Joye's Update 8/31/08

It has been a long trip (so far), but we (me, my sister, and my brother-in-law) made it to Wickenburg tonight. It rained on us most of the way here and it was pretty windy too. We were hauling a U-haul trailer as we brought back Andrew's chair and a lot of other supplies in it, so that made our trip a little slower. We will be in Yuma sometime tomorrow, and I can't tell you how excited I am to see the kids and the dog! I'm also very anxious to see the modifications done to the house. It will be a very busy couple of days as I have a laundry-list of things to do before Andrew arrives on Wednesday. I spoke with him tonight and all is going well. He said he just "chilled" in his room today and hung out with Tony a little too. He won't have therapies or classes tomorrow as it's a holiday, so he wasn't really looking forward to another boring day. He will have his final therapies on Tuesday and will leave Craig on Wednesday at 9am to be ambulanced to the airport. He will then be air-ambulanced to Yuma, and then ambulanced to our house. Depending on how all that goes with his skin will determine whether he can be put in his chair once home or if he will have to spend some time in bed to get pressure off his skin. They are unable to do weight shifts while in flight, so that can cause some problems with pressure sores . . . please pray for NO SKIN ISSUES. For those who don't receive the Yuma Sun, Andrew's story was published in today's (Sunday) paper under the Life section (B). I am looking forward to reading it to him when he returns. He has mixed emotions about all of this public attention, but I know he is very touched and thankful for everyone who is praying and encouraging him. We cannot thank you enough for all of that! God is good and He will take care of Andrew and we have faith that He will heal him. Good Night and God Bless. Joye

Joye's Update 8/29/08

Well, for those of you who don't know . . . I am leaving Denver tomorrow. I have to drive back to Yuma as I will need to arrive a couple of days before Andrew gets there to make sure everything is ready for his arrival. I plan to be in Yuma by Monday, and Andrew will be there on Wednesday afternoon. I will miss Andrew terribly in our time apart, but there's no way around it. It will be a crazy week next week getting Andrew settled, getting everything switched over to different doctors, and finding a new routine. We definitely have our work cut out for us, but it will be worth it to be home with our kids, in our own home. I am not sure if I will be able to post on the blog while I'm on the road due to Internet access, but I will do my best. For now, I ask that you all join me in prayer that Andrew stays safe and does well in the days before he returns home. Good Night and God Bless. Joye

Joye's Update 8/28/08

Andrew had a really good day today. They have been working very hard this week at getting him fitted (correctly) to his new chair as well as to get some devices put on the chair that will help him to be more independent. They put his cell phone on it as well as well as a camel-back (type) drinking system so that he can always keep hydrated and won't need assistance with getting a drink. His phone is set up to receive voice commands along with a blue tooth device that he can click on and off up against a thing near the side of his head, and he can also push the buttons on the phone with a mouth stick if necessary. We are also planning on getting a home system that will allow him to operate the TV, DVD, VCR, etc., as well as to turn on lights and unlock and open doors. He can also operate a computer with a laser light (mouse) system, but he said he's never had an interest in computers so at this time he doesn't want that device. We are so thankful to God for this place. They have really brought Andrew a long ways in a short amount of time. I just can't believe the difference in him from when we first got here. Although our life will be very different when we return home . . . we are both so happy to be able to get back there to begin our much different life together in our newly modified home with our kids, family and friends. Andrew has told me that he feels very fortunate that he made it through all of this and that he'd much rather be alive and with us . . . even if in a chair, than the alternative of not being here to enjoy his life and his family. He's been so strong and I've never been so proud of him. His will and determination have proven doctors wrong, his faith in God is what keeps him going, and your prayers and encouragement have made all the difference . . . we cannot thank you enough for that. This has all been to God's glory and delight and it has restored some peoples faith and strengthened others in the Lord, and that has touched me in a way that I don't think I could describe. God is awesome and He has seen us through this, that's for sure. Good Night and God Bless you all. Joye

