So from time to time folks ask what's up with my kitchen. We started renovating it last spring just before my nephew got sick and my mom had a stroke, and didn't get as far along as we'd hoped before summer hit.
(Aside: Steve made a complete recovery. My mom spent three months in the hospital and then was transfered to a nursing home's temporary bed. She just got permanent placement and will move on Tuesday to the other nursing home across town. She's in *moderate* condition, and I'm looking forward to seeing her again next weekend.)
So. The kitchen.
What's done? All the base cabinets are in and have been since spring. Also in spring were my new lino, countertops on two sections of cabinetry, sink and stove moved/ hooked up.
This fall hubby has: installed the dishwasher and built-in microwave/convection oven (both included running electrical wiring.) Half the upper cabinets are in--the ones that are against a wall instead of dangling from the ceiling over peninsulas and such. The kitchen ceiling has been torn down (a mousy mess, I assure you) to make way for more electrical work, in this case pot lights. Everything wiring is a big deal in this house as most of the walls are concrete block.
To accomplish before the kids come home for Christmas holidays: install the under-cabinet light under the run of uppers that's up, install the range hood (I'd not say no to a plug-in or two...), build and tile the peninsula countertop, tile the backsplash. The tiling is my job, not hubby's, but he has to build and prep the countertop.
After Christmas: install remainder of upper cabinets (and their under-mount lights), put up a new ceiling, complete electrical work (remainder of plug-ins), kick boards, light rails. We've lowered the ceiling enough--required for the pot lights--that there won't be any crown molding space above. I'd rather have decent lighting! Then a couple minor things will remain: tilt-outs at the sink, racks on some cabinet doors, etc.
When we get done with the kitchen, there's plenty left to do to the rest of the house. I think the front entry/ porch is next on the list, though I'm really wishing for a second bathroom. I'd like one for Christmas as we will be seven people for about a week. Ain't happening!
So this week the mess was the ceiling coming down. Everything in the kitchen/ dining room/ living room (basically that is all one 16x24 room) was covered in dust and stuff. Lots of mouse turds in the ceiling. I was totally grossed out. I know we have trouble with mice and every once in awhile the great white hunter cat earns his keep and kills one. But to see the evidence of 30 years was...disgusting. So when hubby drove back up to the mines I had one job and one job only--to disinfect and tidy and CLEAN that space. Two and a half days later I'm not afraid to touch things anymore. However, I did find one very small dessicated mouse behind the couch and (even worse) a flat dessicated mouse under a couch cushion. (Yep, laundered and bleached the slipcovers...)
This space is now pretty darn clean, if I do say so myself. I've even done a wee bit of Christmas decorating. But I have to say I'm paying for it with sore neck and shoulders tonight.
In other excitement this week the water pump on the car went. There is no end of ways to spend money on vehicles. Parts are on order and hubby will fix next days off. Which takes time from the kitchen again. Oh well. Life goes on.
And on.
Showing posts with label Steve. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Steve. Show all posts
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Monday, May 28, 2007
Family stuff
Just an update for those who care: Steven is doing fabulously well, has gone back to school, and will be graduating high school in a few weeks. Thanks for the prayers and well wishes for him!
I saw my mom again this weekend (after two weeks) and she also is doing way better than anyone expected. The fogginess her brain experienced for the first few weeks after the stroke is behind her. As in, she still has a fog for that time period but can remember reasonably well from before that, as well as remembering things from this week. She's also regaining some use of her right side which is completely amazing. At this rate she will be going to rehab and from there (possibly) to assisted living rather than a nursing home bed. Wow. She was so happy to see me! But so sad about us closing off the apartment--it was garage sale weekend--now that she has a clearer understanding of what is going on. Still, her spirits seem good and she is interested in what is going on around her again. Once again, thanks for the prayers.
I saw my mom again this weekend (after two weeks) and she also is doing way better than anyone expected. The fogginess her brain experienced for the first few weeks after the stroke is behind her. As in, she still has a fog for that time period but can remember reasonably well from before that, as well as remembering things from this week. She's also regaining some use of her right side which is completely amazing. At this rate she will be going to rehab and from there (possibly) to assisted living rather than a nursing home bed. Wow. She was so happy to see me! But so sad about us closing off the apartment--it was garage sale weekend--now that she has a clearer understanding of what is going on. Still, her spirits seem good and she is interested in what is going on around her again. Once again, thanks for the prayers.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Steven's home!
