Monday, Dec. 18
Since the surgery a week ago, Dustin has improved some. His eyes are opened again occasionally and the physical therapists were encouraged by their work with him today–he seemed to be trying to hold himself up some. He also is breathing on his own again through his nose/mouth; the trach is capped. These are good signs.
At the same time, Dustin remains unresponsive, does have a touch of pneumonia and a urinary tract infection and is therefore on antibiotics again. In order to better facilitate Dustin’s getting intravenous medications he received a “peripherally inserted central catheter” (PICC line) in his upper arm today.
Also, the doctor overseeing Dustin’s care this week at North Greenville Hospital is encourgaing that he be moved to a facility that specializes in brain trauma so that he might get “more aggressive treatment.” He mentioned a few facilities that he has sent patients to before and there are others that are being looked into as well. Again, if you have suggestions along this line, please send an email to this address.
Continue to pray for Leigh Anne’s endurance, strength and peace. It has been almost 6 weeks now and the pain, fear, confusion, etc. are in many ways more accute now than they were 5 weeks ago. Pray for her as she tries to balance home and hospital, ‘mothering’ and ‘wifeing’, serving and resting.
December 18th, 2006 at 1:58 pm
We continue to hold Dustin & his family in prayer. Today’s update is encouraging as it seems so similar to my own brother-in-law’s continued recovery from similar head trauma. Since our family is some three weeks ahead of where Dustin is, I can offer great hope that you can indeed hope in God to restore Dustin remarkedly and substantially.
December 18th, 2006 at 2:47 pm
Leah Ann,
Hello this is Shane. I heard the news through the Hawk. I am so sorry. My family and I have been praying for Dustin, for you and your family. Wow! Three boys. My third girl is due in four weeks. I am finishing my 12th year on staff with Campus Outreach. I am a part of a expansion team to Central Kentucky. I work at Centre College in Danville, KY. We will continue to pray. Ps. 34:18 “God is near to those who are broken hearted and crushed in spirit”
Your old friend,
Shane Terrell
December 18th, 2006 at 3:08 pm
Thanks for the update. Our prayers continue.
December 18th, 2006 at 4:13 pm
Jesus wept……as thousands weep with you…..and then…..He raised Lazarus!!!
December 18th, 2006 at 5:30 pm
Leigh Anne-
I wanted to let you know that my mom and I are planning to drop by and visit you over our Christmas vacation. We’ll be traveling through the region and hope to stay in Greenville the night of the 28th. I can hardly wait to see you, Dustin, and the kids.
I’ve thought several times about writing something to leave as a comment for you here - it’s tempting to flip through my Bible and find something that is nice and encouraging though probably out of context. Platitudes are so easy to fall back on, especially now. I know that’s not what you need, and it’s not what we need to be comforting ourselves with.
At the same time, it’s Advent, and what we hear this time of year is promise. God has bound Himself to make His glory rise upon His people (Isa. 60:1-2). The “devastations of many generations” (61:4) will be raised up, the former darkness driven away by the Light. I have been waiting and hardly daring to hope, as I think we all have, but what I hardly dare hope for is always too little. We are always satisfied with the hope of things being fixed here and now; rarely do we allow ourselves to feel the ache of as-yet-unfulfilled longing for what God has promised.
I guess I’ve fallen back into platitudes, like I didn’t want to. But this is all we have: the promise that God will make it right. One day, we will see the Lord’s glory rising once and for all upon us, and we will wonder at what we dared not hope for in the former life. Whatever answer God gives our prayers for Dustin, that will be only the smallest glimmer heralding the day when He will burst forth in radiance that will outshine the very sun.
You and your family remain very dear to my heart, and I pray that God smiles on our meeting. All my very deepest love to you, and may He grant you grace, mercy and peace in the days to come.
December 18th, 2006 at 9:34 pm
I am so eternally grateful for the invention of e-mail and the Internet. This enables us to have these periodic bulletins on Dustin’s condition for anyone to see and respond to. Truly, this is a wonderful age!
I was praying all day that somehow God will make it possible for us to meet personally. Actually, the folks you need to meet are my Mom and Dad, but they’re unavailable. Dad’s dead, Mom’s catatonic in a nursing home. What makes them important “for such a time as this” is that Dad was a 50-year TBI survivor. He, too, was in a coma that lasted six weeks. He never came back 100% but he managed well enuf. He was able to continue to be our sole provider, in fact doing what he’d done before the injury. (Educational publishing). But I, as a living witness, will have to do. And I pray that it will someday be possible.
