This afternoon TJ was put into a chair with a lift and really seemed to enjoy it. He also was able to turn himself in bed a bit. While he was sitting some friends were in with photos of a trip to China together. When they left he croaked, "I love you, too" in response to their "we love you!" Then the speech therapist walked in and got nothing! I think it is the blue isolation gowns that make him highly suspicious. He is using his tongue and mouth more and swallowed after a couple ice chips so a swallowing study with fluoroscopy will be scheduled for tomorrow morning to see if the feeding tube can be removed and some kind of food started.
His white blood count is down a little (don't remember the number), temps have been good, and oxygen saturation has been good without being on oxygen. He has a productive cough with a lot of thick junk and the nurse deep suctioned a couple of times to help clear it since he is not quite getting it up and out on his own.
The beard came off because it was looking rather ragged and it would not be too much of a physical stressor to shave. I tried trimming it last week with bad results! When we moved out of the hospital apartment last week we used a shopping cart and had about 15 shopping bags. I told the guys that if TJ were pushing it with how his beard looked someone would put him in a shelter!
So give thanks for the progress, and prayers that it continues!
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Evening Update
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9 comments:
Sharing in your joy as we continue to pray for his full recovery. Your reports are sounding more and more like the TJ we all know and love! May God continue to give you all patience, peace and strength.
I rejoice with you for God's hand in TJ's progress. The scripture brought to heart today is Psalm 94: 17-19 "Unless the Lord had given me help, I would soon have dewlt in the silence of death. When I said "My foot is slipping," Your love O Lord supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul." I continue to join with the legions of prayer warriors interceding for TJ's complete healing. May God pour out His grace, comfort, love and assurances on you all.
LeAnn
Praise God for Tj's improving progress!!! I am continuing to pray and share in the joy of his recovery! Blessings and Peace
Abby (knox)
Dear Mary Ann, TJ, and family,
What an encouraging report. I rejoice as I hit the sack late tonight. At the funeral I preached today, two women received Jesus. My wife and I have had a single mother with newborn twins living with us for the last 4 and a half months. When I got home from the funeral today, Morgan, the mother of the twins, told me that her mother from Montana who came down to visit her and us at Thanksgiving, prayed today with her to receive Christ on the phone. Being born again is at the top of the list of God's miracles.
But not far behind is the miracle God is working in your life, TJ. It is akin to being born again physically, after being so close to death. As I rejoiced with these folk finding Jesus, I too rejoice in this awesome progress report. I love you all. Sleep well.
Pastor Rich Carlson, Supt. IWD
These uplifting reports are stirring more and more intercession to continue and I applaud your efforts to keep this up! It is evident that you all are being carried by the Spirit and I will continue to pray for your physical bodies to get much needed rest and remain strong and healthy. TJ is a blessed man to be surrounded by a devoted family full of Faith! It is amazing to hear of all the Lord is doing and it gave me chills when I read he had spoken today. Thank you God for intervening and I trust every moment of this "bump in the road" is being used to Your glory and for the purpose of expanding Your Kingdom. Bless You Lord! Please continue to bring complete healing to TJ's body. I ask in Jesus name, Amen.
So encouraging to check the blog each day. God is so good! We continue to pray daily and several times a day.
~ R & R
Wonderful to hear of progress! I was glad to hear you (Mary Ann) shaved him - was wondering if there was a "rogue" barber on the loose in the hospital! We continue to "pray without ceasing" all day and whenever we're woken up at night. Can't wait to see what GREAT things God has in store for your family in 2008! Keep up the hard work, TJ!
We love you all!
David, Betsy and Kiddos
Wow...and the beard story is classic. Stay the course my friend, and I agree with being a bit skeptical about that BLUE GROUP!!
Here's a good story to consider that I just read:
Phil.4:13states:
'I can do all things
through Christ which strengthen me......'
Here's the story:
A
young man who had been raised as an atheist
was training to be an Olympic
diver.
The only religious influence in his life came from his outspoken
Christian
friend.
The young diver never really paid much attention
to his friend's
sermons,
but he heard them often.
One night the
diver went to the indoor pool at the college he attended.
The
lights were all off,
but as the pool had big skylights and the moon was
bright, there was plenty
of light to practice by.
The young man
climbed up to the highest diving board and as he
turned his back to the
pool on
the edge of the board and extended his arms out,
he saw his
shadow on the wall.
The shadow of his body,
was in the shape of a
cross.
The man felt a strange feeling
like someone was speaking to
him.
Instead of diving,
he knelt down and
finally asked God to
come into his life.
As the young man stood,
a maintenance man walked
in and turned the lights on.
The pool had been drained for
repairs.
We thank you for keeping this blog and letting us be a part of the struggle with you as we support you with prayer. We are praying for TJ, of course, but also for you as family. A few days ago, you said it felt like you had been hit by a truck. At first, when I was in cancer treatment, it was a form of adventure, not one I would have chosen, but there was energy in going into battle against it. But as the weeks wore on, I remember thinking I wanted to change the channel. I had done cancer enough, and I wanted to go on to something else, A comforting aspect of the Bible is that there are words for every emotional situation. This might be the time for the Psalms that express discouragement, anxiety, frustration, and exhaustion and yet end with the hope that God is there and will rescue. We trust that you will find the strength you need to keep going. Be gentle with yourselves and know that we care about you and are there with you.
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