ThinMint

We are both humbled and grateful for your kindness and generosity. Thank you for the continued prayers as he faces many more challenges on the road to restoration.

I don’t know where to start! When I arrived on Wednesday, Felix was awake, alert and talkative. He remembered everything. Speech therapy put a special valve on the trach collar which allowed him to speak. His voice is not the same, but no matter. I left on Cloud 9! On Thursday, he passed the swallow test and was allowed to start eating solids - finely chopped meat, soft foods, thin liquids. He cannot feed himself yet but I enjoyed helping him. I got them to stop the oxycodone, a couple of antibiotics were completed and the steroid dosage was lowered. The CAT scan of his chest shows some scarring, but the lungs have improved. The heart ultrasound from Tuesday came back normal. They started the blood thinner and he still has a blood clot in the right upper arm. The attending said the DVT will probably be taken out at the restorative care. After 8 weeks and 1 day in the ICU, he was moved late this afternoon to the LTAC located in The Big City. Right now the main hospital is on lockdown (no visitors) due to an influx of covid cases. However, they’re expecting to re-open this week, perhaps just a limited capacity. Even better: once he can handle sitting in a wheelchair, he can be wheeled to their outdoor courtyard so he can be with the kids 🤗 Lastly, my Beloved recorded a message just for y’all...

Good News Friday! January 21st - January 28th, 2022 Typically I will post the good news that has accumulated for the week (after researching the stories). However, because of my current circumstances I’m enlisting your help. Please share all the good news that has occurred over the last week -even personal tidbits. NOTE: I will share some utterly fantastic news soon 😊

😃❤️😊

I don't know how to make contact with a few of you so please send me a private message if you are the one who sent me: - Shawls - An orange mug - Timberbloom Also, thought you may get a kick out of this... Felix got moved to a different ICU unit about two weeks ago. I wrote the same thing on the white board in his room. During yesterday's visit I noticed someone added to it 👇🏻

Many years ago I sat in on a service listening to a pastor do an entire sermon on Psalm 139:23: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” He broke it down to five parts: (1) Search me (2) know my heart (3) test me (4) See... me (5) lead me. He cautioned the congregation saying, “Be sure you’re ready for God’s assessment because He is holy and will not lie.” Knowing the accuracy of his statement I thought it best to avoid discussing a few areas of my life with the Lord. I’m a very commonsensical gal like that. Yet, despite me avoiding certain conversations about specific snarls in my life, God’s correction finds me. I wish I could say His illumining hurts, but the truth is, it’s embarrassing that God even has to watch my foolishness. And yes, I’m still being corrected in this troublous season of my life. It’s incredibly easy to lament to God, you know, to make sure He really, really knows how I feel. I’m a very facilitative gal like that. While it is important to be authentic with God, it’s also important that I ask myself if I’m really applying 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 when I converse with Him. Sadly, I often find myself trying to dictate the terms and outcomes. I’ve written a wonderful script in my head and feel amazed when others don’t follow along. Even God. Goodness my ego will always make me stumble. I’ve told God to use a bullhorn to get my attention. But, He’s kind and gracious and speaks to my heart in a gentle manner, always being the balm I need. And so it was the other night when I was bemoaning that Felix wasn’t getting enough [fill in the blank]. God’s treasured, sweet voice reminded me, “I am enough.” * I sound kinda grownup using all these fancy words. And you read them. We should probably have a cookie to celebrate 🤔

UPDATE: on Wednesday Felix was doing a breathing trial. He gets a “trach collar,” still has the tube, and is connected to the ventilator, however it’s turned off and he gets oxygen. About an hour or so into it, he began to freak out a bit. His heart rate, breathing rate and blood pressure sky rocketed, and his oxygen level dropped. The nurse and I got him to settle down a bit. Then an hour later he really began to freak out and they administered a one time sedative -which pretty much knocked him out. The doctor has prescribed 50mg trazodone for anxiety (once a day at midnight). On Thursday, physical therapy stopped by and got him moved to a stroke chair. No breathing trial, but it was good to get him in a sitting position. I got the oxycodone lowered again. A week ago he was at 20mg every six hours. Now he’s getting 10 mg every 12 hours. Doctor said LTAC can help wean him as they monitor his pain. Edit to add: attending said Felix has organized pneumonia. On Friday, occupational therapy stopped by to assess him. She said even though he couldn’t lift his arm, for example, she could feel his muscles moving and knew he wanted to do so. (He has since lifted it more than he did with her as he’s kinda pushing himself.) Doctor said he’s ready for LTAC (long term acute care). We’ve been waiting for LTAC to submit the paperwork and for the insurance to review for yay or nay. So I still don’t know where he’ll be placed. We need him to go to LTAC as soon as possible to get the therapy he desperately requires. I’m also so hopeful that once off the ventilator, we’ll get to work on getting the feed tube removed to get better nutrition. I told the doctor I want to bring in organic, nutritionally dense tube feedings and guess what his predictable reaction was? POAs mean nothing to the Hospital Industrial Complex. Felix has shown mental awareness, however I suspect it’s meds that make him incoherent at times. I am able to pick up some words he speaks. I’ve been telling anyone who stops by his room, “God performed a miracle,” and, “he is Jesus’s miracle.” Everyone agrees though their reactions are mild to excited. I’m not sure how God wants us to share this journey yet, but I’m more than willing to be an instrument for His glory! Love, ThinMint Edit to add: Just received a call from the hospital. The nurse said he was asking what happened to his wedding ring (I’m wearing it). That he’s thinking of such things... 🥲♥️

Good News Friday! January 14 - January 21, 2022 Typically I will post the good news that has accumulated for the week (after researching the stories). However, because of my current circumstances I’m enlisting your help. Please share all the good news that has occurred over the last week -even personal tidbits.

