Weigner Update January 2019 Part Three

Tuesday Morning:

The love and prayers have been so encouraging, heart warming and overwhelming. We feel them. 

Texas: Talked to Bekah this morning and she looked so much better. No fever this morning!! Praise God!! She is still on oxygen but feeling better. 

Canada: I got to the hospital and my Mum has taken a few steps back. She did a lot of walking yesterday and it wouldn’t surprise me if she overdid it. The nurse said she was in tears on the way to the bathroom this morning with her pain level up to a 9. Her roommate also needed several interventions throughout the night so it was a restless night of sleep. Great news this morning is that she has been accepted into Rehab. (Need to be a good candidate and motivated for this specialized one.) Now we pray for a bed to open up.She will be able to get more focused rehab. Even though today is a few steps back it is probably a good reminder for my Mum that this is going to be a long process and not to sprint to the finish line. She just got back from a walk with physio where she has a new walker with 4 speedy wheels which she said is so much better than the one she had with the two. 
As my Mum said,
“ It was like walking a wheelbarrow uphill.’ 😊
She even walked a lot of it on her own with no walker but the PT by her side. That’s my Mum. Even as I type .....’a few steps back’..... they are back on top of the pain control and she’s moving ahead. I may need Mark to send up some of Joey’s reigns. 

I read this morning in my Spurgeon devotional how the times of trial and testing are the greatest times of consolation when we experience the greatest comforts of God. Our family has experienced this to be true. Yesterday there were tears from both myself and Mark with Bekah and Kraemer, feeling so far away.....but in that time we have nothing left to do but dig into our faith. Thankful though apart we have that in common. 

ALASKA: Another beautiful bittersweet moment yesterday was seeing a video of Marks Dad meeting his new grand daughter for the first time. I was at my doggy nephews puppy class with tears in my eyes seeing the moment. Such a sphere of emotion. On one side the unimaginable heart break of losing his love and the other of holding new life in his hands, a grand daughter that he has no doubt prayed for before she was ever a thought in her parents hearts. Mark Seniors sister, Karen, is flying back to Florida today so he will be going back to a new normal. Please remember to pray for him. Suzanne was a humble lady who never wanted anyone to fuss over her, she was always looking out for others. Her wishes were that there would be no memorial service. We are hoping to go up as a family this summer and at that time we will spend some time celebrating her life through memories and stories together. 

Before I close can I just add one more location....OHIO. Brienna IS well but if you can just remember to pray for her. Whenever we have had the chaos she has always been the quiet calm that has kept things going. I know how helpless I feel at times with my heart in so many places. I have my family around me though, Kraemer and Bekah have one another and his family nearby, Mark gets the hugs and kisses of the three Weigner girls with him....we all have some family around. Brienna has an incredible school family and wonderful friends. Her advisor is like a second Mum to her but you know....it’s just not always the same. She never mentions a peep of course and Brienna rarely complains....in fact she’s probably reading this thinking
‘Mooooom’ 🙄 I’m fine. (I have no doubt Brienna you are rising to whatever challenge is in front of you keeping up with everything.....but I’m your Mum and will ask for prayers for my people as long as I have breath. 😉 😘) Please just pray for God’s reassurance over her heart and mind. 

The last verse I read before heading out for the day was ‘God is near to the broken hearted and saves those crushed in Spirit.’ Last night was certainly feeling more crushed but His mercies truly are new every morning. 

Over and Out from London, Ontario!

Tuesday Evening:

Mum heard from a nurse that there was a piano in the sanctuary on the 3rd floor and after lunch she was feeling well enough to take her new wheels for a spin. She found another important part to her therapy. This is as important to her healing as the physio. While she was playing she knew I was recording and was thinking of songs she could play to encourage Mark Sr. He got the videos via Heidi and was singing them to Maddie. Precious moments. There was also a woman who works here sitting quietly in the sanctuary when we walked in. I was hoping we weren’t disturbing her. She came over before going back to work with misty eyes saying,

‘Thank you. I know the reason why I was supposed to come here for my lunch hour, you will never know what that meant.’

