Apparently the nurses at Lifecare think Chuck has a harem. One of them commented to me, "Everyone that comes to see him is so good looking!" How classic! Thanks to all you gorgeous people who come to visit Chuck.

Chuck is steadily moving forward. Each day, I see more of "him." So glad he's back! He gets to have water and ice now. His tube feedings have been started, and the TPN has been removed. Next step, getting to drink soda and eat!

Short note of progress: Chuck's pain has been managed! He's happy with his level of pain overall AND he's alert! Praise God for Dr. Pacl.

Chuck's tube feeding is being hooked up as I type this. This is a wonderful step forward. Ahh, the things I take for granted. He'll get another abdominal x-ray at noon. After that, he may be allowed to have water! Again, ridiculous the things I take for granted.

I am trying to remember we are right where we are supposed to be. I'm also trying to release my control, let God take the burden. I heard this yesterday and had to laugh, "When I turned my life over to God, I took it out of the hands of an idiot." Humbling, but oh so true!

Chuck is looking really good. Several of the nurses and aides have commented on how he looks like a new man!

He is still going without food and water. Seems really crazy, huh? He is getting nourishment through IV, but Chuck is soooo thirsty. In the morning the G.I. doctor will take another x-ray to see if his gut is ready for use. The x-ray from today looks "better." Alas, it does not look better enough!

Thanks to Stacie, Letty, Corine, Shea, and Nicky for taking care of Chuck these past for days. XXXOOO

Tid bits from "my sources:" Several people have reported that Chuck is very much Chuck. What a relief! I've heard reports of people going to visit and having beautiful moments with him. My sister, Shea, went to see Chuck last night and pray with him. She said he was very sweet and squeezed her hand really tight. She also told me that a friend of hers, Dave, went and prayed with Chuck earlier in the day. When Dave said, "Amen" and looked up, Chuck's eyes were filled with tears. God must really be working on his spirit.

Thanks so much for sharing your stories with me!

Chuck is doing remarkably well. He is more "himself" than he has been since we've been back in San Antonio!

Chuck is still in the ICU. He'll remain there until he can maintain stability for 24 hours with no help from cardiac drugs (to keep his heart rate down).

I stopped by to check on Chuck this morning. He looks MUCH better. He's alert and somewhat comfortable. He's not in pain, which is a huge blessing after chest compressions, etc!

Chuck had a couple more "episodes" this evening. His heart did not stop, but he was not able to breath well on the vent. He kept throwing mucus plugs. When they took Chuck off the vent and bagged him, he breathed easier. Christe and Shea sent me home around 6:45 while they stayed to make sure Chuck stabilized.

The decision was made to try a new trache. This one is larger in diameter with a longer shaft. Thus far, it has worked beautifully.

First of all, Chuck is okay. He is stable. His heart stopped again early this morning. They performed CPR and brought him back to the land of the living, praise God. He had another mucus plug. Finally, I asked THE question, "So, what is the connection between a mucus plug and his heart stopping??" The two do not seem connected to me. The nurse kindly explained that when the organs do not receive oxygen (due to a plug), they stop working. Aha!

He has been moved to the ICU within the Lifecare unit. He's now in room 215. The nurses did such a great job with him and with me. Upon seeing him, I freaked out a bit...you know, crying uncontrollably and demanding the everyone around me DO SOMETHING! (As if these people do not have enough to worry about...they have crazy wife to deal with.) After throwing around insults about everyone lacking compassion and crying my eyes out, I calmed down. I cannot tell you how many people I've had to apologize to in this hospital! My most common utterance these days is, "I'm so sorry. My behavior was inappropriate. I should not have taken my anger out on you." Oi.

Here's a freaky little tidbit: Chuck has a seizure everytime I touch him. The nurse says this is a common reaction to a brain that has been deprived of oxygen. (Yeah, sure it is.) It will pass. In the meantime, hands off!

Recently I was advised to reconcile myself to God (as I had stopped trusting him). He has been a great comforter today. Yes, I do believe he is in control and is holding Chuck in the palm of his hand. Yes, I do believe he is loving and is taking tender care of the two of us.

God has sent so many people take care of me today: Christie, Tod, Mom and Dad, Shea. My friend, Laura, is incredibly sick and every time she wakes from her delirium, she asks, "How is Chuck?" Ross calls to check in...how sweet is that?

Shea reminded me that this is a precious time and to embrace it. It is a precious, precious time between me and Chuck. She also shared this verse with me: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are quite small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever! 18 So we don't look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever.

Chuck had a pretty rough day yesterday. He has been throwing up bile for about two weeks now. Finally, I think we know why. He has been on a medicine called reglan all year long. At some point in the transition from hospital to hosital, he was taken off. I had no idea...assuming...you know. Lo and behold, reglan back to the rescue. I hope this will make a huge difference in how Chuck feels.

For now, his tube feedings have stopped and he is getting nourishment by TPN (through the vein). He has lost about 15 pounds since arriving back in San Antonio. What up with that??? Apparently he has not been taking advantage of the EXCELLENT Mexican food here that flows like mannah from heaven.

Chuck's pretty much himself today, thank you God.

I want to thank all of you who have been feeding me these past few weeks. I'm ready to take over now. I've been charged with taking time out to take care of myself rather than rushing from work to hospital. Baby steps!

I am in awe of God's faithfulness to me. On my drive into work, I heard JUST WHAT I NEEDED to continue to fight the good fight. I am weary. I am angry. I am frustrated. I am disappointed. Why? My expectations are NOT being met...not even close.

Let me back up a bit. The message I heard this morning described contentment as "accepting reality without expectation." My expectations? For Chuck to get better. For an army of volunteers to rise up to help. For things to go smoothely. For Chuck's nurses to be gentle, kind, attentive. For the doctors to listen to my input and use it to make Chuck better. All of this translate into what I really, really want. I want life to be comfortable again. I want to have fewer worries. I want to have a freakin day off.

I have lost my focus. Scratch that, reverse it. I have changed my focus. Formerly, when life was a bit easier, my focus was honoring God with my life. My focus now is getting Chuck better and getting him home. Ask anyone who has been watching me...I have devoted my entire being to this singular purpose. As a result, upon arriving back to San Antonio, I have been filled with anguish, despair, and anger.

This is the moment I've been training for. When a runner trains for a marathon, she trains for "the wall," the point when everything hurts and she cannot take another step. The point when she decides whether to continue through the pain or to quit. My entire Christian life has been a training ground for this wall...the scripture I've learned, the Bible studies, the sermons, the praise, the music...all for this moment. Alas, I've slowed down and am trying to figure out how to continue. That God...once again, He comes to my rescue...with a simple reminder...my purpose in life is NOT comfort. It is not be be happy. It is NOT to get Chuck better. It is to grow more and more in love with him. It is to make much of him. It is to radiate his love to the rest of the world. This simple shift in purpose changes EVERYTHING. This shift moves me from despair to hope...from disappointment to thanksfulness.

My friend Mindy sent me some scripture that I've been whining to God...focusing on the first part of the scripture and IGNORING the last because I found it utterly ridiculous:

Psalm 13
For the director of music. A psalm of David.

