Gordon's Updates

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Epilogue

Susan and I woke up to the sounds and smells of home this morning.   Not sure how much Susan slept while listening for alarms or the nurse to come ask for help.   17 years ago when we first brought Gordon home the situation was much the same.   Simple things like suctioning his trach (clearing his airway of secretions) required two people.  One to give oxygen through an ambu bag and one to sterile suction.  The great thing was Gordon slept all night, no need for suctioning till this morning.    Gordon regains his strength, we will get back to normal and one person can handle it. Yesterday, we very specifically asked for safe travel home and for Gordon to be able to make the trip comfortably.   Gordon's oxygen saturations were 97 to 98% and his heart rate was in the 70s all the way home. Smooth sailing all the way.  We had also been asking prayer for his intestines as this was the source of some of the bleeding and low blood count.   Hemoccult tests yesterday as we left showed the blood no longer present in his stomach and only a faint trace in his intestines.  This was a big difference from two days ago.   Intestines for sure finished second to the kidneys but they all seem to have crossed the finish line.    All of these things have resolved themselves in God's timing.   If we had come home Monday we would have brought Gordon home still in need of oxygen and blood.   Waiting till Wednesday was definitely the right call.   As we pulled into our drive we were greeted by a large sign with balloons saying, "Welcome Home Gordon!" (Many thanks to the Ninja sign makers who disappeared just as we arrived.)   The kids had made signs all over the house as well.   It was a perfect homecoming.

Yesterday we were also blessed when our favorite ICU nurse was back on duty, Meredith.   Susan said it was such a sweet, God-didn't-have-to blessing for her to be the one who was there at the beginning full of comfort and skill and also the one who walked us to the door as we left.   Meredith and her husband, a third year general surgery resident, are training to do medical missions work.   She is one of 6 kids and her father, a pastor, started a church in their living room 10 years ago.  A very familiar story.   Also, everyday we received overwhelming comments from the doctors, nurses and staff on how well our nurses and Susan had cared for Gordon.   They rarely, if ever, see a child who had been disabled like Gordon has for so long in this good of shape.  Gordon has a great team surrounding him, especially his mama.

I wish I could post all of the email comments we have received throughout this trial.   The honor and glory I see returning to the Lord through all of this is what has brought me afresh to my knees and awakened anew the sense of wonder I have about our good God.  There are literally hundreds of responses each of which has touched our hearts.  I mentioned to Susan that I am sure many people go through life wondering if they are making an impact.   We were blessed to hear time and again how Gordon was impacting many of you.  One of the writers asked me to answer all of the questions that Greg, from Selah, had asked me.   Those are conversations we can have over Starbucks sometime.  In closing,  I will partially answer one question about our marriage.

I met Susan when she was in 8th grade and left such an impression that she does not remember the encounter.  After a long chase through high school and college, she succumbed to my charms and we got married in 1983.   Better deal for me than her, I'm sure.  Our relationship with each other has always been grounded in the truths of scripture.   We struggle in certain areas like many of you.   After Gordon got sick the first time, we went for 10 years in survival mode. Once he became more stable, and the baby train slowed down, we started intentionally investing in our relationship afresh.  I am a gift giver and Susan needs quality time.   The perfect solution for both of us have been short getaway trips.  I give her the trip as a gift and she gets to spend quality time with me for several days.  A trip was our Christmas present to each other this year.   We were scheduled to leave for a sunny, beach locale (current temp 83 degrees and sunny) today.  I am so completely, totally, without reservation, elated that we are instead sitting around our kitchen table today enjoying a paradise I thought we had lost.   God is so good.  

Thank you for being interested and invested in our family over the past 3 weeks.    As life unfolds, I pray we will have opportunity to return the same love and support to you that you have given to us.

Psalm 40:1-3 "I waited patiently (most of the time) for the Lord; he truend to me and heard my cry.  He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and the mire,  he set my feet on a rocks and gave me a firm place to stand.   He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.  Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord."

