Saturday, May 28, 2011

75%

It is good to be back home.  I sure do love my little family.  I was able to rock Emily, Heidi, and Garrett to sleep last night.  Since Sunday I had seen the children for only a few minutes Monday morning and and hour or two Wednesday night so I had been missing them.

I am still not 100%.  I feel like I have about 75% of my strength.  I was up and about most of the morning, but it has felt good to sit in the recliner for most of the afternoon.  As Tamara posted yesterday, my official diagnosis (this time!) is Erythema Nodosum.  In 30%-50% of the cases of this condition, including in my case, the cause is never known.  In most cases, this condition will "spontaneously resolve" in 3-6 weeks.  I definitely feel better than I did earlier this week, so I think I am on the mend.

I do not have much soreness or stiffness in my hands, wrists or elbows so that is good.  I am hoping to be able to work all, or at least most, of next week.  Fortunately, if I can sit up, think, and type, I can do my job even if my ankles are a little stiff and sore.

One of the good things to come out of this experience is that now I know I am in perfect health.  My heart, lungs, brain, nervous system and eyes are all in very good shape.  And I don't have any of the infections, viruses, or other conditions that they tested for.  I am not sure how many tests they ran, but I an sure that they drew around 40 vials of blood!

We are looking forward to our Sunday Morning Fellowship Meeting tomorrow.  An experience like this sure helps a person to get refocused on what is most important.  One thought that has been very real to me is that God has a plan for each of our lives.  Instead of asking God to heal me, I have been praying that His will would be done.  I know that He only wants good for His children, but I also know that He often uses the hard experiences to work into us the qualities of His Son.  I want Him to use this experience to do this for me and for our family.

There was a lot of waiting while I was in the hospital but I think my time as a patient taught me to be a little more patient.

As I type this, Laura, Abigail, and Charlotte are out moving and feeding the 100+ chickens we are raising for meat.  They have been such a help!  When we were looking for a place to build our house, we wanted to get enough land so that we could have a few animals.  We hoped that caring for animals would help our children develop a good work ethic.  I guess we got our wish!

Thanks again for all of the cards, calls, comments, and emails of encouragement.
-Todd

Friday, May 27, 2011

Home again

Todd got released from the hospital late this afternoon after undergoing a couple more tests which were - you guessed it - normal...  We're not complaining at all - we are thankful for every test that came back normal.  The thing they finally settled on today was something called Erythema Nodosum.  They weren't able to identify a trigger for it, since none of the cultures or tests came back positive, but the symptoms do fit the description that we have read online.  The treatment at this point is ibuprofen as needed, but if the symptoms worsen he can take a round of prednisone.

They don't expect this to be something that will re-occur, nor should it give him any long term problems.  Since everything about this illness has been atypical, though, we will certainly keep a watch out for any re-occurring symptoms.

Thanks again, everyone, for your care for our family.  It is hard to describe the strength it gave us to know others were thinking of and praying for us.

Exodus 17:12

But Moses hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.


This is the verse that keeps coming to me these days.  Thinking of so many people thinking of us, praying for us, helping us makes me think of Aaron and Hur holding up Moses hands - strengthening him and encouraging him.  


It is such a humbling feeling, but it is so wonderful the way God puts a care in the hearts of people for others.

Friday Morning

The doctors have their noses on a new rabbit trail now and are planning to do a few more tests this morning.  More test results have come back, and so far everything is normal.  One of the things we were wondering about was Lyme's, but that test came back negative today.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

The roller-coaster ride is not over

Well we spent all day in an ER exam room while the doctors tried to figure out what to do with me.  The neurology team decided that it must not be Aseptic Meningitis.  All of the tests, cultures, x-rays, CT scans, MRI came back negative so they do not think there is any neurological problem.

They have admitted me to the hospital and another team of doctors are going to try a few more tests.  I do have a little swelling in both of my ankles so I think they are going extract a little fluid from my ankle and test that too.

I am trying to be a patient patient, but hope they figure out the puzzle soon.

Jeff Nodorft, one of our friends who works in St. Louis, stopped by after work Tamara went home with him and he will bring her back on his way into work tomorrow.  Jeff and Martha have three boys and one girl about the same ages as our children.  We have often talked about getting our families together to "do St Louis".  Somehow this is not my idea of "doing St Louis".

