Sunday, August 31, 2008
Eventful Sunday
Don had a great first night home trying out his new shower, having dinner with his family and watching football. Sunday, he went to church and was again welcomed by all who were so very excited to see the miracle they had been praying for. After lunch out, he made the long awaited trip to the farm to see his much loved horses. The neighbors have done a tremendous job keeping up with the horses for the last 3 months. Since Josh has moved home, he and Dale, Don's brother, have spent time loving on Don's horses and I am sure hard work is also involved. A hugh thank you to all the Hillsdale neighbors who have kept Don's dream alive.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Don is home!!
Don arrived late afternoon to many well wishers with cheers and tears. It was an emotional reunion for all. Lots of hugs, words of love and encouragement were shared and Don was very moved by the love expressed by all. Thanks to those of you who live in Olathe and surrounding areas who came and celebrated with us. More news of his visit home and pictures to come.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Homecoming
Bring your lawn chairs, noisemakers, signs and well wishes. Don is coming home tomorrow afternoon. Because of traffic and construction we will try to keep posted on their arrival. They are aiming for 3:30-4:00 so that they can have dinner with Josh before he goes to work. It will be a long trip and Don will be tired, but our noise, happy faces, waves and celebrating of his homecoming will make his day!! Come on out and get ready CELEBRATE!!
kjw
kjw
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
DON IS COMING HOME!
This Saturday, Don is coming home from Lincoln. We are hoping that people will come and line the street to the Eaton home 1003 Lennox. It would be great to make signs, bring noise makers, and wouldn't it be fabulous if the line could go all the way up Sheridan!!
They are aiming between 3:30 and 4:00 and will stay in touch by cell phone. A meal is being planned by their Sunday School class for the family to get a chance to all be together.
We are not sure at this time whether Don will be Olathe for an extended or short visit depending on his therapy needs. I am sure it would do his heart good to be welcomed home after all these months by the people who have prayed for him and followed his story on the blog. Please share the news!
kjw
They are aiming between 3:30 and 4:00 and will stay in touch by cell phone. A meal is being planned by their Sunday School class for the family to get a chance to all be together.
We are not sure at this time whether Don will be Olathe for an extended or short visit depending on his therapy needs. I am sure it would do his heart good to be welcomed home after all these months by the people who have prayed for him and followed his story on the blog. Please share the news!
kjw
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Barbara made a quick trip home this weekend to take care of business matters and check out the work on the house to prep for Don to come home. The shower is nearly finished and the bathroom adaptations to finish up this week. Please keep checking the blog as this week may have some exciting news. Don is anxious to return home and we are very excited that he may be coming SOON!
kjw
kjw
Monday, August 18, 2008
Monday, August 18, 2008
We are receiving many emails about raising money to help the Eatons with medical expenses, paying for insurance when they have to purchase it on their own in November, and helping them not loose their house.
We are working on a fund raiser and hope to have more details soon. Please share the blog with anyone you know who has been a part of MNU, Don and Barbara's former churches, friends of the auction, MNU donor friends and people in Olathe who have loved them and been a part of their lives. Many of these people may not know about Don's stroke and miraculous recovery.
Don and Barbara have ministered to others for many years and MNU has benefited greatly from their dedication to the auction. Don has a wonderful gift of talking to people one on one and has raised a great deal of money for MNU. His devotion and love for the university is well-known.
Please feel free to email ideas to kathy.walter@sbcglobal.net
I learned today that College Church had an annointing service yesterday and Don was represented. They also had a fasting day today from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM for all the sick of the congregation and many particpated and prayed for Don. Thanks be to God for the faithfulness of His people.
kjw
We are working on a fund raiser and hope to have more details soon. Please share the blog with anyone you know who has been a part of MNU, Don and Barbara's former churches, friends of the auction, MNU donor friends and people in Olathe who have loved them and been a part of their lives. Many of these people may not know about Don's stroke and miraculous recovery.
Don and Barbara have ministered to others for many years and MNU has benefited greatly from their dedication to the auction. Don has a wonderful gift of talking to people one on one and has raised a great deal of money for MNU. His devotion and love for the university is well-known.
Please feel free to email ideas to kathy.walter@sbcglobal.net
I learned today that College Church had an annointing service yesterday and Don was represented. They also had a fasting day today from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM for all the sick of the congregation and many particpated and prayed for Don. Thanks be to God for the faithfulness of His people.
kjw
Friday, August 15, 2008
Friday, August 15, 2008
Work has begun on the Eaton home to get ready for Don to come home. A shower is being added to the laundry room because we have been told that Don is a "3 shower a day man". This will make things much easier. Thanks so much to Stuart Clark and his crew. Barbara is spending the weekend in Lincoln and both Barbara and Don would love to read some messages on the blog. Is there anyone out there who can top 3 showers a day?