What matters is not that he didn’t come back 100% but he used 100% of what he had. Dad was certainly a testimony that there can be life after a brain injury. I’m not saying it was easy. In fact, every day was a huge effort. And there were psychologic costs. But what mattered that in major ways, Dad was able to function as a normal husband and father.
But what better times you’re living in! Better diagnostics, surgeries, therapies, drugs, etc. That Dad survived when the state of the medical art was so relatively Stone Age was nothing short of miraculous.
I’ll end this by encouraging you, in the “resting” piece of your daily life, to indulge yourself in a few guilty pleasures. Try to take time to zone out with a few boxes of bon-bons, a split of champagne, some nice gossipy tv shows or a dvd of something funny. Retail therapy, anyone? If anyone’s earned it, it’s certainly you!
Love to you tonite,
Fran Froelich
December 18th, 2006 at 10:20 pm
Leigh Anne,
I was thinking of your family so much last night because it was Lessons and Carols at the church and when the childrens choir got up to sing, I could picture Jacob and Nathan up there with the rest of the kids (and I remember always being able to hear Jacob above everyone else)!! It made me miss you guys so much more and I just wanted to let you know that we think of you so often and love you guys so much! We pray continually for you and know that the Lord has a plan and a purpose through all that is happening. We love and miss you!
Jeanette
December 19th, 2006 at 12:21 am
Greetings my precious friend:
)
I hope you will not be reading this note at 1 am tonight with any sick child (that was last week…..let’s keep it there), but I couldn’t go to bed without giving you a good night “kiss” (ok, it’s just a note, but you get the point
To say that you are ever in our thoughts and prayers really doesn’t do it justice…As Grant stated in his post today, I know that life feels more “acute” with each passing day.
I was listening to Chuck Swindoll this morning. His message was part of a parenting series; his topic was “When God’s gift comes specially wrapped.” The message was really addressing wrestling with God’s sovereignty and His goodness having a child with disabilities. Having our nephew, I was very interested in the message. The answer to our wrestling always comes out that such events happen to provide Him an opportunity to display His glory and grace.
Needless to say, the application to Dustin and all of your family did not go un-noticed. I KNOW that our Loving Father is displaying His glory and grace in your lives. I need to remind myself of that every day.
Sleep well my friend!
Love,
Karen
December 19th, 2006 at 11:23 am
We continue to pray continually here in Fort Worth. Our God is a God of miracles!
December 19th, 2006 at 11:24 am
I meant to say “constantly”. continue..continually
It’s early here! We are praying!!
December 19th, 2006 at 1:42 pm
I just want to say THANK YOU to all who are posting….it is a tremendous blessing to ALL of us reading them!! At this Christmas time, how wonderful to be encouraged by all of your kind words and testimonies of God’s sovereign grace and power. God’s Word is so sharp and powerful and wonderful…it goes down to the very bone and heals us all! Again, thank you. Even though we have never met, I feel a deep connection with each member of the Salter family. Praying all the time, literally. If you have an opportunity, google the name Dustin Salter and see what comes up! It will bless you.
Merry Christmas,
Cheryl Babington
December 19th, 2006 at 3:28 pm
Leigh Anne, I just wanted to let you know that I am thinking of you and your family and praying for you and Dustin. I pray that God will give you the strength and wisdom to make all the decisions that need to be made now and in the time to come. I pray especially for your three precious children. Please know that you are in my heart and in my prayers and that I love you and think of you daily.
December 19th, 2006 at 4:08 pm
We are praying for you and your family in Butler, Alabama. Michelle keeps us updated. I can not imagine what you and your family are going through. God is in control. We will continue to keep you and your family in our thoughts and prayers.
God Bless You!
December 19th, 2006 at 5:07 pm
leigh anne,
just wanted to say hello and that i love you and have not stopped praying for you, dustin and the children. i miss you all so much and desperately hope i’ll find a way out there sometime in the coming months.
these last few updates have encouraged me… my faith that the Lord is to do something amazing in this situation grows stronger every day. you know me and my health experiences, and i have to admit — while i’m optimistic most of the time, i tend to be a pessimist when it comes to health and healing. and yet, i have not been able to (not that i’ve wanted to) shake the feeling that we’re going to witness a miracle… and i CAN’T wait!
love you all so much!