DAY 19

February 10th, 2010

We walked in this morning uncertain about going home. Gordon had required oxygen again in the night and we did not know if that would keep us here another day. Dr. Jabbs came in around 10am and said his kidney's had officially achieved normal function and from a kidney perspective he could go home (we will follow up with nephrology in a few weeks). Rounds were about to get to our door, and before they came, Pat Lovin, our case manager and old friend, came in and looked at Gordon and asked him if Mom and Dad could provide transport back to Jackson? Susan and I were on either side of Gordon letting him sit up in bed and he looked at Nurse Pat and gave the biggest yes with his head. In fact, it was the first affirmative nod we have gotten out of him. That was cool. The attending physician came in and said the oxygen need was probably due to a little atelectasis in his right lung. We think we worked that out during suctioning this morning. There was also some concern about us traveling with oxygen, but his need for it has decreased and he is now on room air again. All of that detail to say our nurses are on the way from Jackson to help us care for Gordon on the way home. Holding onto faith is a scary ride. We should leave here around 2pm. Party at 49 Wellington Drive!

We once again realize that God in his mercy has blessed us with a good result for Gordon. It will take time to process and realize the breadth and depth of the gift we have been given. Thank you for your constant prayers. Please continue to pray for Gordon to have a smooth, trouble free transition back to good health and a safe, no crisis, trip home. There should be no long-term ill medical effects from this scary trial. Once Gordon regains his strength, he will be back to his normal, stick out his tongue, buzzing lips, ignoring his mother, teenager self. Please pray also for my and Susan's and the rest of the kids transition back into our normal lives. This has been hard but God has certainly been faithful and merciful. Stories like this unfold everyday all around us. We are blessed to have shared this one with you and experienced the comfort of your prayers, compassion and love. I will let you know how Gordon does going home and hopefully close out this season of writing emails tomorrow.

With much love and gratitude,

Randy and Susan

"I will sing of the LORD's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself." Psalm 89:1-2

February 9th, 2010

Day 18

We walked in this morning, with snow falling, Gordon still looking at us with a stressed expression. Nurse Heather did a great job letting him sleep, but he was still not himself. Labs taken this morning showed a small decrease in sodium level (158) and potassium on the rise (good things). We also found the answer to Gordon's issues over the last 2 days. His hemoglobin was very low, (the low end of normal is 12, G's was 6) so they gave him 2 units of blood. It was an amazing thing to watch. As the blood was given, his heart rate went down, his oxygen saturations went up and his face relaxed!!! Wow! There is definitely power in the blood (sermon illustration for Eugene). This low level was caused by the kidney failure (kidneys help in the production of red blood cells), some bleeding in his intestines and the constant drawing of blood for lab work. The huge improvement makes us feel much better about taking him home. We can manage the potassium and other electrolyte issues from there. HOME is on the agenda for tomorrow provided that sodium continues down, potassium stays up and hemoglobin stays up. We hope to hear on rounds in the morning, "You guys GO HOME!"...at which time the fireworks will commence and all God's people will say, "Amen." We just got back to the room from taking Gordon on a ride in his wheelchair around the unit. He did great! Many of the nurses and doctors even stopped to tell him good job. This is, after all, why they do the what they do, to see kids go home.

If we had been a little more on the ball maybe we would have had a notepad where we would write down all of the visitors who have come by. Each visit was so timely, either to distract us for a minute, bring a snack, say sweet prayers, or just to encourage us to carry on. Jan and Benjie Wood have been our backbone through all of this. No request was too much for them. "Better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away " (Prov. 27:10) has never been more true. (no offense to our precious families who have been a huge support and encouragement to us!!!) Most of our visitors drove from Jackson just to see us. We won't soon forget the love we have felt from each of you.

