December 24

Merry Christmas!!!

Just a quick post in case people are still checking this blog ;)
Mom is still doing very well. They ordered her a "platform walker" (which has a 'platform' for her bad arm to rest in while she uses it) and so that is the next goal. Just a few steps each time for now.
Mom still has hardly any pain, although she did have a few days this week when her bad leg bothered her quite a bit. I think it hurts more than she admits, although the pain meds keep it pretty much under control.
She still has her "wound VAC", and that will remain until a) a skin graft, or b) the wound closes. It's certainly doing it's job though, and the wound is shrinking.
She's been out and about a couple times with dad. Various doctor's appointments, a shopping trip, and even a breakfast party with dad's co-workers from church!
We are all very thankful and excited to have her home for Christmas. I honestly did not expect it.
Thanks for all the Christmas cards, cookies, and caroling! Our own festivities are rather limited this year, and so many of you have helped to make it special. Thanks!

May you all have a blessed and restful Christmas.
Glory to God!
Love,
Naomi, for all the Jackinses

December 14, 2009

Hello all!

Naomi here again. Sorry to those who have had no word since my last post; we have been so busy at home and it rather escaped my mind for a while!

God has been so, so good. Mom is doing great! Still in a wheelchair of course, but it is easy to see progress!! She has a physical therapist, an occupational therapist, and a visiting nurse, all of whom visit a few times a week.

She has full use of her hands, although her right arm is still weak from her broken bones.

She can lift her "bad" leg up just a little! Amazing to see.

She is doing a lot of the transfer work on her own; we are basically just there to steady her/ the transfer board. I am shocked each time I watch her scoot across it! :)

She is still unable to wheel herself around in the chair. Our thicker carpet makes it too hard.

She still has her "wound VAC", which is slowly sucking stuff out of her hip wound. The wound is getting smaller though (about a 6"x 6"x 6" triangle--Brian), and she says it is only painful when they change the dressing.

She is getting bored of course; she spends most of her days in the recliner or in the wheelchair. While this may sound GREAT to many of us (myself definitely included!) it gets old very fast. She wants so badly to just get up and walk around a little! It is very hard for a busy, working mom to not be able to help around the house. I can't imagine.

Regardless of these frustrations, her attitude has been fantastic. Her patience, gentle spirit and smiles have made our job easy. It is definitely exhausting to be her caretakers sometimes, but I can truly say IT IS A DELIGHT! :) The Holy Spirit is giving her so much grace. I would be very impatient if I were in her place.

So praise the Lord for that!

I'm trying to think of little things for her to do; she folds laundry sometimes, for instance. Yesterday she helped me cut out Christmas cookies! It was wonderful. She loves just watching the household- she greatly missed that in her 8-or-9 weeks away.

She had a lot of visitors in the first week or so, and she enjoyed them all. It is a very pleasant way to break up the day!

We are still getting meals, and thank you all SO MUCH for that. It has helped greatly.

God has shown us how much we need Mom at home; I have seen a HUGE improvement in everyone's attitude. I personally have more energy, more peace, etc. Dad is tired all the time (we take turns spending the night in Mom's temporary, downstairs room) but he is certainly happier.

We still have several weeks before Mom can get out of the wheelchair, but just having her home is enough for now. I wish there were words to express how thankful we are that Mom will be home for Christmas.

Thank you for your continued prayers; God's constant mercy is so humbling. Mom gets better every day!

Much love to you all,

the Jackinses

this from Brian:

Last week we had two follow-up visits: the trauma team at Reading Hospital (the ones who saw her when she first got there on October 4) and our family practitioner. They were both very impressed.

More this week: tomorrow we go back to Philadelphia to be seen by the orthopedic surgeon who operated on Ruth's pelvis, and the next day we see the plastic surgeon in Reading, who will look at the vac area (where the skin was removed, mentioned above). Ruth feels pretty queazy about the idea of a skin graft. We would love for that not to be needed, but it is a rather large area and God will decide.

Just some details of how some friends have blessed Ruth:

1. One of our deacons came and installed a temporary sink she can get to. She loves it! (The powder room is too small and tight for the chair.)

2. Three lady decorator elves came and transformed her downstairs room into a romantic French lady's boudoir. (We had moved a lot of stuff out to make room for it to be her bedroom, but we hadn't done anything to make it feminine. It was literally four panelled walls and a window.) Now her hospital bed even has a skirt on it with a crocheted border!

3. A hairdresser friend made a house call. Ruth's hair grows fast and needed cutting. And (did we mention this before?) some other friends are letting us use their roll-in, first-floor shower. That first shower after two months was a great day, I can tell you.

The Lord says, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you." He is a Friend like no other. May he bless you in 2010 as your thoughts, cards, love and prayers (and many other helps) have blessed us.

One more word: many of you have said how much you have been meaning to write, or call, or visit, or ... but haven't been able to get to it due to illness in the family, busyness or a hundred other reasons. Please know that we treasure just knowing you and it's okay. Many are the times we've wanted to do more for suffering families, but couldn't. Don't feel bad. Contacts come in their right times and we know you are there.

love to you all, and thanks especially to those we don't know, but who have been on this journey with us anyway.

Brian

If you out there who pray could cover one more big thing for us, it would mean a lot. The company where I worked before my job at the church was a craft kit company called Dimensions. They produce needlecrafts, paint-by-number, rubber stamps and other crafts. They were bought by a larger concern which is closing their Reading facility at the end of the year. Most of my friends from there will lose their jobs, or have already. If you would ask God to help them in this major challenge, we would count it a huge favor. We feel so bad for them, especially in this climate. Many of them have worked there for many years and it's very specialized work. They are excellent, kind and skilled people who are family to one another as they have been to us. Thank you.