Update on Ruth and Earl

Ruth and Earl holding Simeon as a newborn.

We were just talking about it and realized that we hadn’t given you all an update on Ruth and Earl (Joel’s parents) and their medical situations as of late.  As you probably know, Earl had a successful hip replacement back in the beginning of July.  The surgery went well and his recovery has gone extremely well!  All of the reports are fantastic!!!  He is basically back to life as normal with walking, riding a bike, driving the car and gardening.  He is only waiting the approval to begin playing sports again and then he’ll be out on the tennis court in no time!

For Ruthie, things have not gone quite as smoothly.  She has had a few more ups and downs lately.  As you remember, she had a large tumor removed from the back of neck back in May.  From that point, she has been wearing a large neck brace to protect her spinal cord and has had to use a feeding tube as her ability to swallow did not return after the surgery.  Well, the good thing to report is that she has been able to get her neck brace off and she is enjoying the comfort of a bed and normal life with no huge neck brace.  And she has made progress with her swallowing.  In July, they started an electric stimulus treatment that retrains her throat muscles to begin working again.  This treatment has been successful in that she has been progressing, though slowly, in her ability to swallow.

The main prayer request is for the length of time it is taking for her to fully regain this ability.  You can only imagine how difficult it would be to not be able to swallow and to have to receive nourishment through a feeding tube.  It is very discouraging at times.  We pray with Ruthie that God will fully heal her neck and that one day she will be able to swallow fully again.