Progress!

Progress on all fronts. Roy Bailey is home to his house, still treating infection with antibiotics and polysporin. Helen is taking good care of him!! Hugh is home to his house, Yvonne and the kids and Hugh is shopping for healthy food and still staying away from the smokes. He is taking all this heart stuff very seriously. Good job!!!!

I'm back into my after supper walks outside! I always look forward to this time of year. Our snow is gone at least for now and Stan is busy getting equipment ready. He has been getting enough exercise without doing the evening walks. We are off to an appointment in Saskatoon on Tues. with the plastic surgeon and look forward to the fringe benefits of visiting with the family and the babies. We are SO close to having Stan healed up and really look forward to the time when we are finished with bandage changes. After 9 MONTHS. Can you believe how long it has been. All is going well. We are encouraged and thankful for wonderful progress.

Medical updates: Roy Bailey and Hugh Campbell

I was in to visit Roy Bailey today. Roy continues to be on antibiotics as he still has infection in his leg and foot. He was out and back from Moose Jaw yesterday to have tests done. They have found something is not right with his blood and it may be connected to hepatitus from the 1940s that is now affecting his liver. Please continue to pray for Roy and Helen. Of course he is anxious to be home.

My brother-in-law, Hugh Campbell, had two more stents placed in his heart arteries on Monday. Hopefully he will be able to return home in the next day or two. At present, Hugh and Yvonne have been keeping up to 8 foster children in their home. We hope there will still be enough calm for Hugh to get rested up and on the road to recovery

Spring has sprung! Farm update time

It rained here this morning! Our snow is all gone except for a little along the trees. Stan ran over his first gopher and flocks of geese are returning. I still haven't heard a meadowlark and that is the BIG moment of Spring being offical to me!
The pressure is building now to get the vehicles (including the combine, semi and graintruck!)serviced, interiors wiped down and vacuumed out ready to start the new season of farming.I have set my goal at least one a day... Then we move on to getting the new hoses on the airdrill etc. which may require calling in extra hands from Saskatoon. We have all the chickpeas and canola sold off the farm and still some durham wheat to move. Things are hummin' around here. Stan is thinking that sitting on the tractor will be the easy part compared to all the preparations.

Roy Bailey is home from Regina but in Gravelbourg hospital for the weekend on intravenous antibiotics as the doctor here detected some infection has showed up in his leg from vein donor sites. I believe the heart surgury itself went well. We look forward to visiting him when he is a little better rested.

The church buiding addition is going well. I'll post a pic of the new auditorium when I remember to take my camera to town. We will be very happy to have a larger area for worship and a bigger room for potlucks!!

My brother-in-law Hugh Campbell had a heart attack last weekend at age 40. They are repairing him with stents. He has gone 1 week smokefree and it will be a major challenge to change the things he needs to in his life. You could pray for successful treatment for Hugh and patience for Hugh and Yvonne.

Guess who is coming to dinner!

This was a sight we never thought we would see. Moose decided to invite themselves to lunch and eat our weeping willow! They were here under our yardlights last night and then showed up again this evening while we were having supper. I set our dog after them, he ran with great enthusiasm until they stopped and looked at him. He then turned and looked at me as it to say "Well, I'm done and WHAT were you thinking!!!" He's never chased anything that was so big and so undisturbed by him.

Roy Bailey update

At last report, Roy has been moved out of ICU and is on the observation ward. Physically, all seems to be going well but he is still having some unpleasant side effects from anethetic etc. Please continue to keep Roy and Helen in your prayers as they wait for for those effects to pass.
Address in Regina for Roy is Regina General Hospital (Observation)
1440-14th Ave, Regina, Sask S4P 0W5

Update re: Roy Bailey

We are pleased to report that Roy came through his surgery and has had 5 bypasses. Please continue to remember him in the days ahead. He is in Regina General Hospital Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) I will post other info as it becomes known.

Same ol', same ol' ...

A week away and then a week with family around. The only bad part about having the babies at our house is that sooner or later they leave!! We had such a fun time. Now the party is over and we need to get established once again in routines.

