Memorial Day Weekend

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On Sunday we checked on Joe, left Kay at the hospital, then made about a 2 hour drive to see Jennifer, Bryan and Jackson.  They had driven  down from Chicago to visit Bryan's parents for the long Memorial Day weekend.  Since they were going to be so close, we just had to drive over and see the grandbaby.  We had not seen him since Thanksgiving and he has grown and changed a lot since then.  He is a busy little cutie pie!   

We brought Jackson a little Leap Frog Guitar and you would have thought he was a young Elvis to see him playing with it!

I'm surprised Jankson is letting PawPaw hold him, since we don't see him very often!

PawPaw Pepper is having fun giving Jackson a ride to town on his 'horsey'.

 

Jackson made a game of standing on the hearth and then running to Mommy's open arms!

We met Bryan, Jennifer, Jackson and Bryan's parents, Bob and Deloris, at the Bold Springs Baptist church and enjoyed a special Memorial Day service them.  Jennifer presented a special by playing the guitar and singing "The Hand".

Thank you Bob and Deloris for your hospitality and the delicious lunch!

Today I'm thankful for a break in our routine.

Update on Joe:  He is doing well and they continue to unwrap and dry and rewrap his grafts.  This will be the routine until about Friday.  The nurse said at that time they would start taking out the staples and remove the backing on the grafts.  After they are sure the grafts are 'taking', they will begin to get him up and start re-hab.  Thanks for your continued Prayers.

My, how time flies!!!

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It seems like such a short time ago that Joe was enjoying this bubble bath!

Today he is recovering from severe burns in the ICU burn center in Augusta, GA.

He has had all his grafts and they alternately air dry him and then they medicate and cover him again.

The nurse changed up the dressings on his back and he said that it felt much better.  They kept him on his side for two and one half hours this morning and this afternoon they will air our his legs.

This is just such a slow process, but every day we look for some little sign of improvement!

Today we are thankful for your continued prayers!

Memorial Day Weekend.

Wishing you safe travels as you celebrate this Memorial Day weekend!

 

Update on Joe this Friday at noon:  They have started the process of unwrapping his grafts and letting them air dry for so many hours each day.  When we saw him at noon, he was turned on his side and they were drying his back.  He looked like he was in pain, but when I asked if he wanted pain medicine he said,"No".    During the next 8 or 10 days they will keep turning and drying him as this speeds up the healing process.  All of his numbers looked good and  he is doing exceptionally well at this point.

Just keep praying!!

We are thankful for daily progress in Joe's healing!

Bits and Pieces of our day

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We are eager to see how Joe made it through the night after his major graft surgery.  We will get to see him at 9:00 this morning.  In the meantime, I'll show you a few pictures from around our apartment and the hospital.

Kay found a peaceful, quiet place out by the pools. 

Then we found this little exercise room, which we will use when we have time.  A few minutes on the Eliptical machine made my thighs burn and told me it would only take five minutes a day!!!

This is the J. M. Still Burn Center, which is in the process of being remoded at the present time. 

 For now, all of the burn patients are housed in the Doctors Hospital. 

The two buildings are connected by a long hallway

This is one of the ICU waiting rooms on the third floor.

We have been doing a lot of this while we wait.

And in the first floor surgery waiting room, we do some more waiting.  It has been a blessing to have the cell phones, laptops, etc. 

 

While we are having breakfast at the apartment, we are usually entertained by the squirrels and birds.  These squirrels are not as cute or as entertaining as Star, but fun to watch anyway.

This is a small plaque I found in the kitchen area off the waiting room.

The large bank of windows in the waiting room on the third floor are curved, (as is most all the design on the hospital), giving us a panoramic view, which includes this large flag.

Out past the swimming pools Kay discovered a little pond where several ducks live.

This was made just as the sun went down, from our front porch.

Today I am thankful for the beautiful surprises God gives us!

Thanks Be To God!

***

I ran across this poem in an inspirational book someone left in the ICU waiting room and it spoke to my heart about what we have been going through.  With Joe being in the ICU Burn Unit in Augusta, GA for one month, we have been reminded that the words of this poem are so true!  Jeep liked the poem, too, and when he ran across it, he asked us to stop what we were doing and he read it to us.

What God Has Promised

God hath not promised

Skies always blue

Flower-strewn pathways

All our lives through.

God hath not promised

Sun without rain

Joy without sorrow

Peace without pain.

