Start Here

Steady Progress – Monday Update

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest
Email

Posted on: June 30, 2025, 6:34 PM
By: James Long, Jr.

We’re thankful to report that today has been another good day for Amy.

She is still battling pain, which remains one of the most difficult parts of this journey. The medical team continues to work on finding the right balance of medications to help manage that well.

In addition, Amy is experiencing elevated blood sugar levels, which is not uncommon given the combination of post-surgical stress, medications (especially steroids), and changes in nutrition. She has required some insulin treatments to help stabilize those numbers. The transplant team is closely monitoring this situation and making adjustments as needed.

That said, we are encouraged—Amy is ahead of schedule in her recovery, according to her surgeon. If things continue moving in the right direction, she may be discharged later this week.

Even after discharge, we will need to remain in the Philadelphia area for at least one to two weeks for follow-up appointments, lab work, and close monitoring. The team here is thorough, and we are so grateful for their care.

Amy has been up and walking multiple times today, and continues to engage actively with her care team. She met today with:

  • Her surgeon,
  • Members of the occupational therapy team, and
  • The pharmacy team, who are helping us prepare for managing her post-transplant medications.

We continue to give thanks for each step forward. The days are still challenging, but Amy’s resilience, your prayers, and the Lord’s sustaining grace are carrying us through.

Please continue to pray:

  • For continued healing without complications
  • For stabilization of her blood sugar levels
  • For effective pain management and rest
  • For wisdom and strength in preparation for discharge and temporary outpatient care
  • For ongoing recovery for the donor
  • For peace, patience, and strength for Amy and our family during this next phase in Philadelphia

Thank you again for your love, your prayers, and your steadfast support.

With gratitude and hope,
James

“The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.” – Psalm 29:11

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest
Email

Related

Facebook Twitter Youtube

Get Updates

Gratitude journal

When was the last time someone said thank you to you? When was the last time you said thank you to someone else? So many people today struggle with a lack of thankfulness and ingratitude. This leads to struggles with complaining, criticizing, and comparing. Gratitude and thankfulness provide a powerful remedy for these problems. This gratitude journal helps us to identify what we should be grateful for and what we do as a result of seeing life as a gift.

God's grace prayer journal

Do you struggle with applying the truth that you learn during your study of God’s word? This God’s grace prayer journal will allow you to focus on gratitude and live in contentment in life. The journal pages encourage you to observe what you are learning from the Bible text, evaluate how you have failed to live according to the truths stated, seek forgiveness, and develop godly plans for change.

Giving hope

Do you struggle with the lack of hope? Do you find yourself struggling with doubt and insecurity during times of great challenge? During those times, you need to find your rest and assurance in pondering, personalizing, praying, and practicing what God’s Word says. In the short devotional, spend time meditating and studying each of these passages. Write down whatever comes to mind in the spaces below. And let God speak to you.

Discovering Godly patterns

One of the keys to growing in Christlikeness in our lives is to unearth and discover, and biblically evaluate our thinking patterns, speaking, and acting. This worksheet will help you be honest and specific about areas in your life that are not meeting biblical standards in thinking, speaking, and acting.

Counseling review journal

The God who began a good work in you will continue it through your lifetime and will finish it when we meet him face-to-face. God works for us, and God works in us. He enables us to become more like Christ every single day. This work is progressive and continual in this life. This worksheet helps us review and evaluate gains made during counseling and discipleship, show gratitude to God for what he has done, and develop plans for future growth and change.

Conflict review worksheet

There probably is not a day that goes by that we do not have some level of conflict with others. This worksheet helps us focus on the problem and not the person. It helps us evaluate how we have handled a dispute and how we should deal with it moving forward.

Bible study notes sheet

Do you ever struggle with doing a Bible study or journaling the key ideas from your reading? This Bible Study Note Sheet will encourage you to ponder and meditate on Scripture. Also, God’s Word is meant for you, so this worksheet will help you personalize what you are learning. It will also guide you in learning to pray God’s Word, and finally, it will encourage you to put into practice the principles and promises you find in reading the Word of God.

Anger journal

Anger is a significant issue for so many people. People often stuff or spew their anger, but very few learn to study their anger. This journal assignment will help you to do just that. It will help you understand, evaluate, and respond to your anger in better ways.

4 Steps to rethinking a problem

Do you ever find yourself getting overwhelmed with problems? Do you find yourself struggling with thinking clearly during a challenging situation? This four-step approach to rethinking a problem will help.

4P problem-solving approach worksheet

Problems can seem overwhelming. When we are in the midst of a significant crisis, many of us struggle with defining the problem and implementing helpful solutions. This worksheet helps us to identify three unbiblical and unproductive ways of handling problems. It also encourages us to destroy problems, not people, as we deal with issues in a biblical and God-honoring way.