Mary is with the children again.  We are so grateful for her.

And the children did all of the farm chores again.  It is amazing how much they can do.

I will let this be all tonight and will post when we learn something tomorrow.

Thanks again for all of you love and support.
-Todd

Headed back to the hospital

Todd's symptoms started returning.  A fever last night, night sweats and now joint pain.  Hopefully they will be able to get it figured out quickly!

The ER doesn't have phone or internet connectivity, so it may be a while before we can update.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

We're home!

The last test the neurologists were waiting on came back negative.

The official diagnosis is Aseptic Meningitis which basically means meningitis without a known cause.  All of the tests and cultures came back negative, so they know it is not a bacterial meningitis.  The doctor said it was most likely caused by a virus, but not by any of the viruses they tested for.  Meningitis is inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.

Because I have completely recovered from my symptoms I came home with no prescriptions!  They recommended that I followup with a local neurologist in a couple months.

We will never be able to repay all of the prayers and well wishes that we have received.  I am truly humbled by the outpouring of love.
-Todd

The most important things...And things not yet done.

Sunday evening and Monday, between the time the ER doctor in Effingham had made a preliminary diagnosis of Guillain-Barre syndrome and I began to recover with the help of antibiotics, we had some time to think about what is really important and what things we might have left undone.  We often hear that we should "live each day as if it were our last day", but that saying has a much deeper meaning when you are driving away from home not knowing if you will be coming back or, if you do get to come home, what type of crippling disability you might have.

Monday morning I remember thinking about my favorite verse, John 17:3, "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."  Salvation is not just an experience or a profession of faith (although it often starts with these), but it is a relationship with God and with His Son.  I remember feeling so secure in my relationship with God and praying that God would use this experience to help me know him better and more deeply.  This morning I was reading Psalm 10 and found a verse that is the reverse of this.  Verse 4 says, "The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts."  I am so thankful for experiences like this one that keep us humble and drive us to seek God and keep him in our thoughts.

For a few years I have wanted to make a list of the parenting tips and tricks that we have picked up over the years.  If I had not recovered from this sickness, this would have been one of the "things left undone".  I know we are not finished raising our children and I know that the "acid test" of our parenting is how they raise their children, but we do take the raising and training of our children very, very seriously.  We have read a lot, prayed a lot, tried various methods of training and discipline.  We have watched other families and learned a lot from them.  And we have learned a lot from our kids, too.

I am thinking about adding a "Parenting Tips and Tricks" section to the blog and occasionally posting the things I have learned and want to remember.  I have made one rule for myself for this undertaking:  I will only use my "selfish time" when I would be checking the news, playing Solitaire, etc.  I will not use the time that belongs to Tamara, the children, devotions, and my other responsibilities.  Needless to say the posts may be "occasional"!

Hailstorm

 We had a ten minute hailstorm come over the house a while ago, so we had to take some pictures.




                                                                     




Wednesday morning update from St. Louis

This post will be brief because we don't really have much new news.

Last night they did an MRI of my brain.  Just imagine yourself in a metal trashcan with about 20 kids banging on it as hard as they can with plastic hammers - for 30 minutes!  I was glad for the earplugs they provided!

This morning I spoke with one of the neurologists.  He had looked at the MRI and it looked normal to him.  It will be read by a radiologist this morning.  He said that all of the various tests and cultures that they have gotten back are normal, but that they are still waiting on the test they think is most important.  He said the full team would be in to see me later in the morning.

Tamara said all of the children were doing very well.  I think they were pretty happy to see their Mom drive in!  Last night they all went to a Gospel Meeting in Neoga and Mary went home to her own bed for the night.  Mary is coming back over this morning and then Tamara will be coming back to St. Louis.  Don't tell her, but I am planning to take her out on a little date to the cafeteria!
 
Thanks again for all of your prayers and thoughts.
-Todd

Wednesday 1st report

I (Tamara, not Todd...) came home yesterday in time for supper.  Mary and Sara had the kids all quietly sitting at the table eating.  We are so so thankful for them.  It is such a relief to know that things at home are taken care of and that we don't have to worry about the kids.  And it was really nice to get a good night of sleep!

They took a scan of Todd's chest area and did an MRI of his brain. The kids so "sweetly" asked me if I thought they would find a brain in there... When I told Todd that, he told me to tell them that they certainly did - it was about the size of a pea. So you can see - we all still have our sense of humor intact.