Joye's Update 8/27/08

Well, we began the day today thinking Andrew was going to get rid of one tube (feeding tube) and it turns out that he got rid of two. His lung doc decided he no longer needs the oxygen he was taking from the nose cannula. One less tube is always a good thing, two less is great! I also have to tell you of another prayer answered. I have literally been losing sleep as I've been highly stressed over finding the right doctors to take care of Andrew once we're home. We were pointed in one direction, and it was just not sitting right with me for many reasons; it was keeping me up nights. So, I began to pray about it and hand it over to God. A few days later I received an email with a great suggestion that has basically led us to a great doctor who it appears may be able to take Andrew's case, and very importantly, it feels right in my gut and my heart. God (once again) has answered this prayer and led us in the right direction. And I really want to thank Carrie and Dr. Scheetz for EVERYTHING! I know I'll sleep much better tonight, so thank you for that. God has put the right people in our life at just the right moment. Good Night and God Bless. Joye

Joye's Update 8/26/08

Andrew had another good day today. We found out that he is supposed to get his feeding tube out tomorrow, which is another huge milestone as they were first thinking he'd go home with it due to his jaw problems. The jaw is feeling much better, therefore, he's eating much better . . . so, the tube comes out. God is awesome and he answers prayers . . . so please continue to pray for Andrew. Prayer has made the difference in Andrew's recovery and prayer is the answer to his healing. Good Night and God Bless. Joye

Joye's Update 8/25/08

It was a good day today. Andrew's power chair (that he will be taking home) finally arrived, so he began learning to drive it today. It's basically the same as the chair he was in before, that belongs to Craig . . . but, there are a few differences that he will have to get used to. Andrew was pleased with his new chair and he said he now has even more of an incentive not to wreck (besides broken bones . . . go figure), but that he doesn't want to dent or scratch his new "hoopty." :) He's still the same ol' Andrew. It's getting closer and closer to when we will be back home and we're both excited and nervous at the same time. This hospital has been a huge security blanket for us and Andrew has felt so safe here. It was a blessing getting to come here and we are both so thankful to God for that. We also know that God will take care of us once we're home and that's all we need to know. Good Night and God Bless. Joye

Joye's Update 8/24/08

We had another pretty quiet day today. We went to church this morning and just hung out together again for most of the day. Andrew has a buddy here (Tony) who invited him to his room tonight to watch some ultimate fighting show. I was very happy not to be involved in all that. These guys are too funny when they're together. They like to ditch class together and then they just end up somewhere asleep in their chairs. Tony is from Hawaii and he was injured in a diving accident and his level of injury is just a little bit lower than Andrew's. We have met a lot of nice people here that we will never forget, that's for sure. God put us in this place and He also put these people in our lives and each one of them has touched us in some way. It's hard to explain . . . but, although I wish this had never happened to Andrew, I do feel quite blessed to have gone through this experience with him. I feel very fortunate to have Andrew as my husband, and my perspective has changed about everything . . . I truly enjoy every moment I share with him. Good Night and God Bless. Joye

Joye's Update 8/23/08

It was a pretty quiet day today. Andrew and I just hung out in our new "pad" and watched movies for most of the day today. It was nice to have the quietness of our own place. Some of the nurses and techs from the west side visited us today because they miss taking care of Andrew so much. We plan to go to church in the morning and to have another quiet day together tomorrow. Please continue to pray for Andrew to be able to bend his elbows. He is spending a lot of time and energy concentrating on moving them. I believe God is going to do this for Andrew. Good Night and God Bless. Joye

Joye's Update 8/22/08

It was a pretty good day today. The staff here are really working hard getting us prepared for our final stretch home. We had our discharge meeting today, and it went very well. We are basically ready . . . just waiting on the discharge day now. When we first arrived here, they told us that we'd both be "experts" in spinal cord injury care by the time we went home. We thought they were nuts and we were both very overwhelmed by that statement. Well I now believe they have delivered on their promise. They not only taught me every aspect of Andrew's care, but they also taught him how to direct his own care and to be in charge of it. Andrew can easily tell anyone how to do whatever he needs them to do as well as what medications he takes and what each is for . . . and let me tell you, that medication list is a long one. We feel so blessed that Andrew was able to come here. We're also excited that we will get to return in 6 months for Andrew's re-evaluation and then again once a year for his annual re-evaluations. We have no doubt that God lead us here, healed Andrew off the ventilator, and will continue to heal him after we leave. Good Night and God Bless. Joye

