First, I want to thank so many of you who reached out and heard my “whisper” to pray for Steve and me. Thank you for the messages, cards, meals, and comments here on Post Hope. I wish I could say that my weariness has improved and I am no longer whispering to my God to lift my soul. The past days have been rough. I had a procedure Tuesday to place a feeding tube into my intestines and by-passing my stomach. So many medical supplies, routines, timed feedings - just a little overwhelming right now. I still go to the hospital infusion center twice a week for 7 hours each day to get hydration infusions. My new peripheral line that comes out of my arm is being difficult and it looks like today’s infusion is a bit more complicated and will require extra hours here at the hospital. We hope the new feeding tube routine might reduce that time some as I get nutrition and hydration lower in the GI tract for better absorption. I got into see the cardiologist at the UW Heart Institute. I am currently wearing a 7 day heart monitor to determine if I need a pacemaker implanted. I was cleared to have my thumb reconstructed (too many dislocations) and that will happen on Friday, February 28th.  I continue to be faithful in doing my home PT/OT exercises for my joints. So.... that’s pretty much the new medical facts. Pretty straight forward.[...]

Finally home .... it was a rough hospital stay. I posted last on Day 3 and just now in the last day feeling well enough to share my thoughts. Days 4, 5, & 6 were pretty tough. I developed secondary issues that almost landed me in the ICU. I had trouble maintaining my blood pressure and the docs feared sepsis had settled in. My fever shot to over 103 degrees and I had severe muscle rigors that required IV meds to calm. They started a 4 hour sepsis protocol and by the end of the 4 hours I had come around some and my vital signs were slowly improving. I developed high levels of a protein that measures heart damage. Ran some immediate tests that helped ease our minds of the stability of my aortic aneurysm. I will be following up with my cardiologists at Mayo and at the UW. There were other issues addressed including blood count issues and out of range electrolytes. It is felt that we need to spend some more time addressing my GI issues and see if we can find a plan easier on my system. Currently my gastrostomy tube drains everything leaving me dehydrated and lacking important enzymes and minerals. Right now we stay ahead by having 2 days at week at the Infusion Center at the hospital. I am there over 7 hours each day.  Not the part time job I had planned on. God must not have gotten the daily calendar I sent up that had my plans for myself laid out. Oh, now I remember God’s words to the prophet Isaiah “For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9[...]

I rested fairly well last night. The port surgery site is very painful this morning but pain meds and ice packs are helping. My fever has broken and I continue on IV meds. They put a triple “lumen” (IV ports) in my neck (picture above) so I have good peripheral access for my meds and fluids to run through since the port is gone. The docs haven’t been in yet today so I don’t know how long I’ll be here. Take note of the above picture with Shared Army Man keeping guard over the IV pumps. (If you don’t know the story of Shared Army Man see the earlier journal entry about him! He has been to every hospital stay since 2000 and is shared with my high school volleyball coach and dear friend!) Thank you for your notes of encouragement and continued prayers.[...]

Today has not been the day I planned. I am quickly reminded of the words of God spoken through the biblical prophet Isaiah when he says, “For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”[...]