to take three pills a day and when she came back yesterday, the level was at a dangerous 4.5. She was told not to take any more until next week. Vicki has been weak and having headaches and the doctor says it is most likely caused by the high coumidin level and she should eat vitamin K foods to bring the level back and should this continue we need to go to the hospital.

Seems like she takes three steps forward and four backwards with the coumidin, not to mention the volume of hair that our drains are eating....Well she is feeling better but still has the headache, so she is staying in bed most of the time and moving every 5 mins and wanting something else since she cant get comfortable.

The bruising seems to be clearing and she has more motion than the day before but it is without a price. Makes us appreciate the suffering Christ paid for each of us.

Frustrated

Since Vicki has been out of the hospital, we have been looking for a second pair of compression stockings. One would think that you could go to the drug store and get them from the pharmacist. WRONG>>>> You need multiple pieces of information in order to order these stockings. Well at the moment we have decided not to get them since she sees the doctor on Wednesday and as Murphy's Rule goes, they would get changed or as Vicki hopes taken away.

Vicki has been working very hard with her therapy and has been very tired when Brian gets home. We have had dinners brought into the home ( THANK YOU) and often after dinner, Vicki is ready to call it a day. Today she had her therapy in the morning and was worked hard but had the afternoon to rest. (I like this idea) we were able to talk and spend time together before calling it a night.

Vicki is hoping to get out for a special evening Saturday we are looking forward to spending the evening with many close friends.

Please continue the prayers for the healing. Need to go assist Vicki and make sure she does not over do it.....

Kara

Kara came over and spent the day taking care of me and cleaning the house. She also noted our recent blogs are all about my pain and how wonderful Brian is.....

She is am amazing daughter - we are so proud of her. She is facing the adversity of being unemployed with a positive, sunny attitude. She was patient with her brothers as they were in rare form today. It was great to have them all together!!

God is good.

Better

Feeling much better today. The swellng in the left leg (painful one) is down. Brian made a slush ice bag that I used for several hours last night - it really helped.

Hoping the PT will be kind and reasonsable.... I can't wait until pain is a thing of the past.

Also, can't wait until Brian comes home.

God is so good!

Physical Therapy is Tough!

Day 5 Post Op - Physical Therapy is tough. Amazing how 15 iterations of five exercises can make me nap for an hour!! It has to be done.

I think the whole thing will be easier when the bruises are gone - they are pretty intense.

Brian is amazing though he worries way too much. This has been really good for our relationship as I am totally dependent upon him.

God is good.

God is Amazing

We are home. It was a crazy long week. The pain was so much less than I anticipated. God honored the prayers of His people.

Brian has been amazing. He stayed with me throught the whole thing. He cried more than I did!! I cried once when they put the motion machine on my right leg - it hurt. He wiped his eyes a lot.... I am so blessed to have a devoted husband.

So now on to learning to walk without the walker. The exercises are tough - the physical therapist will be here tomorrow. But at least we are sleeping in our own bed. No one will come in at 4:00am to take blood or poke or prod or ask how I am feeling.

Thanks for all the prayers. God is good.

sucessful surgery

Vicki came through surgery without any complications. The surgery was just under four hours and the knees look great. I am spending the days and evenings with her at the hospital. Last night she had very little pain. At 0400hrs they put her in the motion machine and she has a little pain but said she feels good.

She will be home Friday and thanks to all who prayed.

Gotta go back to the hospital and bring her some warm clothes and a fuzzy blanket.

How low will it go?

As fully devoted followers of Christ we are not usually surprised at how the evil one attacks. In fact, as we are walking with the Lord, we expect them.

Yesterday we were having a marvelous day - we drove to Prescott, looked at some model homes, had a picnic then spent time with our Tres Dias friends.

During the day a text came in requesting Brian pay for things that are not his responsibility. The text then went on to say if he didn't pay, he would not get his Christmas ornaments back....

Brian's sin experience was tough emotionally and financially but GLORY TO GOD, we have the victory in Christ Jesus. So to take something not yours and hold it is not only exthortion, but it is pathetic. How low will the evil one go?

Christmas ornaments can be replaced. Brian is back in fellowship with the Father, our marriage is healing and growing. God is good.

Bionic parts

Vicki is going into the hospital early Tuesday morning to have her knees replaced. We are excited as she has been in so much pain and limited in her activities. I am concerned about the healing and dont want her be in any more pain and look forward to a new life with her. The process has been stressful with getting all the pre op work completed and hearing the EKG was abnormal and after following up with the Cardiologist all is "perfect" as he said.

I am so proud of Vicki for working so hard to loose extra weight and excercise inorder to assist her with her recovery. I will work a short week and will be with her at the hospital Tuesday through Sunday when I need to retun. Our home team has been so supportaive and will be assisting us through the process as well. Thank you home team.....

On a separate note. I got the results of the nerve study back and there is a blockage in my right shoulder, causing my fingers to tingle and be numb. I went to the doctor yesterday and he found additional damage in the shoulder and has ordered another MRI to be done Thursday morning. I will then follow up to discuss the damage and make arrangements for surgery. The doctor jokingly told me he could do the surgery Tuesday and Vicki and I could share a room. We actually discussed needing to get Vicki through and on her way before I went under the knife but will need to get it done before the end of the year.....So looks like November-December and I will be out of work for about 6 weeks.

We ask each of you to pray for our family as we go through this entire process and for the doctors working on each of us.

Sundays

For my entire life we went to church on Sunday. Now that Brian is working on Sundays - we go Saturday evenings. We like it a lot - more intimate.

My Sundays now I can play around - made an angel food cake and peanut butter cookie dough, will have chicken and asparagus, rice, squash and rolls for dinner. I enjoy having time to cook/bake - Brian, Jay and David seem to like it too!!

Will be able to spend some time this afternoon on a work project.... not always fun, but it has to get done.

I am so blessed - amazing family, wonderful church and a job I truly enjoy. God is good.

Future Homes

Went looking at houses today. So much fun to plan for the future. We are really praying for direction - where do we want to live, how big of a house, what style, how much land.....

It is fun not to have to worry about school districts AND plan the grandchildren's room.... (Kara, Jay and David - not too soon though!!)

We just love the fact that we will spend months (maybe even years) planning our next home. God has been working on heaven for over 2,000 years - it is going to be amazing!!

God is so good.