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Family News
Picture #1 - Brass Quartet - Tom on trumpet September 21, 2008 Where did the summer go! I can't believe it's gone and fall is here! A lot has gone on since I last posted an update on Tom's illness in June. He continues to hold his own with the IPF. Though it is progressing, it continues to progress slowly. In July Tom was battling a case of Shingles, left overs from childhood chicken pox and likely triggered by his compromised immune system. Thankfully, he seemed to get through it fairly quickly without the complications so many folks have with it. We are very thankful for praying friends as we believe this was an answer to prayer! In August the school administrator at our Christian school had to resign, which left our pastor scrambling trying to find a replacement before school began a few weeks later. Those of you familiar with private Christian schools know what a crisis this can be! To make a long story short, Tom offered to fill in until an administrator can be found. So, he is now administrating the school and teaching the high school students. He does love to work, so he's enjoying the outlet for his management skills and the opportunity to invest in the lives of our precious high schoolers. We have a terrific group of kids with a genuine heart for the Lord. Tom is quite exhausted at the end of the day, as you might imagine, but in his words, "Aw, let me have my fun!" End of discussion as to why this isn't a good idea with such a compromised immune system! sigh. Needless to say, he's not quite ready for the transplant! We will appreciate your prayer, as there are risks involved with being around children coming into the flu season.
June 1, 2008 For those of you interested in data... Tom just returned from having his pulmonary function tests at the hospital. The results are as follows:
Basically, he has declined in the past 6 months more than usual, but hasn't declined rapidly over the past year and has maintained lung capacity very well over a two year period. He attributes this to playing his trumpet and singing. The doctor says it's anybody's guess, but doesn't rule out trumpet playing as a factor. I'm just thankful the Lord has enabled him to do well and remain as active as he is for as long as He has! May 20, 2008 My spring traveling and speaking season is winding down and I'm looking forward to a restful (well, sort of) summer vacation. Right now our son, Thomas and his wife Martha, and children are staying with us. They are beginning a new ministry venture so are ministering in churches in the Southern California area as they get started. Thomas is excited about being an evangelist and using his sermons in song format incorporated into his preaching. I'm not so sure I would be all that excited about traveling around in an RV with 5 kids, but they all seem to be happy about their new adventure. Definitely must be the grace of God! Tom has an appointment in June to do a new set of Pulmonary function tests then a doctor appointment in July to hear the results. His IPF has been progressing so slowly that the doctor thought he might as well come in every three months rather than every month. He is definitely declining and having an increasing amount of difficulty engaging in too much movement, but we are certainly thankful it is a very slow decline at this point. He struggles most with fatigue, but is still able to push himself to the limit of his endurance. We are excited that Tom's youngest brother Dan, his wife Liana and their two children are coming to California to visit next month.The cousins are all looking forward to getting acquainted and playing together and are excited. Needless to say, it's going to be quite crazy around here with a house full of kids and adults! April 4, 2008 Tom has recovered very well from the respiratory infection he had in February. He's been able to recover most, but not all, of his former oxygen levels, which has been encouraging. He does need oxygen more often and does get winded more easily but the decline is still moving slowly. He has resumed playing the trumpet some (with oxygen!) and leading the choir. (See above picture of a brass quartet.) He directed the choir Easter cantata with oxygen and is able to continue teaching his adult class and his two college classes. In between studying and working on the computer, he has been cataloging his theology books and entering them into "Library Thing" which is a free online program that he is enjoying immensely. He's got a long way to go before the covers of all his books are all scanned and entered (about 2,000 more books) but he's off to a good start. Our son, Thomas, is starting a new ministry and planning to travel with his family beginning in May. They've been getting a motor home ready, drastically reducing their earthly possessions and preparing to present the "Sermon in Song" series for local churches. Thomas will sing and preach accompanied by his talented wife, Martha. It's definitely not the typical kind of sermon brought by an evangelist or special speaker, but it's a very effective method of presenting a Bible message. If you know of a church that might be interested in scheduling Thomas and Martha you can contact them at 510 493-1407. February 22, 2008 Wow, can't believe it's been over 2 months since I last gave an update on Tom's IPF! Needless to say, things have been quite busy around here. Tom saw the doctor today to get the results of his last PFT and also to be checked for a respiratory infection he has been battling all week. He's had a fever and felt genuinely wretched so he's ready to try any antibiotic or medication that can give relief. We're hoping he'll start to respond to the antibiotic before it becomes bacterial pneumonia. The doctor wants him in bed resting, so this will be a quiet weekend for him. Things have gotten a little harder for Tom over this past month. He's tiring more easily and is having more trouble recovering his oxygen levels after he's moved around or stood for awhile. Even so, the decline is slow, for which we are grateful