~martha
December 19th, 2006 at 11:14 pm
Leigh Anne,
I was able to pop in to see Dustin a few days ago. I was so sorry to have missed you. (I hope you got my note) I think of you & your whole family so often. You are lifted up constantly in prayer by your Greystone friends. I hope to get to see you the next time I can get over there.
To help you smile…as Dustin has been known to say…
Hip Hop Forever!
Kelly Carew
December 20th, 2006 at 12:51 am
We got a handful of UWA and Cathedral Christian people here in Birmingham praying for you as well. God bless.
-matt ford
December 20th, 2006 at 11:15 pm
Leigh Anne and children,
Just wanted you to know that you are surely in my thoughts and prayers. I remember you with love.
Dorthy Bantau
Fort Worth Presbyterian
December 22nd, 2006 at 12:40 am
Hey Sweetie!
The update on Dustin is encouraging! Hang in there! God is awesome and will work miracles! You, Dustin and the kids are in my prayers daily! I know it’s hard with this season nearly here. One of the things that I have always admired about you is your strength and faith. It’s b/c of these things that I know you will not only make it through this season but make sure the kids have a good Christmas. In the hardest of times is when God is teaching us the most important lessons. He is with you!
On a different note, you asked to keep you updated on my family. Dad is getting worse and is staying in bed more. He’s requiring a lot more sleep these days. He’s showing early signs of congested heart failure. My uncle is significantly worse. His air intake is down and is having an increase of spells of not being able to breath. My aunt called yesterday upset b/c he was turning blue from lack of air supply.
On a happy note, my son is doing great! I, personally, am doing good and growing in Christ daily it seems. I’m so afraid to feel far away from Him with everything that is going on. He is truly my comfort and my rock!!
I wish I was there with you! If you need anything, please call!! Or email me at laticiaedwards@hotmail.com
I will call you soon!
Love you,
Tisha
December 22nd, 2006 at 10:02 am
Leigh Anne,
I enjoyed the cards so much! I am honored that you let me “adopt” your kids! We will not stop praying for you all. Know that prayers from Georgia continue!
Amy
December 22nd, 2006 at 10:14 am
Dear Sweet Leigh Anne,
I wanted to let you know that Weyman and I are still praying for your family. If something happens that you don’t have help during the holidays, I can be a fallback.
Our family had a big fall this year. Little Weyman started K-5 at Cahaba Heights, Mary Leslie started Junior High School (7th), Kendall started High School (9th), Lynze turned 16 , and I started teaching ESL (English as a Second Language) full time. There was an opening in Vestavia (where my children are)for the first time in 8 years. It happened to be At Cahaba Heights, and I “happened” to get the job. My classroom also “happens” to be on the K-5 hall, right next door to Weyman’s class. All three of the k-5 teachers go to church with me, and Weyman’s teacher used to be on staff w/ CCC at AL.
I have children from Viet Nam, Korea, China, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, and Costa Rica. Everyday, it’s like getting to be an international missionary. I really like what I am doing, and am so thankful to the Lord for this opportunity, and blessing.
Weyman and I have been helping with Stampede this fall (high school ministry), and have had 50-90 kids come each week ( a school record). One the of the girls were adamant (and very convincing) that we were too old to help, and that no-one wants parents there. It has ended up being a huge blessing to work together as a family to minister to these high school kids.
Well, I just wanted to let you know that we love you and are praying for you.
love, Sandi
December 22nd, 2006 at 2:47 pm
Thanks so much for these helpful updates. They shape our praying. We continue to pray in Charlottesville.
Come anew, Lord Jesus! GT
December 22nd, 2006 at 8:35 pm
Dearest Leigh Anne-
I am praying…I am praying and I love you. My heart is hopeful even through these streams of tears…we have a savior who is victorious. Ben Graber’s picture of Christ’s glory to come and to make all things right is what gives me comfort.
Know that I will not grow weary of praying.
Love,
Mere (Emmy)
December 23rd, 2006 at 6:22 pm
Leigh Ann,
I just wanted you to know that many are praying for you and Dustin and your children here in Chattanooga, TN (1st Presbyterian), and we lift you up regularly during our family prayer time.
May the God who is able to do abundantly beyond what we ask or think grant comfort and peace to you and your children and may he heal Dustin.
