June 21, 2008 Saturday 1:23 am

Four months, sixteen weeks, or 112 days, however we say it, it's still the same. That's how long Will have been in this hospital. Who would have every thought it would be like this. Will is still staying strong and says it's all going to be worth it.

He had about the same day as yesterday. He got his second dialysis treatment today for 2 1/2 hours. They took off another 3 liters. He is really tired afterwards and just wants to sleep. But that is very common. His BUN (test to see how the kidneys are functioning) is coming down already. Way to go dialysis. He has another tomorrow and then gets a day off. He stood and impressed us how much more strength he has today than yesterday. He made it to two minutes. Tomorrow we are going for five. He did do a t-trial again today for one hour, a little better than yesterday. Remember the t-trial is where they take him off the vent (unplug him) and put a oxygen mask over his throat to deliver more oxygen and have him breathe on his own. With the pneumonia it is hard to expand the lungs. That's why it is so important to get him vertical as much as possible so gravity and can help open the lower lobes of the lungs. The xrays don't show too much of a change yet but maybe today.

This is where I want to thank a few people but first in James 1:17 the Bible asks us to remember God is the provider of everything we need and we need to see every gift as coming from Him. So I want to thank God for giving us our friends and family to help us through this journey. I know I have said this before, but I can't tell you all how vital you all are in helping Will through this journey. HEAVENLY FATHER THANK YOU FOR BLESSING US SO RICHLY.

Marylou Culley, a long, long time friend sent me a surprise box today with all our blogs and comments put in a binder so we can revisit them any time we want. What a wonderful, thoughtful gift. You put a lot of time into that and it means a lot. God bless you.


I want to thank the people that responded to my plea for emails about dialysis. I have been learning a lot and it helps. Knowledge is power, right?
I want to thank Randy, Donna, Brent and Kim for coming down the last few days and visiting Will. I think it is very important that we remind him of his life out of this hospital right now because we have been here so long. He might have forgotten what's it like out of these four walls.

I have received several emails that have made me feel that I need to respond that this kidney failure is not the worse thing that could have happened. We are getting fluid off, he's getting stronger and the toxins are leaving his body. Please don't feel that this a bump that we can't overcome.

I think to trust God COMPLETELY with EVERYTHING is the probably the hardest command to follow. This journey has been teaching us what it means to give it all over to God. We absolutely feel that God has his healing hands on Will still.

I thank God for all of you and I pray that He pours his blessings on you and your family.
God bless