December 10, 2007 Tom just returned from the hospital after undergoing new pulmonary function tests. The bottom line is that there has only been a slight worsening change since his last test a few months ago. One offsetting factor is his weight loss, which has likely helped his overall lung capacity. He's been doing great with his weight program, which is no easy feat when moving is exhausting for him. He's been keeping up with the treadmill exercise with full oxygen which has no doubt helped with weight loss as well as keeping him as strong as possible. We want him in good shape when it comes time for a transplant! He does have good days and not so good days, but all and all, Tom's able to enjoy retirement and stay fairly active. Meanwhile, he continues to teach, play his trumpet, sing and lead the choir. The choir is getting ready for the Christmas cantata, which will be presented in a couple weeks. All our children and grandchildren will be here for the New Years eve service so Tom and the kids will be singing a quartet piece (Master of the Sea) and the grandchildren are preparing a special of their own. I'm so excited to hear them all sing together again. Can't wait! Tom wants me to thank you for praying--the Lord has certainly been gracious in hearing our prayers! According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. Philippians 1:20 November, 2007 Here's the latest information regarding Tom's IPF disease after his visit to his pulmonary specialist this morning. The doctor describes what he is experiencing as a "plateau" and said to "enjoy it." Though it won't last, there's no way of knowing how long he will continue to maintain his present pace of decline, which is very slow. The doctor believes continuing to sing and play his trumpet is helpful in keeping his lungs open, so he plans to continue doing so as long as he can. He doesn't "recover" his oxygen level as quickly as he did, so it takes him longer to get his breath back after any kind of exertion. But as long as he is sitting, you probably wouldn't know he was ill. He is scheduled to have a battery of new pulmonary function tests done in a couple weeks, so that will give us a clearer picture of where he is at. Meanwhile, we are having a great time as a "retired" couple and are thoroughly enjoying "sleeping in" (until 7:00) every day and being together. We are looking forward to having all our kids and grandchildren home for Christmas and can' wait to see them! God has been good to us! Tim's sister, Connie, is doing well. She's not experiencing lung rejection after all, but she does go in for hip replacement surgery the first week of December. The hip damage is a result of anti-rejection drugs. October 5, 2007 September has been an incredibly busy month (I suppose that's pretty normal). We continue to take advantage of the many ministry opportunities the Lord brings our way and Tom continues to live a fairly normal life. We marvel that the disease has been moving very slowly, so much so that he is able to remain active at a point where we anticipated a much greater decline. For this, we are truly grateful and praise the Lord for His grace and sustaining power. Thank you for praying! While the IPF continues its relentless march forward and Tom does tire more easily and notices increasing difficulty breathing, it is a very slow decline at the present time. (He can no longer golf 16 holes but holds his own with oxygen for 8!) Tom continues to lead the choir and orchestra at church as well as teach his adult Sunday School class and class at the college. I've cut way back on office hours and counseling so we can spend more time together, and that has truly been fun. We are having a great time together as retirees and feel like high school kids dating again! Tom's sister, Connie, had a lung transplant six years ago. She is experiencing some difficulty with possible rejection of one of her lungs and is also needing hip replacement surgery in the near future. We would appreciate your prayer for her as she meets the challenges that are facing her. August 20, 2007 We’re home after a wonderful cruise around the British Isles. The trip went exceptionally smooth and Tom did great with all the sightseeing. We were able to take advantage of excursions that didn’t involve a lot of walking or exertion so we had no problems with his oxygen needs. Sightseeing by way of a cruise ship really cuts down on the typical packing and unpacking and moving luggage etc. We went to sleep each night in the same room and got up each morning in a new place! Great way to travel—especially if you have special needs! Our favorite part of the trip was seeing the village in Scotland where Tom’s grandmother grew up. We began the day at an inn that was opened in the 1300’s. We found the cotton mill where Gram worked after her first husband died in World War I, the church she attended in Stanley and the river Tay that was so often mentioned in her stories of the homeland. We stopped to look at a war memorial near the church and found the names of Gram’s two brothers and husband, which was a delightful discovery. The day ended at Edinburgh Castle where we watched marching military bands that featured the bagpipes. Quite impressive. (Keep watching the website—I’ll soon post my treasured picture