Services

The services for Dad will be held at 10am on Wednesday, July 13 at Galilee Baptist Church in Gorham.  There will be a reception to follow.

The address is 317 Main Street, Gorham.

God's Provision

Dad went home to be with his Savior at 4:10 this morning.  Mom, Kel and Jason were by his side and I was there soon after.  As hard as it is and will be, we are so thankful that he is no longer suffering or in any pain. 

We thank all of you for your prayers, cards and well wishes. 

July 9, 2011

Dad will be leaving the hospital at 2pm this afternoon.  Please keep us in your prayers as we stay with him and take care of him.

Thank you.

July 8, 2011

Well, I certainly wish that I could do a completely different post, but I suppose that isn't always how life plays out.


We, as a family, have decided to bring Dad home and have hospice come in to help Mom.  There hasn't been any improvement in his condition and they recommended a feeding tube, something that we know he did not want.


The doctors have told us that we can expect up to a week with him at home, but most likely just a few days.  He will be coming home tomorrow, not sure what time.


We would appreciate your prayers for strength for Mom....and the rest of us as we help him in this next step.  We praise God that he will be healed.

July 7, 2011

Jason, Heidi, Austin and Kelli arrived at around 1am.  I hope to post a picture of Dad meeting Austin later today. 

July 6, 2011

What a difference 24 hours will bring! 

Today was a much better day for Dad.  His breathing has improved and he has talked more.  Mom said that he was sitting up in a chair for quite awhile this morning.  When she checked in with the nurse tonight he was doing well.  His breathing was quiet and not nearly as rattly. 

When I was visiting this afternoon he asked me how the baby was, meaning my brother's newborn.  I told him that they would be here tomorrow.  I think he is looking forward to seeing him.  As of 9pm Jay was in CT.  We are all ecstatic that they are coming up.  My sister even hitched a ride with them, so Mom will have a house full for a few day.  I am glad that there will be someone to take care of her for a few days.

While we are praising God for the improvements in Dad's condition, we still realize that he is in critical condition and that there is a long ways to go before he will be home.  We have been and will continue to pray for God's will to be done in Dad's life.  Honestly, what more can we do besides put him completely in the hands of the One who loves him more than we do.

Thank you all for your prayers and for the cards that Dad has been getting.  They are an encouragement to him and to us.

July 5, 2011

Today was a rough day for Dad.  He was doing okay in the morning and then took a turn for the worse around 10:45.  His breathing was very labored.  Mom called me in and David came home so I could go be with Dad. 

By the time I left around 4:15, he was starting to breath a bit less labored, but still rough.  His coughing is shallow and he isn't able to get up what he needs to to clear his lungs. The doctor has said that it can go either way. 

Mom went home at about 5 to get some rest.  She was ecstatic to hear that my brother, Jason, his wife and new baby are on their way up from Louisiana.  Please pray for safety as they travel.  They hope to be up here tomorrow evening.

July 5, 2011

UPDATE:  Mom just emailed and said that there is pneumonia in the top of both lungs.  He will be staying in room 608 until at least Monday.  The doctor said they are more concerned with a reoccurring bleed.

I apologize for the absence of updates for the past two days.  We were busy getting Nick ready and up to camp for the week.

I went to visit with Dad last night and was really not prepared for turn he has taken.  His breathing was labored, he wasn't talking and, in general, not doing well.

I was able to talk with the doctor and he said that he was running a battery of tests to rule things out.  The CAT scan last night showed some blood clots in his lungs, Pulmonary Embolism would be the technical term.  The doctor this morning told Mom that there are several blood clots in both lungs, with a large one in one of them.  They have started him on meds and moved him back into a more monitored room.  A very good move in my opinion.

There is some improvement this morning Mom said, although his breathing is still labored and he is having a hard time coughing, something he needs to do.

The chance of another brain bleed is a possibility, in which case Mom would need to decide whether to do surgery again or not.  It is a decision that I pray she does not need to make.

