Mommy and Jakee Pat #1

This is Marina again.

Mom started bleeding around 4:40 this morning. She has a placenta previa, so the bleeding was probably caused by it. Mom and Dad went to the hopital around 5:00 this morning, but they might not be back again for a couple of days. There still is a small chance that she would come back today, but probably not. If she did come back today, she would probably be in bed for awhile.

They're still not sure yet if Mom's going to have surgery. They might have to have a c section so that Jakee Pat (We call our baby 'Jakee Pat' because we don't know its name yet) can come out.

We girls are here at home by ourselves praying and waiting eagerly for more news.

Mom and Jakee Pat really need your prayers.

Happy Progress Report

Today, August, the girls and I took a family roadtrip to Richmond for an action-packed day. Although the primary reason for our trip was August's follow-up visit with Dr. Young, we also took the opportunity to visit some Civil War landmarks since we're studying that period of history (a post for another day), our favorite Asain Supermarket, (I think they're starting to recognize us in there!), and one of the best (in our opinion) Vietnamese Restaurants around.

The point of this post, however, is to share that August had a glowing progress report from Dr. Young. He had an x-ray taken which looked great. His neck is healing well. AND.....{insert drumroll and a happy dance here}.....his numbness is starting to subside!!!! WOO HOO!!!! He suspected that maybe that was happening earlier in the week but I was hesitant to post until he was sure. It definitely comes and goes but we're headed in the right direction! I'm just so excited for this piece of encouragement for him. This means so much to his livelihood - his ability to examine his patients, his handwriting, and - above all - his tennis game!

Another exciting bit of news is that he has permission to be out of his hard collar and in a softer one during the day. (Ironically, he says the soft one is no more comfortable than the hard one but it sure looks a lot more comfortable if you ask me!) You can see him modeling it here. He is also free to drive some but still no tennis yet - believe me, he asked!!

The girls got to meet Dr. Young face to face and I think that was a treat for all involved. He entered the room carrying a brown paper bag which he proceeded to hand to me. He said it was a treat for the girls - a snack for later. I thought, "Uh oh, I won't mention the fact that we're all avoiding sweets for Lent." You'll never guess what we found in the bag when we opened it later in the day - fruit! Although I might never have the courage to say it to his face, he is such a sweetie! Doesn't he look like it!?


We will head back to Richmond in two weeks for another follow-up appointment.

No News is Good News

Things are moving along nicely around here. August is sleeping well and his incision looks great. The numbness in his hand still hasn't resolved but we're told that could take a few months. I try to remind him that this will be a marathon and not a sprint to recovery. He has a love/hate relationship with his collar. He appreciates the support and protection it provides but his skin underneath is reacting to it so he's scratching a lot.

We return to Richmond on Thursday to follow-up with Dr. Young. I know August is hoping that he'll be told he doesn't have to wear the collar anymore. I'm skeptical but don't want to dash his hopes. I'll let you know how the visit goes.

Tonight's the Night!!

Out on the Town

This morning was our first real outing as a family since August came home from the hospital. He had been out to run a few errands with me earlier in the week but not for a very long time. Today, thanks to the generosity of my friend Cindy, we took the girls to see a condensed version of the Moscow Ballet's Cinderella. I was hesitant at first to accept the tickets but August assured me he felt up for it. So we left the house around 9:30, to drive downtown. (I don't think I've mentioned how nerve wracking it can be to drive someone with a neck injury around! With every turn and jolt, I would notice him holding his collar securely in place with his hand - all the time assuring me he was "fine".) The ballet was such a fun treat although I caught someone with his eyelids looking very heavy about midway through. Afterwards, we capped off our "family date" with lunch out together. It was such an enjoyable morning. I warned him beforehand, though, that it might wear him out to be out on the town already. I don't think he believed me. Well, we had been home maybe 30 minutes when he was already changed into his comfy clothes and heading for bed. (I keep telling him that now he can understand the fatigue a woman feels after giving birth. I'm hoping his experience buys me even more sympathy come May!)

I am happy to report though that last night was the first night he was able to sleep without taking any sleep medication. I know that may sound like a baby step but it feels like a real victory around here!

Convalescing

This is August.

It's now six days after surgery and I feel almost back to normal. I no longer have any pain on swallowing or fevers. I am finally sleeping through most of the night. Thank you everyone for your thoughts, prayers, cards, meals and fruit baskets. I feel God's love through all of you. I also feel His love through my beloved wife, who now has to do so much for our family. What a blessing it is to see her homeschool our children and care for me each day. God has given me this sweet time to show me the blessings he has given me. Thank you!

The symptoms for which I initially sought medical care, numbness and tingling in my right hand, however hasn't resolved. This could be because of persistent swelling or it could mean another disc compressing the nerve roots further down the spinal cord;my MRI did show multilevel disc disease in my cervical spine. Please pray that these symptoms will eventually resolve.

Post-Op Day 3

I don't really know who's still stopping by here to check on August but if you are, he's doing really well. He had a slight fever yesterday but it wasn't anything a little Tylenol couldn't take care of. He tires quickly which is to be expected. So he spends a lot of time on the couch or in bed. Today, after church, we all got cozy by the fire and played card games for the rest of the afternoon - with an occasional catnap thrown in here and there. We're all enjoying being together and having him home. It's a good thing because he'll be home every day for the next 2 weeks.

It will be interesting navigating homeschooling and caring for him at the same time. I read a good quote about raising and teaching children recently:

"Formation is more important than information." --Laura Berquist

That probably encapsulates what the next couple of weeks will be like for us. I imagine there are some really good life lessons that no textbook could provide in this experience for all of us.

Thanks for checking in. August tells me he may post something one day soon..........stay tuned.