Prayers Needed !

[Randy Roberts]

That's very encouraging news. The family must be ecstatic. Thanks for your updates Mark.

[todd allen]

We are keeping the prayers going.

[Mark Britton]

Today Brushy Mountain Club had a very successful Member Guest Fun Shoot with all donations going to The Frank Davis Fund. Words cannot describe how good it was to see Brenda and Jacob (Frank’s wife an son) back at the club. BUT that’s not the good news! When Jacob arrived at the club he received a call from an unknown number. IT WAS FRANK! They had a normal conversation he wanted to come home. No one at the hospital over 100 miles away had Jacobs phone number. Frank remembered it! To everyone who has offered up prayers THANK YOU. Please keep praying for Frank and the Davis Family. This stuff works

[Mark Britton]

Friday, December 11: (6 days ago)
"When I walked into Frankie's room, he told me "hi" and told me to sit down and talk to him. We had a lot to talk about. It was a good conversation. He did stray at times a bit, but he is getting better every time I see him. He is getting physically stronger all the way around. His cognition level is also progressing.
I talked to his doctors yesterday. They are very pleased with Frankie's progress. They are amazed at how much he has improved in such a short period of time. The doctor said that Frankie was walking yesterday with the help of robotics and that he is getting much stronger in his extremities. He is able to help turn himself now in the bed and assist them when they are getting him up.
He is getting up and going to the dining hall every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner, even though he is only getting liquids. This is so he can reorient to the time of day. His wounds are healing. He is also going to start participating in more therapy in the evening with small groups of patients."

Monday, December 14: John 3:16 (3 days ago)
"Sometimes the day is hard and i am not exactly sure what to say. I think this is because I want him to be all better now, but that is not going to happen. It is hard to see him upset about a situation that he cannot quite figure out. This is because he has gaps in his memory that can be filled in with just about anything that seems to him to fit his environment.
We did have a little setback on Thursday. He became very lethargic so they checked for infection. At that time, his white blood count was 16. He showed a urinary tract infection and lung infection, but today his white blood cell count is back to 4.9, which is really good. I saw him on Wednesday and, other than seeming tired, he did not appear to be in any distress. It is funny how they can change so quickly overnight when an infection sets in. However, he has bounced back from that episode very nicely.
He is actually doing really well. He, as mentioned before, knows many current events, people, where he works, etc. but sometimes his brain will have a gap and it is hard to tell what he is going to say next. To get a better idea of where he is, look up the Rancho Cognitive Scale. He is considered to be a IV or V at this point. Please continue to pray for him."
"he really wants to come home, which is understandable. He cannot quite understand that I cannot take care of him here yet. Please pray for him to just be okay with this for now.
Pray for his pressure wound, which is getting better."
"Pray for him to start eating more so that they can get him off his feedings.
Pray for him to continue to progress in his cognitive level.
Pray for him to continue to progress with his strength.
Pray for Brenda for she is struggling, but that is human nature."
For all of the cards that you guys have sent to him. They are priceless. He does get a little emotional when I read off the names on the cards.

Tuesday, December 15:
"I spoke with the nurse today. Frankie is doing well. He can transfer now with the use of a waist belt instead of the hoist. He is participating in all of his therapy. He really is just doing better all the way around physically and with other activities of daily living. Please continue to pray for his eyes. I spoke with him today and he told me he just cannot see very well.

Today, December 17:
I just talked with Frankie on the phone. He said that he walked, with braces on his legs, with the assistance of a walker, for 74 feet today. He said that is the farthest that he has walked. He said "it's all coming back." He said he ate most of his lunch. He told me, when I come to see him tomorrow, to bring his phone and his iPad. I am really not sure whether to do that or not but I guess I will just pray about that. That my friends is "Good News Thursday."

Praises to be for all the prayers that have been and are continually being lifted on Frank's behalf to our heavenly Father. Miracles of prayer that are being answered here at the most precious time of the year ... the birth of the Christ child!

