Our Mexican Camino: Ending MS and Finding New Life: April 11, 2017: Day +141

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

April 11, 2017: Day +141

Day 2 on the new schedule did not go quite as well as yesterday. We were expecting a bath aide for Doug this morning at 7:30 but no one showed up. I had not been given the name of the person and had no way to get hold of her. Poor Doug was in bed, I needed to go to work, and so at the last moment, I was having to get him up and into his wheelchair in his robe. Getting Doug up is no small deal, but he did his best to help me. I had breakfast ready for him and so I left him eating breakfast. I left for work a few minutes before 8, calling his RN case manager and our friend Will. Will was going to be at our house at 9 to help Doug with his OT and PT. Doug's RN had planned on coming out at 9:30 to check on him, but he told me he would also get Doug dressed and get him set-up for the day since his aide did not show up. That was a relief. The bath aide called Doug and said she had accidentally slept in. He was pretty upset about it. It caused lots of stress for both of us, but I think it was harder on Doug. He was worried about me needing to get to work and he was left feeling vulnerable. Hopefully this will not happen again. We have a different privately hired personal care person coming in the morning to get him up and dressed and to make him breakfast. Hopefully this will go better.

Will worked with Doug on his OT and PT exercises and they both felt like that went well. Will is helping us to get some parallel bars made for Doug. This equipment will be very helpful to Doug to get him walking again.

Doug had a doctor's appointment this afternoon. Will was gracious enough to stay and help me get Doug in the car. This was the first time Doug has been out since he got out of the hospital. It took some work but we did it. The only thing is that I then needed to get him out and in and out by myself. Well, I am very proud to say we did it. Slowly, with some difficulty, but mission accomplished.

After the doctor's appointment we went to a drive-through for lunch and then took a drive around town. It was nice for Doug to see the new building in town and to just get reacquainted with home. We stopped on the way home and picked up another new prescription and then headed home. We spent a couple of hours out. Doug was ready for a nap when we got home and so was I!

The evening routines of getting Doug ready for bed are going more smoothly. I have discovered some shortcuts and easier ways to using the Hoyer on carpet. I did not even break a sweat tonight!Whoohoo!

And so we pray:

Holy God, we give thanks for the blessings of this day. We give thanks for the small pleasures of car rides and lunch out. We give thanks for friends and service providers who jump into help. We give thanks for team members who help and support us. Be with us as we find our way with this new schedule. Be with Doug as he settles into home and continues to heal. In your name we ask it. Amen.

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About Doug

Fr. Doug Yarbrough was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2008. Although judging from his MRI scans he probably had it for many years prior to his diagnosis. Since the diagnosis he has experienced continuous progression of the disease resulting in more and more disability.

Today he is dependent on an electric wheelchair to get around outside of his home. At home he uses a walker to walk short distances. His eyes loose focus easily and he cannot read. This is difficult for someone who has always been a voracious reader and life long learner. He experiences extreme fatigue. Most days it is all he can do to just take care of his own personal needs. We are grateful he can do that and fear the day that he will loose these skills. But with the progression of this disease that day may not be far off.

This is not the person Fr. Doug has always been. Many will remember him as an active member of his family, church, community and state. He is an ordained priest in the Episcopal Church. As a priest and community leader he has been a passionate crusader working on behalf of the poor, the abused, the homeless and minorities. He has been a husband, a father and a grandfather. He has always been the person who helps others.

Fr. Doug is a learner and believes in education to serve the common good. He has a B.A. in Education and Philosophy, a Master's in Counseling and a Master's in Religion. He has a doctorate in Educational Psychology. His education nurtured his thirst for learning, to make God known to the world and to serve others in the example of Christ. His favorite Bible passage is from Micah 6:8. In the New English Language Version of the Bible it reads "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" These words have framed his work in the church and the world.

In 2005 he was awarded the Canyon County Humanitarian Award for his contributions, care and concern for the most needy and marginalized people in Canyon County. He chaired the Nampa Shelter Coalition board and was on this board for many years. He also served for many years on the Nampa Family Justice Center and the Idaho State Domestic Violence Boards. He founded the Open Arms Baby Boutique in Nampa. This is a resource center for low-income women. The women earn points for prenatal and postnatal check-ups. They may then trade the points in for diapers, baby clothes, furniture, etc. He was on the "Success by Six" Treasure Valley committee. Fr. Doug served on the Mercy Hospital Ethics Board. All this he did while pastoring a church and serving on many church boards and committees.

After many years of service, Fr. Doug is now in need of your help. He is in the fight of his life to stop the progression of this horribly debilitating disease. Up until now, there has been little hope, but upon returning from a pilgrimage of prayer for healing we learned of a new stem cell treatment that some are calling a cure. This treatment is HSCT (Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant). Using this treatment the patient's own stem cells are harvested, then the patient's immune system is killed using chemotherapy and then the patient's own stem cells are transplanted back into their body. It works similarly to a reboot of a computer. The immune system is being rebooted. This treatment is in Clinical Trials in the United States, but in other places in the world it is being used as a treatment for MS. Worldwide data shows that more than 80% of MS patients receiving this treatment see an end to the progression of the disease and many see a reversal in disability. The brain is able to heal from the bodies own attacks on the myelin insulating sheath around that surrounds nerve fibers

Unfortunately HSCT treatment is expensive and not yet covered by insurance. To get this treatment he will have to travel outside of the country. To help pay for this treatment family and friends of Father Doug are raising money to help pay for uninsured medical expenses associated with HSCT (HEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANT) to halt the progression of his Multiple Sclerosis. We don’t have time to wait for Clinical Trials in the US. Fr. Doug is rapidly progressing in disability from this disease. We have to act now if we are to save and hopefully improve the quality of Fr. Doug’s life. We have a goal of October 15, 2016 to raise all the money needed. This is the earliest possible date that the treatment may be available.

Fr. Doug has chosen to fund-raise with HelpHOPELive in part because HelpHOPELive assures fiscal accountability of funds raised and tax deductibility for donors. Donors can be sure that funds donated will be used only to pay for unreimbursed medically related expenses. To make a tax-deductible donation to this fundraising campaign, click on the Donate Now button.

For more information, please contact HelpHOPELive at 800.642.8399.

Thank you and God Bless you for your help!

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

April 11, 2017: Day +141

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