Graft Problem

Hi y’all.

Just a quick note.  We had a good Sunday.  Charlie sang with the men’s group and they were great.  Then we went to a Deacon Ordination ceremony.  Charlie was part of the ceremony.  It was a good time of fellowship and what a blessing to be present at the ceremony.

Monday we went to school.  Was a good day except I was exhausted.  Someone thought they needed to call and hang up at 12:40am Monday morning.  I couldn’t get back to sleep after that so it was kind of a long day.  The new van with the transportation company picked us up.  Nice to not have to worry about VIA being late and us getting to hyperbarics late.  Charlie had his hyperbaric treatment and when it was over I went back into the room to take a look at the wound during the wound care portion of the appointment.  Charlie had been complaining about soreness on the foot in the area that the graft was done.  I mentioned it before he went into the chamber, and when he got out I went back and noticed there was a large spot on the bandaging.  They took off the gauze covering and it turns out that the graft had migrated away from the wound.  We were both disappointed.  They are hoping that perhaps a bit of the graft went into the wound before this happened.  We will know more on Friday, when he sees the doctor and they do another graft. 

Dialysis was today and Charlie bled all over his shirt and pants.  Not sure if it was just because of an inexperienced tech or not.  Charlie said he is pretty sure that is what the problem was.  Maybe Thursday will be better. 

Well folks, that’s it for now.  I’m heading to bed and Charlie is already asleep.

Please keep the prayers coming for the foot, the eyes, the kidney, finances, fundraising.

Thanks to all of you for prayers and kind words.  Y’all are great!!

Blessings to all,

Charlie & Sherrie

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHARLIE!!

57 years ago today, at Ft. Jackson, SC,  God blessed the Shivley family with a son.  Robert Charles Shivley (aka Charlie).

Happy Birthday to a wonderful Husband, Father and Friend.  Charlie is one amazing person.  Those of you who live in the San Antonio area and have not met or talked with Charlie need to try and do so.  He is really an incredible person.  His usual demeanor is peaceful, and loving.  He would give you the shirt off of his back and then some if you were in need.  He is an amazingly positive person considering all of the things he encounters on a daily basis.

Charlie has diabetes, has been blind for going on 9 years now, and has been on the kidney transplant list for that long.   It has been a long haul, but he just keeps on going.  In addition to all of these things, he is facing removal of both eyes in the near future.  He is a part-time college student, does dialysis on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday for 3 1/2 hours each day; on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday he does hyperbarics (after going to school from 9-2) for 3 hours.  He has a stuffed schedule.

Inspite of all of the cruddy things that are going on with his health he is a very positive person.  That doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have a down time once in a while, but in general he sees things in a good light.  He loves the Lord and knows that all of the things that have happened and are happening in his life are for a reason.  He is studying to be a Pastor and would like to do some motivational speaking.  He would like to let people know that even though you may have a disability or two it doesn’t mean your life has to be over.  You can still make it, with God’s help. 

All of these things are woven together by God to make the man we know as Charlie.  He is an inspiration to me and to many around him.  I have been blessed by the relationship that we share.  God bless you Charlie…and Happy Birthday.  You are a blessing!

Love ya.

Sherrie

How Else Can I Say IT??

Hi Y’all,

Sorry about not posting last night.  Was a bad day for me healthwise.  I couldn’t seem to get my bloodpressure up.  It was very low all day.   I just didn’t have the energy to even attempt to type on the keyboard last night.