Tomorrow is an IMPORTANT day for our dear friends, Roy and Helen Bailey. Roy has heart bypass surgery in Regina. If you are reading this, please stop and say a little prayer for Roy and the family. It has been 25 years since his last heart surgery and they are concerned how it will go. I told them that I know that God hangs out in SICU and we ask your prayers on their behalf.

The sun in shining bright today and I just know it will not be long until we have Spring. Hope you are having a great day too!

Pics as promised

We found "summer" just 4 1/2 hours south!!!

We had a wonderful time in Mexico. The weather was consistently great and we ate indoors only 3 times all week. We were out on the ocean checking out the whales in migration, walking miles of sandy beaches, watching a few palm trees swaying, hiking back through Mexican villages to see waterfalls, eating interesting food! and soaking up the warmth with care not to bring home a sunburn. We loved it!!! There were times that I would be overwhelmed with gratitude that we could be sharing such a happy time together and would sometimes flash back to some sobering times. God is good. Stan is well and ready to take on more springtime preparations.We came home to our family from Saskatoon down to visit. That is as much fun as the trip. Our babies are doing great! I'll try post a couple of pics to show some of the wonderful sights.
We are happy to be home. :-)

All is calm...

Not much to tell in the way of updates. We had a nice time in Saskatoon, one of our shorter visits. The kiddos are growing and doing great. Josiah had good news today that he no longer needs his oxygen. Hurray! unattached!! It is so much fun to see how these little people change in such a short time. We look forward to having them home to the farm and starting our own family routines with them. I must admit I have updated the toys so I'll be ready for our little ones to come to play.

Stan has been very busy hauling out the last crop of chickpeas and lining up seed and fertilizer for spring. He is trying to get at the farm books. Maybe if this snow gets a little thicker and the weather stays cold, he will be inspired to stay indoors and keep plugging away. I have a quilt I'm stitching on in the basement. I had started it last year after a friend passed away and it just seems like a good time to finish off and start new projects. All is well. :-)

Pictures next time :-)

For Josiah

For Josiah

His fingers ar so tiny, so marvelously perfect.
Soon they will reach out to touch
the smiling faces of everyone around him...

These little hands will explore, discover,
and bring the world to him for his inspection and delight.

With these hands he will throw balls,
capture bugs, and build castles in the sand.

He will use them to open books
and unlock the doors to knowledge.

These are the hands that may someday sculpt, make music,
or cuddle children of his own.

His hands are so tiny now,
and yet within them lie the future and the fulfillment
of all his precious dreams.

So hold him gently and watch with pride
as he reaches out in love and joy to all of life.

(Tonight is Josiah's baby shower and I found this verse on a card.
Photo of Josiah by Aunt Monica! not Melissa as previously posted)

Wonderful quote!

"When we come to the edge of all the light we have
And we must take a step into the darkness of the unkown,
We must believe one of two things:
Either we will find something firm to stand on
Or we will be taught to fly."

(Author unknown but from a wonderful little book called "Spirit of Gentleness")

Amen!! I believe this to be true. Notice in either case GOD HAS YOU COVERED!
Have a great day. Maxine :-)

...and all is well

It's one of those moments you just want to sit quiet and observe! The 18th marked 6 months since Stan had his surgery. His healing, although not swift, has been at a steady pace and I think ahead of what we may have even expected. There is still a daily bandage change that takes minutes instead of an hour (like in the days of homecare and vaccu bandage)Stan has been diligent at his physio and has regained so much! It will take time to build up the stamina and his work days may not be quite as long and vigorous as preparing for last Spring. We thank God for his goodness in restoring him.

We were to Regina to visit Elford Bell yesterday and he also is made of good stuff! He is recovering well from his knee replacement and is getting around with a walker already. Hopefully he will be in his home in Gravelbourg on Monday. He is in good spirits.

The newest members of the family are both doing well. Josiah has been busy meeting his "village" of people since he got home from hospital. Linaya looks like she'll be getting around pretty soon! Take care!!

