Hubs in the hospital...

[HappyChristian]

Thank you for continuing to pray. It means a great deal.

Jerry, not only am I glad to see you back, I appreciate you taking the time to read this mini-book and the prayer!

Jim, I will pass that on to him. Knowing godly people are praying is the best encouragement we could get! 

1Tim, thank you. There isn't a lot of change since my last post. Except that Randy told me last night that his INR had actually been 1.8 on Friday.  His hospitalist (a doctor who works only in a hospital) told me Randy needs to get a hematologist here in the area (the one who dealt with his issues 2 years ago is in Seattle). So that's on the list. He needs one to be the best guide with his clotting issues. 

Far too many regular doctors have pushed for Randy to change from Warfarin, but Dr. Picozzi (the Seattle hematologist), Dr. Roop, and another hematologist Dr. Roop spoke with [he also talked with Dr. P] all agree that Warfarin is the best for his situation. Oftimes those with Factor V do better with another ant-coagulant (both of Randy's brothers who are now on them use different ones - and, of course, their doctors have said Warfarin isn't best LOL). But Randy has two genes of it rather than just one, so Warfarin will stay.  I'm glad - as Dr. P said, Warfarin (coumadin) is the oldest and best known anti-coagulant, and the easiest to work with in case of a brain bleed (ugh...just the thought...). 

I've learned a lot that I never even wanted to know! hehe - but I guess that's true of every part of our life's journey.

I am really thankful for the great medical care he has received. Even if I disagree with their take on Warfarin, they have been wonderful to him.

[HappyChristian]

Randy saw the doc today, and had his INR done as well. His INR is up to a 2, which is good. And his blood test (from yesterday) showed that the anemia had righted itself. Praise the Lord!

But the doc said no to work for another 2 weeks. Randy knew he wouldn't be going back just yet, though. He's had a little bit rougher time this week. He was up most of Sunday night from pain, and Monday was hard on him. By the time we were at the doctor's his pain level had risen to a 5 (normally it's been about a 2, 3 at most). The doctor told him that he wasn't surprised that Randy's not up to work yet.

Apparently a normal hematoma takes about 6 months to completely heal. He said that, with the severity of Randy's hematoma, it would likely take about a year to completely heal. He didn't mean that it would take that long before Randy could go back to work, though. 

Thanks for continued prayer!

[HappyChristian]

No real news, just pretty much the same. He's in constant pain - has had a couple of weeks of bad nights. He has tried to not take much in the way of pain meds, but he's had to up his intake (he's still below what the doc has allowed, though). The hospitalist told him that his foot would take a long time to heal. He thinks the nerves are reactivating in the foot, because he's getting sharp jabs of pain several times a day. 

He sees the doctor again this Friday to see if he can go back to work or not yet. I don't think he's going to make it yet. We had to cancel the nursing home service for this month (the first Sunday) again. Hopefully in May we'll be able to get back to it. He had me call, but the activity director wasn't in. The executive director was the one who answered the phone. When we first started, the then activity director told us we couldn't visit the residents - we were disappointed, because there was no way for us to get to know them other than just the one Sunday we are there, thus not being able to encourage folks to come to the service. 

But!! the ED told me it would be fine for  us to visit the folks who come to the service! That all we have to do is knock on their doors! AND she said we could pass out fliers. Amen! So, even with these problems, we are seeing blessings. 

[Rosie]

LuAnne how are the Chee family doing and atilla

[1Timothy115]

LuAnne, I'm praying daily for you and Randy. I've made you two a part of daily praying. Healing and miracles are still ways God communicates with us. 

[HappyChristian]

On 4/29/2019 at 1:28 PM, Rosie said:

LuAnne how are the Chee family doing and atilla

He is not doing well, Rosie. The family still needs loads of prayer.

[HappyChristian]

On 4/30/2019 at 2:02 PM, 1Timothy115 said:

LuAnne, I'm praying daily for you and Randy. I've made you two a part of daily praying. Healing and miracles are still ways God communicates with us. 

Thank you. We do still earnestly covet prayer.

[HappyChristian]

I haven't posted in this thread for a while, because nothing was changed, really. Randy is still healing, still in pain, still walking...but...

The last time he saw his doctor, the doctor marked that he was able to go back to light/moderate work. sigh...Sadly, it wasn't because he saw such great improvement. His reasoning was that "L & I need to see some progress." L & I is the workman's comp company (L & I stands for Labor and Industries - they are more than just workman's comp). They (L & I) had decided a few weeks back that Randy no longer needed his pain meds. And, although there is a form the doc could fill out to extend it, he stopped prescribing them. So now Randy is in much more pain, and expected to go back to work helping clients...all so a company can "see some progress."

