WE'RE HOME!

Boy, I'm sorry I haven't posted anything for a while!  Our internet was down and things have been so crazy we've hardly had time to breathe!  For those of you who may not know yet, he's home!  He was released on Thursday.  We weren't expecting it until this week, but things were at a point where they decided he could go home.  He'll have a Home Health nurse and 2 therapists who will come 3 days a week to continue things.  We'll go back to Columbia next week for a checkup and schedule his next surgery.  It's been kindof crazy getting into the groove of how we'll do everything here, but things are good.  Two of his goals were to be able to get out of the hospital in time to see Landon and Joseph's last football game and watch Bethany play volleyball at OCC.  His schedule prior to the accident had kept him from being able to be at one of her games so this was really important to him.  He made the football game Thursday night and surprised the boys and then made it to Beth's game on Saturday to surprise her.  Each of the kids were so emotional when they saw him there.  It meant so much to them that he would work so hard to make it to be there with them!  He's not even supposed to be going out anywhere yet, so that will be all of his running around for a while!  A funny story was, when we were putting him to bed that night I told him I wasn't going to let him out for a while after going to the games and he laughed and began to tell me how he was the boss.  I said, "No, you're not the boss right now.  Later, but not now, and you're gonna stay home!"  So Logan prayed that night that God would help dad get better so he could be the boss again!  We all chuckled under our breath!  It sure is a good feeling to have us all at home again!  I'll continue to keep you posted on how things go.  KY3 plans on doing a story on him this week I believe so I'll let you know on that, too.  Thank you for your prayers, visits, calls, and all the encouragement.  God is using all of it to keep us going and so we thank you!   

Wow, he's checking off goals right and left!  According to the therapists, he's already met most of the goals they had set for him.  There are still a few medical things that need to be squared away, but things are really falling into place for him to be released soon.  Then he'll be able to finish outpatient therapy at home.  We worked with them this morning getting him in and out of the suburban.  We were unsure how it would all go, but it went well!  We had joked that if we couldn't get him into the car we would hook up a flatbed trailor and pull him around, but that won't be necessary.  Lol  It's so amazing to think that he's this close to being able to go home.  Yet, I must admit, I'm nervous about taking him home.  Things will definitely be different, that's for sure.  While I'm typing this, "Our God" is playing on the computer... we've listened to this over and over and sought comfort in this truth.

Our God is greater,
Our God is stronger,
Our God is higher than any other,
Our God is Healer,
Awesome in power,
Our God,
Our God

Today has been pretty good.  It's nice because he's stringing several good days together!  He's had lots of company and he's enjoying it.  In one of his sessions today they hooked a muscle stem machine up to his foot and shin.  It stimulates those muscles in his foot trying to "wake" them up, so to speak, so he can pull his foot up eventually.  We just continue to pray and believe that God will fix it!  It's great because whenever I bring the boys up to spend some time, Logan (our 4 yr old) prays for him about a half a dozen times while he's here.  About every 20 min or so he tells everyone it's time to stop and pray for Dad!  We know God's gonna complete all this stuff that's left because Logan's not lettin' up!  He's definitely praying without ceasing and I love it!

Well, he's been here a week and I can't even tell you all the progress he's made!  He took 260 steps total today with the walker.  He's getting up and down so much better, too!  To think where we are a month out from the accident is just incredible.  God has moved in such huge ways and we give all the glory to him!  It's beyond words!  He is giving Dan strength and courage to press on and I love to watch it!  They have given him a discharge date of Oct 28th, but he is hoping to beat that.  They figured out right away that he is very goal oriented and so they know how to motivate him.  They are also brainstorming to figure out what they can do to help his foot along.  With him having 2 more months of no weight bearing on that leg, it's not good for his foot.  Yesterday it was 10 degrees off of being at a 90 degree angle and today it was 1 degree better.  It still doesn't want to pull up on it's own so we're asking everyone if they would to really pray about this with us.  We are asking God to completely restore this ankle and foot to do what is was made to do.  He needs to be able to use it fully when he begins to walk again and we believe God will do it.  I'll be anxious to report the praise reports about it!  Thank you for your continued prayers!  God Bless ~

Things have been going really good!  Therapy is going well.  He's walking more and more each day and getting around better in the wheelchair.  He's enjoying all his visitors each day.  It always encourages him.  Yesterday, the OCC volleyball team came by before their game.  The assistant coach brought her guitar and they sang a couple worship songs and then a few of them prayed over him.  Ah, it was like we were having church!  It ministered to us more than we could have imagined and was just what we needed.  Today is Logan's 4th birthday so we came to Springfield for cake and presents with Dan.  It was fun!  This hospital is never the same after Logan is here!  One week down and 2 more to go.  I couldn't tell you how, but God is helping us do everything we need to do and be everywhere we need to be during this time.  It's crazy.  Somedays I wonder how it all gets done, but it does!  It just keeps us relying on Him!  Thank you for your prayers and for all the encouragement!   

