View, Download and Print here: Legacy Letter September 2019
Update
Dear Brethren and Fellow Laborers,
Please continue your prayers! We received with heavy heart the results of Wednesday’s CT scan. Unfortunately the shunt is releasing too much fluid which the doctors think is causing some atrophy. It also showed an increase in the fluid build-up in the meninges near the skull. They believe the body/brain is trying to produce more fluid in another area to compensate. Because of the fluid near the skull, they will need to make a small incision and drill a tiny hole to release that fluid. The shunt will need to be replaced also. We will opt for the adjustable shunt which can change the pressure as needed from the outside. This will more likely prevent or prolong the need for any future shunt replacement surgery which always involves 4-5 days prep and post care, due to Leon’s blood thinner medication (in addition to the surgery and recovery). There is a tightrope balance for the blood to clot during surgery, and at the same time prevent stroke.
Our initial question to the Dr. was: “WHY was there an excess of water on the brain”? His answer was that it is caused by a stroke, although it is also prevalent in many other situations for other reasons, also with children though more so with elderly, however with Leon the initial stroke/s are what is causing the issue and need for the shunt. It is also relatively common for shunts to need adjustment and/or replacement.
Leon’s blood pressure continues to be normal, unless he has pain from headaches—which have now pretty much subsided. He still gets cold sweats for some reason. Also Leon remains free of diabetes. He takes no meds for either. He takes 2 meds: a blood thinner (Warfarin) and Lanoxin for an irregular heartbeat. The rest are supplements. But during this surgery many drugs are administered.
Thank you our dear brethren for your prayers and encouraging messages! We know we are in God’s hands! God knows all the what’s, when’s, where’s, why’s, and how’s to His human creation; God knows every little detail about us and that He is with and beside us, to guide us. We ask for wisdom in decisions we must make.
I hate to see Leon go through the same ordeal again. Many of God’s people have suffered down through the ages. We too suffer. Many of you also are going through trials—some more and some less—some similar and some different. So we understand more fully the griefs of one another and all those that went before us—especially those of Jesus.
In Christian love,
Gloria and Leon
Gloria and Leon
Update
Dear Brethren and Fellow-Laborers,
First of all, Leon and I, and the whole family, want to thank you for your precious prayers. Please keep praying as we go through the next few days or more. . . We appreciate so very much the messages you have sent encouraging us.
The surgery for the brain shunt went well, but ICU didn’t go too well after that. I had stepped out with Leon’s knowledge to get some dinner before 8pm when the hospital canteen closes. So Leon said to hurry and get my dinner. Bronson was still there until 8:00, when ICU closed. I came back at about 8:15, when Leon needed me. When the nurses said I wasn’t there, he had an outburst of anger—and ICU didn’t know how to handle that. He tried to get out of bed with all tubes attached, and that’s when I arrived—and all finally calmed down. Leon still has short-term memory, so time is a difficult matter. In Thailand anger is not usually displayed publicly. So he was sent to a private room. Leon did apologize before leaving ICU.
Leon was not able to keep any liquids down, and had no appetite for 2 ½ days. His first night was pretty much without sleep, restless, and very uncomfortable. We are not sure if it was the anesthesia or some other medicine that caused this.
Leon has had cold sweats—totally drenched about 3 times a day! During the time of the cold sweats he has nausea, head pain and very much more pain across the top of his shoulders.
Although the next day seemed to be better and more restful, Leon tried a couple of tiny bites of KaoDom (rice soup) with ground chicken. It was quite strange, I had given him flax water with the ground seed—and all that stayed down along with drinking water. But the morning two bites came up whole—even the tiny piece of cilantro—in the late afternoon, with nothing else.
Day 3—Wednesday: He still has fever—38.3 +/- (101) depending on when the aspirin was working. His face became red and swollen because he was not urinating. So with water collecting, his blood pressure kept rising, and his sugar was rising. Both were normal for months before coming to the hospital. BP was 120’s/80’s and Sugar was 110-120’s. He had not been on insulin or pills for sugar since last October and has not been on any beta blockers since the beginning. He takes a blood thinner (Warfin) and Lanoxin for irregular heartbeat. The rest are supplements of minerals and vitamins.
Leon and I have a very dear friend who said: “when we send an update about Leon, don’t sugarcoat your update so that all can pray for the details.” So that is what I have done. We know God already knows every minuscule fact, but He loves us to come to him in His Son’s name, and ask and discuss the details—He is the Father of love, mercy, and grace, for which Jesus died and suffered so that we can be healed.
Thank you and in Christian Love!
Gloria and Leon (I just read this to him)
Update
Dear Brethren and Fellow-Laborers,
Leon had an appointment on Monday with his Neuro Doctor. At that time it was decided to give Leon a spinal puncture procedure to see whether or not it was even a good idea to have a brain shunt procedure to drain the water. Leon was diagnosed with Hydrocephalus, the medical term for water on the brain. The spinal puncture drained 100 cc’s and went very well! It was quite amazing to see a difference almost immediately in Leon’s walking, balance, and talking. We are not sure about short-term memory–since this was due to the damage of the stroke. So Leon was admitted to the hospital the very same day. First they must do a switching of medicines since he is on blood thinner. The heart doctor conferred with the neurologist who will do the brain shunt surgery. Leon has to be prepped 5 days before and at least that long after. So the procedure for the brain shunt is scheduled on Mon. the 10th and if all goes according to plan with God in all and over all–Leon is to go home on the 16th. I have moved to Lanna Hospital in the same room with Leon.
Please pray for Leon, and you are welcome to put out more prayer requests. It’s a bit of a whirlwind… God knows the timing and this was totally a surprise to happen so quickly. We specifically requested the procedure not to be done on the Sabbaths.
On Sabbath, and on Pentecost, I will meet together with the brethren here in Chiang Mai, and we will play an audio on Pentecost and I will have something written for the Sabbath day before. I will only be gone from Leon for just over 2 hours and Bronson, our son and his wife Jib can help me.
Our prayers are continually with all of you too!
In Christian love,
Gloria and Leon