We were not expecting any visitors today due to all the snow. We were blessed by unexpected surprise this afternoon. A few days ago I told you about the cool CD that Brian Petak brought to Gordon. It was the new release from the group, Selah and Brian had a cut on it. You remember Gordon listens to Selah every night when he goes to bed and has for many years (like eight or nine!). Brian wanted to surprise Gordon and showed up today with two of the original group members Todd and Nicol and Nicol's husband Greg. Todd and Nicol said after hearing Brian's story about Gordon they had to come by and see him. They were great with Gordon. They looked him in the eye, held his hand, and asked him which song was his favorite. They sang, "Draw me Lord" and "Yesu Azali Awa" (Jesus is here with us). Todd and Nicol grew up on the mission field in the Congo. Gordon never took his eyes off of them while they sang. So cool. They stayed about an hour, prayed for Gordon and asked deep, thoughtful questions about our life with Gordon like: "How has the church responded?", "How has your experience with Gordon changed you and your kids?", "Did you blame yourself for giving him the vaccine?", "What is the right way to greet someone who is in a wheelchair?", "How has this affected your marriage?" They really wanted to know where and how God had shown up in all of this. Most of the questions we have received have been like these. And we have loved telling of the wonder of God's presence in all of this. There is nothing but deep water here in the PICU. It was obvious that they understood what it was like to walk through a deep valley. And it was a huge blessing for us to be able to tell them how their music had ministered to Gordon's spirit each night.
We are hoping to wake up to our final "groundhog day experience" tomorrow and return to our home and a church family that has "showed up" in such a big way.

This is our prayer:
"Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy and be glad all our days." Psalm 90:14

Randy and Susan

February 8th, 2010

Day 17

I keep hoping the subject line of this email will read, "final update, homeward bound!" But, bummer, bummer, that's not happening today. Susan told me a few days ago that her most anxious moments were in the morning as we walk in. She is hoping that Gordon looks perky and rested, not stressed out. This morning he looked stressed out. He spiked a fever in the night and seemed to be struggling a little to breathe. We added some oxygen to his vent and the furrowed brow and twitchy eye have calmed down. It is not unusual for Gordon to have random fevers. Unfortunately the fever continue this afternoon. He finished his last antibiotic treatment yesterday.
We met with the ICU doctor this morning and he spoke about the low potassium and high sodium, basic electrolyte components, that were still out of whack. Again, these adjustments will just take time. Due to the fever they have to culture his blood to see if there is an infection. They have a 48 hour rule that says we have to stay until at least Wednesday to see if the culture grows anything. They also simply do not want to send us home with issues that are unresolved. As parents we can look at Gordon and tell he is not quite all better.
The big news is we have a winner. The kidneys have officially reached "normal function" status. Yeah!!!! and Praise the Lord!! The intestines just didn't have it in them to finish strong. In fact, we have positive blood tests coming from his intestines today. Since the kidneys are back to normal we can restart his ulcerative colitis medicine which hopefully will control the blood that we find in his intestines. Your prayers for his kidneys have been effective. Please pray the causes of these fevers and blood in his intestines will be discovered soon and be treatable. We may be disappointed about going home later, but we for sure don't want to go home and have to come back.

When the Psalmist described us as fearfully and wonderfully made I am certain he knew of all the perfection that must be present in the metabolic balance and the wonderful symbiotic way the body works all these pieces and parts together to regulate, cleanse, and allow life to happen. Early in my growth as a believer in Christ I took a yellow highlighter to my Bible and marked most of the New Testament. At that time it seemed as if every passage was relevant. Those early years of discipleship led me to several very concrete convictions that have been the foundation for my life. I wrote in the back of my Bible the passages that jumped out and kept me sane and full of faith that God could fulfill His promises to me. Some of the Scriptures have been ones you have seen at the end of these emails. One of those came to mind again today as my feelings invade my mind and leave me wondering what God is doing. This experience has also added a few to the list. Thanks again for your prayers.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