Anyway, yesterday was kind of a bad day.  School went well, but then when we got to hyperbarics things just seemed to fall apart.  Once again what we were told and what happened were two different things.  Last week, on Friday, when Charlie’s graft was done, we were told that they would do another graft yesterday.  So we got there for hyperbarics (28 minutes early.  On Wednesday we were scolded for not being able to do the whole treatment and then told get there as soon as we could on Friday and they would get us in so that Charlie could get the full treatment done.) and were told there would be a 40 minute wait.  That wasn’t a good thing.  Then they asked what was supposed to be done.  I looked at the tech and said “We don’t actually know.  On Wednesday they said that it would be grafting again but I don’t know if they intended to do that and hyperbarics.”  The reply I got was “Hold on and I will check with the nurse and the doctor to see  what is supposed to be happening.”  Charlie and I waited about 10 minutes and the tech came back and told us that the doctor said there would be no grafting, only hyperbarics.  They would leave the graft alone for another week.  I then questioned why we were told they would be doing another grafting yesterday.  Then one of the nurses came out and in kind of a gruff manner told me in no uncertain terms that the grafting will be done at the second week and that’s all there is to it!  Well that set Charlie off.  He felt that he was spoken to in a rude manner and he made sure that everyone knew how he felt.  Then the Medical Director came out and he and Charlie had words then too.  The director made it seem like it was our fault that there was confusion.  NOT OUR FAULT.  Like I said, I had not felt well all day, so of course I started to cry.  I was frustrated and was trying to calmly talk with the doctor and explain the frustration.  He didn’t get it.  All he had to say was “you know how I feel about y’all.  I am trying to treat you and get you well so that you can get your kidney.”  That was it.  No listening to what I was saying, just a lot of really frustrated people in a not so large space with a bunch of other patients sitting there listening to what was going on.  It was a mess. 

Now, All we want is a treatment plan.  We just want someone to write down what is going to be done when we come in.  I don’t want to have to tell them what they are doing for wound care anymore.  They always have trouble finding Charlie’s chart when he gets there, seems like if you know a patient is coming in then the chart should be pulled and readily accessible.  All of the information is also supposed to be in the computer.  I am just not getting it.  I have asked repeatedly for the treatment plan in writing so there is no more confusion.  I don’t know how else to deal with this.  It is INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATING, for both Charlie and myself. 

Then, to top it off, I called the transportation people to verify that they would be starting the new wheelchair van pickup on Monday afternoon, and was told I better make reservations with VIA! They weren’t sure if the van was going to be ready.  Now we have been waiting for the van to be painted for over a week.  Everytime we get the go ahead to not schedule VIA they change their mind.  It was 4:50 when I called them and I was told that they would contact the person in charge and then call back to let me know what was going on for Monday.  I wound up calling to VIA and having to schedule a time that may not work.  IF they come 10 minutes early (their new rule) then we will miss them and Charlie will be counted as a no show.  They wanted him to leave class 15 minutes early, but I said NO!  So we have a pick up scheduled, now I just have to pray they can’t come early!  I called today and spoke with the “man in charge” at the transportation company (at 8:15 this morning) and he was on the way into the office and would call back within an hour.  Well, it’s 4:47pm and I haven’t had a call so I called him again.  He said he must have been dialing the wrong number.  Anyway, he said that the painter said he needs to go over the job again.  It’s an EMS logo on a van, not the Sistine Chapel!!  It’s been over a week now and he is saying maybe Monday morning.  So the “man in charge” has assured me that they will pick Charlie up on Monday after school and take us to hyperbarics.  He said call the office on Monday morning at 9 and schedule it.  So we will see what happens.  Not going to cancel VIA until I get a confirmation that this is for real now!

We wound up at hyperbarics until 6:15 last night.  So we were gone from home for 12 hours.  Both of us were tired.  The whole encounter at hyperbarics wiped me right out.  Charlie was a little better but his back was sore from being in the wheelchair for so long. The ambulance transport brought us home and I had to go in and move the cat to the bedroom.  I walked in the bedroom and there, on the carpet, right at the bathroom door, the cat had left a gift.  Apparently he couldn’t go 2 more feet to his litterbox.  LOL…what a way to end the day!!! 