He is home at last, sleeping in his own bed. He still needs his antibiotics by IV three times a day, but they've got that worked out. The first thing he wanted to do? Take off his footwear and walk barefoot in the grass!
Looks like finishing his grade twelve won't be a problem. He'll be doing some coursework at home for the provincially examinable courses. He has enough credits to graduate. It's a good thing he's been an honors student! Helps a lot just now.
Thank God he's home.
Looks like finishing his grade twelve won't be a problem. He'll be doing some coursework at home for the provincially examinable courses. He has enough credits to graduate. It's a good thing he's been an honors student! Helps a lot just now.
Thank God he's home.
Monday, April 30, 2007
New update
Wow. I'm hoping to soon start thinking about revising novels again. Maybe as soon as tomorrow. The last few weeks have been something else!
Steve is recovering more rapidly than had been expected at the outset. He was transfered to our local hospital on Saturday and his mom is trying to get him released as he isn't hooked up to anything and she figures it will go faster at home. So he is really, truly, officially on the mend.
I spent the weekend with my sisters. All three of the sisses from far away were there, plus the local sis and I. It was enough to make the nurses think we needed name tags! Not only that, but several from the next generation came as well. And my one nephew brought his wife and 11 month old son along, neither of whom had met the extended family before. So now my mom has seen all of her great-grandkids. It was good to have the sisters together as we made huge headway into dismantling Mom's apartment. Certainly there have been tears as we realize that phase of life is over and another, difficult, one is in front of us. Mom's name is on the extended care list for a nursing home bed. In the meanwhile, she will remain in hospital until one comes available. She's been told about the extent of her stroke and the outlook for her, but she doesn't retain it all every day.
On Sunday we celebrated Mother's Day a little early being as it was the only time all the sisters would be together before they start heading back from whence they came. My nephew picked up enough Buster Bars from Dairy Queen (Mom's favorite treat) for the whole family--16 of us that day, I think--and we gathered in the hospital cafeteria with Mom in a wheelchair. It seemed like she enjoyed the outting, but apparently today she's forgotten it happened. Oh well. We tried, and she did smile yesterday.
In 1991 when we were all together (my sisters have lived overseas for most of their lives, so *getting together* doesn't happen often) my mom asked us to talk about what we wanted to inherit when the time should come. There are not many treasures as my parents did not have a materialistic mindset, but there were a few things from our grandmother, and some items such as serving bowls that had been our parents' wedding gifts in 1943. So at that time we made a list and wrote our names.
My nieces and I spent much of the weekend sorting out the apartment, starting with that list made in '91. A few times a sister would say, "I said I wanted that???? Why would I say that?" So there was a bit of trading going on but it went smoothly. My nieces and I also identified other items that had value--sentimental or otherwise--and laid them out to be picked over. We also shredded a lot of paper! My parents collected a lot of bits of poetry and jokes and short stories, etc, over the years. Our other task was to deal with the obvious garbage and recyclable material. In theory, what would be left at the other end would be items for a garage sale.
Working with my nieces brightened the task a great deal for me. Being members of the family, they had sentimental attachment to stuff, but being another generation removed also gave them more objectivity. And they enjoyed finding cards and treasures they'd given Grandma years before as well!
So the bulk of that sorting has now been done. We have until the end of May to have the place completely emptied, and the local sis and I expect to have a *garage sale* right in the apartment that last weekend to try to sell the furniture, kitchen stuff, lamps, etc, that the family has no need of. The apartment has been in the family for 22 years, so the building's owners plan to repaint and redo floors when we're done so we can have the sale inside no matter the weather. (Each unit has an outside entrance of its own.) So when we get over there with a vehicle some time this month we'll bring back the stuff I have set aside.
Emotionally, it's been a roller coaster. There were a lot of tough moments but also good times with family. Sisters and their kids are starting to trickle back away from BC and the excitement will be over, at least for awhile. Probably. We don't know the future, but God does.
Steve is recovering more rapidly than had been expected at the outset. He was transfered to our local hospital on Saturday and his mom is trying to get him released as he isn't hooked up to anything and she figures it will go faster at home. So he is really, truly, officially on the mend.