Joye's Update 8/21/08

Well, Andrew and I have been together for a straight 24+ hours now and we are still doing well. Not even a little marital spat to report :) It has been nice being able to spend the time together. The only trouble I personally have had with sharing a room with Andrew is that he has developed this strange (noisy) way of breathing while he sleeps. It kept me up for a while last night . . . and then suddenly it just stopped, and of course that had me worried that something was wrong. So, needless to say I was up and down all night long. But that's okay, I'm just so grateful to be in this room with him. Otherwise, Andrew has been doing well . . . although not 100%, his blood pressure has been getting better, so we're thankful for that. Please continue to pray for his arms . . . we both feel God is going to do this for him. Good Night and God Bless you all. Joye

Joye's Update 8/20/08

We'll we have taken that "big step" and we've moved in together. Tonight will be our first night together in the east "suite." It is nice getting Andrew ready for bed knowing I can stay . . . I don't have to leave him tonight. When we first got here and they gave us a tour, we thought we'd never get over here when they showed us an east side room . . . that seemed impossible at that time and we're finally here and will be going home very soon. What a journey it's been! We continue to pray for Andrew to get use of his arms . . . it would be great if he could before it was time for him to leave and then he could just stay to receive more therapy; however, he will come right back here if he gets his arms back after we get home. This is the best place to receive that kind of therapy for sure. We thank you for your prayers . . . we know it's those prayers that have gotten Andrew as far as he has come. Good Night and God Bless. Joye

Joye's Update 8/19/08

It was a busy day today. I did a lot of packing for us to get ready for our move to the east side tomorrow. I first packed Andrew's things and then tonight I have been packing mine from the apartment. I've accumulated a lot more stuff than I realized. We are both very anxious for the move . . . Andrew had a smile on his face all day today. We are so thankful to God for bringing Andrew here and letting him receive such excellent care. We don't even let our brains think about where he'd be if we weren't able to come up here. God is awesome and He's taken such great care of us throughout this entire ordeal. We are truly blessed. Good Night and God Bless. Joye

Joye's Update 8/18/08

Andrew had a better day today. His blood pressure was still a bit low, but he's managing it much better now. He was able to go to all of his therapies and classes and we spent a lot of time together on the bridge that goes across the street between the east and west sides of the hospital. The sun was out and it was nice to spend time up there. We prayed together tonight for God's healing and I left somewhat early to begin packing my things for my move to his room which will take place either tomorrow or Wednesday. We are very excited about the move. Please continue to pray for Andrew and most specifically, for him to gain use of his arms . . . and, we thank you for that. Good Night and God Bless. Joye

Joye's Update 8/17/08

It was another tough day today for Andrew. His blood pressure is still giving him trouble and Andrew was unable to make it to church this morning. His blood pressure is quite low and is making him very tired; therefore, he slept a good portion of the day. We are praying the blood pressure issues are corrected as to not prolong us from getting to move to the east side in our room together. We are also praying very hard and deeply for Andrew to get movement in his arms. Please pray with us for this . . . we have faith God will provide this for Andrew. We thank God daily for this blessing we know is already on its way. Good Night and God Bless you all. Joye

Joye's Update 8/16/08

It was a good day today with exception to the rain and cold weather. Andrew's blood pressure was a little better today, but he still decided to stay in bed for the day because he was very cold. It's okay as long as it's just once in a while. We are planning to go to church in the morning and I'm hoping it won't be so cold tomorrow. I know when we get home, we'll wish we had this cold weather, but for now it's just too cold. I'm a "hot weather" kind of person, that's for sure. Thank you all for your prayers . . . we know God will provide for us; it was His promise. Good Night and God Bless. Joye

Joye's Update 8/15/08

Andrew had a little better day today. His blood pressure is still giving him some trouble, but all in all, his day was better. Coco flew out today and we already miss her. Andrew and I prayed together tonight for God to continue to heal him and to give him use of his arms. We know the Lord will do this for him, and we are so thankful for that. Good Night and God Bless. Joye

Joye's Update 8/14/08

It was a better day today than yesterday; however, Andrew is still having issues with his blood pressure. His doctors are still trying to find out what's going on, so hopefully they will soon be able to fix what's going on. Coco completed her training today and will be flying home to Yuma tomorrow. She learned a lot in one week and her education will be very valuable to us once we're home. We are so thankful to Craig for flying her up here and to her for enduring the training. Andrew is supposed to be moving to the east side of Craig Hospital next week and I will be moving in with him. We are both very excited about that; it's been a long time since we've "lived" together. We continue to pray for his healing and we are thankful that we know God will heal him. Please pray with us for that healing. Good Night and God Bless. Joye