The Bridenstine family
December 24th, 2006 at 3:38 pm
Dear Leigh Anne-
It’s Christmas Eve day and you and your family are on my mind and in my heart. Please know that- there are many , many people who know you and love you and continue to hold you and Dustin and the children up in prayer. Also, there are many people who ,though strangers,are praying for you as well. May God grant you a sense of pure peace and strength today, tonight, and tomorrow as you celebrate His great gift to us. And may God above cradle Dustin and breathe life and strength into him as well.
With great fondness,
The Schaum Family
December 24th, 2006 at 4:26 pm
Dear Leigh Anne,
Christmas Eve day. Sunday, church (Lessons and Carols), putting up the tree, baking up a storm, finished buying gifts and *trying* to finish making others. Parties, friends, family, a funeral (for a 91 yo former neighbor that I dearly loved who lived a truly wonderful life). Catching my breath before Evening (Christmas Eve candlelight service)–and counting blessings.
This Christmas, of course, can’t be easy or as merry as Christmas should be. Again, I wish I could snap my fingers to make my Mom and Dad available to share their tbi experience with you, even 53 yo that it is. I’m all you’ve got but I’m *what* you’ve got from my family.
But–Merry Christmas anyway, not just to you, Dustin, and your kids. But this is a Christmas blessing and thanks to everyone who’s walked beside you (and I’m sure Mark, Judy, and all the Kleins have been among them). This board, and related ones, have been such an encouragement. What a wonderful thing that so many lives that yours and Dustin’s have touched are being returned in full measure, pressed down, and overflowing. (Didn’t have a full concordance in front of me to identify chapter and verse. Can anyone help me out?)
Again and again, and tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow, Is. 40:31.
Love to *all* of you
December 24th, 2006 at 7:30 pm
Hi Leigh Anne,
You don’t know me and I only met Dustin once, but I can’t tell you how often you and your family cross my mind and are in my prayers. I’m a student at TCU and was a reporter for the student newspaper. I interviewed students about Dustin when I wrote an article early in the semester about the new RUF leader at TCU. Unfortunately- although I loved hearing stories about your husband- I also wrote an article updating the many students who were inquiring about Dustin’s condition. As I wrote, I was continually blessed by Dustin’s words and the testimonies of those who were fortunate enough to have sat under his teaching at TCU. I can’t even begin to explain to you the look in their eyes when they spoke about him. I don’t know your husband well, but I know that he is a man of God who has taught the Truth of the Gospel and is furthering the Kingdom of Christ. What greater calling is there? Dustin affected a lot of lives ministering to college students in Fort Worth, and it’s clear that he is still affecting lives today.
I wish I could offer more than my prayers, but I don’t know what else to give. We serve a faithful Lord who is more powerful than fear, doubt, confusion or injury, and I am believing that He has a perfect will in this situation. In Dustin’s own words: “The plan is perfect. Coincidence says there is no plan, but providence says God is always accomplishing His plan for our good and His glory.” What wisdom! Be comforted in the mighty arms of your Savior! I will continue to lift up your family in prayer..
In His grip and under His grace,
Michelle
December 25th, 2006 at 7:32 am
It is Christmas morning Leigh Anne and we are praying for you and Dustin and the children. May God fill you with his peace and his love today. May you feel his arms around you, holding you tightly. Christ came for you and for this.
December 25th, 2006 at 11:38 am
Our family continues to pray for you, Dustin and the children every single evening, as we have been since Dustin was injured. May the Lord sustain you and even give you an abiding joy in Him. We are praying for complete restoration of Dustin. (Our son, Leighton, takes part in RUF at Furman.)
December 25th, 2006 at 12:03 pm
Thinking of all of you today and always.
Love, Cheryl Babington
December 25th, 2006 at 2:42 pm
dearest leigh anne,
you do not know me, and i wish that i had had the courage and taken the time to step into dustin’s office at tcu and get to know him better. dustin has no idea the effect he’s had on me, and i’m sure countless others could say the same. even in this semester, while i’ve been in barcelona, dustin and your family has shown me god. honestly, somewhere along the way i forgot how to pray, i didn’t know what words god could possibly want to hear from me, but everything has become simple again. hit my knees. bow my head. let my heart speak: dear lord, my father in heaven, draw so, so close to dustin and his family. wrap your loving arms around them. let them know they are loved.
on this christmas day this is my prayer for you. i am encouraged by your faith and hope, leigh anne. thank you from the bottom of my heart. you and dustin have shown me god in a time that i was walking away from him.
all my love to you and your family.