I spent the weekend with my sisters. All three of the sisses from far away were there, plus the local sis and I. It was enough to make the nurses think we needed name tags! Not only that, but several from the next generation came as well. And my one nephew brought his wife and 11 month old son along, neither of whom had met the extended family before. So now my mom has seen all of her great-grandkids. It was good to have the sisters together as we made huge headway into dismantling Mom's apartment. Certainly there have been tears as we realize that phase of life is over and another, difficult, one is in front of us. Mom's name is on the extended care list for a nursing home bed. In the meanwhile, she will remain in hospital until one comes available. She's been told about the extent of her stroke and the outlook for her, but she doesn't retain it all every day.
On Sunday we celebrated Mother's Day a little early being as it was the only time all the sisters would be together before they start heading back from whence they came. My nephew picked up enough Buster Bars from Dairy Queen (Mom's favorite treat) for the whole family--16 of us that day, I think--and we gathered in the hospital cafeteria with Mom in a wheelchair. It seemed like she enjoyed the outting, but apparently today she's forgotten it happened. Oh well. We tried, and she did smile yesterday.
In 1991 when we were all together (my sisters have lived overseas for most of their lives, so *getting together* doesn't happen often) my mom asked us to talk about what we wanted to inherit when the time should come. There are not many treasures as my parents did not have a materialistic mindset, but there were a few things from our grandmother, and some items such as serving bowls that had been our parents' wedding gifts in 1943. So at that time we made a list and wrote our names.
My nieces and I spent much of the weekend sorting out the apartment, starting with that list made in '91. A few times a sister would say, "I said I wanted that???? Why would I say that?" So there was a bit of trading going on but it went smoothly. My nieces and I also identified other items that had value--sentimental or otherwise--and laid them out to be picked over. We also shredded a lot of paper! My parents collected a lot of bits of poetry and jokes and short stories, etc, over the years. Our other task was to deal with the obvious garbage and recyclable material. In theory, what would be left at the other end would be items for a garage sale.
Working with my nieces brightened the task a great deal for me. Being members of the family, they had sentimental attachment to stuff, but being another generation removed also gave them more objectivity. And they enjoyed finding cards and treasures they'd given Grandma years before as well!
So the bulk of that sorting has now been done. We have until the end of May to have the place completely emptied, and the local sis and I expect to have a *garage sale* right in the apartment that last weekend to try to sell the furniture, kitchen stuff, lamps, etc, that the family has no need of. The apartment has been in the family for 22 years, so the building's owners plan to repaint and redo floors when we're done so we can have the sale inside no matter the weather. (Each unit has an outside entrance of its own.) So when we get over there with a vehicle some time this month we'll bring back the stuff I have set aside.
Emotionally, it's been a roller coaster. There were a lot of tough moments but also good times with family. Sisters and their kids are starting to trickle back away from BC and the excitement will be over, at least for awhile. Probably. We don't know the future, but God does.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Family Updates
In the past few days Steven has continued to improve. They removed him from the ventilator on Tuesday (if I remember right; the days are running together around here) and from ICU yesterday, Wednesday. So now he is on a *regular* ward but still in the Calgary hospital. They've started taking him for walks. He's quite enjoying real food even in the form of clear broths and I think ESPECIALLY being able to talk! They expect to keep him there for another week or two but the sun does seem to be shining on Calgary after the darkness of the past couple weeks. You cannot begin to imagine the relief and the prayers of thanksgiving that are being sent heaven-ward.
Of course those aren't our only prayers. I snuck a day off work yesterday to spend with my sisters and my mom at the hospital where she is. She's less alert, less talkative, and less cooperative. About the only thing she was emphatic about was refusing her dinner after only two bites. (She let me feed her the dessert, though--strawberries.)
My niece Karen is on her way, as are her parents who are missionaries in Bolivia. They all expect to arrive late this afternoon. My nephew from California arrived Tuesday night and returns home Saturday. Mom's recognition is approaching iffy and her interest in her visitors seems minor most of the time. Other times she hangs onto my hand (or whoever's) as though her life depends on it. Maybe it does.
