I am praising God, ti sounds to me that things are looking up! Praying it continues! God is reallly great ! WHOO HOO! I will pray for healing and for hearts to change and mend and all kinds of miracles! And I really hope he is writing or someone else is because I would love to buy his life story in dvd form someday!
TM, I'll tell him you said that! Just got a text from his dad. They have checked out of Ronald McDonald House, and started the process of checking out of the hospital. There's a company that is arranging some things for Jeramy to travel with (I dunno - he didn't say). I told him yesterday that if they would tell me when they were actually leaving, we'll pray them all the way home! It's about a 7-hour drive home. I'll come post it when he tells me they've started on the road.
They made it home like 8 or 9 last night I think it was. Hospice is in. Despite his dad's statement that the doctors have not given up, the doctors told them that they have done all they can do, and gave him the choice of what he wanted to do -- stay there or go home. And he chose home. The whole family is together, here at home. It's the CMV that's winning right now. But it hasn't won yet!!! His dad said that his rash is going away (slowly). Jer is still up, moving around, and I saw him on FB awhile ago asking if anybody has an original white xbox (I think it was) because he needs to transfer some data and his "slim" one doees't take an external harddrive... BTW, the Hospice contact people are friends of ours... Keep praying, saints!
Joyful UPdate Here's what his mom p9sted on Caringbridge a few hours ago: The last two weeks were some of the most difficult to put to print so I chose not to log in and post. I am ready now, so I will summarize it the best I can: Jeramy’s fever abated and his temperature finally returned to normal. Wednesday June 27th had a bone marrow biopsy and the results showed NO CANCER cells only Graft vs Host (GVHD) . Jeramy developed a skin rash, another result of the GVHD, it is the worst I have ever seen, not that I have seen tons of rashes, but it covers him from head to toe, literally! He was started on a dilaudid continuous pain pump because the rash feels like shingles Jeramy’s medical team met with us on Sunday July 1 and said that medically they have done all that they can. Then we discussed discharging Jeramy home with Hospice Palliative care. This all happened quite quickly even with the 4th of July holiday, we were discharged home on Friday, loaded up the truck and began the long drive home. We turned the corner to our home and we were greeted by a crowd with posters and cheers. What a wonderful welcome! We were prepared for the very worst and prayed, and prayed and prayed. Jeramy said “It is not my time, I have people I need to encourage” then came the weekend! Family gathered around and we tried to process the difficult days ahead and Jeramy started healing, the rash started improving, the fever stayed away, his appetite was wonderful, his stomach issues were improved and then Hospice said “you don’t need us Jeramy is making dramatic improvements, he needs home health care”. WE KNOW WE ARE WATCHING A MIRACLE OF HEALING! Jeramy will start with home health care tomorrow and he will also have to go to Lake Charles for a platelet infusion but after the infusion we will come right back home he will not be admitted. We are rejoicing, singing, dancing and totally amazed at the goodness of our Lord!
Thank you Lord! I have tears in my eyes reading this it is so awesome to read God being God! Doing what He promises! Jeramy! Thank you so much for trusting God! THank you for listening to His Promise to you personally! Keep on pressing on to see your Grand kids! YEAH GOD! WHOOO HOOO!
Jeramy was AT CHURCH TODAY!!!! He sat by himself in the back of the balcony, because of his weak immune system, because they don't want him to catch any stray bug. He had a day of low-grade fever on Friday, but it went away by that evening. His dad said that his GVHD rash is slowly but noticeably vanishing as God heals Jeramy from the inside out. I'm getting a couple different stories about how they ended up ditching Hospice for Home Health. One said that Hospice said, "You don't need us, you need Home Health." Another said that Hospice told Jeramy that it's okay to give up, but the family said, "God hasn't spoken yet! And y'all are welcome to leave now." Under Hospice, they can do nothing but give counseling and try to be sure he's comfortable - no blood transfusions or products, no antibiotics, just deal with it at home the best you can and wait for the end. Under Home Health, he gets actual care - antibiotics, blood, whatever - at home or in the hospital whichever is more appropriate at the time. PRAISING GOD!
