BigFred

Well, we’ve been home two nights.  We are establishing a routine and except for the walker and elevated toilet seat, it almost feels like normal.  Frederick in his chair, letting the TV watch him sleep.  He is still a little shakey and working on his physical theraphy.  His first appointment to get the radiation started is next week.  We’re working hard so that he can be strong enough to just use the walker to get to that appointment.  Ericka has stepped up to help around the house and I think she is adjusting to seeing her father in a different light.  We see our dads as the strongest men on earth.  I know I did!  So when they are sick, it can be hard to understand.  Please continue to pray for her to not be too tramatized by all this and to trust God.  Please also continue to pray for complete healing for Frederick. 

Please come to visit, but call first.

We love and appreciate you all and can’t thank you enough for all your cards, gifts, prayers, food and etc. 

“They’ll know we are Christians by our love”…

Diana

I’m trying not to be too excited, but the doctor signed the orders today for Frederick to come home!  We will need some time to settle in but please feel free to give us a call.  We’ll be expecting visitors on Saturday! 

For those of you who wanted to provide some meals, now’s your chance.  Please check in with Ursula Bradford at ECBF 206.722.0455 as she will be coordinating this I hope.  Frederick is still on a diabetic diet so please be mindful of what you bring.  3 days a week would be great for a couple of weeks.  That will keep me from being in the kitchen all day every day, because he really does have his appetite back.  And he’s down to 225 lbs so he’s got some catching up to do.  When we started on 6/3/07 he weighed 288 lbs.  Can you believe it!  He’s already talking about buying a new wardrobe.  I say a belt and suspenders is all he really needs!  

 Once he gets home he will be doing physical theraphy to strengthen his legs and to be able to walk without a walker or other support.  He will also be getting set up for his chemo and radiation.  Our prayer is that God can miraculously make the rest of the tumor go away, but if not, the chemo and radiation can do it.  Either way he chooses, we consider ourselves witnesses of the great love and mercy of the God who heals.  What I’m learning is that healing comes in different forms.  Physical and Spiritual and we must walk in each form in faith.  Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.  If I had not been sick I would need no healer, If I had not been in sin I would need no savior, If I had no calamity I would need no comforter.  As we walk this journey by faith, we are growing up in Christ.

Love

Diana & Frederick
 

I think we lost a day’s blog but that’s okay. I just wanted to say Thank you to those of you who have been mindful of the no visit no call request. There were many people who came and called anyway. So when you come please just be mindful of the time and other guest who might be waiting.

Frederick is doing a lot better. He is eating lots of food and getting stronger. He is anxious for more visitors. Because he is still in ICU (less intensive but still ICU), please be mindful of the other patients, other visitors and the nurses being able to do their jobs. Also, you cannot bring flowers to ICU. Ericka and I welcome them at the house. Frederick is also requesting you bring him stuffed animals.

As soon as he is strong enough to walk with a walker to the kitchen and the bathroom, he will be entertaining at home! Get ready for game night! Maybe we’ll see you by the 4th of July.
So you can see the answers to your many prayers.

Love ya’ll
Diana & Frederick

Frederick says:

I’m looking forward to seeing all of you real soon.  Get your favorite Freddy stories together.  Can you guys have the kids do a drawing contest.  Let them draw a picture of Brother Frederick healed.  The top 3 pictures will win a trip to Baskin Robbins with Brother Frederick.  Can someone please get me some tickets to a sports event so I can take some kids to some games.  (Baseball, basketball, or whatever)

Also wanted to say thank you to Tony Easterly, Ernie Cathcart, Duane Johnson & my son Jerrold for getting the garage cleared out so quickly.  Chris Drape for the use of your truck.  And to PJ, Dan and Mark Leonard for coming buy just to make sure the job was done!  We really appreciate you all.  What a wonderful family to be part of.

Diana says:

Frederick had a better day today.  They had him up and sitting three times.  He is getting anxious and bored again so you know he’s getting better.  He has been moved temporarily to room 851 East.  Still intensive care, but not quite as intensive.  He also got to eat some ground food today!  Praise God for the small blessings!  They will be getting him up more so he can prepare to come home soon.

REMEMBER WHEN YOU SEND A COMMENT, IT MUST BE APPROVED BEFORE IT WILL SHOW UP SO DON’T THINK IT’S LOST OR DIDN’T WORK! 

Today started out well, they had Frederick sitting up in a chair for about
25 minutes.  He had a few visitors, and then he started to complain about
having pain in his head. They gave him something for the pain, and he has
been restiing most of the afternoon and evening.  If you tried to visit this
evening and were turned away by the nurses, please know that it was just
because Frederick really needed to rest.  They still don’t have a room for
him outside of ICU.  We’ll see how he’s feeling tomorrow.  Please don’t stop
your effectual, fervent prayers!  We can feel God’s hand and it’s all
because of your petitions.

Thanks
Diana

From Frederick
 

Thank you for your inputs.  I will catch up as soon as I can. 