Things seem to be going much better today.  My bloodpressure is still a little low, but I am taking it easy.  Charlie had dialysis this morning and things seemed to have gone smoothly there.  He is napping now and should be up in about an hour and a half.  Our granddaughters were supposed to come over tonight but their mama is sick.  No worries, we are going to do the visit next weekend instead.  We just want mama to get better, she sounds dreadful!!  Better safe than sorry as far as the germs go, we don’t need to have Charlie come down sick right now. 

Well folks, I think that’s about it for now.  We have shared the frustrations of yesterday with you and ask that you join us in prayer over them and a solution to them.  Please pray also for Charlie’s foot and healing to happen there, For fundraising ideas and opportunities, For School, For a kidney or a live donor. 

Once again I ask that y’all pass this on to people that you know, family, friends or whoever.  You never know who might be wanting to donate a kidney or become a live donor. If you know anyone and they would like more information please have them contact us and we will be happy to share contact info so that they talk with someone who can answer their questions.

Blessings to all.

Charlie & Sherrie

School Days….School Days…

First Day of the New Spring 2013 Semester.

Ever have one of those days when you are just so tired that you sit down and the next thing you know it’s 3:30AM?  Well, Charlie started back to school yesterday.  We got up at 5AM, our ride arrived at 6:30 and we went to school to start our new semester.  First class was Drama.  Charlie’s instructor is very animated!  His name is Charles.  They apparently are going to have a monologue competition this semester.  Charlie is actually thinking of entering…his motivation is the $300.00 first prize!  I’ll keep you posted on the progress on this for sure.  We then had an hour break and went to the Disablity Services office to print syllabi and other stuff.  Second class was World Religions.  We were late to that class because people apparently are unable to read the big red placard next to the elevator that says “For Faculty, staff and disabled use only”.  When we got to the elevator there were about 10 students crammed into it and no room for Charlie and his wheelchair.  Kind of aggravating!!  The class should prove to be very informative and interesting.  After this class we had another hour break.  There was an information fair going on on the “mall” area. They gave each person a card with small squares on it listing the organizations that were at the fair.  You got a sticker from each table you went to and once you had 5 stickers you could enter a drawing for a $250.00 scholarship.  Charlie got 6 stickers, so we entered him in the drawing. Then it was on t0 get lunch..GIANT baked  potato.  It was great.  Big enough to feed us both.   We then went to the English class.  We sat in the class waiting…waiting….waiting for the instructor.  Eventually a gentleman came in to inform us that the course had been cancelled due to low enrollment.  Seems like that decision should have been communicated to the students before we arrived.  Anyway, they gave the 10 students alternatives and they each decided what they were going to do.  Charlie was able to go downstairs to the same class, same time, same books AND same instructor.  We found the elevator and went down and totally disrupted the class trying to rearrange furniture.  The instructor then gave us the information sheet for the class and told us the assignment was on the board.  It was a writing assignment.  Kind of a get to know you essay.  He needed to write about himself, name, age, family, education since high school, then an interesting fact about himself.  He told me what he wanted to write.  We started with when and where he was born, then about the children and grandchildren, then about school, and about being on the kidney list.  I had to go back and rewrite it because I had to cross out a couple of things.  As I started the rewrite I asked if he would like to include anything about his WIFE??  He replied with “oh yeah”….LOL.  We made it through the class and turned in the paper.  Then on out to the stop to wait for our ride which was to arrive at 2:21. 

The ride thing was another whole adventure in itself.  We got there 10 minutes early as per the new rules for VIA Trans.  We waited patiently…and they were 40 minutes late.  Yep 40 minutes.  I called them to place a complaint and asked what recourse the clients that ride have.  If you are not ready 10 minutes earlier than your pick up time they will leave you and count it as a no show.  You get 3 no shows in a month and then you are suspended.  We already had an encounter last weekend when they left Charlie at dialysis because he wasn’t ready 10 minutes early.  This system is extremely flawed and someone really need to look at it.  They are asking dialysis patients to give up part of thier session so that they can pick people up early if they arrive early.  Rediculous and jeopardizing the health of these patients.  In Charlie’s case it causes him undue stress which causes his sugars to go up and that only causes the kidneys to get worse.  We are going to go to a board meeting soon.  Hopefully if we go and face the people we can help them to see the flaws in the system. 

