Joshua Gomez Update
M@rlene
7PM Saturday, July 7
Josh continues to improve slowly. He is getting very aggravated about being on his back and not being able to walk. He keeps trying to get me to lift him up out of bed and get him to his feet. Of course, I tell him he cannot do that just yet.
At 1:00 PM today, they pulled the respiratory tube from his throat. He has continued breathing on his own throughout the day without a trach. We must now monitor how much he labors in his breathing to see if he will need one. We have been praying that he will be able to continue to breathe on his own. If he does not get a trach, it means that his lungs have improved that much and his body has healed where his lungs can take deep enough breaths to oxygenate. Josh did speak to us after they removed the tube; however, he was given a sedative for him to sleep because they want the throat to heal after being so dry.
Josh wants hugs and kisses from Carla and Ashley…his “girls!” I’ve been teasing him that he’s been loving on his mom and sister so much. Why doesn’t he want to love on his dad like that? He enjoys my teasing and the time that we spend with him. Please continue to pray for Josh. We don’t know where he is at mentally. We want to be careful about getting our hopes up too high. It will be a long process before we have clear answers regarding his condition.
Thank you so much for your prayers which we know are coming from all over the world by so many of you who love and care about Josh and the Gomez family. We are so grateful to each and every one of you.
For His glory,
Dr. & Mrs. Keith & Carla Gomez
http://www.parkavenuebc.com/
M@rlene
9AM Monday, July 9
I slipped away on Saturday, July 7th, to come back and preach in my pulpit for the first time in three Sundays. I have been at my son’s side for 21 days. I boarded a plane in Sacramento at 11:11 AM, and before I had reached Chicago, the doctors had already removed the respiratory tube. They told Josh not to talk because of how sore and raw his throat is where the tube had been inserted for so long. Of course, he wanted to talk, and Carla and Ashley had to tell him to stop. The fine nurse who we witnessed to told us she is a Christian and teaches a 2nd and 3rd grade girls’ Sunday School class. She took her vacation to work Vacation Bible School this week; that is the type of personnel that God has put over my son as his nurses. She had promised Josh that if he would be a good boy and breathe, she would sit him up in a chair! He has become very restless in his legs and movements since he’s been off the pain medication, and he is more conscious of his surroundings.
Saturday at 3PM, they actually had Josh sitting up in a chair for 45 minutes, until he said he was tired and hurting. The nurses and doctors who passed by the ICU room stopped, backed up and said, “Is that the boy who was in that bed in such bad shape?” The nurse reminds all of them that this was a miracle from God because of the multitudes of 1000’s who have been praying for this boy. I would like to praise the Lord for His goodness and also let you praise Him for answered prayer.
There is so much that was not done to him that we were told had to be done. For instance, we were told Josh would have to have total reconstruction of his face with titanium plates and screws. Some of this was done, but very little. They did not have to wire his jaw shut for months, as they originally told us. Upon closer examination, they felt there was no need to do so. The pneumonia was supposed to add many more weeks to his ICU stay, which we’ve learned is not the case now. They told us on Wednesday of last week, that he absolutely needed a blood transfusion and refused to allow us to use our family blood. They said that would be impossible. We told them we would pray that Josh would not need a blood transfusion then. He did not need one!
As I just stated, they said there would be many more weeks in ICU; however I received a phone call from Carla (on Sunday) and they are now talking about putting him in a room of his own and starting rehabilitation today (Monday)! All of this has transpired so fast that it is astonishing, not only to the doctors, but to us also. Josh has written lengthy thank you notes to the doctors and nurses, telling them how much he appreciates what they have done for him. At the end of one of those notes he wrote, “I go now, okay?” and then signed his name. He is constantly reaching out for his older brother, Jason, thinking that Jason might be in the room on his blind side. He told Carla on Sunday, “I need my daddy. He brings me strength. Where is my daddy? I need his strength.”
