Now that you’ve stopped checking for updates …

My apologies. It’s been a crazy few weeks at our house.

JT continues his work at the rehab center. Somedays good. Somedays bad. It’s hard work – 3 hours of rehab a day. See pictures below. One big challenge is to straighten out his knee – a must before he’ll be a candidate for a prosthetic.

JT & MIL have had several visitors the last month. Right now, his sister DS is here. She was able to come down for a week. She’ll head home for IN tomorrow.

JT will return to the hospital Tuesday for more surgery on the amputation site – the skin has not healed properly. Your prayers are appreciated.

And finally, a couple of greetings I missed over the last few weeks – JT & MIL, Happy Anniversary (8/10) and niece CT, Happy Birthday (8/15)!

New Week – New Room

JT moved to the Healthcare South Rehab Hospital on Friday and changed rooms this morning. He has 3+ hours of therapy each day to build his strength.

Friends from OK continue to come & visit, some expected, some surprises. Thanks to each of you for coming. You should see how JT & MIL light up when friends show up! If you’re interested in coming, send me an email by posting a comment requesting the info or talk to someone who has already been.

I’d love to write more but the Toddler (or should I call him the Monkey?) is trying to climb onto the kitchen table. Gotta go.

Over the Weekend

JT continues his physical therapy and is doing well there, but the emotional stress seems to be taking its toll. DH said he just seems discouraged – something we haven’t seen during this whole battle.

Friday, DH and work friends J & J went to see JT during their lunch. J & J had been to see JT at the rehab center also. JT feels like he has new friends in these two great guys. SIL and nieces & nephews also came to spend time with JT (Happy birthday, niece AG). They stayed with him thru the afternoon until BIL arrived after work. I know that spending time with his g’kids is probably the best medicine for JT.

Saturday & Sunday, DH & Eldest went to visit (I stayed home with fussy, sick Toddler). I was able to download JT’s email onto his laptop so he could read messages off-line. Feel free to send him encouraging emails; we’ll keep downloading them for him.

Continued prayers appreciated. JT is supposed to meet with drs in today or tomorrow to map out the course of action.

Just so you know …

JT continues to recover well at Medical City in Dallas (MIL wanted me to put that info on the blog because there has been some confusion). He’s had more visitors from OK, which is great.

Yesterday, JT’s Uncle B & Aunt P decided they needed to come visit their nephew. They assumed he was at the hospital in our hometown and arrived there mid-afternoon. He wasn’t there, but someone was nice enough to help them in their search.  When they couldn’t reach us at home, they searched the blog for clues and called our church. The receptionist at church told them the hospital & room number, and they arrived to surprise JT before dinner. What a blessing they are! I’m sorry we were available to see them or help them.

Today, friends WK & SK from their home church came to visit, bringing them their mail from the last few weeks. Thanks for doing that. They were there when the boys & I got there to visit. We had a room full, and it was great for JT to be surrounded by so much love.

JT looks good – much better than he did Monday nite when I saw him in the ER. He was up in his wheelchair for almost 2 hours today, a first since the tumor removal. He continues with physical therapy and is slowly building his strength.

Surgery Complete

The doctor came out to talk to the family about 7:45pm. They cut off the leg/foot just below the calf, and JT came through it fine.

The best part of the day was the surprise arrival of JT’s neice DF and MIL’s BFF LK from OK. They arrived just after JT was taken to pre-op. It’s always amazing to me how people just know when they need to show up. MIL needed these two friends/family here, and they knew it without even being asked.

Thanks for your prayers. Tomorrow, I will blog about the days between the surgeries. There were things that happened. I just didn’t get to the blog because I was too busy being MOM to the kiddos. Love you all.

Surgery has been delayed

JT’s surgery has been rescheduled for 6:00pm tonight.  Thank you for your continued prayers for JT, MIL, and all the family, as well as the doctors and staff of the hospital. 

I will post again when we know more. 

Immediate Prayer Request

JT was returned to the hospital yesterday because the foot on his surgery leg was black & blistering. I just got a call from MIL that he will go into surgery at 1pm today to remove the foot.

Your prayers are appreciated. I will blog again this evening when we know more.

Yesterday’s Surgery

JT is recovering well from the surgery yesterday. Below are the details I gathered from DH/MIL/BIL last night.

The surgery was scheduled for noon but did not get started until 2:45pm. It lasted until around 7:45pm. The surgeon came out to talk with MIL and said it was a very complicated tumor, entwined in the muscle, with large blood vessels running through it. He was not able to remove all of it because it was pushing right up against the pelvic bone. More surgery will be required. They will be watching for “functionality” in the leg over the next few weeks.

That’s what I know for now. JT rested well last night and was eating his clear liquid breakfast this morning. There are very limited visiting hours in the ICU, so we will see him when we can. I will write again as we have more details.

Keep up the prayers & support. They make all the difference.

Happy 4th of July!

We had a great day of celebrating our country’s Independence Day. JT & MIL went to see SIL & nephews in a local parade this morning. We all had lunch together at JT/MIL’s apartment, along with Uncle S & Aunt MA (MIL’s sis) and MIL’s cousin & daughter (who is a member of a syncronised swimming team recently featured in the Dallas Morning News).

By mid-afternoon JT was ready for a nap, as was my youngest, so we all headed to our homes. Then tonight, JT & MIL, Uncle S & Aunt MA came over to our house for a cook out, along with my parents. It was an evening of good food & great fellowship. Hopefully, it was a nice relaxing evening for JT before his surgery tomorrow.

He & MIL will go to the hospital at 8am tomorrow. The surgery to remove the tumor & some lymph nodes is scheduled for noon. Please continue to pray for JT’s strength & courage, for the drs’ wisdom & skills, for the family especially MIL as they prepare to support JT through his recovery & continued battle.

PS – I think we went a whole day without rain. Of course, I hear more is on the way tomorrow.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame or Sosa’s 600th!

We (JT, MIL, BIL, DH, Eldest & Self) made it to the baseball game on Jun 20th to see the Cubs play the Rangers. What a great night! The seats were fantastic (thanks, BIL!), and the weather was comfortable (amazing for June in Texas). We enjoyed ballpark food & fun. And got to see Sosa hit his 600th homerun! We even had a Happy Birthday message on the big board for JT, completing a wonderful night.

JT & MIL are in OK now for a few days before his surgery on Jul 5th. I know they are enjoying their time at home.

The second round of chemo went without incident. JT & MIL went to a couple of different Cancer Support Groups while they were here. And, of course, they spent plenty of time with their kids & grandkids.

Thanks again to those who provided dinners for our family. We wouldn’t survive without them.

Oh, and in case you wonder, Eldest is finally recovered from the tonsilectomy. It was a long haul. And he lost his first tooth Sunday.