of Tom in a kilt!) We laughed to hear our guide refer to the two sections of Edinburgh as the “new” part (only 300 years old) and the “older” part, merely several thousand years old. Puts things in a totally different perspective when you are eating at an inn that is considerably older than your country! Tom has a doctor appointment the beginning of next month and will have a new set of pulmonary function tests sometime in September. We don’t have any current new numbers to gauge exactly where he is, but I can tell you we would never have guessed last December that he would be doing so well this far into the disease. We praise the Lord for this and thank Him for extending these days. While the disease is definitely progressing, it’s presently going slow enough that Tom can still do many things he thought he would have had to give up months ago. He can still lead the choir so long as he uses his oxygen backpack for practices and he is still teaching his classes and keeping a fairly busy schedule. He’s needing rest more frequently, but is staying quite busy with reading and a variety of projects. (Would you believe we’re working on our parts for a dramatization we’re doing for our missionary conference?!) He’s quite happy leading the life of a retiree—but he’s wondering when the days of having “nothing to do” are going to set in! July 21, 2007 After a bit of a scare, I finally received my passport yesterday! Evidently the back up with passports is so great that many people are not receiving renewals or new passports in time for their departure on vacations. We thought the ship might sail without us and were ready to accept that disappointment as the Lord’s providence when the passport showed up in a next day air envelope! The same day we also received Tom’s new portable oxygen unit for the trip. Needless to say, we are rejoicing and thanking the Lord for this sweet mercy and are excited and ready to go! We have friends who are “vacationing” at our house while we are gone, so the cats will be fed and we will be blissfully happy to leave for a few weeks. Many are e-mailing asking how Tom is doing since I have been negligent to post an update. (Things have been busy and crazy!) Tom continues to decline in his ability to transfer oxygen, however, the disease continues to move very slowly and he is actually feeling better as he has lost some weight and is faithfully using the treadmill with full oxygen every day. This is helping him stay as physically fit as possible, giving him the best chance for a successful transplant while at the same time improving his quality of life in the meantime. He’s quite pleased as his new exercise regimen seems to have given him a little “boost” of endurance and he was able to golf an entire game without quitting last week! He is still leading choir and orchestra, teaching Sunday school and planning on teaching one class at the college for the fall semester. We would never have anticipated him to be able to continue these activities as long as he has been able to. We see this as a wonderful blessing and answer to the prayers of so many. Thank you again for your loving support, encouragement and prayer! We serve a wonderful, merciful Savior! WASHINGTON, July 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis (CPF) announced today important legislation that recognizes the need for research into the cause of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a deadly lung disease with no known cause, no FDA-approved treatment, or cure. House Concurrent Resolution 182 (H. Con. Res. 182) raises the importance of the urgent need to identify viable treatments and an eventual cure for IPF, a disease that is becoming alarmingly more prevalent in the United States. June 6, 2007 It’s been one year since Tom had his first pulmonary function test where IPF was suspected and a little more than 6 months since he got a positive diagnosis. Based on how far the disease had already progressed, we held little hope back then, but for God’s grace, that he would be doing as well as he is today. For this we are truly praising the Lord. As his latest test results show, it doesn’t mean the disease is not progressing—there is no remission with IPF—but that it is moving more slowly than expected based on averages. Following is a comparison of Tom’s pulmonary function scores (for those of you asking for medical data!) one year ago and now. 1 yr ago now SVC (amt of air exhaled slowly after inhaling as much as possible) 82% 68% DLCO (how well gases are absorbed in lungs when inhaling) 54% 47% Tom is still leading the choir and orchestra, still plays his trumpet some, and is still teaching an adult Sunday school class. He’s scheduled to teach another college class at PBC in the fall (Pentateuch) and has several other projects in the works. At present, he is learning how to do web pages in order to build a website for Castlepoint ministries in northern California, so that is keeping him quite occupied. My broken leg has been healing superbly. I’m not wearing high heals by any stretch of the imagination and not running, but I’m walking in comfy shoes with no problem. That’s great because we are busily planning our cruise around the UK! Tom has gotten all the medical clearances he needs to fly and sail with oxygen and also be covered with insurance while on the cruise, so we’re getting real excited about going. Can't believe it's actually becoming a reality! Our daughter Michelle and her three children are visiting for a couple weeks while our son in law is stationed in Ecuador doing a medical humanitarian mission with the Air Force. She’s missing her dear husband, and we sure wish he were here too, but we’re definitely enjoying