Lots of News

Dear Friends,

It has been close to three months since I asked for your prayer support for Gerry and our family. You have been so faithful in allowing the Lord to use you to minister to our family. Thank you! It has been an amazing time, joys and uncertainties. Always knowing our Lord is right there beside us, and you with Him.

I want to let you know where we are today in this process. As with most things in life, this has not gone according to the original plan, but God's plan.

Gerry had to return to ICU at one point for a temporary drain for the excess fluid in his brain. Now the body is absorbing the fluid naturally, and he does not have to have a permanent drain.

Two weeks ago Gerry returned to the emergency room with swelling in his face. The salivary glands had become inflamed. The lack of muscle movement in his face caused the glands not to be stimulated as usual. So we now do facial message to help and have not had anymore inflammation.

At the last visit to the nero surgery office, we were told that they had expected Gerry's facial nerve to have come back before that visit. In talking to other doctors about his case, Gerry's surgeon said they still fully expect a return of the nerve's function, it is just going to take 6 months to a year or more. Now is the time to bring in some other doctors to help this happen.

During this time, Gerry is experiencing pain in his eye. It feels like he has sand in his eye, or someone is poking him in the eye all the time. He has not been able to read, or do much because of this condition. Covering the eye is not an option because the eye could go to sleep. Yesterday, seeing the ENT doctor ( ear, nose, throat, specializing in facial nerve rejuvenation), Gerry was given a new drop which seem to help better then the others he has tried. He spent some time studying with GREAT joy!!

Also, on June 19, the doctor will surgically tighten his lower lid and put a gold weight in his upper lid. This should enable Gerry to close his eye, and help ease the pain. Hopefully with this Gerry will be able to return to work. Nerve endings grow about 1mm a day. The facial nerve is not one strand, but like a large root system. So he is looking at six months to a year for this to come back. If for some reason it does not, then at a years time, the doctors investigate doing a nerve graft.

Gerry has also seen a speech pathologist. This doctor is very encouraging. He sees some slight signs of muscle movement in Gerry's face. He has given Gerry some exercises to do. In doing facial exercises, Gerry need to be careful to keep each muscle movement isolated, so the growing nerve does not connect different movements together. Gerry's speech is clear, yet different, because he is speaking out of one side of his mouth. He is using more of his mouth and lip movement than before. There has been improvement!

We are encouraged that it will all come back in God's time. As of now the doctors have said possible back to work time is mid July. It depends on how the procedure of June 19 works out. We have had a little glitch in the disability insurance, but that should be back on line soon.

God has been so faithful! All of our needs have been met. All bills are current. The fridge is full. The van is running. Thank you ALL for your part! There has been much sacrifice on your part for us. I pray for blessings to be showered down on you. This journey would have been rougher without you. Your love, care, meals, cards,and gifts mean so much to us.

Thank you!
Debbie