There are some changes in Dustin’s condition and treatment that are noteworthy.
1) Several times over the last week or two, they have placed Dustin on a ’tilt table.’ This is a table that he gets strapped down to and then he is raised up to almost standing upright. He hasn’t gotten past 45 degrees, but having been on his back or sides for the last 11 weeks, 45 degrees is quite significant. This exercise helps put pressure on his legs and feet, helps circulation to his feet and lower legs, reduces tone in his muscles by stretching them out, and generally loosens up his muscles and joints. He endures this fairly well, keeping a good BP and has also shown some signs of trying to help posture himself and does occasionally respond to commands to move a toe or raise a thumb or following with his eyes.
2) They removed the trach this morning. This is really a positive thing. In many ways, Dustin has come a long way from 3 months ago in the ICU when the ventilator was breathing for him and he was having to be suctioned out 6-8 times a day. Now, the doctors feel he is able to take care of all those things on his own, and see no reason why he ought not be able to continue doing so.
We are now 5 days away from Dustin’s flight back to Fort Worth. Please continue fervently in prayer for:
- Dustin’s healing
- Leigh Anne’s endurance, rest and peace
- Dustin’s safe transport (31st)
- Leigh Anne and kid’s safe travel (30th)
- the transition back to Texas (praise God for great friends who are working out all the details!)
- the insurance company to pay for 2 weeks at Kindred!
Psalm 20
1TO THE CHOIRMASTER. A PSALM OF DAVID. May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you! 2May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you support from Zion! 3May he remember all your offerings and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! 4May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans! 5May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners! May the Lord fulfill all your petitions! 6Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand. 7Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. 8They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright. 9O Lord, save the king! May he answer us when we call.
This entry was posted
on Friday, January 26th, 2007 at 3:11 pm and is filed under Uncategorized.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
There are some changes in Dustin’s condition and treatment that are noteworthy.
1) Several times over the last week or two, they have placed Dustin on a ’tilt table.’ This is a table that he gets strapped down to and then he is raised up to almost standing upright. He hasn’t gotten past 45 degrees, but having been on his back or sides for the last 11 weeks, 45 degrees is quite significant. This exercise helps put pressure on his legs and feet, helps circulation to his feet and lower legs, reduces tone in his muscles by stretching them out, and generally loosens up his muscles and joints. He endures this fairly well, keeping a good BP and has also shown some signs of trying to help posture himself and does occasionally respond to commands to move a toe or raise a thumb or following with his eyes.
2) They removed the trach this morning. This is really a positive thing. In many ways, Dustin has come a long way from 3 months ago in the ICU when the ventilator was breathing for him and he was having to be suctioned out 6-8 times a day. Now, the doctors feel he is able to take care of all those things on his own, and see no reason why he ought not be able to continue doing so.
We are now 5 days away from Dustin’s flight back to Fort Worth. Please continue fervently in prayer for:
- Dustin’s healing
- Leigh Anne’s endurance, rest and peace
- Dustin’s safe transport (31st)
- Leigh Anne and kid’s safe travel (30th)
- the transition back to Texas (praise God for great friends who are working out all the details!)
- the insurance company to pay for 2 weeks at Kindred!
Psalm 20
1TO THE CHOIRMASTER. A PSALM OF DAVID. May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you! 2May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you support from Zion! 3May he remember all your offerings and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! 4May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans! 5May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners! May the Lord fulfill all your petitions! 6Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand. 7Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. 8They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright. 9O Lord, save the king! May he answer us when we call.
This entry was posted
on Friday, January 26th, 2007 at 3:11 pm and is filed under Uncategorized.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
January 26th, 2007 at 3:20 pm
Leigh Anne,
My heart rejoices at the good news! Praise God!
Grace and Peace,
Eric and Jen
January 26th, 2007 at 3:25 pm
Dearest Leigh Anne and family,
Yes, we DO trust in the name of our God. I KNOW everyone in SC will so miss you, even having known you for such a short time. A short time is a lifetime when knit together by trial! You have held up well under this trial, my dear sister and you will continue to do so with even more old friends to bear this burden with you until God unfolds His perfect plan. This news about Dustin is indeed encouraging and we will all certainly plan for all your needs to be met and your enduring strength and peace. We will NEVER stop praying, you can know that for SURE!!