To God be the glory for all these things that have been manifested in this boy’s life…the good, the bad, the ugly! Our lives should bring glory to our Savior, and this is what we want with regard to this whole incident. There is still a long road ahead. Please do not slack up on your prayers. I read without fail every note sent to us and every note written in the Caring Bridge website. I thank God for each and every one of you, and I love you very much. Thank you for all that you have done for us.
Still sincerely praying for my son,
Dr. & Mrs. Keith & Carla Gomez
Kate Plourde
Kate
Prov. 3:5-6
-------------- Original message --------------
From: "M@rlene" <mar....@verizon.net>
9AM Monday, July 9
I slipped away on Saturday, July 7th, to come back and preach in my pulpit for the first time in three Sundays. I have been at my son's side for 21 days. I boarded a plane in Sacramento at 11:11 AM, and before I had reached Chicago, the doctors had already removed the respiratory tube. They told Josh not to talk because of how sore and raw his throat is where the tube had been inserted for so long. Of course, he wanted to talk, and Carla and Ashley had to tell him to stop. The fine nurse who we witnessed to told us she is a Christian and teaches a 2nd and 3rd grade girls' Sunday School class. She took her vacation to work Vacation Bible School this week; that is the type of personnel that God has put over my son as his nurses. She had promised Josh that if he would be a good boy and breathe, she would sit him up in a chair! He has become very restless in his legs and movements since he's been off the pain medication, and he is more conscious of his surroundings.
Saturday at 3PM, they actually had Josh sitting up in a chair for 45 minutes, until he said he was tired and hurting. The nurses and doctors who passed by the ICU room stopped, backed up and said, "Is that the boy who was in that bed in such bad shape?" The nurse reminds all of them that this was a miracle from God because of the multitudes of 1000's who have been praying for this boy. I would like to praise the Lord for His goodness and also let you praise Him for answered prayer.
There is so much that was not done to him that we were told had to be done. For instance, we were told Josh would have to have total reconstruction of his face with titanium plates and screws. Some of this was done, but very little. They did not have to wire his jaw shut for months, as they originally told us. Upon closer examination, they felt there was no need to do so. The pneumonia was supposed to add many more weeks to his ICU stay, which we've learned is not the case now. They told us on Wednesday of last week, that he absolutely needed a blood transfusion and refused to allow us to use our family blood. They said that would be impossible. We told them we would pray that Josh would not need a blood transfusion then. He did not need one!
As I just stated, they said there would be many more weeks in ICU; however I received a phone call from Carla (on Sunday) and they are now talking about putting him in a room of his own and starting rehabilitation today (Monday)! All of this has transpired so fast that it is astonishing, not only to the doctors, but to us also. Josh has written lengthy thank you notes to the doctors and nurses, telling them how much he appreciates what they have done for him. At the end of one of those notes he wrote, "I go now, okay?" and then signed his name. He is constantly reaching out for his older brother, Jason, thinking that Jason might be in the room on his blind side. He told Carla on Sunday, "I need my daddy. He brings me strength. Where is my daddy? I need his strength."
To God be the glory for all these things that have been manifested in this boy's life...the good, the bad, the ugly! Our lives should bring glory to our Savior, and this is what we want with regard to this whole incident. There is still a long road ahead. Please do not slack up on your prayers. I read without fail every note sent to us and every note written in the Caring Bridge website. I thank God for each and every one of you, and I love you very much. Thank you for all that you have done for us.
Still sincerely praying for my son,
Dr. & Mrs. Keith & Carla Gomez
M@rlene
http://www.parkavenuebc.com/
M@rlene
9AM Thursday, July 12
Josh has made remarkable progress since Saturday when I returned to Chicago for the week. All tubes have been removed and he is only receiving pain medication as he needs it. Mrs. Gomez and Ashley were in his room yesterday while he was receiving his therapy treatments. He walked from his bed to the door and back twice! They had him sit in a chair next to his bed for awhile, which he wasn’t happy about. He wanted to sit on the edge of his bed and kept pestering his mom and sister to allow him to do so. They insisted that he needed the support of the chair for his back. He said, “I’m trying to be nice to you guys. You better stop telling me what to do. You’re not the doctors!” At this point, Mrs. Gomez moves over to the window and comments to Josh how nice it is outside. While she does that, Josh is whispering to Ashley to move over so he can sit down on the edge of the bed next to her! He is still up to his antics!
