Wednesday Update

Everything is going great with Rick, He is looking good and managing to get up and around with a little more ease. He is right on track and will be leaving the hospital today to go Home. Your prayers have been so wonderful and I know it would be encouraging for Rick's recovery for you all to respond back on this blog, facebook or to just email him your well wishes!
Rick and Patti have felt your loving prayers and very much appreciate your support!
God has shown up Big and to Him be all the Glory forever Amen! Please keep praying for a speedy recovery and for Rick to begin to feel healthy and strong again.

Tuesday Night Review

I just came home and again I want to thank Cami for her reporting gifts!!

It is 10:15 and I just finished eating my dinner and contemplating the day. When I left Rick tonight he was extremely tired, his fever still a little high but we know that that just goes with the territory. The official news that the cancer was contained in his prostate and that it looks like the cancer did not spread to any other parts of his body is music to our ears.  Rick will be sleeping well tonight and I don't believe it will be completely from the sleep aid or the pain killers!  We are so relieved, so thankful to the Lord for his hand in all of this.  This journey has been one that we will forever be grateful to the Lord for.  We do not question why this had to happen to us, at this time, God has made that very clear to us and we are thankful to Him for his care, His provision and His timing.

As Rick always seems to do he had an opportunity to witness to a couple of the night nurses while he was in CCU.  Even while he is heavily medicated his amazing heart and his care for others is so inspirational.  

I know that many of you have been following this blog and Rick and I want to thank you for your continues prayers.  God is answering. Other than the fever I was quite impressed with how quickly Rick rallied after yesterdays setback in the Critical Care Unit.  He was up and walking, very slowing at first and I know he won't be speed walking any time soon but he was moving a bit more briskly than earlier in the day.  Well, maybe briskly isn't the right word here!! 

His pain is under control thanks to the miracle of todays wonder drugs and tomorrow afternoon he should be leaving the hospital if the fever goes down.  

We will see just what kind of nurse I am! I am a bit nervous taking the full responsibility of all of Ricks care but I know that many prayers are going out for me as well!! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!  I will need them in the upcoming days!

I will close for today wishing you all many blessings from the Lord.

HUGS...

Patti

Good News!

O.k. Patti just phoned again and the Doctor came in to see Rick, He said the fever is normal and may just get a little higher but that's o.k.
The Doctor also had some great news, are you ready for this? The Pathology report came back and it looks like Rick has been cured of cancer 100%! Praise the Lord this is Awesome News!

The doctor also is allowing Rick to finally have some liquids, He can drink something. He has had nothing since before the surgery and tomorrow they are going to serve him a warm breakfast!

They will also be giving him something to help him get a good nights rest tonight, He has a big day ahead of him. They are 80~90% sure that He will be able to go home tomorrow. This is all such wonderful news.
Patti and Josh have been with Rick all day, and will soon go home for the night to prepare for his homecoming and to get some much needed rest. Please continue to pray for the whole family.

Tuesday Evening Update

I just heard from Patti on the progress Rick is making. He managed to get up and walk 3 times today, He has been very tired and still experiencing pain which is to be expected.

In the last hour Rick has developed a fever of 101.3. This is not what we want to happen at this time. His doctor is on his way to see him. We are asking for your prayers that the fever will leave his body and there will be no signs of infection.

We will keep you posted as we find out more information. Thank you for Your prayers of healing.

Tuesday update

Hello, I have some updated info on Rick's progress.
He is doing so Well today! They have moved him out of CCU. Patti says, Rick is feeling and looking so much better now. They got him up a little while ago and he took his first walk and did an awesome job. Today he will be doing a lot of resting and is scheduled to be released from the hospital tomorrow.
Thanks for all your continued prayers.

Monday night update:

I want to thank Cami for filling in for me as there is no internet at the hospital. She has done a great job at being our News Reporter! 

I just left the hospital just now, I am home and am extremely exhausted and a bit loopy from lack of sleep but before I go to bed I wanted to once again let you know about Rick's progress and to thank you for your prayers.

