December 2, 2016: +13

A few of Puebla from the top of the Ferris Wheel

Today is our last day in Puebla.  Before coming here we had read quite a bit about the HSCT experience at Clinical Ruiz and the city of Puebla. It is so interesting how we think we know things, but in truth the richness of experiencing things is different then just reading about it.

Today we prepared to leave.  Preparations included cleaning out the refrigerator and the cupboards, completing the laundry and delivering tips to all that helped us. It was a day for final goodbyes to our security staff, outpatient services and to the remaining members of our group.  We will always cherish and appreciate those we shared this past month with.

This afternoon, Angel our driver picked our group up and took us to the giant Ferris Wheel.  It is an icon of Puebla.  We see it from our apartments.  It seemed liked something that we should all experience together.  We wanted to be "on top of the world" together.  It was wonderful.  We were able to look out and see all the places  we had traveled to and heard about during this past month in Puebla.

After our 30 minute Ferris Wheel ride we went to the The New Yorker outdoor coffee shop for something to drink  and to share some time together.  I had a yummy Irish Coffee.  It was not like any other Irish Coffee I have had.  It came in a wine class, with a sugar rim and a cherry on the side.  It was very tasty.  I might have to try this at home.

Mexican Irish Coffee

We talked about our experience in Puebla and our time together. We are all thankful to have a group that got along so well and to have the support of one another.  We all agree that having a group to share each step of this experience with made the treatment easier, tolerable and more enjoyable.  We talked about how small the world is.  Tonight our group represented Norway, Australia, and the US. But no matter where we come from we want the same things.  We want health and life.

Group 1: Our final night together

Upon arriving back at our apartment I had a message from our airline

carrier that there is bad weather in Houston and our flight could be delayed or that our we may need to be rerouted.  Our driver is picking us up at 6:30 in the morning. At this time, I can't get any more information from the airline. So hopefully, we won't be getting up early, to be delivered back at the apartment an hour later. Tomorrow could be an interesting day.  Traveling is not easy on Doug, we we are hopeful that everything will go as smoothly as it can.

And so, farewell Puebla.

Puebla Ferris Wheel

Holy One, we give you thanks for this wonderful experience.  We thank you for the opportunity to be with good people. We thank you for the opportunity to have medical treatment to end this ugly disease. Be with us now as we travel home.  Watch over us.  Make our path clear.  Be with Doug in his weakness that he might have the strength he needs to enjoy this trip home.  In your name we ask it.  Amen

December 1, 2016: Day 12

It is 72 degrees here.  Another perfect day in Puebla.  It is hard to believe that it is December 1 and 12 days since Doug's stem cell transplant. The first few days we saw some real improvements.  He is now having to recoup those early improvements, but it is happening ever so slowly and minutely.  He is not walking as well as Day +3 yet.

This morning, I awoke around 7. Doug is usually awake by 7.  But he was perfectly quiet.  In fact, I had slept thought the entire night and had not heard him get up. At first, I was alarmed and concerned.  It was a feeling similar to when you have a baby and they have slept through the night for the first time. Checking on him, he was still sleeping and he did not wake until 8:30. Thankfully, he did not wake-up coughing.  That was a big step in recovery.  Thank heavens!

A little more good news, yesterday when he was opening and closing his hand he said I think I can make a fist and squeeze tighter than I could before.  And today I could not get the lid off the milk.  When  I gave it to Doug to try, he was able to open it easily.  Little things, yes, but important little improvements, that show signs we are heading in the right direction.

In this season of Advent, we are reminded that it is a time of watching and waiting with hope and expectation. We are doing this in watching for changes in Doug.  Additionally each morning and each evening and often several times a day, I go out on our balcony to look at at our Popocatepetl volcano to watch with expectation.

Looking at the volcano, each day Popcatepetl looks different. Puebla is at an altitude of more than 7000 feet and Popocatepetl is over 17,000 feet.  It is really breath-taking. Popocatepetl gets it's name from the Aztec people. It means smoking mountain.  Everyday we watch to see how much it is smoking.  Last April, it covered all of Puebla with ash.  I have learned that we are currently on an orange alert.  Apparently though, the area surrounding the volcano has been on an orange alert for a long time.  Even though Popocatepetl smokes it is not the most dangerous volcano in the Americas.  From my research,  I understand that Mount Rainer is more dangerous because it is not continuously venting like Popocatepetl.  That said, in the last week Popocatepetl has been putting on a real show. On Friday, the day Doug was in the hospital it started smoking.  We could not even see the mountain. On Sunday, there were huge plumes and we understand there was a small earthquake at 2.0, that we did not feel. Then Wednesday, our American friends were planning on flying out of Puebla to come home and the airport was closed.  Popocatepetl was spewing ash and the planes could not take off or land.  And so we are watching this spectacular volcano with much interest.  We are hoping that it will be calm on Saturday when it is time for us to leave!

