2 Corinthinians 5:1-9 For
we
know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have
a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the
heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with
our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be
found naked. For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being
burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so
that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. Now He who prepared
us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.
Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are
at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— for we walk by faith,
not by sight— we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be
absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. Therefore we also
have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.
I just found out yesterday
that David's
admission into the Roger C. Peace rehab hospital here in Greenville
will not happen until 2 weeks after he receives Botox injections.
(This
is probably also assuming that he gets good results from the
injections.) The pre-approval for the Botox injections got "lost"
in
the insurance company's pre-determination department. Supposedly
our
claims manager marked it urgent and sent it to the medical director
this morning. She was to call us this afternoon with a progress
report.
We haven't heard anything. Now it's the weekend, so we won't know
anything more until Monday.
There are several reasons
we would like to
have David admitted to RCP: more aggressive therapy (we hope); more
frequent therapy; supervision by a rehab doctor; they can conduct a
swallow study to see if David is ready to eat real food (of course I am
sure that he is ready for that!); they have access to adaptive "tools"
that David could use for communication. I am anxious for us to
come up
with a way to communicate with him.
I am encouraged by David's increased awareness of himself. He
seems to
be bothered by conditions that are not to his liking. (Remember, he has
been weaned off of the anti-seizure medication and the type of muscle
relaxer was changed. Both of these changes were a reduction of sedating
drugs.)
David has gotten very picky! That is to say that he picks
at
things with his right thumb and forefinger. One day I came in his
room
to find that he had picked off a medication patch from its place on his
shoulder. He also picks at the PEG feeding tube. (I'm
afraid that he is
going to pull it out!) When his therapists touch his left
shoulder, it
apparently causes him some discomfort because he will bring his right
arm up to try to stop the pain. David's occupational therapist,
Tony,
is trying to teach David to move his arm for "yes" and his leg for
"no"! I have seen him respond correctly several times.
Tammy, the
myo-fascial, sacro-cranial therapist is encouraged by what she is able
to accomplish each week.
We are waiting for Dr. Siddens to reschedule David's next eye
procedure, which was supposed to be next Tuesday).; We thought
David
would be a RCP and Dr. Siddens could easily get over there to do the
procedure. Since that is down the road a bit, Dr. Siddens is
trying to
schedule a trip out to Summit Place.
Psalm 73:23-28
"Nevertheless I am
continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. With Your
counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory. Whom have
I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My
flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my
portion forever. For, behold, those who are far from You will perish;
You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You. But as for me,
the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,
That I may tell of all Your works."
