MARCH 17 / 18 / 19

The "post-surgery" days..... Eman is extremely weak physically and in a lot of pain and discomfort. He is finally starting to sleep a bit. The first ten days he would nod off for 3-5 minutes and then be jolted awake by lung pain. Now he sleeps for like an hour before waking up. We are trying to rotate him on his right side, his "good side" [his left side has the bullet wound/lung drain incision wound/bruised ribs]. It takes about three of us to do this as it is excrutiatingly painful for him. It is dangerous for him to be on his back for so much time as pressure sores develop, he already has some. We are taking turns being with him 24/7 including sleeping overnight. With each visit we smuggle in natural juices, yogurts and vitamins, he cannot eat most of the hospital food. We are carefully observing the nurses procedures with him; sponge baths, toileting, wound dressing, medicating. In a few days WE will be responsible for all of this ourselves. On the 18th we meet again with Dr.Monteiro; They plan to release him on Thursday. He will try to arrange for an ambulance to bring Eman home. Every day we are "working on" Eman's legs; massaging, gentle exercising, stimulating in every way possible. He can feel everything we are doing to him. In addition his legs/feet move on their own, involuntarily, several times a day. This is very encouraging as it means the "signals" from the brain to his legs are getting through his damaged spinal cord. Eman needs immediate rehabilitation therapy. Several people have indicated that the "Sarah Kubitschek" rehabilitation center would be the VERY BEST place for Eman to begin physio therapy. [There is one in Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro & Curitiba] Friends of ours are trying to get him admitted. Please pray that we can get hold of the right people and God will do the miracle we need to open a door there. We are preparing the house for Eman's return home.