The view from our balcony tonight.

Having an active volcano outside of our window reminds us of the power and strength of God's creation.  We understand that there are things that we cannot control, we can only bare witness to.  And so it is with Doug's healing.  We have done what we can for now. And for now he must rest and recover.  We can only bare witness and be reminded by this volcano of the power of the Omnipotent God

(News Release from Washington State Volcano Watch:

An unusually long and strong explosion occurred on 25 Nov 2016 starting from 10:47 local time. A continuous jet of steam, gas, and fragmented volcanic material which lasted about 20 minutes generated a billowing plume that rose approx. 5 km.)


And so we pray:

Omniscient and Omnipotent,  we give you thanks and praise as we watch in wonder at the beauty and power of creation.  May Doug and all patients who came to Puebla, experience the wonder and power of you.  Continue to fill us with wonder in the small changes that we witness and give us continued hope as we watch for your trans-formative power. In your name we ask it.  Amen

The "stemmies" (patients) in Group 1

November 30, 2016: Day 11

Our pins placed to represent the countries from which we have
traveled for treatmemt

I promised to finish my story from yesterday.  It was our last day of treatment at Clinical Ruiz. It was a big day, so many emotionals and much to capture, to remember.  I did not want to hurry it last night.
 
First let me briefly catch you up on today. It was totally unscheduled except for Zena coming to clean.  It feels a little surreal.  We have been  on such as treadmill since the 16th of September when we found that we had been accepted to the Nov. 7 group. We took full advantage of the day off. We did very little.  I took a 3 hour nap. Doug is still coughing and still tired but not as tired as he was. He is mending.

But yesterday, yesterday was special.  It was the end and the beginning of our new life. Yesterday we had our discharge interview with Dr. Ruiz.  Doug calls Dr. Ruiz a living legend.   He is a very accomplished hematologist.  He has written more than 600 articles in his field and has been acknowledged by the Mayo clinic as an distinguished  alumni.  He has chaired the international Mayo Alumni Association and presented his work at international conferences.  We came here because of his reputation, but  what we found is an incredible human being who is kind, compassionate and caring.  His clinic which is larger than a city block, employees the same kind of people as he is.  Dr. Ruiz is in the business of caring for and healing people. And he cared for each of us.  He reached out in healing.

Clinical Ruiz in Puebla, Mexico

Because of Doug's hospitalization we came more under his immediately care.   While Dr. Priesca was in our apartment assessing Doug the night he hospitalized him, he was calling and consulting Dr. Ruiz.  Dr. Priesca consulted with Dr. Ruiz throughout the night before leaving us at 1:00 in the morning in our hospital room.  And it was Dr. Ruiz who came walking into our hospital room at 4:30 in the  morning to assess Doug himself and put some additional treatments into place.  And Dr. Ruiz came to Doug to check on him in the clinic to see how he was progressing, while we were there.  He continuously monitored his progress.

Yesterday afternoon we sat down with Dr. Ruiz to review all of Doug's records and to listen to Dr. Ruiz's recommendations for Doug upon our returning home. He told us that Doug's blood count is now up to 12,000. This number is within a normal range. Great news.  His hemoglobin, platelets, blood pressure, and temperature are all within the normal range.  All of the values of his blood work look good. Doug is on the path to recovery.

Dr. Ruiz talked to us about the precautions we will need to take upon returning home.  Doug cannot be around people who are sick for the next 6 months.  He is not to eat in restaurants if he can avoid it for 3 months. We are not to have house plants in the house for 6 months.  We can have our dog Stryder, however he will need  monthly baths and Doug will need to sanitize after petting him.  We are to reduce and avoid any conditions that could expose Doug to illness.  That means keeping the house as dust and mold free as possible.  If and when Doug goes into public places and is around people he should wear a mask.

