Sunday Night

I enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving at the Murdaugh's! Mandy cooked one of the best turkeys I've ever had. And there were more side dishes than you could count!

The house is quite busy as everyone is preparing to bring Dr. Murdaugh home. We all look forward to having him back in Charleston. We are currently working at the VA to make final plans and adjustments to his care plan. - Laura

Thanksgiving came off well. We had a great turn-out from friends and family. Sandy , Marianne, Clay, Aunt Sarah and Ed came in from the upstate. There presence made the day and helped to cushion the work load. Kristen, Michael, and Elizabeth Brackett also contributed to the festivities. Cathie, Mandy and myself are dealing with logistics of med distribution and care management for Dad. We hope to get our schedule and regiment polished.
Thankyou for all the support from those near and far. Your encouragement and prayers have been a great blessing. - Trey

Sunday before HOME

The big day is finally almost here!Mixed feelings as one would expect. It will be nice to get out of the hosp. regiment. Every hosp. gets old after a while. Look forward to home and friends. Your prayers & cards have meant so much over the last 5 months. Marvin
We are 5 right now in the apt. on the hall. Me, Marvin, Mandy, Trey and Laura and planning a great meal. With Trey's help I have been able to look after Marvin since Friday and sleep in his room each night and we both survived! He is looking better each day and all here say he looks happier. We had a Citadel classmate, Barney Siegmund (T Company-'64) visit on Saturday. It was good to see a familar face from the past and to trade old citadel stories.
Cathie

Monday in Chas.

Dear Friends
Trey amd Elizabeth Debrule drove to Augusta on Sat. to bring me home after I had been cautioned not to drive that distance. I have tried to be good for a few days here at home but ...crutches are the pits. No MRI date as yet but I do feel better and hope for the best outcome. Trey and I head back to Augusta to train and move into the apt on the hall. We must to do everything for Marvin for three days so that we can see if we can bring him home. We spoke with Marvin a few minutes ago and he sounded very good. We hope to keep his spirits up with this new date for homecoming. The church ramp team and Mandy did a great job on the ramp in the front yard. It is sturdy and yes even attractive. They moved plants and fit rails so perfectly. They have certainly shown christian love for us in this endeavor.
I looked at my e-mail to see 45 from the class of '64 El Cid. What a group of guys. I read many to Marvin before he fell asleep on Friday night. This thanksgiving will be different for us but we know that you lift us up and we are thankful for all of you.
God's Blessing to you and your this Thanksgiving
Cathie

Just one more thing

Dear friends,
One more glitch has happened. I fell today in the hall and sprained ( poss. tore) a ligament! Now the dr. says that I can't look after him in the apt. here for 3 days and he can't come home for now! Marvin and I are so down. I am braced from hip to ankle and unable to drive well enought to come home for an MRI. Mandy is looking for a ride to Augusta so that she can bring me home. Sometimes I feel that I can't take another setback. We have been through so much and I just want him home. He worries that I won't be able to take care of him on crutches. That it will be too much for me.
Tomorrow we were to start our last training in an living setting with me giving all his care. Now we will have to think of a way to bring Thanksgiving to him. I am not certain how but somehow we will raise his spirits. Right now I could use some of that myself.
God keep you safe this holiday
Cathie

Sunday news

When I spoke with Marvin this morning and he sounded stronger. He said he had done well with the computer program and has an appointment with Voc. Rehab when he returns. He is ready to start being a doctor again! He says the nausea is still with him and it is hard to get the medicines changed there. It is a very slow process. The room here is ready but the new bath will have to be built when he comes home. Permits and bids have taken so long. Perhaps he is supposed to be here when it all starts. He has always loved to work with wood as he did when building ramps for others. Brian and the church team will be building one for us this weekend and have it ready for the 21st home coming. Brian and Saradell visited him on their way to the game. I can't wait to have him home.
Thank you to all who have written and prayed and called and visited. You have helped keep us from dispair with you love and concern.
God be with you
Cathie

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 10

Drove down to Augusta to visit Marvin and when I arrived he and all his room mates were missing, they had loaded up and gone to a Veterans Day Celebration in downtown Augusta. They returned in about an hour and Marvin was wearing a really unique cap ( see picture). As he came down the hall in the VA the "ears" seem to flp in the breeze. It was a sight that mede me say" he's having fun". Anyway ,we made it back to his room and had a nice visit while he had lunch via the stomach tube. He has better color and spirits than I have seen since the accident. He has lost a great deal of weight but I assured him that when he gets back to Charleston and real food we will revive his appetite and with the grace of God we will start putting muscle mass back. He agreed. I'll close for now and get this posted. I did take a second picture with him in his reclining chair as he had lunch.

Tuesday night& things look better

I talked to Marvin tonight and he sounded better than I have heard him in quite some time. He told me that Brian and Saradell had been by to visit on Sunday and he had really enjoyed them. He spoke of surprizing the doctor in bio-feedback with more strength in his deltoids. He is answering medical questions in classes they take at the VA. For some time he has felt so rotten that he wasn't very responsive. He is clearly trying harder to get everything offered at the VA and feeling more hopeful. The nausea had worn him down and though he still has no appetite, he is trying to eat a little more each day. Without your visits and cards and PRAYERS this would not be happening. One thing we have really seen while at the VA is how important a positive attitude and belief in God's loving care can help you heal. Some staff there have that kind touch that has helped Marvin when medicine could not.Each one reading the blog has helped send positive energy and he doesn't feel so alone in this battle. Your love and belief in him will help his return to life and health more than anything else. It helps me also as I continue to prepare for his Nov. 21 return.
We praise God for you,
Cathie * Marvin

Marvin rides again

Dear Friends
We hit the fair grounds in Augusta on Thursday and met up with my cousin Bud Carter for a tour of the exhibits. Marvin rode his power chair around all the exhibits we could in nearly two hours. Bud even took Mandy and me around in a cart for awhile so we could keep up with speedo Marvin in his faster chair. He is feeling better though still finding it hard to eat. After being nauseous for almost 11 weeks it isn't easy to think of food without gagging. I wish I could give him some of my love for it! He eats very small quantities and still gets the liquid meals by tube. We hope soon he can eat enough to do without that awful tube into his small intestine. With some respite from constant nausea,some of his old humor is beginning to return as you can see by the photo. He wore his dog hat from Sonnie Cook at the fair with dog ears flapping in the wind. He loves the mail for to not be forgotten is a wonderful thing.
Home is scheduled for Nov. 21 and I will be with him in an apartment on the ward for 4 days to see how well I can handle his needs. we will not have our new van ready to bring him home so we will need to borrow or rent a van to get him home. Know anyone with a wheelchair access van they might let us borrow? His hospital bed arrives on Thursday this week so I am in a tizzy to get this piano out. Still need a value on it so that we can sell it. Sorry it has taken so long to get messages out but with one computer at the VA I have quite a wait.
When you lift us up in prayer you give us more than you know. I have my moments when I don't think I can do this but you help save my sanity with many acts of kindness.
God's Blessing to you
Cathie

SATURDAY NIGHT NOVEMBER 5

Had an email from Cathie this evening saying that Marvin is better and looking forward to the day when he can return to his beloved Charleston and all his friends and family. She also said that Marvin went out trick and treating the medical staff on Halloween with a very good twist. He can not eat candy and so he gave the nurses candy on his trick and treat rounds. She sent along a picture on him in his costume.