Unless the phone rings meanwhile, I plan to go over on the weekend and stay a few days. My sis gave notice on Mom's apartment for the end of May so at least while the sisters are gathered we have something for everyone to do (sort and pack) besides visit at Mom's bedside (with each other as Mom isn't participating.) Of the five of us girls, all but one will be here. The last was here for a couple weeks in February and is trying to decide when to come back. It's hard to know. Mom could hang on for quite awhile, but it looks to me like she's giving up and just waiting for the last goodbyes. I don't know. I could be SO wrong. But that's where it's at.
Of course those aren't our only prayers. I snuck a day off work yesterday to spend with my sisters and my mom at the hospital where she is. She's less alert, less talkative, and less cooperative. About the only thing she was emphatic about was refusing her dinner after only two bites. (She let me feed her the dessert, though--strawberries.)
My niece Karen is on her way, as are her parents who are missionaries in Bolivia. They all expect to arrive late this afternoon. My nephew from California arrived Tuesday night and returns home Saturday. Mom's recognition is approaching iffy and her interest in her visitors seems minor most of the time. Other times she hangs onto my hand (or whoever's) as though her life depends on it. Maybe it does.
Unless the phone rings meanwhile, I plan to go over on the weekend and stay a few days. My sis gave notice on Mom's apartment for the end of May so at least while the sisters are gathered we have something for everyone to do (sort and pack) besides visit at Mom's bedside (with each other as Mom isn't participating.) Of the five of us girls, all but one will be here. The last was here for a couple weeks in February and is trying to decide when to come back. It's hard to know. Mom could hang on for quite awhile, but it looks to me like she's giving up and just waiting for the last goodbyes. I don't know. I could be SO wrong. But that's where it's at.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Health stuff...and other stuff
First off--Steven. He is doing very well, though the road from my last post to this one hasn't been smooth. He managed to yank out his respirator tube on Thursday so they had to re-do it and kept his sedation lower again for a day or two. Now, however, he is unsedated and understands to leave the darn thing alone. They are planning to remove it today and if things go well with that, he'll be out of ICU soon. Recovery will still be a long process, but his fevers are down and the antibiotics are doing their job. So that is a HUGE answer to prayer and I thank you very much. Steven will too! And I know his folks and grandparents are in awe of how many people have been praying for Steve.
Meanwhile my mom had a stroke so my focus has swung in that direction. Jim and I drove over Friday afternoon (she landed in hospital 90 miles away Friday morning). She'd been sent to the regional hospital for a CT scan and had just arrived back when we got there. The scan showed that she has bleeds on both sides of her brain. Just to complicate things, she also has a clot. This means they cannot treat either condition as it will speed up the opposite one. I'm thinking it must be unusual to have both kinds of pressure building in the same head. She's been on coumadin for a long time which is a blood thinner. It's supposed to prevent clots if I remember right. So it hasn't done that, and she has bleeds so they've had to discontinue it. Right now it is anybody's guess how long it will take for her to have another stroke...and which kind it will be.
The official words are things like *fairly significant stroke* and *the prognosis is poor*.
She can speak, but easily loses where she was going with a sentence. Then she gets frustrated while she tries to figure it out. Then she'll move her hand, her face will clear, and she'll say, "Never mind, it doesn't matter." Her right side is fairly paralyzed: she can lift her arm if asked to but not move her fingers, for example. Her right leg is equally uncooperative. Her left side has also been affected, but less so. Watching her left hand try to hold a fork and chase food around her plate is difficult, but she is shocked if asked if she needs help--and refuses it. The one time I did hold her knife up to the edge of her plate so she at least had something to run her fork up against. She glared at me but made use of it and the meal went better after that.
Every day it seems to be news that she is in the hospital, that she had a stroke, that she spent hours in the regional hospital Friday waiting for the ambulance to be free to return her to the local hospital. She knows us but is surprised that family is starting to gather from a distance. I believe she knows why, but then forgets.
Her doctor is on the hunt for a local extended care or nursing home bed for her as it is clear she cannot return to her apartment. She's managed the past few weeks (since I was there in March) with a live-in caregiver but that day seems to be passed. And of course we don't know how long this stage will last either. Could be a day...or a month. It isn't likely to be much longer.
Should we feel sorry for my mom? No. We should pray that God will take her quickly. My dad died almost 9 years ago now, she is 84, she has loved God and followed him for most of her life. It has been her biggest fear that she would lose her mind and waste away in a nursing home. She is ready to go. It would be a mercy if God took her soon.
