February 29th Wednesday  Day 19 of the next 50 years.

Sorry to everyone waiting for 3 days for me to let you know how Jim is doing.  I couldn't remember how to get to my blog (!) and google wouldn't tell me my password.  I had to wait for our daughter to come bail me out again!  It's been a busy, busy 3 days and I will try to catch you up.  Sunday nite he came off Progressive Care and critical care list to the 2nd floor.  Monday morning the liason from Rio Rehab came in and discussed possibly being transferred the next day.  Wow! I got all our things packed up ready to go Tuesday when they would discharge.  Tuesday the physical therapy lady came in and got Jim to sit up on the edge of the bed, then transferred to the recliner, did some arm strengthening exercises with his left arm.  They had just that morning put a picc line in for his antibiotics when he left here.  Then she asked him to try to lift his bottom off the chair by hanging onto the walker, just to work on his strength and up he stood all by himself!  The look on his face was awesome to behold.  He surprised himself as much as us and we all burst into tears.  Then he sat down, caught his breath and did it again!  Alright!  We are ready to get outta here and get rehabilitated.  Our daughter and her husband decided it was time to go home and get back to work, so off they went.

The infectious disease doctor decided they needed to go in and drain off as much of infection as they could so an ultra-sound this morning connected the infection in the leg and deep in the right side of the abdomen together.  This afternoon he went to surgery and had 2 incisions in the rt thigh and 1 in his lower rt abdomen, they drained as much as they could get to and now he has drain tubes for awhile  Tomorrow the radiologist will come in and drain the smaller back areas.  Jim is feeling a lot of pain in the incision sites but should feel some relief on his right side now.  Yesterday he was almost tubeless and now he is back to several. 

This has been almost surreal and I am still trying to absorb how critical it is and what a long road we have to go, but I know our God is in control and we are trusting Him to carry us through.  Will leave you with one of the verses given to him:

"This I command of you to be strong and courageous, do not be discouraged or afraid, for the Lord your God is with you." Joshua 1:9

Will let you know when he is up to visitors.  Right now the docs want him to rest and regain some strength back.  Thanks to all of you.