Per his instructions for at least 4-6 weeks, Ernie can move his head left to right about 5-10 degrees from center. He is not to move his head up or down. He cannot lift his hands above his shoulders and cannot tip or twist to pick up anything. No bending, lifting, twisting, or pulling. Right now, he could move much more than this; but, chooses to follow the Doctor's directions. Just remember that none of those restrictions keeps him from smiling and being thankful. Of course, Ernie has daily shoulder and forearm exercises. He can do 1-lb curls with each hand as long as his elbows are stable on a table. It's just his neck that the doctors are protecting. He is also encouraged to do a lot of walking, which he enjoys when he feels well.
We have a wonderful healthcare team. Thank you for praying that the Lord would direct our steps. The Lord answered our prayers! We know that the Lord has divinely intervened in our lives providing the very best. Our neurosurgeon, Dr. Patrick, is building a long-term healthcare team for Ernie so that he'll have a Ruhmatologist and Pain Doctor to help him, too. They will all be talking with our family doctor so nothing gets dropped between each visit. It doesn't matter what doctor we see, they all have access to all of the same medical records. Lord willing, it won't be long until we can find a solution for his right foot.
Our goal is to spend the next year or so getting strong so that we can spend several more years sharing Christ in this area and maybe doing some missions work. The Lord's timing is always perfect!!
Much love and thanks so much for praying for Ernie! You are such a wonderful blessing to us! We'll update you next month after the 6-week goal has been completed.
(719) 322-6600 Ernie's cell
(903) 960-9488 Ernie's VoIP