1 How long, O LORD ? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? 3 Look on me and answer, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death; 4 my enemy will say, "I have overcome him," and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. 6 I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me.

You see, God has been good to me. He has been good to Chuck. His love for us goes so beyond our worldly purpose of finding peace in our lives. He has been loving us through this entire trial. I'm ready now. Wall schmall.

Chuck had a good day. He had a noisy roommate who kept him up at night. The roommate has moved. Whew. Now pray the next one is nice and quiet. Better yet, pray the bed next to his stays empty!

The sand bed is not bad at all. It looks a great deal like a normal bed, and the head lifts like a normal bed.

Chuck did great with trache trials today. He did 30 minutes in the morning. In the afternoon he stayed off the vent for 2 hours. He's getting there.

There was a great moment today with John Condit...he came in to visit. Chuck just held onto his hand for a while. It was beautiful...uh, in a very manly way...grrr.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to be a quiet presence in Chuck's room. Seriously, for those of you volunteering to sit with Chuck, he is not thrilled with people right now. Your main goal is to be a presence that the nursing staff notices. Yes, Chuck gets adequate care. However, he gets better care when someone is present. It's the way of the world...no biggie.

The less of a noticeable presence you are (to Chuck), the better. If he wants to talk to you, he'll let you know!

Thanks! (Did I use the word presence enough in this post?? Not sure.)

Mom and Dad made it safe and sound. Chuck is getting a new bed to help with the wounds. I pray he likes it! Trache trials are going well.

Chuck has had a good day! When I arrived, he was bright-eyed and happy to see me. He gets to start trache trials today!! This is excellent news. Finally, he's surging forward.

Today is woundcare assessment day. Chuck's wounds are slowly, slowly improving. More dead tissue has to come off before he can really move forward. Due to his oh so sensitive skin, Chuck will be getting another sand bed. This one will be better than the one at BSH. It's like the one he had in Plano. There will be no foam wedge for his head (great!) The foam wedge destroys his skin. This one has an inflatable pillow. Nonetheless, Chuck will not be pleased.

Mom and Dad get here tomorrow!

Chuck had a rough day. He was confused and upset. Thank God Stacie was with him. It is my uneducated opinion that Chuck's vent setting was too low...that he was not blowing off enough carbon dioxide. Too much carbon dioxide can cause confusion. Dr. Bell increased his rate back to a comfortable level.

Dr. Bell wants to give the conventional route one more try before taking the road less traveled. This means low vent settings again. So...one more rough day then Chuck should be good to go. Dr. Bell will then try weaning Chuck as Dr. Brancaccio did...going from a higher vent setting and letting Chuck sink or swim. As we all know...Chuck can swim!

Wounds look great!

This morning I was completely taken by surprise and left in total awe of the kindess of believers...believers I have never even met. I cannot believe some of you people...with your giving and your loving and your praying!

Lee Brinkerhoff walks into work this morning with my evening meal-prepared by the amazing Amy Brinkerhoff (yuuuummmm!) He also deliverd a prayer shawl (It is BEAUTIFUL by the way). Lee and Amy's church has been praying for Chuck for months. This alone makes me weep. I was just overwhelmed...tried not to cry...alas I failed. The shawl is just beautiful. It was made by loving hands...by a woman who has been praying for Chuck...a woman I've never met. Now what do you do with something like that? This note was attached to it: "May you be surrounded by God's love even as you are wrapped in our prayers."

Chuck has had a really good day! He was able to stay awake for hours at a time. This is a big improvement. I think he's back on the road to recovery.

I am in need/want of help. Chuck gets lonely...okay, that's a lie. I don't want Chuck to be alone while I'm at work. Also, I want someone to keep an eye on him. (How overprotective can I be??? You have no idea.) Now I know he will have to be alone some. However, if there are enough people interested and available in simply "being there," his alone time can be quite limited (and his wife kept almost sane). This would bring me GREAT peace of mind. Up until now, two lovely ladies (Stacie and Letty) have carried the load. However, they both work and are unable to volunteer quite so much time. Stacie has offered to organize a visiting schedule. Whatever time you have to offer would be greatly appreciated. Chuck's parents are coming this week, so that will give us some time to set up a schedule. Start looking at your calendars for the next few weeks.

If you want to sit with Chuck (bring a book...or magazine!) email Stacie at Stacie@allstate.com. You can also call her at 512-689-3526 (home) or 210-521-4477 (work). If all goes well, this will be a short-term situation!

Happy Mother's Day! This is a bitter-sweet day for me. God was gracious in allowing my last conversation with my mother to be on Mother's Day. How wonderful that the last words I spoke to her were of love, admiration, and gratefulness! Come on daughters...you know how it is with mothers. It could just as easily have been another type of converstion! For this, I will be eternally grateful.

Chuck's chugging along. I'm chugging along. His (our) parents are coming to visit this week!!! I can't wait.

Chuck's wounds are looking great! His breathing seems stable. He is more alert...but still very sleepy. He can stay awake for up to 10 minutes at a time...that's up from 2-3 minutes at a time.

I've been talking up the game all day. The Spurs play at 7:00. Hopefully Chuck will enjoy some of it.

Special blessings for the day include a cheerful, funny nursing aide; a massage (1 hour ) purchased by Christie; and a break from Stacie. What a wonderful day!

Chuck is more himself today...more alert, but still down. Nothing much to report. We're looking forward to spending the weekend together!

The Lynx are Great,
The Lynx are Fine,
Says the class of '89!

My high school graduating class sent me a GREAT package. They filled it with letters of support (made me laugh and cry). In addition, they opened a bank account for me! How amazing is that? How amazing is my clas?? I am so fortunate to have been raised in Spearman, Tx. Truly, I was raised by a community along with my 62 class-of-89 siblings. This past year I've received support from my former teachers, my hometown church, my classmates, my entire community! How incredibly blessed I am.

Back to Chuck: I would like to report that his wounds are looking phenomenal. Granted, the one at the top (with the hardware) is worrisome, but the rest have made amazing progress in a very short amount of time.

As of yesterday afternoon, Chuck's mental-cognitive-spiritual status is pretty much the same. He's not too interested in anything other than sleep...occationally he'll want something to eat or drink.

I work with a dear, dear man named John. His daughter has endured a painful and difficult illness her whole life. He shared a BRILLIANT idea with me...Chuck needs a compadre. All of us love Chuck and try to help. But there's just something about someone who "knows," who has "been there" that heals the soul.

This probably sounds bizarre, but if any of you have fought the good fight and endured physical suffering for an extended period, could you please share yourself with Chuck? Go see him and share your story. Listen to him.

Thank you so much for your kind words! I love Paula's reminder about "walking alongside." I certainly pray Chuck will commune with the holy spirit. I do not know what is going on with him spiritually, but I suspect he is lost and alone inside his soul...unwilling or unable to commune. Sigh. He may be "hibernating," conserving his energy for the road ahead. Who knows?

Laura reminded me that the new medicine for Chuck is called provigil. It is a stimulant to help with his extreme fatigue.

Brooke Dorman asked me to post this:

We need a few more volunteers for Jan's dinner. Please contact me if you can help. Brooke txspeechpath@earthlink.net

Thank you so much for the meals! They have been a great source of comfort.

