Sunday, July 29, 2007
Joan is finally out of the hospital & back to Skilled Nursing care at Good Sam. She is so pleased to be back where people don't just "take care" of her but also "care for" her! Her bones continued healing during her battle with blood clots & infections, so her bone docs are pleased. She is out of the arm brace for most of the day & her finger pin was removed. All she has for hardware is her leg fixator. They will do xrays in 1 1/2 weeks to see when to remove that. Joan is "happy" to be back to therapy, getting up into a wheelchair & even a walker for transfers. It is all exhausting, & we are having to limit her company for now. Please continue to pray for her. Her medical & emotional states are still fragile. She is finding comfort in family & friends & God's Word. A card with a word of encouragement or a favorite Scripture might help, but not everyone! Thanks for all your prayers. We have felt lifted up & carried along beyond our strength, tho' often stretched beyond what we wanted.
Friday, July 13, 2007
After being so encouraged by Joan's healing & progress & beginning rehab, she was admitted to ICU last night/early this morning with a fever & an unknown infection. Please pray for her healing, especially since the hospital found indication of some kind of blood clots as well.
Later: the plan is to keep her in ICU for 5 days of blood thinning for the clots. The infection seems to be bladder-related & not related to her wounds or surgeries, but it is being monitored.
Later: the plan is to keep her in ICU for 5 days of blood thinning for the clots. The infection seems to be bladder-related & not related to her wounds or surgeries, but it is being monitored.
My mother-in-law, Joan, arrived in Las Cruces via ambulance & medical aircraft on Monday, a week ago. She weathered the trip better than anyone expected. What a week! She transferred from bed to a wheelchair the first day here, then from there to a shower chair for a real shower. This was all new, since she can't put weight on her broken/crushed left ankle or lean on her crushed left arm & hand. We spent a busy week encouraging her therapy & planning the funeral. By Friday, the plans were made, Joan's hair done & hat fixed. The Funeral service on Sat morning went beautifully, glorifying the God who Barney worshiped & served, witnessed by over 600 people. Joan held up better than some of us--what a blessing from God. Then Joan traveled from the church to the cemetery, enduring the heat & humidity with a little help from a fan Lee held in front of her. Barney would have been proud of her & grateful for that ceremony, as well. Then, Joan decided she wanted to be at Barney's party, a reception that fed over 400 people, complete with pictures from his whole life & stories from friends. What a time! Many who visited with Joan were amazed at her stamina, esp. her children & spouses who had seen her from the beginning. God has truly graced her through this whole ordeal. Today, the doctors confirmed the healing Joan has felt all week: her fractured vertebra has healed enough for her to discard the C collar. The arm has healed enough to reduce the cast size, & she was allowed to bear some weight on it. The leg is healing, but experiencing some infection, so antibiotics were started. Joan looked so good, even after 5 hours at doctor's offices & many x rays! Praise God with us for physical healing. Lee & his brother & sister-in-law have returned, part time, to their businesses. Lee's sister still has family here, but will be back to business soon. Our sons have returned to work & camp, so our house is quiet again. Please pray for us all to begin to process the absence of a very involved husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather & great-grandfather. Also, pray for my "little thing"--a sprained ankle--that seems so puny compared to Joan's ankle with its plate & screws & external fixator. Both are a bother, a pain, & complicate everyday activities, but it's the "little things" that can so easily undo us. I am encouraged by Joan's progress, but my ankle so easily discourages me. How can this be? I'm weak! Thank God He is so strong! Thanks for praying with & for us. Moira, for all the Rawsons
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Saturday June 30
Funeral service will be held on Saturday July 7th 2007 at First Presbyterian Church Las Cruces at 10 AM.
Graveside service will follow at Hillcrest cemetery.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Thursday June 28
It seems as a lot has happened, yet time moves slowly.
The physical healing is even slower as the pain lingers and increases.
Mom is restless and has not slept well since the accident.
She moves in and out of drowsiness constantly.
She is anxious and uncomfortable most of the time.