Doug will need to continue Retuximab infusions  once we return home. I told Dr. Ruiz about my worries concerning how we are going to get Retuximab infusions for Doug every two months.  Our neurologist is not willing to prescribe it since the treatment is still experimental in the U.S. I will begin looking for a hematologist once we get home to try prescribe it. Even if I find someone, I don't know if insurance will cover it.  There are people who are finding doctors in the U.S. however it is complicated. It seems like a monument task if we have to fly somewhere to see some unknown doctor and  then get our insurance to cover the infusion..  The medication Retuximab  is very expensive in the United States.

Picture with Dr. Ruiz

Dr. Ruiz said he would be happy to talk to a hematologist if we can find one and explain the treatment, so that we would not have to return to Puebla to get the treatment.  Right now, it surely seems easier to come to Puebla,  We know the doctors and we trust them and we know they care about us.  It will cost us more than $2000 every 2 months to come here for treatment, but if insurance does not cover it in the U.S. it could cost us even more.  So this is the next battle we will need to fight.  We will take this on when we get home.

We ended our time with Dr. Ruiz, with a photo with this wonderful man.  This man, who is passionate about finding healing for all who suffer from auto-immune issues.  A man who does not put limits on the possibility of healing.  Meaning that he helps those who come to him.  Healing means care and compassion as well as modern medicine.  I am so glad we chose to come to Clinical Ruiz in Mexico for treatment.  We leave here with hope and with a promise to keep Dr. Ruiz and his staff with updates of Doug's progress.

Oh come, oh come Emanuel.    We leave Clinical Ruiz, with hope for life free from  MS.  We leave here filled with expectations.  We leave here with new friends who have traveled with us on this journey. Be with all of us now as we prepare to travel home.  Be with us as we share in the excitement and promise of new life.  And bless all who have journeyed with us to bring us here and to support us in being here.  Our hearts are full of thanksgiving for all that has happened and will happen. Amen

We have a Christmas dream of health and new life.

November 29, 2016: Day +10

What a wonderful day.  Doug woke up feeling better, with much less cough and much more sleep. It was our final day to go  to the Clinic, the last infusion, and official discharge.  It was also a day to say good-bye to a few people who have decided to fly out early since we are done sooner than anticipated, since we are in Group One. We are all in shock that this part of our journey is coming to a close.  The first steps toward healing have begun.

With Doug having more difficulties this past week, I think we were less prepared for today.  Before coming the information said this is a 28 day treatment and so we assumed we would be involved in active treatment up until the last day. When we got here everyone was assigned to a group and Doug was assigned to Group One.  That means we did every treatment first.  The other groups will finish in order, with Group 4 ending on Friday. We actually have a couple of days to recover and get more support in the event Doug has any more difficulties.  I don't think that will be necessary.  He is definitely on the path to healing.

And so we met our group at 11:30 and took our final trip to the Clinic.  It was bittersweet.  We have become very close to this group, going through this pivotal experience in our lives together.  We shared hope, fear, uncertainty, sickness and friendship.  Daily when we were in isolation we were all still in communication several times a day through Facebook Groups and Messenger.  We all feel an investment in each other.  We will miss each other.

Though the day was bittersweet because of the loss of these new friends, it is still very exciting.  We did it!  We made it!  We tackled all the odds to get here. We are on a path to healing.  This is the first time any of these patients or as Kirsten likes to say "Stemmies", have felt like this disease has been stopped.  This feels like hope.

Because the day was so full I have decided that I will only share half of the day in the blog tonight. We did not get home until late. We have just finished dinner and it is 9:15 and we are tired. So I have decided to share the schedule of the day and the details about the final infusion of Rituximab. Tomorrow I will share our discharge consultation with Dr. Ruiz.

With our chemist Martin and his assistant

The schedule for the day began early with Martin, coming to collect blood samples and to check vitals. Then Doug got a shower and we left for the clinic at 11:30.  Once arriving at the Clinic, we met individually in consultation with Dr. Ruiz.  He has been especially interested and concerned about Doug because of his cough and weakness.  He made a special point of greeting Doug and asking him about how he is feeling now. After our consultation we went upstairs to the chemotherapy room and settled in for the final infusion of Retuximab.  This infusion was scheduled to take 3 hours.  And it did take that full amount of time.

The group all settled into the same chairs they had chosen the first day of chemotherapy.  Even though no one wants an IV infusion, there was joy and happiness in the group.  This is the last infusion and everyone was able to have the infusion today.  That meant that all in our group have responded as expected to treatment and every ones blood work met the criteria for the final infusion.  We started as a group and we were going to end as a group.
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The last two days, the nurses have had some difficulty getting a vein for taking a blood sample from Doug and then today for the final infusion.  Doug was very patient and very positive with the nurses. They felt bad that they were having a difficult time.  Doug said he had given so much blood that he did not have any blood left. Eventually, the needle was inserted and the infusion began.

