Caregivers

Phil 2:20  I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare.  Plans are proceding for my return to PR.  A high point is that a good friend is going to be my case manager.  There is something I would like you to pray for when I come home-good caregivers.  I've talked to several people at GF Strong and they stress that my caregivers will be really important to the success of my return to living at home.  We've begun discussing this my my transition team.  Pray that we will choose people who will care about my needs and be teachable and I will be able to convey my needs to them.

John typed this himself!!

When good things I do bring me no reward
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 ESV (1) If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. (2) And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. (3) If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Today I want to ask you to pray my love will increase. Verse 1 for instance, can be applied to these blog entries. Do I write believing that it will help you pray for me or so that you can see how spiritual I am.
Verse 2 might apply to the Bible verses I share with you. Am I helping you or trying to impress you
Verse 3 might refer to my injury. Is it truly God’s plan for me, or am I using my injury to be a Christian martyr. I hope you can see from these examples why I want you to pray.

Not holding up on my own

Isa. 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. This is a verse we memorized so long ago and it is so relevant today. Some days I don't feel like things are going right but God is there to uphold me and I don't need to be doing any holding up on my own. We have such a great God. John's week has gone well although he has been a little bit more tired this week. We were kind of expecting that because of increasing his pills for spasms. I think maybe his spasms are a little better than last week.

Instructions needed

Yesterday John got a new demo chair. This one has so many bells and whistles that neither one of us have really figured it out yet. We are hoping the vendor will come back and give us a few tips on how to run different things on it. It is a front wheel drive which is great when you are going forward but I haven't got a handle on how to back up yet. Poor John - I can't figure out why he isn't carsick yet as he lunges from side to side when I drive! Things sure run better when you have instructions to go by. This brings me back to the verse that seems to be my theme Prov. 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

Cardiologist

Today John went to the cardiologist. He has a very slow heart rate and the doctors at GF Strong were concerned about this. He had various tests and so we went to hear the verdict from the specialist. We were quite happy to hear the tests they did show his heart is doing well-it is just slow, but empties well etc. He also said there is no need for a heart pacemaker which is what the doctor at GF Strong was wondering. We are thankful that things are good just the way they are.

False Alarm

I was thinking of the incident in Luke 8:40-56 when Jesus said that a girl everyone thought was dead was just sleeping. At GF Strong they took blood from my PICC line and found my hemoglobin had dropped substantially from 2 weeks ago. They took me to VGH for a blood transfusion. At VGH they took more blood and found my hemoglobin had not dropped so they shipped me right back to GF Strong. I also find it easy to think the worst of my situation. Good news came this week when I found out a good friend from Powell River is going to be my case manager in PR. It seems every time when I think the worst God has a pleasant surprise for me. From Phil 4:5,6 pray I will put aside my speculations and rest in the peace of God

Extra chest physio needed

Today when I got to GF Strong the physio and respiratory therapists were pummelling John - well really his chest. He had a bad spell in the night where his oxygen levels went down and so first thing this morning they were working on his chest to clear everything out. Then after lunch he went back to bed and they had another go at him. When I left him tonight his chest was pretty good. We are praying for a better night. Would you please pray with us as tomorrow is John's second family team meeting. Pray for clear communication and good understanding between all the caregivers and the family as well.