Hospital Day #25 - 12/26/23 - RELEARNING The 3 R’s of Learning - Reading, wRiting, and aRithmetic

Hospital Day #25 - 12/26/23 - RELEARNING The 3 R’s of Learning - Reading, wRiting, and aRithmetic

Today was a great day! Brittney took her PT (physical therapy) safety test (Berg Balance) and got 55 out of 56 points.  So when we are discharged, she safe to head home (no in-patient rehab needed).  She’ll likely have lots of out-patient rehab (occupational, physical, and speech) to get her back in the classroom teaching again!

Brittney has progressed in amazing ways with her physical, occupational, and speech therapies.  Reading, writing, and numbers continue to be some of her most difficult areas.  She has been working so hard on her speech “homework” the past few days. Crosswords, word finds, synonyms, and fill in the blanks are some of what is involved.  Although the words are still within her brain, she has to work very hard to “reconnect” them to her writing and spelling.  Imagine knowing the answers but struggling to communicate them.  It is a frustrating process, but Brittney is “relearning” her alphabet and how to spell many words in order to communicate them in written form.  Similarly text messaging on a phone is very tedious and it can take several minutes, letter by letter, to be coached through the typing of a one-phrase text message.

Apart from her therapy, Brittney has a great visit with her dad, one daughter, and a sweet set of friends. Her appetite has returned and her energy/stamina is improving.  Her headaches were well controlled and it was a wonderful day overall!  God is answering your prayers, thank you!

How to Pray:

• Brittney’s progress with writing, reading, texting, and math - her most frustrating tasks currently!
• NO BRAIN BLEEDS & NO BLOOD CLOTS - Brittney takes another dose of blood thinner tomorrow and has another CT scan and ultrasound for the doctors to study in consideration of her discharge timeline

Ecclesiastes 12:12 “much study is a weariness of the flesh.”

Hospital Day #24 - 12/25/23 - Jesus’ Birthday!

 Hospital Day #24 - 12/25/23 - Jesus’ Birthday!

We loved, loved, loved celebrating Jesus’ birthday with our family today.  Since we couldn’t be home, our family came to us in person and on video chats.  Christmas is such a joy to celebrate as we remember the amazing love of God in sending His Son Jesus into the world to make a way for the forgiveness of sin. O what love! (https://www.trustworthyword.com/christmas) 

As our girls visited us, we enjoyed some entertainment (see L’s fun song!) with lots of smiles and laughs.  The girls got to open some gifts at home first, then brought some of their other gifts to open with us in the hospital.  The hospital had a delicious Christmas dinner that we got to enjoy together too!  The girls enjoyed passing out the last few dozen Panera Bread gift cards that we had remaining.

A little over a month ago when Brittney’s carotid arteries started showing desiccation (tearing) and other irregularities, Brittney started thinking of a special gift idea for the girls and her mom.  When Brittney and I dated, I gave her a special silver and gold “love knot” ring.  Brittney was worried about her condition worsening, or becoming fatal, so she wanted me to find a similar gift for her mom and daughters to always remember her by.  In recent days we were able to find a unique “mother-daughter love knot” ring that Brittney was able to surprise her mom and the girls with today.  It was such a special and sweet moment of love between these ladies.  Brittney overflows Jesus’ love in so many amazing ways :)

Brittney and I finished the day with a bit of Christmas movie watching together…Brittney even shared her fancy hospital bed! Thanks for your prayers for Brittney’s first day back on her 2nd blood thinners…things have gone great so far and we appreciate continued prayers for NO BRAIN BLEEDS and NO BLOOD CLOTS!

We hope and pray that you and your family had a great Christmas celebration as well. May we all realize and believe in the purpose of Christmas, to enjoy God’s witness of love and truth in His Son Jesus the Messiah.

“for this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice” (John 18:37 ESV)

Hospital Day #23 - 12/24/23 PM - Prayers Needed Tomorrow - NO BRAIN BLEEDS (restarting a 2nd Blood Thinner)

 

Hospital Day #23 - 12/24/23 PM - Prayers Needed Tomorrow - NO BRAIN BLEEDS (restarting a 2nd Blood Thinner)

Brittney had a great finish to her Christmas Eve, saying  “I feel like a kid at Christmas…and it’s not because of the presents…I just can’t wait to see everyone.”  I love how the love of Jesus overflows her heart with a love of others.  We absolutely cherished some great family time today and look forward to more great time with our crew tomorrow.  Regardless of location, we are so blessed to be able to spend time with one another as we celebrate Jesus’ birth (https://www.trustworthyword.com/christmas) 

ONE BIG PRAYER - Brittney’s clear CT scan today (thank you Lord!) allows for her to begin the 2nd of her two blood thinners again tomorrow. The doctors have waited two weeks post-stroke to start it back up (at a half dose this time) because of the danger of her brain bleed restarting.  So while she has remained safe from clots and brain bleeds the past two weeks on one blood thinner, this necessary step of returning to two blood thinners (to keep her 4 carotid/vertebral artery stents from clotting) is a serious step.  So please pray tomorrow (and the rest of the week) that specifically Brittney has NO BRAIN BLEEDS (and still no blood clots too :)).

Thank you prayer warriors!

Isaiah 9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (ESV)

Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (ESV)