Transplant Day plus 142… or 5 months!

Hope Lodge, Wednesday , October 31st 2012

“Rejoice and be exceedingly glad”. Matthew, 5:12.

We are rejoicing and are exceedingly glad… for the way the Lord looks after the details. I discover today that the bookings I had made to stay at the Hope Lodge through to the end of the year were not quite as I had thought. I had thought I had asked for a room every week but for some reason the lady who looks after the bookings had made them from the start of October for every 2 weeks… so the weeks Noel’s sister and brother were visiting and Toby drove us to Boston and home in one day, we actually did not have bookings! Kate said she was confused by the voice mails I had left canceling the room for those weeks… as we did not have one anyway! And since Dr. Soiffer today told Noel to take next week off we don’t need one next week… good thing as it was not booked! Now the prayer, please, is that Noel will stay well and will be on 2 weekly appointments from now on… as otherwise there is no room in the Inn and we will have to pay for a hotel room as the lodge is fully booked to the end of the year. Praise God for being in the detail.

Hurricane Sandy blew through our area on Monday night but we were spared any lasting damage for which we are thankful: but our hearts and prayers go out to the many, many people who have suffered devastating losses and long term damage. The only slight effect it had on our family was to extend JoAnn’s little vacation by a day. On Monday, when she and her sisters arrived back from their cruise, JoAnn and Melanie’s flight to Albany was cancelled although Judy did get home to Kansas. Lucy took the news of Mommy not getting home as expected for a 2 year old – in her stride, being quite happy being in the company of those who love her. For Charlotte it was more difficult, as you would expect from a 5 year old. She was upset but showed great courage and strength of character and was able to put her disappointment aside and be her normal cheerful self… thankfully fights to Albany resumed on Tuesday and JoAnn got home safely then.

This past week Noel has been regaining some strength and eating more even put on some of the weight he had lost, although he still has the sore mouth and upset digestive system… he is coping OK with it. We were looking forward to encouraging news this week from his tests and at his appointments today we were encouraged as his blood and liver function levels were not any worse but had stayed very much the same as last week. Dr. Soiffer took this a good sign, so said he would leave all his medications at the same level but added one more to prevent Noel’s sore mouth turning to thrush. He also said ‘lets take a week off, come back to see me in 2 weeks’… So this is also a huge encouragement to us.

This weeks blood tests
White cells 2.9 — Last week 2.4 — Normal 3.8 – 9.2
Red cells 2.89 — Last week 2.76 — Normal 4.2 – 5.6
Platelets 54 — Last week 55 — Normal 155 – 410

Noel did not need any transfusions today so he just got his dressing changed and he also got a ‘flu shot. Which should help protect him from picking up any ‘flu like infections.

In two weeks time when we are back here in Boston it will the same week the Welcome Home Initiative for Veterans of all wars being held at the Spiritual Life Center in Greenwich, NY (12-14th November). Noel is normally a team member and speaker (this would have been his 14th WHI) at this 3 day retreat for veterans and their spouses who are mainly suffering from PTSD and other unseen wounds of war. It is a safe place where they find acceptance, understanding and love and can begin to find healing. Please pray for this retreat and for those who are booked to attend it that they will find the courage to actually attend and while there that the Peace of the Lord will transcend all their nightmares and memories and healing will take place. Please also pray for Noel who is very disappointed he is unable to be there not only because he has to be in Boston but also because he is restricted from meeting with groups of people as his immune system is still not strong.

We both continue to rejoice and be glad as we move forward on this journey. It sometimes seems very long at other times seems to be passing very fast… as we are now just 4 weeks away from Thanksgiving and only 8 weeks away from Christmas!

Please continue to give praise and thanks for all our many blessing and for the Lord’s continuing provision for our needs.

Please continue to pray as other weeks for our family on both sides of the Atlantic and for continuing progress towards restored full health for Noel.

God bless you!

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