But God hath promise

Strength for the day

Rest for the labor

Light for the way;

Grace for the trials

Help from above

Unfailing sympathy

Undying love.

by Annie Johnson Flint

Hebrews 13:5 ... he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Today we are thankful for this precious promise!

update after surgery- May 26

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Joe was carried to surgery at 8:30 this morning and at 2:15 P.M. they came out and told us that he was out of surgery. He is in recovery now. They said everything went well. He is not on the ventilator and did not have to have the paralyzing medicine. Praise the Lord!!! We know that many prayers have been answered!!! Thank you so very much!!!!

*

Love,

Dorothy, Jeep and Kay

The Lord's Prayer

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In the surgical waiting room in the J. M. Still Burn Center is this very interesting wall hanging of the Lord's prayer.  It appears to have been cut from a very thin sheet of  wood.  We were fascinated by the intricate design.  You may have to click on the picture to enlarge it so you can read it.

This is the day (May 26th) they plan to do all of Joe's skin grafts, including the skin grown from his own cells and some harvested from his body.  Please pray that this surgery will be successful and that he will soon be well again.  I am so proud that he has been such a brave and strong patient.  All of his doctors and nurses say that about him.  We are all very grateful for every prayer that has been lifted for him. 

Today we are thankful for every act of kindness, every prayer, and every good wish for Joe!

update on Joe Embry-Tuesday, May 25

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Joe slept well last night and ate a little of his breakfast this morning.  He mostly wants to drink whatever is available, OJ, Gatorade, Sprite, etc.  Nothing big is sheduled for today, so maybe he will eat and drink and restore his strength.  Tomorrow, May 26th, is the big day!  They will try to do all the grafting, including taking skin from his body and using the skin grown in the Boston Lab from his own skin cells.  It will be a big day for him and for us.   We need more prayers than ever on this special day!  This should be his last surgery unless some of them don't 'take'.   I know you tire of seeing the same pictures, but I don't have many of him on the laptop except those of our wedding.  I also know you are tired of me asking for prayer, but God is answering and we appreciate them so much!

Today I am thankful for God's healing power! 

 

Monday Morning update on Joe Embry

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Joe is really dreading the surgery scheculed for today. His throat is pretty sore from pulling the vent out, and he knows the 'biggie' of doing the grafts is coming up Wednesday. These people at this hospital really know what they are doing and they have it down to a fine science. God is still all powerful, still in controll and we trust that He will see Joe (and us) through this and it will be used for His glory!

Today I'm thankful for the doctors, technicians, nurses and all the staff who work at J. M. Still Burn Center and Doctors Hospital to bring about medical miracles with the help of God!

His Mercies are New Every Morning!

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"This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness."

- Lamentations 3:21-23

Joe's nurse called last night about mid-night to let us know that Joe had pulled the ventilator tube out by himself. He said he was breathing normally and coughing up some of the pneumonia congestion! As long as he can do that, there will be no need for the tube and maybe he will eat something!  Thank you so much for your prayers!!

Promises

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This picture depicts one of God's many promises to us.  The one I want to hold onto right now is the one that says He will never leave us or forsake us.....Even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death...

We met with Joe's medical doctor today and he talked with us at length about his overall condition.  He has sepsis (infection in the blood) and pneumonia.  They are agressively treating him with antibiotics, etc.  After the surgery yesterday they left the ventilator tube in to help him get enough oxygen, as he was not breathing on his own enough to bring the oxygen level up where they wanted it.  They decided to leave it in, rather than to take it out too soon and have to put it back in later.  He said  Joe's being healthy and strong before the accident was a big thing in his favor.  Hopefully the medicines will knock out all of the infections and they will be able to take the ventilator out soon.  Thanks to all of you for your prayers, comments and the cards you have sent to him.  We like the doctors and the staff very much and they really take good care of the patients.  We trust Joe into their very capable hands and the lovings hands of our Lord.

Today I am thankful that Joe is receiving the best care available.

Friday Update on Joe

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After a 'not so good' day on Thursday, with infection, fever and not feeling like eating, Joe slept well last night.  When we went to see him this morning (Friday) they were about to whisk him away to surgery.  Kay got to see him for a minute and was told she could stay with him in the the holding area while he waited his turn for surgery.  He went into surgery about 11:00 and was out in the recovery room by 12:30.  The surgeon came out and gave us a very good and positive report.  They took skin from one of his arms and grafted his left hand.  They do not think they will have to graft the large burned area on his tummy, as it seems to be healing on its own.  His arms, legs and back will have to be grafted.