Josh knows that Mrs. Gomez is staying there in a hotel in Sacramento. He keeps telling her, “Drive me out of here. Take me to the hotel with you.” He still thinks that I am there with them in Sacramento. He insists that he has just seen me there! Josh also continues to reach out for Jason, thinking that Jason is with him. He’s struggling with perception of time right now. Mrs. Gomez says he will often associate people that he sees there with those that he has known for years. He’ll insist that he’s just seen “so-and-so.”
The rehabilitation is going well. They would like to get him into an acute rehab place so his rehabilitation would progress faster. The doctors are willing to work with him so he could recover more quickly. Josh tries to pry his right eye open and they’ve explained he must let the eye open on its own.
Josh is certainly remembering things that Mrs. Gomez and Ashley are saying to him. On Tuesday night at 10:30 PM, Mrs. Gomez received a phone call at her hotel room from Josh’ nurse. Josh insisted that the nurse call his mom because he remembered that Mrs. Gomez promised she’d be back later in the evening to visit him and he wanted to know why she hadn’t shown up. Mrs. Gomez explained to him that she and Ashley had been there, but he’d been sleeping. They stayed for some time and then came to the hotel room and went to bed. Earlier in the week, Ashley had mentioned to Josh that she’d check with the nurses to see if she could bring him a Jamba Juice the following morning. When she walked in the next day, he wanted to know where the Jamba Juice was that she’d promised him! Josh is only able to eat soft foods right now and this is not satisfying him! For those of you who know what a wonderful cook he is, he feels it’s time to eat some real food. He keeps telling his mom that in a little while they are all going to go to Chili’s Restaurant!
Mrs. Gomez says he is so very polite and courteous to the doctors and nurses thanking everyone for everything they are doing for him. Josh is not quite sure how old he is. They were having a conversation the other day and he asked his mom what grade he was in. She told him that he had already graduated. He seemed very happy about that.
The doctors are talking that they may release him at some point soon especially if they are able to get him into the acute care rehab for physical therapy. Please continue to pray for Josh as the Lord heals his body. Thank you, everyone, for all that you have done for us and especially, for your prayers on behalf of my son.
Sincerely for His Glory!
Dr. & Mrs. Keith and Carla Gomez
Kate Plourde
Kate
Prov. 3:5-6
-------------- Original message --------------
From: "M@rlene" <mar....@verizon.net>
M@rlene
5PM Friday, July 13
Thank you to everyone who has posted a note on the Caring Bridge site. And thank you to all of you precious folks who just check in for the updates. Again, I want to thank you from the depths of my soul for your love and your care for our son and my family. Words escape me to explain the seriousness of the accident; yet here we are about 30 days later and they are actually talking of releasing him as soon as he completes a short two-week rehabilitation plus two weeks of observation after the rehabilitation! To say this is a modern-day miracle is an understatement. God has not only been good to us answering our prayers, but He has gone beyond and has done exceedingly and abundantly more than what we had even asked or thought.
Because of Josh not having health insurance since he was still in the probationary period as a new employee, the insurance companies would limit the type of hospitalization and rehab that he would receive. However, in Josh’s case, they have given him the absolute best and now the doctors who are treating him dictate the type of rehab he will receive. To be admitted into the Acute Trauma Center, which is considered a fast-forward, fast-paced rehab program, one must first be recommended by the physicians and then have the high quality insurance to cover it. In Josh’s case, they waived that type of insurance and the doctors demanded that he be put in this program. Again this is a miracle in itself. How could someone on death’s door 30 days ago, be at the point where Josh is at this time? This fact stretches my imagination! BUT GOD!!