Well, he talked to someone at work who suggested starting with one client. He said okay. Checked his calendar, and he was scheduled for 3 mornings with the one, and an afternoon with a second one. He talked to the woman, as well as her helper, and let them know that he is physically unable to just sit for 4 hours (which is what he would be doing in the afternoon) with his leg down, and there is no way to sit with his leg up at that client. So they took him off. And then asked him to do 3 evenings with the morning client, same day. He had to tell them he couldn't do that right now, that he needed to see how things went first.

So because of that, they "turned him in" to L & I for "refusing shifts." And L & I said they would no longer be sending him comp because of it.  I am dealing with some anger over this.

He went to his client the three mornings. My mom or I drove him and stayed in town for the 1 1/2 hours. He was in a great deal of pain Wed and Thurs by the time he got home. Both nights were bad for him again (his sleeping had only just begun to improve), with Thurs night being really bad. Friday morning his foot was so swollen it was hard to get his slip-on shoe on. So he told them he could not do Fri mornings, that he would only do Wed and Thurs mornings for now. That might seem like he's refusing shifts, but really - how sensible is it to send a lame caregiver to help clients?

We do know that God is in control. But I'm feeling like a butterfly trying to get out of the cocoon. 

His doc wants him to see a neurologist about his foot. He couldn't get in until June 26, and something was said about L & I not covering anything after May. I guess those pencil pushers know when healing is complete. sigh

He is really struggling with pain now. And now the bottom of his foot is tingling. His INR was too low yesterday. And it's sunny here...beautiful weather. But he can't get out and mow or putter around the yard. It's bugging him. But he's so thankful for the extra time to study.

And to top it off, I've been dealing with a tooth infection since Randy got home from the hospital. The antibiotic made me very ill, so had to stop taking it. The infection was finally clearing up and I was hit again last weekend with massive pain and swelling. Got a stronger antibiotic that doesn't set well, but isn't making me ill. I have a referral request in to an oral surgeon - please pray that will work out and I can get this tooth pulled.

This post feels like a downer, and I don't mean it to be.  I'm just skimming over how things are going right now. And I'm thankful for the prayer.

[1Timothy115]

I was thinking about you both this morning during devotions. Still praying and adding the business and insurance. You may be able to get on a list with the neurosurgeon for any cancelled appointments he might have. Sometimes a doctor's. nurse has more compassion, if the opportunity arises she may be able to get you in if there is a cancelation.

[HappyChristian]

I hadn't posted an update on Facebook for a while until this morning. Some of it is a repeat of the previous post, but here it is:

A few weeks ago, the doctor cleared Randy to go back to work. He had already been back to preaching, but now would need to go back to home health aid.

We were not thrilled with this, because we know how much pain he's in (well, I know from observation, he from - obviously - experience). The first week there were some issues that seemed like would end up with his losing his workman's comp. We know that if that had happened, God would take care...briefly summed it was because he had been released for light/moderate duty, but even the light duty was too much.

He had three days with 1 shift each day, 1 1/2 hour each. Sounds easy peasy, right? Well, he had just gotten to the point where he was sleeping at night for maybe 3 hours at a shot before pain woke him. The night after his first shift was not horrible, but it wasn't as well as the previous nights had been. The second night was worse, and he woke in the morning for his third shift with his foot so swollen (this was after propping it the rest of the previous day and night) he could hardly get his shoe on. Yet he still went to work.

So...he had to see the doctor again. He wanted me to go in with him, to make sure that he remembered everything he wanted to discuss.

Upshot of the visit was that the doc limited him to two 1 1/2 hour shifts per week. While that is still difficult for him, it is much better than the 3 shifts. So he's done two weeks like that, and heading into his third week.

The doctor had also referred him to a neurologist for his foot. And the doc told Randy that it's very likely that he has neuropathy (which is not curable)...and that this is quite likely his "new normal."  He has an appointment for June 26

He still isn't driving, so my mom and I take turns bringing him to work - and finding something to do in town so we don't have to drive home and go back. =D Just this morning, as he was walking to his chair, he was limping badly. I asked him if he was ok...he was having some intense surges of pain. He had to get to his chair and sit before he fell. The surges of pain are one big reason he isn't driving right now. And they are intensely painful.