My head is still spinning from my talk with Dr. Pacl. I like him a great deal and appreciate that he spent an hour talking and listening to me. Speaking of appreciation, my friend, Laura, came for the talk. She is a...dare I say...BRILLIANT pediatrician. She arranged for her partner to cover her patients this afternoon so she could come support me and Chuck.

First of all, Chuck is a bit more alert and responsive today. He was able to communicate to me that he understands everything that is happening around him. He is just unable to respond in kind.

Dr. Pacl's believes that pain is experienced physically, socially, spiritually, and mentally. He asked Chuck some pointed questions concerning his motivation. He thinks that Chuck has shut down. I was shocked and amazed to hear Chuck agree...he has shut down. He has a weariness of soul...body...mind that none of us can possibly comprehend. Sadly, I have no ideas for how to give him a will to return to life. I've spent the last 11 months trying to tap into that. Please pray that God will call to Chuck. In the meantime, Dr. Pacl is starting Chuck on...dang, Laura...what it is? (something to jumpstart him)

Laura had some great input. She was able to ask about Chuck's immobility and ways to get him up and moving. Dr. Pacl will talk to therapy and wound care to see what can be done to get Chuck out of the bed. Also, Chuck is getting a trapeze!! Not only will this be a great conversation starter, it will allow Chuck to reposition himself in bed and work on his upper body strength. She also suggested a probiotic to help with his gastrointestinal issues.

I learned a great deal...about Chuck...at the meeting. Sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees! I've lost sight of how Chuck's doing spiritually and emotionally. I've been running around trying to tend to his physical needs. Perhaps it's because I can help him with his physical needs. This spiritual stuff is a road he'll have to walk on his own.

Chuck is back on tube feeds AND his nose tube has been removed. Whew! Two down, fifteen or so to go!

Chuck is still "not right." His behavior is just so strange. He's either completely out of it, irrational, or agitated. Occasionally, I'll see glimpses of him. I strongly suspect his pain medication as the culprit. I'm meeting with the pain doc tomorrow. Hopefully we will be able to get to the bottom of this mystery.

Chuck is still on the vent full-time. He'll most likely stay on the vent until his sedation/agitation is under control.

Thanks for your prayers! Thanks for the meals! Thanks for the company!

Chuck's determination never ceases to amaze me. The man wants to eat, but is currently on a "no-eating-diet." This is due to a glitch in the paperwork...coming from Methodist to Lifecare. Oi. In order to get a thumbs-up on food, Chuck has to pass a swallow test. This is a precaution to avoiding aspirating anything into his lungs...causing pneumonia. In any case, he has been soooooo sedated. I told him if he wanted to do the swallow test he would have to WAKE UP and STAY AWAKE. He groggily nodded at me. The speech therapist and the respiratory therapist, being wise , were very hesitant...Chuck did not look like he could stay awake. I explained the situation to Chuck again, getting the same groggy nod. Out of sheer kindness, the therapists gave it a try. Wouldn't you know it, the man kept his eyes open for about 15 minutes...with a few dozes here and there. That's my man!

As for sedation, his Roxinal has been cut in half. This should help with grogginess. Let's just pray it does not leave him in pain!

I do not know the results of the CT. I do know that the infectious disease doctor does not think Chuck has an infection.

The pain management doctor has scheduled a time to meet with me on Wednesday. Hopefully we will get to the bottom of Chuck's current state of groggy-nauseated-ness.

Here is my devotional for the day. I thought it very appropriate for all of you who have hung in there with Chuck:

Daily Devotional by Max Lucado

May 7th
“It is finished.” John 19:30

Our inability to finish what we start is seen in the smallest of things:
A partly mowed lawn.
A half-read book.
Or, it shows up in life’s most painful areas:
An abandoned child.
A wrecked marriage.

Any chance I’m addressing someone who is considering giving up? If I am, I want to encourage you to remain. I want to encourage you to remember Jesus’ determination on the cross.

Jesus didn’t quit. But don’t think for one minute that he wasn’t tempted to. Did he ever want to quit? You bet.

That’s why his words are so splendid. “It is finished.”

Dr. Bell is a man after my own heart...a morning person! Alas, I never get to see him because he checks in with Chuck between 5:30-6:30 in the morning. However, I made a special trip to the hospital at 5:15 this morning and was able to catch him. Here's the scoop: Chuck has an infection and an ileus (intestines not moving stuff through...causing nausea). He will be sent for a CT or CAT scan today. Hopefully this will help the doctor figure out what's wrong with the man. Also, Dr. Bell is calling in an infectious disease doc to help fight Chuck's infection. Dr. Bell feels the combination of the two issues is causing Chuck's unresponsiveness.

We have a team in place to help Chuck (really ME) make it through the day. While Chuck is unable to communicate for himself, I want someone with him. Stacie stays with him from 9:00 a.m.-noon. Letty stays with him from noon-3:30 p.m. I stay with him from 3:30 p.m.-8:00ish p.m. We also have wonderful retired friends that pop in throughout the day. Alas, Bob Artle informed me that retired folks are some of the busiest people in the world! Their schedules are FULL. Thankfully, some are putting Chuck on their schedules.

God has been so good to us.

First, an update on where we are and what we need: upon visiting our church today, I realized several people need our stats. Chuck is at Lifecare Hospital - located inside the Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital (corner of Wurzbach and Floyd Curl). He is in roon 214.

Second, providing meals: the lovely, talented, and kind Brooke Dorman is organizing my dinners. If you would like to provide a meal, email Brooke at txspeechpath@earthlink.net.

Third, an update on Chuck's status: he has another blasted n-g tube (from nose to stomach). In the first fiftenn minutes, it pulled up a whole canister of bile. My poor baby. He cannot stand the n-g tube, but it should bring him great relief from nausea. The plan is to keep it in for two days. Please pray for his comfort and relief from nausea.

I thank God and Tod that Tod was here this morning. There was some drama with positioning Chuck in bed, cleaning him up...etc...things that I do not want Chuck to go through alone. Thank you for being here, Tod!!! You are a HUGE blessing.

Chuck's tube feeds have been turned off. He has been too nauseated to tolerate them. This morning he had an x-ray of his gut. Poor baby, he has gone backwards. Of course, I'm fighting the guilt (Satan's tool) of bringing Chuck back too soon...making a bad decision, causing him pain and suffering. I'm trying to listen to the voice of truth...!

Chuck's new medication is taking care of the pain, but not the fuzziness. For the most part, he is still heavily sedated. I'm hoping tomorrow morning I'll see more of the real Chuck and less of the doped one.

I'm sure if you look at the blog archives you'll see a repeat of what's currently happening to Chuck: he is sad; he is on the vent full-time; his stomach is bloated; he is nauseous; his wounds are healing at a very, very slow rate.

Liz, what a GREAT question. Right now most of Chuck's pain is in his back and his neck. It is extreme right now due to the adjusting of his pain medication. Once everything is adjusted, he may still have back pain. The goal is for the pain to be decreased to a manageable level. (For me that would be ZERO pain.)