Josh still fades in and out, and because of this, he will do and say some pretty funny things. For instance, he told the nurse that she needed to kick up the heat; he was freezing in this airplane!! And yet, at other times, when the nurses will ask him where he is, he will tell them the name of the hospital, the date and the year. So, he comes and goes. Dr. & Mrs. Sam Reed from Trinity Baptist Church in Arlington, TX, stopped in the other day while on vacation to visit Josh. As soon as Josh saw Brother Sam and his wife, Gayla, he knew them. Josh grabbed Brother Sam’s finger and ran it over his head and said, “Can you feel the holes in my head?” He did the same with Mrs. Reed. The boy next to Josh was also in a motorcycle accident. There is a curtain between their beds. Josh cannot get up so he asked Brother Sam to go talk to John. He wanted Sam to witness to John. On another occasion, this same John was using very base profanity because he wanted a cigarette. This was being done in front of my wife and my daughter. Josh yelled at him and told him if he didn’t cut it out, he would get out of his bed and kick his “posterior!” So it seems like he still knows that he should protect his mom and sister from such trash.
He admitted to Jason, his brother, yesterday that he had been living on the edge and it caught up with him. He made the statement, “I really messed up, didn’t I?” This means he comprehends what happened. He knows there is something wrong with his right eye and that he may lose it. But, to understand that this young man has come from death’s door is a blessing of Biblical proportions!
Our church was built upon the Lord and I am delighted to say that even while I was in California at my son’s side for three weeks, we still had 65 people who walked the aisles for salvation and 29 people for baptism at Northwest Bible Baptist Church during that time. Thank the Lord for His goodness to us! I also want to thank the Lord for His goodness to the Gomez’ family and for all the great friends and loved ones that have been in contact by way of the Caring Bridge, letters and phone calls!
I love you!
Sincerely,
Dr. Keith Gomez
M@rlene
8PM Saturday, July 14
Josh has now been moved to the Acute Therapy where he should begin his treatments on Monday for three hours every day. Once again, it is a miracle that he got into this program. I was told that it is a full-scale gym. This will be very tedious on him for three hours each day.
My son-in-law, John Martin, flew into Sacramento yesterday. My older son, Jason, and my wife, Carla, picked him up at the airport. They wanted to play a joke on John, so they told Joshua that when he saw John walk into his room, he was to act like he didn’t know John and pretend that he never knew him! Well, as soon as Josh saw John, he blurted out, “How is my ole’ buddy doing? It’s so good to see you!” Josh forgot to forget! There was disappointment on Mrs. Gomez face when she realized that he has such short-range memory. I am sure we will be working on this in time.
Josh was able to take a shower today. His brother helped him as Josh sat on a cushiony seat in the shower. Needless to say, he had a lot of blood caked on his head and in his hair, etc. The shower certainly helped him feel better and he went back to sleep afterward. It seems like the most minor tasks really zap his energy away, but you must understand the atrophy that the muscles in his body have experienced by lying in bed for 30 days. Carla went out and bought him some tennis shoes, sweat pants, and tee shirts so he will be able to do his therapy.
As we stated on the last update, Josh has two weeks of extensive, fast-forward type therapy and then he will be an outpatient and observed by us for 2 weeks. So this means about another month in Sacramento. Please pray that we would be able to find a little place to stay this month rather than staying at the hotel where we have been for the last 30 days at $100 a day. I want to be frugal, so please pray that God will open something up for us.
I want to take this opportunity again to thank all of you who have called and especially those who have written notes on the Caring Bridge website. If you have not posted on the site yet, it would be wonderful if you could do so. We are compiling a book for Josh of all the notes from this Caring Bridge site so he can read through all of them when he is able. I want to especially thank those of you who sent love offerings to help defer some of the extra expenses.
I love you and thank you for loving us back!
Sincerely, your friend,
Dr. & Mrs. Keith & Carla Gomez