Monday, February 4, 2008
Monday night
Hello all. Thankyou for your many prayers. Again we are so thankful for all the Lord has given. They tried to feed Shawna through her stomach but there was no absorption so they discontinued in case there is still a hole in her stomach. Her gag reflex has increased in intensity. Her eyelids flutter and heartbeat increases when certain visitors talk to her. Her kidneys are now fully functional and draining away excess body fluids. The swelling in her arms and legs is almost gone. It is a delicate balance that they are trying to maintain with drugs for her hemogloben to control fluids from leaving the veins. Her white blood cell count is going down and almost normal meaning the infection is being controlled. She also is once again breathing above what the ventilator supplies. I don't know if she's enjoying it but she recieves physiotherapy(what she was studying for at McMaster) to assist her body in freeing up fluids. Good on the job training. At least she'll know first hand if that's what she wants to do later. We are very thankful for these developments and continually look back on how God has upheld us in the past week. Then we can be assured of the future he has in store for us. Thank you for your poems, texts, emotional and physical support. We know the road is long and narrow, but with our great Shepherd leading us we have nothing to fear. God bless you all. Al and Deb
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19 comments:
We continue to pray and to be thankful for all the little signs of improvement. We know nothing is impossible for our Heavenly Father. We are also very joyful for the witness you are being by your constant dependence on God. This too causes us to give glory to our God. We pray that you may continue to feel encouraged by His presence.
Ron and Alice Nienhuis
Thank you for keeping us all up to date with Shawna's condition. You are all in our daily prayers, at home and our children's school.(ICS in Winnipeg) When life makes us too weak to walk, it is then that we are carried by our Saviour, Jesus Christ. May you all have the strength to deal with each day.
Mike and Juliann Mans, Winnipeg, MB
Thanks for the regular updates. We are thankful for the small steps of encouragement and responses that you are receiving from Shawna, and pray that the healing may continue. You all remain in our thoughts and prayers. May you continue to feel His nearness and love each day anew.
John and Diane Bosscher and family
Dear Al & Deb,
It is encouraging to hear about Shawna's improvement. We continue to keep Shawna and your family in our prayers. Your strength and faith is an inspiration to us all. Thanks for taking the time to do these updates.
Love Fred & Arlene and family
Al, Debbie and family
We continue to hold Shawna and your family before the Lord in prayers. We are thankful for small steps of improvement and pray that this also may continue. Do not grow weary for when the Lord in on our side we do not have to fear.
Love to you all.
Bill, Rolean, Steven, Christina and Peter, Zachary and Jacob
When I read the Blog each day, In the back of my head I am hoping that this will be the day Shawna wakes up (as I know you are too), but it is a long road. Though we pray for Shawna often, we also pray for you (Al, Deb, and family) So you will be able to celebrate with Rebecca this week. Such a mixed bag of emotions is so hard to imagine. Pray and rest often, and may God be with you during this time.
Love Jody and Rich Tomlin,
Emma, and Katie
Al,Debbie,Darryl and families,
We continue to pray and rejoice with all the "baby" steps of progress. Though the road may be long and full of its ups and downs, always hold fast to the love and strength provided by our Heavenly Father who sustains us through all. May the Mighty Healer continue to show His wonders and provide you with strength in the days ahead. You are continually in our prayers.
Thankyou for keeping all of us updated.
Love Jason and Corinne Jonker
It is great to hear that Shawna is improving, even if it is just in very small ways. We are still remember all of you in our prayers. Keep looking to the Lord for your comfort,
Alisha & Ryan
To the Bethlehems, Bill and Jeannie, our dear nephews Darryl and Kevin and all those who love Shawna,
You are still in our thoughts and prayers constantly. We can not begin to imagine the emotional struggle you have experienced over the past week but the news this evening sounds so encouraging. May God continue to give you strength to deal with each new day and it’s challenges. It is our prayer that you will see and accept His plan for Shawna. May you find comfort in knowing that she is, and always has been, safe in God's loving hands!
Rom 8:39 – nothing will ever separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!
