June 16 Friday

Danielle and Timothy’s home phone number popped up on my call display this evening, and it’s official:  she is discharged from the hospital and back at home.  Such a relief to be under your own roof, in your own space, and to have your own bed back again.  There were a lot of details to wrap up at the hospital before she could go – dressings changed, prescriptions ordered, home care appointments and wound care sorted out – and as you can imagine, this made the day very busy but they made it home by mid-afternoon.  Now there is a new routine to establish, as VON home care will come tomorrow for their initial visit, and they need to get used to life without the 24 hour support of nursing staff.  Danielle is back to a regular diet now, and there are many delicious meals waiting for them in their new freezer downstairs.  They had a good visit with their elder and his wife, caught up with Dad and Mom who will bring Martha home tomorrow morning, and they will try to get a good sleep in tonight. 

Devotions tonight came from Isaiah 43, a passage which we read together as a family at the beginning of this difficult journey, on the day of diagnosis. 

But now thus says the Lord,

He who created you, O Jacob,

He who formed you, O Israel:

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name,

You are mine

Isaiah 43:1

Again we hear those words, “fear not.”  He promises to be with us as we pass through the waters, through the rivers, through the fire, and we will not be harmed.  Since we read those words together three weeks ago, Danielle has gone through one river and has passed through with the grace of God.  There are many more rivers to cross, but we can be assured that He will continue to be with us through all that lies ahead.

Prayer requests:

Thanksgiving for being discharged from the hospital and coming home for further recuperation

For continued healing internally as well as the incision site, that infection may be avoided

For building up of strength in preparation for the chemotherapy treatments that lie ahead