Quite an update...

Well, things around here are as unpredictable as ever. Last Thursday, we went to College Station (more about that in another post...) Dan wasn't feeling great and his left shoulder was starting to get a little red. (Yes, you are correct, this is the same shoulder that has faced the crazy hematoma, the port working it's way out of his body and a bleed after surgery which caused an emergency surgery.) As the weekend went on, the red area began to spread. Well in this house, red, hot skin means infection. So on Sunday evening Dan helped me unload the car and then he headed up to the hospital to have it checked out. (I know it sounds insensitive that he drove himself, but it is just our life and it's not like he was bleeding or writhing in pain) So just like expected, he was admitted to the hospital for an infection in his left shoulder. The reason he has to stay is b/c the course of action they take is IV antibiotics and he has to be inpatient to do that.

So on Monday the doctors noticed that the corner of his implant, not the port, the actual implant, was beginning to work it's way out. How does that look might you ask? You start to see blue under his skin, b/c the implant is blue. Not good. So to spare you all the hours of options and even more hours of prayer, Dan has decided to have both implants taken out. We are scraping the face-off surgery. We prayed about this decision before we went forward with the first surgery and have prayed hard this week trying to hear God's will and direction for this situation and this is where we are at.

Patrick was actually discharged from the hospital this evening, (yes, he drove himself home...I mean what was I supposed to do, his car was already up there:):) We are going to see the plastic surgeon tomorrow morning and expect to have this surgery done next week. My in-laws will be coming in town to help out, and if for nothing else to insure that he doesn't have to drive himself to and from the hospital after surgery:)

Another milestone of the week was Tuesday, Oct. 21. That was the two year anniversary of Dan's injury, but more importantly, 2 years since he lost 3 Marines. For those of you that knew, we appreciate your prayers. Dan was able to talk to all the families of those Marines and I know God was putting the appropriate words in his mouth to offer comfort in the way that only HE can.

Please keep us in your prayers. Although I can laugh at this moment, it has been a pretty exhausting week, physically and emotionally; the anniversary, trying to decipher all the "doctor talk" and really looking at all the pros and cons of all the different avenues have left me less than glowing. (3 hours at a well-baby appointment during nap time didn't help either...) But man is our God good and He continues to renew me.

"Praise the Lord , O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-
who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's."
Psalm 103 : 2-5