Nurses trying to get a vein

On the wall there is large map of the world and on that map people have placed pins from where they are from.  At the end of the infusion we put our pins in the map.  We are the first from Idaho to receive treatment at Clinical Ruiz.  We proudly put our pin on the map and celebrated everyone else as they placed their pins in Norway (2), Sweden, France, Australia, and the United States (2), What a blessed moment.

First patient in Idaho

Then Marianne called us all to attention.  She had a stack of boxes with bows, that she called an early Christmas present. There was a gift for each patient.  They all enthusiastically opened their gifts. They all received very special toiletries for skin care.  It was very thoughtful .All our brave patients need time to now pamper themselves a little bit.  They have been through a lot.

Then Marianne brought in postcards for everyone.  The cards were symbols of Puebla including one card with the beautiful Catholic cathedral and the other of the volcano with the stunning catholic church that sits on top of the old Aztec pyramid. The cards had all of the clinical staff names that participated in our treatment.

Add caption

And then it was time for goodbyes.  With heartfelt gratitude and warm feelings we said our last goodbyes to this wonderful staff that had so genuinely cared for all of us throughout this treatment protocol.  I have never run a marathon, but I can only imagine that the experience we had today was similar.  When running a marathon, I believe you start with high expectations and hope; you have prepared.  And then midway through it begins to get hard, and you are not sure if you can make it.  You may stumble, you may stop to rest, you may cry from the pain.  But there are bystanders along the way that encourage and push you on. And finally the end is in sight.  There is pain, there is exhaustion and there is a feeling of relief.  But mostly there is a feeling of triumph.  It is done.  It is accomplished!

Our morning nurses and infusion staff

And so we pray

Holy and Life giving God.  We thank you for picking us up and carrying us when we are tired.  We thank you for the brilliance of your creation in all it's diversity. We thank you for the opportunity and joy of living and being in community. And we thank you for the opportunity to heal.  Continue in Doug and all those seeking healing, a renewal in their bodies, minds, and spirits.  Cell by cell, moment by moment, and day by day, recreate them and make them well. And watch over all who provide care for their loved ones, that they may be sustained in their desire to help and be filled with hope that overflows and sustains those in need.  In your name we ask it.  Amen.

Group One with Carers and Outpatient Support 

November 28, 2016: Day 9

Today is maybe the first or second day that we have not had to set the alarm.  No nurses or doctors today. However Zena will be here to clean for us around 9:00.  It is exciting not too have to start the day with shots and blood tests.  And luckily Doug was able to sleep in a little bit.

Zena showed up as she always does, with a big smile on her face and her basket full of cleaners.  She does not speak English and we don't speak Spanish, and so we have learned to use the few words we both know in each others language to communicate. We both laugh when our communication is confusing each other.  I like her.  Zena is very efficient and she has a consistent routine.  In a little over an hour she can be done with everything and on her way to the next apartment.  Having Zena has made our stay here much easier.

Zena our lovely housekeeper

After Zena left, Doug settled in to watching CNN and snoozing off and on the rest of the morning. Me, I took advantage of Cyber Monday.  I had a goal to have my Christmas shopping done before I left here.  Of course when I left, I had imagined I would have lots of sitting around and quiet time.  It turns out that things have been a bit busier than that.  I also took some time taday to see if Doug's insurance would cover any of his stay in the hospital down here.  I purchased travel insurance as well, when I purchased our airline tickets.  I had to pay for his care when we checked into the hospital with a credit card. They charged my card $13,000 pesos for the hospital, ambulance, hospital stay, medicine and care and an additional $4000 for his x-ray.  At the time the last thing I was worried about was the cost. Now with a few days behind us, I decided that I had better start working on reimbursement if possible. The good news is that it looks like his insurance will pay a portion and I am not sure if the travel insurance will cover any, since he traveled here for a medical procedure even though I don't think the cough or extreme weakness is related to the treatment.  We will see.