The journey is hard, even knowing that heaven awaits her. It's been an emotionally wrenching couple of weeks around here and I appreciate your continued prayers for Steve, for my mom...and for me and my family. I'm home (and at work) at the moment but I know the phone could ring at any time and end this little lull I'm in. If all things stay even I plan to go over Thursday for a few days. I'd like to see Mom again...and also the clan is trickling in and I haven't seen some of them in a few years. It is silly to even try to make plans but hey, I'm human.
So, Chris asked why I was having company (in comments). Here's what happened about that. The company was my nephew (my mom's grandson) and his young family who are missionaries in Mozambique. Because of mom's stroke and us going over there, we visited with my nephew there instead of at home, which also gave him more visits with his grandma. We popped in to see her one last time Sunday morning at 8 o'clock before leaving for our place, where my nephew preached in the main church service. I took them out for lunch (remember the disaster in my kitchen!), then went over to friends' from the church who had offered to host a casual time for folks who wanted to visit my nephew's family. From there they left for Spokane.
Thus I managed to avoid having overnight company and even avoided having anyone over for a meal. While Jim and I were over seeing my mom, my in-laws moved the gas line and reinstalled my gas stove so that is a huge blessing for me. (My FIL was a gas-fitter before his retirement.)
Jim did go to work for his night shifts this weekend and is on his way home now. The cows have wrecked part of the fence so he does have to concentrate on fixing that before he goes back to work on the kitchen. His folks (and I) are tired of herding them back in! Of course, all our plans are dependent on what happens with my mom.
Writing? What's that?
Meanwhile my mom had a stroke so my focus has swung in that direction. Jim and I drove over Friday afternoon (she landed in hospital 90 miles away Friday morning). She'd been sent to the regional hospital for a CT scan and had just arrived back when we got there. The scan showed that she has bleeds on both sides of her brain. Just to complicate things, she also has a clot. This means they cannot treat either condition as it will speed up the opposite one. I'm thinking it must be unusual to have both kinds of pressure building in the same head. She's been on coumadin for a long time which is a blood thinner. It's supposed to prevent clots if I remember right. So it hasn't done that, and she has bleeds so they've had to discontinue it. Right now it is anybody's guess how long it will take for her to have another stroke...and which kind it will be.
The official words are things like *fairly significant stroke* and *the prognosis is poor*.
She can speak, but easily loses where she was going with a sentence. Then she gets frustrated while she tries to figure it out. Then she'll move her hand, her face will clear, and she'll say, "Never mind, it doesn't matter." Her right side is fairly paralyzed: she can lift her arm if asked to but not move her fingers, for example. Her right leg is equally uncooperative. Her left side has also been affected, but less so. Watching her left hand try to hold a fork and chase food around her plate is difficult, but she is shocked if asked if she needs help--and refuses it. The one time I did hold her knife up to the edge of her plate so she at least had something to run her fork up against. She glared at me but made use of it and the meal went better after that.
Every day it seems to be news that she is in the hospital, that she had a stroke, that she spent hours in the regional hospital Friday waiting for the ambulance to be free to return her to the local hospital. She knows us but is surprised that family is starting to gather from a distance. I believe she knows why, but then forgets.
Her doctor is on the hunt for a local extended care or nursing home bed for her as it is clear she cannot return to her apartment. She's managed the past few weeks (since I was there in March) with a live-in caregiver but that day seems to be passed. And of course we don't know how long this stage will last either. Could be a day...or a month. It isn't likely to be much longer.
Should we feel sorry for my mom? No. We should pray that God will take her quickly. My dad died almost 9 years ago now, she is 84, she has loved God and followed him for most of her life. It has been her biggest fear that she would lose her mind and waste away in a nursing home. She is ready to go. It would be a mercy if God took her soon.
The journey is hard, even knowing that heaven awaits her. It's been an emotionally wrenching couple of weeks around here and I appreciate your continued prayers for Steve, for my mom...and for me and my family. I'm home (and at work) at the moment but I know the phone could ring at any time and end this little lull I'm in. If all things stay even I plan to go over Thursday for a few days. I'd like to see Mom again...and also the clan is trickling in and I haven't seen some of them in a few years. It is silly to even try to make plans but hey, I'm human.
