Closer to home

So, after what was supposed to be 24 hours at Surrey Mem. that turned into nearly five days, a doctor at Ridge Meadows agreed to admit Daniel so he could be closer to his family. Praise God for this!

We were picked up by ambulance at 8pm on Tuesday. By the time Daniel was settled in the ICU, it was 10:45pm. A big thank you to Margaret who put herself on call and came to drive me out to Abbotsford to get my car. I got home shortly before midnight. A long day after a long "long weekend!"

Since then, Daniel has changed rooms a few times (as per the hospital powers that be), which tires him out all the more. But I think now he's pretty settled on the medical floor. I even got a chance to re-put up the photo wall that friends of ours made for Daniel. 

Getting used to the trach is a continuing process for Daniel. He's doing really well, though it is very weird for him that he can no longer blow his nose. Air doesn't pass above his collar bone anymore. He coughs out of the bottom of his neck. Yeah, really strange. 

The biggest challenge for him right now re: the trach is mucus control. While he's been managing that for his mouth for months, now he also has to manage mucus down the trach tube into his windpipe too. 

There's one type of suction for his mouth, and another built-in suction that he feeds down into his windpipe, presses a valve and slowly draws the tube up as it suctions. It's very uncomfortable, but as the inflammation from the surgery lessens (which it already is doing), mucus will decrease too. 

Yesterday and today have been busy for me, getting Daniel settled with meds, food, instructions for nurses, and talking with various doctors and specialists so that we're all on the same page. Plus I picked up the kids from my parents yesterday, took them for a visit to see daddy, and got them resettled at home. 

It's all been a lot of work for me, and I'm definitely feeling the stress of the long days spent coordinating, advocating, and caring for my family, but I'm relying on God to give me the strength. This is what I'm called to do during this season. 

Please continue to pray for encouraging progress when it comes to Daniel's cancer treatment, for strength for us both, and for protection from any further complications. 

Snuggling on Monday at Surrey Memorial. He's been wanting to shave the beard for weeks as he loathes it (but the energy to even shave just hasn't been there, plus it's painful around the edema). So, today I helped him with that. He feels much better!