February 7th, 2010

Day 16 

Gordon slept ell last night. The nurse that caused me so much anxiety two nights ago, to her credit, listened very carefully to Susan about his evening routine and Gordon did fine. We had positive kidney function direction again today. We were thinking this could mean we could go home tomorrow. They had even written on the board in his room "home tomorrow." But, the ICU can jump up and bite you in a hurry. Dr. Jabbs, (nephrology) came in and said Gordon's sodium had gone up to 161. That was too high. We had been told earlier that sodium was something that had to be brought down slowly. Consequently, Dr. Jabbs was very non-committal about how soon it would be before we could leave. Gordon is also still not tolerating basic things like suctioning. Dr. Jabbs reminded us our goal is to get everything back to normal before we leave the PICU. The other good thing is that the treatment for lowering sodium is more "free water." That just means they are adding more water to his feeding schedule.
After writing the email yesterday, I slipped home to Jackson to see the kids. The only mistake I made was reading many of your responses to Gordon's story on my phone as I drove. I was so blessed to hear how God was encouraging us all through this experience. Thanks for letting me hear what God is saying in your hearts. The mistake was your words brought so many tears to my eyes that I had to stop three times to get myself together. Finally, God graciously killed my phone's battery so I could make it home. Upon arrival at the house, we had a great re-union and Grandma said she needed to go to the grocery. Maggie needed valentines so off I took kid 4,5 and 6 to Target. When Susan went home a few days ago, she cleaned out the fridge. When I went home, I took the kids to Target. Go figure.
This morning being at Fellowship after missing two Sundays was great. It felt really normal to be gathered for worship with all of our church family. It was very therapeutic for me to lead the first song of the worship set. The worship set and message were awesome and I so appreciate Jason's kind words. Everyone was so loving. During the 2nd hour, I went upstairs to Discovery (our membership class) and taught my section on Worship. That was also a very normal thing to do and fun.
I am now back at Vandy once again. Gordon looks like he is ready to take a nap. His time up in the chair seemed to wear him out today. Please pray for continued healing, sodium reduction, and strength for G.

Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith...Let us hold unswervingly to hope we profess, that He who promised is faithful. Heb 10:22-23

February 6th, 2010

Day 15 

Yesterday was an overall good day. I was stressed by several small things earlier in the day and I am sure that is why my summary was so short, writer's block. (Rounds just finished, kidney function still improving, intestines are regulating, it looks like it might be a photo finish sometime Monday afternoon).

February 5th, 2010

Day 14 

Another busy day. Gordon did not have a very restful night. He had a new nurse and she kept bothering him. He did have a good nap this morning. Susan is back. I met her downstairs in the lobby, excited to see her and without thinking blurted out "Welcome Home!" A clear sign that it is time to get back to Jackson. Morning rounds brought good news. The team feels that 3 to 4 days is a realistic goal for going home! That means Monday or Tuesday depending on his progress. The latest results from the race between the organs has his kidneys making a surge at the far turn. No percentages to report, but it is better. He is also handling the half strength mixture of his formula fairly well. He continues to have periodic high heart rates and needs for suction. We're not sure why that is, but it must just all be related to getting well and regaining strength. He sat up in his wheel chair again for about an hour.
Susan brought me a big stack of mail to work through and also a few get well cards for Gordon. My favorite was little 8 year old sister Maggie's, " I'm glad you got better Gordon!!!!!! I wrote cards saying get well soon. It didn't exactly happen soon but you're better now:) and that's all that matters. I love you Gordon." Maggie joins the rest of us in hoping Gordon comes home soon. We may have to have a little parade.

Proverbs 25:25 "Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land." (or a hospital nearby)

February 4th, 2010

Day 13 

My apologies for the lateness of the update today. We have had many wonderful visitors and a busy day of caring for G. We were especially glad to see Erin and our Grand baby Tori. Big hugs from two year olds are huge doses of joy. We decided Susan should go home for the evening and surprise the kids. She hasn't slept in her bed since all of this began. She rode back to Jackson with Erin and Grandma and arrived about 4:30 immediately attacked by three kids who were glad to have mommy on the home turf. Susan will head back this way in the morning with one of our regular nurses. I am sure the change of scenery will do her a lot of good. Gordon and I are having serious father/son discussions in Susan's absence.

Gordon continues to bravely plug along. He achieved a big step today and was able to tolerate sitting up in his wheelchair for about an hour. It was great to see him up in his chair and apart from the hospital gown and all the extra wires and IV lines, looking very normal. He even tried to play on his computer for a minute. His neck and finger muscles were just a little too weak to make the mouse or switch do their job. He will get stronger. They also gave him half strength formula at 3 pm and, so far, he is tolerating it well.

