Almost Back on Track

We had a bump in the road. A couple of weeks ago, I posted a picture of our family at the hospital. Why in the world would we take a family picture in the hospital (I am known to take pictures in the oddest places, but this was really odd)? My husband got a serious infection in his tear duct. Doesn't sound that bad? Well, it started 35 years ago when he was just a kid. He and his brother were swinging on a swing set, that wasn't cemented into the ground. Guess what happened when his brother jumped off the swings (he did warn my husband, first)? The whole swing set fell backwards onto my husband's nose and cheek and, consequently, crushed his tear duct. His nose and and cheek healed, but his tear duct didn't. He never had it repaired. His whole life he has had to wipe his eye and clear the duct with a kleenex. Okay, not too big a deal, but a hassle. Then, more recently, he began having more problems with it. It would not drain properly and always felt congested. Come to find out, he had an infection. He got on antibiotics and scheduled surgery to repair it.

Around the beginning of April he and Jake (our 12 year old) went on a camping/hiking trip with Boy Scouts. It was a 23 mile hike in the Los Padres National Forest (Northwest of Santa Barbara). It was a three day trip. The first two days were great. By the evening of the second day things began to go down hill. Brad (my husband) started to get a bad headache. He got the chills and he felt horrible. By Sunday morning he was miserable. The bad news was that he had to hike 11 1/2 miles, back to the truck, in 40 degree weather with 40 mph winds. Then he had to drive 3 hours to get home. Did I say that the first hour of the drive was on a very windy road and his eye was now almost swollen shut? Well, that's how it went.

When Brad, finally, got home he was a mess. I had dinner almost ready. Brad showered I turned off everything, called a friend to ask to drop the kids off, then rushed Brad over to the emergency room. We really thought they would just change the antibiotic and then send us home. No such luck. He was admitted.

The next five days went like this: prayer, i. v. antibiotics, morphine, a 2nd antibiotic added, vicodin, pain, swelling, praying, more swelling, more pain, a cat scan, surgery to remove tissue that had cause an abcess, relief, prayer of thanks, rest, more antibiotics, prayer and subsiding swelling. After 5 days he was released to go home with a PICC line, for antibiotics, in his upper arm. Two weeks of antibiotics thru a pump, prayer, visits to the infectious disease doctor, the opthamologist and nurse home visits helped heal Brad enough for reconstructive surgery.

A week ago, Brad had successful reconstruction. Coincedently, Brad's original surgery date was April 29th, his actual date was May 4th. Feeewww, that was crazy! Now he is recovering and feeling soooo much better. He has quite a scar, but no other repercussions. Boy, have we been blessed. The Lord took care of everything. We are so thankful. So, needless to say, we have been preoccupied :) .

I'd say, life is "almost back on track." Brad goes back to work on the 17th and then it's the last few weeks of school. Boy, are we ready for the summer!

First day in the hospital

after abcess surgery, finally resting

implanted drain, had to stay in for almost three weeks, until new duct could be made

PICC line for antibiotics, went directly to the top chamber of his heart

Brad's great nurse, removed the PICC after 14 days

2nd day after reconstruction, not bad

Looking better, feeling better (5 days since surgery)

much happier camper, literally :)

much happier wife

I'm so thankful for my husband, his health, our children's health and my health

Thank you, Lord.