Keep those cards of encouragement coming! f you wish to send Frank a card his address is:

Sheltering Arms Institute
Frank Davis - Room 3120
2000 Wilkes Ridge Place
Richmond, VA 23233

[Mark Britton]

Update from Brenda last night:

Psalm 106:1-2
Praise the LORD!
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD,
or declare all his praise?

Frankie is improving every time I see him. This is very good news. However, the days that I visit with him have some very bittersweet moments in them. First, he really wants me to stay with him at the hospital, but I explained to him that COVID regulations, put in place by the hospital staff, will not allow that. Second, he really wants me to bring him home so he can “sleep in his own bed”, and return the next day for therapy. Third, because his short-term memory is getting better and better, he remembers that I am not there every day, which makes him sad because he is by himself.

On further explanation on how he is doing, I am amazed at the improvements he is making from day to day.
Today, while I was there, he stood up at the sink and brushed his teeth. Before that he had participated in many rounds of therapy: physical, occupations, and speech.

He told me that the speech therapist told him why he could only have liquids and that they were going to do another swallow test on him. Of course, I had not heard this so I was not sure exactly how this conversation with his speech therapist actually played out. About 30 minutes later the speech therapist stopped by the room and told me that Frankie wanted to see his last swallow test and he wanted her to explain to him why he could not have anything but liquids. So, long story short everything that he had told me was exactly correct as to what happened earlier in the day. The speech therapist also said that he would have another swallow test on Wednesday to see if they can advance his diet.

As far as his strength goes, he is now in a regular wheelchair. He is able to maneuver around some by himself. He is still weaker in his left leg, but he again is improving in the strength there on a regular basis. He had a little setback with his right hand as he had an IV that infiltrated, which slowed down his therapy for a few days as this was very sore. However, he has once again started to use that hand and arm more. Today he was able to do the bicycle motion machine with his hands without losing grip with his right hand, which is new for him. Otherwise, his left upper extremity has been strong from the beginning and his right lower extremity is getting stronger every day.

His eyes are another story. He is having a very hard time seeing anything close up. He says he cannot see out of his right eye at all. However, he can see out of the left eye. The next step here is to see a neuro-ophthalmologist, which we are working on.

I am truly amazed at his recall. He can remember the day of his accident up to the point where he started to climb the tower, but he cannot remember anything after that until just recently. I told him it was by the grace of God that he could not remember that right now. There are still times that he has some gapping him his thought and speech, but he is getting so much better.

Here are a few specific prayer requests:

1. Pray for his eyes. Pray that he can understand that we are working on getting him to see a specialist to evaluate this.
2. Pray for him to continue to gain strength in his extremities, especially his right arm.
3. Pray that he is able to have his diet advanced from just liquids after this swallow test on Wednesday. I think this will help him a lot. It will also move him closer to getting rid of his feeding tube.
4. Pray for his short-term memory to continue to improve as it has been doing.

Praise:
His overall improvement physically and cognitively.

[Joe D.]

The progress that Frank has made in the time since his accident is a blessing, indeed. I will keep him in my prayers ongoing. God Bless and Merry Christmas to all. Joe

[todd allen]

It's great to hear about the progress Frank has made, even knowing that he has a long road ahead.
With all of the thoughts and prayers going out, I suspect there will be more positive news coming.

