Wed- Oct 8 report

HI everyone - Dustin started out having a much better day with no fever and very alert when we came in. He was having difficult breathing and getting weaned from the vent so they did a broncosopy. His lung was not filling up properly and so they went in to inflate it and found a lot of thick junk which they removed. He is breathing much more deeply and able to inflate his lungs and they hope to possibly begin weaning him off the vent tomorrow.

He still does not interact with the staff - only to family. They are deciding that he may be depressed and withdrawing after yesterday rounds. The hairs on the back of our heads ruffled up as their assessment came on the day that he had a fever of over 103 and was not real interactive with anyone. Who would be!?!?!?! We are against Prozac at this time based on this assessment. They want to start it now because they think he certainly will become depressed as he begins to figure out the long term situation we have right now and that he drug takes about 2 weeks to begin working. We are believing prayer, dealing with situations in a "real" manner and not trying to assess life under the "Prozac haze " would be God's better plan.

We got to enjoy many hot air balloons from our balcony this morning and hope to get a picture that we took on the blog from the other day during "mass ascension". I wish all of our photographer friends could have been here at the "most photographed" event in the world (I think I heard.)

I realized everyone does not know all of the people in the pictures that are posted in the second blog so thought I would identify them. Most you will recognize of dustin and his longtime girlfriend, Nerina. there is one with his Dad at his graduation from Fullsail as well as his grandmother (my mom), Sallie (my sister) and then one of Nerina's entire family.

Rick and I took our first bus ride to the Sunflower market and the thrift store where I got my cool weather wardrobe and groceries. We are happy to be able to go home at night and cook and wash dishes and take care of ourselves in our sense of normalcy. Eating out gets old quick.

It has been fun learning to be "green" with walking and bus riding. We are actually glad for the most part that we don't have a car because to get to our 7th floor parking space is a lot of spirals up in the parking garage (ask Anita!!)

We have been so incredibly grateful for all of the support and prayers. Please pray against any oppression and heaviness, fear or bitterness that would arise in Dustin. We pray that his inner man rise up and that his focus would be on an awesome plan for his life and his ability to do whatever he puts his mind to. We believe great things are out there for him.

We continue to appreciate all of the support from our employer and all of the team at Be in Health, and Pleasant Valley Church.

We are trying to do 7000 Project emails in our hospital room but things are growing and changing so fast we hardly can keep up. What a great problem!!

We love you all,
Rick and Mary Pat