Saturday, September 29, 2018

Message Seven

It's good of you to keep looking at this.  It could go on for a while.   Today I was falling asleep in the waiting room, and musing that I'm living in sympathy with Elizabeth. Cousin Sarah at last saw Liz conscious.  Mary and Cameron, friends and flatmates for the last two years, visited.  At first it's a shock to see Elizabeth.  She cannot move her facial muscles much, but you can see the distress she experiences when she sees a friend for the first time since the hemorrhage.  Auntie Ruth then arrived on her bike from the station.  Next Cousin Emma.   At lunch time we decamped to the Botanical Gardens for sandwiches (made by me). 

Elizabeth is still exhausted.  She is producing a lot of saliva which has to be dredged as she cannot swallow it, or spit it out yet.  Her nurse Linda did feel the swallow is developing.  But the tracheotomy acts as a barrier to the stomach.  Today she was able to yawn.  Emma spent a long time wiping her face, and Liz began to be able to help with this.  I reflected with Liz that it is like being a newborn baby again.  She will have to regain motor control of nearly all her muscles including her neck and tongue. 

Elizabeth continues to be very rewarding to be with.  She says a lot with her eyes and hand squeezes.  We know that when she gets her strength back, she will have a lot to say, because she tried so hard to communicate last Sunday. 

Every morning I am up early to walk the beautiful footpaths around our hosts house.  We appreciate Sheffield.  

12 comments:

  1. This blog is so lovely. It is great to hear the updates without having to bother you too much with incessant texting. All of us university friends of Liz are in awe of your strength and quiet determination as a family - including of course - perhaps most of all - that of Liz herself. I am trying to hold onto the hope and it seems like there is a lot despite the fact that we are not out of the woods, and it will be a long journey.

    Sending lots of love

    Adam

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  2. Thank you Andrew. Look forward to your updates every day. Xxx

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  3. Hi our lovely friends the Starrs . As ever we send our love to you all. Charlie and Jill x

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  4. It was good to be together again, Team Elizabeth, willing her on and to see progress from this time last week. I was impressed to see from the monitors how Elizabeth is sharing her breathing with the machines, despite her chest infection. Praise God that some of the tubes she had in are no longer needed. She enjoyed seeing photos of some of you blog-followers, as we had a brief look at her Facebook album.
    I am now an even greater fan of Sheffield, and especially of the bakery Margaret has found!
    Ruth

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  5. Thank you for writing this blog. It makes it easier to pray for you all.
    Emma and Martin, Rugby x

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  6. Thank you for keeping us updated! It allows me to keep up with Elizabeth and her progress without bothering you all. Please know you all have my love and prayers. Tejal ❤

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  7. My prayers and my love to you and Elizabeth. You are an awesome loving family and I marvel at your love and unity at such a challenging time. I continue to pray for courage, hope and strength for you all and of course healing, both physical, emotional for Elizabeth. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. It is very helpful. Bless you all and my love to Elizabeth. Looking forward to and praying with you to hear her awesome voice again! Lindsey (The Well)

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  8. Thanks for posting this blog, not sure if wrotong helps you process or if it hard to see in writing what you already find hard to experience. One way or the other, I like many others appreciate to be able to read how Liz is without having to bother you guys with hard questions.

    I feel sad for Liz and all of you, and continue to pray and hope for improvement. Although only so many of us can make it to Sheffield, there are dozens of busloads of ppl that pray and wish we could do more to help.

    With lots of love,
    Edward Greenwood

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  9. Thank you for writing Andrew. I'm trusting and praying for a visible improvement for Liz so that she will be able to communicate... praying for patience for you all for the time that comes. Continue to Be strong... we are all praying for you all and especially for Liz. Love PennyBxx.

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  10. We just keep praying for you all. Praying for strenght and hope and blessing and healing.DESJJxox
    Glad my beloved city is helping you

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