Joye's Update 8/13/08

Andrew had some struggles today. His blood pressure is dropping at times (mostly while sitting upright) which is causing a lot of dizziness and discomfort. They are trying to figure out what's going on, and until then Andrew will have to remain in bed. They have some ideas, so hopefully this won't last too long. Please pray with me for a better tomorrow. Good Night and God Bless. Joye

Joye's Update 8/12/08

It was a good day today. Andrew did all of his therapies and classes and had a pretty good day. Coco is continuing with her training and I think will have about 2 years worth of information given to her in this one week by the time she goes back home. It's a lot to learn, but she's taking it in stride. Please continue to pray for Andrew and most specifically, please pray for him to get use of his arms. We thank you for that. Good Nigh and God Bless. Joye

Joye's Update 8/11/08

It was a pretty good day today. Coco is continuing with her training and Andrew and I feel so blessed that she is here, willing to learn, and will be at home waiting for us when we get there. Coco will be living with us and will be there nights to help with getting Andrew back to bed and some of his night care. That has been a huge relief to me as you all know that Andrew is a big guy (still weighing about 240 lbs.) and although it can be done . . . it's very difficult for one person to transfer him from chair to bed and vice versa. I am also aware that our home is pretty much complete and ready for us. We are truly blessed to have the friends and family we do that have done so much to prepare for our homecoming. Andrew and I continue to pray for full healing and specifically for him to get use of his arms next. We believe God will grant him this miracle in His time and we are already thankful for that healing. Good Night and God Bless. Joye

Coco's Update 8/10/08

Andrew was up early for church, after church he and Joye came to the apartment to see me, as I slept in today. We all sat here and watched a movie together, and after I helped with lunch. Andrew did have a Twinkie... I asked him how long had it been since he ate one to those and he looks at me and says "Friggen Years" I laughed as I broke up the twinkie to feed him. After our movie we all went back to his room and it was time to get a haircut and shave and a shower. I have never seen Andrew with hair on his head and there was alot. He went to bed early tonight and Joye and I gave him kisses and let him watch tv.
Tomorrow, I will start with classes and go to his therapies with him. This is going to be a busy week as we continue to get him ready to go home...

Coco's update 8/9/08

Hello this is Coco aka Christine. I am a close friend of the family.I have worked in the health care field for 18yrs focusing on elderly but occasionally someone younger to. I was asked to join in the care for Andrew by him and Joye, and was very touched when I was the one Andrew wanted!!!


Well, I arrived here in Colorado last night, for a week long training session, for those of you who don't know I am going to be moving in with Joye and Andrew to help with Andrew's care. Today was an uneventful day for Andrew, as he didn't want to get out of bed until early afternoon. Seeing him up in his chair was like looking at the Andrew we all know and love. It really was a moving day for me and quite humbling as well. Kinda funny how much we take breathing for granted, and when you see him breath, well you almost feel guilty for it being so easy. He has worked so hard and talking to the nurses and techs that work with him they all agree that it truly is a miracle for him to be breathing on his own.
I had some training today, learning how to suction his trach and doing trach care was the first thing on the list. Its awesome to see him cough to help move secretions out of his lungs. As the week goes on I will attend my own traing classes along with his physical therapy and occupational therapy, learning how to move his body and we all know its a big one...lol ... will prove to be the most important thing. He is very excited to be going home soon and living his life as normal as possible.

Joye's Update 8/8/08

It was a good day today. We had our monthly conference and Andrew is still on schedule to be discharged in September. It was reported that he is doing well in his therapies and his classes, and as we all know he has far exceeded their hope for coming off the vent. We cannot thank you all enough for all your prayers. We know Andrew would not have come so far if not for that. Good Night and God bless you all. Joye

Joye's Update 8/7/08

It was a very similar day today as the past few. Andrew is still breathing perfectly, he's doing okay with his driving, and he's in really good spirits. We still pray together each day for God to heal him and we do so in great faith. We ask that you please continue to pray for this as well. I received a Daily Devotional, as I do nearly every day, from Barry and Marie Nicholson of Passion Christian Church in Yuma and it really spoke to me about how much we must persist in our prayers and always give thanks to God. I hope it's okay with Bary and Marie, but I'm going to provide some of what they sent to me, and I hope it speaks to you as it did me. It refers to Colossians 4-2 Be persistent in prayer, and keep alert as your pray, giving thanks to God. It also refers to Luke 18:1-8 The Parable of the Persistent Widow 1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.' 4 "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!' " 6 And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" Because of the woman's constant requests, the judge finally agreed to hear the case. Jesus illustrated that we should continually bring our needs before God in prayer. We should never give up; please keep praying to God for Andrew's healing. Good Night and God Bless you all. Joye

