Father's Day Update

(Scroll down for Wednesday update, below.)

The past few days have been another roller coaster ride for us.

Last week was a good one with many more good days than bad. The new pain regime seemed to be working. Our children were with us for Father’s Day. We thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company as we reminisced, as we laughed and cried!

We were even able to attend church together for Father’s Day on Sunday.

We made dozens of pictures. . . What a good looking family!

Things started downhill Sunday afternoon and evening. The pain has intensified; the nausea began. By late Sunday night, both the pain and nausea were out of control. Nothing helped. The on-call doctor at Hospice directed our efforts through the night and sent a nurse out about 7 am. But still there was little relief. If felt I was at death’s door, so plans were made to check me into hospice’s inpatient facility.

We have been treated royally and the pain regime has been totally revamped. I’m finally feeling better and my vitals are stable. Whereas I was on several kinds of pain medication, Hospice has put me primarily Methadone. Adjusting this is a carefully timed process and that’s why were’ still here in the inpatient facility.

I hope to be home in another day or two, getting ready to celebrate General Assembly. Yes, I haven’t given up my plans to be in Washington next week for CBF’s annual gathering. I am scheduled to speak commissioning our new missionaries, and I genuinely look forward to that. In addition, if I’m able to attend, it will give me time to reach some closure with some folks whose lives have touched mine in significant ways. So please pray I’ll be up for the trip.

I’m attaching another version of Along the Journey, growing out of Father’s Day. Click here to read it.

- Jack
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WEDNESDAY:
I just talked to Anita to see if Jack's made it home yet. They want to regulate the amounts of the methadone first, for 72 hours, before they'll cut him loose. They're thinking if it's regulated correctly, he may be released tomorrow.

Anita told me he's been eating some, and so anything he thinks he craves, they've been making for him. He's been hankering for things he had growing up - like hominy! Who craves hominy!? But she's been cooking for him anything he thinks he would like to have. She even had to go buy an ice tray so she could freeze Kool-Aid. (Not to editorialize, but I'm thinking that's not from his childhood, but from his kids'!) The kids are with him tonight and Anita too - I guess they can all enjoy hominy and frozen Kool-Aid together! Maybe our prayers should include not getting a tummy ache!

Thank you for your prayers and words of encouragement - the family was reading the comments on the website when I called.

On another note, I think Blogspot was having some issues yesterday and today, some of you couldn't access the site. And in fact, I couldn't access it from one of my computers either. Hopefully it's getting worked out - but please feel free to email me if you're getting the update notices but can't access the site itself. We may have to make a switch if this continues.

But, for now, I'll update this as soon as I know they've gotten the meds worked out. And we'll keep an eye on the working/not working of this site. Thanks for your input and always, for your prayers and words of encouragement. - Cindy