Chuck is nauseous again. This is sad because he had come so far, and his nausea was no longer an issue. Alas, his old friend is back and is keeping him company.

Pray for wound care visits. That is a very painful time for Chuck. He has to stay on his side (uncomfortable) while they work on him. This can take up to 30-45 minutes. The skin on his upper back is very sensitive and it hurts when they pull off his dressings.

Oh, and he is still on the ventilator full-time. This worries me as he had come so far. His weaning has started, but nothing off the vent yet...just adjustments to the vent settings. Please pray Chuck fully recovers the use of his lungs!

Chuck's having some rough days. Because his pain medication is still in transition, he looks awful!! He's simply drugged...due to short acting morphine. There was a hang up with his "magical" long-lasting morphine. This stuff is supposed to really help him out. The fast acting morphine is for break through pain. However, he's had no long-lasting medicine for two days, so he's running off the big guns. I was relieved to discover that the reason he looks so terrible is the drugs. His vitals are fine; no fever, no infection. He's just doped. His long-lasting morphine will be administered tonight. The pharmacist thinks it will be 24-48 hours before we see the benefits.

In the meantime, I'm trying to rest in God's hands. I keep reminding myself that God is in control...not me.

First, I miss Mom and Dad!!!! Second, we are getting settled at the Lifecare Hospital. It has been a crazy 24 hours. I showed up at Methodist yesterday for a visit. Alas, I was informed we would be moving...any minute. Oh how I missed Mom, Dad, and Christy!! They've moved us every other time. I tried to gather my wits, ask questions, and prepare. It was 3:30, so I knew everyone was at work...and we were on our own. Thank God Christie Leche called me. After all this time it's still tough for me to say, "Help." So of course I lied and told her we were fine, fine, fine. She saw right through me (thank God) and showed up to help. She was an angel...helped me pack, carried all our stuff to the new place, stayed with me all evening, held my hand, and brought me food. Thanks, Christie. God also brought me friendly faces in the form of Tod and Nicole. I cannot tell you how much joy that brings me...seeing friends. Being home! I was joking with Nicole that God was trying to show me what crazy was really like just in case I was under the notion that my life was crazy. After yesterday's madness, everything seems like cake.

Okay, I've met with most all of the new team. It's gonna be rough for a while. Chuck's pain medication is in transition...so he's grumpy, in pain, and sad. His new pain management doctor is phenomenal...but he wants to start conservatively...to figure out where Chuck really is concerning pain.

I don't know why it takes soooo long to get the appropriate mattress for Chuck. I started the battle yesterday before we even left Methodist. I had the nurse there confirm with the nurse here that Chuck's mattress was ready. Then, to be super sure, I called myself to confirm. Wouldn't you know it...it was the wrong mattress. It sounds like no big deal, but the wrong mattress eats at Chuck's skin...which makes me crazy. Thank God, I just saw the mattress out in the hall. Shouldn't be long now.

Just to clarify Chuck's new location-he is at Lifecare Hospital which is located on the second floor of Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital. He's in room 214.

We've moved! I went for a visit today, and before I knew it, we sent packing to LifeCare Hospital. It's a one-floor setup inside the Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital. Chuck is on the second floor in room 214.

Much to my surprise, the new place is super. Perhaps I should say, the new staff is super. I am very impressed with their attentiveness. I should wait to give details when I'm more alert. I am B-E-A-T.

I started my first day back at work with a good cry. Someone (AMY) left flowers for me with a "Welcome Back" note. How sweet is that??

I went to the hospital where Chuck will most likely be. It's nothing to write home about! He will get to keep all of his doctors from Methodist (great). They will check on him daily (great). He will get a new wound care person (hmmm). There is only ONE wound care nurse (hmmm). She has several aids (ok). There are no single rooms (tsk tsk). What's a girl to do? It's not great, but the doctors are. I am praying it will be like Baylor Specialty and that I'm not taking Chuck to some awful place. I did a surprise visit and all seemed in order (good). They have tons of therapists (good). I feel a little apprehensive though.

Chuck is meeting with a GREAT pain management doctor. I've heard so many good things about him. Hopefully he will be able to help Chuck manage his pain while keeping a clear head.

The lovely and talented Brooke Dorman has volunteered to organize meals. If you are interested in preparing a gluten-free meal, please contact Brooke at txspeechpath@earthlink.net

As for my diet, I cannot have anything with wheat...or anything that has touched wheat. For example, I cannot have the patty out of a burger because it has touched the bun. Talk about strict! I can have corn, rice, potatoes, fresh meats (with no sauces and no processed meats), vegetables (with no sauces), butter. If you make a rice dish, check the bag because sometimes the rice was processed in a place where wheat has been processed. Your safest bets are things like pot roast (no gravy), chicken breasts, salads (no dressings), rice and beans. Brooke found these websites for more gluten-free ideas:
http://www.celiac.com/st_main.html?p_catid=58&sid=91hH9H1k30Ku0wU-16107374417.03
http://gfkitchen.server101.com/recipes.htm

Thanks in advance!!!

Dr. Bell, Chuck's main doctor, came to update me this morning. Chuck looks good! He wants to move him to a long term accute care place, much like Baylor Specialty. Chuck will most likely be moved this week. The case manager will come meet with me later, to let me know what places are available. I want to go check them out before chosing one.

I have a meal organizer! I'll get back to you with details.

And now,back to our original programming; Chuck is on the ventilator full-time. They tried t-bar trials yesterday, but he was not able to tolerate it. He had difficulty catching his breath last night, but all is well now.

His wounds look worrisome. I barely tolerate "stable." Seeing them decline is very upsetting, because it takes soooo long to repair damage.

Today is my last day full day at the hospital. Tomorrow work begins. My goal will be to stay in the moment...stay in the day so that I am not overwhelmed.

I'm looking for someone, not just anyone, to help me out. I'm looking for someone with the gift of organization who would like to use that gift as a blessing to me. Here's the deal, I need help with dinners. I will be going from work to the hospital and do not want (nor does my body need) to rely on fast food. Sounds simple, but there's more...I cannot have wheat (found in sauces, soups, canned and processed meats). Once I have a volunteer to organize food, I'll be asking the rest of you to feed me! I'll also give you a list of foods outlawed by my "food allergen" and put you in contact with my master planner.

p.s. I'm phoneless today! I forgot it at home.

Chuck is still sleeping, sleeping, sleeping. Tod came up this morning so I could go to church. My poor soul is huuuungry...it's been rare that I've gone to church this past year. If you ever get the bright idea that you can survive without worshipping with a body of believers as long as you are in contact with believers, listen to sermons on the radio, listen to Christian music, and read your Bible, think AGAIN. If you're like me though, you know best and you do not need anyone's advice.

I've been having a hard time with God's grace. I still feel the need to earn his love. The deal is that I've dumped God as of late since everything has been going my way. Though I ask you to pray for Chuck, I've stopped. So, when things got crazy on Friday with Chuck going to I.C.U., I had a terrible guilt/shame attack. How in the world can I ask God for blessings after being such a jerk??? (Note, this is one of Satan's BEST plans of attack = shame and guilt. He whispers that you cannot go to God after what you've done, thus keeping you away from God). Yep, after all this time, I still think I have to earn his ear, earn his blessings, earn his consideration. I had been soooo unfaithful! (Note, I am short on humility...and accepting God's love without earning it is a BIG obstacle.) Alas, I know truth, I know how it works and I'm in awe that I can go to God and ask. I can go and he's waiting with open arms and no condemnation. And now for swallowing that big lump o' pride and accepting his love.

