The Dye Results....

Well, the dye that the doctors used to trace where Dave's white blood cells were going to fight the infection came in on Friday. Basically, they are off to the same place where all of this started. Back to the lungs. So, pneumonia is still the culprit, however it's a different strain than what he went in with.

Dave looks very emaciated at this point. Pam is telling us that his hands look like that of an old man. He was able to be put on easier sedation, but that was leading to him trying to take tubes out and wanting to go take a shower, go for a walk etc. The problem is, the tubes are keeping him alive. Pam and the nurses were on full time watch to make sure he doesn't hurt himself. She couldn't leave his room to go to the bathroom without having a nurse come in to supervise.

Well, now this other pneumonia strain (a different bacteria) is attacking his other lung (now both lungs are infected) and he is having problems breathing again, to the point that the doctors have put him back into a paralytic coma trying to bring about healing.

While this is very hard to accept and watch, it gave Pam a much needed break from the daily traveling back and forth to the U of M hospital in Ann Arbor. She was able to stay home and rest for Friday and Saturday and pick up the kids from school on Friday herself. It may seem strange, but just introducing a little normalcy and a little time with Mom can help the kids security and outlook on things a lot.

The doctors are very optimistic that Dave will make a full recovery, but they just don't know how long it is going to take.

Please keep the whole family in your prayers as the struggles with the pneumonia continues.

More Struggles

The last couple of days have found Dave taking a turn for the worse. He is struggling so much. Dave keeps spiking fevers and is still fighting staph infections. To top it off, they believe he now has a ventilator induced pneumonia. His platelets are low so they tried to give him a blood transfusion this morning. Unfortunately, they had to stop it because his body wasn't handling it well. He started spiking a fever and his blood pressure dropped.

Tomorrow, they are going to try to inject a dye in him that will attach itself to his white blood cells and then do a CT Scan. They are hoping to find out if there is some other infection that is there that they are missing. He is puzzling the doctors and we are desperate to find out what is continuing to cause all these problems.

He's been in the hospital since the week of Easter with little improvement. He seems to take a couple steps forward, followed by six back.

Pam is exhausted. Traveling back and forth to the hospital every day trying to care for him there, care for her three children and maintain everything else in between is incredibly draining. On top of this all, her baby is due in June. Please continue to pray for them as they need God's strength for today.

Where we are today - battling pneumonia

In March, Dave began battling a very virulent form of pneumonia and, as this is being written, has been on a ventilator, a mechanized device that forces oxygen in and out of his lungs, for over 2 weeks. Family and friends are hopeful for a full recovery but a frequent comment is, "I've never seen him this sick."

Treatment began at a local hospital but doctors soon determined a more experienced facility was required and he was transferred by air to Ann Arbor University Hospital.

Pam has been forced to withdraw from her classes this semester, take an unpaid leave from work under the provisions of the Family Medical Leave Act, and juggle child care for their three young children so she can make the journey back and forth to Ann Arbor each day. All this is compounded by her own condition as she is almost 8 months pregnant with their fourth child.

Your prayers are solicited on behalf of this family as they once again face challenges beyond what most of us ever will.

Pastor Joe Wenturine at Harvest Time Christian Chapel in Marine City has agreed to accept donations on behalf of the family to help them through this difficult time. If you would like to make a contribution of any size, please include a note designating it for the Dave and Pam Mayhew Family and send it to:

Harvest Time Christian Chapel
205 South Main St.
Marine City, MI 48039
http://www.harvesttimechurch.com