the little ones running around the house all the same. It does make us appreciate all that goes into caring for three wee ones! (And reminds us why God gives babies to young folks and not we “mature” ones. If we had babies we’d set them down and forget where we put them!) May 6, 2007 Here’s the latest update on Tom’s lung disease after this months pulmonary function tests… Tom’s DLCO (the measure of the ability of the lungs to exchange oxygen) remained constant, which is quite amazing, but on the bad side, his lung capacity is reduced from 4 to 3 ½ liters from his last test (normal adult male has 4 ½ liters lung capacity). Tom’s next appointment with his pulmonologist is in June. While he is still leading the choir, teaching his adult Sunday school class, leading the orchestra and to some extent still playing his trumpet, he is no longer able to conduct a practice without supplemental oxygen. While he can still recover at rest, it is taking less activity to lower his oxygen content in the blood and more time to bring it back up into an acceptable saturation level. While shortness of breath is becoming an increasing difficulty, constant coughing is one of Tom’s greatest challenges at the moment as it fatigues him and makes talking and moving around more difficult. Other than that, life is pretty “normal” and we are thoroughly enjoying getting to spend so much time together. My broken leg is mending extremely well and the last x-ray looked real good. Thankfully, I’m able to put some weight on my leg so I’m getting around much better and looking forward to being able to wear two shoes instead of only one! We’re getting excited about our upcoming cruise and have a busy summer schedule to look forward to. April 15, 2007 There’s not a lot to report this month regarding Tom’s illness—things are going along pretty much the same. He’s experiencing a steady but slow decline. Moving around much tires him quickly and the constant cough takes its toll as well. His next PFT is the end of this month, so we’ll see where his numbers are then. A week ago I fell off a step ladder while trying to put a china plate on a shelf and not wanting to fall on the plate and break it I twisted and fell in such a way that I broke my leg instead. I’ll be in a cast and on crutches for another 7 weeks so between Tom’s infirmity and mine, we make a pretty pitiful pair! It’s given us a great excuse to go out to eat more, so it’s not been all bad. Vacuuming on crutches is a wee bit difficult, so Tom bought me one of those nifty little Roomba robot vacuums. It actually does a nice job on the hardwood floors and keeps us entertained at the same time! March 10, 2007Tom and I visited Tom’s pulmonary specialist yesterday to review his pulmonary function tests and heart evaluation tests taken in January and discuss preparations for an eventual transplant. We were happy to hear that his heart is functioning well and there are no problems that would make him ineligible for a transplant because of heart disease, etc. There are a number of “gates” he still has to clear before he will be turned over to the transplant team, but he is on his way. The disease continues to progress and Tom is noticeably more fatigued and short of breath when he moves. He can rest without oxygen, but needs it if he walks or moves much. His responsibilities on Sundays have become very difficult for him, so he will attempt to lead choir practice tomorrow with oxygen and see if that helps. His doctor is ordering the small little e tanks which are more portable than the bigger tanks. (He says all the little boys will envy him because he’ll look like rocket man!) Because his needs are still low, the small tanks should suffice for a little while. We have the concentrator at home and tubing long enough to reach any room in the house, so he’s set up pretty well when he’s here. We were happy to hear that Tom’s doctor sees no reason why we shouldn’t continue our plans to go on a cruise this summer so we’re working on all the details to get that planned. The airlines and cruise ship will accommodate people who need oxygen and we have learned we can rent a scooter for him to use as well. There’s a lot of “red tape” but he’s definitely eligible to go. We have no idea what his needs will actually be in four months, but are hoping the disease will continue at a slow pace and make it possible for him to get around with minimal inconvenience. The doctor did warn that this disease is unpredictable and may or may not proceed at a steady rate as it is now doing. We understand this all to well, as Tom’s aunt had a downturn in her case and only lived 2 months before passing away with acute complications. Both Tom’s mother and sister experienced the slow and steady decline with occasional sharp dips along the way. So while we are hopeful, we know Tom’s life and future are in the hands of our gracious Lord, and He alone knows the day and hour of our entrance into Heaven. In the meantime, we want to get on with the business of loving and serving Him and thankfully enjoying each day He gives. This week we have all our children and all eight of our grandchildren visiting so the house is a very busy, happy place. The cousins are excited to see one another again and the adults are enjoying lots of animated discussions and delightful fellowship. We can’t thank the Lord enough for the dear children and grandchildren He has given to us and we “have no greater joy than to hear that our children walk in truth.” According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. Phillipians 1:20 February 5, 2007Tom has recovered fully from his lung biopsy and is doing well. His pulmonary function tests indicate he has about 