Chuck is resting comfortably. He's been sleeping pretty solid since Wednesday. Poor thing...the trip really took it out of him.

For those of you hoping to visit, the I.C.U. allows 2 visitors at a time. From 6:30-8:30 a.m. and p.m., the I.C.U. is closed to visitors. Chuck is in the South Tower, Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, 7th floor, room 778.

Thanks for your prayers and warm wishes upon arriving home.

Oh, and we miss you all at Baylor Specialty! Hope you all are doing well. I feel so out of place here. Who'd a thunk, I feel out of place now that we're home! I know, it will just take time.

Chuck is stable and doing beautifully. He will spend the weekend in I.C.U. as patients are rarely moved on the weekend. This will be good because he'll be watched carefully.

Thank you for your prayers. I praise God for friends and family who rallied to support me. My sister Shea wins the "best advice" award however. Upon seeing me she said, "Stand up straight, Jan. You're slouching. Oh, and zip your pants." Ahhh, Shea, what would I do without her????

Chuck is fine. He's been moved to I.C.U. because his heart rate dropped while being repositioned and suctioned (not the first time this has happened in is illustrious career, nevertheless upsetting). He most likely had a mucus plug. Please pray for strength and healing.

Everything is under way! I'm sorry this will be short on details. I'm home for a moment (yippee) and then will head back up to the hospital.

I adore wound care here. (sigh of relief) I like his pulmonologist, who I happened to recognize as a fellow runner. Long story...later. I shamefully ran off his first nurse this morning. (Is it shamefully or shamelessly??? I felt sorry to upset her, but glad to get a new nurse.) It was a rocky start, but I feel really good about where he is and the care he will receive.

Details to come. God bless you all. Thanks for the messages from yesterday. Thanks so much for praying for our journey.

We're here. We're glad. We're exhaused. Chuck's in room 714 of Central Tower. No visitors til Saturday, please.

Okay, I wish you could see Chuck and me this morning. We're both so nervous and anxious. Chuck woke up ravenous...so I know something's up with him. I'm running around (with my hair on fire} making sure we have everything, covered all the bases, asked all the questions. I need to remember to just breathe, do the next thing, and let God handle all the rest.

Wound care is coming any minute for Chuck's final dressing change. Then we wait. Oi. Please pray that I let God be God and release my desire to control this whole move. Breathe in, breathe out....

Again, thanks everyone. We love you so much. We could NOT have made it without your support, words of encouragement, prayers, shoulders to lean on, arms to hold us, homes to live in, hotel rooms to sleep in, meals to eat, and ears to listen.

I won't be able to post until tonight, from my HOME.

It has been a thrilling day! We've said goodbye to Dr. Brancaccio...we'll miss him! He and Dr. DeLeon have been with us for nine months...that's long enough to grow a baby for heaven's sakes. I've been packing and "donating" things to the hospital...dry-erase markers, etc. Chuck, true to the end, shrugs everytime someone ask if he's leaving tomorrow.

Dr. DeLeon told me that I've chosen excellent doctors. She feels really good about the wound care team at Methodist. That Dr. D has been GREAT! She's been good to Chuck AND to me. This is the warning she good-naturedly passed on to our new wound care doctor. "Jan feels like she's fighting for Chuck's life. If you get in her way, she'll hurt you." It's rare that my mother's bold personality peaks out from my meek self. But if that's not Hester Sue in the flesh, I don't know what is.

Dr. Brancaccio feels really good about the pulmonologist we've selected. He spoke with Dr. Bell on the phone and relayed the past nine months to him. Adora (our WONDERFUL ostomy nurse) says that Methodist has a great group of ostomy nurses. I believe we'll be in very capable hands.

We leave tomorrow at 10 a.m. The trip should take 6-7 hours. Thanks so much to all of you who have made this possible. Just look at what you've done! Just look!!!!

I keep trying to celebrate "the last ______," but Chuck has forbidden it. He has reminded me that there are no guarantees. Have I learned nothing these past 11 months???? If God wills it, we will be leaving Baylor Specialty on Wednesday.

As for visitors, we ask that you give us a few days to recoup from the trip and to wrap up assessments with his new doctors. Saturday should be a good day to start. Know this before you make the trip, Chuck greatly appreciates 10 minute visits. No more, but maybe less! If he wants you to stay longer, he'll let you know. Please limit visitors to two at a time. You may want to call me before coming up. There will be times when Chuck needs a rest from visitors.

Even if God wants us to wait past Wednesday, this is a joyous time of celebration. Just look what God has done!! Just look how faithful he has been. Just look!!! To God be the glory, great things he hath done.

Chuck is looking good. Seems like methadone is just too much for him...he took the smallest dose available and it still knocked him out. We'll see how he handles withdrawal...he may not need the methodone. The methadone is supposed to alleviate most of the issues with coming off dilaudid. Pray for his comfort during this time.

I feel crazy for writing this...for feeling this, but I'm gonna miss this place. I'm going to miss the life we've created here. I took my last Saturday morning run down Swiss Avenue. It was a feast for the senses...beautiful, historic homes with gorgeous gardens to boot. The smells, the gentle breeze...it was just perfect. I'm really sad...really, really sad.

Things are really coming together. Looks like Wednesday, 10 am, we're outta here! Chuck's doing excellent. He's had no nausea; his lungs are stable; his wounds are healing. The only glitch is weaning him off of high doses of pain medication. The goal is for him to be completely off IV meds by Wednesday. He'll still be on pain medication, but will have to wait the 30 minutes for the oral meds to kick in (no immediate relief through the vein). Right now he's on methadone...too much of it! The doctor is still working with the dosage. However, for the first time in YEARS, Chuck is feeling no pain. In fact, I keep asking him what his pain level is just so I can hear him say, "Low, low, low."

Just look at what God's done!

Discharge date is Wednesday, April 25!!!! We will go by ambulance to Methodist hospital in San Antonio. Please begin praying for a smooth and painless trip (for Chuck AND for me!) We are so excited we can barely contain ourselves! I haven't seen Chuck this chipper in a long, long time. On second thought, I don't think I've ever seen Chuck chipper...this is a FIRST.

Thank you all for your prayers this year. Part of Chuck's recovery can certainly be attributed to the excellent care he has received from the skilled doctors, nurses, and therapists. However, a BIG part of his recovery has been sheer miracle...the power of prayer.

I'll keep you posted as we spend these last few days here at Baylor Specialty.

We are ironing out the details of getting Chuck home. We've decided to transfer to a facility before coming to our home. I have few details for now: we are going to San Antonio next week by ambulance...that's about all I have. We're thrilled and relieved to be going to San Antonio...and to be going to a place where Chuck can get a little stronger before the leap home.

I'm home early!!! I was able to wrap up my work early...especially upon getting the news that Chuck will go home at the end of next week! Yep, you read right. He's going home.

