Monday evening - all is quiet

Hello Friends and Family,

Here in Boston it is getting dark now. I'm told it has been a hot day outside but Nan's room stays very comfortable. Nan has been awake a lot today and held sort of conversations with Marilyn Titherington, our Rhode Island friend who was nice enough to spend the day with us. Sometimes Nan wants to get something across and just can't. That frustrates her and she makes faces. She does not care for the suction tube which they use to keep mouth clear of fluid. She has moved her arms and legs a lot today and often with purpose. She had us take her special boots off and they were off most of the day. It is clear that she would like to get up and out of this bed, however with a respirator that would be difficult. We are hearing some talk of a trachea but so far I have not signed any permission papers. We are persuaded that it would probably be a good thing for Nan and hasten her recovery in the short term. Reports show she had a slight hit on her heart last night but there does not appear to be too much concern over that. Her blood pressure and heart rate are stable, her white count is holding in spite of no antibiotics being given right now. Her temperature is up to 99 and has been 98.4 for days.

At the moment she is sleeping but will wake up if any noise is nearby and with so many people in a small ward there are frequent noises. I moved the TV speaker close to her today and we got her glasses which she wore most of the day. However there did not seem to be much interest in the tv programs really. She is not considered to be alert enough to have the respirator removed so continues to suffer with it in.

It has been mentioned by someone today that I should probably give the address of the Tracy SDA Church in case a new comer to the blog was unaware that donations can be given through the church to help cover costs of airline tickets, hotels, meals, Boston survival and expenses. I'll have to find the address and put it in the next blog. Money can also be donated through the Denver SDA Church and I'll get that address as well.

A nice thing happened this evening. Roxanna suggested that I call and speak to a manager at Budget where the car I am driving was rented. I have decided that I no longer need the luxury of a car since the hotel is 2 blocks away and I walk to and from the hospital. I called and spoke to a Lonnie Brown at Budget. After he heard out situation he said he could reduce the rate for the 3 weeks we have had the car, that he could arrange for us to drop it off at Logan Airport in Boston instead of having to take it back to Providence and that if I needed a car in the future to call and he would give me the lowest rate. He dropped the rate from $166 per week to just $109. That makes a big difference and covers several nights at the hotel which is now $30 per night. Thanks Roxanna for the suggestion. So tomorrow while Roxanna is here to visit we will take the car to the airport and start saving even more money.

Our friends Roger and Carol Peden who live in North Carolina called to tell me they were on the road this afternoon driving here to visit Nan. She is delighted that they are coming. They also reported that after a tense couple of days they have sold their Lakemont Cottages property, signed papers this afternoon and they can relax as they drive. God continues to work on His timing, not ours.

Nan's condition continues to improve on some fronts and to remain stable on others. The fluid which made her look somewhat bloated is gradually working its way out of her body, her hands and face, legs and even feet have returned to near normal size and shape. Yet those pesky creatins refuse to come down hanging in around 4.4, much too high for good health and recovery. How I long for good news regarding her remaining medical issues. She so desperately wants to get up and about and start recovery in ernest. Right now she is awake, head turned slightly on the pillow, baby blue eyes looking into mine, hand is active searching and moving, ready to go to the next step. She is lying on a dark blue air bed which constantly changes its shape for greater comfort and has a single sheet over her. She has a new gown on and fewer tubes than at any time since surgery. They keep her hair brushed and nice looking. She is by far the most beautiful patient in the place perhaps the entire hospital. Yet this lovely lady is fragile and so weak. How she needs Jesus the great Healer to do His work in her.

For those of you who send kind emails asking how I am doing here goes. First off I am doing what I want to do, need to do and promised to do 35 years ago. I am right where I know God wants me to be. I am doing well physically and have cut my food intake to bare minimums. I sit here in this chair at her side from 8 or 9 to 10 to 12 at night. I walk back and forth between the hotel and hospital and take short walks in between times when they throw me out to work on her. I have my trusty oatmeal and fruit in the morning and a gardenburger in the afternoon. This afternoon I went all out and had stir fry. For those of you who know me well I don't like a lot of things, but the stir fry was great, vegetables over a bed of rice, tasty, fresh and filling. I got an apple for evening which I will eat soon. I have found a routine which is flexible yet lets me be with Nan the majority of the time. We have found over the years and many hospital stays that I can often assist in her care by being nearby. I have learned to ask questions, keep up on numbers, results, Dr. and nurse comments, supply her history when they lack it and help care for this wonderful woman. So I am fine, I am eating, sleeping, even showering, losing some weight and am usually at peace. My prayers are two fold, that Nan will continue to be in God's healing arms and that God will also watch over our business and keep us able to have a life and home to return to someday. Our fellow workers at Discovery Appraisal Services have been just plain wonderful, they have pulled together, are helping our great clients and are being used by God to hold things together until we can be there to assume our working positions. No one could ask for better fellow workers than we have. And because God is in control of Nan's health and recovery and because He is watching over the business I sleep just fine usually and when I wake I pray asking for his arms to be around me as well.

We want to thank you for your prayers and kindnesses. Your comments to this blog are read and practically memorized by me, they remind me that we are not truly alone at all.

With love

tim and nan

ps A prayer concern is our brother Rick. Please ask God to place his healing hand over this wonderful part of our family. Also please pray that Roger and Carol will be safe as they drive the 13 hours it takes to get here.