Joye's Update 8/6/08

It was another good day today. Andrew was up and ready to go when I got to his room this morning for our first meeting. He then went to his therapies and classes and I was very lucky to get, and very much in need of, a hair appointment for today. So, I got my hair done and then returned to spend a little time with Andrew this evening. We are so thankful for your prayers and words of encouragement . . . they are keeping us going. Good Night and God Bless. Joye

Joye's Update 8/5/08

It was a good day today. Andrew now has his trach capped and he only has to take oxygen through a nose clip now. They will do it this way for a while and eventually he will get what is called a "Jackson" trach which is much smaller and will not be able to be seen with a shirt over it. Andrew will also soon be able to breath without having oxygen through his nose as well. The only purpose of the trach will be to assist him in getting secretions from his lungs as he is still working on building a better cough. There is much hope he will eventually get the trach out too. And as usual . . . we are still praying for Andrew to gain the ability to bend his elbows. I know God is hearing this prayer and will soon bless Andrew with this miracle too. Good Night and God Bless you all. Joye

Joye's Update 8/4/08

Andrew had a pretty good day today. He was able to go to all his therapies and his classes today with much ease. It was also a good day today as they have officially removed the ventilator from Andrew's room today. They kept it in there "just in case" he needed it and they now feel he's out of the woods and it is not necessary to even have the vent in his room. Andrew was very happy to see it go. Andrew is concentrating very hard on moving his elbows as well as praying for God to give him this ability. Thank you all for your prayers . . . God is hearing them. Good Night and God Bless. Joye

Joye's Update 8/3/08

Another very quiet day today. We went to church this morning; it was a very nice service, and then we just hung out in Andrew's room most of the day. I rented some Blockbuster videos and we watched a couple of them today. Andrew's jaw is still very sore so he's not much interested in eating and he's having to take pain medication again to deal with the pain which makes him pretty sleepy. Hopefully the jaw pain will get better this week. Please continue to pray for Andrew . . . specifically, we are praying for him to gain movement in his elbows. I believe God healed him of his paralyzed (left) diaphragm and I believe the Lord will heal Andrew much further than that. Good Night and God Bless. Joye

Joye's Update 8/2/08

It was a pretty quiet day today. Andrew was still tired from his day yesterday. He decided to stay in bed because he was still feeling groggy from being sedated yesterday for the procedure they did on his jaw. His jaw is still very sore from what they did, so we won't know if it helped or not until the swelling and soreness are gone. We are planning to attend church tomorrow and have another relaxing day to get him ready for his week of many therapies and classes. Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement. Good Night and God Bless. Joye

Note from dawn

Today's "update" is going to be done by me (dawn) as I wanted to pass along some information. I spoke to Joye today to see if I could do this and she of course said okay and wanted me to let everyone know that Andrew had a great time at the lake today and his injection in his jaw went well too. :-)

The information I'm announcing is about a benefit dinner that is being put together to raise funds to purchase a van and chair lift that Andrew will need when he returns home. Also, the cost to care for Andrew at home, where we all know he wants to be, is truly overwhelming as you can imagine. With all of Andrew's friends coming together, we can make a difference for Andrew and Joye. This dinner will be an auction. A committee has been formed to get this event going. So far, the date, place, food, band, auctioneer, and I also think a DJ, has been secured. What I am passing on, is that if anyone else out there wants to be on this committee or help out in ANY way, please call me at 928-246-1892, or Tammie at 928-246-7140. I know this is short notice, but the next meeting is tomorrow, Saturday, August 2, at 2:00 p.m. If you would like to participate tomorrow, please call either of us and we can give you the address and directions. There will be more meetings, so if you can't make it tomorrow, please call us and we will give you more information. We truly need help in securing items to be auctioned. Any ideas or input will help out tremendously!

I know we are all excited for both Andrew and Joye to come home. Joye made a comment to me that Andrew "has never met a stranger." Isn't this just SO true?!

Please continue to keep both Andrew and Joye in your prayers. They truly are being answered.

Good Night and God Bless.
dawn