She is subconsciously determined to get out of bed and to take the bandages and braces off.
As most know, she is a determined woman.
We can only hope and pray for this determination to begin focusing on a will to live, heal and rehab.
As we struggle with her, she is physically pained, attempts to communicate, and her eyes look at us with a questioning, non-understanding deep deep hurt.
The doctor has ordered her arms to be restrained if no one is in the room or when all are trying to sleep. (This is tough, but best).
Frequently, she will mutter "Where is Barney?", at which point no answer is easy. She responds with, "Oh, that's right", as her eyes and countenance slip away.
She is painfully lonely, even with us and her Lord present.
The lead trauma nurse, who is in charge of coordinating all care, has told me that we have to get Mom out of the hospital as soon as possible, as she is going down hill daily.
Mom's cackle surgery went extremely well yesterday.
Her hand surgery was equally as successful.
Thank you for all of your prayers.
As the last doctor in this evening stated, trauma injuries are particularly hard to recover from as we get older. Sometimes, it is simply not possible.
All the surgeries are now complete.
Her mobility and pain remain huge hurtles.
We have scheduled a Medi-vac (SP?) 2-1/2 hour direct flight on Monday from Peoria to Las Cruces.
Both George and I will accompany her.
An ambulance will take her directly to the skilled nursing facility at Good Samaritan Village.
Moira and the girls will try to fix her new room up some, while empting the refrigerator and attending to other needs at Mom and Dad's home.
If things go well, we are discussing the possibility of a Saturday funeral. This depends on Mom's agreement and ability to truly participate.
Caleb has created the BarneyRawson.blogspot.com site. I have not been to this site yet, but you may wish to visit it.
The coroner has determined that Dad died from blunt force injuries.
I understand that the force immediately severed his arteries from his heart
Attached is an article about the other driver.
As you can imagine, he had minimal insurance coverage. I've been learning a great deal about insurance lately.
Our entire family really want to thank you for your concern, friendship, outpouring of love, and continued prayers.
Mom will have a powerful testimony!
To God be the Glory!
Lee
The physical healing is even slower as the pain lingers and increases.
Mom is restless and has not slept well since the accident.
She moves in and out of drowsiness constantly.
She is anxious and uncomfortable most of the time.
She is subconsciously determined to get out of bed and to take the bandages and braces off.
As most know, she is a determined woman.
We can only hope and pray for this determination to begin focusing on a will to live, heal and rehab.
As we struggle with her, she is physically pained, attempts to communicate, and her eyes look at us with a questioning, non-understanding deep deep hurt.
The doctor has ordered her arms to be restrained if no one is in the room or when all are trying to sleep. (This is tough, but best).
Frequently, she will mutter "Where is Barney?", at which point no answer is easy. She responds with, "Oh, that's right", as her eyes and countenance slip away.
She is painfully lonely, even with us and her Lord present.
The lead trauma nurse, who is in charge of coordinating all care, has told me that we have to get Mom out of the hospital as soon as possible, as she is going down hill daily.
Mom's cackle surgery went extremely well yesterday.
Her hand surgery was equally as successful.
Thank you for all of your prayers.
As the last doctor in this evening stated, trauma injuries are particularly hard to recover from as we get older. Sometimes, it is simply not possible.
All the surgeries are now complete.
Her mobility and pain remain huge hurtles.
We have scheduled a Medi-vac (SP?) 2-1/2 hour direct flight on Monday from Peoria to Las Cruces.
Both George and I will accompany her.
An ambulance will take her directly to the skilled nursing facility at Good Samaritan Village.
Moira and the girls will try to fix her new room up some, while empting the refrigerator and attending to other needs at Mom and Dad's home.
If things go well, we are discussing the possibility of a Saturday funeral. This depends on Mom's agreement and ability to truly participate.
Caleb has created the BarneyRawson.blogspot.com site. I have not been to this site yet, but you may wish to visit it.
The coroner has determined that Dad died from blunt force injuries.