Greg finished the Boston Marathon in an amazing 2 hours and 58 minutes! Despite the weather, he beat his top time. Now that's an appropriate finish for his Fix Up Chuck tribute.

Looks like Greg will have a rough run today! Check out the article below! Keep him in your prayers.

Boston Marathon runners brace for storm
Participants expected to race in heavy rain, strong winds
Updated: 3:03 p.m. CT April 15, 2007
Peter Gilmore often runs alongside the San Francisco Bay, where sharp winds constantly annoy him. The wind knocks him off balance, chills his ears and saps his energy by forcing him to fight extra resistance. It might be the worst part, Gilmore said, about living in northern California.

Now, on the brink of the 111th Boston Marathon, Gilmore's windy runs look like a brilliant training strategy.

Participants anticipate the worst weather in the history of the world's oldest continuous marathon when the race begins tomorrow at 10 a.m. Forecasters predict heavy rain, 20 mph winds and temperatures around 40 degrees. Race officials expect to treat many cases of hypothermia among the 23,000 participants. Elite runners, including Gilmore, expect a drastically altered race for the $100,000 first-place prize.

To sustain energy against the wind, the best runners will likely pack together for as long as the first 20 miles. Men's defending champion Robert Cheruiyot -- a Kenyan who set a men's record last year in 2 hours 7 minutes 14 seconds -- expects to run a few minutes slower than usual. Women's defending champion Rita Jeptoo will try to become the eighth Kenyan woman to win in the last nine years.

"When the weather is going to be like this, you just forget about aiming for a time and try to think about the strategy of the race," said Gilmore, who finished seventh last year. "I'm going to watch who's ahead of me. I'm going to figure out who's doing what. I'm not going to pay much attention to my watch."

Gilmore has become something of a Boston Marathon specialist, finishing in the top 10 in each of the last two years. He's an expert at running well on downhill stretches, and Boston has a lot of those. His compact build -- 5 feet 9, 140 pounds -- helps him stay low to the ground against the wind. Because the entire Boston course runs in one direction, Gilmore said he expects to run against strong winds for all 26.2 miles.

The top runner from the United States in this year's field, Gilmore will shoulder the burden of America's 23-year drought in the race. Last year, five American runners placed in the top 10, a breakthrough performance that has forced elite runners to consider Gilmore as a threat Monday.

"I try not to think about all that," Gilmore said. "Right now, my goal is just to do better than I did last year. I want to improve my finishing place every time I'm here."

American women also spend the days before each major U.S. marathon talking wistfully about a breakthrough performance. No American woman has won in Boston since 1985, but Deena Kastor, from California, has the ability to end that streak. Kastor earned a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics and won the London Marathon in 2006. She entered the New York Marathon as the favorite to win in November -- and then finished a disappointing sixth.

In Boston, she'll face perhaps the greatest field in the race's history. Top-ranked runners Jeptoo and Latvia's Jelena Prokopcuka lead a group of 20 world-class women.

"All the runners will stay together," Prokopcuka said. "With the wind in our face it will be very difficult. I like to run in the cold, but the rain is not so good for the muscles."

Said Kastor: "With this field it will be a battle every step of the way. . . . I feel like I can run an aggressive race right now. I've run in adverse conditions before."

This day has been full of lessons. I learned how to suction Chuck, and how to give him a breathing treatment. I also got an overview for how to work the vent. That went right over my head. I'll need MUCH more instruction before going home.

When the surgeon came to suture Chuck's feeding tube, I asked what I should do once we are home...since it comes out so frequently. Should I take him to the ER? The surgeon said I should learn how to suture it in...which I've been contemplating secretly! He talked me through it. Because the tube requires a great deal of support, he sutured it in four places...thus I got to watch four times. Now, if Chuck had feeling in his abdomen, he would NEVER let me do it. I would NEVER want to try it! However, we both feel prepared should it pop out at home!

I think we are both excited about me learning how to handle things from home. I was kept very busy today...I put on my respiratory hat, my nurse hat, my tech hat, and my surgical assistant hat. It was fun!

Greg left Friday morning for Boston! Monday he will run the SIXTH of his SIX marathons! Whew, and I thought I was tired. It seems that weather is giving them fits in the Northeast. Shea mentioned they were considering cancelling the event. Blessedly, there may be a break in the heavy rains on Monday. It certainly will not be pleasant weather, but no torrential downpours. Keep Greg in your prayers as he runs THE BOSTON MARATHON.

We made it another week. Just one more to go! Neither of us does great when apart. Alas, Chuck seems to decline. Reports from my spies: he doesn't sleep well, he's listless, he's completely depressed. Oi! It tears my heart out.

On the health front, he's stable. His wounds are continuing to improve. His feeding tube popped out again and we are awaiting the surgeon to suture it back in place. He still uses the vent off and on. I am learning how to operate it since it will be coming home with us. Today I did my first suction. I've watched the respiratory team do it over and over for almost a year. Yet watching and doing are two totally different beasts! To suction, I pushed a thin tube down Chuck's trach and into his lungs. Then I pushed the vac button and suctioned out all the gunk. Before I did it, he looked at me trustingly and mouthed "Good luck." The first time was the scariest. I've done it five times this morning...I feel much more confident. I can do this!

Please pray for Chuck's spirits. He's tired and low.

I'm off to Florida for two weeks. I'll be back to Dallas over the weekend though. Whew, I'm trying to catch my breath. So, God's timing is perfect is it?? Yes, yes, I'm sure it will all make sense later. I'm just trusting this is the way it's supposed to play out.

Please pray for nerves of steel as we begin to prepare for life at home. Mom and Dad are coming to help us adjust. Whew. I need to remember to "just do the next thing."

Please pray for healing. Thanks!

As quickly as I fretted, God brought peace...in the form of Dr. Brancaccio. He thinks it will be no biggie for Chuck to go home with a portable ventilator. Further, he thinks it is perfectly safe for Chuck to make the trip to San Antonio. It is rare that Chuck needs a vent during the day. It will be used for if the occasion arises.

We are elated...and terrified. Yippee and yikes! Thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray for healing!

Chuck is looking good. Wound care came this morning. They are very pleased with the way his wounds are progressing!

Chuck sat up today...not in his chair...but sat up nonetheless! He held himself upright for about 10 minutes...that's sorta like running 10 miles to you and me.

He is still using the ventilator at night. I am starting to get anxious about this. If he can't come off the ventilator, he won't be able to come to San Antonio...yet. Please pray he can be weaned completely...and also for a peace with the way God handles this. I know it won't be the end of the world...but I have a hard time accepting anything other than WHAT I WANT. I want Chuck to come to San Antonio.

Chuck has had a good breathing day! His feeding tube popped out once more. Someone (not our beloved Dr. Tate) sutured it in...but looks like it may only last a day or so. Ahhh, the weekend! Aside from that, Chuck's doing really well. I'll have more specifics once I meet with his doctors tomorrow.

