Life got super crazy right after Easter.
First, let me just say... Easter was great... the boys... Super handsome.
And to prove it...
THEN.
Then life turned upside down and went nuts.
It all started on a beautiful Sunday evening on April 27th. The boys were in bed. The Captain and I were sitting on the couch watching TV. It was actually kinda relaxing.
Then Andy raised his hand.
Which seemed strange.
So I asked him if he was ok.
He didn't respond.
So I asked again.
Then the Captain went into a seizure.
At the end of which he was completely paralyzed on his right side and his speech was gone...
So I dialed my friendly 911 operator.
Who was kind and told me help was on the way.
We spent a few hours in the ER.
They ran tests.
Blood work.
scans.
x-rays.
CT.
and everything came back with-in normal limits.
But still he couldn't move or speak.
(well, to be clear, he could speak... just no one could understand what he was saying.)
Which was pretty frustrating. T not move or have anyone understand what you are trying to say.
It was a long, hard night.
He was given extra anti-seizure meds and admitted for observation.
By morning we was able to walk (very unsteadily) and move his arm and hand a bit. Much more than the previous night... but still so little compared to before the seizure.
He was then evaluated by Speech, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy... all of whom said they recommended acute rehab.
The Captain was in the hospital almost 4 days before they could transfer him to the rehab facility.
And while he waited for red tape and paperwork to go through...
He worked.
and the boys played in his room while we visited.
He was finally transferred to his new home away from home.
Then the activity of each day went up a notch.
I was/am trying to juggle being two places at once.
Being a mom and doing mom and house stuff...
And being a wife and being with Andy.
And it makes me tired
All.day.long.
So I've upped my coffee/sugar intake... and so have the boys. (by proximity)
While Andy goes to 3-4 hours of therapy a day, we go to preschool, work and Bible study.
When we go up to see daddy (at least once a day) we have dinner, lunch, play games, do puzzles and take him outside to sit in the sunshine and watch the boys race.
A sweet friend made the Captain a super hero cape.
which the boys love.
They wanted to give it to daddy while wearing theirs.
There was a lot of super-mighty powers in the Captain's room that day.
And we were encouraged and starting to see the light at the end of the therapy tunnel...
Then the Captain got sick.
I went to pick him up one morning and take him to get his chemo and drug infusion and he had spiked a fever and was vomiting.
This lasted for 3 days...
(chemo was canceled... obvs)
Then on Saturday the 10th of May the Captain had 2 seizures within an hour.
The seizures took away all movement that he had regained in the past two weeks.
Again. (copy and paste from two weeks previous)
We spent a few hours in the ER.
They ran tests.
Blood work.
scans.
x-rays.
CT.
and everything came back with-in normal limits.
But still he couldn't move or speak.
It took almost 24 hours to regain some movement. Which was minimal in his leg and shoulder.
They kept him at the hospital for 3 days.
Then transferred him back to the rehab facility.
Where he started all over.
I did pick him up last week and take him to the Neuro-Science center to get his infusion.
I told him I take him to all the nice places.
It was my fist time pushing my husband around in a wheelchair for most of the day.
I told him I prefer my dates walking upright... so he was going to have to work a bit harder. :)
Since then he a=has been at the rehab facility "getting strong", as I tell the boys.
He will be there another week at least.
We go up at least once a day to see him and encourage him.
He still has no movement in his right arm or hand. He can walk (gets tired very easily) and can move his right shoulder but not his elbow or hand...
He desperately wants to come home.
So we try to lighten his load and brighten his day.
We are blessed to have so much love and support. I have been showered with offers of childcare, food, and help of all kinds.
I point people in Andy's direction.
He needs encouraged and reminded that he is not forgotten (easy to think when you see no one most of the day and you're "trapped" in a rehab hospital)
So I made him a new email account.
and the emails have been amazing.
loving.
encouraging
and He loves them
so thank you!
I have found that I an continually amazed at how BIG God is. He is coming in and taking care of our needs... when we are not even sure what they are... He is bringing hands, and loving words, and letters and gifts and filling in gaps where we need help...
So many cards and emails have come to us from people we do not know or have never met in person... but they are praying for us... and they write of how they love us and our little family...
and I am beautifully overwhelmed.
So thank you!
The boys are doing well.
They are so young, they don't know much different.
We have had or share of fits and meltdowns... but mostly...
they are champs.
Rigg just finished his last day of preschool.
So our summer is WIDE open.
and I am lovin' the sound of that.
No if I can just get them to do all the yard work... and maybe the laundry....
Psalm 27:13-14
I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord;
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the Lord.
In the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord;
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the Lord.
