The wind is blowing outside. It’s the tail end of a storm that came through last night. It reminds me of what Jesus said about the Holy Spirit in a late night conversation with Nicodemus (see John 3). I find comfort in the fact that the Spirit of God is at work all around me. When I look closely I see the results of His work all over the place.
HOSPICE CARE. Pauline was moved to Alive Hospice at the Skyline Madison campus (the old Tennessee Christian Hospital) on Wednesday. We are very impressed with this facility. Pauline has a private room and the staff couldn’t be better to her.
Since leaving the hospital Pauline has begun to talk more. Her feeding tube was removed at her request. When she found out Ensure was available she said, “They didn’t tell me that. A person could starve to death in here.” Since then she’s even eaten a little food (it’s all been fluids, though she’s turned down the Ensure).
I’ve taken the kids over to see her more frequently since they are free to visit. Pauline had really perked up Friday night and yesterday and we’ve had a wonderful chance to laugh and cry together. The Jones family are back in from Georgia. Please pray with us that the good days outnumber the bad.
AN UPDATE ON ETHAN. I’ve not mentioned Ethan much here since someone maintains a web site for him with first hand information (you can find it at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/bibb). However, I do want to mention that Ethan has finished all of his planned cancer treatments now. Ethan was at church today. This time he left his wheelchair at home and used a walker!
I’d like to ask you to pray for Ethan and his family this week. Tuesday Ethan will have an MRI to check to see the effect all these treatments have had on his cancer. The results will determine whether he will receive more treatments or not.
The beautiful part of Ethan’s story so far is how so many people have pulled together to stand by him and his family. The church, and I mean the greater church in our community, has been an Acts 2 church. It has been about ten months since Ethan was diagnosed with a stage IV brain tumor.
A GOOD STORY. I was working at East Robertson Elementary the other day when Michelle Graves, a teacher there, stopped me and said, “I’ve got to brag on Elizabeth.” I’ve mentioned Elizabeth, her daughter, twice in this blog a few years ago. The first time was in September 2007 when Elizabeth was taken to the hospital because she was having seizures. She’d had an arterioveneous maulformation (AVM) in her brain that had started hemorrhaging. At the time I described it as “a wad of capillaries that decided to start leaking.” Elizabeth’s outlook was not good. When the doctor came out of surgery she told Keith and Michelle there was brain damage. Her speech and motor skills were affected -- similar to a stroke victim.
When Elizabeth was well enough she went to Atlanta for rehab and the next time I wrote about her was in December 2007 when she graduated from that and was able to come back home. Michelle mentioned that December 1 trip home when we spoke the other day. She said at that time she was so pleased Elizabeth could say her name and indicate to them what she wanted.
Now that I’ve reviewed the backstory I can tell what Michelle was bragging about. Thursday night Elizabeth participated in the Robertson County 4-H Public Speaking Contest. I learned Friday morning that she won second place! Elizabeth spoke on the Ronald McDonald House. In telling about the charity’s role in providing families a place to stay so they can be near a child who is receiving medical treatment and how people can be involved she never once mentioned her own illness or how she and her mom stayed at the Ronald McDonald House in Atlanta while she was in rehab.
I stand amazed at the work of God.
Joe
