March 26 – “AND a stick”

Quick update on Uncle Jerry.  It looks like he has had multiple stroke events probably caused by blood clots.  At least that’s what I understood all the medical jargon to be saying.  They are still unsure of the cause.  He is still receiving antibiotics in case infection is the culprit.  The neurology team has recommended a series of steroid treatments over the course of three days, but the possibility of an infection is still looming, and steroids lower the body’s ability to fight infection, so the ICU team is hesitant to approve that treatment.  They are still weighing risks versus benefits.  The blood clot problem is usually treated with blood thinners, but strokes are, after all, bleeding in the brain, so they don’t want to encourage more of that.  Kind of a catch-22 situation.  The plan is to watch him carefully over the next few days and see if there are any changes that might provide more clues.  His daughter arrived yesterday, so she is now in close contact with both teams.  She also is working to get a handle on her Dad’s day to day home expenses.  Many things pile up in a situation like this.  Kristen actually came over here and brought some McAllister’s Deli for us all last night.  She headed back out to the hospital to continue getting oriented there.  Looks like she is in for a rough couple of days.  She could sure use some prayer. 

We also found out yesterday that Cailyn will be having surgery here in a couple of weeks.  Her sleep study showed that she has been having numerous period of sleep apnea, so her tonsils and adenoids are on the chopping block, so to speak.  They are deciding which Wednesday (the day for that kind of surgery, I guess) will be the best for them.  Cailyn is experiencing that confusing mixture of emotions that any venture into the unknown brings.  She is excited at all the attention, but still a bit scared since she has never been there before.  Sounds like her Dad is trying to be the rough-tough fire fighter, and her Mom is the all-knowing nurse.  I think they are both feeling the same jumble of emotion that Cailyn is.  The doctor’s office did some blood work yesterday, and she was quite the brave little trooper.  As she held out her arms to show me her needle puncture sights, she told me, “DadDad, I got a sticker AND two things from the treasure box AND a stick that I’m going to take home because I was so brave.”  Yes, she really said “stick.”  Not sure why it was so significant in her mind at that moment in time.  It sounded strange to me, too, but I have to admit, I’ve been pretty excited about finding sticks more than once in my life.  It’s amazing what you can do with a really good stick.  Then she got conspiratorial and whispered, I have to have a surgery.  I’m kind of scared.”  I told her, “It’s OK to be scared.  Everybody is a little bit.  But you won’t be by yourself and the doctors will take good care of you.” 

Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.”

Father, keep watch over Uncle Jerry and grant him your peace.  And give Cailyn the assurance that her family and her stick will all be there for her through her surgery.  Amen.