One of the doctors was in this morning and kind of briefed Todd on what was going on.  He said he didn't see anything unusual on the brain MRI but hadn't seen a radiologist report on it.  The tests were coming back normal.  They are still waiting on a particular virus report to come back, but Todd couldn't remember the name of it.  The team of neurologist will be in today sometime to talk to him again.  I wish I had been able to take a picture of them in there yesterday with all of their white coats on and clipboards in hand.  I think there were about 8 or 9 of them.  Afterwards, the head doctor of the group had them in the hallway "testing" them. It has been really neat seeing the residents - some of them look about the ages of our kids, but they are so professional and knowledgeable.  They don't have a lot of experience under their belts yet, but you can tell they have had a lot of information put into their brains!

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Recovered!

I never imagined this ordeal would turn around so quickly!

Just before supper, they disconnected my IV pump, so I am now a freer man.  I spent a lot of the day on my back in bed -one of the common side-effects of a spinal tap is headache when you are sitting or standing, so I was anxious to see how much I have improved since this morning.

After supper I decided to try a swift walk around the floor.  After a 2 minute rest I tried it again and that time I was able to keep up with the nurses!  I was not sure how big the was so the third time I decided to count my steps for a rough measurement.  The third time I took 175 steps in  1 minute 17 seconds - which means I was able to go 525 feet at 5.4 miles per hour!  That was fast enough to break a good sweat.

I might never be 100%, but today I think I am at least 99.5%.

At this point I don't think the doctors have pinned down exactly what type of infection is the root cause of my trouble.  I believe that have to wait until tomorrow to get back some of the blood and spinal fluid cultures that they took yesterday.

I spoke briefly with one of the doctors on one of my walks but the whole team has not been in for the evening briefing.  If they give me new information then, I will post again.

Thanks again for the outpouring of prayers, love, support, and offers of help.  We are truly humbled.
Love,
-Todd

An update from Todd

Wow.  I don't know where to start.  I have just read through all of the comments on Facebook and the blog and the emails we have received and I am over whelmed.

Thanks for all of the prayers and kind words of support.

As Tamara posted, I am feeling so much better and stronger today.  I am not 100% yet, but I can see light at the end of the tunnel.

I hope you never get sick, but if you do Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis is a phenomenal place to get well.  I have been so impressed with the hospital staff.  Everyone from the man who took our insurance info at ER, to the ER doctors and nurses, to the young man who pushed my bed from ER up to my regular room to the 8-10 doctors who came as a group to talk about my progress this morning, to the cleaning staff, have been exceptional.  In any organization with 10,000 employees there must be a few bad apples, but I sure have not been able to find any here!  BarnesJewish is a teaching hospital attached to Washington University Medical School so it is full of vivacious young people anxious to learn everything so they can help save and improve the lives of complete strangers.  It is also full of very experienced doctors that have already given most of there lives to medicine, but who are still pushing the frontiers of science to understand and explain these wonderful bodies of ours and their varied issues and complications.
I just can't say enough good about the best health care system in the world and about Barnes-Jewish.

As the day has progressed, I am continuing to gain strength and the pain and stiffness is subsiding.  I am on three different powerful antibiotics.  At this point the doctors have not been able to identify what infection triggered all of this, but the antibiotic is kicking it, what ever it is.

It sounds like I will stay her for at least another day while they are waiting for some of the blood and spinal fluid cultures to grow.

Tamara is going home this afternoon so that she can spend the night with the children and give Mary a little break.  I don't know what we would have done without Mary!  Tamara has done such a good job training the children,  that I am sure they could have kept the house, cared for the younger children, taken care of the animals and done all of the farm chores by themselves.  But is nice to know that there is a loving heart and adult eye watching over them too.

Thanks again for all of your thoughts and prayers.
-Todd

Neurology Update Tuesday

The neurology team was just in and checked Todd out again with their routine of having him track light, push and pull against resistance, etc. and he has improved majorly since last night.  They are thinking that this is an infection.  They will wait on a couple more cultures to grow before knowing for sure, but are thinking Todd will be fine and ready to go home in a couple of days.  We are so glad for this wonderful news!

Tuesday Morning 2

Todd is feeling much stronger this morning.  Here's hoping it is just an infection!  That was one of the possibilities they mentioned last night.

