Ben just had his first follow up appointment since his hip replacement. He saw the PA today who said everything looks great! They took a couple of xrays and everything is just as it should be. 

What a blessing to hear Ben say his pain level today is about “2”. So much better than the months before the surgery when he had so much pain. 

He still has to wait about 6 more weeks before he gets back on his Harley... please pray for his patience (and compliance).

Thank you for continued prayers as Ben recovers. He has one more abdominal surgery ahead of him but not for a few months. Our next step is to get that scheduled.

Thank you for checking in!

Ben is recovering well. He has some impressive bruising, but the swelling has not been bad. 

He is getting around the house with his walker. And we are managing his pain. 

Since Ben can’t get out and go anywhere he would love visitors! 

Please pray for continued healing and protection from infection. 

Thank you for praying and for checking on Ben. 

We are HOME! Ben’s hip replacement surgery went well. He walked with his walker at the hospital just a few hours after the surgery. And he has taken a lap at the house since we got home. 

His pain is not too bad so far. He has certainly been through worse!

Thank you for the prayers during his surgery! Please pray now for no infection, no blood clots, pain management and quick healing. 

Ben will rest now, but I’m sure he would enjoy some visitors over the next couple of weeks while he can’t drive. He needs to get up and walk often so he does not need to sleep all day. 

Thank you for checking on him!

Ben’s hip replacement surgery is scheduled for Thursday, 2/6. We have to be at Northside hospital by 6:00 that morning, as his is the 2nd surgery on the schedule that day. 

We have done the pre-op paperwork and appointment and participated in the joint replacement webinar. Now he needs to stay hydrated and healthy.

Ben’s hip has been really hurting lately. Apparently the injection he had has worn off. The doctor recommends staying away from pain meds leading up to the surgery.

So please pray that he can stay as comfortable as possible this week, that he will comply with pre-op orders from the doctor, and that the surgery is successful and without complications. 

I will update on Thursday.

Thank you!

Ben had an appointment today with Dr Furie, the orthopedist from Atlanta Medical. He said Ben’s arm is healed so Ben no longer has to wear the brace! And we plan on going ahead with his hip replacement on Feb 6. 

Please pray that nothing delays the surgery. 

Also, pray that God will protect Ben’s job and his benefits. He has been out for nearly 5 months now. After his hip replacement he still has one more surgery ahead of him, so he really needs to keep his insurance! And he wants to go back to work as soon as he has healed. 

Thank you for checking on Ben and for your prayers!

Ben had an appointment with Dr. Statton yesterday. He confirmed that, in addition to the arthritis, there is also avascular necrosis in Ben’s hip. (There had been some confusion about that earlier.) The treatment for both conditions is hip replacement so that does not change Ben’s treatment plan. The hip replacement is scheduled for February 6th. 

Please pray that Ben’s arm will be healed by Feb 6th so there are no delays with the surgery. He is able to get around but still has pain in his hip. He is ready to get this done!

Please pray also that Ben can sleep well at night. 

Thank you for praying and for checking on Ben.

Ben had an appointment today with Dr. Furie, the orthopedic surgeon from Atlanta Medical. He said Ben’s arm is continuing to heal but he wants to check it again in 5 weeks at which time he is expecting it to be healed enough for the hip replacement. He seemed pleased overall with Ben’s range of motion in that arm, with a couple of areas that need some stretching still. 

There is still evidence of damage to Ben’s ulnar nerve in his left arm- numbness in his pinkie finger, mostly. Considering the fact that he could not feel or use his fingers at all for a while, that seems like more of an annoyance than anything. 

Ben is still having some pain relief from the injection. It is painful to walk, but that doesn’t seem to be slowing him down much. 

We always have much to be thankful for, but this Thanksgiving was especially sweet. Thank you for continuing to pray for healing, pain management and wisdom for Ben and his doctors in establishing limitations and planning next steps. 

Ben was recently interviewed by Doug Evans of Fox 5 News. Doug interviewed me at the hospital shortly after the shooting and he has been following Ben’s recovery. The interview aired Tuesday, 11/19.

Ben is getting around pretty well but the effects from the steroid injection seem to be wearing off. He will see the orthopedic surgeon in 2 weeks and we will find out then if his arm is healed enough for the hip replacement surgery.

We appreciate prayers for healing and pain management. We will trust in Gods timing for the surgery. Ben is so ready for it!

Thank you for continuing to pray and for checking on Ben.