Quick update on G'ma Nordell before I head to work....
The last couple of days have been rough ones filled with hurry up and wait.
We received a call yesterday morning at 1:30AM to tell us G'ma had an episode where her blood pressure dropped WAY TOO LOW; she became unresponsive and nurse could not detect a pulse for about a minute. The nurse "opened up" the blood transfusion and she perked up after that. The call was to not only inform us of this incident but to confirm she had DNR (do not resuscitate) papers in place and if they were to AND (allow natural death), which we confirmed she does. As you can imagine, the call totally freaked everyone out and no one got much sleep after that. I called several times throughout the night to check on her and to remind them we wanted to be there if they thought anything was going to happen, we did not want her to be alone! They assured me we would be called if necessary.
Ken and I arrived at ICU at 8 to await doctors and to see Mom. We were joined by Ryan and Aaron and the long wait began. The rest of her night had been uneventful. Doc arrived late that morning and told us he needed to get another bleeding scan to find the active bleeding so he wasn't going in there blindly searching. Bleeding scan revealed NO active bleeding, therefore no surgery was done. (Blood she had in NG tube was old as well as another bloody stool revealing old blood.) They are going to keep her in ICU to carefully monitor her and if she does exhibit signs of active bleeding again, she will be immediately rushed to Interventional Radiology. We also had requested they put in a PICC line so she would not have to be "poked" so much. She has very difficult veins and it was extremely painful for her any time they had to draw blood.
When we saw her after the procedure (after another 2 unit transfusion) she was her perky self; sitting up eating jello and sherbet and fussing about having the bleeding scan again and questioning why they put in the PICC line!
So we continue to wait. She will be in ICU/CCU for the next day or so then on telemetry floor (5) for 3-5 days after that.
Well, off to work I go! Thanks for your prayers! Have a good day!
Friday, August 29, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
GI results and other stuff
Things went well for Ron at Presby. It was a long icky morning for him, having to swallow all that barium, but the Upper GI showed no obstructions, great news...and no EGD needed! They said he has "just enough small bowel" to eventually have a semi-normal life (eating habits-wise).
So now we know that there is nothing structurally wrong and the search begins to figure out why he is having such a difficult time eating. First order of business is to try some medication used to get digestive tract to "wake up".
He has also lost 7 pounds (of fluid) in the last week...WOO HOO...no more tree trunk legs! We are so thankful for our wonderful doctors and all the staff at Presbyterian. We were able to have the Upper GI done, IR change g-tube dressing and meet with both Dr. Shires and Dr. Arslanlar all down in Radiology! They are so great to come to us instead of us having to spend more time trying to fit in appointments.
Presby again in 2 weeks (unless something comes up before then).
Please pray for Ron's mom who is extremely ill (bleeding ulcer the culprit again). I went from Ron's procedure at Presbyterian to meet the ambulance at Harris HEB Wednesday afternoon. Thankfully, Aaron was in Dallas on a job interview and we had met for lunch. He took Ron home for me. They admitted her to CCU/ICU around 8:30 PM; we arrived home around 10. They are hoping her night will go well enough to do surgery in the morning.
So now we know that there is nothing structurally wrong and the search begins to figure out why he is having such a difficult time eating. First order of business is to try some medication used to get digestive tract to "wake up".
He has also lost 7 pounds (of fluid) in the last week...WOO HOO...no more tree trunk legs! We are so thankful for our wonderful doctors and all the staff at Presbyterian. We were able to have the Upper GI done, IR change g-tube dressing and meet with both Dr. Shires and Dr. Arslanlar all down in Radiology! They are so great to come to us instead of us having to spend more time trying to fit in appointments.
Presby again in 2 weeks (unless something comes up before then).
Please pray for Ron's mom who is extremely ill (bleeding ulcer the culprit again). I went from Ron's procedure at Presbyterian to meet the ambulance at Harris HEB Wednesday afternoon. Thankfully, Aaron was in Dallas on a job interview and we had met for lunch. He took Ron home for me. They admitted her to CCU/ICU around 8:30 PM; we arrived home around 10. They are hoping her night will go well enough to do surgery in the morning.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Can you say S-t-r-e-s-s-e-d?
Evidently I can't tell whether I'm comin' or goin'! I guess I'm a little more overwhelmed with being back to work, caring for Ron, preparing for his birthday, Mom Nordell's medical events last weekend, wedding stuff and everything else that's been going on in the last week than I thought. I had everything confused!
Ron's procedure today is not an EGD but an upper GI & small intestine barrium study!. From what I understand, this will give them a better understanding of what they are dealing with as far as the whereabouts of the narrowing and/or blockage. He will also go to IR so they can change the G-tube dressing site and check out the hematoma.
Please pray these procedures go well and they reveal definitive answers.
On another note; Ron's mom is doing much better and was moved to Heartland's Skilled Nursing Facility for a few days before she will be allowed to go home.
I'll update tonight (hopefully) on the day's events here at Presby!
Ron's procedure today is not an EGD but an upper GI & small intestine barrium study!. From what I understand, this will give them a better understanding of what they are dealing with as far as the whereabouts of the narrowing and/or blockage. He will also go to IR so they can change the G-tube dressing site and check out the hematoma.
Please pray these procedures go well and they reveal definitive answers.
On another note; Ron's mom is doing much better and was moved to Heartland's Skilled Nursing Facility for a few days before she will be allowed to go home.
I'll update tonight (hopefully) on the day's events here at Presby!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Praise God for weekends!
Wow! What a week it has been! I am definitely ready for the weekend!
