mitch & char

mitch & char

Sunday, June 17

Hangin' in there...

Hello again...3 weeks since my last post...Char here again.  Boy has a LOT changed, except for the fact that we are still in ICU (doctor is still closely monitoring his wound output and having to replace 1/2 of what comes out) His trach came out - boy did we all do the happy dance when that happened, I posted on facebook that his first words were, "Hi baby, I love you."  Tears of joy, for sure!!  Our mom Bobbi went back home to the states, she literally got to see her son bounce back from the brink of death, to being able to sit up and talk with her, walk with her etc...It was SOO great to have her love and support here for Mitch and especially for me...we shared some incredible times together, laughing, crying and just living life together...was a very bittersweet good-bye, for sure.

Mitch is doing really well...he is able to get up and out of bed on his own, so no more physio - we are very grateful for Thobani, his therapist who helped Mitch get his strength back to be able to walk.  We often walk around the ICU, and notice the other patients, and pray for them.  There is one young man specifically that we are praying HARD for, he was severely burned and is having a very tough time of it...Lord, if it be Your will that he survive, please guard and protect him and help guide the doctors and nurses in helping to heal him.  We also met a nice American gal from New York who got sick while at Victoria Falls, she is fun to chat with.  We have met some incredible people while being not only in the ICU, but in the whole hospital.  Being in ICU, we've also seen sadly, four patients pass away and have to be carted out - a harsh reality to deal with, one that has had Mitch questioning his own existence...I just keep telling him, that God's no where near finished with him yet, and that together, we still have a LOT of work to do!!

We have had some of the best talks while sitting together in his room these last couple of weeks...Mitch is beginning to process and even accept what has happened to him, still has a long way to go, but with God's help, he'll get there.

We have enjoyed so many visitors and welcome anyone who is in Nelspruit to come on by to say HI!!  I had to turn so many people away for so long - while I'm sorry you weren't able to see Mitch then, I'm not sorry I turned you away...was best (at the time) for him and those who would have seen him at a time when he would not have wanted you to. =)  Thanks for your patience and understanding...but NOW...the door is open for visitors.  We have to limit the visiting time to the strict ICU hours though...10-11am 3-4 pm and 7-8 pm.  Only two visitors at a time (I don't count as the two who can come in)  Once we're out of ICU, they're not quite as strict.  Still not sure exactly when we'll be out of ICU...Dr may keep Mitch in there till he's ready to do the skin grafts...that is our final phase of this part of the journey...do the skin grafts, make sure it takes, monitor him for a week or so, then discharge to go HOME!!  Home back to Swaziland.  We are so ready to go home, relax on our veranda, sleep in our own bed.  We are also going to take some time away from home to recoup, spend time with the Lord and each other, reconnect even more than we already have...I for one, can NOT wait.  In about 6-8 months, we will return to the hospital for his final surgery to reverse the skin grafts and once and for all, close up his wound, and reattach his colon - THE RIGHT WAY, this time.

Many of you have been following us on facebook, www.facebook.com/mitchchar.  I will try to update this blog when I can and I know Mitch is itchin to start blogging again too.  Thank you just doesn't seem to be adequate for how grateful Mitch and I are for all the prayers and support from so many of you...the t-shirt sales alone are amazing, fund raisers going on that we don't even know about...so blessed.  God has blessed us beyond our wildest dreams...He's allowed me to live life a little longer with the one I love, he's providing (through all of you) our financial needs as well.  Praise God from whom all blessings flow!!  boy are they flowing!!  Love you all so much!!

Happy Father's Day to all the dad's out there, to our dad Duane and to LeRoy!  We love you very much.

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