We spoke with our nephrologist today and learned about a new (to us) lab measurement for kidney function called the glomerular filtration rate (gfr). GFR gives the percentage of actual kidney function. The other tests we have been following (BUN) showed how much waste was building up. The nephrologist, Dr. Jabbs, ordered this test yesterday because she felt Gordon's lack of muscle mass was veiling Gordon's true kidney function. Previously we had been told that once the intestines were up and working normally for 48 hours we make plans for home. Today Dr. Jabbs said that the GFR number also needed to be above a certain percentage before we could go. Gordon's present GFR is showing his kidneys are functioning at 10% right now. She wants that number to be between 30 and 40% before we can leave.

Now that you (and I) understand all we never wanted to know about kidney functions, our prayer is that there will be a race between the kidneys and intestines to see who can reach their passing grade the quickest. This will give the internal organs bragging rights and hopefully future claims to extra blood when needed. However, it would be really cool if there was a tie and that this race would only take four or five more days to complete.
This news about kidney function recovery was another piece of information to process and feel our way through. We also received a lesson from Dr. Mereck about how much function is needed by a kidney to function normally. He speaks a lot of doctor talk that I actually enjoy and probably only really grasp a small percentage of. The interesting statement he made was that no organ functions at 100%. He explained that there is certain capacity in hearts, lungs, livers, brains, (pick any organ) to operate at 100% when needed. But every organ is designed with reserves built in. Some organs may normally function at only 40 or 50 % of their capacity. Furthermore some organs can regenerate if injured or if they suffer a severe shock (like Gordon's). The kidneys are one of the organs where the cells receive permanent damage. This means they will never make it back to the 100% level, but the reserves could now hopefully be used to allow the kidneys to function normally. Time will tell us the answer to this one.

As a pastor I have always enjoyed the opportunity to serve and have a ministry of presence to folks in crisis. Being on the receiving end has been humbling and so needed by our entire family. I know the truths that need to spoken in times of need. I know many relationships that God has strengthened and renewed during this time. Many of you have sent emails telling how Gordon's life and fight to live have inspired you and sent you to your knees as you join us in desperate times praying those desperate prayers. Our faith has been built up as we have seen God's design for His church play out once again in real life as you have reached out to us in so many cool and tangible ways. We feel your love and we thank you once again.

I close today with a couple of cool God stories from today. Gordon gets ready for bed each night and we play a certain CD for him to fall asleep to. He has been listening to this same CD for around 8 or 9 years. The group is called Selah. Not very well known, but the album is full of encouraging, soothing worship songs. My friend from Fellowship Brentwood, Brian Petak stopped by tonight and brought Gordon a present. Brian had recorded a song on a new CD and he thought it would be encouraging for Gordon. This new CD is the latest album from Selah. I asked Brian how he knew Gordon was their biggest fan? I believe God is in all of these small things.
I have struggled over the past few days with the separation from my family and from my fun job as a Pastor. Eugene was a big help in this regard yesterday and God very kindly sent Kris and Jen Howell up here this afternoon to gently remind me that God has me right where he wants me and that His bigger purposes are being accomplished. He tearfully read to me from Philippians to remind me how God can use "confinement" to advance the gospel. It was just the perfect message for me today. Thanks Kris. May your hearts be encouraged. Thank you to all who continued to walk this road with us in prayer!

Bless you! Randy and Susan

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16

February 3rd, 2010

Day 12 

Yesterday was Groundhog Day. We remarked how many of the days here in the ICU have felt like the movie. So much so, we really have to think what day it is. Susan said we are just here "waiting on the world to change". Gordon had a good night. He tolerated his pedialyte well last night. They are going to increase the amount as the day goes on and hopefully transition to half strength nutrition tomorrow.
We have a new nephrologist who just rotated on, Dr. Jabbs. She was full of good information and her suggestions and plan of treatment make a lot of sense. She was not surprised that his kidney function numbers are not improving yet. She was also definite in saying she believed we could proceed without dialysis. That was great news. She believes the kidneys could take months to recover. This does not mean he would have to stay in the hospital that long. Dr. Jabbs believes once we have intestines functioning fully we could possibly go home. We are still early in the process so no one is giving us a definite time frame for discharge. Our goals for the day are to get him up in his chair for a few minutes and to keep weaning off the lasix. We don't want to rush Gordon's healing but it would be nice to get home soon.
Mama and Daddy are tired and a little drained feeling today; we can only imagine how Gordon must feel. Pray that we will persevere through this trial.

