Emotionally and physically it has been a challenging day for Wes. Since the NG tube was inserted this morning he has been discouraged. The tube was inserted to remove the bile in his stomach that is not being passed. His bowels are dormant, most likely from the high doses of pain medication that he was taking previously.
He did have an episode when they tried to give him oral medicine. They stopped the flow of the NG tube to administer his medicine. When he went to swallow, some medicine got stuck between the tube and his throat. After much force, with swallowing and drinking lots of water, it finally went down but right back out the NG tube, which they had started back up to control the vomiting. They then decided to give all medication through the IV. Good choice!
Wes’ blood pressure has been elevated (more than usual) and he has been hot and cold all day. He is not running a fever, his vitals are normal and his labs are coming back good as well. So far there seems to be no sign of trauma to the kidney.
This afternoon Wes had a CT scan on his chest and an ultra sound on his legs making sure there are no clots in the pulmonary arteries. All tests came back negative.
They gave Wes a second blood pressure medicine this evening and it seems to be helping him feel increasingly better. His bowels have been slowly making more and more noises and the current plan is to have the NG tube removed first thing in the morning. His breathing is still a little shallow because of the earlier pressure from his bowels, but he is faithfully exercising his lungs to get them back to full expansion.
All your words of encouragement, prayers, and use of scripture are much appreciated. At times like these it keeps Wes (us) pressing on.
Karen
Friends and family are encircling you in prayer.
Our gracious and loving heavenly Father,
We thank you so much for Wes’ life, for the work of grace you have done in his life, for giving him a new kidney that is working, for the love You have for him. We praise You and glorify You for the work you are doing even in this moment in Wes’ life.
You have said in Your Word that you hear our voice and supplications. You incline Your ear to us. You are gracious and righteous, and compassionate. Nothing is beyond You. Great are You Lord and abundant in strength. Your understanding is infinite.
We come boldly before Your throne interceding on his behalf asking for relief; for help. You understand pain and discouragement. You understand what we need even more than we do. Please shower Wes with Your care and hear his cry. You are always good and righteous, you determine what is best for us and how we can glorify You the most.
In Jesus Name, the Name that is above ALL names, Christ Jesus our Lord,
Amen
Come on big guy…..I bought you some chocolate yesterday!!! Relax and let the one in charge take over. You know you are in my prayers.
Let me know if there is ANYTHING I can do.
Hugs to all of you!
Wes,
We are lifting you up and pray for you to heal quickly! Gaines sends his love to you! If you don’t get out soon I am going to have to bring Davis in to see all your tubes! We miss you and pray for restful and pain free night. Love to you, Karen and the kids!
The words to one of my favorite hymns:
Never a heartache, and never a groan,
Never a tear-drop and never a moan;
Never a danger but there on the throne,
Moment by Moment He thinks of His own.
Never a weak-ness that He doth not feel,
Never a sick-ness that He can-not heal;
Moment by moment, in woe or in weal,
Jesus, my Savior, abides with me still.
chorus:
Moment by moment I’m kept in His love;
Moment by moment I’ve life from a-bove;
Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine;
Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine
Praying comfort for you Wes. love, k+s
Wes and Karen,
Praying that the pain subsides. Also that you both get a good nights rest.
Jennifer
Hey Wes and Karen-
We are praying for you guys. Love you and if you need ANYTHING, please don’t hesitate to call. It doesn’t matter the time of day or night. Just call and we’ll come running. We pray the pain subsides and for a restful night’s sleep for both of you.
Love,
Steve, Robyn, Stephen and LeighAnn
Wes-You are such a blessing to everyone you know and I really feel God is going to heal you. I am praying for that and I have faith that He will heal you. Your sister, Trish, wrote such a wonderful message to and I agree with her, too and would like to sign my name to it. Now I want you to do what Grandma says and get well very soon. Lots of Love & Kisses-Grandma
Wishing God would give me the words that would comfort you during this time….
I think of the godly men in the bible who suffered for their faith in various ways….and you are a godly man who doesn’t deserve to suffer like this….BUT..”we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose”. Hold onto that verse and know that HE truly has a plan….just wish we all knew what it was!! Send down the fax….we don’t want to wait for the snail mail….. Love you!!
Hang in there, Wes and family. As you know, remember…when things look challenging, look “up” to the Lord and go to His Word. Thinking about you, and praying for you often…Larry and Nancy Ingle
Thinking of you Wes and Karen, and praying you find peace and rest tonight.
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:28-31)”
Love you guys,
Brennen and Anita
So good to hear of all the good test results and the increasing “noises!” You are such a trooper, Wes!
Our bodies are such amazing miracoulous machines that show forth God’s faithfulness, even when there is something keeping them from functioning like normal. God created such an intricate system, and when something in that system goes awry, it shows his faithfulness that trouble would ensue and warning bells would sound, like being too hot or too cold. The created world is so well-ordered! (though it is sometimes difficult to find the cause behind the effect). But praise God there is a system from which doctors can study and draw conclusions and make diagnoses and treatment plans. . . and that one body reflects another; we are different from one another, but not in our physical (or spiritual) essence. So thankful for you that we are not just random, chance, chaotic, happenstanced , bumbled-together blobs of flesh, blood, and bone in so many multiples of varieties that there is no rhyme or reason from which a standard can be developed.
And isn’t it sooo good to understand the source of sickness, pain, and death in this world, and know that it’s not our Father, but his Enemy? And in hating the debilitating effects and the interruption sickness and pain are in our lives, we can redirect that hatred towards the Enemy and re-commit to fight sin, the original source of sickness, wherever we may encounter it, in our own hearts, the church, or the world? We can take comfort that God, somehow for his good purposes and His glory, allows us to still dwell here in this broken world where we’ll have tribulation in our dust-frames. We can rejoice that He has overcome this world; and while not idly pining, but actively wielding our weapon, the Gospel, we long for the day when the mortal will put on immortality, and the “already, but not yet” victory will be complete!
Wes, we all hate to see you suffer again so, but praise God that the difference in a Christian’s suffering from a non-Christian’s is that it has meaning. In the words of Joni Eareckson Tada, “God uses what he hates to accomplish what he loves.” As you well know, though we don’t know God’s purposes, somehow He is using what he hates to accomplish what he loves in your lives.
Wes and Karen, you have a great track record of trusting God’s goodness, sovereignty ,and lovingkindness in the past. Praying more than anything, that God, by His grace, will keep your hearts thankful, worshipful, and trusting, step by step, through this new testing ground.
Love,
Rhonda Wilkinson