Barbara Smith has been transferred back to Palmerston North from Wellington. She is recovering well from what is reputably the most painful operation to recover from. I understand the procedure is normally done under an epidural which she couldn’t have which has likely made her recovery all the more painful again.

A doctor visiting her today told her that her seventh rib had been removed during the proceedure due to it not being flexible enough for the drains to push past.

She is very weak. Every movement such as walking to the bathroom or eating is excrutiatingly slow. She is anemic and borderline for needing a transfusion.

Her recovery is extremely slow and the journey to full health is going to be a long haul. However she hopes to be released home in a couple of days.

Barbara’s daughter, Genevieve, has sent receipts to those who gave charitable donations to HEF during the past financial year. They should be received shortly.

Thank you for your kind thoughts and prayers. These are VERY much appreciated at this time.

Praise God, Mum has had the best night sleep since she’s been in hospital! However, she woke up with terrible pain since she slept through her scheduled tablets and wasn’t awake to press the Morphine. (This is by all accounts one of the most painful operations to recover from – and the surgeon decided against the epidural they usually use to manage pain) Back on track with pain killers now though.
Please pray for Mum and Nurses/physio as they get her up today. Yesterday morning they tried, and her blood pressure plummeted down to 65/42 and they had to hoist her back into bed and hurry fluids and a couple other things to bring blood pressure back up.

Later this morning she was doing really well in the chair, no nausea, steady BP and heartrate. Going through her breathing exercises.
The timeline at this stage loos like:
One drain out tomorrow, second drain and catheter out Monday, back to Palmerston North hospital tuesday, continue with antibiotics in Palmy.

Last night Barbara was transferred to Wellington hospital – with Charmagne accompanying her.

Today she is getting ready for decortication surgery to drain the fluid around the lung.

This should happen late this morning or early afternoon.

Over the past two weeks Barbara has been sick in hospital and the Smith family would appreciate your prayers at this difficult time as the doctors attempt to diagnose and restore her to full health.

Due to this there will be a delay in the sending of the latest receipts for donations made to the Home Education Foundation. Both Genevieve and Charmagne are due in New Zealand later today (Tuesday) and will endeavour to send these out by the end of the week.