Dad Update; Argh! on Drugs; Nine Years; And Poop Galore

After a week of being with my dad, I'm back home now. The Lord let me leave with more peace than I thought I could have. During the day before I left, my dad was very coherent and his speech was great. He was very tired and sleepy still, but he didn't have many disoriented moments. They have him on Tylenol now instead of the morphine. His bandages are off to expose the staples (27 of them!). My mom said he had a very good and restful night last night. He was able to eat food (dysphasia diet), and his swallowing test came back clear. So please continue to be praying for a full recovery and for him to get out of ICU, and also for no other issues to arise. And keep praying for him to come to know the Lord as his Savior through all this.

Now the yuck part. We're still working on the medication stuff for Ian. It's been a bit of a contention area. I think we aren't giving it enough time, not to mention it doesn't seem really fair to judge it after only 3 weeks, when one of those weeks has been complete chaos for Ian...mom gone for a week, dad taking care of them, other caregivers taking care of them, and green snotty nose. Hmmmm, sounds like enough to throw ME over! So, we've taken him off the Strattera and have an appointment with the new neurologist on the 24th....hoping for a cancellation before then.

Today is our 9 year wedding anniversary! We both agree that we are even more in love now than when we first married. The Lord can do great and amazing things. He really has shown us a lot during our marriage, especially during these hard 3 years of our 3 childrens' diagnoses. I've decided that for us there are 2 options in our life circumstance....we either work together, or we don't. And our working together has to include the Lord as head of our marriage. He's much better at peace than we are. Anyhoo, I'm very fortunate to have Jim as my husband, best friend, and daddy of my children.

I can't forget to mention my darling Avery. In the last week she has twice disappeared to bathroom with us knowing. Then we hear a sweet little, "Mommy!" or "Daddy!" By the smell on our way to the bathroom, we know what to expect. Our little girl has gone poop completely on her own! I am sooo happy and soooo proud.

Out of Routine

I'm sitting here at my sister's computer 3 hours away from hubby and kids. I got a phone call Tuesday that my dad had a stroke. It was one of those, "Do I leave now or wait?" type things. After a couple more phone calls from my sister, I was ready to leave at 1am. However, that probably wouldn't have been the best idea in the state I was in. Plus I needed to feel like I had things 'in place' at home before I left for an unknown amount of time. Finally it was decided. My best friend came to stay the rest of the night (starting at 2am), so that Jim could go to work in the morning and prepare for a sub then come back home. The rest of the details would be worked out by my hubby, best friend, and grandma and papa. I set my alarm to wake up in 1 hour (which turned into and extra 1/2 hour), packed up, and took off north. Hardly any traffic and NO rush hour!!!!!

It's now Saturday and I'm still here. I'm very fortunate that I can still be here....thank you Zane and Grandma and Papa.....and of course, JIM!!!!! And also to my other good friends who have volunteered to help out when needed! My dad had an aneurism (could have spelled it wrong). Luckily it only had a leak and not an explosion. The neuro-surgeon did surgery on Thursday morning. Hopefully my dad will get out of ICU my tomorrow. I don't want to leave until he's out of ICU. He's really disoriented and confused. I thought by now, his faculties would be a little bit better. He does generally know where he is, what his name is, what year it is...when they ask him.

We're just waitin most of the time. My mom is hanging in there, but I think barely. I think when none of us kids are there, she probably feels relieved to cry.

So, if you're a prayer like me.....please ask Abba to heal my dad and give my mom an overwhelming peace that can only come from him. If I new 100% that my dad would be face to face with Jesus, I don't think I would be struggling so much with this. So, in light of that, please be praying also that the Lord draws my dad to Him during and after all this.

Oh, also be praying for Jim and the kids. They have been knocked out of their routines and don't have Mom there. This is the longest they've been without me. Jim's done a great job of trying to maintain some normalcy, but you know how it is.......mom's usually still the stable point. I am very proud of how Jim has been able to take over with everything so that I can be here. I know it's not easy for him. I love you, Jim!

Let's Talk Grandparents

Well, last Sunday was Grandparents Day. We really don't celebrate it, but I do want to 'kudos' my kids's grandparents.

My parents, Nana and Papa to the kids, live 3 hours away and are in their 70's. They love their grandkids so much, and I know they wish they could do more for them. They have 3 other grandkids where they live. My dad and I have improved sooooo much on our relationship since Ian was diagnosed. I know that sounds strange. But actually, my parents had a child with Downs that died at the age of 5. So if anyone in my family or Jim's can relate, it's them. That has meant so much. I keep praying that my kids will be the ones who will eventually lead my dad to a relationship with the Lord.

Jim's parents, Grandma and Papa to the kids, live here in town. They are only in their 40's and 50's (his mom married a younger man....go girl). I wish you could all see them with their grandkids. They have our 3 and 1 more. They would do anything for them. They even have my niece living with them while there are some family issues going on. My niece has no doubt of their love for her. They own a courier business (where I work part, part time). They are already making plans for growing the business so that Ian will have a place to "work" when he gets older. The kids have soooo much fun with they are there. Grandma and Papa have been such a tremendous help to us, especially when we've reached our max and need a break.

I could go on and on and on and on. But I won't. My kids' grandparents RULE!