Day 5

Wednesday December 12, 2007

Here is a letter from Pete and the entire Adams Family.

Things are stable with Brent; he is recovering from the major surgery preformed on his spinal column yesterday afternoon. As you read on the blog yesterday, we did not receive the result desired.

The surgery to do a total replacement of his left shoulder is scheduled to be preformed early this coming Monday morning. It is very important this surgery is accomplished successfully. Brent is going to need both arms to be strong as possible to help in his rehabilitation. This is going to be a touchy surgery because of all the internal damage that his body has sustained, plus the previous spinal surgery. We found out a few minutes ago, the doctor fused a total of 6 vertebra together.

The doctors have started to bring him off some of the sedatives so they can see his tolerance to pain. He was moving his arms this morning, and while Kathy was in seeing him – he briefly opened his eyes. We were not expecting this to happen for a few more days. After seeing the pain he was feeling, the doctors again placed him under more sedatives.

Our family can’t express to each of you how much we have felt the comfort of your prayers. I can not imagine having to walk this path without your help. I can not begin to tell everyone how much your care and concern has meant to us! Your prayers are powerful, we understand there are people praying for Brent from the West Coast to East Coast, Panama and Africa. We are for the most part on hold for the next few days—I would imagine we will only be updating the blog once a day unless something happens.

I know that I should be calling so many and personally thanking each of you—please forgive me. I’m having a hard time with remembering everything that I’m suppose to be doing. I will do my best in the future to start returning calls and voice mails along with emails. Your concern means so much to Kathy and I— we couldn’t get through this without you.

To all the Elders, Ministers, and members from the Pleasant Valley Church of Christ—there are not words to express the impact your love and concern has meant to us. Every need has been met before our family even knew we were in need. We have been offered cars, houses, food, gift certificates, food vouchers for the hospital, home cooked meals, and most of all many prayers. The Singles Group has made a huge impact on this wing of the hospital; I have heard comments from Doctors, Nurses, Social Workers, and Janitors about all “OUR” family. It’s so neat to tell them about Pleasant Valley—you are making an impact they have not seen before. So, until I can come to PV and speak to you in person, which Kathy and I desire to do—with all my heart— WE THANK YOU!

Pete, Kathy, Bryan, and Amanda

Update: Blood Drive

Please scroll down and read under the post Blood Donation for more information. And again if you have any questions about blood donation or anything else you can contact me at araibley@gmail.com

Update: Monday Surgery

Brent's surgery on his shoulder on Monday will not be a total replacement. Praise be to God!! The orthopedic surgeon (who was a suitmate of Bryan's in college. Just another God thing!) will be performing the surgery. He is going to attempt to repair the shoulder as it is. He thinks that the shoulder is in good enough condition for Brent to be able to use it. This is such wonderful news and just another answer to everyones prayers. Brent will be kept under sedation until after the shoulder surgery so his body can continue to heal.

Thank you for continuing to pray for Brent and his family. We are truly seeing the power of prayer as each day goes by.