I understand that the force immediately severed his arteries from his heart
Attached is an article about the other driver.
As you can imagine, he had minimal insurance coverage. I've been learning a great deal about insurance lately.
Our entire family really want to thank you for your concern, friendship, outpouring of love, and continued prayers.
Mom will have a powerful testimony!
To God be the Glory!
Lee
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Thursday June 28
The Las Cruces Sun News did a editorial on Barney today, here is the link.
http://www.lcsun-news.com/opinion/ci_6245337
http://www.lcsun-news.com/opinion/ci_6245337
Sunday June 24
It is with a breaking heart that I write this. On Sunday, June 19,Lee's father, Barney, has been killed in a tragic traffic accident while in Moline, IL, visiting relatives & celebrating his 55th wedding anniversary. Lee's mom, Joan, was severely injured, but with God's grace should recover, although it will take several months. She has been transported to Peoria, OH, & is receiving excellent care there. She has already had several operations, with many more to come. Her spirits, when she has pain & pain meds just right, are quite good.
She is a strong woman & is determined to get through this. Barney & Joan were a pair, working together all their married life, physically together for probably 20 hours of each day. They were both very involved grandparents, at our home celebrating Fathers Day just 1 week before. Joan's 3 children are with her now, & I am staying in Las Cruces to be the local contact. My 4 sons are hanging with Lee's brother's 2 girls, along with Ben's wife & Simon's girlfriend, "cousining" (if I can make their close relationship into a verb). They are all Christians, finding strength in each other & the Lord. Lee has a sister who was in Louisiana visiting her 3 children there when this happened. Thank the Lord for tight families.
The Rawson's are well known & respected in this community, moving here in 1959, & we have lots of support for everyone in town. I am not alone. When Lee & I heard the news, we were in Lake Tahoe with Caleb for a Builders Trust board meeting. Also there was another couple I knew there from college Bible study days, Marc & Bernie White. They brought us home while Lee flew immediately to Moline. We see God's hand protecting, providing & planning all over this tragedy, & we know this was no "accident." Barney is in heaven with his Lord & Savior. He would want us to forgive the couple who hit him head-on. He would tell that couple this was the time to turn their lives around, to make good of this tragedy. We will not be embittered, will not give Satan the satisfaction of miring us in a blame game. Please pray for us all: for recovery for Joan, for focus on what must be done to go forward, for our many combined businesses to continue without leaders, for the many "little things" that threaten to blow up daily, & mostly for our witness to the Lord Who saved each of us & loves us no matter how things look from this perspective.
Thank you all for your love through the years.
Moira Rawson
She is a strong woman & is determined to get through this. Barney & Joan were a pair, working together all their married life, physically together for probably 20 hours of each day. They were both very involved grandparents, at our home celebrating Fathers Day just 1 week before. Joan's 3 children are with her now, & I am staying in Las Cruces to be the local contact. My 4 sons are hanging with Lee's brother's 2 girls, along with Ben's wife & Simon's girlfriend, "cousining" (if I can make their close relationship into a verb). They are all Christians, finding strength in each other & the Lord. Lee has a sister who was in Louisiana visiting her 3 children there when this happened. Thank the Lord for tight families.
The Rawson's are well known & respected in this community, moving here in 1959, & we have lots of support for everyone in town. I am not alone. When Lee & I heard the news, we were in Lake Tahoe with Caleb for a Builders Trust board meeting. Also there was another couple I knew there from college Bible study days, Marc & Bernie White. They brought us home while Lee flew immediately to Moline. We see God's hand protecting, providing & planning all over this tragedy, & we know this was no "accident." Barney is in heaven with his Lord & Savior. He would want us to forgive the couple who hit him head-on. He would tell that couple this was the time to turn their lives around, to make good of this tragedy. We will not be embittered, will not give Satan the satisfaction of miring us in a blame game. Please pray for us all: for recovery for Joan, for focus on what must be done to go forward, for our many combined businesses to continue without leaders, for the many "little things" that threaten to blow up daily, & mostly for our witness to the Lord Who saved each of us & loves us no matter how things look from this perspective.