47% of his former lung capacity and that he has continued to slowly regress. We are very thankful that the disease is presently moving at a slow pace and that he still has the ability to lead a fairly normal life. He’s learning how to pace himself more slowly and allow for time to catch his breath and recover after he’s moved around. This keeps him from having to use an oxygen tank in the daytime just yet. Sundays are his favorite day, but also the hardest since he teaches an adult class, leads the choir, plays his trumpet and then conducts orchestra practice and choir practice before heading home exhausted on Sunday evening! He’s enjoying teaching philosophy at the college and keeping up with all the study that entails. Besides golfing once a week with men from church, he’s keeping quite busy helping me learn Power Point and some other computer skills I’ve managed to evade learning for years! Thus far, he has definitely NOT been bored as a retiree! We have packed the calendar pretty full so have lots to look forward to in the weeks ahead. Both our kids plan to visit in the next few months, so we’re getting the playroom ready for action and anticipating some fun excursions with our perfect grandchildren (smile). With several out of town guests coming to visit this spring and a few road trips planned to visit friends and family, we shouldn’t be bored in the least. Lord willing, we might even be able to go with Tom’s sisters on a cruise to Scotland that has been planned for summer. We have long desired to see Scotland, since both of us have ancestors who originated there. Tom still has family in Scotland and would love to see the places his grandmother described for so many years. We anticipate needing a wheelchair and 24 hour oxygen by that time, but are encouraged to know the cruise line would be able to accommodate us. So... it's a stretch, but something we'd sure love to do if the Lord would be pleased to arrange the details. January 4, 2007Tom saw his pulmonologist
yesterday to review the results of the biopsy, his progress with recovery
from surgery, and set the agenda for procedures that will lead up to a
transplant. The biopsy report does confirm the IPF diagnosis. All and all,
he has done remarkably well recovering and hasn't experienced the great set
back we had anticipated. He has been able to recover from surgery so well
that his doctor told him he had not declined enough to be put on the
transplant list this month. In fact, he's not even bad enough to get a
handicapped card so he can park up close! That's certainly good news,
though we do know the disease is still progressing and will eventually
destroy more and more of his lung capacity. For those of you who understand
the significance of pulmonary function tests, they do show degradation in
lung function but not to the extent that was expected or that he requires
oxygen at rest or is ready for the transplant list. Certainly, we want to
postpone the transplant as long as possible since the surgery does trigger a
new phase of life that will limit his life expectancy. He will be going in
for a new set of pft tests next month which will give us a better idea how
fast the disease is progressing. His doctor is also beginning the long series of tests that are required before a person is determined to be a qualified recipient for a transplant. Here's a great website we found that provides some up to date information regarding transplants. We have been encouraged to learn that a lot has changed and improved in the world of lung transplants in recent years making them more available and successful.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lung-transplant/HB00046 December 16, 2006 - Tom’s open lung biopsyOn Tuesday morning Tom underwent open lung surgery to remove some scarred lung tissue. The surgeon told us she hoped to be able to get it using the newer and less traumatic laser method, but that most likely he would need the larger incision and more invasive standard method. As it turned out, she was able to get the tissue using the smaller incision, for which we thank the Lord! This method should provide Tom a little speedier recovery. From the recovery room Tom was sent to the ICU for observation and more attentive care. Because his lungs are already so compromised and because he is still on small doses of prednesone, infection and complications were a big concern. They ended up keeping him in the ICU until Friday when they believed he could go home to continue his recuperation. We were both extremely thankful to be on our way home, away from the nonstop activity of the ICU. Tom even let me drive without complaint! (Now that is nearly a miracle considering we were on the busy freeways at rush hours!) Tom is on twenty-four hour oxygen at the present time and is able to rest fairly comfortably, though walking and moving are still quite an effort. He is fatigued very easily and can fall asleep in mid sentence! He does notice small improvements each day, so that is very encouraging. He is hoping he will be able to reduce his oxygen need in the next week or so as the incisions heal. We know that oxygen will become more and more crucial as this disease progresses, but Tom wants to enjoy life as untethered to the oxygen paraphernalia as possible for as long as he can. He’s planning to teach one class at the Bible College next semester and Lord willing, wants to continue teaching the adult Sunday school class on Sundays. He’s hoping he will be able to continue with the choir and orchestra at church for a while longer, though he may not be able to play his trumpet or lead congregational music. Still, he’s strategizing how he could use oxygen, a high stool and one arm at a time. He definitely doesn’t give up easily! Many have asked what the purpose of the biopsy was, since he has already had less invasive biopsies and other tests that have satisfied his specialists that he has IPF. Basically, though the doctors have ruled out everything but IPF and are satisfied this is exactly what Tom has, the national transplant program requires the open lung biopsy for a definitive diagnosis in order to place him on the national transplant list. It also provides helpful information as to the condition of his lungs, status of the disease progression, and his tissue type. We will hear the results when Tom sees his pulmonary doctor in a couple weeks. Basically, it is now simply a race between the disease and the availability of new lungs. Right now the average wait for
