Hospice
Hospice is all arranged. Wayne will come home by ambulance tomorrow (Nov. 29) at 11:30 am CST.
Apparently he is now having swallowing problems. Another function regulated by the brain. This is why he might be aspirating food into his lungs. I'm not sure what this means long term. Right now, he is not allowed to eat solid food. A swallowing test will verify this or prove it wrong.
His pneumonia is responding to treatment. The problem for him is not the pneumonia, but the fact that he ran a fever. A fever is always a problem for a person with neurological issues. It stirred up new swelling in the brain.
He is still hallucinating quite a bit. Now that we are used to that fact, we find things to be grateful for and even amused about. He is having a very good time. He is visiting old friends and meeting new ones. His hallucinations are all pleasant. No matter where his body is, Wayne is where his brain thinks he is. Better to be in his hometown visiting old friends from high school than lying uncomfortably in a hospital bed! Right?
The brain regulates every little thing in the body. An amazing creation. Intricate and perfectly regulated. Complex and exact in its working. Every moment we take for granted that our amazing brain will orchestrate the symphony of functions that make up our lives. As I watch Wayne's brain shut down little by little, I live in a renewed gratitude and awareness of God's ever-present power holding my life together, even though I am unaware of it and treat it as my due. As each day passes, I take fewer things for granted. Every time my heart beats correctly and my lungs draw in and expell air as they should and my eyes blink in a rhythm and the biological processes of my body work according to their design, it proves that God is. We are living, breathing, walking-around worship.
Apparently he is now having swallowing problems. Another function regulated by the brain. This is why he might be aspirating food into his lungs. I'm not sure what this means long term. Right now, he is not allowed to eat solid food. A swallowing test will verify this or prove it wrong.
His pneumonia is responding to treatment. The problem for him is not the pneumonia, but the fact that he ran a fever. A fever is always a problem for a person with neurological issues. It stirred up new swelling in the brain.
He is still hallucinating quite a bit. Now that we are used to that fact, we find things to be grateful for and even amused about. He is having a very good time. He is visiting old friends and meeting new ones. His hallucinations are all pleasant. No matter where his body is, Wayne is where his brain thinks he is. Better to be in his hometown visiting old friends from high school than lying uncomfortably in a hospital bed! Right?
The brain regulates every little thing in the body. An amazing creation. Intricate and perfectly regulated. Complex and exact in its working. Every moment we take for granted that our amazing brain will orchestrate the symphony of functions that make up our lives. As I watch Wayne's brain shut down little by little, I live in a renewed gratitude and awareness of God's ever-present power holding my life together, even though I am unaware of it and treat it as my due. As each day passes, I take fewer things for granted. Every time my heart beats correctly and my lungs draw in and expell air as they should and my eyes blink in a rhythm and the biological processes of my body work according to their design, it proves that God is. We are living, breathing, walking-around worship.
"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's
womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your
works are wonderful,I know that full well. My frame was not hidden
from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in
the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days
ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."
(Ps 139:13-16)
posted by Jennifer Kennedy Dean at 6:26 PM
11 Comments:
Jennifer,
Words can not describe how your words touch my heart. It is so very hard to read what you, Wayne and the boys are going thru-Yet such an uplifting thing to see how Our Lord and Savior is holding all of you in the Palm of His Hand.
Keep holding on.
Carolyn Jess
cmjess@fidnet.com
Hi Jennifer,
Can you upload a picture of Wayne for us?
Dear Heart,
What a wonderful witness you are of the power of a loving God to reveal His love through the miserable things of life. What wonderful words He gave us about how unbelievably intricately He created us; what amazingly gracious kindness to tell us how He wants to minister to us, to be there for us. I'm so grateful you have the full understanding of just how wonderful He is. Lean hard, dear.
Love,
Barb
Dear Jennifer...
My heart and my mind are both stunned at this news...my husband and I met you when you were out here in San Jose, California. My husband was diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiforme stage 4 10 years ago last month. He was given 3- 6 months...we spent a year dealing with the diagnosis and symptoms...and treatments. Our hearts and prayers go up for you all as God leads you in this journey. I dont know if you would like to read our story but if you would...
my xanga (blog) address is:
www.xanga.com/passiondove
My husband's blog is
www.xanga.com/healedbygod
God bless you...
Mark and Kerri Lydell
Jennifer,
Thank you for the continued updates, I check for them frequently. Not very much time goes by in a day that I am not thinking about you and your family. Please give Wayne a BIG hug for me. Much love to you and the boys.
Adele LoGaglio
Lord, thank You so much for the steps in the Deans' lives that have prepared them to face this trial. Please continue to strengthen them for the coming days. May all of them be healed of the emotional, spiritual and physical pains they are enduring. We praise Your Holy Name.
Dear Jennifer,
We just received your address to read about Wayne's life....and yours. As I was reading all your entries last night I was so overwhelmed with who God is and who I am not. All of His attributes were shouting out to me and I was in awe of Him. Your words of love, hurts, laughter, joys, pain, sorrow, information, praise, etc were a worship time for me. Your thoughts written down were the conduit for my worship last night. Thank you, Jennifer. God is using you and Wayne for such a time as this. Esther 4:14.
Greg and I (and the kids) are praying for you all. Wayne has been such an example to James. God has used him in a mighty way with so many young men.
Much love and prayers,
Greg and Jennifer Spears
Jennifer, please give Wayne a huge hug from his high school classmates from Monroeville, Alabama. I hope he's remembering the last class reunion we had at Kenneth's camp when we all laughed so hard at the "class clown." (He'll know who that is). We are all checking the blog daily to get the updates on his condition. Tell him again how much we love him and are praying for him!!!
Susan Loftin
Jennifer,
I am confident of the many lessons that are coming out of this situation that are going to bless us all when you are finished and these are not at your's and Wayne's expense, becuase when Wayne steps into glory he will rejoice to see how our Lord has used you both to bless and build up many through the writings you are penning even now.
In His service. You're all in my prayers.
Jennifer, you are so in God's favor right now. Your thoughts and your actions and your heart are so pleasing to your Heavenly Father. He looks upon you today and He smiles... even as tears trickle down from his eyes because He hurts when you hurt.
You are teaching all of us to trust more and to love more and to be more and more confident in our God.
Thank you
Jeanne & Dale
Jennifer, The Picayune MS prayer warriors, those at People's church that love and hold you dear to their hearts, we are standing in the gap for you.Proverbs 3:5-6
...we are leaning on Him and not on our own understanding, trusting Him to direct your path...Faye Pind
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