Bettyjo Update

Bettyjo saw Dr. Willet yesterday late afternoon. He was very pleased that she was eating something every day, and has had no leaks! The only minor problem is, that the hole where the primrose drain was, is still not fully healed. We will be treating it for 8 weeks, and if it is still not closed, he will do a minor surgery in his office to close it. She is now allowed to eat ground meat, and other soft foods. She must chew everything very thoroughly.

To celebrate, we went to Texas Roadhouse and Bettyjo was able to eat about 2/3 of a baked sweet potato, and 1/4 piece of salmon. Dr. Willet suggested that she cut back on her liquid diet as she adds calories by mouth. We are praying that the feeding tube will be out by Memorial Day.

To all of you that have been reading this blog and praying for us, THANK YOU!

Bettyjo Update

Bettyjo has gone a full week eating pudding and applesauce, and drinking small amounts of water with blue food coloring in it, and has not leaked. We are very encouraged by this and hopeful that this trend will continue.


One real blessing is that we had a family outing yesterday that included eating out at Cracker Barrel. Bettyjo was able to order water an applesauce. This has not happened in nearly two years.


I have some additional good news to report. My Grandfather, who was diagnosed with cancer this year went for some testing earlier this week, and it appears that the chemo has stopped the growth of the cancer, and he will not be needing additional treatments for at least six weeks. He will be retested and re-evaluated at that time.

Bettyjo Update

Well.....it looks as if Bettyjo got her wish for Christmas. She is now allowed to eat pudding, and applesauce with blue food coloring in it. So far the blue water has not leaked, and has gone down her esophagus into her stomach. Her food and water will continue to be colored blue for awhile, to make sure that it continues to go down and not out. Thank God for this positive step.

Bettyjo went to her family Doctor yesterday, and he wants her to increase her calorie intake to 2000/day. Which would be an extra can of Promote and a pudding snack pack. She is also having a painful time with her RA, which continues to flare up with the temperature spikes we have been having.

Please pray for continued healing, and that the RA would go into complete remission.

Bettyjo Update

We saw Dr. Willet this afternoon. He was ok with the way she was healing. Not upset, not over joyed. He did a swallow test in his office with some water and blue dye. None of it came out the hole in her neck where the primrose drain was, and later tonight it could be seen in her feeding tube, so we know it must have gone down. Bettyjo is to monitor the dressing on the drain hole for 24 hours, if she does not see any blue she can begin drinking small sips of water with blue food coloring in it. She is to call Dr. Willet on Tuesday, and discuss the possibly eating some pudding for Christmas.

Please forgive us, if when you see us we are not overjoyed. We have been at this spot before four other times, only to be disappointed. We may allow our excitement to come out after the first of the year when she has been drinking water, and eating for a couple of weeks with out incident.

Please continue to pray for full and complete healing.

Bettyjo Update

We saw Dr. Willet last Friday. The hole that was the primrose drain is almost completely closed. She has a little seepage at the surgery site due to some stitches that are surfacing. Dr. Willet was pleased with what he saw, but is cautiously optimistic for the healing of the esophagus itself. He did not feel that she would be swallowing any thing by the end of the year, except possibly her own saliva, and maybe, maybe water. I know that Bettyjo was disappointed about that.

We will go back to see the Dr. on December 19th. While she would really like to to be swallowing some thing for Christmas, we certainly do not want to risk another infection.

After we saw Dr. Willet, Bettyjo and the girls and I went to see the lights at the Columbus Zoo, which were very good. I would say that they actually were much better than they had been in the past. It was cold, but we were all bundled up, and had Bettyjo wrapped in a sleeping bag in her wheel chair. I think we all had a really good time. It has been some time since we have done anything like this as a family.

Please continue to pray for complete healing, and that Bettyjo will be able to swallow soon.

Bettyjo Update

Bettyjo had an appointment with Dr. Willet on Friday, that got canceled due to an emergency surgery that he was requested to preform on a boy from Costa Rica who was at Children's Hospital. Please include this boy in your prayers. We do not know the situation, but God does.

The appointment from Friday was rescheduled for Saturday (not a normal office day). Also please include Dr. Willet and his family in your prayers, as we know that extra time spent with us, takes time away from them. He removed the stitches from her neck, and was not pleased to see that the site where the primrose drain had been was not healed as it should have been. On the other hand he did not see any drainage that would indicate that the esophagus was leaking.

He gave us a treatment regime for the open drain site, told Bettyjo not to swallow for now, and wants to see us Friday. Not sure if he meant this Friday or next, as this one is the day after Thanksgiving.

Please continue to pray for full and final healing for Bettyjo. Please pray for our entire family, as we are all ready for this to end and are feeling discouraged right now.

Bettyjo Update

Bettyjo will be coming home today (thanks Molly). Everything seems to be going very well. Her mom and dad will be staying with her while Bob and the girls are in NW Ohio for Bob's grandmothers funeral. The only small drama that occurred is that Bettyjo's feeding tube came out yesterday, which is normal as they only last a few months. The good thing is that it came out in the hospital, and not at home. The first time one came out it was a Sunday night at home.

Please continue to pray for a full and final healing, and that she will be able to eat some applesauce for Christmas.