Great News!! Update on Rhonda - Friday, November 8, 2019
Rhonda with her new blanket and Starbuck Java Chip!
Rhonda has been in the hospital for 45 days. It has been an amazing, intense, and unbelievable journey. She has faced several critical situations and there were at least three times when we thought we were going to lose her. God has been so good to spare her life, give her strength, and to provide wonderful doctors, surgeons, nurses and other staff to care for her. I cannot express adequately how good the staff at Royal Oak Beaumont Hospital has been. Their care for Rhonda has been the best.
She continues to improve every day. She is no longer dealing with any infections, her breathing is doing well, and her skin is healing from the lymphedema and cellulitis. Her biggest issue now is regaining her strength and being able to walk again. Rhonda is the strongest woman that I know, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Many people would have gone into depression or despair if they had to deal with all of this, but she has been a testimony to God through this entire process.
She has started both physical and occupational therapy. She has been able to sit at the edge of the bed, in a chair, and even stood for the first time on Tuesday! Today, Friday, she sat in the chair for several hours, stood twice, and was able to do many exercises. She REALLY wants to go home. They are planning to transfer her to a rehab facility to help her regain the ability to walk, get in and out of bed by herself, and to function normally. She still has a long way to go to be back to herself and do the normal things of life, but she is on her way!
Just relaxing! Glad to be out of the bed.
We were given a long list of skilled nursing centers and rehabilitation facilities that were covered by our insurance and asked to pick our first, second, and third choices. That is not an easy process! We asked the Lord to help us find the right place. We researched online, made personal visits, and finally selected two places. We have still been looking for the third option. On Thursday, November 7 we met with the care coordinator at the hospital to discuss where we were in the process. We gave her the two names we had chosen. I received a call a few hours later and was told they had sent Rhonda’s file to the two places we had chosen, and our first choice said that they would be happy to care for her and had a bed available. The plan for now is for Rhonda to be transferred to the rehabilitation facility on Monday, November 11.
Rhonda is both excited and nervous about the transfer. She definitely wants to be out of the hospital, but also realizes that this will be a long process for her to get back to functioning normally. Please pray that she will be able to be transferred on Monday and that she will be able to regain her strength and mobility. This will be an intense and physically demanding time for Rhonda as she works to regain the physical abilities she has lost. It is a blessing to have three of our four children in town to help with Rhonda. We are thankful that our other son, Zach, and his family are able to come over from Elgin, IL as well.
We appreciate every one of you who have prayed for Rhonda and for our family. God has showed Himself to be mighty. While Rhonda has been in the hospital it has been very difficult for me to travel and preach. I have only had a few meetings during these many weeks. As you know, an evangelist lives on the love offerings from the preaching meetings. “If you don’t have a meeting, you don’t have an income for that week.” We do have a very small amount of monthly support for our ministry which helps some, but we have been amazed at how the Lord has provided for our needs on a daily basis. Gifts from churches and friends have been used by God to meet so many needs. “Thank you” doesn’t seem adequate.
Please pray for:
Rhonda’s rehab
Finances to cover medical expenses
Monthly financial support for our ministry
A schedule of preaching meetings
For the next little while I need to remain close to home. I will be able to travel some. Please contact me if you are interested in have us in for a meeting.
God is always good. He is only good.
-The Brandenburg Family