The doctor came in just before I left for the night and he was so pleased with how the surgery went.  He said that even though Rick did lose quite a bit of blood, he did not bleed too bad during the most critical times of the surgery, like when he was separating the nerves from the prostate and when he was reconstructing the bladder  I would have to say that was a God thing!!!  The bleeding slowed or stopped so that the surgeon could see perfectly to perform this very delicate procedure!  Thank- you God!!  

Rick ended up having two blood transfusions, because of losing so much blood they did not want him to get out of bed tonight so the next hurdle will be that he does not have any blood clots that may come with not getting up and moving around. Please pray that the circulation in his legs will not be effected by lack of movement.

Tomorrow he will be moved from the Critical Care Unit to a regular room, they just want to monitor him throughout the night.  Rick is in a ton of pain and is being weaned off of the morphine drip and will be given a different medication throughout the night. The nurse has told us that tomorrow will be his most difficult day.  He will need to get up several times during the day, which will be very hard for him and quite painful.

Once again thank you all for your amazing support of prayers, phone calls and E-mails, we feel them, we feel the presence of God's mercy and his gift of healing!

Oh and one really cool thing....Wendy, Rick's nurse said that she wants to come and check out our church!!!  Isn't is amazing what God can do even under these most trying circumstances?  

We serve an awesome God!!!

HUGS...

Patti

 

Afternoon update

I just got off the phone with Patti and she said Ricks is making great improvements. His blood transfusion went well, He has stabilized and is looking great! He has even managed to get in a few funny comments and showing his great sense of humor, now that's a good sign! He is still in CCU and is continuing to be monitored. He is still in pain and He will be meeting with his Doctor this evening. The next important thing He has to do is get up out of bed and walk, they want him to try and do this tonight sometime.
So we continue to ask for your prayers that God will give him the strength he needs to do this and that His mighty power of healing will be upon Rick and he will continue to show great signs of improvement. That Patti and her family will feel peace and comfort and rest. That Patti will feel fresh and renewed, for she is very tired it has been an emotional day.

We will continue to keep you all posted on Rick's progress. I know Rick and Patti appreciate each and everyone of you and want to thank you for your caring and loving hearts and all your prayers.

New information

Prayers are being answered! Praise God!

Rick is responding well to the treatment and doing much better, more oxygen is getting to his lungs and He is looking good and breathing easier. He is still in the Critical Care Unit and at this point we don't know for how much longer. They are still monitoring him closely.
They have decided he does need a blood transfusion and they are doing that now. Please continue to keep praying.

I just heard from Patti and here is the update on Rick:

Rick is heavily medicated and in quite a bit of pain right now and this is causing the difficultly in his breathing and the pain medication is causing his breathing to slow down. He is on Oxygen and is needing to be reminded frequently, to breathe deeply. They have just put him on a self medicating monitor and they are decreasing the dose of pain medication.

New update on Rick

Hello,
This is Cami Lawrence and I just received a call from Patti and she asked if I would give you all the following updated information concerning Rick:

We are asking for you prayers as Rick is in critical condition right now and having difficulties with his breathing and sleep apnea. So they are watching Him very closely. As Patti has mentioned before He did lose more blood than expected during surgery and we will keep you posted on that and any procedures that will need to be done.

Right now Please lift up Rick in your prayers and His family. We have a gracious and heavenly Father and nothing is impossible! We pray for a quick turn around of this situation and that Rick and Patti will feel the Love and comfort of all our Prayers.

This is Ricks official health update blog. We will be at the hospital Mon. the 29th and the 2 hour surgery will begin at 7am. A nurse will be out early in the process to tell Patti if the cancer has spread outside of the prostate or not (the thinking here is that it has not). If it hasn't the surgery will continue, if it has they will close up and we will reconsider other treatments. I will be in the hospital until sometime Wed. the 31st, and then will be recovering at home. Patti will keep this blog as the update tool for a few days so check in and pray...peace, Rick