Friday Night, November 7
07 November 08 - 23:12
First & foremost, thanks to all who let me know you are still reading the blog. It continues to amaze me that even after all these months you are still interested in us. Thank you for your continued prayers.
It has been a rough week for Jim. He developed a cough last Friday and it has continued. Earlier in the week he developed a sore on his bottom and did not get out of bed until today. We kept him moving from side to back to opposite side about every two hours. The nurse came & recommended he not get in the chair for fear of worsening the sore. She checked his oxygen saturation and it was only 88% - should certainly be above 90, and 98-100% is best So, by last night I decided the real possibility of pneumonia was perhaps greater than the sore, so today I got him up in his chair. He was so much more satisfied! And the cough is better tonight. He has these really weird dreams sometimes & last night's was a doozy. He dreamed he was in a western movie & he was Arnold Schwartzenager. There were a thousand dwarfs jumping up & down on his chest trying to kill him and he could not get them off. He called me at midnight & said I had to turn him on his left side or he was going to die. Of course, I turned him and he slept tuntil 5:30. But these dreams are so very real to him & they leave him all upset, even the next day. This played a big part in my decision to get him up today. I pray he sleeps through the night tonight.
Miles was in a serious motorcycle accident on the freeway Wednesday night. He was returning home from Teen ministry, going about 70-75 mph when suddenly there was a tire, a wheel really, rolling towards him. He moved to avoid the wheel & it moved also & he struck it head on. He pushed his bike towards the open lane & he went opposite, rolling & sliding & tumbling about 125 feet. I really wish Miles could tell you all that happened, as he remembers every second of it. One of the things he knew was he was not going to die because he was not done with Jim or a family member. He is badly bruised & has lost the skin from his forearms, but he got up immediately. God was protecting him greatly! We are so in awe of God's watchcare & protection of him. He will be okay but he is in quite a bit of pain. Please pray for our buddy, helper & friiend, Miles & praise God he is going to be fine. I do not know what we would do without Miles. He has been with Jim almost daily for nearly six months, and has helped me in too many ways to say. He is a Godly man who only wants to serve his Lord.
I have a van for Jim that "fits". Our friends Bill & Barb found it, called me & Miles stayed with Jim so I could go see it & drive it. It is a 1999 Ford, looks real good & drives great. The following day Lynn went with me to pick it up. My good friend Sharon stayed with Jim for us to go.We are excited about being able to get out now.
We have our medical interview for Long Term Care this Wednesday. I believe this is the final step before eligibility, because the gentleman said he was coming to see if we are eligible. This is major! This is what we have been praying for all these months. We should be getting Social Security real soon, & then I will apply for Medicare for Jim. This will ease the financial burden some for us.
A few weeks ago I made some pictures of Jim & our dogs, when we had had to shave his mustache off. The pictures are on Webshots.com, titled Jim & The Boys.
We are doing okay. We don't cry as much as we did, but there are still times of grieving. It is so hard to believe this has happened to Jim. Our Faith has not wavered one iota and we know God can use Jim just as he is. We continue to pray for healing, oh, how we long for healing, but we are trying to learn how to live a new normal. I really struggle with time management and fatigue. I still don't seem to be able to accomplish much each day other than caring for Jim. Last Saturday I cleaned the back porch, but the house inside was still a mess on Monday when I went to work. I hope long term care will pay for a caregiver so I can clean the house, go to the Dentist, get my eyes checked, & do a hundred other things I need to do. No matter who is with Jim & no matter how generous they are with their time, I always feel this urgency that I need to get home or hurry up. I know this is mostly self-imposed, but I don't know how to shake it. Please pray about this.
Let me give you an example: Tuesday Miles stayed with Jim for me to vote. Because I got through so quickly, I went to the bank. While driving, I returned a call to Bill and in the course of conversation mentioned that Barb had offered for them to look for a van for Jim. I told him I would really appreciate the help, & exactly what we needed. About 10 minutes later I am standing at the Teller's station & my phone rings. It is Barb and when I explain I am standing at the teller's station & will call her back when I head home, she says"Don't go home" I said what & she repeats, "Don't go home" I immediately start crying, asking why, what has happened, expecting her to tell me something had happened to Jim and I need to go to the hospital. All she was trying to say was don't go home, go see the van I have found for Jim. But Jim is ever present on my mind, his still somewhat fragile condition is an ever present concern & this just showed me how high my anxiety level is. My reaction was not even logical. Miles or anyone would call me if there was a problem, not a friend they might not even know as was this case. I really need to calm down!
God has been so good to us. Miles can relive every moment of his accident. Thankfully, Jim has no memory of his accident & very little memory of being in Scottsdale Osborn. What a blessing for Jim not to have to lay there & see it all happen over & over. And I was not on the scene until Jim was long gone to Scottsdale. With my knowledge, I would have known he had a spinal cord injury if I had been there, and no one was with me. As it was, it was my boss who told me & Monika was with me. By the time we got to Scottsdale, I had processed this information & calmed down somewhat.
But best of all, we have had the prayer support of people all over the USA, cards, love gifts, letters, CD's , books , tapes, visits, calls, etc. The Body of Christ has ministered and continues to minister to us in so many ways. This is what it is really all about - serving others as unto the Lord. Praise God for His watchcare over us.
In Him Who First Loved Us,
Marilyn
four comments:
We love how God uses each of our strengths to His glory. Miles in his spiritual ministry with Jim; caregivers in their physical ministry; encouragers in their emotional ministry…..it all comes together in keeping the body of Christ alive and well!
We love you both ~
Barb & Bill () - 10 11 08 - 12:34
Thanks for the update. I love to know your current needs so we can pray for them. I am so thankful for news of the van and the long term care; what answers to prayers. I will never stop praying for complete healing but I will continue to pray for God’s strength and comfort for you both.
love,chris
chris daigle () - 08 11 08 - 07:16
We’re still reading and we still care, Marilyn!a
Sheree Mann () - 08 11 08 - 21:21
I Praise the Lord for both of you! Your situation is a true testimony of God’s faithfulness. Psalm 138 2b-3,7,8
I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness;
for your promises are backed
by all the honor of your name.
As soon as I pray, you answer me;
you encourage me by giving me strength.
Though I am surrounded by troubles,
you will protect me from the anger of my enemies.
You reach out your hand,
and the power of your right hand saves me.
The Lord will work out his plans for my life—
for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever.
Don’t abandon me, for you made me. (NLT)
Wish we could get over and see you more often – we are with you in thoughts and prayers!
April Still () - 09 11 08 - 00:22