Tuesday Morning

Todd got moved into a room at about 10:00 last night.  We still don't have a diagnosis, but they have put guillan barre syndrome way down on the list for possibilities.  He has several symptoms of it, but also some things that don't normally go along with it.  They put him on antibiotics last night, so it will be interesting to see if he is feeling any better this morning.

We didn't have internet nor cell phone access in the ER yesterday, and it wasn't real convenient to find a place with cell phone reception, so we weren't able to connect with many people.

The staff here at Barnes-Jewish Hospital have been amazing.  We are comfortable with the care and testing they have done.  It seems to be very thorough.

The offers of help and care have been overwhelming and we appreciate everyone's thoughts so much.  We won't know until we get more answers what will be involved, but we are keeping optimistic that they will be able to take care of whatever it is.

Thanks and much love!
Tamara

Monday, May 23, 2011

Update from Tamara 6:45 PM

This is Edie, Tamara's mom....  talked to Tammy.  Still no confirmed diagnosis.  Did lots of tests today and waiting for results.  Will update when we know more.

Off to St Louis

I talked to my regular Dr. on the phone today and he wants treatment to begin immediately.  So we are off to Barnes-Jewish hospital in St. Louis.  I was hoping I could be treated in Effingham because it would have been much more convenient for the family.  But we trust the instruction of the Doctor.  We really don't know what the future holds, but will post more later.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Life can change pretty quickly...

I took Todd in to the ER today because he has been having weakness and pain in his ankles and legs which moved up to his elbows, wrists and fingers.  It looks like he has something called Guillain-Barre syndrome.  Hopefully we can get in to the doctor tomorrow and find out what our next steps will be.  From what we read, it can be a pretty long recovery but the prognosis is good.  It sure makes a person stop and think about what is really important!  God, family and friends - none of the rest of it matters.


About 1 1/2 weeks ago, Todd was replacing a ceiling fan and climbed up and down a ladder several times without shoes on.  He bruised his feet pretty severely, and then a few days later he started getting numbness and pain in his ankles and knees.  It is hard to know when the pain from his bruised feet stopped and the beginning of the Guillian-Barre started.  He thinks he felt ok last Sunday and started getting weak on Monday.  He was able to work all week, but Saturday he spent most of the day resting.  He kept getting weaker and weaker and the pain and weakness moved up his body.  By this morning his wrists and fingers were hurting and weak.  They took several blood tests and cultures and will know better results over the next few days.  The did take an x-ray of his lungs and he has bronchitis, so is on antibiotics for that.  We were so glad our friends Mary and Sara could come and stay with the kids.  Mary is free to stay with them today, also.  So thankful for friends!


Here are a couple links to info about Guillain-Barre syndrome



Edited Early Monday morning - The pain is now in his hips and shoulders and his weakness is increasing.  It is likely he will go to the hospital sometime today.  We'll either go to our family doctor or back to the ER this morning.  Right now he and Garrett are snuggled up in the recliner - such a sweet picture.  :) 




 We will all miss each other so much while he is recuperating, but are keeping an optimistic outlook.  When we look back on these days in a few months or a year, they will hopefully just be a little blip in our happy life together. We really have no idea what to expect except for what we have read online.  We should know more after talking to the doctor today.


While we were gone, the kids got to watch this happen:




So now we have 2 new Jersey heifer calves.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Kelsey

It was so special to be at Kelsey's graduation.  It is hard to explain the feelings of being there or to even explain what Kelsey means to us.  Kelsey is... Kelsey.  She has no pretense, no malice, no prejudice... She is content just to be loved. Getting a smile or a hug or a kiss from her lights up the day.  

To her the day was likely just another day at school.  She probably didn't understand at all that she was being celebrated.  The graduation was for her and another young man in her class.  She was beautiful, he was ecstatic and full of smiles.

The Mattoon high school ROTC came

 The Star Spangled Banner was sung, the pledge was said 

 Sweet words were spoken of the 2 graduates, flowers, certificates and diplomas were handed out, a slide show was shown of different times in their lives
 Hugs and kisses were shared, tears fell, pictures were taken


 cake was eaten...






Thanks for sharing your special day with us, Kelsey.  You'll never know how much it means to us to have you for our friend.  We love you... :)