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Wednesday, August 13
Don is continuing to make such good progress that insurance is giving him more time for inpatient rehab. His walking is getting better every day and today his right arm was tingling so much that he had to sit down and take a rest from his therapy. HIS ARM IS WAKING UP! Thanks be to God. He is also spending time working on stairs which is wonderful since neither his home or office at MNU have elevator access to his bedroom ( at the house) or office ( at MNU).
Work began today on the house to make sure all bathrooms and doorways are ready for Don's return home. A huge thanks to Stuart Clark and his crew.
There have been some ideas shared with us about ways to help the Eatons. Keep those ideas coming. kathy.walter@sbcglobal.net
We will of course want to plan a welcome home! I am sure he will be so glad to be out of the hospital.
Work began today on the house to make sure all bathrooms and doorways are ready for Don's return home. A huge thanks to Stuart Clark and his crew.
There have been some ideas shared with us about ways to help the Eatons. Keep those ideas coming. kathy.walter@sbcglobal.net
We will of course want to plan a welcome home! I am sure he will be so glad to be out of the hospital.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Sunday, August 10, 2008
This was a fun weekend for Don. His brother Dale and his wife, Don's mother Mary and Britney took him out on the town in Lincoln. Barbara was home again this weekend taking care of business matters.
Sometime during the week the messages were erased on the phone at the house and Barbara feels bad that people may have called and she can't retrieve the messages. I assured her everyone would understand.
This weekend has had good and bad news. The good news is that Stuart Clark is going to come in this week and take care of all the handicap needs for the bathrooms so that when Don comes home things will be ready.
The tough news is that it appears they will need to sell the house and find another place to live by November when Don's short term disability is gone. This of course is quite hard for the whole family. Please pray for them as they face all that will be ahead, selling furniture and the house, looking for a different place in these economic times. We are in the process of brainstorming ideas and what can be done to help them at this crossroad.
Don enjoys reading the blog and it has been suggested that he would love to hear about what is going on in your lives. Email is nearly impossible to access, but he can get on the blog. Please write to him about you and what is happening in your family. That would be a blessing to him. If you know someone in or near Lincoln that could visit Don and Barbara, that would be great also.
The family continues to appreciate all the prayers, cards and expressions of love and care during these days.
kjw
Sometime during the week the messages were erased on the phone at the house and Barbara feels bad that people may have called and she can't retrieve the messages. I assured her everyone would understand.
This weekend has had good and bad news. The good news is that Stuart Clark is going to come in this week and take care of all the handicap needs for the bathrooms so that when Don comes home things will be ready.
The tough news is that it appears they will need to sell the house and find another place to live by November when Don's short term disability is gone. This of course is quite hard for the whole family. Please pray for them as they face all that will be ahead, selling furniture and the house, looking for a different place in these economic times. We are in the process of brainstorming ideas and what can be done to help them at this crossroad.
Don enjoys reading the blog and it has been suggested that he would love to hear about what is going on in your lives. Email is nearly impossible to access, but he can get on the blog. Please write to him about you and what is happening in your family. That would be a blessing to him. If you know someone in or near Lincoln that could visit Don and Barbara, that would be great also.
The family continues to appreciate all the prayers, cards and expressions of love and care during these days.
kjw
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Don's therapy at Madonna in Lincoln is going well. The following is an update from Britney who made a visit over the weekend and is back this weekend as well.
This week don has been able to use a special treadmill that has the ability to take some weight off his legs so he can practice his walking. It is a very popular piece of equipment and so he is going to use it 1 hour 2 days this week. He is very close to walking on his own. It is amazing and exciting to think that will happen. Britney was able to spend some time in the gym with him on Saturday. He worked for 20 minutes on the step machine which is twice the time he normally spends. He also went back later in the day and did 15 minutes. He is really focused on making progress. They are using electric stimulation and exercise on his arm to help with muscle tone. They were able to spend some time on the computer. He was quick to let Britney know that they were reading old news on the news site. His speech is improving and more sounds are being added to his list to work on.
With one exception, Dad is younger by more than 20 years than the other patients but he is in good spirits.
Thanks to all for you words of encouragment and prayers.