We left the school and went to hyperbarics.  Charlie only had time to do an hour treatment because we arrived later than anticipated and his sugars were high.  They gave him some insulin and then we decided to go ahead and do the hour.  It went well and he was okay after the treatment.  We did get scolded by the people at hyperbarics, but it was okay after we explained the whole situation.  Glad that was over!!

We left hyperbarics and went to the Church for dinner and prayer meeting.  It was a good dinner and the service was good.  We did find out that two families will be leaving our church to move to another area, we will miss them as they were friends.  After this we went home. We turned on the TV and watched a couple of shows during which both Charlie and myself fell sound asleep until 3:30AM.  Both of us went to bed and it seemed like it was no time before the alarm went off at 5 and we started another day!!    

So as you can see, it was a very long day, but a good day.  We are looking forward to seeing what this semester brings.  Oh, I almost forgot, Charlie won $10.00 in the drawing from the information fair!!!  (We found out this afternoon). 

We ask prayer for the following:  1. Charlie’s foot (the next graft will be done tomorrow).  2. School.  3. Fundraising.  4. Finances.  5. A kidney. 

Thank you again to all who are reading the blog and following Charlie on his travels.  We also thank those who are emailing, and sending prayers and words of encouragement.  We enjoy hearing from each of you.  Your prayers and love are what helps us make it through each day.

Blessings to all.

Charlie & Sherrie

  

 

Grafting….

Hi y’all.

Hope everyone is having a great week. Today Charlie had hyperbarics.  He spent time in the chamber and then they took off the grafting bandages.  Small amount of drainage, but doctor seemed happy with what was there.  He said if there is no more drainage than was there today they don’t need to change the bandages on Wednesday.  They will apply the next graft on Friday.  We’ll be able to tell then if it is taking or not.  I know Charlie will be glad when he can wear a shoe on both feet again.  Right now he is in a surgical shoe and his regular shoe.  Looks funny, but it keeps the foot stable.  He can’t wear a shoe on the left foot because it’s all wrapped in gauze and it won’t fit in his regular shoe.

Things are going well today.  Charlie slept for a bit after dinner and is going to bed early.  He is still trying to make up for lost sleeping time.  LOL.   We set up transportation for school and hpyerbarics for this week.  It’s going to be a long week but I am sure it will be a good one.  Charlie is kind of nervous about the new semester,  (still).  I keep telling him he needs to think positive, it’s going to be a good week!!  Maybe a busy one, but a good one too.  We have to go get books on Wednesday, we had hoped we could do it much earlier but there was a glitch with the PO from Division for the Blind and then Charlie wound up in the hospital.  So, we will go pick them up on Wednesday morning.  Not looking forward to that line!  I’m kind of excited about the classes this semester.  Looking forward to learning lots.

Tomorrow is dialysis day.  So it’s up early as Charlie’s ride comes at 5:50am, so we have to be up at 5 so that the bag gets packed with drink and popcorn and then I have to put the lanacaine on Charlie’s arm and cover it with plastic wrap.  They used to be able to give him shots, but now they send the cream to Charlie every other month and we have to put it on the arm 1 hour before he goes to dialysis so when they do the needles he doesn’t feel them. 

So friends, it’s time for me to sign off for now.  Please keep Charlie in prayer for:  1. The grafting to take on his foot.  2. The new semester.  3. Fundraising.  4. A kidney.  

Please feel free to share this blog with other people, friends, family, etc.  Also, please feel free to share words of encouragment or prayers with us.  Charlie and I both enjoy hearing from y’all.  The prayers and words of encouragement are good for both of us.