My Mum played her off to Amazing Grace.

Texas update: PRAISE: They are dropping one of the big gunned antibiotics because she didn’t grow MRSA. That’s a big answer to prayer. PRAISE: She hasn’t had a fever today. PRAYER: Her lungs are feeling pretty full and she’s having to exert a lot of energy to breathe. Please pray for continued clearance in her airways and just peace over her mind. I can’t even imagine how unsettling she must feel. She knows what her baseline was and right now she just would do anything to take a big breath. I always remember someone describing CF as wanting to take a huge deep breath but only being able to take in what you could through a straw. Bek says sometimes that’s how it feels. There’s not just a physical battle raging but one for her mind as well. Thanks for praying specifically over these things. 

Rebekah....I know you will read this. One of my favorite hymns I asked Nanny to play. His eye is on the sparrow. God has you mighty girl. I wish I could take this from you in a heartbeat I would. Hundreds are praying for you. 

One day you will sing again.....

I sing because I’m happy
I sing because I’m free
His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me. 
His eye Is on the sparrow and I know He watches me.

Weigner Update January 2019 Part Two

Monday evening update is that my Mum is getting stronger everyday. We walked the hall a few times and everyone’s amazed by her. Bekah it’s a different story....please keep praying. She has never been this sick. She is coughing so hard she is throwing up and dry heaving. Her chest X-ray showed more infiltrates yesterday but today was no more added change thankfully. They are trying to keep her nausea under control. She’s getting some pretty heavy duty antibiotics. Bekah also was started on oxygen for the first time in her life. It broke my heart to see her with the cannulas in her nose but Kraemer is right by her side and I know God is ever faithful. Her medical team has been in contact with Mum and her favorite Auntie A so we can all stay closely updated to her situation. Prayers that her spirit is sustained, her faith is strengthened and our hearts cry of course is that she can start to turn the corner and get on the upswing. She had her picc line officially placed today which signifies a longer road ahead than she was originally intending. Reminded her not to worry about tmorrow but just keeping breathing one step at a time today. Encouraged her to go look back at some wedding pictures and count the blessings that God has done. Her Mum is going to be doing the same this evening.

Weigner Updates January 2019. Part One

Marks step mother passed away early this past Friday morning up in Alaska after cancer she had battled a couple of years ago came back with a vengeance. She knew when we saw her back in 2017 that the moments she had were gifts and she was prepared to meet her Maker. She was able to be at home surrounded by those that loved her. It is a huge loss to Marks wonderful Dad as they had hoped for many years ahead together in the Alaska they both loved so much. Please keep his Dad in prayer. 

Marks sister had her first baby last week as well. She lives up in Alaska and this new life will be a gift especially to her Dad as he prepares for a new normal without his bride by his side.

My Mark was praying about heading up to Alaska to help out, but his Dad didn’t want Mark leaving the responsibilities and family he has in PA. Thankfully Marks Aunt Karen flew up to be an encouragement and a support during this difficult time. The day after my Mark decided to stay put and honor his Dads wishes, I got a text from my sister that my Mum had been taken by ambulance to the ER in severe pain and was unable to walk. It was discovered after an MRI that evening that she had a spontaneous fracture to her tailbone caused from severe osteoporosis and degenerative disease. It is extremely painful and rehab is not easy. I drove up to be by her side on a week ago Thursday. I think it was January 31st. 

