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Friday, May 20, 2011

It's been a while...


Working, house and car issues, keeping our family going where we need to be when we need to be... that has kept me busy... and it is so wonderful. It seems like a new kind of normalcy. I haven't always been able to do what I've wanted to do, but that's okay.

For Allen's therapy, we're between insurance approval... grrr. We are finishing up physical therapy but not able to have speech and cognitive for a little while. I just spoke to Lori, the most gifted, sweet christian speech pathologist who has helped Allen so much. She is looking forward to coming back for more therapy. Heather, our sweet, patient PT has helped Allen, as well. He gets tired of it, but he is getting stronger, standing longer, walking longer. Once the dizziness is better, I believe he will walk and move much better.

If you ever have the opportunity to spend time with my Allen or with someone else who has had this kind of stroke in which the frontal lobe was affected, be prepared to speak intelligently to someone who sometimes cannot pick out the right words or has gotten details of dreams, imaginations, television and reality all mixed in a way that seems very real to them. Don't argue that they're wrong or think them crazy. You can help them understand the way you see it and I am told it helps the Executive function in their frontal lobes to begin reassociating what is true and real. As their pathways are rewiring and finding the way to and from the correct information, most find their way back to a clearer understanding and less confusion. We are believing that for Allen. God has been so good and I expect no less of him as we travel through this season. Allen is becoming more and more understanding of what has happened. Not that he remembers it, he was in a coma. But little bit by little bit short term memories of conversations and planting themselves and being more easily retrieved.

I continuously run into so many of you who are still praying for Allen, for me and the girls. I am so amazed at the faithfulness of God's people. You are so wonderful to hold us up. I still am being carried through each day. I remind Allen always of your prayers, God's faithfulness and God's reminders for us to wait and trust. "Where else would we go, Lord? You have the words of eternal life."

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Little victories...



Allen has had low pulse rate, blood pressure a little high and for a few days this last week he was awfully lethargic and 'goofy', ie..more confabulations. So... I took him to the doctor Tuesday and he did a urine check to see if he had a UTI and even after culturing... NONE! That's really a victory because after so long with a catheter in the hospital, it seemed like he was constantly getting UTIs. It could come back, but not as likely since it was completely clear. Thank you, Lord Jesus. As for the low pulse, the doctor changed his BP meds and we're working on the dosage to also get his BP to a better place. They also found he is a little anemic and low thyroid, so both of those can make him lethargic. I wish he was off all meds, but you know, we can do what we have to do. God has obviously got has hands on the man and will walk him through this, too.

Well, my work is going well. God is good to provide it for me and it's working well with my home schedule. The guys and TJ are great to work with. Allen is getting used to some of the comings and goings I'm doing for work and he's really flexible with what's going on around the house. My desktop died last week. The True Solutions geniuses are working on it. They are so great. I am so glad I have my laptop, though. I'm just hoping I didn't lose the pictures I just put on the hard drive of the desktop.

We kept Betsy last night and today and it was great. She is full of fun and energy and no, I can't keep up with her, but thank the good Lord for Erin.

I did something dumb, though. I went out to weedeat the yard so Erin could mow. I was moving some heavy planter buckets that I'd used last year for vegies and yep, threw my back out. I kept going and got the trimming done, but I hate being slowed down.