28 days

28 days; 672 hours; 40,320 minutes. These are the measures of time for which Matt and the Kelley's have been battling through a slow recovery. Today, Candy reports Matt's kidneys have improved measurably since yesterday. However, there is much improvement needed. Significant swelling remains in Matt's legs. His left leg continues to be the worst of the two. Matt is visited daily by two teams of physical therapists. One team addresses the movement of his legs. The other team addresses the incisions/ wounds in his legs. Therapists have mentioned the need for Matt to increase the weight on each leg when sitting and standing in the near future. Currently, Matt receives continuous treatment from a 'wound vac.' Simply, the 'WV' consists of a sterile sponge used to remove fluid from the interior of Matt's leg incisions. Doctors have advised the Kelley's of their optimism in the health of Matt's leg muscles. Health of the leg muscles is directly related to the prognosis of full recovery and utility of the legs. The legs give clear signs of the recovery for which we pray through signs of pulse and pain. From the beginning, the Kelley's have requested realistic reports from all members of the medical staff regarding Matt's condition and prognosis. As of now, the entire medical staff remains confident and optimistic in the likelihood of Matt's complete recovery. However, they remain committed to their estimate of a slow recovery. Dialysis continues three days each week, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. During the past 28 days, Matt has received approximately 10 units of blood. This is not attributed to a loss of blood or any unknown internal injury. This is directly related to Matt's ability to produce red blood cells for carrying oxygen to all parts of the body. The availability of oxygen is vital to the healing process. The receipt of this blood should be no cause for alarm at this point. This is another method to assist Matt's body in making the most expedient recovery possible. Matt has received some intravenous antibiotics within recent days. A small infection was detected and treated aggressively by the doctors. At this time, doctors are confident this infection will be clear within a couple of days.

Candy mentioned trying to clearly understand the full scope of a slow recovery. She has also mentioned good days and bad days. In retrospect, we can be relieved that good days have outnumbered the bad days. However, we should be guarded and aware of the length of a slow recovery and the uncertainty ahead. There has been no mention of surgery for the remaining 6 incisions. Specific prayers are needed for Matt's legs and decreased swelling. Pray for the continued improvement and healing in his kidneys as they aid in the healing of the legs. Please pray that Matt continues to remain free of any secondary infections. Let us remain committed to consistent prayer on Matt's behalf as well as the remainder of his family.