Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Tuesday 6/20
Where do I begin?  Let's see,  Kenn is doing
much better now that he's over the flu.  They
decided to  put him on a medication to help his
queasy stomach so he can keep things down.  They
started his feedings to soon so he neurostormed
and then ended up vomitting, again, so theyhad to
start all over again.    They are using a pump to
give him his feedings instead of gravity.  He is
also getting his feedings over a period of time because
they are running it so slow to help his stomach keep it
down.   On Sunday, the 11th, I called and talked to Kenn. 
The nurse put the phone up to his left ear.  She told
me when I started talking to him, he opened his eyes and
turned his head to the left as though maybe looking for
me.  I was talking to him about the work we are doing on
the foundation and how we could use his man power and a few
other things.   The nurse said his whole upper body did a
big shudder while he was listening to me.   She told me
there's no denying that he responded to me talking to him.  
On Monday, the 12th, when I visited him he was doing will. 
He went 8 days with no neurostorming.  On Thursday, the 15th,
he started neurostoming again.  They kept him in bed that
day because parts of his body were stiff.  I held his left
hand in my left hand and I could feel him tighten his grip
on my hand.  He was kind of in a daze because of the meds
they had given him.   On Father's Day, Jeremy went with me
to visit his dad.  Russell and Esther also visited.  I
fed him some water on a spoon and yogurt and he swallowed
almost right away.  This is an improvement in his swallowing
reflex.  Esther was talking to him on his right side while
he was in his chair.  He turned his head to the right and
focused on her.  She was happy to see this.  He is doing
very good.  He neurostormed late on Monday night the 19 and a
little early in morning of the 20th.  He was taken across the
street last week to see Dr. Ward so his bacolfen pump dosage
could be raised.      
   As for what's going on  at our house, well that's another
story in itself.  I have a trench around the house on 3 sides. 
Dirt gets tracked in the house and when it rains what a mess
outside.   A narrow plank goes from the dirt in the driveway
to the front door.  But the easiest way to enter the house is
on the east side in the basement door.  The hardest part is
done now.   God is so good because on Saturday the 10th, I was
digging on the south side of the house.  I was starting
to cry because of the sheer exhaustion and frustration. 
God had a friend of Shawn's from work show up.  I was so
grateful to see him.  Did he dig.  WOW!!!  He also came the
next day.  What a God send he was.   A week ago today, Jeremy,
had his right knee give out on him when he was just about off
the bottom of the ladder in the trench.  He's been in pain
since then and limping.  So now he's out of the picture for
helping.  That afternoon I fell apart and just laid in the
grass in the backyard and cried.  Yes, it's all getting to me.  The
exhaustion and frustration are so big now.  We got the black sticky
goop on the outside walls to waterproof it and Shawn cut the hole in
the basement floor and sunk the barrel for the sump pump.  Now we
have the styrofoam to put on and put the drain tile down.  
Shawn plans to be able to push the dirt back around the foundation
the weekend of the 24th and 25th.   I can't wait for it all to be
done.  But God is still faithful and merciful.  He provided the
extra money to pay for it all.  God sure takes care of all my needs. 
What a graciious God He is.  I give him all the glory.   I'm behind
in doing things in the house because of being outside helping.  
This is just a season in my life and it too shall pass.  For me
right now, it's just not quick enough.  Thanks for the prayers.                    
Carol