Ah, today has been a good day!  He's feeling pretty good.  (I say that in the context of what "pretty good" is these days :))  His pain is being managed much better and so he's feeling better.  He had a full day of therapy and was able to do it all.  He walked the whole length of the parallel bars which was huge!  I've gotta tell ya, when they told him they were putting him on the parallel bars this morning, my first thought (not realizing what they were meaning) was I'm not sure he could do the parallel bars before the accident!  Lol  He walked using that intead of the walker and made it the whole way.  He also moved his foot this morning during stretching!!!  I can't even tell you how big this is.  Day after day the Drs or therapists come in to check everything over and ask him to pull his foot up or pull his toes up.  Each time he gets frustrated b/c his brain is telling it to, but it won't.  We've prayed over this like crazy!  Today they went through the same drill and I was like "AHHH!"  There was movement!  It was ever so slightly, but definite movement!  God is doing big things, my friends!  Every day he's getting stronger. 

Ps 118:28-29 You are my God, and I will give you thanks; you are my God, and I will exalt you.  Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good." 
 

Well he had his first full day at rehab and boy was it a full day!  The jumped into full swing at 7:15 this morning and had him up and at 'em.  He'll have several therapy sessions one right after another until mid afternoon. each day.  We know this is what it's going to take, though, to get him home soon.  His hemoglobin was low again so he had to have a couple more units of blood today, but all in all things are pretty good.  We are SO glad to be back down here!  It's been good to be with the kids and have all of us together!

SPRINGFIELD BOUND!!!!

Headed to Springfield today with much caution!  Drs weren't completely ready to let him go, but didn't want to miss the window of opportunity so we're leaving understanding that they will need to follow this very closely there.  We know it will be good for his recovery and his spirits to get him there and the Drs believe that as well so we're ready to do it!  Anxious to start this next phase of his recovery.  It's one step closer to getting him home!!!  Thank you so much for all your prayers!!!!

A few pics of our 3 wks here ...



Standing

Bethany and Mom surprised us with a visit and spent the day!

Scripture says when you've done all you know to do, you stand.  That's where we are tonight.  Today has been a busy day of working through this chest tube and draining all the fluid.  It had evidently turned into a jelly-like substance and that's why it required this aggressive treatment.  They did a 3rd treatment into the tube today after determining the xray wasn't quite as good as they would have liked, but also stating that the xrays can be a little behind of what actually is taking place.  I like to think of it as the xray hasn't caught up with what God's doing b/c we believe He's taken care of it!  All the arrangements have been made for a noon transfer to Springfield contingent upon the reading of a 5 AM xray.  They are working so hard to make it happen that they've sheduled it that early and will have the Drs on hand ready to make the call!  All of this has caused him quite a bit of pain the last 3 days and he needs to have this behind him.  We've prayed so intensely along with so many others, and now we stand.  I walked through the halls a little bit ago, so thankful for the Trauma Team that's worked on Dan, and hoping so bad this is our last night here.    

Drs came in this morning and have put medicine in the chest tube like what they would do for a cardiac patient.  This medicine is intended to break up and dissolve what's in there.  The first word this morning was that he would need surgery again, but after an xray and some intense prayer they've decided to go this route.  They will let this work today and then take another xray tomorrow morning to see how it is.  They said usually it has to be repeated to work, but we're trusting God is going to take care of it in this first round.  This is where I need you all to be in agreement with us and pray!  They have made his arrangements and he's been accepted at Cox for Thursday.  They don't take transfers on Friday or the weekend so if he requires more treatments with this lung he will have to wait until Monday.  We need for God to take care of this and for the xray tomorrow morning to come out good so he'll be cleared for transfer on Thursday.  Everything else is under control and now we're just waiting on this.  Thank you so much!!

Well, we are learning every time we turn around not to get too excited about things because things change all the time.  The Drs came in this morning and said things were looking good.  Said they would begin to make arrangements for his stay in Springfield and look to have him there in a day or two.  They began a series of xrays and Cat scans to see how everything looked anticipating the transfer and began removing some of the sutures, which he was not at all thrilled about.  By the afternoon, another infection had popped up and more fluid was found in his right lung that required another tube being put in tonight to drain it.  They'll look to see if they need to put antibiotics directly into his lung and this will give them access to that as well.  All of this has to be gone before they'll release him so we wait again.  Please be in prayer about these things so we can get him to Springfield soon.  Also, if you would, please pray for Joseph.  Got a call and he hurt his ankle at football practice and is at the ER with a great friend.  God says He won't give us any more than what we're able to hold up under and I believe we're at our limit.  He has been so faithful and continues to carry us through each thing that comes up.  Met a wonderful lady tonight who lives up here and is a relative of some friends.  She took me to her house where I got a hot shower and some delicious soup.  I think it helped me mentally as much as it did physically.  God continues to show up at just the right moment and let me know that he's still here and knows our every need.  Thank you for your continued prayers and your encouragement.  I'll keep you posted ~   

Been in kindof a tough place yesterday and today and haven't felt like posting anything.  He's maintaining and doing ok.

Out of ICU!

Dan is out of ICU.  Things are going good.  He still has the infection, but things are continuing to improve.  He had a successful PT session today.  He's able to move from the bed to a chair by the bed with their assistance and a walker.  Today he took a few baby steps in between.  Each time he's hesitant that he's going to be able to do what they want him to because he's weak, but he does it.  It's hard to see him like this.  Dan's always been so strong and been able to do anything and everything and now it takes all his strength to reach a standing position and take a few steps.  I watch this huge guy work so hard for every movement and step.  He stays determined, though, and presses on.  He misses everyone; the kids, being at home, and being at school. Thank you for your prayers ~