With our love,
Marcel and Sheryl Kampen
Alexa and Hayden
Debbie, Al and family, Bill, Jeannie, Darryl and Kevin,
As we read your blog we can be thankful to witness the strength the LORD is giving you. We want you to know that you are in our thoughts and prayers.
Richard & Annette Zwaagstra
Travis DeBoer and Tanya
Vanessa, Michael and Kyle
Hang in there big guy - your daughter is in the best hospital around with the best doctors to help her get better. We are all thinking of you guys and praying for these small victories to keep coming!
Jacqui, Bill & Baeden Agnew
Alan & Debbie & family, Darryl, Jeannie & Bill, Kevin, Ruth & Tony and family, and all Shawna's relatives and friends:
You are in our daily thoughts and prayers. May God grant further healing to Shawna and His love and peace to you all.
Here is a Hymn based on Deut 33:25b
"Your strength will equal your days" that I would like to share with you:
Day by day and with each passing moment
Strength I find to meet my trials here
Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment
I've no cause for worry or for fear
He whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best
Lovingly its part of pain and pleasure
Mingling toil with peace and rest
Every day the Lord Himself is near me
With a special mercy for each hour
All my cares He fain would bear and cheer me
He whose Name is Counselor and Pow'r
The protection of His child and treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He laid
"As your days, your strength shall be in measure."
This the pledge to me He made
Help me then in every tribulation
So to trust your promises, O Lord
That I lose not faith's sweet consolation
Offered me within Your Holy Word
Help me Lord when toil and trouble meeting
E'er to take, as from a Father's Hand
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting
Til I reach the Promised Land
(Trinity Hymnal #676; C.S. Berg 1865)
Jake & Lorraine Tamminga & family
Thank you for the updates. We pray for you daily and our thoughts are with Shawna, the Bethlehem family and Darryl. May God continue to give you strength and comfort during this difficult time. Remember that God promises to never give you more than you can handle.
Rob deJong and Lori Oosterhoff Edmonton, AB
We are so thankful to read of Shawna's continued improvement. Even though they are "baby steps", we know that they are evidence of the Lord's watching over her.
Your strength in these difficult times is certainly a witness to your faith.
We thank the Lord for His care and pray that He will continue to hold all of you in His loving arms.
Arend and Willa Dale Smid
Al, Deb, family and loved ones:
Thanks for keeping us all up to date with the progress of Shawna. We thank the Lord for the witness of faith we see each day as we read the blog and everyone's comments. May you find strength in these words but most importantly we continue to look to our Father in Heaven who is helping carry you all through these difficult times. May He continue to bless the work of the doctors and in the recovery of Shawna. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all each and every day. May He continue to hold you up on eagles wings with all the ups and downs that come your way.
Tom and Alice and children
Dear Al & Debbie & Shawna's loved ones:
Thanks so much for sharing the progress of Shawna and we are so thankful for the little improvements she has made. May you continue to receive the strength to face each passing hour. You are all constantly in our thoughts and prayers. We too are strengthened by your strong faith which only our God can provide. May He also provide you with strength to enjoy the wedding day of Becky & Shawn this weekend which is a milestone in your family's life.
We are all thinking of you.
Ed & Lorraine Feenstra and family.
I looked through my collection of poetry but couldn't find one to fit the situation so I had to write one on the spur of the moment. I hope you find it meaningful.
Majestic God, His power unending,
Bows His ear to hear our plea.
As storms of grief, on us descending
Smother voices in our throats.
The Holy Spirit interceding
Shouts through sin's cacophony
With groans ineffably pleading
For Thy mercy and Thy love.
So Father, in Thy mercy, hear us
Through the tempest, for we know
You silence waves and winds control
To hear the prayer of one small soul.
I continue to pray that the Lord will give you the patience in dealing with the ups and downs of ICU life! May you continue to feel the Lords presence carrying you all through this trial!
Continually praying for a Miracle.
Your sister in Christ,
Felicia Vandervelde
i can't imagine how hard it must be for you all to go through this difficult time, but i do know for sure that God is always with us through everything and He will never let us go. praise be to God for the little improvements that Shawna is making! i hope and pray that He will continue to be with you all and comfort you with all that you need.
"The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."
Zephaniah 3:17
Praying for you!
Esther Hordyk
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