Happy Tuesday, blog-reading friends! I'm writing from Mom's room in the Burn & Wound Care Unit of the hospital, my home for this current work week!
I brought her here last Friday for her fourth (and FINAL) wound-vac change, and the PA quickly talked us into coming back on Monday for a skin graft surgery procedure - they said she could stay five days for better pain management, and it has absolutely been helpful so far! It's not perfect, but we are very grateful for getting into the system here... for Dr. Lentz and Taylor (who did the surgery), and caring nurses Rose, Demarco, Stuart, Matt, and Jennifer!
This = Mom and I before her appointment Friday 
Fare thee well, wound-vac. We shan't miss you! lol
(Really, I'm grateful it kept her healthy and infection-free. But it made a consistent suction noise similar to snoring, and there were issues with leaks where the machine would beep at us and I'd have to try to put more tape over her wound to stop the air-leak hissing sound - most often between 3 and 5am.)
Thank you notes...
Adding Brandon and Whitney to the list - he called to check in on Mom, then they stopped by and brought flowers the next day
And Kim Love - she and Kenny made a surprise visit on Sunday bringing dinner and a variety pack of cookies!
I was up past 2AM finishing my transcript on Sunday - partly my own fault because I had to come watch the last 30 minutes of A Few Good Men when I saw that it was on... such a fantastic movie!!
Roses from Brandon & Whitney
Transcript time - with approximately 500,000 important breaks over the past week. lol But I got it done and filed in ALL TWENTY case numbers on Monday morning!!!
I spent Saturday morning and afternoon touring OKC and Edmond apartments with T-man!
We saw some good ones, including The Oak OKC and the Parc at Kelly Pointe
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I love blue in a kitchen... I'm a fan!
We stopped for a fun lunch at Shake Shack in OKC - new to me, and I'm super-thrilled about it!
(Good shakes, burgers, chicken sandwiches, mac n' cheese, and fries with NYC travel vibes!)
This one was downtown called The Bower. He ended up going with a fantastic apartment near Nichols Hills! I co-signed the lease, and he is moving in on FRIDAY!! I was excited when I realized that was 8-28 (as in Romans 8:28 "All things work together for good").
AFD and JW got married on August 21st - CONGRATS to them!
All the posts about this event made me happy!
Megan Elizabeth is pregnant with her first baby boy - this = her and Tim with her niece, Afton, at the gender reveal party!!
Natalie and Walker had an awesome trip to South Carolina - praying for continued healing and peace in their lives!
This = me hosting Zoom court yesterday and this morning in hospital waiting rooms... yay for doing whatever it takes, and yay for the Integris hospital WiFi working for me!
Midway through two weeks of experiencing the ins and outs of two very different hospital systems, I have lots of thoughts churning about the importance of leadership, genuine care, and service, particularly in the healthcare arena.
Related: I have a meeting set with Dr. Burkhart tomorrow to help solidify my decision, but I am praying about moving into a new degree path with the Doctorate in Strategic Leadership at Liberty University (only because it is not offered at CCU yet). My interests have gradually shifted more and more in that direction over the past few years, so I am praying for wisdom and God-ordained exciting and meaningful leadership opportunities!!
I am grateful this week for the doors God is opening and closing, for the big and little ways He is showing up. Grateful for every friend, family member, and medical professional who cares enough to act on it. Grateful to be needed and helpful for Mom, and happy to feel like I'm learning valuable things as I observe everything here. Trusting in God's new-every-morning grace and mercy, giving me exactly what I need to get through day by day. I'm grateful that my nervous system is gradually returning to a place of peace and a sound mind... and that Mom's body is stabilizing and making substantial healing progress with well-controlled pain (especially comparing it to the excruciating pain of her 2011 skin graft).
For the most part, this hospital room is much quieter without constant monitors going off or the wound vac noise. However, we are in the Burn & Wound Care center, and occasionally, we've heard the groanings of burn victims enduring painful medical care - which was very heavy and really upsetting for Mom this morning. We both need permeating God-given peace and rest - mind, body, soul, and spirit - God is providing those things for us, along with regular reminders to pray and seek Him! I am grateful for the slow down, while also feeling grateful for the reminders (Annie's wedding, Megan's pregnancy, Triston's move) that life goes on and there are better seasons and happier times ahead, (starting with Mom being able to attend football and volleyball games that bring her so much joy). Between mentally decorating Chet's new living room shelves for Christmas and furnishing Triston's new apartment, Mom has had an easier time keeping her mind off of the pain. I'm grateful she had an excellent doctor and that God is bringing life and healing in Mom's body, something we've prayed for together several times these past couple weeks. Grateful for seasons of rest and recovery that lead us into renewed strength. Grateful for simple things that make life rich and vibrant, for a new open door for the Leadership PhD at Liberty, and for the ongoing pursuit of happiness, peace, and purpose!!
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