Updates on Rhett and Amy - and Brian from Big D

Ok... Brian here from Dallas now....

Kind of makes me ‘lil sad to see after reading my son Rhett’s blog posts from past week and realizing they are more his parents, my dang pain in my side and travels than anything else. That's just not right - cannot wait for you all to meet this awesome young man and take him deep in your hearts like Amy and I already have. But I believe in years to come the story of this transition will be more about what was done to our family than to just Rhett himself – and I guess that’s the whole point of this blogworld stuff to document and diary out life as it is….

(I have been trying to work on this general update sine 6:30 this morning getting off Skype call with Miss Amy. Since that time have not stopped once in phone calls, texts, video and blog chats, and personal visits from friends here in the hospital checking in on us. Certainly made the day fly by! I cannot tell you how much your outpouring of love and support and caring has meant to us in these past few weeks. You sometimes forget how many people there are who truly love and care about your family till something serious like this goes down, and it has more than overwhelmed me the response of our family, friends, ministry partners, and others that has so consistent all day long. Thank you for loving us and for praying for us in this time!

So today - first would like to tell you about Lil Man Rhett and Miss Amy and how their doing, and then give some up to date facts on my status and what I've learned today (was trying to wrap up some thoughts the Lord has been revealing to me about my faith, struggles, and our position and His Position in those struggles [when stopped was on four pages – so figured that’s too much for one post even for somebody called Big Text by some of his best friends] – but no way this will all be coherent and presentable in time to print to night after the wonderful day of talking and visits here so just the factual stuff for now ;-)

Talked to Amy briefly this morning after they have arrived to Guangzhou. Was wrapping up the evening there and she looks completely worn out and beautiful all at the same time. Rhett seems to have really begun to grieve loss of his relationships and his "home". He is becoming less consolable and more hard headed. (Just like his dad's pissy moods like when he is in a patient room as a patient with no patience). Amy did say he is avoiding her as much as possible and when confronted is doing a lot of hitting, tantrums, and hair pulling, etc. Not to be unexpected, but certainly not hoped for given everything else going on. We know from all the training and history on this subject it will get better but she needs to get home and get him in our family routine and there be consistency around him for this to become more redirectable for him. More on that below.

Sara left this morning early and will be there on our Sat morning. Sara, Matt, and Larry and Holly have been awesome. Could not have a better support group right here near the house and able to give so much for our kids and us when needed, My folks have both been here non-stop as well - just love our families and are blessed by you - please know that!

Final thing is that AWAA told Amy this morning they are working on ways to get Amy and Rhett home as early as possible. She has medical exam day and update to vaccinations at med clinic this morning. If all is good and TB test comes back Ok maybe could go to the US consulate on Mon or Tues. Then have the forms expedited so Amy can leave earlier than Thursday’s planned departure. Would love to have her here and at house with all the kids asap. So on the Woods long list of specific prayer requests - please add this somewhere in the middle to TOP priority ;-)


Ok... so as of this Friday morning I'm feeling a lot better physically this morning after they were able to get the surgery done yesterday. Was really a tough flight home with pain levels oftern reaching and even exceeding what I experienced after coma and initial rehab back in 1994. Was hard to imagine those pains ever being back after so many years of silence - but there they were at 37k feet and 14 hrs to go in the flight.... Everything considered though the trip was easier than I had thought and so many people were so gracious to help a cripple out from time to time! Larry picked me up Wed night at DFW round 11:45 pm and drove me to Baylor Dallas where Dr Jones (my long term oprthopod has already ordered some tests) Once we got there the tests started coming in and confirming was a good decision to come home when we did and not wait another day. WBC was 32,5k (2.5x to high) and indicated large infection was growing somewhere. Since my left hip was screaming obscenities at me - I took a guess it might be there and Dr Jones concurred decided not to wait on much else – we got a CT of my painful hip and they added me on the operating schedule immediately. Within a few hours was in the OR getting reopened and they reported afterwards Jones reported he found a 11x19x4 cm cystic abscess surrounding all lateral thigh structures, but NOT YET engaging the joint capsule and not tracking to where only remaining hardware pieces were located holding my acetabulum together. These are both two huge to even try to explain in text here -but know that this is more than just a little significant! Wound was cleaned out, drain placed, and special closure based on my history was applied. For some reason took me forever to emerge with clear head after surgery. Think my anesthesia colleagues at BUMC may have gone a lil (A LOT) heavy on the Valium and Narcotics because I did not “wake up” till late last night. Several friends stopped in after PACU time and then met the Infectious Disease specialist – here is the short skinny on his part and my future.
1. Gonna get a PICC line for 6-12 weeks of daily IV antibiotic therapy
2. Can place this after blood cultures are negative for > 48 hours (hopefully will happen Sat morning.)
3. ID wants a Heart Echo to rule out endocarditis of valves to do slow emergence, low sats, and tachycardia I had all day yesterday – but feel like that is by product of the evil humors they were releasing playing in a large abscess vs. a heart condition, hope to get TTE in morning.
4. Once above are accomplished will likely be able to be discharged home so can be with other kids and comfortable in my own bed again!
Best case: Sat night. Worst Case: more likely Mon Morning.

As was getting this cleaned text up Amy just skyped in midway through her medical visit day from Guangzhou. Rhett did great. No new medical news other than he looks completely normal. Needed 5 more immunization shots and got a TB test. Will read on Monday and if all good try to expedite papers to come home ASAP. Sara arrives in 10-11 more hours from now. That will be such a help. Know Larry is bringing my other kids by here in the morning and cannot wait to see them for awhile! Hopefully they’ll bring the Sat morning Woods tradition in for breakfast!

So we're making progress, everyone’s still alive, and have a lot more to share on these facts and our struggles and how faith factors at some point in the future. Thanks to all of you who drove all the way out to see me at hospital here today – really lifted my spirits and reminded me the bonds we have are so special because how deep those run and from whom they originate!

Blessings and peace to each of you and your families –

Peace – (even in a week like this...)

Brian (&Amy)