Blessings to each of you.  Have a great rest of the week.

Charlie & Sherrie

Sleepy Sunday….

Good Evening Everyone,

Did you ever have one of those days where your body says SLEEPPPPPPPP, you need sleep.  Well, that was how it was for both Charlie and myself today.  I think we were both still in recovery from the hospital stay at the beginning of the week.  The both of us just slept most of the day away.  I have learned over the years that when you don’t pay attention to your body it finds ways to MAKE you pay attention.  With us it usually means a stay at the hospital.   Charlie didn’t feel real well last night but we did have the anniversary celebration for the Movie Ministry.  It was a great celebration.  We had 27 people there and everyone had cake, ice cream, popcorn, lemonade and a great time.  Everyone loved the movie.  AND we surprised Charlie with a birthday cake.  It was a busy night, but a good one.  Both Charlie and I were exhausted by the time we got home.  Part of his tired was having 4 dialysis treatments in one week. That would exhaust anyone! 

When he woke up this morning he was having stomach trouble, but after our sleepy day he is more himself.  Tonight he  is feeling much better.  He did sleep a lot, as I said both of us slept nearly the whole day away.  I feel a good deal better too.  Tomorrow we will start another busy week, in addition to the dialysis and an increase in hyperbarics treatments, school starts Wednesday.  It’s going to be a busy semester.  Charlie will be taking Drama, World Religions, and English Composition.  There will be LOTS of reading and writing this semester.  Charlie is a little anxious over the schedule.  I know he will do well, he has so far.  Please keep him in prayer for this semester.  He will be getting the second Graft this week.  So far everything seems to be going okay with the grafting.  We will know this week how/if  the first one took.  We will keep y’all updated when we know more. 

This Saturday is Charlie’s birthday.  He will be 57 years young.  I pray that this will be the year of the kidney!  He has waited so patiently for nearly 9 years.  He has such a positive attitude and he knows that God is getting him ready for the kidney.  I believe I told y’all that his brother was tested and he is not a match.  He did however agree to be part of the exchange program.  That means that if someone else matches Charlie but doesn’t match the person they were tested for and his brother matches the other person, then they will do the surgery for each of them as an exchange.  So Charlie and the other person would get a kidney.  Sometimes these exchanges can involve 5 or 6 people getting kidneys.  We pray that this or a live donor situation will present itself this year.  As his nephrologist says “THINK KIDNEY!”  Charlie has been blessed with a wonderful nephrologist.  He has stood by Charlie all of this time and is there whenever we have a need or a question.  He came to the hospital this last stay and spent 45 minutes with Charlie the second day of dialysis.  They had a great chat and laughed a good deal.  This is the way that a patient/doctor relationship should be.

Charlie is an inspiration to a lot of people.  His positive attitude and his willingness to share his story make it very easy for people to talk to him.  He has a kind heart and just loves people.  Charlie takes the time to listen to those around him and doesn’t hesistate to offer suggestions or guidance where appropriate.  He loves God and shares that with everyone he meets.  I love the fact that he can do that.  Many people do love God but they don’t take the time to let others know it.  I also love the fact that he does show his emotions.  When we were with the eye surgeon the first thing he wanted to know was if his tear ducts would still work because he still wanted to be able to cry.  That melted my heart.  Here is a man who was losing an eye and the first thing he asks is if he would be able to cry.  God really did bless me when he allowed me to meet Charlie.  I am very thankful for him. 

Well folks, I need to get some more rest.  This week is going to be a busy one!! Please feel free to share this blog with friends and family.  You never know when someone who is thinking about donating will see it.  Blessings to all of you. 

Please pray for the following:  1. Healing of the foot (and that the graft will take).  2. Finances.  3. Fundraising.  4. New Semester.  5. Our health.  6. Kidney. 

Hope each of you has a great week.

Charlie & Sherrie

And the GRAFTING BEGINS!!!!