December 25th, 2006 at 8:48 pm
Hey Leigh Anne~
Just thinking of you and the kids on this Christmas day. We continue to pray for Dustin’s complete healing. May the Lord give you a special measure of His grace on this day.
With much love,
Jennifer
December 25th, 2006 at 9:08 pm
Praying for you on this difficult day.
December 25th, 2006 at 9:51 pm
Hi Leigh Anne–It’s Christmas night and we’re praying for you in Charlottesville. Your King has come. And will come again. Peace. GT
December 25th, 2006 at 10:18 pm
Merry Christmas My Friend!
We wanted to let you know that we are thinking of you and love you…
Sweet dreams,
Karen & Ken
December 25th, 2006 at 10:42 pm
Leigh Anne,
We have been thinking of you and the children this Christmas season and know that our Savior, Christ Jesus is here for us always and in all circumstances. We pray that we will see the miracle of healing for Dustin in the New Year and that you and the kids remain cloaked in Christ’s love and the love of all your church families.
We appreciate these updates as well as the early updates from our dear brother Jeff and will continue to keep in touch through them. God is a mighty God and we have seen his majesty though your sweet spirit and strength through all of this. How blessed Jacob, Nathan and Meredith are to have you for a mother!
We won’t stop praying in Fort Worth! We love you guys!
Harold and Cynthia
December 25th, 2006 at 10:44 pm
Merry Christmas, Leigh Anne ~ Thinking of you and praying for you tonight ~ Denise
December 26th, 2006 at 12:24 am
I am struck this Christmas day of how the saints of old watched fervently for the coming Messiah, continually searching scriptures so they would know the signs of his coming. He was the expected one - even from the beginning of time - who would make things right (Genesis 3:15).
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…”(John 1:14). How astounding! It takes but a second to read that remarkable statement, but the saints of old waited thousands of years to see its fulfillment. And while they waited, many suffered tremendously, but with the silent joy of expectation that one day God would make all things right.
“And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment - to bring all things in heaven and earth together under one head, even Christ.” (Ephesians 1:9-10)
Leigh Anne, we are suffering with you over Dustin and we are waiting with you for that day when all things will be made right, when all things in heaven and earth will be brought together under one head, even Christ. It will happen. The Lord has never, never, NEVER failed his people.
I pray that the signficance of this day will have a profound effect on you…that yes, some 2000 years ago, a babe was indeed born. And he was the expected one for thousands of years before that!
May the Lord bless you and keep you and yours,
Ken
December 26th, 2006 at 12:26 am
Dear Leigh Anne,
You all are on our minds, and on our hearts. We continue to pray for you, Dustin and the kids.
- Michael & Kristi Breed, Dallas, TX
December 26th, 2006 at 2:53 pm
Hi Leigh Anne,
We’re still praying. Merry Christmas. We love you guys!
Serving the King of Kings,
Eric & Jenny Levenhagen
December 26th, 2006 at 7:27 pm
Dear LeighAnne,
It is powerful and precious to read the updates and comments from the people of God. It grows our faith and forces us to lean and push and rely and know that God is almighty and can and will do beyond all we can image. It is the awesome truth.
We love you and Dustin and the kids and are and will continue to pray, pray, pray.
The Miners
December 30th, 2006 at 1:23 am
Guide us, O Thou great Jehovah, pilgrim through this barren land
We are weak, but Thou art mighty; hold us with Thy powerful hand,
Bread of heaven, Bread of heaven, feed us till we want no more,
Feed us till we want no more.
Open now the crystal fountain, whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fire and cloudy pillar lead us all our journey through;
Strong Deliverer, Strong Deliverer, be Thou still our strength and shield,
Be Thou still our strength and shield.
When we tread the verge of Jordan, bid our anxious fears subside;
Death of death and hell’s destruction, land us safe on Canaan’s side;
Songs of praises, Songs of praises, we will ever give to Thee
We will ever give to Thee.
Leigh Anne,
We are praying for you, for your boys, and for Dustin. Let us know if there are additional ways we can help you and your family.
Hoping and praying in light of what Jesus has done when He came and will do when He returns,
Howard and Melissa (on behalf of Grace PCA in Shreveport, LA)
In keeping with Greg’s comments, Jesus came to overturn sin and death and ALL it effects:
Revelation 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.
2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,
4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”
5 And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”
22:1 Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb,
2 in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
3 There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him;
4 they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.
5 And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.
6 And he said to me, “These words are faithful and true”