This week don has been able to use a special treadmill that has the ability to take some weight off his legs so he can practice his walking. It is a very popular piece of equipment and so he is going to use it 1 hour 2 days this week. He is very close to walking on his own. It is amazing and exciting to think that will happen. Britney was able to spend some time in the gym with him on Saturday. He worked for 20 minutes on the step machine which is twice the time he normally spends. He also went back later in the day and did 15 minutes. He is really focused on making progress. They are using electric stimulation and exercise on his arm to help with muscle tone. They were able to spend some time on the computer. He was quick to let Britney know that they were reading old news on the news site. His speech is improving and more sounds are being added to his list to work on.
With one exception, Dad is younger by more than 20 years than the other patients but he is in good spirits.
Thanks to all for you words of encouragment and prayers.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Barbara has been in Olathe this weekend after having spent the last several days with Don in Nebraska. The Madonna team, Don and Barbara have been working hard to carry on Don’s progress. Besides mobility, speech and language continue to be points of significant focus. While Don is able to take in information, both spoken and written, his ability to respond as he would like is limited. Please pray for yet more miraculous intervention in this area.
While this journal of Don’s progress has not addressed the topic of finances to any great extent, some have asked about this vital matter. As you probably know, Don’s work at the University has been the family’s primary source of income and benefits for some time. Up until now, Don has been using heretofore unused vacation, sick leave, and personal time. It appears that within a few days that will be exhausted, and Don will be placed on 90 day short-term disability, which will run concurrently with FMLA benefits. During these 90 days Don and Barbara will have salary and benefits continued. However, at the end of these 90 days, long-term disability will begin, which means a reduction of 40% of salary. It also means that health benefits will only be continued to the extent Don and Barbara can pay the COBRA premiums. Most of us would find the challenge of reduced income and increased health premiums a source of anxiety. Don and Barbara are no exception!
This 90 day disability benefit would have already begun had it not been for the donation of five additional vacation days from one of Don’s fellow employees. (The University’s Director of Human Resources indicated the organization has a policy of not allowing solicitation of these types of vacation day donations, so we are not sure how others may be able to also donate any days, even if they wanted to.)
Don and Barbara are grateful that the health plan of the University has generously covered the considerable expenses related to this type of illness. They are also fortunate that Don had several unused days reserved which could now be tapped. However, as these resources are exhausted, and the future holds the likelihood of continued need for health care services, there is growing apprehension. Every avenue of income and benefit resource is being explored.
We all need to be praying that Don’s strength and capacity to communicate improves to the point he can return to his assignment. As one friend of the family has already noted, God obviously still has plans for Don. And we know from scripture that God’s plans are for a future of hope and purpose, not for harm.
God is still greater than the setbacks of life. (That is easier to write or read than it is to live!) Pray with us that HIS plan will be made clear in these areas of critical life need.
While this journal of Don’s progress has not addressed the topic of finances to any great extent, some have asked about this vital matter. As you probably know, Don’s work at the University has been the family’s primary source of income and benefits for some time. Up until now, Don has been using heretofore unused vacation, sick leave, and personal time. It appears that within a few days that will be exhausted, and Don will be placed on 90 day short-term disability, which will run concurrently with FMLA benefits. During these 90 days Don and Barbara will have salary and benefits continued. However, at the end of these 90 days, long-term disability will begin, which means a reduction of 40% of salary. It also means that health benefits will only be continued to the extent Don and Barbara can pay the COBRA premiums. Most of us would find the challenge of reduced income and increased health premiums a source of anxiety. Don and Barbara are no exception!
This 90 day disability benefit would have already begun had it not been for the donation of five additional vacation days from one of Don’s fellow employees. (The University’s Director of Human Resources indicated the organization has a policy of not allowing solicitation of these types of vacation day donations, so we are not sure how others may be able to also donate any days, even if they wanted to.)
Don and Barbara are grateful that the health plan of the University has generously covered the considerable expenses related to this type of illness. They are also fortunate that Don had several unused days reserved which could now be tapped. However, as these resources are exhausted, and the future holds the likelihood of continued need for health care services, there is growing apprehension. Every avenue of income and benefit resource is being explored.
We all need to be praying that Don’s strength and capacity to communicate improves to the point he can return to his assignment. As one friend of the family has already noted, God obviously still has plans for Don. And we know from scripture that God’s plans are for a future of hope and purpose, not for harm.
God is still greater than the setbacks of life. (That is easier to write or read than it is to live!) Pray with us that HIS plan will be made clear in these areas of critical life need.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