transplanted lungs December 2006 - Tom’s illnessMany have called to ask about Tom’s illness and I forget whom I’ve talked with and whom I haven’t! I’m hoping posting the updates here will help communication. Let me know if I haven’t answered questions you have and I’ll do my best to provide additional information. We appreciate all the many assurances of love and prayer and are very thankful for your support and encouragement. In times like these we recognize our dependence upon the Lord in very concrete ways, so we are sincerely blessed and encouraged to know we have praying friends and family! Tom has been diagnosed with IPF (Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis). It is an interstitial lung disease that has no cure or treatment. The only means of survival is a lung transplant. It doesn’t go into remission or improve, but progressively worsens, sometimes slowly over years and sometimes rapidly over months or weeks. Typically, the disease claims the life of patients within five years of initial onset. Often, as in Tom’s case, the disease has been slowly progressing for years before there are enough definite symptoms that have made the disease evident. When Tom consulted with a pulmonary specialist early last spring, many tests were ordered so other treatable lung diseases could be positively ruled out before the doctor diagnosed him with IPF. Because IPF has already claimed the lives of 3 family members and Tom’s symptoms have followed the same pattern as others, his case is considered to be one with genetic origins. Normally, IPF is not an inherited disease. However, the familial form of the disease shows up about 5 to 10% of the time. Tom’s sister was diagnosed with IPF and underwent a living donor transplant at Duke University in North Carolina about 4 years ago. She is doing well and is encouraging Tom to actively pursue the transplant. In order for Tom to get on the national transplant list, he needs to have an open lung biopsy. This biopsy requires surgery in which the chest wall is opened, the lung collapsed and sufficient tissue taken to provide the necessary information needed for him to be considered for a transplant. The operation will be difficult, as his lungs are already very compromised and his suppressed immune system makes him susceptible to infections. However, this surgery is the only means by which he can be added to the transplant list. Tom has been scheduled for the biopsy on December 12. He will be in the hospital for at least a week and will be recovering from the surgery for one to two months. The doctor has explained that he will be on a ventilator when he comes out of surgery and will likely need permanent supplemental oxygen afterwards. At present he can get by without supplemental oxygen when he is resting, but cannot move without experiencing a drop in his oxygen saturation rate that makes supplemental oxygen necessary. Tom has decided to take an early retirement from Raytheon Corporation. His last day of work will be December 2. He is looking forward to cataloging his rather large library of books and catching up on some study projects as well as just concentrating on his health. He plans to continue teaching his adult Sunday school class as long as he is able, although he is not planning on teaching at Pacific Baptist College next semester. We are thankful he will be able to finish his college class on Romans and give the final exam before surgery. (Sorry, students!) Tom is still leading the choir, singing in an adult ensemble, playing his trumpet and directing the orchestra, and plans to continue as long as he is able. He is disappointed that he will not be sufficiently recovered from surgery to conduct the coming Christmas cantata, but he is happy he will be able to work with the choir right up to the dress rehearsal. While he is able to get a surprising amount of air to sing, his lungs are only functioning at about 50% of their previous normal capacity. So while he can still play his trumpet somewhat and sing, it is very tiring and does cause occasional coughing and weakness. If you have an interest in further information about IPF, here are some sites you can visit: http://www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org/duke.htm http://www.coalitionforpf.org/ Again, thank you for your prayer and words of encouragement. We dearly love all of you and appreciate your love and concern. At present, our pressing prayer request is for the upcoming biopsy, that it would go well and that Tom would heal quickly. However, our greatest desire is simply that the Lord would be glorified in whatever He permits into our lives and that we would be strengthened in the inner man by His power and grace. Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: Jeremiah 17:32 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. Philippians 1:20
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