Good Morning! It is a sunny day in Dallas and we are hoping for a good week.
Jen had a very busy weekend...several of her friends from work dropped by as well as other friends of both Nick and Jen who have been so very loyal and so "there". There were several times when she was either busy in the room or sleeping but when told that someone had made the effort to visit, she would always smile. Thank to all of you who have made the drive to Medical City...it is one place I will look forward to seeing in the rear view mirror one day!
Friday, Doug and Nancy Blackman from Wichita, stopped by and we had a really great visit. The timing was perfect and I think we all felt energized by their kind words. Saturday, Jill and Shannon as well as Pam, Jill's mother came for several hours. The 3 "girls" spent some great time together and Marhta and I enjoyed having lunch with Pam. Jen loved it...wasn't quite strong enough to get a new "look" but enjoyed the massage the girls gave her and all of the wonderful laughs, tears and support. It was hard to see them leave...:>
Mother's Day was celebrated in her room..late in the day. Nick, Matthew, my brother Matt, Marie, Martha, Jen and I shared cards and gifts and love..when she whispered "happy mother's day mom" ..I told her that this time next year..we will be able to look back and see how far we've come! Wish we could just fast forward a bit but we are trying so hard to take each HOUR as it comes.
I again thank you all for the cards and comments on the blog and prayers and friendship..we are looking forward to learning on our trip to Chicago tomorrow..and then to keep exploring other options as we more toward rehab...it just can't come quicly enough. Jen continues to try and keep her calories up and work at PT..lets pray she turns a corner with that this week.
Finally...Glenn and Sharon Ringler came from MD Anderson Saturday evening and spent the night here..after seeing Jen for while. Sharon and Jen both shared some tears and dicussed the shared experience of "chest tubes" but all in all gave each other strength. Sharon will learn her course of treatment today in Houston then head back to Kansas to work on getting well. She is in our prayers...
I will check in on Wednesday after we return...Love, Marilyn
Monday
Friday
Busy Days
As Jen gets stronger each day so does the intensity of her physical therapy. This is leaving her exhausted in the evenings but as her physical therapist explained it is important that she feels the sense of doing something new towards independence each day. Today she went outside in a wheelchair to enjoy the lovely weather.
Tonight she will get the last of her chest tubes out which is one more notch in ladder of her steady improvement, with most of her internal problems almost conquered.
Our girl has got a very busy weekend install with friends coming in town, mothers day and physical therapy. All of which will make for a happy but tiring weekend.
Baby, its great to see you smile so much, its also been great to see you cry a little and it makes me feel so close when we cry together. Your vision for our future is so positive you are the ultimate wife.
Love Hubby.
Tonight she will get the last of her chest tubes out which is one more notch in ladder of her steady improvement, with most of her internal problems almost conquered.
Our girl has got a very busy weekend install with friends coming in town, mothers day and physical therapy. All of which will make for a happy but tiring weekend.
Baby, its great to see you smile so much, its also been great to see you cry a little and it makes me feel so close when we cry together. Your vision for our future is so positive you are the ultimate wife.
Love Hubby.
Thursday
Thursday Evening
I just returned to the room after taking Marie, Nick's mom, back to Jen and Nick's for the night. She flew in from Australia late last night and we spent the day visiting Jenny together. What a great woman she is..Nick, Jen and Matthew as well as the rest of the family are so glad she was able to come.
Jen had a second surgical procedure today involving the changing of the bandages on her hands and legs..it went well. No infection and the doctor continues to be hopful that he will be able to "close" in about 10 more days. This is a complicated situation but one that we are praing will result in the best outcome for her long term. We pray that God will continue to give the surgeon the skills he will need.
Jen also was able to "loose" the feeding tube today and as long as she can eat enough to keep her calorie count up she won't need it again. It is amazing to see how much energy the simple act of eating can take but she tries hard to take more bites and we are hoping that every day will be easier for her. Don Bennett, a new friend we have met here..brought her a strawberry malt from the Highland Park Pharmacy..a local legend...and she was able to finish half of that. He has been such a wonderful, caring, spiritual person and we all are so blessed that he has made such efforts to help. Another one of those people that was heaven sent...
We still have one chest tube to get rid of and it appears she isn't quite ready to have that removed but once that is done...she will only have a few "tubes" left to shed...down significantly from the 16 Martha and I counted one long night several weeks ago.
We are continuing to investigate rehab facilities...having visited Baylor here. Randy, Nick and I are going to Chicago next Tuesday for the day to visit the Rehab Institue of Chicago and then Nick is going to a facility in Houston. This whole process is somehat overwhelming but as her situation is rare she will need the best facitliy to deal with her long term rehabilition. We are hoping that Baylor in Dallas will be the place she will go because of the support system that is already in place, but feel we need to investigate to be sure. We are all hoping...Jenny most of all..that she will be able to enter this phase soon but feel it will be several weeks down the road.
My sister Martha is returning on Saturday and will be able to stay for 4 days..she has been sorely missed. :>
I hooked up the computer for Jen to read some of the postings that are on the blog and she was almost speechless. I have promised to print everything and put them in a binder so that one day she will be able to read everything start to finish..and really see how many people were walking this journey with her. It will be something she can share with her grandkids someday...something to cherish.
Matt is coming back tomorrow and our dear friends Sharon and Glenn Ringler are coming from MD Anderson in Houston where Sharon has been having tests. She will also be facing a battle and as I said before, can use all of your prayers.
Good nite for now...we will see what tomorrow brings..I send my love and heartfelt thanks to all of you.
