A month of Advent ....ure

If you would have told me November the 1st what our December was going to be like, I would not have believed you.

Lewis came home from the hospital a few days before Christmas. 9 days and approximately 23 lbs later,  Lewis is attempting to piece together his post-graduate life. He has had one post-hospital visit with the doctor saying he is on the mend. As the doctor said, he was one sick kid.

Papa Jerry, we hope, is spending his last night in the Forsyth hospital tonight, Sunday, December 30. The doctor and caseworker gave dad the go-ahead to leave the hospital on Monday with a 4-6 week prescription of formal rehabilitation. His insurance/doctors have chosen Bermuda Commons in Advance, NC for this next chapter.

On the last Monday of November, mom called me indicating that dad could not get up and she was unable to get him mobile. I arrived and we decided to call 911. That was the beginning of his month-long stay at Novant Forsyth Hospital. He was diagnosed with some type of infection that we believe was causing communication problems between his legs and brain. He simply couldn't walk. Soon after entering the hospital, he was diagnosed with Clostridium difficile (klos-TRID-e-um dif-uh-SEEL), often called C. difficile or C. diff,  which is a bacterium that can cause symptoms ranging from diarrhea to life-threatening inflammation of the colon. (Source*Mayo clinic)

This began a month of terrible diarrhea.  When I say terrible, I mean terrible. The ordeal caused weakness, significant nutritional interruption, and weight loss. In fact, his entry weight in November was 250 lbs. Today he weighed in at 215 lbs; a 35 lbs loss. Needless to say, he is weak. His body has been on shut down because of lack of hydration, food and no exercise. The nurses have only been able to get him out of the bed a few times to sit up in the hospital chair in this room. His room has been a prison. He has been stationary in a 4x6 bed for the entire month.

All of that being said, we are excited to say his Cdiff has been controlled; his desire to eat has been regained. The doctor told him, "if you want to get out of the hospital, you're going to have to eat". In an effort to awaken his taste buds, I asked the doctor if an old fashion honey bun would be ok, he said, "yes, eat 8 if you want". I asked dad if he would eat one, he said "yes'. So Friday afternoon, I fed him an old fashion honey bun like he had eaten 100s of times at my grandmother's country store. He ate it all. Saturday and today he continued to eat more normal including a sausage biscuit, Arby's roast beef, and other common food staples.

Regarding rehab: The doctor said to expect 4-6 weeks at Bermuda Commons. He will receive approximately 2 one hour strength training daily.  We'll just call this chapter 2 of his medical story.

Two final comments:

Mom and the family have had many reach out to us via social media, calls, cards, and socially. Dad told me many times he has felt the prayers of so many. We will never be able to thank each of you personally, but please know that dad, mom, and the family appreciate the sincere outpouring of our friends. The phone calls, post, and visits have been relayed to him; every one of them.

A Day in Montana - 2015

Regarding my mother. Daily, she has been at the hospital, spending approximately 8 hours each day, 7 days a week being by dad's side. She has been his advocate, soul mate, and life love. Her dedication to him in his absolute time of need has been heroic and beautiful. Mom may be a small little lady, but she is tough as nails. Thank you for your example of a Godly wife. Better or worse gave you a little worse this month. Your example is powerful.



Christmas is over. December was the beginning of Advent, the period beginning four Sundays before  Christmas and observed by some Christians as a season of prayer and fasting. Many of you in your own personal way used this season for celebration of the incarnation of Christ. I witnessed the embodiment of the deity of God through Christ through so many people. The prayers were felt, they were received. My family's personal advent became an adventure. It was one that I would have rather not gone through. But despite the fear, the pain, and interruption of our lives, I know that something good has come from all of this. All things work together for good for those that love the Lord. Praise God!

The fog lifted this morning.

First off, I appreciate the way so many of you have reached out to Lewis thru Elizabeth & me.

This morning at 7 AM, the nurses came to pick Lewis up to take him down 8 flights to the operating room. He was so thirsty, all the whole time brave. They cut his water intake off at 10 the previous night. The OR prep team explained the procedure and Lewis said, “lets get this done”.

Both his grandmothers, Liz and I waited as we watched the monitor identifying “prepping, in “surgery” and “recovering”. As all people waiting for a love ones to get out of surgery, we anxiously waited for the OR waiting room phone to ring. I hurried over to answer and they ask for someone in the Swicegood family; I said “speaking” . The nurse said "the surgery went well, and his first words were I want my mom”. Only one person could go back. Twenty four years old or 10, a boy wants his mom when he's in a pickle.

The doctor said that he accomplished his goal by cleaning the infection surrounding his left lung and inserting two new larger tubes. Currently, the tubes are secreting blood like fluid from his chest. They have given him a button for the pain, and like Lewis, he is trying not to use it. When he heard me talking in the room, with his eyes closed, he slowly reached out with his hand and squeezed my hand. That felt like a waterfall!

