Progress!

On Saturday, another quick trip to OKC and back for David and I.  First, I need to make one small correction to yesterday’s post.  Along with the balloon pump, Janet’s temporary pace maker was removed last week too.  Well, unlike many of the other huge apparatus we have now kissed goodbye, this one was a small device and no one had mentioned its absence to me.  I am not the best for peeking around but I do ask questions and yesterday that one came up.  So we will count this as another prayer answered!  Thank you…

A blessing to Janet, and one I know she would appreciate, is that her room is now much quieter with the absence of these machines.  It also makes a difference for us when we visit.  Where there were once as many as fifteen bags of medications there now are only a couple of bags hanging.  With the balloon pump and icing machines no longer at the foot of the bed, the room seems so much more open.  Best and most obvious to me is that the crash cart is no longer in the room now either. 

Everything the medical staff could possibly need is on this hospital floor.  From a complete lab to portable x-ray machines, all the way to equipment for CT scans, for echocardiograms and that for obtaining an EEG.   Most of the time, the equipment comes to Janet.

With the urologist signing herself off of Janet’s case, the neurologist entered the scene on Friday night.  He performed a complete neurological exam on Janet and followed it with both a CT scan of her brain as well as an EEG on Saturday morning.  Just as the family has had questions I know many of you have too.  With great joy I can share with you that more prayers have been answered!  His findings were that there is electrical activity in her brain.  More, he found that there is no neurological reason why Janet is not yet waking up.  Nor is there any neurological reason why she is not yet off the ventilator.  For both he has said that Janet just needs more time.  Every person is different, everyone responds differently and some just need more time than others.  So we continue to wait and to pray.

Although not yet conscious, Janet had her eyes open much of the day.  Jim found this a huge positive sign and a great comfort.  He has been remarkable throughout all.  Many of you may know that Janet and Jim are in the midst of a massive remodel of their home.  Jim has continued to see this through with new walls now painted, new flooring installed and blinds yet to hang he is nearly ready to have the furniture moved back in.  Each day he has told Janet of the progress at home, knowing she will be so pleased when it is completed.  His daughter, Troy, has been at the hospital often.  She has also been out at the house often just hanging out with her dad.

This week an automatic email came out from Janet announcing a new Mary Kay book.  This prompted us to remember Janet’s business!  Knowing she would want her customers taken care of her friend, Susan has been working with Jim to gather names and messages.  Jim and Janet’s long time friend, Janeen, has been sitting with Janet and Jim each evening after work.  Her friend Terri has been looking in on her many mornings.   I will be eternally grateful to all three of these wonderful gals for looking after this family and for helping me in spreading this blog of information to Janet’s many other friends. 

Janet is among the most blessed with friends.  Jim has expressed to me how grateful he is for the many who have called, messaged, offered help, and who are praying with us.  He has said, Janet has so many friends that are like her family and he is right.  My sister-in-law is very blessed.

Waiting is hard, it is hard for us and we know it is hard for all of Janet’s friends.  The nurses have expressed how much they know this but that Janet needs time, rest and prayer for now.  Each of us are spacing our visits to Janet while balancing our tasks at home and at work.  We have been told this wait can be weeks, and possibly more weeks.  We are so grateful to know how many will be there when the time does come for Janet to go home and for now how many prayers are being offered.

Some have asked why I chose this blog as a medium.  Some have suggested Carringbridge (which I am familiar with) or similar pass worded sites.  Frankly, this is a simple medium you can get to through your email, your Facebook page or your phone.  You can comment and share your thoughts.  You are welcome to email me pictures of Janet (cyn_elliott@yahoo.com) and I will share them here.  This blog is not set to be found on Google or other search engines.  You are likely reading it because you are a friend of Janet, her family or her friends and someone has sent you the link. Please click to follow this blog and you might consider entering your email address so when I update it you will automatically be notified.  I will try to post at least once a week for you.  Our progress happens slowly.  Today 102 people have viewed this page, so far.  In the past week it has been seen 929 times.  Not only are we trying to give you accurate and up to date information, I know we have gathered a huge circle of prayer for Janet with this blog. 

We have had many prayers answered but we are still on a long road.  We are asking specifically for prayer that Janet will breathe on her own and that she will soon wake up.

“For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them."  Matthew 18:20