Thursday December 14, 2023

Dear Friends,

On Monday Rob had a CT scan of his head and then today was his 1 month follow-up appointment with the surgeon who performed the cranioplasty.  There is still a little fluid buildup, but the Doc wasn’t concerned and said overtime it will dissipate.  There is no need for another follow-up visit unless some new concern arises. The incision is looking good and his hair is growing in nicely.

Also addressed at the appointment was pain. I don’t even know where to begin with describing what Rob is enduring. The spasticity in his left leg is relentless causing extreme pain. I’ve never been poked with a cattle prod, and to my knowledge, neither has Rob, but it’s what I imagine the pain must be like to him. Without warning, Rob gets a shocking jolt of prickly, aching, and then burning pain. If he’s fortunate, he’ll get more than a couple of minutes between jolts. It’s worse when he’s sitting up in the wheelchair, so after meals and after therapy he wants to be back in bed. The spasm and pain medications don’t seem to be doing their jobs and the topical pain rub ointment that brings him a measure of relief has not been available due to supply chain issues. A friend purchased a couple over the counter creams for us to try. Hopefully one of them will help. At an appointment 2 weeks ago the Doc he had when he was in acute rehab at Regions, upped his nerve pain medication by 3. Today the doses were increased again. Then there is his preexisting left hip pain that has gotten worse, and he has developed pain in his right hand, causing dexterity problems. My heart aches, hearing his cries, watching him be tortured with pain multiple times a day, day after day. He has said he would be ok if he fell asleep and didn’t wake up. I can’t even describe how I feel when I hear that kind of talk.

I feel helpless. I pray. I feel broken. I pray. I cry. I pray. And when I wake up in the night and feel scared and alone, I pray. I “Pray constantly.” 1 Corinthians 5:17,

And when I can’t pray, “the spirit also joins in with help for (my) weakness; for the problem is that I do not know what I) should pray for as I need to, but the spirit itself pleads for (me) with unuttered groaning.” – Romans 8:26

On the upside, Rob’s core muscles are getting stronger helping him to sit a little straighter in his chair, and making him able to propel his chair by himself, giving him a little independence. The other day he made it from the dining room all the way back to his room on his own. He is also improving in the speed at which he communicates, responding to questions and joining in on conversations more often. And then just this week, he was recalling something that one of the other residents said that made him laugh to the point where he couldn’t quit. And just when he’d stop laughing, he would think of the resident again and laugh all over again. It was music to my ears.

Meetings: On Sunday’s I get up early and bring my laptop so we can watch meeting together. Sometimes it’s just the 2 of us, other times we are joined by one of our resident friends. This past Sunday, 2 brothers from a nearby congregation came and joined us for the last 15 minutes of the WT and then sang with us. It was so nice to have other voices join us in song. On Thursdays, I join Zoom from home, then I call Rob and lay my phone by my laptop speaker so he can hear the meeting. I wish I could be with him on Thursdays too, but I have problems with night driving and with it getting dark so early, I try to leave for home by midafternoon. Also, I just don’t like being so far away and then having an hour drive to get home. Our goal is, once his pain is under control and he can spend longer times up in the wheelchair, to get a metro mobility ride to the nearest Kingdom Hall. That will be an exciting day!

Hebrews 10:24,25

We miss you all.

-Twila