Good Morning Everyone,

So, first of all let me apologize for not sending out a messasge yesterday.  It was a long day yesterday and I fell asleep on the couch.  When I woke up it was too late to do any blogging.  I suppose it’s just the body’s way of saying okay…..time to play catch up!  Charlie fell asleep early as he didn’t take a nap after dialysis. 

Anyway, it started out to be another frustrating day with the transport people.  They were a half hour late.  We did get to hyperbarics on time.  Charlie said he wasn’t feeling good so they decided they were going to only do wound care and we would return home.  They were really busy and didn’t have a bed availble so they had Charlie get into a wheelchair while he was waiting.  We inquired about the treatment plan that was supposed to have been developed by Wednesday and no one had any information.  I asked that we be able to speak with the doctor as we needed some answers.  We wanted to know when Charlie was to begin the grafting process on his foot and we needed to find out how often we would need to be coming, and when that would begin.  I explained that school would be starting next week and we needed to get scheduling straightened out.  One of the techs went and talked to the doctor and again the decision was that Charlie was only going to do wound care.  Again I told them we needed to talk to the doctor to get the answers that were supposed to be decided on by Wednesday.  The nurse then went to get the doctor, and came back with the grafting material.  Decision then was no hyperbarics today and they were going to start the grafting.

Next thing they did was take Charlie to the wound care room so the doctor could do the graft.  We went to the room and the tech went to help Charlie onto the exam table and Charlie crumpled.  He passed out cold.  I had his head in my hands as he began to fall, the tech didn’t seem to realize he had passed out so I had to tell him to lower him to the floor.   We finally revived him, did his blood pressure, it was 230/85.  Same thing it did the night he was admitted.  Then they checked his sugar, it was 227.  He said he couldn’t feel his legs or feet.  Not sure why all of this happened.  Charlie will talk to his doctor about it and see what he says. 

They did do the grafting on his foot ulcer today.  It was interesting.  They had a dish that had the human skin in it.  It was a round circle of very thin skin tissue.  The doctor cut the circle into quarters and then applied each quarter to the foot, stacking the tissue.  He then put steri-strips on to hold it.  The foot was then wrapped in gauze.  This will be done once a week and they want Charlie to do the hyperbarics 5 days a week.  He is still thinking on that one.  It would mean going to hyperbarics after school on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and then also after dialysis on Tuesday and Thursday.  Would make for a really long week for him.  He is going to think about it and then let them know on Monday.  We know that it would help the wound heal quicker, but it would also really wear Charlie down to go 5 days a week. 

So that was our excitement for the day.  Oh, and Charlie’s brother did the testing to see if he would be a match for a kidney.  Today he got the call that he is not a match.  😦   Oh well, it was worth a try.   We will keep on looking, somewhere out there the kidney is waiting for Charlie.   I guess we just need to work on getting the foot healed first and then the fundraising, and then the kidney.  We know that God has a kidney waiting, and that He will get it to Charlie in HIS TIME.

Please pray for:  The healing of the foot.   The new school semester (starts this Wednesday).  The fundraising.  Our finances. A kidney.  Rescheduling of the eye surgery.

Thanks y’all, for the prayers and words of encourgement.  Yesterday was a rough day but we made it through it.  One more challenge met and conquered. 

Blessings to all.

Charlie & Sherrie

We Are Home

Good Evening Everyone,

We finally came home today around 3:00pm.  Both of us were exhausted and wound up falling asleep until about 8:30.  Didn’t get much sleep in the hospital.  Hospitals are just not the place to get rest!!  I woke up to the fan for the heater squealing.  Sounds like it’s about to go out.  I called maintenance and they came over and said “the motor is going out”,  imagine that!  They will be here in the morning to check it and have to order a replacement, need it to work through the cold snap we are having.  High today was only in the 50s. 

