Ricie Update for June 2023 + Memories of June 2019

We are on our way back home from Jacksonville, Florida. Mom has had several Mayo Clinic appointments lately. After seeing her neurologist and brain neurosurgeon, Mom got her brain shunt adjusted today.

She also saw her infectious disease doctor recently. He reviewed the imaging of her spinal cord, and he said that he saw “pockets of infection and inflammation.” He said that if that did not look better the next time she has imaging in September, they may do a biopsy to investigate this. He also wants her to continue to take antibiotics for at least another 6-months. (She’s been taking these medicines for a year already.) So please continue to pray for God to defeat this infection in her body and heal the damage.

Last week had its worries with several pharmacies in Augusta - as well as Mayo Clinic’s pharmacy at their headquarters in Rochester, Minnesota - not being able to get one of Mom’s antibiotic medicines. Thank God, the Mayo Clinic pharmacy in Jacksonville was able to get it yesterday, and we picked it up today before heading home. Holding that pill bottle in my hand was holding an answered prayer!

Thank you all for praying for Mom. Please continue to intercede for her. If she does have spine surgery in the future to stabilize her back, the neurosurgeon would prefer to wait 3-6 months after she comes off of her antibiotics and makes it through that time period with no sickness or bad changes. He would also want to confirm that she is free of infection by comparing images taken of her spine at various times during this waiting period, as well as possibly doing a biopsy then before pursuing surgery. So those things may happen sometime in 2024. Meanwhile, please pray for God to keep Mom safe, strengthen her, comfort her, and heal her during this time of waiting.

Remembering June 2019… When my late friend, Don Rhodes, presented me with the 2019 Greater Augusta Arts Council’s award for “Artist of The Year.” To God be the glory!

Thinking of Don Rhodes, “Mimmie,” and Eddie Smith… The Family Fold looks forward to being reunited with them in Heaven one day!