Cultivate Healing

Cultivate healing

So, it’s been awhile since my last post; and like the last post this essay is also about my family and health.  I am not with my folks, but I have permission to share this for friends, family and prayer warriors on the blog. 

Dad is in the hospital with a brain bleed (subdural hematoma). Mom though he had a stroke on Saturday, took him to the ER in their town. Thankfully, their local hospital is a stroke center, fortuitous. It was determined he actually was experiencing a slow, but significant, bleed in the brain. This bleed is most likely a result of a fall he had mid-November; Dad was dreaming about football and fell out of the bed; bumping his head in the adventure. From the local ER, Dad was transferred via ambulance to the larger city hospital about an hour away from home. Thankfully, this larger hospital is a ranked hospital for treating brain bleeds. He’s in the right place. 

Dad will be in the hospital for awhile, he took aspirin* before he and Mom went to the hospital; which we are waiting to get out of his system. (We learned it takes 5-7 days for aspirin to process out of the system.) The neurosurgeon is optimistic and thinks surgery will be perhaps Friday. Dad is experiencing left side weakness and coordination issues;  he is cognitively fine. In fact, after waiting in trauma 2 in the ER at the big hospital most of Saturday he demanded a room so he could watch the Ohio State football game, something we took as a good sign. The surgery is routine, though they will be drilling a hole in his skull to relieve the pressure. After this procedure he will need to lay flat and still for 2-3 days. Then, he will continue physical therapy (they have already started this before surgery). After surgery and the 2-3 days in the hospital, Dad may need to go to a rehab facility as Mom and Dad’s condo is on the 3rd floor, no elevator. Overall though, Mom says "it’s all good." Dad’s prognosis is pretty optimistic; relieving the pressure should result in normal function though it may take a few days to a few months to regain physical strength in the left side. 

Mom is a trooper and as a result of this “excitement” rescheduled her final breast cancer reconstruction surgery for mid February. She is understandably disappointed but as she is stable this is a logical choice. Hopefully, Dad will be more recovered by then, and I (or one of my aunts) might even be able to go and help. 

John and I continue to await the eminent arrival of baby James T’s; though, we hope he will wait until at least the end of his week 37, which would be December 16. The baby is healthy and measuring big. I’ve experienced some Braxton Hicks practice contractions and am consequently trying to take it easy and not be stressed (ha, ha)!  We are fortunate even in the midst of a difficult year for my family to have a blessing to celebrate. We are also grateful for the excitement and support of our church family around our son. 

I’ll keep you posted. Mom does not want this on Facebook, but I can share on the blog so check back once in awhile for posts. I’ll do my best. 

Thank you for your prayers! 

PS. Dad does not have a phone in his room. You can send cards to the condo, Mom is commuting back and forth to the hospital and she can carry any notes to him.