Marilyn
Jen had a second surgical procedure today involving the changing of the bandages on her hands and legs..it went well. No infection and the doctor continues to be hopful that he will be able to "close" in about 10 more days. This is a complicated situation but one that we are praing will result in the best outcome for her long term. We pray that God will continue to give the surgeon the skills he will need.
Jen also was able to "loose" the feeding tube today and as long as she can eat enough to keep her calorie count up she won't need it again. It is amazing to see how much energy the simple act of eating can take but she tries hard to take more bites and we are hoping that every day will be easier for her. Don Bennett, a new friend we have met here..brought her a strawberry malt from the Highland Park Pharmacy..a local legend...and she was able to finish half of that. He has been such a wonderful, caring, spiritual person and we all are so blessed that he has made such efforts to help. Another one of those people that was heaven sent...
We still have one chest tube to get rid of and it appears she isn't quite ready to have that removed but once that is done...she will only have a few "tubes" left to shed...down significantly from the 16 Martha and I counted one long night several weeks ago.
We are continuing to investigate rehab facilities...having visited Baylor here. Randy, Nick and I are going to Chicago next Tuesday for the day to visit the Rehab Institue of Chicago and then Nick is going to a facility in Houston. This whole process is somehat overwhelming but as her situation is rare she will need the best facitliy to deal with her long term rehabilition. We are hoping that Baylor in Dallas will be the place she will go because of the support system that is already in place, but feel we need to investigate to be sure. We are all hoping...Jenny most of all..that she will be able to enter this phase soon but feel it will be several weeks down the road.
My sister Martha is returning on Saturday and will be able to stay for 4 days..she has been sorely missed. :>
I hooked up the computer for Jen to read some of the postings that are on the blog and she was almost speechless. I have promised to print everything and put them in a binder so that one day she will be able to read everything start to finish..and really see how many people were walking this journey with her. It will be something she can share with her grandkids someday...something to cherish.
Matt is coming back tomorrow and our dear friends Sharon and Glenn Ringler are coming from MD Anderson in Houston where Sharon has been having tests. She will also be facing a battle and as I said before, can use all of your prayers.
Good nite for now...we will see what tomorrow brings..I send my love and heartfelt thanks to all of you.
Marilyn
Tuesday
Positive Tuesday
Hello all...it is 11 pm and Randy and I are getting ready for bed. We had the most interesting conversation with a lady named Karen Shoutz, from Waconia, MN...outside by the pool at the Residence Inn. She is here with her daughter for a week and when we explained why we were here, she was so kind and so uplifting..gave us lots to think about and encouraged us to keep the faith we have in God. She also told us to be thankful each day for one thing positive that has happened with Jen..and that really spoke to me. God does use people in mysterious ways..Karen is one of those ways.
Today Jenny was able to sit up for a bit longer and ate a bit more. Her spirits were good and she actually watched American Idol with me...and liked the Beat Boxer guy the best! :>
Nick's mom Marie comes in tomorrow and I am sure that will lift all of our spirits! Australia is such a long flight..but we are so appreciative of her being able to come.
Cecile and Ann from Bent Tree visited for a long time and that was so much fun. They have really adopted our family and it is such a comfort to have them near.
Jenny's goal is to be able to sit up long enough on Saturday when Jill and Shannon
come so that Jill can "fix" her hair. What a treat that will be!
Randy has rented a car and will go back to Wichita tomorrow for a bit. He is leaving me our car to I will try and tackle the Dallas traffic until my sister Martha gets here on Saturday..wish me luck..it is brutal!
Good night dear friends..I will fill you in tomorrow..thanks over and over for hanging with us..I just can't wait to print everything for her to read one day..real soon!
Marilyn
Today Jenny was able to sit up for a bit longer and ate a bit more. Her spirits were good and she actually watched American Idol with me...and liked the Beat Boxer guy the best! :>
Nick's mom Marie comes in tomorrow and I am sure that will lift all of our spirits! Australia is such a long flight..but we are so appreciative of her being able to come.
Cecile and Ann from Bent Tree visited for a long time and that was so much fun. They have really adopted our family and it is such a comfort to have them near.
Jenny's goal is to be able to sit up long enough on Saturday when Jill and Shannon
come so that Jill can "fix" her hair. What a treat that will be!
Randy has rented a car and will go back to Wichita tomorrow for a bit. He is leaving me our car to I will try and tackle the Dallas traffic until my sister Martha gets here on Saturday..wish me luck..it is brutal!
Good night dear friends..I will fill you in tomorrow..thanks over and over for hanging with us..I just can't wait to print everything for her to read one day..real soon!
Marilyn
Monday
Matthew's Review
Hello everyone. I'm in Jens room with her while writing this. Dad is helping her enjoy some strawberrt yogurt. She is really on a strawberry kick lately. Nothing wrong with that! Friday, 5/4/07 I was in the room when she had her first meal in six weeks. She would have made a good spokesperson for a chicken salad sandwich, which Dad enjoyed a half of. :) Last night when I got into Dallas I came in to hang out with her and we talked for about an hour before she started to get sleepy. She wanted to hear the cd that uncle Richard got her. I sampled it before she listened to it. It's a meditative soothing disc. Really good stuff. It helped her sleep. Early this morning she woke up and had trouble getting back to sleep. She is in pretty good spirits this morning. She amazes me every second. Just sitting next to her is a very inspiring feeling. I went to Wichita this weekend, friday night and returned Sunday evening. I was with Christy and her family. We said prayers for her and talked about how life can change so quickly. This change has been scary and frustrating yet she and everyone around her will prosper from it. She is really chily so I just had the staff bring her a heated blanket and Jen loved it. Well, I'm signing off for now. I want to thank everyone for the cards and gifts. Jen is so appreciative and wants to tell everyone how much it means to her. Bye for now.....
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