Life has settled into a different “normal” at our house since Dave came home from the hospital on Tuesday, October 14^th. He spent 3 weeks and 3 days in isolation at Elkhart General, and had 3 surgeries while he was there.

We are so grateful for his speedy recovery so far! He has an appetite again, is driving, and and walking well. He came home with only a wound vac, after thinking for awhile he may need to keep his PICC line in longer.

Home nurse comes out Monday, Wed., and Friday to change the wound vac, a process I enjoy helping the nurse with. His 12 in. incision on the R thigh was left open to heal from the inside out to make sure it stays clean of the MRSA infection. The incision gets packed with foam strips and sealed with a sheet of clear plastic ‘tape‘. Then there is a vacuum and line attached to keep all moisture drained into a canister on the small portable vac that he carries with him. It speeds up the healing process by increasing blood circulation to the site.

To the queasy folks, I say, OK, I will stop there. Too much info and we may have ppl dropping off their office chairs like flies. Not good.

Now there are doc appointments and more home nurse appointments, keeping track of meds and fixing the beeping wound vac for a daily routine versus driving out to EGH every day. I prefer my present routine over the latter, by far.

Those 3 weeks were the longest weeks of our lives! I wondered for a few days if he was gong to survive this ordeal. Sunday, the 5^th, when I discovered a new outbreak of infection to the side of the first and smaller incision, we wondered how many more outbreaks there were going to be before this clears up. Monday the 6^th was prolly the most discouraging day when we heard surgeon say Dave will need another (the 3^rd) surgery that afternoon. Is this fiction ever gonna end? How bad can a little zit git?

We were both feeling pretty messed up that day when Pastor Mel walked in to visit and prayed with us. Couldn’t have been better timing! Thanks, Pastor Mel!!!

A big THANK YOU to Walt and Gin and Mom and Dad for taking good care of our boys, as well as Liz, Norma and Joanne. Thanks to everyone who prayed for us, stopped by to see us, called us for updates, texted and emailed. Thanks for the meals, gift cards, flowers, balloons, and cards! A high 5 to our small group from church, for their support! You guys are awesome! Thanks to the Teen MOPS steering team and Dorothy Schwartz for taking extra responsibilities so I could take a break. THANK YOU to our church family at MCCh for the prayers and financial gifts. Thanks, Pastor Gary and Anna, Jerry (good ole Pastah Cherry), Marion, Gene, Mike, Dean and Roseann, Lena and Marlene for stopping by and frequently checking in for updates. Uncle Glenns, Uncle Larry’s, Weldon and Marilyn, Willard and Judy, and David and Miriam, and Dennis, so good to have you stop in! It was so nice of Davy and (my sis) Lois and girls to make a quick trip out here the weekend of the 11^th! Cedric and cousin Amber were hilarious that weekend, best of friends! Another Thanks to my family in PA for picking up Sara's REACH fundraiser to relieve us of the chix BBQ.

It is WONDERFUL to have Daddy home!!!! Cedric has a few phrases he repeats often, “I’m so glad Dad’s home!” and “Mom, is Dad better now?” I found 3 little boys all soundly sleeping in big brother’s bed one night while Dad was gone. I had put them all to bed but evidently fell asleep before they did. Just extra security when life was a bit crazy around here. Bless their hearts.

Hopefully Dave will be back to work in a month or so! We made it through that one, Hon! Isn’t God good to us?!!!

Trials are good for us. I like these verses in 1Peter 1:6, 7 (NLT): “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while….(our faith) is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold- though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”

1 Peter 5:10 (NLT) ….“so after (we) have suffered a little while, He will restore, support, and strengthen (us), and He will place (us) on a firm foundation. All power to Him forever!”