Happy Easter! Christ is risen...and is walking around downtown Dallas...patroning the Starbucks. This morning I went in to get some coffee and met a very friendly man. He was all spiffied up for Easter service at his church. I had a large order (an Easter treat for Chuck's nurses), so we had to wait a while. He asked if I was having a party or something. This led to Chuck's situation. Before long, he asked if he could pray with me, then he took his coffee and left. A moment later, he returned with a business card. Hidden under the card was $100.00! He left before I could thank him. I just sat there crying, feeling overwhelmingly blessed and loved by God. He is risen...alive and well...and living in those who have made him welcome in their hearts. Praise God.

Chuck is certainly a sight for sore eyes. We have a few days' reprieve before we are separated again. He looks worn out...but good. More later...it's waaaay past my bedtime!

Update from Dr. DeMoya: Chuck is doing great! The dressing change made to his wound (on Monday) has stopped the leaking. The wounds on his back are looking really good. His tube feedings have been going full-throttle with little to no nausea. Also, there is no intestinal obstruction nor ileus (section of intestine that is not working). Finally, his cultures are infection free!

Chuck is using the ventilator a little at night. He is expected to be discharged...if all goes well...the end of April or beginning of May. Please pray for continued healing.

I'm looking for a brilliant pulmonologist in San Antonio. Do any of you out there have any suggestions? You can email me at www.janetpicciuti@hotmail.com

Thanks!

Word from Dallas is that Chuck is doing well. Apparently his wounds are doing GREAT! The mystery leak was most likely from one of his wounds...his dressing for that wound has been switched to something more suitable. We'll see what happens.

On the San Antonio front, it is great to be home! I grilled yesterday...the first time in about a year. For those who do not know, I'm a bit of a grill-aholic. Also, a trip to the dentist unveiled that I have been grinding my teeth in my sleep. I had no idea...never done it before. Hopefully it will cease once things calm down.

Please keep Chuck in your prayers.

Chuck and I are about to embark on a three-week-adventure. We will be separated for big chunks of time for the next three weeks. As God would have it, there are some new issues that have popped up over the weekend. While Chuck will be in good hands, it makes us both a bit anxious to be apart while "research" is being done on him. New issues = mystery leak, ileus (lazy section of intestine NOT doing its job), and a general feeling of yuckiness. Sigh.

Chuck will be in charge of his care for the next three weeks! This is a great thing. Please pray for his endurance! Please pray for attentive and gentle nurses and techs. Please pray the doctors get to the bottom of his mystery leak. Please pray for healing and a feeling of well-being!

Chuck has been off the vent all day. Last night, he rested "on the vent" for a few hours. He's doing much better lung-wise.

He's still feeling kinda crummy. We're on the hunt for a mystery leak...yes, a mystery leak. Tests will be run this next week to discover the source, etc.

I neglected to mention that one of Chuck's wounds has resolved...which means it has healed! Yippee...one down, four to go!

Chuck's back on the vent...this may be very Karate Kid-ish for a few days: Chuck on, Chuck off.

Chuck's off the ventilator! Praise God.

Everything went very well this morning! Chuck's transport to and from Big Baylor was flawless...he was treated like fine china. The P.I.C.C. line was put in successfully, and Chuck is back in business. He feels a bit lethargic though. He's on three different antibiotics to fight his infections. I pray he feels better sooon!

Priceless moment: Chuck does not like "stuff" on his face...no food, no dirt, not even chocolate! It started to rain on our trip back to Baylor Specialty. As the EMTs were getting Chuck out of the ambulance, we were joking about leaving him out in the rain. He asked for them to give him a moment...to leave him in the rain...he wanted to feel it on his face. He looked at me and mouthed, "It's been almost a year...." and smiled as the drops hit his face.

Despite current setbacks, Chuck has been on fire today. He began cracking jokes first thing this morning and has kept it up most of the day. Ahhhh, so refreshing!

Dr. Tate made another trip, in utter awe of Chuck's feeding tube escapades. Apparently Dr. Tate handles hundreds of feeding tubes all over north Texas. Yet, he has been called for Chuck's tube more than all the others combined! That's my man!

It pained Dr. Tate to undo the sutures he did yesterday because he used some heavy duty thread...typically used to repair hernias. Upon pulling out the shiny, new tube, he discovered that it was kinked at the end. Go figure! Everything has been flowing smoothly since 9 this morning. Ahhhh!

Chuck has a staph infection...and one other infection. This could be the reason all of his systems have been freaking out...well that and the lack of nutrition. His P.I.C.C. line will be removed tomorrow as it is the most likely culprit for the staph infection. (The P.I.C.C. is the line used for all of his I.V. fluids). He will go across the street tomorrow morning to get a new line. He is receiving too many I.V. fluids to go with a simple I.V...he blows through them every 2 days or so. A P.I.C.C. line will last for a couple of months...with no painful pokes!

Chuck is still on the ventilator. Hopefully clearing up the infectionS will help with his overall health.

Please keep him in your prayers!

Dang! I spoke too soon. Chuck's feeding tube has been clogging all day long! (this means little to no nutrition). Also, his breathing has been troubled. He is currently on the ventilator for a rest.

Please pray for healing, breathing, feeding.

A way has been found!!!! Bascially, the small feeding tube "drilled" a hole bigger than itself. Thus, the leaking of fluid from around the tube. This is common for someone on a feeding tube for an extended period. So, he got a bigger tube. Dr. Tate says that eventually, the same thing will happen with this bigger tube. Before much longer we will need a garden hose! I told Chuck he'd better start eating so we can get rid of the tube altogether.

Chuck already looks better! He's on the mend once again.

Chuck is sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. He feels lousy...and he so much wants to feel "good"! It just breaks my heart.

He is clearly not getting good nutrition...it just keeps leaking out. We've called for the surgeon again...hoping to find "the way" to stop the flow.

Last night Chuck had to go on the ventilator for a couple of hours. Who knows why...perhaps because he's so weak from poor nutrition?? In any case, he's also been switched back to the speaking valve rather than the red cap. It's been so long since he's taken backward steps!!! It's quite discouraging after his long run of forward motion!

Perhaps I should take a moment to count my blessings? I'm feeling oh so sad...and really want to throw a pity party! Know what...I'll count my blessings later. Perhaps it's time to grieve a little. I'm learning, ain't nothing wrong with feeling blue...it's a God-given emotion.

We're still looking for "the way" that Adora mentioned yesterday. "There's always a way."

Chucks been leaking, leaking, and popping his tube. The tube has been re-sutured (we're in the 20s by now...number of times it has popped). The skin around the tube is a mess...as can only be expected by skin bathed in various "juices". (too far???) We hoping everything will look better and brighter tomorrow...when all the doctors and wound-care personnel are back in full force.

We're thankful to be together! We're thankful he's off the ventilator. We're thankful for Mom and Dad. We're thankful we have all next week to spend with each other.

Chuck's having j-tube issues. But guess what, it is staying put...no popping out! Praise God. However, bile is leaking from the tube and eating away at his skin. Nice. As Adora, another precious nurse/angel, said, "There's always a way." They will find a way to fix this...impossible as it seems. The impossibility comes with the complexity of the situation = the tube popping out and needing sutures, Chuck's GREAT need for the nutrition that comes through the tube, the bile leaking out and creating new wounds...oi. Can't be a simple, cut and dry issue.

