August 26, 2012

Rest, sweet rest

The rest that Gretchen has been receiving appears to be helping.  She was awake for her sister and a near-family member this afternoon.  It wasn't long, about 10 minutes, but it was encouraging.  I got there later than I had hoped today and Gretchen didn't want to wake up (I didn't push it). 

While I was there they took the central line (an IV that goes into one of the larger veins in the chest area) out.  Because it needs to not move around they actually hold it in place with stitches and while one of the stitches were being removed Gretchen reacted to the pain vocally, by starting to reach to stop it, and with tears.  Other than that she just rested.

They are stopping the antibiotics to see if she has "antibiotic fever" while they wait for the most recent specimens to be cultured.  Please continue to pray about this and her alertness.

Now that we can be with her all the time it is harder for me to divide myself (as my last post shows).  Please continue to pray for me in this regard.  Also pray for my rest, I am over tired right now and having a hard time.  I feel like I need to see the doctor so I am going to try to get to the hospital early and stay as long as I can tomorrow and maybe again on Tuesday.  I am still waiting to ask Gretchen about what visitors she wants and how often.

Pray for Peter as he sorts out how to best help and protect his mother.  He knows that his mother can be a "mama grizzly" when provoked and he has seen the stirrings of the papa grizzly (yes, we know that analogy breaks down there but just imagine if papa grizzlies did stick around to protect the family) in me when people have challenged my authority in Gretchen's care.  It is hard to take the grizzly cub seriously but he does care for her as deeply as she does for him he just needs to learn which battles he needs to fight.

In my various readings I keep being reminded that though we are in this world our citizenship is in the Kingdom of Heaven much in the same way that Peter and I are Washingtonians (I would say Seattlites but that sounds a bit spacey).  We love being here in Chattanooga and are content here but we both know (he expressed it to me before I confessed it) that we will never be Chattanoogans.  It is times like these when I am drained that I long for the rest that will only come in that Heavenly City.  Then I remember what Paul said in Philippians 1:25 (Nevertheless, to remain in the flesh is more needful for you) and I ask Him for the strength to continue.  I am continuing in the belief that when I read that verse the first night that I took over reading to Peter before bed God was reassuring me that she would remain with us.