Here's Jer's latest post from CaringBridge: Written Jul 19, 2012 4:00pm Its been almost two weeks since ive been home in Elton and it has been an awesome two weeks. Ive been able to work on Legos in the living room sprawled out on the carpet. Family has been the greatest healing property I believe for me. My skin is miraculous looking thanks to all of your prayers and thoughts and well to do’s that you have sent on my behalf to God. I still wake up at 4 am thinking that a nurse is going to come into the room to take my blood pressure and temperature, but I can easily fall back asleep in the quiet dark of my room. The lack of beeping and constant interference of doctors and being able to stretch my legs and not just walk around the nurses’ station, to be able to smell the fresh air, and feel the breeze, helping around the house and not having a routine has been amazing. My gut is doing good, I do have some swelling around my ankles and hands but that is just a minor inconvenience that is easily dealt with. My blood counts have been up and down and we still need some prayers over my blood count levels to level out. They have taken me off of a medicine that was and is lowering my platelet counts, so I am asking that you would lift my blood counts in your prayers along still with the need for absorption so I don’t lose any weight and continue to stay home, healthy happy, and not the biggest concern for the doctors. I would like to thank you for everything that yall have already done but we aren’t through this just yet. We just got more bands in so if you need them contact mom and dad, or on here and we will do our best to grant your order. These are praise bracelets that I am home, but still need some prayers for continued healing. There is NED or No Evidence of Disease, and the bone marrow biopsy said that 95% of my bone marrow or greater, they can’t confirm over 95% is the second donor cells, and dad’s cells were still able to be seen a little bit, but they could not find any of my cells in the bone marrow. So what I’m saying is, the second transplant was a success and I am claiming that I cancer free, and do not have Crones anymore but of course the Doctors can only claim that I am in Remission, but why be technical, we all serve a BIG GOD and know what he can, has and will do. Love you all, Jeramy Thomas That was Thursday. Yesterday, Friday, he had to go to the local hospital with a temp of 101+. He spent about 7 hours getting antibiotics and fluids, and was on the way back home about 9pm last night with temp 99.
Jeramy, thank you for the update! I will pray for increased platelets! Ijust found out my dh gives platelets every ten days and instead of his going down they are multiplying! He has way more than he should after giving as many years as he has and they are amazed i believe God has given him a ample supply so that he can give platelets to others and so does he. So I am praying that God will also multiply yours in the same way! be blessed, keep up the great trust in God!
Jeramy's CaringBridge update by his mom today: Each morning I wake up and say "thank you Lord for being in my own bed and home with family" Jeramy agrees with me, it has continued to be so wonderful and healing just to be here. All the grandparents left last week and headed back to Florida because things were going so well. Jeramy's home care nurse comes 3 times each week and she draws labs so that the fluids he gets can be adjusted. His labs are still not where they need to be just yet, so please continue to pray specifically for that. Jeramy has also been asked to speak at a nearby church and share his testimony as soon as he is strong enough. God continues to place our feet each day in the path we need to take and we give Him all the glory. Psalm 118:24 "This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" To this I would like to add that Jeramy's gut still needs A LOT of healing so that he can absorb more of his nutrition. He's still on a very limited very bland diet and is getting most of his nutrition through IV. He can only drink pure water, and solids don't include much more than chicken and rice, very bland. He doesn't drink enough water, I'm told, and this causes his temperature to go up, so that he has to go to the hospital for a full day of antibiotics and fluids and sometimes platelets. Do any of you know/practice "healing foods" methods that could help Jer's gut to heal? I've heard that coconut oil can be helpful, papaya (known for digestive support), slippery elm, garlic (for its antibiotic, antifungal, antiviral properties), peppermint leaves made into tea. Someone has recommended aromatherapy with certain essential oils, and massage with some of the same oils. Is there anybody with anything else I can pass along to this family??
peppermint is supposed to be really good for stomachs. I have suggested it to people with problems of acid relux and such and they have told me that it worked? I use it for sour stomachs and acid indigestion in Altoids and tea. I occasionally drop a candy pepermint in my coffee too !
