Sunday, October 29th -

It is late, late, late. Talked with Margaret several hours ago, and then my baby woke up with a cough and runny nose. So there you go, the blogger has revealed his identity. It is me, Tommy 3. The whole 3rd person thing was getting old, anway! Mom is going home tomorrow, although, nobody is exactly sure when she will be released time-wise.

Mom is a little aggravated, because nobody at the nursing home will give her a straight answer. Will she leave with a walker, or will a walker be provided for her once she arrives home? Will she leave with oxygen, or will it be provided for her once she arrives home? Who knows? Certainly not us! However, the good news is that she is definitely going home tomorrow, and the folks at Manor Care will send to the house her neccessary accesories!

Mom has some definite plans set in place. She will sleep downstairs for a few days on a blow-up mattress with a frame. She plans to work on the stairs - 2 or 3 at a time in order to build up her endurance. By the end of the week, she plans to be able to navigate the staircase in order to sleep in a real bed. The Kelly Girl service that has been secured for dad will stay in place, but with mom at home, they will have more direction, thus enabling them to be more effective. The Fair Oaks friends have been 100% hands on, and they have been working with mom to execute a workable plan to get mom and dad packed up and ready to move.

Mom plans to go to her oncologist's office in a couple of days to get blood drawn. After this proceedure, she will meet with the doctor for his two cents worth. She will need to follow up with her pulmonologist, also, for his okay for her to be released. In other words, mom is going home tomrrow, and is making strides to get the official okay from her doctors to travel to her new house in Jackson, TN.

The news sounds and feels exciting, but we are all still on pins and needles. Her health is still not 100%, and her situation remains volitale. God is good, though, and he has provided for mom and dad up until this point. There is no reason in the world why we should believe that He will drop them now. Their faith and our faith should strengthen at this point. Likewise, our prayers and their prayers should increase. I believe that mom and dad will be "home" in Jackson, TN by Thanksgiving, but a whole lot of things need to transpire between now and then.

I continue to encourage you all to remain in prayer for my folks. I encourage you all to stay in touch with them via letters, cards, phone calls, and personal visits. Personal encouragement means so much at this juncture in their lives right now. Elizabeth and I are eager to have mom and dad around the corner from us as soon as possible. Paitence is definitely an issue! If I could, I'd fly over there tomorrow and physically put them on a plane to bring them here. I know that is not realistic, however. God is in control, though, and we all must rely on his providence. Praise Him for her release! Trust Him for His deliverance! More tomorrow - and I promise, Margaret herself, will be blogging very soon! Thanks for the prayers and support! Goodnight! I'm hitting the hay myself before this baby wakes up again!!!