Dad at Rehab

I'm very excited to post the newest news about my dad. He has awakened from his coma, but still has a significant amount of brain damage. Our computer has been "in the shop" for over a month, so we've had very little chance to post any updates. This last Friday my friend Janelle and I went to visit mom and dad in Philadelphia at Moss Rehab (a brain rehab) where dad has been for the last 2 weeks. My mom has been living there with him in a special suite for family members. We praise the Lord that she is so close to him and just has to walk down the hall to see him. They spend all day every day together as she accompanies him to all of his rehabs. He has 5 each day (M-F), 2 on Saturday and 1 on Sunday. They include occupational (life skills), physical (walking) and speech therapy (talking and eating). Thank you so much for praying for us. The recovery road is VERY slow, and we're trusting the Lord for whatever amount of recovery He chooses for dad. Please pray especially that he can learn to walk, talk and eat. These are the three major things that would make it much easier to bring him to live at home and not to go to a nursing home. I wanted to share some pictures so you could see how well he's doing.

Dad continues to progress!

Friends,
Finally, a much overdue update on Becky's Dad. Our last update asked prayer for Dad as his heart rate was erratic, and he needed a surgery to replace his pacemaker. The surgery went very well, and soon after he was alert and responding to us again. This was a great relief! Thank you so much for your prayers concerning this! The latest development and answer to prayer is that the family has decided on a brain injury rehab facility, and Dad has been accepted there. It is called Moss Rehab, and it is close to Philadelphia in Elkins Park. Moss is a well-known, successful facility, so we are thankful and excited about Dad being moved there. He is still in Camp Hill near us, but will move on Monday, 4/16. Also, God has provided a suite for Mom to rent right there at the hospital for a low nightly rate. Though it has not been easy lately, we praise the Lord for His continual assurance that He is there and working consistently on our behalf and, more importantly, for His glory.
So please continue to pray for Dad and Mom. Pray for Dad to respond well to the different therapies. He has a long way to go in almost every physical function you can imagine. Pray for us as a family to trust God for the outcome, whatever it may be. Dad will be in rehab at least for the next 4 to 6 weeks, so also pray for patience and perseverance for Becky's Mom. It has been a long haul. And please pray that we will all not forget to be a testimony for God's glory as we go through this time. We have encountered many that do not know Christ, and it is our desire to minister to them, as God allows.
Finally, this verse encouraged me recently. As Moses first confronted Pharoah and found his response to be that of oppressing Israel even more, Moses was confused and questioned God. In God's response to Moses He said, "But I will harden Pharaoh's heart that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt." We don't understand God's ways all the time, but most assuredly He has a glorious purpose. His glory will be seen!

Thank you again for your support!
Travis

A Crucial Prayer Request

We have been so uplifted by your prayers for us during this time with my dad. He has had a fairly good week as far as his responses toward us. The Lord is answering our prayers concerning a couple of specific areas we have asked you to pray about.
1. Dad is no longer on dialysis. His kidneys are functioning at 24% and his creatnine level has dropped significantly. Praise the Lord! We are so thankful that He has met Dad's needs in the area of his kidneys.
2. He has been responding to the medical staff. This was a huge matter of prayer for us to help determine where Dad will be placed next. This is still not completely a settled matter, but his responses have definitely increased by the power of God! =)
We are depending highly on your prayers on our behalf, and so we bring you another crucial prayer request. Over the last week or so, Dad's heart rate has been very erratic, due to a malfunctioning of his pacemaker. It has not been functioning well at all and is having a very difficult time picking up the needed electrial signals that keep the heart beating well. The cardiologists are very concerned and say that this is a crucial thing for Dad's heart. It cannot be left alone, and the problem will not resolve itself. Our only option also puts him in a very crucial position. Dad needs a new pacemaker, but going into surgery is very dangerous because of the recent coma he is just starting to come out of. We need prayer for wisdom as we choose the doctor that will perform the surgery. We also ask you to pray for his safety through the surgery. His heart is very unstable at this time, and he could very easily have another cardiac arrest. Thank you so much for your prayers for my dad and our family. The Lord has been so good to us and we are trusting Him.

Bald and Chubby

As we get closer to the birth of our new baby, I was just thinking of Samuel when he was smaller and how bald and chubby he was. Thought I'd share some old pictures. These were taken shortly after we moved back to Pennsylvania. Hopefully our little girl will be a bit more petite, but I'm not counting on it!

Good Morning, Mom!