I showed up this morning at the hospital around 5:45AM. Liz had spent the night. It was foggy, but as the sun breached the horizon, the fog began to lift. I took a picture of the sun rising near his room. The scripture in Lamentations came to my mind “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭3:22-23‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The surgeon said the tubes will probably come out towards the end of the week. We see that as good news.

On a not so happy note, my dad is doing no better. I am seeing no progress. We continue to ask for your prayers!

The Storm is still raging....

Despite Lewis' energy last evening, our hopes that he is getting better was diminished this morning with a visit from the surgical team doctor.

Inside of Lewis' left lungs is a spider web, mesh like infection called "loculated capsules". The strong antibiotics they have him on is no match for this infection. So, in the morning (time unknown), he will be going into surgery to have these things removed from his left lung.

Last night, in hopes of seeing himself coming home the week before Christmas, he wanted to be cleaned up; so, I gave him a shave. He also wanted to walk down the hall, so they hooked up the suction devices to a battery and the mobility nurse Kim (who was so helpful) walked him down the hall. She asked, "how far do you walk to go", and like Lewis, he said "my goal is to the outside window and back". He made it and was so happy
to get out of the bed.

This past summer, the two of us were on the Missouri River in Montana. Suddenly, an electrical storm came on top of us. Lightening was every where. We were soaked. Our boat rowed hurriedly to a bridge to seek shelter. While I was unnerved, the sight of that bridge overhang gave me confidence. We are now looking at another bridge overhang and its coming tomorrow. I can't wait to be back on that river with Lewis this summer and praise God together about that storm and this one.

Thank you for your prayers

Praise God in the Storm

I'm sure if you're like me,  music seems to always show up in your mind during life events and the memories of them. Summer time, Sweet Home Alabama, Christmas, Josh Groban's O Holy Night, and the funny one, My first year of dating Elizabeth, Caribbean Queen by Billy Ocean.. " now we're sharing the same dream". I guess she was my queen.

But tonight, sitting in a hospital room with my son, and my father directly above him on the 9th floor at Forsyth Hospital, the chorus to the Casting Crown's song, Praise you in the Storm has been on my mind.  
And I'll praise You in this storm and I will lift my hands, For You are who You are no matter where I am, And every tear I've cried You hold in Your hand, You never left my side and though my heart is torn, I will praise You in this storm

Fun times in Craig, Montana

Don't we take life for granted! Three weeks ago we were talking about final exams, caps, and gowns. The college milestone was coming upon us.

The night before Liz and I were planning on driving to Wake Forest to see our son graduate, we got a call from him saying he was going to the ER. It was 9:30 in the evening. I honestly discounted his complaint of pain thinking it was a gym rat muscle issue. We got to the hospital at midnight, only 11 hours before the commencement exercise. The doctor in the ER told us that Lewis had Pneumonia. I said "you're kidding". She gave him some antibiotics and we found a hotel at 1 AM and camped out in north Raleigh. Lewis' pain level was 9 as he described. 6 hours later we all got up and Lewis struggled across stage to receive his Bachelor of Arts in History.

He came home to only take his prescribed medicine and maintain a 102 temperature. Saturday night  we got snow and being the south, roads were impassable until Tuesday. I called the doctor's office thinking he needed a visit and because of the weather, I couldn't get thru Monday or Tuesday morning. At 11 on Tuesday, by what I think was providence of God, I ran into Dr. Joel Edwards. I explained what was going on. He said, "bring him to the office in one hour". We did that and discovered that his left lung was basically depleted of any air and full of infection. From there they sent us to Novant/Clemmons Hospital to do a CT scan, and immediately sent us to Forsyth Hospital for admission. Within 10 hours, they took Lewis into the OR and placed two tubes into his chest. Since then they have been draining his left lung of the "bad stuff".  This evening, they suggested that he may be here thru Christmas. He has leg compressions on, heart monitor, oxygen connected to his nose, two tubes that are between his ribs into his left lung, and two IVs in his arms.

Two observations:

First, Lewis has been so strong; brave. He hasn't complained. Frustrated, yes, but complained, no.
Every time the doctors come into the room to monitor, he listens and wants to know the facts. I know he's my boy, but I have witnessed a man.

Second, Liz and I have been pretty strong too. however, yesterday was significantly emotional. I had friends calling from home, Montana, California, Virginia and Tennessee. Social media created essentially a prayer meeting over Lewis. My bible fellowship group leader Jerry Morrison, called, visited and text me multiple times. On social media,  as I read the kindness of people's inquiries, prayer offerings and such, I can't explain to you the humbling nature of knowing my son and family are the recipients of such goodness. It all came to a climax when a high school friend, Karl Naylor posted on Facebook that he was praying for my son. We haven't seen each other in years, I mean probably 20 years, but he wanted to pray for what my son was going through. I don't know what it was about that specific post, but it was right before Lewis was being taken back to have the tubes placed in this chest. It broke me down (in a way I needed to be). His and all the other post was the switch for me to realize I'm not in control here; God has this, no matter what. 

So, I'll praise God in this storm.