Don't Give Up On Me by Andy Grammer

UPDATE: I spoke with the attending on Sunday. He hemmed and hawed about the oxycodone. Then I explained how I watched my husband do a 180 mentally, emotionally and physically. The dosage was lowered. The other attending on Monday agreed we need to get Felix off the oxycodone and we will taper it. Going from 20mg every six hours to 10mg every 8 hours made quite a difference. On Monday, Felix breathed on his own (still attached to the ventilator) for 4 hours. The attending had him do it all day today then he went back on the ventilator at night. Felix was very drowsy today, keeping his eyes open for just a few seconds. I know he’s exhausted so I hope he’s getting some restful sleep. (I don’t believe it’s anything nefarious. When I arrived yesterday morning his eyes were wide open. I asked him if he ever slept and he shook his head no.) I spoke with the attending and dietitian to give Felix more protein in his feed tube. He needed a blood transfusion Sunday and he’s been getting insulin for the last week (he is not diabetic) so anemia and sugars are something I’m praying about. The attending told me today that he feels Felix is ready for LTAC (long term acute care). There are only four places in our insurance network that take someone on the trach/ventilator; only one, an hour drive from our home, responded to the hospital’s inquiry. There is a restorative care at the hospital campus, which would be the most ideal. They are out of network so it’s a matter of the LTAC and our insurance working out a contract. Again, I have to trust God to choose the best place for Felix. Every day there’s something that tries to steal my joy over Felix’s miracle. I’m exhausted, but determined to keep God front and center. I am humbled and appreciative of all your continued prayers. ♥️ ThinMint

Faith or Fear - Part 2 When I arrived for my visit with Felix early this afternoon, the nurse told me that he has been responding to commands and even wiggled his toes. I asked him yes/no questions and also got responses. I cracked some jokes and even saw him try to smile. He indicated he knew me, and I felt his fingers/hand move just a little and saw his leg and shoulders move. After the nurse administered his pain med, the situation/mood changed. I watched him become confused, scared, not remember when I asked him questions -including if he knew me or the kids. He shook his head no. It was a sucker punch to the gut. I left earlier than planned because it was too much to bear, too challenging to remain lighthearted and smiley for him. I envisioned crying during the drive home, pouring my heart out. It didn’t happen. Instead, I rejected the fear and doubt as I recalled that I saw too many indications that a miracle took place. I told God that I trust Him. Later in the evening, I read the posts over at @CallToBattle and this caught my eye: “God responds to faith not fear or timidity.” Couple this with my reflecting on the 12 spies recently and whoa! When we submit to the Lord, we take an active role in being rewarded for our faith. And sometimes that blessing manifests as a husband being wholly restored to his family 😊 Please pray that the doctor(s) will agree to stop the oxycodone. I don’t know if they’ll taper it or stop it, however Felix needs to get off the narcotics.

Faith or Fear - Part 1 As I’m walking through this season of life, I’ve asked God from the very beginning to tell me what to study. I often don’t know what I should explore until I sit down with my Bible or a specific thought flutters through my mind. The other day I was inspired to reflect upon Joshua, Caleb and the 10 spies. After they returned to camp, the spies were divided into two groups: those who believed God was with them; and those who saw the impossibility of the situation. In succumbing to their fears, the latter group forfeited the promises of God. I wanted to know how this story applied to me -how could I relate? Our faith means being obedient to God’s call that we trust Him -more so when we can’t see a way through and out. If I don’t sacrifice my pride, my will, my fear, my doubt then I am essentially telling God that I don’t believe He is sovereign enough, almighty enough and I deny Him the glory. “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him” - Hebrews 11:6

Good News Friday! Typically I will post the good news that has accumulated for the week (after researching the stories). However, because of my current circumstances I’m enlisting your help. Please share all the good news that has occurred over the last week -even personal tidbits.

Thank you also for sending cards for Felix. I strung them up so he’ll see how much y’all did for him when he returns home 🤗

I think Felix is waking up more and more. I'm not 100% positive, but it seemed like he was trying to speak and I think I felt his thumb move. He did try to shift his shoulders (the nurse witnessed this as well) and he followed commands of open your mouth (both for me and the nurse). But he hasn't followed commands from the doctors to squeeze his hand or wiggle his toes. I did a FaceTime call with the kids and he seemed to show some emotions. As he's waking up more and becomes aware, it's not surprising he'll get panicky. He did so today after the call with the kids and he was given a sedative (no fentanyl) to calm him down. The ICU folks are taking steps to get him moved down to LTAC/restorative care. I don't know where that will be yet. Still waiting on an ophthalmologist to consult, and for the blood culture results. Yesterday he had a bronchoscopy performed. They didn’t retrieve much but the lungs are inflamed. Thank you for not giving up on Felix. For supporting me and the kids with your uplifting prayers and words. Y’all make this a beautiful community.