www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Prayer For my wife facing hip replacement surgery

Prayers continue!

Glory to Jesus Christ--glory forever!

FINALLY two pieces of good news:

1) All but one suture was removed today.

2) A bone density test revealed borderline osteopenia, not full blown, and certainly not osteoporosis.

Continued prayers please for the strengthening of the leg muscles severely damaged by the infection.

Lord, have mercy!

And prayers, please, for this unworthy servant who is her caregiver, needing to press my head harder into the marble floor at the third stroph of the Prayer of St. Ephraim for I am frequently losing patience with the insensitivity shown by some "medical professionals" and the outright incompetence occasionally encountered.

Gospodi Pomilui!

Christos Anesti!

I am profoundly thankful to share that, yesterday, on the Orthodox Sunday of the Samaritan woman Photini, my wife was able, for the first time in 10 weeks, to walk most of the day with a cane instead of a walker.

She was able to attend Orthros and Divine Liturgy and fully participate....walking carefully to reverence the Gospel at Orthros and to receive the Holy Mysteries.

The pace of recovery, as many know, has been slow. So much so that her retirement from public school teaching, originally planned for June 30, was accelerated to May 10.

There is still a lot of physical therapy ahead. Her goal is to be able to climb the 20 steps to the church choir loft. Right now she can do one or two.

So, please continue the prayers!

Christ is Risen!

Prayers continue, for fullness of healing!

Dear Thomas,

Patience is a virtue and a blessing to you! ;-)

I am glad that your wife is doing a bit better.
I pray that she will come to a full recovery.

Be well,
Alice

Life can change quickly.

We had a couple of good months--great months, really--from the Dormition Fast until the beginning of the Nativity Fast.

Midafternoon December 5, my phone rings with Jan’s identifier, only it is Mary D. on the line telling me that Jan had fallen and was in terrible pain “please hurry”. With John’s excellent help, with the help of all the “stamping ladies” I was able to deliver her to OSS; with megadynamis she able to transfer from car to wheelchair so as to be treated where the care would be best.

And such care as will be needed! Obviously the osteoporosis has accelerated, for a misstep down a nine inch step resulted in 3 fractures (plus dislocation) of the right ankle and 2 fractures of the left ankle.

Surgery cannot be performed until the swelling has decreased. In the meantime, absolutely minimal weight bearing on the left just for transfers from chair to wheelchair to toilet and positively none on the right.

Uncomplicated surgery (tentatively scheduled for December 16) will require 6 to 8 weeks recovery....and additional surgery(s) may be needed.

All this while still regaining strength from the hip surgeries earlier this year.

Lord, have mercy!

Sorry to hear about Jan's fall. She (and you and John) continue to be in my prayers daily.

Surgery is definite for tomorrow (Monday) late morning....southern Pennsylvania weather will not be cooperating.

The surgeon has reserved the OR for "only" 3 hours but others in "the business" have told me that 3 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours is quite likely.

Kyrie eleison.

Prayers for your wife's recuperation and for courage and strength for both of you.
Alice

Jan has been in my prayers all day. I hope surgery went well. Please keep us updated and let her know she's being prayed for.

Surgery went as well as can be expected for needing to, in the surgeon’s words “totally rebuild" her right ankle, so, as one mightg imagine, there is terrible pain which is still not under control.

She will need to stay at OSS at least one more night, which, frankly, is a relief.

Prayers continue. Thanks for the update.