Update from Lud

February 4th, 2023
It’s almost the end of January, ’23. It feels somewhat similar to the end of January two years ago, when I was recovering from Covid. But this recovery is going slower. It has been three full weeks since being released from the hospital back home. But, as many of you know by now, I was selling my home to move to North Carolina to live closer to my daughter, Tammi, so I didn’t have a home to go to, and I wasn’t in good enough shape to stay with anyone in Ohio. Amazingly, family and friends, cleaned out the house, loaded a POD and their cars, while I stayed in a hotel room to rest. I had severe hick-ups, which made it almost impossible to speak with anyone. Eventually I was able to see the empty house for a couple of hours as the final things were being loaded. The next day, my son Jeff drove me down to NC.
It felt odd to me to not connect with folk, but throughout the hospital stay, hotel stay and even after getting to my daughter’s home, it was just too difficult to talk. It took another week before we could schedule our first Dr’s appointment. Ex-ray and blood tests indicated the infection was still there and needed antibiotic meds, in addition to what I was already taking, and upping the Oxygen I was on to start turning my condition around. That is beginning to happen, but slowly. I am confident you have been praying for me and my family even with limited knowledge of what was happening. Pray that the Drs, nurses and we ourselves monitor the progress well. Also for cooperative weather as we move things into the apartment this weekend and for the sale of the house to be completed. We don’t have to rush with the unpacking and turning my apartment into a home. Our kids and their families need to get back to their normal schedules – they have been very special throughout this rushed process.
I’m planning to hang a banner with EBENEZER emblazed on it. If you’re not familiar with Ebenezer, it’s from the Old Testament book, 1 Samuel 7:12 which tells us Samuel “named a place Ebenezer, saying, ‘Thus far the Lord has helped us.” Because of Samuel’s faithfulness and Israel’s repentance and newfound faith in the one true Lord, “the hand of the Lord was against the enemy all of the days of Samuel” (1 Samuel 7:13).
I appreciate all the texts and emails sent. If you want to touch base, please do so by email or text, talking on the phone is still an issue. Thanks. Lud