This past Tuesday which maybe was February 5th I believe it was, I was talking to Bekah about her day and I thought she sounded like something was up with her voice, but she didn’t let on how she was feeling. That night she started a fever and her heart was racing. She checked in with the CF team that told her to get to the ER. Thankful that she did because when she arrived her blood pressure was rather low and she was severely dehydrated. They inserted two IVs and pushed her full with fluids while keeping a close eye on her heart and lungs. She was swabbed for Flu and came back Positive for Flu A. It’s everywhere in San Antonio. They were having a hard time keeping her BP stable and at one point she texted to say she may be admitted to the ICU. Mark was out of the room at that moment as he was needing to seek his own medical care because he was dealing with the effects for the Flu which he also has been diagnosed with. I’ve been in a lot of situations in my life that have been out of the ordinary but I think this was the most helpless I have felt, yet amidst the helplessness I just cried out for God’s peace and remembered His faithfulness. I won’t lie that it wasn’t a battle to keep my mind going a thousand different directions but I knew none of these circumstances was a surprise to God who has been ever faithful to us through so many ups and downs. 

Bekah’s BP ended up stabilizing and she was admitted to a regular CF room. However as the flu runs its course it is wreaking havoc and she could certainly use your prayers. I’m so thankful that she got in at the beginning of the flu so the medical team can respond to and stay on top of her symptoms. This morning the update was that she had a rough night including dry heaving and fever. She’s coughing up a lot of junk but a chest X-ray this morning showed her lungs are currently at her baseline. Her husband Mark has also been by her side while trying to take care of himself. He is able to stay with her and sleep in her room. 

I am still up in Canada and my Mum is getting a little better day by day. She amazes her team taking care of her. They have found a good balance of pain meds that help her to proceed in getting mobile while not making her loopy. She’s been admitted to the ACE unit. Acute Care for the Elderly ward due to her age ...which I’m not allowed to say. However all the teams agree that we will just call her room the Acute Care of the Exceptional. The hardest struggle for my Mum will be the need to slow down and realize she can’t be all things for all people. 

Yesterday, Saturday morning when I arrived at the hospital she was discouraged saying

‘I can’t do anything to help anyone. I’m not doing anything by lying here!’ 

I said , “ Mum are you praying from your hospital bed?” 

Her reply....”every moment” 

My reply...’ is that doing nothing?’

While this conversation was happening from the bedside in Canada, Bekah had FaceTimes in wearing her hospital gown in San Antonio basically feeling the same way. I asked both of them...

‘do you think Paul felt useless while he was imprisoned, unable to help those he loved?’ (We have most of the encouragement of the New Testament because of the letters he wrote while in prison) 

At that moment my Mum just started to encourage Bekah which turned into her praying for her and then for all the concerns of our family, the burdens of this life, the prayer that God would encourage the hearts of lions that are in both she and Bekah that are currently dealing with bodies that aren’t cooperating. It was a precious time. 

Mark Jr. my precious husband holding down the fort in PA is once again doing an incredible job in my absence with all the Weigner girls chipping in. The one thing that having chaotic times in our lives has taught us is how to come together and figure things out for one another when needed. I am so amazed by his selfless love for me so I can be up here to care for my Mum and I’m so proud of the way the Weigner girls come together to look out for one another. 

Thank you to the friends and family that have reached out and loved on the Weigners that are currently all over the North American continent. For the many that have been praying, loving on our girls, my guy, making meals even when my husband tries to turn them down. We are blessed by the community that is around us. 

Pray that we make His name known whatever circumstance we find ourselves in. Prayers appreciated that when our strength is weak that His strength would be strong. We believe in a God who can heal both on this side of eternity and the times He chooses not to its because He has a better plan. Suzanne is experiencing the glory that she so longed for during her darkest days of suffering. 

Prayers also appreciated for Bekahs new husband Mark Kraemer. I’ve had 22 years of experience with the disease of CF. He is getting another accelerated course in all things CF. This is her first admit to the hospital since they have known each other. He is a gem. My Mum and I were counting all the blessings that God has done, and everyday I’m thankful for the man God chose to walk alongside Rebekah. 

There’s the LONG Karen update. I will do my best to post as I can. 

God is still and always Sovereign and He is still and always good. Don’t take today for granted make the most of the time you’ve been given. Give a smile, give a hug, tell someone you love them and why you are thankful for them. Moments are precious. 

Ephesians 3:20
“Now to Him who is able to do so much more than all we can think or even imagine according to HIS power that is at work in us.”