So, Chris asked why I was having company (in comments). Here's what happened about that. The company was my nephew (my mom's grandson) and his young family who are missionaries in Mozambique. Because of mom's stroke and us going over there, we visited with my nephew there instead of at home, which also gave him more visits with his grandma. We popped in to see her one last time Sunday morning at 8 o'clock before leaving for our place, where my nephew preached in the main church service. I took them out for lunch (remember the disaster in my kitchen!), then went over to friends' from the church who had offered to host a casual time for folks who wanted to visit my nephew's family. From there they left for Spokane.
Thus I managed to avoid having overnight company and even avoided having anyone over for a meal. While Jim and I were over seeing my mom, my in-laws moved the gas line and reinstalled my gas stove so that is a huge blessing for me. (My FIL was a gas-fitter before his retirement.)
Jim did go to work for his night shifts this weekend and is on his way home now. The cows have wrecked part of the fence so he does have to concentrate on fixing that before he goes back to work on the kitchen. His folks (and I) are tired of herding them back in! Of course, all our plans are dependent on what happens with my mom.
Writing? What's that?
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Update on Steven
Steven's Tuesday had its ups and downs as well. Although the doctors believe he could now breathe on his own, they are keeping him on the ventilator (and therefore sedated) because of his recurring fevers. They'd rather leave the tubes in a day or two longer than have to put him through REintubating him. The main prayer request today is for the fevers to abate. And stay there.
They're having to drain fluid from around his heart and lungs via a chest shunt, and they've had to run his IV through his neck because of how swollen his body is. Still, there is no sign of infection and that is good.
The odds of getting this bacteria are like one in a million. We always knew Steven was special! Foothills Hospital in Calgary has never seen this disease before, and only about 40 cases are reported annually worldwide.
Thanks for your kind words and prayers.
They're having to drain fluid from around his heart and lungs via a chest shunt, and they've had to run his IV through his neck because of how swollen his body is. Still, there is no sign of infection and that is good.
The odds of getting this bacteria are like one in a million. We always knew Steven was special! Foothills Hospital in Calgary has never seen this disease before, and only about 40 cases are reported annually worldwide.
Thanks for your kind words and prayers.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
My nephew--please pray
A few of you keep track of my daughter's blog and may have noticed her post a couple of days ago asking for prayer for her cousin Steven.
Steven is an honors student in his final year of high school: a bright, musical and fun fellow. Last Monday evening he had a bit of a fever. His mom (my husband's sister and my close friend) had him into emergency here in our small town three times over the course of the next couple days. When he didn't respond to the antibiotics and continued to get sicker, they airlifted him to Calgary Thursday evening. His mom and grandma (my mother-in-law from Been Farmin' Long left immediately by car for the six hour drive. A niece lives in Calgary right across the street from Foothills Hospital and was able to be there to meet Steven when he arrived. Steve's mom, K, arrived about 2 a.m. By 5 a.m. they had Steve in ICU and on a ventilator.
Meanwhile we were on our way to Calgary for Jim's Irlen appointment. In keeping in touch with K, we decided to go to Jim's appointment first and then to Foothills. (We were completely willing to ditch the appointment if she needed us; we could always re-make it for a month or two down the road.) Jim's appointment went well. A couple of things really surprised me about it. One was how much more clearly he can read aloud with the colored lenses in front of his eyes. I guess it is hard to inflect a sentence correctly if you need to focus on one word at a time! There was much more fluidity (is that a word?) to his reading which was very cool. Also, his verbal spelling was faster and more accurate. Don't ask me how that could be; it doesn't make a speck of sense to MY brain. But I guess when given a word to spell, he gets a picture of the object or action in his mind plus a picture of the word--then he spells it. With the lenses in front of his eyes, he skips the step of getting the picture of the object. That is so weird I can hardly stand it! It's not like he's reading--it's all in his head! We expect to get his new tinted glasses in a few weeks and are quite excited about it. Of course, this has been somewhat eclipsed by concern over our nephew's condition.
After Jim's appointment we headed for Foothills Hospital to see K. We spent a couple hours with her. Her husband and their other son (age 16) arrived shortly after we did. We were in and out of the ICU waiting room so much over the next two days that it began to feel like home. Things have been very touch-and-go for Steven. If he hadn't been airlifted to Calgary he is unlikely to have survived thus far. Friday was a very bad day. They ran a lot of tests (some of the results are still coming in) and he almost didn't make it through the day. Saturday and Sunday were days of minor (but real) improvement. We had to leave Saturday evening (back to Hanna's) and home Monday.