Aside from that, Chuck's doing well. We are loving our time together!

Please pray for healing.

The boys looks a little rough around the edges, but BOY it's good to see him! He's not feeling well and his feeding tube is leaking. Looks like a late-night visit from Dr. Tate (bless his heart!)

We look forward to this weekend...just spending time together.

We made it another full week! Yippee...I'm on my way back to Chuck. I'll update once I have a chance to chat with him. Thanks for your continued prayers.

I talked to Chuck on the phone yesterday...aaah, the simple things I formerly took for granted! In his words, he's been "under the weather" this week. Despite this, he's tried sitting up some.

I got a call from wound care, and all looks pretty good. He has a few "trouble spots." Please continue to pray for healing!

Greg completed marathon #5 on Sunday!! Concerning the Seabrook Trail marathon, Greg had this to say, "It was tough. The trails were soft and part of the race it seemed like I was running in sand. My legs fatigued very quickly, but overall it went okay." He has one more to go...Boston.

I did not call to harrass anyone yesterday regarding Chuck. Truly, this is an amazing feat.

Chuck is fully prepared for this next week. He will be on his own, continuing to gain independence. He is armed with a new thirst for connecting to the outside world via the computer. He is also armed with three disks of The Sopranos, Season 1. I can't wait to see how well he does this week! Please continue to pray for healing.

Good day! Matthew came to visit his uncle Chuckie today. That boy is precious! Chuck really lights up around him.

Chuck's having j-tube drama. The thing keeps popping out...usually late at night! His feeding has been turned off for about 24 hours now. The tube has been reinserted, but we are awaiting x-ray confirmation that it is in the proper place.

We are feeling so blessed. Chuck's doing great! We expect to be home within another month or so.

Chuck is taking a well-deserved nap right now. He's been pretty active the last 3 hours (that's like a 16-hour day to you and me). He sat in his chair again today. Even though it was only his second time, he seemed much stronger. Perhaps he was just more sure of himself. Whatever the case, he's doing great!

Wounds have not declined, thank you God. Let's pray everything moves forward. We are making tentative preparations for returning home...to San Antonio!

Chuck is making moves to decrease his pain medication. That's the main change for today. It was a slow day...no physical therapy, no wound care. He's becoming more interested in the internet and other diversions.

Chuck sat in his chair today! He was in it for about 30 minutes. What a wonderful, wonderful milestone. He was exhausted after 5 minutes, but pushed through for another 20 or so. He's amazing!

Wounds are troublesome. It seems he is getting pressure on some of his wounds, so they are getting worse. Waaah. The pressure is coming from the foam wedge that keeps him turned to the side. I cannot explain my despair...even though most of the wounds are doing better. In my mind, the improving wounds don't deserve any consideration because it's the troublesome ones that are keeping him here! I'm not happy with anything short of "Wow, they are all doing great." (Am I hard to please or what???) I'm sure God just shakes his head..."when will she learn?"

As is obvious, I'm on a bit of a roller coaster today. A miraculous event followed by a heartbreaker...oi! I will praise God in the victories and I will praise God in the defeats.

Chuck's breathing is going well. However, today's been a "sick" day. He's been sleeping a lot...no wheelchair. Perhaps tomorrow?

Chuck is feeling really good today. He looks incredibly strong, and is able to maneuver more easily in bed.

The wound vac did not produce the results we had hoped. On the positive side, the wound has less depth. However, the suction was too much for Chuck's fragile skin, and a new wound was created. Blessedly, no more hardware was exposed. All of his other wounds look excellent.

On the PLUS side, Chuck has been cleared for wheelchair sitting!!!!!!!!!!!!! He has wanted this for months and months. Please pray it goes well. I'm sure it will be hard at first, and that he will struggle. But this is a MAJOR step forward.

God has been so gentle...so faithful.

Chuck and I had a wonderful Saturday. He slept and I watched movies...pretty much like at home! The vac is vac-ing and we expect to see exciting things tomorrow. Please pray the vac works wonders on his wound.

This morning Chuck was changed from the speaking valve to a red cap. He is still getting oxygen via the nose. This is another milestone!

Last night was a GREAT getaway for me. My cousin, Kam, threw an 80th birthday party for my great-aunt Dorothy (Kam's grandma.) I watch Kam closely as one day I hope to be as gracious and lovely a hostess as she. Dorothy is the picture of health and beauty...I hope I am as fit at 80! Of course, the food was divine...thank you, Terri. Can that girl cook!!! Not only can she cook...but she always prepares special dishes just for me (I have an annoying food allergy). After dinner Terri always insists that I make a plate "for Chuck." I happily oblige, knowing that he eats very little. Ha, ha, ha, most of Chuck's plate is MINE!

It was sooo good to see folks from Spearman! I miss my hometown.

Be blessed.

I'm back! Chuck looks great. His skin is healthy enough to try the wound vac again. (For a while, there was so much dead skin that needed to slough off with so little healthy skin to replace it that the wound vac could have caused damage and exposed more hardware). Please pray that the wound vac works well, that Chuck's wound improves.

We've made it! Our first full work-week apart. Whew. I go home (to Chuck) tonight...can't wait to see Chuck!

Dr. Bray called yesterday with nothing but good news. Chuck's infection has cleared and his wounds are doing well. However, he's still suffering with occasional bouts of nausea.

Sounds like Chuck is doing great! I don't really have any details...but who needs em? He's doing great and feeling less nauseous.

Chuck and I both survived day one just fine. I hear from his parents that Chuck is feeling much better than he did on Sunday. He's still not 100% though. Please pray for a good day for him.

The report on the wounds was all positive...moving in the right direction.

While Chuck is improving daily, he feels pretty lousy today. Please pray for comfort...from the blahs.

Let's see, all is well. It's been a full week of vent-free living. While he still struggles with daily bouts of nausea, his nutrition is great. This means wonderful things for his wounds.

I leave tonight for my first full work week. Oi. Naturally, I'm torn. Being actively involved with my co-workers will be wonderful. Being away from Chuck will be torment. The nurses have already given me permission...call us, call us! Boy, they have no idea. They won't have a moment's peace! Seriously, I am grateful for the loving concern the staff here has for me and Chuck. They know how crazy I am about leaving Chuck, and how crazy Chuck is about me being gone.

Please pray for health, healing, and comfort!

Some of Chuck's wounds are amazingly improved, while others are marginally improved. The protein in his blood is almost at a normal level...the closer to normal, the better his wounds will knit.

Chuck's still off the ventilator, praise God!

Now that we're in a private room, we can have sleepovers again. While the sleep is not great, I get to stay in bed MUCH later than normal. I think Chuck rests easier, too, knowing that I can jump up in the middle of the night and get him a soda. (For those of you who don't know me well, this would NEVER happen...I'm out like a light as soon as my head hits the pillow and it takes a BRAVE soul to dare disturb my sleep!)

Chuck sat up for 15 minutes today. He's improving daily! All else is well, praise God. I talked to a care coordinator today for eventual home-health care. My head is swimming with information. Oi, oi, oi. My coordinator is VERY helpful and I am MOST grateful for her. Who knew I'd have someone walk me through this crazy thing??