Good & sad.....

Look at the Lord's Prayer Movie and the Station......VERY GOOD!!!!! Paula's had a good day....all her vitals/blood gases are good, she's been resting well today. They've adjusted her ventilator to start taking her off the ventilator.



I'm going to church in the morning...the first time since 12.14.08....I miss our church/church family...they are GREAT.....they and our community have held us UP!!!!!



That was the good....this is the sad.....Scott had been in Argentina since the 14th.....two days before the accident. We had not told him about the accident because he had not seen his Fiancee for a year....there was nothing he could do except pray....and I told him that I would have coveted his prayers......but there was nothing he could do, so I didn't want to ruin his visit. A night or two before he left Argentina, Scott said he woke up and had a strong, strong feeling that he just wanted to hug me......

Scott took it VERY hard!....we all had about 30 hours to absorb the events.....with Scott.....one minute we were talking about how he was glad to be home....but sad that he had to leave Luchi......what a wonderful time they had together.....THEN.....like a bolt of lighting.....I had to tell him about Paula. There was no GOOD way to tell him....

We ate breakfast and spent some time together....then we had to leave. Scott was fine when we left.....but he was troubled because he VERY much wanted to do something to help me and Paula.....but there is really nothing anyone can do at this point except rely on the statement that I told two other families at MCG......"we have to be patient, and wait on God's PERFECT work!!!!" Mat 8:25-34

Thanks for your love, support, and prayers......Tommy

Moving......again!

They moved Paula to Select around 11:30 this A.M. The move went well. Paula was restless when she got there, so they put a pain medicine patch on her which would take a while to take effect. Sedation doesn't seem to help Paula much.....pain medicine does....so she IS in some pain. But they got her neck collar off, no tubes in her nose/throat, she still has a lot of bruising.....so we're looking for good things soon!

Leigh and I are going to leave around 3:00 A.M. to pick up Scott at 6:45 in the morning....I didn't want to tell him about Paula while he was with his....."LOVE" (Luchi) in Argentina. There wasn't anything he could do.....and I didn't want to tell him over the phone.....so I chose to pick him up in the morning and tell him face to face.

I was looking thru my Daytimer book today, trying to organize all the medical/insurance stuff and I found a sheet that I had put in there some time ago that had Deutoronomy 28:2-8 on it....it's very fitting for Paula

MRI

They are doing the MRI on Paula's neck now......she will go to Select sometime tomorrow. She's having a decent day......some restlessness and some rest.

Shock Trauma Unit

Paula is still in the shock trauma unit just for observation. They were so busy today that they didn't do her MRI so as to try to get her neck collar off.....so I don't know how that will affect her moving back to Select.

She had a good day except for some "house cleaning" matters....if you know what I mean!!!

Neck Collar.....

Paula was restless last night, so they gave her some pain medicine, and a small dose of sedatives so she's resting well. When I've gone in today, she hasn't opened her eyes, but I've seen more eye movements than ever when I talked to her, touched her forhead, temples, and feet.

They have never felt like Paula had injuries to her neck, but they weren't sure, so they've left a hard collar on her neck. They're going to do an MRI on her neck today, and if they don't see any damage, they'll take the collar off. They feel like that might be contibuting to the trach's coming out, in addition to her movements.

For some odd reason......I feel like a YO-YO

Paula was VERY restless ALL day yesterday with one exception.......for appx. 45 minutes after Peggy Saggus and Myrtle Belangia prayed over her she was calm...then they came in and started some physical therapy on her.....and she was restless again.......so her trach came out twice so they had to bring her back to MCG. So this is the third time......Paula is being a BAD girl!!!!! Her 0xygen saturation level was 89 when she got to MCG, but went back up immediately when they got her on some O2.

Everything went well with the surgery. I just went in to see her and she is doing fine. The Dr. said that she wanted to keep her in Shock Trauma ICU so they could watch her closely overnight.

Waning.....

I don't very often....EXPOSE.....myself. It doesn't bother me to show my emotions.....I never fail to kiss my children/step children, and Paula....and tell them that I love them.....even in public. I do this, because I know that it may be the last time I ever see them......and I don't like the word "step" in reference to my children.....Leigh & Chuck, Scott & Luchi, Vilas & Amy, and April & Jonathan......ARE my children.....I told Leigh the other day that I am a BLESSED man.....a wonderful wife, children, church, church family, friends, a wonderful business partner.....I am blessed and we have such wonderful children!!!. And.....I don't want people to feel sorry for me because I am....... so blessed! GOD IS GOOD!!! But when talking to Leigh a while ago.....I broke down......I told her my strength was waning......I have tried to stay strong for our children and for Paula's mother, Mrs Sanford (Laverne), so please pray that our God in heaven, the Maker and Controller of the universe.....will strenthen me....so that I will be the physical strength that Paula needs.......when she comes home. Thank you for your continued support. Tommy

Today....

Paula had a good....and a bad day. The bad was, was that she was restless all day. The good: No fever, her breathing is excellent. They may take her completely off of the respirator tomorrow.....they told me she was "breathing on her own" since 11:00 A.M. yesterday, which wasn't completely true....they told me today that she had a "jump start" from the respirator which she had to initiate.....which she's been doing great. This afternoon they told me that they turned the respirator down to it's lowest level, and that they may take her completely off of it tomorrow. Even at the lowest level of respiratory help....her oxygen levels are 95% which is good.

Ann Arnette came to see Paula again today. Ann was and is Paula's best friend from when Paula worked at MCG. They have remained close since Paula left in 1987. Ann told me they were praying for her at Ann's church. Ann also made the statement that there are probably battles going on that we cannot see......I didn't think too much about it at the time......but later, the thought came to me that our church had called for a day of fasting and prayer today for Paula.....and I know many of you have joined in also.....so.....I wonder if the "battles" that are being fought......are the reasons for her restlessness today????? I wonder if she's being pulled by both sides of this battle......? But we KNOW.....that Jesus has already paid the price......the VICTORY is His....and it is finished......but the evil one is still struggling with Paula......GOD IS GOOD!!!!

Slow but sure.....

The hospital does not have wireless, so I'll post to the blog as often as I can. Paula has been breathing on her own since 11:00 A.M. this morning and she's doing great! Her oxygen levels have been 95-100% all day, she's off of sedatives. The nurse ask me this evening if I thought Paula was in pain because of the way she was skirming and the wrinkles on her forhead and I told her I thought so, so she gave her some pain medicine and Paula settled down. Her fever was around 99-100 all day, so that was better.

The staff at Select have been very good.....they respond to Paula's needs and my concerns VERY quickly.....so I am very pleased thus far.

Paula's mother Laverne, her brother Kenny, his wife Betsy, and their daughter Katherine came to see Paula yesterday. Laverne is 92 and she didn't want to see Paula until she could talk to her....they normally talked every day. Mrs. Sanford (Laverne) cried, but she did real well. I hope and believe that it did Mrs. Sanford good to see Paula rather than wondering......

Tonight, before leaving, I was talking to Paula, and she didn't open her eyes......but when I started talking to her, she was "blinking" more and faster that I have seen......I really believe she was responding to my voice!!!

Our church is having a day of fasting and prayer tomorrow for Paula, if you would like to join in.....we would greatly appreciate it.....for God will......and IS.....answering prayers and supplications!!!!

Her complete healing and restoration IS coming!!!!!

Select....

Paula seems to be doing well. She's breathing completely on her own and will continue to do so until she gets tired. She's still running a fever, so she's on a cooling blanket.