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Dear Family and Friends,

With thanksgiving to the Lord we report that dad/grandpa was able to go home today.  What a difference a few days makes.  Once the abdominal catheter was removed last Thursday and dad/grandpa got a few dialysis treatments under his belt,  things have improved steadily.

Dad/grandpa will still need care in the home and we are now working through how to get him to and from his thrice weekly dialysis treatments in Stoney Creek (dad/grandpa thinks he'll be able to drive himself in a week or so!). Aunt Heidi, who has been a very special blessing for dad/grandpa during these trying times, is spending a good part of today and tomorrow with dad and mom and we hope to have community nursing care begin in the near future characterized by a few visits each day from a nurse.

Earlier this evening I spoke with him on his speaker phone as he sat at his table eating supper with mom/grandma and (Aunt) Heidi.   I mentioned something about a king and immediately picked up no my suggestion and admitted that he felt like a king - with every need being met  by his dear wife and daughter-in-law, even before he could think of them.

To our family and friends in Canada, The Netherlands, the USA and Scotland we offer a heart felt thank you for your prayers and encouragement during these last 4 weeks.  Most importantly we thank God for sparing our dear father/grandpa thus far.  There is still some way to go in terms of recovering strength, appetite and mobility but we can certainly see the Lord's supporting arms of love and compassion at work in his and our lives.  As I've written before, it has also been a special blessing to see how the grandchildren stepped forward, some traveling great distances during the night - sitting with and monitoring grandpa, and driving grandma to and from the hospital.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Saturday December 1

Dear Family and Friends,

Dad/Grandpa's appetite is returning and his body is beginning to function normally again.  For this we praise God - an answer to prayer.   Yesterday he got out of bed himself and walked down the hall a bit before returning with his walker - a very good development.

Dad/Grandpa had dialysis this morning.  He is currently getting it three times per week - this week it took place on Tuesday evening, Thursday evening and now this morning.  He is very tired after each dialysis treatment which is to be expected.

I am now sitting with him and he is alternating between reading the paper, snoozing and talking - not unusual at all for him. His humor is in tact.  He looks forward to seeing his grandsons tonight and tomorrow morning (Colin & Ryan).

Thank you for your prayers.  Please continue to pray for his continued recovery and for wisdom for the doctors and family as we consider his future - the return home; the need for support at home; the logistics involved in receiving treatment and the potential need for a move to a facility which provides in-house care.  The family meets with the medical team on Monday afternoon to discuss these questions.  Below is a picture taken by Jackie.