Randy and Susan

You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. Psalm 18:28

February 2nd, 2010

Day 11 

This morning Gordon seems a little less puffy and the doctors talked about his progress! Progress...in the ICU, the balancing act is precarious! Gordon's kidney output is way up today and that pulls off fluid but not waste products so medicines were adjusted to accommodate. The GI doctor heard one bowel sound so they will attempt to put a little pedialyte in G's stomach today. This is the first baby step for his GI tract. We may get him back on his home vent today. Baby steps! Pray that Gordon will tolerate these things today. Every change is scary even though these steps are progress. He is getting on his home vent right now. Dialysis discussion continues. We hope the kidney waste numbers start going down soon. Two of our nurses are on the way with Gordon's wheel chair so he can sit up a few times a day. Bless you all, Randy and Susan

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:28-31

February 1st, 2010

Day 10 

Gordon continues to rest comfortably. Today has been a good day. We have loved having the family here since yesterday. There must be some type of endorphin or enzyme that parents get when they see their children again after a time of separation. They are leaving after lunch to go back to Jackson. Gordon had several wet diapers in the night and his wet diapers have continued to be steady this morning. Great news. The doctors just finished rounds and we have a plan for the day. Gordon's lab results this morning show continued increases in the retention of his kidney waste products. The nephrologist said there can be a delay in those numbers dropping for a day or so while the output of the kidneys picks back up. We are primarily dealing with one organ failure for now, the kidneys, while also waiting for the bowels to start working again. The lack of bowel sounds has kept them from giving any nutrition through his stomach for now. The plan is to hold off on dialysis and let his kidney's keep picking up the pace. We also are trying to wean Gordon off oxygen and back down to room air. When we do this, we will then switch him over to his home vent, which will feel more comfortable to him. Our prayer request remains for kidneys and intestines to recover. Your prayers and love have lifted my and Susan's spirits for today. Blake Ward is on his way to see us. I asked him to break into our house to get a humidifier for Gordon's home ventilator. He was successful and just called and said, "the eagle has landed." Everyone has been so willing to help in so many ways.
As I look back over the past 10 days at the highs and lows of each day we have at times felt very overwhelmed and wondered if we would ever see progress. The valleys have been very low. God has given us enough strength and patience for each crisis. He has done that by sending the right people and messages at the right time. Through texts, phone calls, emails, and visits we have sensed the hand of God, by the power of His spirit, reaching out to comfort our tired and weary hearts. Through great nurses and caring doctors we have rested well knowing the best possible care is being given to Gordon. And ultimately God's sovereign hand has chosen to work all these things together for our good. We have a ways to go, but the trends are heading in the right direction. Praise be to God.

We love you all,

Randy and Susan

January 31st, 2010

Day 9 

It's been a very long week. Gordon had a good night, he is a little puffier today. Our younger children and Susan's mother are on their way to visit with our sweet friends...braving the snowy, icy roads!! This will be good for our hearts and Gordon's spirits. Morning rounds continued discussions on possible solutions for dialysis. We received two surgical consults this morning to talk about possible steps if necessary. The decision to move forward with surgery to place the dialysis catheter lies Dr. Hunley, our Nephrologist. Dr. Hunley just left and we are holding off on dialysis for another day. They are going to increase his lasix and try that today. Our prayer continues for kidneys to keep recovering. Dr. Hunley said they were functioning around 8 or 9% of their capacity. So, overall we are holding our own. The sun shining outside the window is an added bonus. Thanks again for your kind calls and prayers, we love you all.
Randy, Susan and Gordon

Our prayer for today:
"My soul finds rest in God alone, my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken."
Psalm 62:1-2