[Hammer Gun]

Gods hand has touched Frank and he is beside him, Prayer is an awesome thing, I too have been the recipient of Prayer had I not I would not be here today. My Prayers for his recovery will continue! Gary

[Mark Britton]

From Brenda - Monday, 12/28/20 - 9 PM

Acts 20:24
“But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus.”
This was my verse of the day. I thought this was so appropriate after seeing Frankie today. You can read the story below and you will understand too.
Hey my friends. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. It was different this year, but it was still a good day. We will be opening our gifts when Frankie gets home, as that is what he has said he would like to do. So, if you see that my Christmas lights are still up in the middle of January, just remember that Frankie also asked me to leave them up until he gets home.
He is really remembering more and more every day. He still has short-term memory problems, and he still gets some things mixed up from the past, but he quickly remembers when queued. He remembers that he fell, although he still does not remember the fall, praise the Lord. He does tell everyone who asks him about it that he is a miracle as he lived through the fall. He states that he knows God has a plan for him and he is going to try to figure out what that plan may be.
Otherwise, he is doing very well. He is continuing to get stronger and stronger. He works hard in therapy and it shows. He says that he does not need all of the therapy equipment that they use there; all he needs is determination and he will get stronger. Of course, the determination is necessary, but we also need the expertise that the therapists give him every day.
His trache site is almost completely healed. The pressure wounds look so much better, with one of them being almost completely healed. However, he still has a good deal of healing to do in the second wound. Because of this, he is in bed other than for therapy and at meals. He does eat everything that they send him on his tray. He is still on pureed foods and he is still getting some tube feedings as he needs a lot of calories to help with the skin healing. Frankie does not like being in bed so much, but he does not like much about being in the hospital at all. He wants to come home, which is closer than it has ever been. He is still tentatively scheduled to come home on January 5th.
He did ask the nurse today to tell him all of the medicine he was taking. He also wanted to know if he would be on all of the medicines he was on there when he got home. He is planning already on what he has to have when he gets home. They are slowly discontinuing some of his medications, which is a good sign.
His eyesight is getting better. He does not even realize it, but it is. He can read more and more every day. He notices things on the television and points them out to me. He is also working the television remote, for the most part. This remote works the television, the lights in the room, and the computer system that shows us his schedule for every day, as well as other information. I cannot really work this remote. I am sure Jacob would laugh at this statement.
So, here are some praises for you.
He is able to participate so much more in his activities of daily living.
He can stand up on his own strength. He cannot walk yet without help, but that is coming.
His trache site is almost healed.
One pressure wound is almost completely healed.
Some of his medications have been discontinued.
His eyes are getting better every day.
Prayer requests:
Continue to pray for his eyes to get clearer and clearer.
Continue to pray for the pressure wound to heal.
Continue to pray for him to gain strength in all extremities, specifically his right arm.
Pray for his balance to continue to improve.
Pray for his voice. He can speak, but his speech is not as clear as it can be. He gets frustrated with this as he has to repeat himself many times a day as we cannot totally understand him. He does talk fast at times, but it also is a result of the brain injury. Please pray for it to become clear again.
He has it in his head that he is coming home on Tuesday, January 5th. Please pray that if this does not happen, he will accept that this is the best place for him to be.

[Mark Britton]

Great News - Frank is home and is starting a new part of his recovery process. Brenda and Jacob got him home late yesterday. They are settling in and adjusting and all were exhausted.

FROM BRENDA:

At this time there is a strict NO VISITORS policy due to COVID and his low immunity system. He has to get much stronger and build himself up before anyone will be allowed to visit, except for nurses and therapist. Once he gets stronger, we will revisit this status and adjust as we can.

Frank will be busy with home health (speech, occupational therapy, and physical therapy). Once he gets stronger he will advance to outpatient therapy, but that will be awhile yet.

If not for all of you, I do not know what I would have done. I know that any number of you are ready with just a telephone call to help me in any way that I need. You have all been so generous with your donations, cards, calls, and prayers. I do not really know how people make it when they do not have a community to come around them and support them. Frankie's community is large and so cool. I knew he was a special guy, but I did not realize how many other people thought so until this happened. My community is the best. Yes, we share some of the same community, but many we do not.

You are each a blessing to me, from the ones who only know him, to the ones who only know me, and to the ones who know both of us. I would say that we are truly blessed beyond measure.

Matthew 11:28: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

Brenda