How interesting as my son battles his infected toes that this quote would be in Mutts comic strip. It is a quote by Ray Bradbury.
“Bees do have a smell, you know, and if they don’t they should, for their feet are dusted with spices from a million flowers”. 
Today I took Josh and his toes to our dear rheumatologist. I can tell the heavens have been flooded with prayers uplifting my son, asking for healing, and uplifting my husband and me as well. The doctor said that he has wonderful arterial pulses. This was his overall analysis: not Raynard’s. I thank you for your prayers.
Toes are blue because of arcocyanosis caused by venous issues due to the lupus nephritis. bottom line–we follow it, they will no doubt always have some issues, but it isn’t serious, just compromises the possibility of him being a foot model. He has had some discoloration in most of the toes for months, so he wasn’t freaked out by what he saw. He said that the dry skin developed into some fissures and a fungus. That is why it looked so severe. He definitively reiterated that it isn’t MRSA, and knew that there aren’t bad blood flow issues. The dermatologist had not seen Josh with his toes blue or pinkish red for the last year, and so that was part of the reason for his alarm.
Our game plan, per the doc is that we soak the feet in soapy water once a day, then gently wash them with a washcloth to begin to slough away scabs and dry skin when they are ready to let go. Other than that, he is to wear socks that wick moisture away from them, and leave the toes alone. That is our path today.
I was so relieved that I cried. Thank you for your prayers and support. His path with lupus nephritis continues, but it least we haven’t [as they say in the diving competitions] added a degree of difficulty.
Believe Anyway 
PRAISE GOD! I am so glad for all of you. Your prayers and all of ours have been answered and our faith and beliefs strengthen by what we have heard. WE SERVE AN AWESOME GOD! Thanks for the praise report. Will continue to pray for your family about the lupus as well.
BE ENCOURAGED! BE BLESSED!
Thank you so much….keep praying—much need for healing remains but oh my how glorious it is to serve an awesome God.
Well, that’s a relief. Praise God. Make sure you dry really carefully between the toes since he can develop fissures/athlete’s foot if the area between the toes are moist.
Believe me, I am…some of his toes look as mangled as a boxer’s face after a prize fight. We are continuing to monitor, treat, and praise. Thanks so much.
Thank you, Lord for blessings of concerned doctors and the healing You do through them.
amen to that Patricia. We are truly blessed and oh so grateful. Thank you for your prayers, caring, and comments.
HURRAH!!! What a relief! I am so happy for you and Josh! 🙂
Dor—thanks so much. I so appreciate your kind support and prayers.
Kate, that is wonderful! I really felt God’s positive answer to everyone’s prayers; so I am very happy for your good news.
I agree with “8 Kids and a Business”, dry well between his toes. It sounds like the care that must be given to a diabetic’s toes.
Many Blessings, Kate.
Patricia
Patricia—apparently it is quite a bit like the issues of diabetics and their feet. We will remain vigilant. The sooner they heal, the better, as far as I am concerned! Thank you for your loving and prayerful support.
You know, I never thought of this until you mentioned your tears of relief — I forgot altogether that my son once burned most of the skin off the top of one of his feet, once, cleaning a barn with high pressure steam.
Same treatment.
Must be really good to have clean feet. 😉
Oh, and I did cry when the burn doc said, “Yes, he’s worse. That’s why you come to a burn center — we know what to do when it gets worse. And they did.
I am so glad for you. I knew things were better when you visited at my place. I am so glad for you. Can’t say it enough. 😉
Thanks so much. The toes still look so raw and mangled. but bit by bit our dear Shepherd will bring healing. My heart aches for him. But he bears it with such grace, courage, and class. I am in awe of his faithful strength. Thank you so much dear friend. ❤
Oh Kate, bless you all! I’m so joyful that our clouds of rising prayer “availeth much”–even if you are only seeing small signs of improvement, and not as instantaneously as we’d all hope. Will continue to lift Josh and his mama and dad up, always!! love, sis Caddo
Thank you, thank you, thank you Caddo. I am so grateful for all the prayers, and God’s miraculous healings. ❤
That is good news..the Power of Prayer is a miracle in itself
Amen, Patrecia…..such very good news. God’s healing grace is unmistakable.
This is good news. What a relief for all of you!
It is such a huge, major relief. I am prayerful about his continuing hopeful recovery.
I can taste the honey in your lemonade. All the best 🙂
Gwen—thanks! The honey of healing, good news, supportive friends, good wishes, prayers….they make the bitter sweet and fill my heart with love. Thanks so very much!
Praising and keeping Josh and all of you in prayer. God is faithful…
Susan thank you so much. Praising and praying here too.I so appreciate your kind support and prayers.
oh dear Kate, I am so happy to hear this. Blessing you all, all the best, love, nia
Thanks Nia<3 Your kindness and prayers mean so much.
SO glad it wasn’t MRSA! 🙂 Be well, Josh, and blessings to you all!
Me too, Karina! A neighbor of one of my students nearly lost his leg last week to MRSA. Blessings back to you, and thank you so much for your kind supportive words, prayers, and advice.
Good news at last!!! Breathe and rejoice!
Cee—I really had been mostly holding my breath. Thanks so much for your prayers, support, kind words, and friendship.
Good news Kate. Will continue to lift you and your family up in prayer. ~Mike
Mike—keep praying! Pray that his toes heal quickly, and that his Lupus goes into remission and remains there! all my best to you and your family.
Mom tears of relief! Hooray for an overall good report. We can just keep praying. A good friend is home today after a few weeks in the hospital for a stem-cell transplant. He is a believer with a strong and large support system! The doctors have said they can’t explain why he did so well so fast…he is in the .05 of 1% in his overall very positive reaction. Prayer! We can pray great things for Josh! And we shall! Debra