So, Charlie was officially diagnosed with bronchitis.  They did antibiotics via IV and then did dialysis on Monday and Tuesday for 3 1/2 hours each session.  All total they took off 9 pounds of fluid.  He is doing much better and no longer sounds like a walrus when he coughs.  They wound up also doing an MRI of the foot while we were there as it also had fluid that came out of it when we changed the dressing.  The MRI showed only swelling.  The PA believes the fluid was also due to excess fluid on the body and felt that the reason it stopped was the removal of the excess.  They will see him again at wound care on Friday afternoon. 

This has been a very long week.  We had to cancel the eye surgery and I will be rescheduling that in the near future.  As soon as wee have a new date I will let everyone know.  We will still be having the anniversary celebration and Charlie’s surprise party this Saturday at the movie night.  I am looking forward to surprising him, it will be good for him.  I do hope that those of you who are around will come and share in the celebrations with us.  The doors at the church will open at 5:30pm.  The movie will start at 7:00pm.  We will be having cake, pizza, popcorn and lemonade.  If anyone would like to bring finger foods they would be more than welcome. 

We look forward to seeing y’all.  Thank you for all of the prayers and calls, they are a big help moral wise.  I am going to go lay back down as I have a miserable headache and keep having leg cramps.  Blessings to all of you.

Sherrie & Charlie

 

Charlie is Hospitalized….

Hi Everyone.
This is the first time I have tried to blog with my phone, hopefully it will work. Charlie was taken to the hospital by ambulance at 9:00pm yesterday. He woke from a nap and was having trouble breathing and felt like the back of his tongue was swollen. They did xrays of his neck, lungs, and heart. At 2:00am they admitted him with what we were told was bronchitis and an enlarged heart. This morning we were told the actual admission diagnosis was pneumonia. They had a lot of trouble bringing down a very high blood pressure but it seems to be a little more stable today. His nephrologist came this morning and decided to do a dialysis treatment today because he feels that the heart thing is not an issue.  He said it is a bad xray.  They will do dialysis and then xray again to check the lungs and the heart.  I hope he is right!! Needless to say we had to cancel the eye surgery. I will reschedule as soon as we know what is going on here. Thankfully the blood pressure finally came down from the 230/95 that it was when they put him in the room at 2:00am. It’s now 179/83. That is all I know for now. I am going to try and get a quick nap before he gets back, been up since 6:00am yesterday.  Blessings to all.
Sherrie

Dialysis

So today was Charlie’s dialysis day.  He had a good session until the end when he had a problem stopping the bleeding.  As a result his ride wound up leaving him there.  They couldn’t wait another 5 minutes.  Charlie was frustrated.  Please keep him in prayer as he is running a low grade fever today and coughing up a storm.  He went in for a nap, got up for a while and is now laying down again.  He had a flu shot so hopefully this is just allergies.  I  just got over a terrible bout of ceder fever.  Everyone here is suffering with colds, allergies and flu.   They even cancelled choir practice for tomorrow morning because everyone is sick.

Dalton came over last night and stayed until later this afternoon.  He’s such fun.  He can always bring a smile to our faces.  We played blocks for a while and then he played with the magnetic letters on the refridgerator.  He spelled his name and then went through the alphabet telling me the letters and a name for each one.  I thought they were kids in his class but mom said nope.  So apparently he has a slew of friends somewhere with really good names!!  Good to see that he is learning so much in school.

Well, that is pretty much it for now.  Please pray for: 1. Surgery on Monday.  2. Charlie to feel better before then.  3. New semester in school.  4. Grafting.  5. Finances.  6. Fundraising for transplant.  7. A kidney. (We are waiting to see if his brother is a viable match.  He had bloodwork done last Monday, we should know something this week.)  8. Healing of Charlie’s left foot. 

Praying blessings for each of you.  Please feel free to send this information on to your friends and family as you never know when someone might want to become a donor!!

Blessings

Charlie & Sherrie