In His Gri
January 26th, 2007 at 5:32 pm
This is good news to hear, and it will be even better to have you here and be able to see you. You remain very much on my heart and in my mind each day. God be praised.
grace and peace
Ben
January 26th, 2007 at 8:06 pm
Glad to hear the good news! My children are the same ages as yours and I think about and pray for you often, Leigh Anne.
Kathryn Cotten
January 26th, 2007 at 8:07 pm
Dearest Leigh Anne,
There’s certainly no place like home. I’m forever grateful (as are we all)that you have a home to return to. And friends, family, and a facility for Dustin.
I’m praying most of all for coverage at Kindred, hopefully beyond two weeks. If not there, than an equally appropriate place. The only way I’ve met Dustin was thru his sermons. I was really impressed. Whoever gets him as a patient will have a wonderful one–and family, too. You and yours sound like the kind of package deal that’s just what the doctor ordered.
I’ll repeat what I’ve said earlier: I pray you remember your time in S.C. with fondness, even tho your stay ended as it did. It’s unbelieveable what love and support two newcomers like yourselves got “for such a time as this.” It not only says volumes about the kind of people you are, but also what Redeemer Church is like. Well, I know the Kleins, who introduced me to a few others. All were great. But an experience like this really shows what people are made of.
It’s now unlikely we’ll meet even if and when I return to Taylors.But I pray I’m wrong and God makes a way. I feel we’d have so much to talk about, even across the generations.
Happy Landings!
Love, Fran
January 26th, 2007 at 8:25 pm
leigh Anne, It was wonderful to hear the good news, my husband too suffers from a brain injury he was hit by a car Dec. 13, 2005. Every time I read your posting my heart goes out to you, I know what you are going through. All the little steps mean a lot,don’t give up I didn’t. My advise to you is to get him in a brain injury re hap hospital as soon as possible, We went to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Ga. I know there are more hospitals like Shepherds out west, I hope you will be able to find one soon. I wish you the best and I will be praying for you. My husband and has come a long way in a year. By the grace of God and prayer you will make it.
January 27th, 2007 at 8:08 am
Leigh Anne,
We are uplifted by the good news! Josh and I will certainly be praying for your move back to Fort Worth and for the insurance to be worked out.
We will be back in the area Feb. 16th. Please let us know if there is anything we can do or help you with. Since we are no longer employed full time and will be available, please let us know if there is anything - big or small - that we can do to help!
Amy and Josh Oettle
January 27th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
Will be continuing to pray and also praying the specific prayers asked. Know that you are loved by so many…even those who have never met you.
Amy
January 28th, 2007 at 1:37 am
Leigh Anne,
As I prayed with my 4 and 5 year old sons tonight, the Lord placed you on my heart in a much stronger sense than what I have felt over the past couple of months. I am not sure why tonight was different, but it did bring me on a search for this website for an update. And with that, I now have very specific things to be praying for the next few days, just as I know so many others are doing. Prior to this, our updates have been coming every few weeks from the same friends, Steven and Tiffani Hood, who asked that we start praying back in November.
Our family will continue to pray for yours!! And just as Amy Maves has already stated…”Know that you are loved by so many…even those who have never met you.”
May you feel our Father’s embrace even more over the next few days,
In His love,
Tonia
January 28th, 2007 at 8:33 pm
It is with heavy hearts and bittersweet memories that we here in Travelers Rest, South Carolina send you guys home to Texas. Texas gains from our loss.
You will all remain prominent in my prayers, foremost in my thoughts, and forever in my heart.
Psalm 18:1-6
The Wilson family
January 29th, 2007 at 8:19 pm
We continue to pray for you, especially during this move in the next 2 days. May you find great comfort and support from God’s people in Fort Worth. We’re so encouraged by the progress Dustin has made. Grace and Peace be yours. Jennifer, Redeemer Pres, Athens, GA
January 30th, 2007 at 4:06 am
Journey mercies be with your Leigh Anne and family!
We look forward to hearing more from you of the slow but sure progress Dustin is making. Some may trust in chariots, but we trust in our Lord. What a wonderful reminder.
Love, Lyndis
January 30th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
Dearest Leigh Anne,
What a privilege we have to know and pray for you all and Dustin. II Corinthians 1 is overflowing with promises and purposes. We (the saints) can be comforted from your affliction…it seems all backwards. Your family is a constant comfort and blessing to all of us, and we count it a huge blessing from God that He brought you back to Texas.
II Corinthians 1:5-11:
“For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your (the churchs’) comfort, which you (the church) experience when you (the church) patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you (the church, etc.) share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experianced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.”