Saturday they provided a general diagnosis of a Gram Negative Bug--a super bug of some sort--with the complication of sepsis. Today it looks like they've narrowed down the specific bug to Fusobacterium necrophorum. CT scans show clouding in Steve's lungs which improved slightly on Saturday and worsened again Monday. Most of his vital signs have stablized and his oxygen mix has been reduced from 60% to 30% (about 20% is normal air).
However, there were significant setbacks on Monday. Steve has an adenovirus which normally wouldn't be much of a problem, but in his weakened condition, it is complicating things and he is in isolation. His fever has been up and down along with the rest of his symptoms.
He is in critical condition. While there is reason to hope, the situation could still go either way. You know...any of us could die at any time, but we don't feel vulnerable most of the time. To see my 18 year old nephew struggling for his life has really reminded me of what we all take for granted most every day.
If you are able, please remember Steven and his family in prayer. This is what is sustaining them during this dark hour. God is real and He is holding them up.
Steven is an honors student in his final year of high school: a bright, musical and fun fellow. Last Monday evening he had a bit of a fever. His mom (my husband's sister and my close friend) had him into emergency here in our small town three times over the course of the next couple days. When he didn't respond to the antibiotics and continued to get sicker, they airlifted him to Calgary Thursday evening. His mom and grandma (my mother-in-law from Been Farmin' Long left immediately by car for the six hour drive. A niece lives in Calgary right across the street from Foothills Hospital and was able to be there to meet Steven when he arrived. Steve's mom, K, arrived about 2 a.m. By 5 a.m. they had Steve in ICU and on a ventilator.
Meanwhile we were on our way to Calgary for Jim's Irlen appointment. In keeping in touch with K, we decided to go to Jim's appointment first and then to Foothills. (We were completely willing to ditch the appointment if she needed us; we could always re-make it for a month or two down the road.) Jim's appointment went well. A couple of things really surprised me about it. One was how much more clearly he can read aloud with the colored lenses in front of his eyes. I guess it is hard to inflect a sentence correctly if you need to focus on one word at a time! There was much more fluidity (is that a word?) to his reading which was very cool. Also, his verbal spelling was faster and more accurate. Don't ask me how that could be; it doesn't make a speck of sense to MY brain. But I guess when given a word to spell, he gets a picture of the object or action in his mind plus a picture of the word--then he spells it. With the lenses in front of his eyes, he skips the step of getting the picture of the object. That is so weird I can hardly stand it! It's not like he's reading--it's all in his head! We expect to get his new tinted glasses in a few weeks and are quite excited about it. Of course, this has been somewhat eclipsed by concern over our nephew's condition.
After Jim's appointment we headed for Foothills Hospital to see K. We spent a couple hours with her. Her husband and their other son (age 16) arrived shortly after we did. We were in and out of the ICU waiting room so much over the next two days that it began to feel like home. Things have been very touch-and-go for Steven. If he hadn't been airlifted to Calgary he is unlikely to have survived thus far. Friday was a very bad day. They ran a lot of tests (some of the results are still coming in) and he almost didn't make it through the day. Saturday and Sunday were days of minor (but real) improvement. We had to leave Saturday evening (back to Hanna's) and home Monday.
Saturday they provided a general diagnosis of a Gram Negative Bug--a super bug of some sort--with the complication of sepsis. Today it looks like they've narrowed down the specific bug to Fusobacterium necrophorum. CT scans show clouding in Steve's lungs which improved slightly on Saturday and worsened again Monday. Most of his vital signs have stablized and his oxygen mix has been reduced from 60% to 30% (about 20% is normal air).
However, there were significant setbacks on Monday. Steve has an adenovirus which normally wouldn't be much of a problem, but in his weakened condition, it is complicating things and he is in isolation. His fever has been up and down along with the rest of his symptoms.
He is in critical condition. While there is reason to hope, the situation could still go either way. You know...any of us could die at any time, but we don't feel vulnerable most of the time. To see my 18 year old nephew struggling for his life has really reminded me of what we all take for granted most every day.
If you are able, please remember Steven and his family in prayer. This is what is sustaining them during this dark hour. God is real and He is holding them up.
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