July 2, 2011

Good morning,
Dad was moved out of room 608 late last night and into room 605.  He's doing a bit better, but is feeling very down at the moment.  Mom would like everyone to know that he can now have visitors.  He's in Richards wing, 6th floor, room 605. 

No new updates as far as lab work goes.  I will update when I hear about those.  Have a great holiday weekend everyone.  Enjoy your families!

July 1, 2011

Back from visiting with Dad this afternoon.  I didn't stay long because I had the kiddos with me, but got to talk with him for a bit.

He had some food today.  Pudding and ice cream, sounds like my kind of place.  I'm sure it made him happy too.  He likes his ice cream as much as I do.

Rehab had him up walking today.  He walked a short distance, but then had to go back because of weakness and "freezing".  The freezing is from the Parkinson's disease.  The nurses didn't want to chance him falling and got him back into bed.

All indications look like he will be out on the main floor in a day or two.  Not sure how long he will remain on the floor before he heads to rehab.  Mom has requested Gorham House for rehab and I pray that he will be able to go there.  It is so much closer than Brighton for mom.

July 1, 2011

No real changes in Dad's condition yesterday.  Mom was able to check in with the doctors when they made their rounds at 7 this morning.  Would love to say that they were informative, but they didn't seem to be.

They are concerned that he may have a blood infections and have taken labs to have done.  It won't be in until tomorrow whether that is an issue or not.  They have not been treating the initial infection that he went into the hospital with on Sunday.  Mom asked them about that, but they said that the urine "looked okay".  However, Mom said that it still looks infected and she has yet to be wrong when she notices it.  She is going to call Dad's PCP today and see what he can do about getting it tested.

Another concern that they have found, but have decided not to treat at the moment, is some calcium deposits around the netting that holds his stomach in place.  (a result of the surgery last winter)  It usually involves surgery, but they don't feel it would be a good idea right now.  Mom had been told then that this could happen, but the chances were small. 

It is looking like he will be in room for awhile longer.  They have some tests to do to test his swallowing before they can give him food.  They have him with nutrition going directly to his stomach right now.

On a lighter note.....Mom asked me what I thought she should read to him for their Bible reading time in the hospital.  I told her that Job couldn't be a more fitting book of the Bible for him right now. 

June 30, 2011

We've had several requests to start this back up so people can be updated about Dad.  As of last night he was doing about the same.  He's awake, talking (although difficult to understand) and anxious to get home.  The CAT scan showed that the bleeding had stopped and that the swelling of the brain was going down. 

When I got in to the hospital yesterday he was sitting up in his chair.  He was really itching to stand up, but they don't want him to right now.  I watched him do some rehab and he seemed to do well with it.  The nurses told him that he would have to go to a rehab facility and he was disappointed that he would have to go.  However, the next step is to get him out on the floor. 

Right now visitors are limited to family because of the room that he is in.  We will let everyone know when he can have visitors.

Praises: 

• That he made it through another surgery and appears to be progressing well.

Prayer requests:

• There is concern that he may have another bowel obstruction, which would require surgery.  Please pray that it is not the case and the swelling in his stomach will go down.
• That he will make steady progress toward moving out on the floor and then to rehab.
• That there is no damage to his brain and that the bleeding will not start again.
• For Mom to have peace and strength through all that is happening.  Dad likes to have her there as much as possible, but the hospital is an emotionally draining place.

Thank you all for your concerns and prayers.
~Julie

He's Home!!!

Chuck came home from Rehab today---he has a lot of pain and is very weak---but has already been on his exercise bike.   Pray that he will be able to rest at night------that we both will be able too, and that he will regain his strength.   Arlene

January 1---2011

Chuck is now settled in Evergreen Manor----Room 23. Monday they will  start PT  and OT---and hopefully he will be strong enough to come home soon.
Today we celebrated our 38th  anniversary. God is so good---a few weeks ago we did not think he would pull through --I am so glad God is in control!