January 30th, 2010

Day 8

It looks like today is the day that we will have to do dialysis. Doctors will place a line in a femoral vein and use that to do the work his kidneys are still unable to do. This is not a surprise to the doctors. It will make Gordon feel better to get rid of the fluid and waste products he is holding. Doctors have also decided to stop all feedings because his stomach and intestines are still not really functioning. This means they will remove the NJ tube they placed yesterday and possible remove the central line that was paced in Jackson last week. Maybe this will increase his comfort. Today Gordon looks down or tired or maybe just weak. This must be wearing on him! Pray for his spirits and strength. Continue to pray for kidneys and intestines. Doctors continue to be hopeful that everything will recover in time. The shock to his body was huge and all these issues are related. We were hoping to avoid dialysis so we are a little bummed that Gordon has to go through another procedure. There is a young girl in the room next to Gordon who is not expected to live very long. We are grateful that our hope is real and that your prayers are so faithful. As the Spirit brings us to your mind, we thank you for your prayers.
Randy and Susan

Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble. The LORD will protect him and preserve his life; he will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes; the LORD will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness. Psalm 41:1-3

Day 8 night

Just a quick note to let you know, the doctors (including the attending physician here on the unit) were unable to place the catheter for dialysis. Gordon's scoliosis and hip dislocation made it impossible to get the catheter into the vein. All doctors agree that we are not "pushed to the wall" yet and we have another option or two while we wait for kidney function to return. Right now, we are trying another diuretic with Lasix to push the kidneys again. Gordon is resting comfortably now (thanks to some drugs). Great doctors and sweet nurses have helped keep our blood pressure down and perspective clear.
Randy and Susan

January 29th, 2010

Day 7 

Sweet friends and family,
Gordon had a great night. They pretty much leave him alone at night to let him rest. The Doctors do their rounds between 8 and 9 every morning. This is when we hear the latest lab results and get the treatment plan for the day. We also see the GI and Kidney Doctors about the same time. Noon arrives very quickly with all of the activity. Gordon's kidneys are about the same. We have seen a tiny increase in wet diapers, but not enough to make any difference in his fluid overload. The numbers reflecting his lack of kidney function continue to rise. The nephrologist (kidney doctor) is not concerned and hopes things peak tomorrow as kidney function hopefully improves.
The intensive care team saw a few things in his labs that suggested pancreatitis. The pancreas is an organ we have not discussed yet. This new concern has led to several other decisions. They have inserted a NJ tube through his nostril. This tube bypasses the stomach and goes straight to the upper intestines. They will give clear fluids through this tube today and see what the lab results are after that. If the numbers go down, that will confirm a problem with the pancreas. They have also decided to put a "picc" line in his left arm. This is a more permanent IV for drugs and fluids. The presence of the picc line will allow them to convert the central line in his neck to a dialysis port if needed. Dialysis has been on the radar every day. If we have to have dialysis, it will only give his kidneys more time to recover and allow some of the fluids and waste in his system to be processed out. That all sounds real nice and neat, but we would prefer not to have to go through that if we don't have to. In the middle of all of this, we also changed rooms. This was so he could share a nurse with another patient. This means he is less critical...praise God.
For the past couple of days, we have been getting rid of various drugs and arterial IV lines. This has felt like progress. Today's changes are not our favorites and add to the stress of the up and down nature of life in the ICU.
Words continue to be inadequate in expressing our deep, heart-felt, tearful gratitude for all of your visits, prayers, texts and emails. We truly feel each of you taking a deep breath with us when we send out good news and know you are desperate and fervent in your prayers for us at times of crisis. No crisis today...simply thanks for slow progress and real hope. Yesterday was Susan's turn to have a hard day. She is better today. We are both tired and longing for home, our kids and normalcy. Keep praying for kidneys and overall healing!!

Bless you all, Randy and Susan

P.S. The picc line was inserted while I was writing this email with no problems at all. Gordon in typical fashion slept through the procedure.

Philippians 4:13 "I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength"

January 28th, 2010

Day 6 

Gordon greeted us this morning with bright eyes. He is off all blood pressure medications. His heart rate is also lower. BP is 120/72 heart rate is 60. Great numbers. Kidneys are still asleep on the job. The doctors say that will take time. Our hope is that the good BP will help the kidneys get going and get rid of all the excess fluid. They will also try clear fluids through his g-tube and see if his stomach and GI tract will wake up. All of these organs shut down as a result of the septic shock event. Even though Gordon is better today, moment by moment changes in ICU are stressful. Please continue to pray! Our kids at home seem to be reacting a little to their own stress. Thanks for loving on them and praying for them. Mama's heart is in two places, actually three with Lindsay in Ireland.
Randy and Susan

Isaiah 43: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; Do not be afraid, for I am with you."

