New Accomplishments! (Blog update from Nancy)

As we head past the first year of this illness, we have some new accomplishments of Steve to celebrate!

He has achieved almost two weeks without the ventilator, just receiving oxygen through his trach.  Today, they “capped” the trach and he now wears a nasal cannula to receive oxygen and he receives just a little higher percentage than what we all breathe! He has worked up to four hours a day with this new process.

Steve is also enjoying more choices in his diet, due to passing a swallow test a couple of weeks ago.  He is on the middle level diet, allowing soft pieces of food. No steak yet! Because of his increased oral feedings he will now only be on the feeding tube at night! He thoroughly relished a milkshake brought in by his former boss, Mitch☺

So, as Steve reaches these milestones, it is time to start researching places for him to move for continuing his recovery. A daunting task, representing the real progress we’ve all been praying to see!  Longtime blog readers will remember when we were praying to hear a word and for him to be able to swallow.

As we mark a year fighting this disease, we want to share with you a picture that represents what each of you means to us. The image came to me of a blanket, woven from brightly colored ribbons.  Each ribbon represents a person or persons who have come around us and provided prayer, visits, cards, yard work, moving an entire houseful of contents, putting those contents into a new house, yardwork, meals, help with water pipe burst and repairs, installing dishwasher, fixing dryer, building storage shelves, fixing cars and/or taking them to garages, care for Charlie (dog), haircuts (thank you, Lisa, our hairdresser!), creating the blog (dear Flora), fixing computer issues and setting up Steve’s access to  the internet, overseeing the Helping Hands calendar for visits (thank you, Kristy) AND the constant vigilance and care of the teams of medical personnel at Drake LTAC at Christ.

Whenever we have felt alone, fearful, or weary, we have wrapped up in this blanket.  We believe that God prompted each act of compassion, empathy, kindness, skill and generosity in those who became our blanket. These scriptures say it best:

 Isaiah 65:24 “Before they call, I will answer and while they are still speaking, I will hear.”

 James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

Thank you all so very much for being with us in this.

Steve and Nancy