This is how I found Samuel one recent morning. He had gone to bed with a full set of footie pjs on. I guess I left him in his bed a little too long the next morning. He had completely undressed himself. I can't believe his diaper was still on! My mom says this is what I used to do on the way to church every Sunday. I bet she wanted to kill me!! He's such a happy waker-upper. Very rarely does he ever cry when he wakes up. Usually he's up to no good. This makes me a little bit nervous to switch him to a big boy bed. He'll probably have every toy in the entire room out and all of his clothes out of the drawers. I think I'll keep him caged up in his crib forever! =)

Life has been quite different for us the past week and a half. My mom has been living here in our apartment with us (in our spare bedroom...poor lady). I wish we had better quarters to offer her. =) We've been enjoying her presence so much. I'm not sure if it's mutual, but she is definitely enjoying her grandson.
Things with dad are quite different as well from the time of our last update. He is now in Select Specialty Hospital on the fifth floor of Holy Spirit Hospital in Camp Hill, PA. It is about 25 minutes from our house. Mom visits, of course, every day, and Samuel and I try to go in at least every other day. He was transferred here on Tuesday, March 13. That afternoon when we went to see him and welcome him to his new hospital mom leaned down over the bed and said, "Hello, honey! I told you I would be here to welcome you when you arrived." Dad responded by immediately, yet VERY slowly nodding his head "Yes." This was the FIRST response we had received since his cardiac arrest almost 3 weeks prior, so it thrilled us! For several days there were just a few responses here and there and mostly just some times of dad's eyes being open and looking at us, but beginning last Sunday afternoon he has responded in even greater ways. When Andy (my brother) and his family came to visit, Dad smiled at the grandson named after him (William) after Will greeted him.
This past Tuesday was a very special night for us. Mom and I were visiting with him and when she leaned over to kiss him, he actually puckered up and kissed her cheek!! What a gift from the Lord! Since that day he has done the same for my mom, not frequently, but just about once each day. This has encouraged us so much. Praise the Lord for these small steps that show at least some understanding in Dad's mind! He has also, on occasion, squeezed our hands when asked and even said "Hi" two different times! We don't want to bore you with ALL of the details, but we want you all to know that the Lord is encouraging our hearts by these improvements. For the most part we have noticed that Dad is in one of three different states: completely asleep and unable to be roused, eyes open but not with any kind of understanding, or eyes open and looking very intently at us (with understanding, not just a blank stare).
One of our biggest prayer requests to share with you at this time is that he will do these purposeful movements for the right people (doctors, nurses, medical people). These are the people who determine if my dad will be able to stay here. They inform the insurance company of the improvement they have seen. If he is improving, then he is allowed to stay, but if they see him as leveling out, then they will send him on. We would like to get him into a brain/cognitive rehabilitation center, and this is dependent upon his charted improvement. We've been asking the nurses to document these things that we see him do, but it would be even more impressive if he did them for the medical staff as well. We understand that he doesn't even know these people, so for them to get him to respond is a matter of prayer. He is much more likely to respond to those who love him (his family). On the medical side of things, it looks as if his staph infection (which began this whole hospital stay) is fairly clear. Also, we are praising the Lord for the improvement of Dad's kidneys (his creatnine levels are the best since his initial hospitalization...down from 11 to 2.8). This is still not a normal level, but it is a drastic improvement! Praise the Lord. We know it is His doing! They have also completely removed his trach tube. He no longer needs it to protect his airway. He is clearing out his airway on his own!
Well, this message is turning into a book, so I will close. What a blessing you are to us. Your prayers have carried us along. We bless the Lord and want His name to be lifted high and His glory to be shown to all those who come in contact with our family.
One more great blessing...there is a young wife (early 30s) who I was able to spend some time with in Dad's first hospital (State College, PA). Her husband was in the ICU with Dad and had suffered a stroke. He was taken off of life support a few days after Dad's transfer to Hershey (about a month ago). She was grieving so greatly and cried constantly. I was able to develop a friendship with her and even called Pastor Rick Gilbaugh (a family friend of ours) to come and pray with her one day and with her husband. After her husband's death, I learned that she attended Calvary Bible Church (Pastor Gilbaugh's church) and received Christ! WOW!! May the Lord be praised. His ways are perfect! =) Please pray for Melissa's growth in Christ since her decision. She will face some very dark days as a young widow. Thank you for the love and concern you have shown to our family.

Quick update

I wanted to give a quick update until I have more time. We're praising the Lord that my dad is becoming a little more awake. Today he was awake for almost an HOUR!! WOW! This is the third day in a row that he has kissed my mom...heeheehee! What an awesome encouragement that has been for her, and for all of us really. He is nowhere near recovered or anything like that, but we have been so happy for the small things he is doing. He sometimes looks at us with such understanding in his eyes, and then sometimes with a very blank stare, but we can definitely tell that sometimes he is truly seeing us and trying to understand what we're saying. today he said "hi" and when my mom and my dad's sisters clapped for him, he laughed!! =) what a great blessing for us. Thank you all for praying. I can't wait until I can write more. Please continue to pray for all of us. God's grace has been so amazing.