Father’s Day usually begins with Ryan’s favourite breakfast of Southern Biscuits and Gravy and this occasion was no different. Of all the meals the United States has to offer, I think my husband misses this one the most! The kids enjoyed rolling and cutting the dough whilst I made the delicious peppery sausage gravy.
After enjoying breakfast, Ryan opened his cares and gifts. Cora and Titus made homemade cards for their Daddy. Very artistic and loving!
After enjoying church at home, we ventured out for a much needed drive. Titus hadn’t been in the car nor away from our Crescent for over two weeks! I am sure it had been over a month since we went on a drive longer than to a grocery store.
It was lovely to see our city after so long and the weather caused us to stop for a walk around Meanwood Park.
The stone bridge at Meanwood Park is particularly meaningful to our family as we have a painting of it hanging in our home. Every few years we take a family photo on this bridge.
One of the gifts Ryan received was an expansion pack to the game Exploding Kittens. Thus, we returned home for a late lunch and to play a few games.
We had a delicious BBQ garden tea enjoying Ryan’s delicious smoked beef, chicken, potatoes, and corn on the cob. Titus and I also made Cora’s tantalising chocolate cupcakes for dessert.
Ryan and I each enjoyed conversations with our fathers back in the States. We are thankful for them and pray they feel loved from afar!
The kids and I hope we made Father’s Day memorable for Ryan, even during COVID-19. We are thankful he is a godly, loving father who trains his children up in the way they should grow!
If you have been following my blog, you know that our Crescent has selected a different charity weekly during COVID-19. We have had a food drive each week for the past 12 weeks. Last week neighbours decided to host a bake sale with money donated for Cancer Research. Along with many tasty baked goods, we had a clothing stall, book and bric-a-brac stall, as well as a plant sale.
Our daughter decided to combine her DT (Design Technology) Food cupcake project with the bake sale. However, this proved to be a bit more challenging than expected because of the amount of piping involved. Cora created the icing designs based on the Queen’s birthday (which was Saturday).
Cora was asked to change one ingredient in the chocolate cupcake surprise recipe, so we decided to put sprinkles inside some cakes as well as salted caramel. Originally, this was meant to happen after the cakes had baked, but adding these ingredients before the bake made the taste more uniform. We were quite proud how Cora’s cakes turned out…delicious too!
Seeing as how the piping took hours we didn’t make it to the bake sale as early as we would have liked. However, it was great to see our neighbours who had been there most of the afternoon selling cakes, clothing, and plants as well as chatting with one another. Ryan took his smoked butter and cheese to sell, which was quite popular.
Everyone was pleased to see Titus walking about! This was the first day he walked an entire lap around our Crescent in two weeks! His knee is healing quite well, he has full range of motion in his knee, and today the stitches have started falling out!
Together all of us neighbours raised £412.44 for Cancer Research! We feel very blessed to be a part of the third friendliest street in Britain! 💕
Friday Titus gashed his knee and by Saturday his stitches and leg were severely infected! (Details here.) Titus has thrown up four times Saturday and by 6pm his skin was blotchy (around his stitches knee), hot, and the muscle was spasming. After ringing 111 for medical advice, we took him to A&E.
My blog below is a conglomeration of prayer updates we shared with many of you.
Saturday, 30 May 2020 at 8pm: Titus has had bloods drawn to determine infection. He is currently on IV pain meds and gas. Titus will stay overnight for IV antibiotics. He is awaiting X-ray to see if infection is in the joint. They do not want infection to get into joint because that means surgery. Ryan says looks like we caught this early, so praying no surgery! Thank you, everyone, for praying!
10pm: Titus has had bloods drawn to determine infection. He is currently on IV pain meds and gas. Titus will stay overnight for IV antibiotics. He is awaiting X-ray to see if infection is in the joint. They do not want infection to get into joint because that means surgery. Ryan says looks like we caught this early, so praying no surgery! Thank you, everyone, for praying!
Sunday, 31 May At 2:36am update from Ryan: Just got first round of antibiotics. Will be here for next 24 hours and if good then oral. Will get a round every six hours. Doctor feels good about the knee and thinks that the infection is only in the tissue. I have to stay with him and not leave the room and you cannot see us but can drop the bag mid-morning. Going back to sleep now.
31 May 2020 morning: Thankful for friends who took the boys supplies! 💕
31 May 2020 evening: Titus’s pain is much better but struggling to bend the knee. The side infection has actually grown but they’re saying it’s just showing what was already taking place. They will tell us tomorrow what next steps are. May go home but may stay another day. At least he’s resting and keeping his food down. He’s good, we’ve enjoyed the day but he is a little worried they will want to open the stitches and get in there. 🙏 Titus did get a tetanus booster, so that is another comfort. Thank you for continuing to pray! Cora and I got to FT with him and he and dad are up to their usual jokes. 😉💕
Monday, 1 June 2020 morning: Thank you for praying! They are having to stay at LGI today and tonight. Moving to broader anti-biotics today. Titus was in pain this morning because he skipped pain meds so he could sleep. Then he is nauseous and doesn’t want to eat. But last night he was making jokes and looking well; thankful for FT! Ryan I think is feeling it as he isn’t allowed to leave the room. 🙏❤️ Cora and I took supplies to the door and waved at Ryan from the alley!
1 June evening: Ryan and I are shattered! But, thank the Lord, we just saw Titus walk this evening unassisted for the first time since Friday! Praise the Lord! 🤗💕 Titus was put on a different type of antibiotics this afternoon and we still aren’t sure if they will be allowed to leave tomorrow. They just got moved to shared ward, so praying they can still rest! 😬🙏Ryan hasn’t been able to shower this whole time since the showers were broke in children’s wing!
Boys pass the time by playing cards, chess, watching movies, and Titus annoys Ryan with his toys. 😉Our prayer for Titus, which sits by each sink. As we wash our hands for COVID, we memorise Scripture; Cora thought seeing their faces most comforting!
2 June 4pm: Thank you for praying! Titus and Ryan were just given news this afternoon that they are needing to stay at LGI for another 48 hours! CRP is down to 100 (200 when Titus went in Saturday evening), but doctors want it lower than 50 before he can be released. Plus they want Titus to be able to bend his knee backwards with full range of motion! Praying for that! Ryan is feeling it.
Cora and I paint rocks as gifts for Titus and Daddy when they return!❤️
2 June night: It is difficult not being together, but I am SO thankful we took him to hospital when we did. It broke my heart seeing him in pain Saturday, getting sick often, and not much I could do about it. At least now he has relief and thankful Ryan can be with him. 🙏
Wednesday, 3 June morning: Titus can bend his leg more than he has since entering hospital! He may be released later today! PTL!
Wednesday, 3 June 3:30pm from Ryan: Titus is doing so much better they think he’ll get to go home after the doctor sees him in an hour! Blessed by this speedy recovery and after four days looking forward to a real cup of coffee (and a shower)!
3 June at 4:30pm: Titus and Ryan have been released from hospital for the first time after four days! First stop: Midgley’s Fish and Chips…our first take away in eleven weeks (since COVID-19)! The owner was SO lovely, he threw in FREE GF onion rings!
Once home we hugged, cried, ate, and the boys took showers! Through all of this, we have seen the Lord at work: preventing the infection from reaching his joint, no pot (cast) was needed, and Ryan got to stay with him (he has a much stronger constitution for seeing stitches and pain than I do), thankful for excellent help from doctors and nurses, and Cora and I prepared presents, food, and welcome signs for the boys in addition to keeping family and friends updated! If you prayed for us or sent us well wishes, please know your love is felt! Thank the Lord! Thank you! 💕
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