The right arm has been the spot they have been concerned about and that's where they thought there was an infection, but after checking it out they said that it didn't look that bad. If he does well they still plan to take him back to surgery on Monday and clean everything up and cover it again temporarily with pig skin and then to do all the grafts on Wednesday.  They will be using the skin grown from his skin cells in Boston and some of his own skin which they will harvest from his body.  They refused my offer to use some of my skin for the grafts.  I understand the the grafting process and recovery is pretty painful and that he will have to be in bed for 10 days afterwards.  He has been in bed for 4 weeks already this coming Monday.

When we went back for the 5:30 visit, we were told to wait, that he was still in recovery.  That was a shock to us because he had been in recovery  since 12:30.  For some reason, his body doesn't get rid of the anesthetic medicine as quickly as most.  They had to leave the ventilator tube in his mouth and the tube in his nose because he was not breathing enough on his own to bring the oxygen level up to where they wanted it.    I hope they have those tubes out so he can talk and eat when we go to see him at 9:00 A.M.

They seem to be generally pleased with his progress.   I hope he gets good rest over the weekend and is able to eat and build up his strength.  Thanks to all of you who are praying for him!!  How on earth could we ever get through something like this ordeal without having God to help us!! 

Today I'm so thankful that God hears the prayers of our heart, even before we ask!!

Jeep helps us get thru the day

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 Jeep's antics and humor help us make it thru the day.  He says this is his 'Smiley Face'!

Now, maybe he will just cut up the banana and eat his cereal!  Jeep is our anchor!  So patient, kind and wise!  I don't know what I would do without him!!  He is a real help to Kay and me in these difficult days.

We have been feeding the birds a few bread crumbs on the back balcony and this Cardinal is trying to get up courage to come down and eat.

 

These pretty flowers were in a bed at O'Charley's.

This day has not been too good for Joe, but he was feeling a little better at the 5 P.M. visit and we are hoping for a better day tomorrow.  He has an infection and they are giving him lots of antibiotics and Motrin to keep his fever down.  I hope he feels like eating some supper tonight because he really needs the strength!   Thanks to all of you who are praying for him!! 

Today I'm thankful that we can go to God in Prayer! 

The Chapel is small and only seats six, but I didn't need a chair.  I closed the door,

fell on my knees and poured out my prayer and my tears to God.  I believe He will answer!

Joe Embry as a young sportsman

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This was made when Joe was 10 or 12 years old.  I think this was at my Daddy's farm.  We used to go out there to do a little target practice, because there was a safe place to set the targets up against the dam of a little pond.  Joe's Dad and his granddaddy liked to hunt and target practice.  I have to confess, Joe's Mom enjoyed it very much, too.  That shirt looks like it's three sizes too large for him!

This morning Joe told us that he had another good night of sleep.  He ate a little cold cereal,  Mandarin Oranges, Orange juice and drank his protein drink. 

At noon we didn't get to visit him because they were redressing all his burns and taking out staples where the donor skin had been attached but left the skin for now.  They told us to wait until the 5 o'clock visiting time to come back.

We made sandwiches  and ate at the apartment.  Jeep and I went to WalMart to pick up his medicine and a few items.    Back at the apartment for about an hour, Jeep took the opportunity for a short nap.  I think we are getting more exercise than usual, since we make the four visits to the hospital, walk a little in the parking lot, walk a long hall in the hospital and the apartment is up two short flights of stairs.  Anyway, it's enough exercise that it makes us sleep well at night.

At the 5 o'clock visit Joe ate some of his supper and drank a Boost.  He seemed to be feeling a little better.  Then tonight at the 8:30 visit he was sleepy, feverish and not feeling so good.  They re-wrapped him in wet bandages this time.  They warned us when he was admitted that it is a roller-coaster ride back there in the ICU.  Now we are seeing what they meant!

Today I'm thankful that Joe is getting the best care he could possible get anywhere!

Many thanks to all of you who have sent cards!  It does my heart good to know you care enough to take the time, trouble and expense to do that!  They have told us that most all of the time he spends here will be in ICU.  For anyone who would like to send a card, he will be here probably 6 more weeks, at least, and his address is:

Joe Embry, Burn ICU Room 335

Doctor's Hospital

3651 Wheeler Road

Augusta, GA 30909