April 9

Sorry for the lack of updates lately - Holy Week can be quite hectic anyway for a pastor - but with everything going on concerning Barbara's care, this past week has been especially busy. I should tell you first of all that as of last Saturday, Barbara has been returned to Miller's Merry Manor in Hobart.

I can't say enough about the wonderful team of doctors who took care of Barbara at St. Mary's. The kidney infection has been resolved. Plus, they discovered the cause of her inability to eat and subsequent severe malnutrition. Her adrenal glands are not functioning at all, so she will be forced to remain on prednisone to make up for this. This is a bad news/good news thing since the prednisone, while helping her, will also continue to damage her body. They also determined that there was a thyroid issue that is being treated through meds. The wound on the back of her head from the pressure sore and debridement is nearly closed now, and hair has begun to grow back. Plus, as I think I mentioned before, they had been getting Barbara up on her feet some (while being supported on both sides), although she still hasn't taken any steps.

I must also commend the nursing and support staff at St. Mary's for the good work they did. And I must say that the rooms in the new wing of the hospital are really nice!

I'm not sure how profitable it would be for me to go into my tirade about the fact that insurance companies now dictate care, and that doctors have little say. But the doctors believed that it would be essential to her progress to receive more intensive physical therapy before returning to the nursing home. However, insurance refused it. Does that mean we have bad insurance? I suspect that the truth is that this is the way all insurance providers behave. You could have the best policies available and still encounter nightmares with unconcerned and uncaring people who make care decisions. Insurance is NOT about caring for people, it's about profit and profit alone. Medicare is NOT about caring for people, but about numbers and numbers alone. Someone jokingly asked me if I would be in favor of a national healthcare program. I laughed and assured him that my experiences prove that the government can thoroughly screw up any good thing they handle. I'm not sure which is worse - the government's inept inability to provide insurance (such as our experience with Medicare), or the uncaring incompetence at other providers. It's a good thing that I decided to speak softly about how I think concerning this issue!

Well, the good news is that Barbara is doing very well outside of her dire need for intensive physical therapy. The aids and nurses at Miller's couldn't believe how good she looks now. She did lose another 10 pounds while in the hospital, and has lost at least 40 pounds altogether. There are some wonderful Christian aids who really love Barbara and they were praising Jesus for her improved condition.

I am terrified at prospect of how we'll survive getting her to Jackie's wedding at the end of next month, but we are resolved and determined to make it work one way or the other. I'm also thankful that we've already had a volunteer offering medical help for the trip if needed. We are blessed with such wonderful friends here!

Here's how to pray at this point in time... Pray that Barbara will continue to eat well and that she will get food that she likes,

Pray that Miller's physical therapy team will be inspired to get Barbara on her feet,

Pray that God will miraculously cause Barbara to walk THIS WEEK,

Pray that there will be no other setbacks.

Oh, and pray for our emotional needs as well. Barbara continues to be in tears over the callousness of the insurance companies to her needs, as well as prospects for her state at the time of the wedding. I myself have had a real emotional struggle of late. I've had a deep sense of despair and loneliness set in despite my faith and hope and relationship in Christ. Don't know how to explain this one. It's just the reality of the situation, I guess. I fully see how our Father in Heaven is also our Father here and now. It's a weird paradox, but perhaps those of you who've gone through similar crisis can relate. Thanks again for your prayers!