Home to Josiah's house!

Yes, Josiah finally got to move into his house!! Mom will be the one running the oxygen for as long as it takes, but I know they will do fine. Stay tuned to their blog for updates. I had to post this picture of little Josiah. When he is awake, he is very awake and has a look of surprise. "I'm going where???"

His greatgrandpa Elford Bell had a knee replacement at the Pasqua Hospital, Regina this morning. We talked to Ruby a short while ago and she reports the surgery went well. They are, however, having a difficult time controlling the pain as the Morphine dropped his blood pressure. Everything stablized when they took him back off the morphine and they are trying other means of pain control. Please pray for Dad and his recovery.

Soon, Very soon!

I haven't accomplished very much today as I have been waiting for the phone to ring regarding Josiah. Melissa finally called with the news we were hoping for. They are headed home very soon. She is able to look after his oxygen at home so the doctors have agreed that he might as well be cozy there waiting for these little lungs to clear. Hurray!!! They will all be happier there. Check out roborr.com if you haven't found them already. :-)

Safe at home

Hi there! We're back at home after a lovely visit in Saskatoon with the kids and grandkids. "Our" little Josiah is STILL in hospital as there is still inflamation in his lungs that needs to clear on it's own so his oxygen improves. Keep our little guy in your prayers to recover quickly and for his Mom and Dad to keep on keepin' on and to hang in there a few more days... He is looking good and gaining weight so we know he's coming along. We hear some of the same lines as when Stan was in ICU "It takes as long as it takes".

I loved having a couple of mornings with Linaya while her Mom was at work. I think half time is great for Monica as she's really not gone out of Linaya's life very long at a time. By the time Linaya has a couple of naps in the am and one bottle feed it is time for Mom to come in the door.

Stan's report from the Renal Unit was good. They are very pleased with his strength and progress and those kidneys have improved to working at 60%.
By the way, they had the worst blizzard since 1950 something but I wasn't that worried about staying one more day! :-)

"On the road again..."

Tomorrow is our day to head "north" which really is "central" by the map of Sask. I look forward to seeing our babies and to a good report for Stan from the Renal Unit. I get to do a little babysitting for Linaya for a couple of mornings which will be very enjoyable! I am hoping Josiah moves into his house while we are there. I just look forward to seeing him with Mom and Dad in his own less clinical environment.

This is the time of year we usually go to Saskatoon where Stan attends a "crop production" show which is geared to growing pulse crops in Saskatchewan. He will meet up with a friend and fellow farmer to look around and that always makes a pleasant experience. He will pace himself a little slower this year and spend a couple of days looking and listening to the speakers.

*Update on Aunt Vi Bell of Weyburn. She still is very weak and not herself. Please keep Bill and Vi in your prayers as they find her progress painfully slow. She is at home.
Until next time... :-)

Melissa and Josiah

 
Josiah is still at the hospital but almost finished his 7 days of anitbiotics. He is eating well and making good progress. Melissa and Robert are hopeful that by the weekend or early next week they will all be living at their house! Melissa is recovering as well as she can being on the go all the time and I look forward to her being able to rest in one spot too. Please continue to keep their family in your prayers as they recover. 

Pictures with Uncle Stephen

 
 
  

Visits with Uncle Stephen

The kids may not remember this year's visits from their Uncle Stephen, but we have the pictures to show them they had a great time! Stephen got lots of smiles from Linaya. Melissa got her wish and Josiah was born before Stephen left. Stephen had the opportunity to go see him twice. Here is a picture of Josiah's room after Stephen painted the mural for him. Cute. Hope he likes bugs!!
Stan and I came home again today for the remainder of the week. We will be back to the Saskatoon next week for the Crop Production show. We keep that highway heated up with our travels. We came home on boxing day and Melissa called us back on the 28th. It worked! We left the city and she went into labour!! What an exciting time for our family. We are sorry the plan didn't go a little smoother for Josiah's delivery and homecoming, but things are going well for him now. He should be home in the next day or two.