Thank you all for your love through the years.
Moira Rawson
Sunday June 24
My parents were driving west at approx 30-35 mph, speed limit was 35.
East bound car driven by 21 year old male was traveling at a high rate of speed and crossed the center line, creating a head on collision. This driver and his female passenger receive little injuries. It appears that he was drag racing and there was another car involved that never stopped. This car crossed the center line about 30 feet before the impact. There were NO skid marks and Dad had absolutely no chance to avoid the impact. There was a slight curve in the road, which appears that the driver could not negotiate at that speed. The previous stop light for this car was about 1/2 mile down the road.
The impact cause the Lincoln my Dad was driving to be pushed back 100' from the point of impact, by a car weighing about 700# less.
My Dad died almost instantly on my Mother's lab.
They were pinned in this position until the jaws of life could remove them.
I haven't seem my Dad, but I understand he doesn't look good with the mangling.
Most of my Mother's injuries were caused by my Dad's impact on hitting her.
Mom sustained some internal head bleeding, as well as external bruises and swelling. After being taken to the Moline hospital, where there was not neuro-surgeon on call, she was transferred 1-1/2 hours by ambulance to the Trauma I center in Peoria.
My parents were celebrating their 55th wedding anniversary on Friday.
My Dad was born in Moline and the accident is only about 15 blocks from the home he was taken to after birth and where he was raised.
They had just finished visiting with his aunt, who lives a block away from where he grew up, and his cousin's wife. Last time he was there, he replaced a door lock and glued some of her chairs back together. The evening of the accident he had measured her medicine cabinet and was going to replace it the next morning.
His cousin, who was in Los Angeles for a seminar, is the only neuron-surgeon in Moline and would have been the one to work on my Mom.
Mom's condition is as follows with each report more encouraging:
The bleeding in her head appears to have stopped and the swelling is going down.
She has a lacerated kidney. This bleeding also appears to have stopped and the current expectation is that it should heal up fine. We have yet to get a thorough assessment of the fluid by-product.
She has a fractured #2 (?) vertebrae in her neck. This should heal with no permanent damage over time. She will need to maintain a neck brace for approximately 2 months.
She has several broken ribs on her left side, which they can't do much about, but they should eventually heal on their own.
Her left ankle was broken and had to have surgery on early in the morning. This ankle had a wide gash and cut almost to the bone. She has the external "erecter-set" as I call it on the outside. She will keep this on for about 12 weeks and it is the area where she is presently experiencing the most pain.
Her left arm and hand were on the arm rest and took a great deal of the impact. She has always bruised easily, yielding large cuts and bleeding. This complete arm is a real mess up to and including the shoulder. At first, they were planning on doing surgery on her left hand, primarily due to some finger issues. The specialist hand doctor came in this evening and said all was fine. She can
move all fingers easily at this point.
She experiences considerable pain every 2 hours, when they roll her from side to side as the morphine runs out.
She is not able to support herself at all on the left side, making it difficult to determine when and how she can return to Las Cruces.
Her return is essential before we will have the funeral for my Dad. Expectation is around 2 weeks at best.
We are hoping she will be out of the hospital and into rehab (not for drugs) within several days.
Her spirit is encouraging, although she admits she probably won't start to deal with Dad's death until she returns HOME!
She will most likely move to the Mountain View Rehab Center in Las Cruces on her return.
My brother, George, and I will most likely stay here for 2 weeks (?) until she can travel home. George's wife, Yvonne, is with us and my sister Kay and her husband Joe are on there way to Peoria.
The prayers and support from each of you and many others have been a real blessing.
WQAD TV did a live shooting on this scene this evening.
http://www.wqad.com/Global/story.asp?S=6707297&nav=1sW7
http://www.wqad.com/Global/story.asp?S=6705597&nav=1sW7
You can see their is not much left of the front of the Lincoln on the driver's side.
God is good all the time!
