Weekly Update on MyHero--It's getting better folks!!!!

For those of you that don't follow us on

The Caring Bridge

this is what is posted there today.

Good Morning- This is a picture of John with two of his favorite little people in the world, Alana & Julia.  Sister Maria was at a wedding so the girls were here to get dressed for the reception. The lighting was poor so the picture quality is not great but we are so happy that the girls were able to visit and see Papa for a couple of hours.  As you can see, John is much thinner.  He is 60 pounds lighter than he was last Fall. While I would like to lose some weight I DO NOT want to follow his diet plan!  You don't either- trust me!!!!

I, for one, am glad to see this month come to an end.  It has been a long, hard month. There were days when we counted down the hours from rising in the morning until day's end so that sleep could claim us for a few hours of escape. However, as the month has progressed there has been improvement.  It is slow to come and is measured in weeks rather than days at this point. Living with it day by day, it is not easy to see the sometimes minuscule improvements as they happen---but looking back over the week at its end we can see progress.  Slow and sure is the motto that we have adopted.
 
John is 'brighter' than he was at the beginning of March.  He is tracking better and is able to stay awake for longer periods of time.  While still unable to eat, he is beginning to be able to swallow again.  He has tried a few 'tastes' of things but either can't get them down or if he can get a little bit down the taste is 'off'. His pain level remains manageable and he is weaning off the fentanyl patch.  He has not had any morphine in about two weeks.
  
We are looking forward to continuing improvement in the upcoming month of April. He has set a goal to go back to work as a chaplain the first week in May.  We are praying that happens and he is working towards that goal.  He will still be on a feeding tube but will be able to manage that himself at work.

The next journal entry will be from him.  He has improved to the point where he can focus enough to communicate more effectively.  Three weeks ago, he could not concentrate enough to even read properly.  He would doze off, or worse, read without full comprehension of what he was reading.  Today, he is reading his Bible and his inspirational books and watching something besides GOLF on TV.  (I really thank the Lord for THAT- I am ashamed to say that I often hoped the GOLF CHANNEL would be taken off the air-sorry Jerry Price!)

As always, we thank you for your prayers and well-wishes.  This has been quite a journey and we appreciate that you have walked this rocky road with us-helping us over the rickety bridges and road that is filled with unknown obstacles.  With your help, and prayers, we have been able to conquer so many of those challenges.

Love you all- and thanks for sticking with us..and for your continuing prayers. Diana