It bothers him that he can't get outside and putter with things - like mowing the lawn. Our son has come and done some mowing, and my wonderful sister and her boyfriend spent 4 hours (that's a total of 8 hours...) this past Saturday mowing and weed eating - and they weren't able to finish it all! Not because they weren't working like lunatics, but because there's just so much to do! Randy feels guilty about not being out there (I know, and he knows, there isn't anything he can do about it, but there it is...). So there's that.

And he is a bit frustrated at not being able to be out knocking on doors for church. It's something that he has always loved doing, and now cannot do.

At the same time, he knows that God is in control - and he is looking forward to God working in our lives and in our church. And he is enjoying the extra time to study.

Me? I'm concerned greatly. He has several health issues that can be life-threatening. I'm praying for a miracle. A miracle that, even if he has neuropathy, our Great Physician will heal him.

I can't really put into words all that is in my heart. But I would ask that you join me in praying for that miracle. Thank you for continuing to pray for my Randy.

[HappyChristian]

Latest update on my hubs...

At his last primary visit, the doc told him that he could very well have neuropathy and that his foot problem could be a new normal. That is the reason he sent him to a neurologist (whom he saw today). He also approved an alternative medicine for Randy to use, not holding out much hope for it. It does seem to be helping, though.

Fast forward to today. We just arrived home from the neurologist who gave us both good and bad news. The good news? There is no accident-caused neuropathy. His foot just needs to heal, which will still take some time. The bad news? Both of his feet indicate that he does, indeed have neuropathy. She said most likely from pre-diabetes/diabetes. It is not severe yet, and it can be staved off with a few things, one of them being exercise.

He cannot walk at a speed which can cause him to work up a sweat and bring up his heart rate, so she recommended a stationery bike. 150 minutes/week (not all at once of course LOL). So we will be looking into that.

He also is still limited in the amount of time he can be on his feet.

We were already working on his carb intake due to his triglyceride levels, but have slipped somewhat of late. We will need to get back to that so that his glucose level does not elevate.

Randy has felt that the foot seems to be improving some lately. We have been cautiously optimistic and waiting for the neuro visit before concluding anything.

In my last update I asked folks to join me in praying for a miracle. While there is still a long way to go, we believe God is answering that prayer. With all my heart I thank those of you who have been praying - and I ask you to continue.

And, by the way - Randy has been driving! Amen!

[Jim_Alaska]

Thank you for this update LuAnne, it does indeed sound encouraging. I don't know if you know, but I have Neuropathy in both legs and feet from the knees down. I have had this for quite some time. It makes me very unstable in standing or walking. I can't stand in one place without holding on to something, I just stagger around like a drunk.

I even have a spinal implant that is supposed to help, but so far it has not. My Neuropathy is not from anything other than nerve degeneration. It is not a disease, but it is a degenerative Neurological condition.

[HappyChristian]

No, I did not know you had neuropathy, Jim. I'm sorry to hear that. My dad had it, and it caused him quite a few issues there towards the end. His was degeneration due to diabetes, which is apparently the same reason Randy has it beginning.

 

[HappyChristian]

Randy had his six-month checkup with the cardiologist today. Things look well with his heart. His triglycerides are still too high - in the 600s (down from over 1000). She wanted to put him on a statin drug, but he and I are both against that unless it becomes absolutely necessary (once on it, it becomes a life-long medicine). She is concerned about heart attack and pancreatitis due to the high triglycerides. So we agreed to wait 3 months - continue cutting down on his carbs, get a stationary bike for exercise and see if that helps. I believe it will, because he's cut them about in half and hasn't even been seriously cutting carbs the past couple of weeks. She has recommended that he see the diabetes dietitian at the clinic where his primary is. She's concerned that I don't know the right way to go about cutting carbs. LOL - I appreciate the concern, but all the dietitians I know who created menus for diabetics included things like white potatoes and pasta. I'm looking forward to talking with the dietitian, though. The clinic where he goes has no issue with alternative medicines, so quite possibly the dietitian will not be in the mold of those whom I've met in the past.

 He walked down to get the mail today. Our driveway is about 300 yards long, and then there is about 100 yards from the driveway to the mailbox. I was concerned, because the bad foot does make him a little unsteady at times. But he took his phone (he didn't ask me to go with him, which he usually does, so I think he wanted to go alone) so if he fell he could call me. He was fine. The foot was sore, but he was happy to be able to take that walk.

[Jim_Alaska]

Thanks for the update LuAnne, sounds like he is recovering albeit slowly. Please tell Randy to not take chances, get a cane and use it. I hated the thought of doing that, but found out the hard way that it is better than falling. I have been using a cane not for three years nd use it with every step I take, not matter where I walk, even around the house.