Healing

I had hoped to get an update on here sooner but this last week has just not allowed for the time to blog. Gigi is home now, we brought her home last Saturday night (the 10th). We had thought that she would go to an extended care facility for more recovery before coming home but due to “regulations” and the fact that the ECF doctor did not examine on weekends she could not get into the extended care facility before Monday and she was not doing well in the hospital. As to be expected, in an unfamiliar place with people constantly poking and prodding, she became increasingly agitated and combative, including pulling out her IV in the night, fighting, yelling, hitting and not sleeping well. We have come to realize that being unable to move her to an ECF before coming home was probably the best thing for her. Even though her care needs were more intense, she simply needed to come home. With that said, her homecoming has been difficult, but with time she has been healing well and we are so grateful! This past week has had extremely hard days mixed with decent ones and the last couple days, for the most part, have been peaceful. We are trying a new medicine and thankfully she has been willing to take it. For now this medicine truly seems to be making a difference in her clarity, language and mood; so we will use it for as long as it works for her. The difficult side effect of course is that she sleeps quite a bit. We are diligently trying to walk the fine line of helping her to have more peaceful days but not making her too sleepy. We are also so thankful that soon we will start getting more in-home help in caring for Papa and Gigi. Right now we have a wonderful gal that comes in about 5 hours a week but starting next month that will increase to 15 hours a week. What a blessing that some of the care will be provided by this dear lady and we can give more focus to loving and spending time with them as grandchildren and great-grandchildren….not just caregivers.

We again praise the Lord for providing just what we need, when we need it, just as He has promised! Many, many, many thanks and kisses for the blessings of meals, caring for children, hugs, listening ears, encouraging words and the many other ways our family has been blessed as we nurse Gigi back to better health. We still covet your prayers for Papa and Gigi, for our wisdom in caring for them and we are so thankful for your willingness to continue to bring our family before the throne of grace.

Hebrews 4:16

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace,

that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Psalm 55:22

Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you;

he will never permit the righteous to be moved.