Dan
Saturday Morning, December 17 from Latayne
Good morning. Dan is undergoing his third plasmapheresis treatment. This one has been a bit rougher on his stomach and blood pressure, but he will have a rest from it tomorrow and resume the treatments on Monday. When the technician Toni finished the treatment yesterday and held up the large, yellowish bag of plasma containing the evil antibodies, I told her that I wanted her to take that bag to the incinerator and to burn it so that it would never touch another human being. She assured me when she returned this morning that she personally...
read moreFriday December 16 from Latayne
Dear ones, Yesterday was Dan’s first plasmapheresis treatment. It is a laborious thing, to pump out all the blood in the body a little at a time and cleanse it as it goes. I saw Dan move his head just a tiny bit on the pillow yesterday, but other than that there is no news on his condition. When he is aware (which isn’t often), he can grimace and open his left eye just a bit. But since he has no corneal reflexes and his eyes don’t dilate nor move, he can’t see anything unless a doctor opens his eyelid. And even then the...
read moreDecember 15 (continued)
“Don’t be afraid,” Jesus told him. He was asking Jairus to suspend his natural reactions, to remember Jesus was with him, and to trust — even when the child for whom he was responsible actually died during the time when Jesus could have hurried to her side to save her. I want that kind of trust in Jesus, but don’t always have it. That’s why He tells me and you, “Don’t be afraid.” He wants us to rest on his companionship first, to not make judgments about His character based on what we see...
read moreThursday December 15 from Latayne
One of the things I am most grateful for, during this time of trial, is that Dan’s illness began after I returned from my two week trip to Jordan and Israel. Since I am beginning a book that I researched during that trip, it has been a comfort to me to keep reviewing my trip notes as I accompany Dan in his journey to a strange foreign land we’ve never been to before. One of the most significant insights I had when I was in Israel, was when I was at the site where Jesus healed the daughter of Jairus and the woman with the issue of...
read moreMy Rainbow
Celeste speaking:). This is for you, Momma. Whether you knew my family or knew my mom before reading this blog, it can’t go past you quickly that my mom has been given measures of grace and faith. I often refer to her as “my rainbow: evidence of a faithful God”. And her “true colors” only become deeper, brighter, and more vibrantly connected to the Lord during trials. For whatever reason, the Lord has chosen my mom to remain healthy and allowed her into the seat of having a sick husband, son, daughter and mother on almost a...
read moreA sigh of relief
Latayne here: I’m happy to report that the insertion of the stent into Dan’s urinary system went very well. He has a 7mm stone that will have to come out when he’s stronger, possibly on the 27th. But everything went very well. I forgot to mention that our elders came and anointed him with oil on Sunday night. Immediately afterwards, he pursed his lips, on both sides. That was a first! Now he is fluttering his left eye. Yay! I accuse him of winking at me and threaten to wear more perfume. :) Thank you kind friends for...
read moreMonday evening from Latayne
Bless you dear prayer warriors and those who are so kind to attend to our physical and other needs. This may be WAAAY more medical information than you need to know. If you want the reader’s digest version, Dan has had two “surgical” procedures today and will have to have another in the next 48 hours. The longer version: Yesterday, Sunday morning, I awakened here in the hospital at 4 am and had a strong impression that there was something wrong with Dan’s kidneys. I asked the nurse to do a urine culture, which came...
read moreSunday morning
From Latayne: I had a long conversation with the ICU doctor last night concerning findings of the three neurologists who have examined Dan. His condition is “profoundly severe.” Although the doctor could not speak for the three neurologists, I am pretty sure none of them have seen a case of repeat GBS that has been this fulminating. (Word for the day, means explosive and violent, used in one medical description of Dan’s axonal variant of GBS.) So the ICU doctor has agreed to call a specialist in Arizona who sees many GBS...
read moreFriday December 9 from Latayne
This has been an involving and taxing time. We appreciate your support so much and want to give you specific information. Dr. Kumar performed the nerve conduction test last night. He said that there was for all intents and purpose no signal being passed along the nerves in Dan’s body. (Of course he referred to the nerves in his skeletal system: the nerves that control his heart and other systems are not affected by GBS.) Therefore his GBS is an anoxal variant, which means the inner part of the nerves (not just the outer part) has been...
read moreThursday Morning December 8
Good morning from Latayne, in my new office on the fourth floor of Presbyterian Hospital! The nurses and doctors here have been so super. Please pray for them and thank God for their help. I really don’t want to take away from the WONDERFUL and encouraging post Celeste wrote today. Wasn’t it great? And so true. Some of you want information about his condition, so here goes. Sometime yesterday the GBS began to affect Dan’s eyes even more. His pupils are not reactive, but he can still furrow his brow to respond to questions,...
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