This is an introductory statement. (I never know how to start these.)
My mom is trying to keep a routine while she stays in the hospital. She spends only her nights in bed and the rest of her day in her living room (see last post). On Monday night she slept 6.5 hours with only one interruption for which she was hardly awake. She then slept another 2 hours with an interruption at each hour. This is the most sleep she has gotten in a while, and she feels great! She also got a shower on Monday with my grandmother’s help. It’s been nearly a month since her last real shower, so she feels AMAAAAAZING. As one does after one’s monthly shower.
On Monday she walked 40 steps. On Tuesday she walked 140 steps in the morning and then walked the hallway in the afternoon! On Wednesday she ate 3 plums. [Just kidding; just a little toddler mom humor. Actually I don’t know if she’s eaten 3 plums today, and honestly, the day is still young. So. I’ll keep you posted.] She also stepped up a step on Tuesday. Needless to say she was exhausted after all that.
My mom shared with me that as she turned to go back down the hallway to her room that day, she felt extremely overwhelmed. This shocked her as she tends to be problem-conqueror, which you know if you know my mom. Before this she would have seen the large problem, formed a plan of action, and eaten that elephant one bite at a time. This shift in attitude not only shocked her, but grieved her. As you know God has been revealing her heart in bits during this time, and this was another bit of independence from him. She is grateful to discover another area to hand over to the Lord.
Her lungs are improving. She is using an even thinner tube and her oxygen stays in the high 90s. This is good, but the reason for her continued stay in the hospital is a mildly indented sternum that causes shortness of breath. Her medical team has suggested the use of an inhaler before exercise to help. Her physical therapist also raises her oxygen before a session. Her pulmonologist say her lungs look good. And while she had hoped she would reach the milestone of being disconnected from the oxygen supply in the wall and transferred to a tank for the rest of her stay, she has learned that the wall is a less expensive method of supplying oxygen, so it will be her main source as long as she is there. This encouraged her because she realized that being connected to the wall was not a lack of progress.
I want to reiterate on my mom’s behalf that even though she may not respond to texts or messages, she sees them at the most opportune time for needed encouragement. She may not see the message when it comes in, but by God’s provision, she is seeing them when she most needs them. Please keep sending them!
How you can pray:
-That she will continue to improve
-THANK the Lord for my mom’s friend, Jami, who sent my mom some core exercises that she can do in her bed when she wakes up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep. Jami even sent videos of herself demonstrating the exercises!
-THANK the Lord for Pam W., a friend and mentor who went through covid and has been a living example of 1 Corinthians 1:3-5 to my mom.
-THANK the Lord for Barbara S. who picks my grandmother up when visiting hours are over and drives her home.
-THANK the Lord for a good report on her lungs
-THANK the Lord for his continued work in my mom’s heart; even more than healing her lungs, a whole heart wholly devoted is the business of the Lord, isn’t it? For our good and his glory. May he do that work in all of us. He is faithful!
As always thank you for praying for and encouraging my mom!
Jenn