January 27th, 2010

Day 5 

Gordon had a good night. His blood pressure is good with the medications he is on. The doctors just finished rounds and are basically continuing the same course of treatment. They are going to try to add some nutrition to his IV today. They are also trying to wean him off some of the blood pressure meds. The dark red blood from his stomach seems to have slowed down. He is back on his normal home ventilator settings. All good news. Kidneys are still stubborn. They are going to try a little lasix to get them going. Heart rate is down below 120. Thanks again for your powerful prayers. Keep praying for kidneys and continued healing of all the stuff inside his sweet body. Blessings to you all, Randy and Susan

Psalm 27:13 I am confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord!

January 26th, 2010

Day 4

Gordon's condition remains serious. The doctors are walking a tight rope of balancing the risks and benefits of everything. Please continue to pray for them and for Gordon's blood pressure, kidneys intestines. There is also a new development of problems with blood clotting. Today is certainly better than yesterday. We feel your prayers and greatly appreciate the love and care you are showing to Gordon and our family. You are an amazing support to us. Please also pray for our sweet Lindsay who is in Ireland on tour with her dance company. We are getting to talk to her but she longs to be with her brother. We continue to trust in our faithful God. Randy and Susan
About to end our 4th day. We have had a tough day overall...not because Gordon has gone backwards, only because we have not seen any real improvement. His blood pressure has been up and down still requiring medicine to regulate it. A small setback was blood in his tummy and his stool. This is due to the damage from the shock his body received and not surprising. Kidneys continue to put out very little urine, not enough yet. He has needed some oxygen added to his ventilation today as well. The general consensus is to be patient and wait for kidneys to kick in. We have only left the bedside for about 20 minutes since 8 this morning. Pray Gordon will continue to fight. We hope for a smooth, restful night for Gordon tonight and progress tomorrow. Susan is a rock, I've been a blubbering mess. We are a great team. Much love to you all and thanks so much for all the texts, emails, calls, visits, and most of all prayer. God is mighty to save, He can move this mountain! Randy

January 25th, 2010

Day 3

Gordon arrived safely in Nashville around 11:30 this morning. He was very alert during the flight. His blood pressure is our primary concern at this time. Doctors cannot do any other procedures until his blood pressure stabilizes and rises. Then the extent of kidney damage and treatment will be decided. They are hopeful they can help things head in the right direction. Please pray for Gordon's blood pressure to stabilize quickly. We will try to update status on Susan and Erin's Facebook pages through the night and by email when possible. Bless you all for your continued kindness and prayers. Thanks, Randy and Susan

January 24th, 2010

Day 2

Today Gordon was put on one blood pressure medicine because he's having a hard time keeping his blood pressure up. Still having fever. Urine output has decreased, he is looking puffy, fever still up. He started on some food...a special formula for kidneys. Randy went home for the afternoon to take care of Thomas who had picked up the same intestinal virus. In the night, Gordon's blood pressure became harder to manage and his overall condition worsened. All the improvements we had seen the first 24 hours went the other direction. Early Monday morning the decision was made to fly him to Vanderbilt.

January 23rd, 2010

Day 1

Some of you may already have this info, but Randy wanted me to pass along all available info and an update to you.
Last night at 1:30, Randy and Susan had to rush Gordon to the E R. He was showing signs of sepsis and his temperature was extremely high (almost 106 at the hospital) due to an unknown infection. Initially it was determined that he would need to go to Vanderbilt as soon as possible for treatment as they were unsure of the cause for his condition.
He has since been diagnosed with a kidney infection and is currently on several high-powered antibiotics. He is being treated at JMCGH, so at this point no trip to Vanderbilt, which is a blessing. They are still working on stabilizing his blood levels as the infection has his system under extreme strain. He is in serious condition and Randy and Susan covet your prayers for their family at this time.
In Him, Benjie