May 31, 2012

I just spoke with Mrs. Doug.  She said that she has a lady named Linda (who has been sitting with Mrs. Joyce Flemming some) who will be coming to stay with Bro. Dale tomorrow while she goes to have her biopsy done.  She doesn't currently have anyone lined up to help her with him Friday night or Saturday.  She will not be able to lift on him for at least 24 hours after her procedure.  She thinks she will be able to manage by letting him sit in the lift chair because he can stand from it.  But she will need help getting him in the bed Friday night and getting up Saturday morning. 

They went to Houston today to have a CT scan done on Bro. Dale's right arm (the one that he is unable to use) because there is a place in his upper arm that they are unsure of.  They think that it is the muscle that has dropped, but they aren't sure.  They should find out the results in the morning. 

Mrs. Doug said that she should hear the results of her biopsy on Monday, but she's going to ask as much as she can tomorrow.  Please continue to pray for both of them.  Particularly, pray for Mrs. Doug as she has this procedure done tomorrow.  Pray that God will give her peace and strength and a constant awareness of God's presence and His power. 

Psalm 121

¹ I lift my eyes toward the mountains.
Where will my help come from?
² My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

³ He will not allow your foot to slip;
your Protector will not slumber.
⁴ Indeed, the Protector of Israel
does not slumber or sleep.

⁵ The Lord protects you;
the Lord is a shelter right by your side.
⁶ The sun will not strike you by day
or the moon by night.

⁷ The Lord will protect you from all harm;
He will protect your life.
⁸ The Lord will protect your coming and going
both now and forever.

May 27, 2012

Here's Mrs. Doug's emailed update:

Hey everyone, sorry it's been so long between updates but with the last week of school and busy last week we just didn't get an update done.  A lot has happened since we last updated.  We now have the leg brace fitting good and his walking is so much better.  The therapist or I whichever is walking  only have to hold on to him with one hand now.  I am trying to work in walking twice a day when we are here during the week.  It will be so exciting to be able to walk into church.  The girls have all told him they want him to walk out and meet them when they come home in July.  We all decided that we needed to stay here this summer for vacation and the girls and the grans are coming here the week of the 4th of July for a week:) 

In speech therapy he is up to almost 50 words.  Today he said Buster his dog's name.  We have had a lot of fun with my name.  I tell him my name is not 'yep.' He can say both of our name names.  Today he said Doug & Dale just as clear as I can but when he wants me he says yep. HA!  I just keep reminding him to call me by my name.  He doesn't  try to talk or use the words he has learned yet.  Everyone I have talked to about people who have had strokes like Dale's says that one day it just clicks.  I know he gets frustrated, he did today and got upset because he couldn't say a word I wanted him to say.  There is one thing that one of the Dr.'s told us in Tupelo to be careful not to say "I know how you feel."  I have to watch myself about this.  When I say this to him I correct myself and tell him I can't imagine how hard it is for him and he nods that it's true that it is so hard.  When he isn't focusing so hard on what he is trying to say, what he is thinking just comes out.  I was telling him something about his little pickup and he looked at me and said "What".  So, when he doesn't think to hard about it, just comes out.  He is doing so good with his speech.  When he gets started on words and can't get the exact word out he starts rhyming words he can say and acting silly and we both laugh.  I have told him he would probably talk before the summer is over with me around or not have any hair one.  That is because when he is trying to tell me something and I have no clue what he is talking about and I finally guess one more thing, he will rub his head and slap his leg and say "shoot".  Could be worse.

We are going to have his right arm and shoulder checked out further and get a shoulder brace to help bring that right shoulder up.  He still has a lot of pain in that right shoulder and arm.  The botox shots have helped so much with the tightness in his hand and arm.  We still don't have movement in the right arm or hand.

Please, pray for patience for him and encouragement.  He wants things to go faster and we both know it's going be a long road.  He has been a little down the last couple of days. 

Now, I also need your prayers.  On Friday of this coming week I have to have a breast biopsy.  I found a small lump this week and went to the Dr.  Thursday and they decided they need to do a biopsy on it.  So I'm having it done next Friday. Pray that when I get there it will be gone or get a good report.  The problem I have is that they told me after the biopsy I couldn't lift anything heavy or pull on anything heavy for 24hrs.  I'm going to need some help with Dale for that 24hrs.

We have gotten into a good routine in the mornings. I get up and walk and he is usually awake when I get back.  After breakfast he goes about his usual routine.  He brushes his teeth and then he comes to the bar and shaves.  He uses an electric razor for now because if he used a regular one he would be shaving with the left hand and the blood thinner he is on might not be a good combination.    Oh, there is a bath thrown in there somewhere. HA   All in all we are truly blessed that he is as far along as he is.  There is so much he understands it's amazing.  Praise the Lord.

Love you,

Doug

Luke 18:27  “ The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.” (words of Jesus)

May 13, 2012

Here's Mrs. Doug's latest update!