From Diana

The draining tube has been removed!  The problem now is clearing Frederick’s lungs.  Somehow when they say it’s getting better, it seems to keep recurring.  Please pray the doctors will have wisdom and be able to treat it so that it goes away once and for all.  Also, he is back on the diabetic pureed diet.  That means custard, applesause, and pureed other stuff.  

Frederick is still in ICU, but only because the neuroscience floor is kinda full right now.

Please pray for our unity as we go down this path together, as well as for our finances.  These kinds of medical issues can be costly even when you have a good medical plan.  We know that God will take care of us, but we also know that a specific prayer to God is always useful.  Yes, God knows what we need before we ask, but he tells us to ask.  I guess it’s a matter of obedience and faith in what God has said in His word.  You have not because you ask not…someone reminded me the other day.  It’s humbling sometimes to have to ask, but if we humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord, he will lift us up!

Sing Praises to Thee!

Diana

Today’s Update:

Frederick is anxiously awaiting the removal of the ventricul… (tube that
was draining fluid from his head).  The doctor said it would be removed around 2pm, but it’s now 3pm and no sign of removal.  Once it’s removed, he will be moved out of ICU to the 10th floor where he started.  He actually got to eat today and kept it down.  Yogurt, custard, pureed something and thickened apple juice and thickened root beer soda!  Yummm!!!  Slowly, but surely, God is bringing everything around.

Here is Frederick’s wish list:

Martin Lawrence Show DVD’s
Flinstone DVD’s
Jimmy Newtron the Movie or series (I can’t read his writing)
Sidney Poitier’s movie All About Eve

Brian Tunis - Frederick couldn’t come up with any comic books he wanted.  If
they have any about the mob…he’d love it…he is a big Godfather fan.

Duane Johnson - Frederick says you can bring some new movies for review any
time…

As always, thank you all for the many cards and flowers.  The ones that were
sent while Frederick was in ICU had to just be taken home because you can’t
have them in ICU.  Ericka and I will try to keep them alive until Frederick
comes home.

Love ya’ll
Diana

Not a lot of new news today:

Frederick wanted to make sure I sent a message from him. He wants to thank everyone for all their prayers and concern. This is so unexpected. He is still a little in denial, but says he knows that God is in control. He is looking forward to visiting with everyone as soon as he can get out of ICU.

He is still trying to get rid of the pneumonia and they are still checking the fluid levels on his brain. He will be undergoing chemo but that can’t happen until the surgery incisions heal and the pneumonia is gone and fluids are flowing properly. All in God’s time. We are learning a different kind of patience, that comes from knowing that there is nothing we can do but trust God.

As we travel this road together, God is teaching all of us and taking us to a new level together. We trust and believe what thus saith the Lord! We keep our eyes fixed and we say with confidence, it is well with my soul!

Love
Freddy & Diana

Monday, June 18th

Big Fred is resting well. He did smile at the chaplain this morning but he’s been pretty flat with everybody else, including me. He was totally bored yesterday so he spent most of the day dangling his feet from the bed and terrorizing the nurses. His favorite nurse is named Wendy. Starting yesterday, she has 3 days off to spend with her kids. He told the other nurses to tell Wendy to bring her kids to work with her. All the nurses have given him very good care. He’s just spoiled! Almost everyone who has dealt with him remembers him and comes back to check on his progress.
Ericka and I gave him a portable DVD player for father’s day and he’s been falling asleep on his movies. Today he’s watching the soaps. He and I had special time together reading Psalms 33 & 34 yesterday. I hope you all had a wonderful service. We sure missed being there.

Hopefully by Wednesday Frederick will be moved out of ICU and into a regular room. Then we’ll be able to have more people come up and visit him.

Also, please leave your comments on the blog. They won’t show up right away because I have to go in and approve them but I’m trying to do that daily.

Love and Kisses
Diana

Today Frederick is doing better physically, but his spirits are low.  He still cannot swallow and can barely speak, so it can get frustrating.  He also still has not seen Ericka since Monday.  Please pray for his spirits to be uplifted!  I can’t imagine being in this situation, especially on Father’s Day.

Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers out there.  Enjoy your special day.

I know you all are praying because as much as I feel down, I am able to praise God and sing and try to keep the atmosphere good.  Also, please pray for the nurse that was taking care of Frederick last night.  Her name is Leny.  Her husband just had surgery and was in the bed a few doors down from Frederick.  Frederick was not happy with her service.  After I talked to her and found out what was going on, I felt the need to pray for her.  After we talked about it a little you could see that she loosened up and seemed a little more at ease.  Please pray for all the nurses and doctors here.  They have all been so wonderful to Frederick and of course he has his favorites. 
One nurse, Wendy specifically requested to work with Frederick a second day. She was so attentive and sweet.  She won’t be back until Tuesday or Wednesday!  They all work these 3 or 4 twelve hour days.  Anyway, I’m trading my sorrows, I’m trading my shame, I’m trading my sickness, I’m trading my pain, I’m laying them down for the joy of the Lord!  The joy of the Lord our my strength!  And we still believe God for complete healing for Frederick.

Love ya’ll
Diana