Doug is still coughing, and so his sleep is still interrupted.  Waking this morning he is still fairly week and the cough is hanging on.  The last steroid infusion did not slow it down much.  It may have made him slightly stronger.  It is very hard to say.  Dr. Priesca sent over a medication to use with an inhaler. It arrived about 5:00 p,m.  The medication is in a pill that fits into an inhaler that you squeeze which punctures the pill while you are inhaling.  The funny thing is that the directions were all in Spanish. There were pictures and everything was going well putting it together, except after Doug inhaled, he did not taste or feel any medication.  I opened up the inhaler and the pill was still sitting there and the pill had a powdery substance in it.  I thought for sure it did not work.  Doug tried again.  Nothing.  And so I called Dr. Priesca, however he was not available.  And so I sent him a text.  Thirty minutes later, I had not heard anything and so I called Marianne our patient advocate.  She said she would call Dr. Priesca, and she did but she to had to leave a message.  An hour later Dr. Priesca called. We have spent so much time with these two in the last few days that I feel like we are old friends.  We reviewed everything I had done and he said, yes, that is it.  And if there is something more to it, he will walk through it with us tomorrow at the clinic.

An inhaler for Doug's cough.

Tomorrow if all goes well it will be last day that Doug is under direct medical care.  In the morning the nurse or doctor will come to take a blood sample to once again measure his white blood cell count, hemoglobin and platelets. And then at 12:00 p.m. Doug and the others in our group will get the final infusion of Retuximab.  We will meet individually with Dr Ruiz and he will provide Doug's discharge consultation and make recommendations for continued care once we return home on Saturday.

Faith: believing in things unseen.  It was faith that brought us here to Puebla and now it is faith that we will carry with us as we return home. Faith and trust in the healing power of our God, our bodies and God's servants who have worked so hard to develop this treatment.

And so we pray:

Wonderful Counselor, it is you who drew us in, whispering words of healing and hope to us. It is you who listened to our prayers and have counseled us to keep taking the next right step.  Be with us now as we finish this treatment.  Encourage and counsel us as Doug's moves towards healing.  Strengthen us in our faith so that we will remain steadfast in the knowledge that you are doing better things for us than we can ask for or imagine.  Give us eyes to see you at work in all things.  In your name we ask it. Amen.

Sleeping wrapped in healing prayers.

November 27, 2016: Day 8

A view out of our balcony window with the volcano in
the background.

It was another beautiful day today here in Puebla.  The temperature is about 70 degrees with blue skies.  It is a bit like Camelot here. The temperature varies very little throughout the year.  The sun rises at about 6:30 a.m. and sets at about 6:30 p.m.  The temperature only drops to about 45 degrees at night.  Just cool enough to sleep well.  No need for air conditioning or heating.  Just lovely.

I discovered for the first time last night, after having been here 3 weeks that we have an open area in the middle of our apartment complex with a pool, lounge chairs and tables with umbrellas. One of the other patients told me today she has been coming down here while the housekeeper is in her apartment.  She told me the pool was open yesterday.  Wow. I could have spent a little time down here all month soaking up some sun if I would have known! Oh well, maybe this week.

Mereta Mereta, who is here with her son sent us some pictures this morning of her home in Norway.  Her house is lit in white lights.  The color of the sky is a twilight color yet it is midday.  There is snow on the ground.  She explained that this is her favorite time of year. Her husband has decorated the house for Advent.  Yesterday, my daughter told me that she loves Advent.  She loves the short days, the darkness and the quiet. I love this image  too of a quiet dark time, a time of expectation and waiting. It is a time to prepare and go deeper into ourselves and reflect on our own lives.

As I walked home from the grocery store today, in this beautiful weather I thought about the contrast between here and there.  I though about our purpose for being here.  Surely it too is a time of expecation and waiting.  It is a time to prepare for a new life.  It is a time to seek. The warm sun on relaxes and refreshes me.  The fresh air and gentle breeze wash over me and lead me into contemplation.

A marathon being run on this beautiful day.

Our friend Kate, reminded us  today when commenting on the blog, that the theme for this first week of Advent is hope. How appropriate for this last week in Puebla to be bathed in expectation and in hope.  And when we return next Sunday we will enter into the time of preparation for the light to  come into the world.

Waking this morning, I was tired, Doug did not feel well.  Hope was not on our lips. Since Doug got sick last Thursday, our sleep schedule has been really mixed up.  Wedneday night Doug had a bad fall, then Thursday night we were at the hospital with his weakness and his cough, the last two nights Doug has not been sleeping because of the cough and he is up and down all night.  Needless to say we are both pretty exhausted.  This morning having to set the alarm for 5:30 to be ready for the nurse at 6:00 for blood tests and shots was really difficult. We took a little cat nap from 6:30 to 8:00, at which point we needed to be up to have breakfast before Zena, our house keeper was exptected to arrive.  All this information is just to explain, we are feeling pretty tired right now, and I am sure that is interfering with Doug getting his strength back and getting over this cough. We were a little down.