We've had a very busy and a good week.  No more seizures or any problems like that and for that we are very thankful.  On Tuesday we went to the eye Dr. and tried to see if we could figure out what his vision was like.  There was a test they tried on him that required eye and hand coordination and he wasn't able to do it.  So, they said for him to use his contact in his left eye for reading.  Now, this should be interesting me trying to get the contact in his eye and I'm sure he will be hollering "yep" before we get through. 

On Wed. we went back to Jackson to have the brace refitted and to get the botox shots.  Had to be there by 10:00 and I'm proud to say we were there between 9:30 & 9:45.  Which was good because it took over an hour to get the brace readjusted and then we were off to the Methodist Rehab.  Dr. Jones gave him 8 botox shots in his arm.  It was so neat, she had the needles plugged into a machine that when she stuck the needle into the muscle you could hear a static sound.. The static sound was the muscle spasming and she would give the shot there.  They are already helping with the tightness in the hand and arm.  It doesn't take nearly as long to get his hand in the brace he has to wear.  After we finished with all the Dr. appointments we went and ate a late lunch with his brother Larry and Barbara.   We had a good visit with them and enjoyed our time with them.  We headed home about 3:00 so, we had a really long day on Wed.

Thursday he was busy with all the therapy and getting to walk again after not walking for 2 weeks due to the brace not fitting.

On Friday Leigh Ann the Speech Therapist came and he said 38 words.  He was looking for her on Thursday and I guess he had stored up a lot for her on Friday.  He can say my name real clear now but prefers to call me "yep". I am working on him to get him to start calling me by my name.  I got him to say my name and then I got eye to eye with and told him my  name wasn't "Yep" and he laughed and laughed.

Everyone keeps asking me how I'm really doing.  I am doing OK, we have gotten a routine going and I'm enjoying him.  Before he had the stroke we would always drink coffee together in the afternoon when we got home and we are doing that again.  When I get home for school he is waiting for me and is smiling from ear to ear.  I'm very comfortable with where we are right now and I know it's only going to get better.  I'm not living in a fantasy world and think that it won't take a long time for him to recover or if he will ever fully recover or that it won't be hard and tiring but right now I'm comfortable where we are with what we have and look forward to a bright future together.  Last night I was talking to him and was getting him to say some words and my name and told him about how the Dr's. told me that they didn't he would ever be able to talk again and how I told them I believed he would and that he would preach again.  When I told him that he cried and it encouraged him so much to see how far he has come. 

I'm sure your tired of reading by now.  Thank you all for your prayers, encouragement and love.

We love you,

Doug & Dale

Such a fabulous update.  Thank you Mrs. Doug for your model to the rest of us of faithfulness.  You truly are a Proverbs 31 kind of woman and not only is your family blessed to have you, the rest of us are too!  

"¹⁰ An excellent wife, who can find?For her worth is far above jewels.
¹¹ The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain...
²⁵ Strength and dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the future.
³⁰ Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
³¹ Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates."

Proverbs 31:10-11, 15, 30-31

May 6, 2012 - update

Johanna said that Bro. Dale made it through the night as if nothing had happened!  Praise the Lord!  Apparently seizures are not uncommon after the kind of stroke and surgeries he has had.  He's actually had one before and had been on an anti-seizure medication early on.  Another one of his medications that he is currently taking has the side effect of increased risk of seizure.  Mrs. Doug will be calling his doctor today and finding out if he needs to go back on the anti-seizure med or come off the other.  Johanna said she would update again with what she finds out.  They are planning to be in church this morning! 

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The urgent request of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.” James 5:16

May 5, 2012 - Extra prayers needed tonight!

I spoke with Mrs. Doug earlier today and she had been enjoying her visit with Johanna and the grands, so she said she'd email me later with an update.  Johanna sent the update instead. 

"Cheryl, it's Johanna writing tonight. We had a little scare with Dad tonight.  It seems like Dad had a small seizure after he had gone to sleep. After about a minute or two, he came around and seems fine now.  We called 911, and they came out to evaluate him. Since we are here keeping a close eye on him, they feel like it will be okay to just check his vitals here and not take him to the ER to be evaluated.

 

As for how the week has gone, Mom took Dad to Jackson on Wednesday for a checkup. They were pleased with his progress, but they want him to come back next Wednesday to have a Botox shot in his right hand to help loosen it up.  They will also fit him with compression socks to help with the swelling in his legs.  His brace doesn't fit right now, so he isn't walking.  He should be able to start walking again next week.  He is still making progress with his speech, although his still doesn't try to use the words he can say to communicate. Steady plodding, but progress all the same!!

 

Johanna"

 

I hope to hear back again in the morning with an update on how he does through the night tonight.  Please pray for God's peace to fill them tonight, that they are able to rest and that answers will come to the many questions I'm sure this brings up.  Even though this is a surprise to us, God is still in control.  

 

“Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7