www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Prayer For my wife facing hip replacement surgery

Brothers and sisters in Christ,

Please pray for my wife, Jan ("Photini") who will be undergoing an unplanned partial hip replacement surgery next Monday, February 11.

Jan had an appointment at Orthopedic and Spine Specialists last Friday morning for what we believed was persistent bursitis in her right hip.

It turns out that she has been walking--in extreme pain--on a fracture of the femur head.

We know that we are being tried in the crucible. She has been part of the journey into Orthodoxy; and, through a variety of circumstances had, as recently as Sunday the 20th begun to help with the leadership of the struggling Choir at Annunciation....a choir which proved to themselves that they can do great things, such as--after 30+ years dependency on an organ--sing a four-part Cherubikon in nearly perfect a capella. The real struggle was walking the many stairs to the balcony on a hip which, at the time she did not know that whe had broken.

But yesterday she needed to stay home. And the many petitions for "the sick and suffering..." took on a layer of meaning which I hadn't felt in a dozen years.

Prayers for Jan, that the Lord God will guide her through a successful partial hip replacement and bestow quick and complete healing.

May the Lord God bless Jan with many years in peace, health and salvation!

Prayers for successful surgery and recovery! (probably having physical therapy at this point).

A quick update:

Surgery went very well; a partial (hemi) hip replacement was all that was needed. The biopsy report came back today, negative for cancer.

Discharge from the surgical hospital was on February 13; with in-home physical therapy beginning right away....by this past Monday (just one week from surgety) back to walking with a cane instead of a walker. Each day gets better.

Thanks for all the prayers!

Praise the Lord for the progress!

Prayers continue.

Prayers continue. A candle was lit in prayer for Jan today!

Thank you.

Recovery is slow. There were signs of infection at the incision 10 days ago which have led to oral antibiotic treatment and an extension of homebound nursing care.

Today was the fifth consecutive Sunday without Communion for her--the longest abstention from the Eucharist since our time in the Catechumenate.

Den kala

For those who do not know Greek, that means “not good.”

Jan has been enduring worsening cellulitis in her right leg which has spread toward the surgical incision. So much so that now there is evidence of infection in the wound itself, which may or may not be caused by the cellulitis.

The underlying cause are Jan’s autoimmune skin disorders, all of which developed many years after contracting mononucleosis when she was nearly 40. The infection is in no way due to any issues with the cleansliness of OSS and/or the thoroughness of the staff.

So tomorrow, Friday the 22nd, she will undergo another surgery at OSS to have the wound cleaned as deeply as necessary. She will be hospitalized at OSS through the weekend, then hopefully discharged to home with a pic line for six weeks of IV antiobiotic therapy.

Even though this is the season for Salutations to the Theotokos these lines from the Small Paraklesis speak well to our need:

“With most grievous diseases and with corrupt passions too, I am put to trial, O Virgin; come to my aid; for I know you to be an inexhaustible treasure of unfailing healing, O only all-blameless one.

Preserve and save, O Theotokos, your servants from every danger; after God do all of us for refuge flee unto you; you are a firm rampart and our protection."

Double prayers for Jan over the weekend.

Lord God, hear and have mercy on Jan. Heal her completely and quickly!

Lord, have mercy!

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother and of all Your Saints have mercy!

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother and of all Your Saints have mercy!

The operation was difficult but successful. Infectious matter that could have filled a grapefruit was removed, but, in the process, she lost a lot of blood. So the hospital stay was longer....not discharged until yesterday.

The PICC line for IV antibiotics was set in place several days ago. I have quickly mastered the 2x day IV care regimen and wound dressing changes that we do just after starting the slow dosing antibiotic "grenade". There is a little flexibility in administration: It does not have to be rigidly at precisely 12 hours but must take place between 11 and 13 hours. So we are massaging the schedule for later administrations on the weekdays to allow for evening Lenten services, then rolling earlier to allow for an earlier start on Sundays.

We could not adjust the schedule to allow me to get to PreSanctified tonight....should be possible next week

Needless to say, this has become a most peculiar Lent.

Because of medical necessity, Jan cannot keep a strict Fast
Because of IV schedules, we cannot pray with the community as desired.
Because of loss of income, we are now on the receiving end of others' alms.

Lord, have mercy.

Prayers continue!

Lord have mercy, and may He hear your prayers for all things.

In Christ,
Alice

Thank you all--pray for continued and increased strength for Jan,
and for continued and GREATLY increased patience for me.

This Lent can barely touch much less grasp even the bottomost rung of +John's Ladder