Getting the pictures from Mereta to remind us of Advent and the comment from Kate about hope and the continuous reaussure of the comments on the blog all day kept pushing us along through the day, building us up, bolstering our hope. At 2:30 we met our group at the van and headed for the clinic. Today we are getting an update on our neutrophil white blood cell count.  We also needed to check in with the doctor again about Doug's cough.  It was good to be with everyone.  There was hope today that the numbers would be high and the patients would no longer be in neutorpenia.  And indeed that is what happened.  Everyone in our group but one had high enough numbers to put every one back in the normal range.  Doug went from 200 on Thursday night to 6000 today.  Whoohoo! His body is doing just what it is suppose to do! Well, except the cough.  Nevertheless this was hopeful information. We are happy and reasured.  Dr. Priesca is going to have a different medication sent to us in the morning for Doug's cough.  Hopefully this will help him.

Popocatépetl volcano

So indeed, as we begin this first week of Advent we are reminded to be hopeful, to remain hopeful.  And so we pray.

Emanuel, God with us, thank you for your continued goodness and presence as experienced in the words of your people, as they continue to surround us and lift us up. Thank you for the hope that lives in our hearts.  Thamk you for the expectation that there is more to this world than what our eyes can see and the deep longing we have to live more deeply, more authentically and more wholely.  Be with us now. Guide us, teach us, show us the path to wholeness and healing.  Help us to grow more and more in your image so that we too may bring hope to others and shine light in the darkness.  Amen

November 26, 2016:: +7

Wow, it is hard to believe it has been a whole week since the stem cell transplant.  Initially, I could not imagine how we would fill our days in the apartment with needing to stay inside this past week.  As it turns out it is busier than you might think.  Getting up early every morning to be ready for the nurse or doctor and getting breakfast takes until  about 8. It takes time for Doug to get a shower. Then I begin the washing routine, because everything we have worn, and the towels and sheets have to be washed everyday and then of course these past days with going to the hospital and Doug not feeling well, the days just escaped us.

Doug getting a steroid treatment at Clinical Ruis

Doug is much better than Thursday (Thanksgiving), however he is not doing great. Monday was a high point he was doing better than he has for a while. Thursday was the lowest with needing to be hospitalized.  And today, well he seems to have gone  downhill again.  He is coughing a lot tonight. He is stronger, he is mostly transferring himself with the wheelchair and he is dressing himself. However he is not where we want him to be and he is really annoyed with this cough.

Today we had an appointment at the clinic with Dr. Priesca for a steroid treatment.  Dr. Priesca is wonderful.  He is very concerned and helpful.  Marianne was there too and both of them were encouraging and positive.  Dr. Priesca thinks Doug will start feeling stronger tomorrow. He said his neutrophil white blood cell count should start coming up.  Doug gets blood drawn in the morning and then we will go to the clinic to get results in the afternoon.  We are very grateful for the support of these two people.

Dr. Priesca and  Marianne, wonderful people and
great health care providers

Good News!  The parts to Doug's wheelchair came today!  He is so happy about that.  He has really hated not having his chair, especially the last few days when he has been so weak.  It took me more than an hour, but I finally figured out how to fix it with the parts that were delivered and the limited tools that I have.  I did not cuss, but I wanted to sometimes!  The nice service man Michael at EZ Cruiser gave me extra parts in case I would need them and some pointers.  Luckily, I did not need the extra parts!  So, Doug is back in business, he has his wheelchair again.

Wheelchair parts

Tonight we watched a movie, that was a suspense comedy.  It was a nice distraction and had some Facetime with our grandson Cole and my sister.  That was fun.  Hard to believe that we will be home in a week.  It was nice to be able to say, we would see them next week.  Really, our time here has gone very quickly.  We have not had too many dull moments. :)

Time for bed, because the nurse is coming at 6:00 in the morning.  There is a marathon in the city tomorrow and many streets will be closed.  And so it is time to pray.

Gracious and Holy One,  you know our needs before we ask.  And yet we need to ask.  Please heal Doug, in body, mind and spirit. Give him hope when he is discouraged, and courage to face the tough days that come with healing.  Help us to see that all things are being made new.  We are so grateful for the love, care and concern of so many friends and caregivers.  Thank you for making yourself known in the generosity of spirit that touches us each day through those who surround us. Amen

Fixed part on wheelchair.  YEA!