Dad didn't suffer!
He died where he was born.
He died in his beloved's arms
Jesus is his Savior!
Lee Rawson
East bound car driven by 21 year old male was traveling at a high rate of speed and crossed the center line, creating a head on collision. This driver and his female passenger receive little injuries. It appears that he was drag racing and there was another car involved that never stopped. This car crossed the center line about 30 feet before the impact. There were NO skid marks and Dad had absolutely no chance to avoid the impact. There was a slight curve in the road, which appears that the driver could not negotiate at that speed. The previous stop light for this car was about 1/2 mile down the road.
The impact cause the Lincoln my Dad was driving to be pushed back 100' from the point of impact, by a car weighing about 700# less.
My Dad died almost instantly on my Mother's lab.
They were pinned in this position until the jaws of life could remove them.
I haven't seem my Dad, but I understand he doesn't look good with the mangling.
Most of my Mother's injuries were caused by my Dad's impact on hitting her.
Mom sustained some internal head bleeding, as well as external bruises and swelling. After being taken to the Moline hospital, where there was not neuro-surgeon on call, she was transferred 1-1/2 hours by ambulance to the Trauma I center in Peoria.
My parents were celebrating their 55th wedding anniversary on Friday.
My Dad was born in Moline and the accident is only about 15 blocks from the home he was taken to after birth and where he was raised.
They had just finished visiting with his aunt, who lives a block away from where he grew up, and his cousin's wife. Last time he was there, he replaced a door lock and glued some of her chairs back together. The evening of the accident he had measured her medicine cabinet and was going to replace it the next morning.
His cousin, who was in Los Angeles for a seminar, is the only neuron-surgeon in Moline and would have been the one to work on my Mom.
Mom's condition is as follows with each report more encouraging:
The bleeding in her head appears to have stopped and the swelling is going down.
She has a lacerated kidney. This bleeding also appears to have stopped and the current expectation is that it should heal up fine. We have yet to get a thorough assessment of the fluid by-product.
She has a fractured #2 (?) vertebrae in her neck. This should heal with no permanent damage over time. She will need to maintain a neck brace for approximately 2 months.
She has several broken ribs on her left side, which they can't do much about, but they should eventually heal on their own.
Her left ankle was broken and had to have surgery on early in the morning. This ankle had a wide gash and cut almost to the bone. She has the external "erecter-set" as I call it on the outside. She will keep this on for about 12 weeks and it is the area where she is presently experiencing the most pain.
Her left arm and hand were on the arm rest and took a great deal of the impact. She has always bruised easily, yielding large cuts and bleeding. This complete arm is a real mess up to and including the shoulder. At first, they were planning on doing surgery on her left hand, primarily due to some finger issues. The specialist hand doctor came in this evening and said all was fine. She can
move all fingers easily at this point.
She experiences considerable pain every 2 hours, when they roll her from side to side as the morphine runs out.
She is not able to support herself at all on the left side, making it difficult to determine when and how she can return to Las Cruces.
Her return is essential before we will have the funeral for my Dad. Expectation is around 2 weeks at best.
We are hoping she will be out of the hospital and into rehab (not for drugs) within several days.
Her spirit is encouraging, although she admits she probably won't start to deal with Dad's death until she returns HOME!
She will most likely move to the Mountain View Rehab Center in Las Cruces on her return.
My brother, George, and I will most likely stay here for 2 weeks (?) until she can travel home. George's wife, Yvonne, is with us and my sister Kay and her husband Joe are on there way to Peoria.
The prayers and support from each of you and many others have been a real blessing.
WQAD TV did a live shooting on this scene this evening.
http://www.wqad.com/Global/story.asp?S=6707297&nav=1sW7
http://www.wqad.com/Global/story.asp?S=6705597&nav=1sW7
You can see their is not much left of the front of the Lincoln on the driver's side.
God is good all the time!
Dad didn't suffer!
He died where he was born.
He died in his beloved's arms
Jesus is his Savior!
Lee Rawson
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)