Wednesday, May 21, 2014

The last 4 weeks in Insta's



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.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 




7 comments:

altman5 said...

Hi Cari.
I am the one who sent our mutual friend Ellen to your blog a few months ago. I don't even remember how I found your blog several years ago. It was posted on another, I presume. Anyway, I am so very sorry that things have been so difficult. I continue to pray for wholeness and healing for Andy and for strength and peace for you. Our Jesus sees you both right where you are, and His grace will be sufficient; I know you know this. (Oh, and the boys are SO handsome in their Easter outfits!)
~ joy in denver

Julie : ) said...

I went to your blog and it mistakenly took me to the April 10th post. I thought the word "surgery" was a typo for seizure and it was all making sense. Then at the end you said something about "the baby" and I wasn't sure of Ryder was still the baby or wondered if I had missed a pregnancy announcement. :) I must be somewhat tired too. :). When you get a minute send me two pictures 1) your favorite of the boys in their hats and 2) the one of the three boys in their caps. Yes I want them for my own mantel :) hugs

Julie : ) said...

I mean "capes"

Penny said...

Andy has been through so much~ your whole family has. It is encouraging to read how positive your and the captain's attitudes are. Y'all are a testimony of God's grace and trusting Him in all things. The shirt I'm wearing has "he works all things together for my good." Sometimes, that is hard for us mortals to see, but you are doing an excellent job of it. And I know that it has to be beyond hard for y'all. God bless your little family. Prayers and hugs.

Anonymous said...

Andy and Cari,

I'm not real techy at blogging, but what a blessing it has been to read thru this and see all the beautiful pictures - God's love all over them for sure. Thank you for sharing your story and God's faithfulness in an obviously very difficult time. You are in my prayers for encouragement, comfort, peace, wisdom, strength and energy. May you sense His arms around you daily - He is Almighty God, the one who knows/sees all. Love and many special blessings, dot gough :-)

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