Prayers Needed...

My father-in-law, Mike, just prior to his PSP diagnosis, and my husband, Chris.



Chris is recuperating from a very nasty intestinal virus. It hasn't been a fun weekend, bless his heart. In fact, just to better ensure that neither the girls nor I would come down with it, Chris has been banned from sleeping upstairs the past several nights. I know I'm a meanie, but trust me, it isn't something I would wish on anyone!

Apparently, Chris contracted the virus from his mother when he stopped by for a visit last week when he was in South Carolina. She fell ill the day he got to their house. Well, my mother-in-law called early this morning and said my father-in-law had been admitted to the hospital with the same horrible virus. It's a different situation altogether with him because he has a disease called PSP (Progressive Supranuclear Palsy). It's a neurodegenerative disease that robs one of the ability to walk, eat, speak, swallow, and live independently. PSP is the disease that took the life of actor Dudley Moore. It's a pretty rare disease, so not much is known about it. There is no cure and no one knows what causes it.

My father-in-law is still at home with his wife, Diane. She and my brother-in-law are the primary caregivers. They do have a lady who comes in five days a week to help out; she is such a blessing. The progression of this disease has been very rapid. In just a couple of years, my father-in-law has gone from being very active to being completely bed-ridden and tube-fed. He cannot communicate, at all, other than an occasional grunt. He needs assistance with everything. The mind remains intact, so there is an awareness of everything that's happening to his body, yet he can't do anything about it. It has been one of the most heart-wrenching transformations I've ever witnessed.

So, the reason he's in the hospital is because he developed pneumonia from having the virus. When someone has PSP, it's very easy to aspirate, thus the need to be watched over closely for the next several days. So, I ask for prayers for him, as well as for my mother-in-law and brother-in-law, who is very sick, too. I appreciate it so much and I'll keep you posted.