I know it's been kind of lonely for Ron to have me back at work...no one to wait on him hand and foot! haha But we are adjusting and trusting God to continue to provide for our every need..
Ron started having problems with his PICC line Tuesday and after a call to Presby we were told they wanted him to have it changed on Wednesday. So, we moved things up from Friday. Always a long day at Presby but PICC line change went well. We also met with Dr. Arslanlar and, after seeing he has tipped the scales at a hefty 203; decided it was time to put him on a diuretic to try to get some of this fluid off. Always such a delicate balance of too much fluid, causing edema (swelling) and too little, causing dehydration.
There is some concern that he is having trouble progressing in consistency/thickness of foods. His last few CT scans have shown the lower part of his intestines is narrower than the upper part. They've been hoping that as he began eating it would stretch out but there has always been a concern that he could have a blockage and it is becoming pretty obvious there is at least a pronounced narrowing at one point. If this does not remedy quickly, the next plan of action will be an EGD with balloon inflation; a procedure where they will thread an endoscope down his throat to wherever the blockage/narrowing is and then inflate the balloon to stretch it. The most likely place the problem is located is where the scar tissue is (and fistula was); and, of course, they can't stretch this area without the possibility of reopening the fistula. In the meantime, he is to back off on foods again...avoid anything that will swell (rice, pasta, cream of wheat, oatmeal, etc) and stick with soups, soft-cooked veggies he can chew until mush, limited cooked fruits (not too many due to fiber issue).
He did begin the oral steroids...YEAH!!! No more injections!!! Dr. Arslanlar also tweaked TPN (removed sodium to help with swelling issue) and put him on a multivitamin. Even though he gets a multivitamin in TPN, Dr. Arslanlar thinks he may have a vitamin deficiency that could attribute to not being able to get rid of the thrush. It was 4:30 and raining before we finally left Presbyterian.
On to more excitement!
About 3:45 this afternoon I received a phone call from Ron saying he had just gotten a call from his parents caregiver and something was wrong with Mom. He had her call 911 and told her I would meet them at Harris HEB's emergency room. The was feeling rotten and no wonder; she has pneumonia and is dehydrated. I was there until a little after 9; wanted to make sure she was settled into a room.
Please pray for:
healing of Ron's entire intestinal tract
Ron's mom (Ruth Nordell) health issues
Kristin as she has begun the long commute to school in Plano
Aaron and his job search
rest!
I know it's been kind of lonely for Ron to have me back at work...no one to wait on him hand and foot! haha But we are adjusting and trusting God to continue to provide for our every need..
Ron started having problems with his PICC line Tuesday and after a call to Presby we were told they wanted him to have it changed on Wednesday. So, we moved things up from Friday. Always a long day at Presby but PICC line change went well. We also met with Dr. Arslanlar and, after seeing he has tipped the scales at a hefty 203; decided it was time to put him on a diuretic to try to get some of this fluid off. Always such a delicate balance of too much fluid, causing edema (swelling) and too little, causing dehydration.
There is some concern that he is having trouble progressing in consistency/thickness of foods. His last few CT scans have shown the lower part of his intestines is narrower than the upper part. They've been hoping that as he began eating it would stretch out but there has always been a concern that he could have a blockage and it is becoming pretty obvious there is at least a pronounced narrowing at one point. If this does not remedy quickly, the next plan of action will be an EGD with balloon inflation; a procedure where they will thread an endoscope down his throat to wherever the blockage/narrowing is and then inflate the balloon to stretch it. The most likely place the problem is located is where the scar tissue is (and fistula was); and, of course, they can't stretch this area without the possibility of reopening the fistula. In the meantime, he is to back off on foods again...avoid anything that will swell (rice, pasta, cream of wheat, oatmeal, etc) and stick with soups, soft-cooked veggies he can chew until mush, limited cooked fruits (not too many due to fiber issue).
He did begin the oral steroids...YEAH!!! No more injections!!! Dr. Arslanlar also tweaked TPN (removed sodium to help with swelling issue) and put him on a multivitamin. Even though he gets a multivitamin in TPN, Dr. Arslanlar thinks he may have a vitamin deficiency that could attribute to not being able to get rid of the thrush. It was 4:30 and raining before we finally left Presbyterian.
On to more excitement!
About 3:45 this afternoon I received a phone call from Ron saying he had just gotten a call from his parents caregiver and something was wrong with Mom. He had her call 911 and told her I would meet them at Harris HEB's emergency room. The was feeling rotten and no wonder; she has pneumonia and is dehydrated. I was there until a little after 9; wanted to make sure she was settled into a room.
Please pray for:
healing of Ron's entire intestinal tract
Ron's mom (Ruth Nordell) health issues
Kristin as she has begun the long commute to school in Plano
Aaron and his job search
rest!
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Grandma Nordell
Things look much better for Ron's Mom today. I was able to catch all three of her doctors this morning and they each were pleased with how things look today. Her red blood count (hemoglobin) is up to 10.2 today indicating the bleeding has stopped. Her cardiac enzymes also look better, which continue to leads them to believe the heart attack was induced by the stress on the heart due to the low blood level caused by bleeding. They will continue to watch her a couple of more days but no other procedures are scheduled at this time. She will have to have another EGD in 2 months to make sure things still look good.
She will not be released from the hospital for at least a couple of more days and then possibly transfer to rehab/SNF (skilled nursing facility) for a few days to help her regain strength.
We had a hard talk about the necessity to make a change in their living arrangements. She understands the need but doesn't like it and has gotten weepy several times throughout the day; change is always hard. On the whole, it was a good day for her.
Thanks for praying!
PS: Tomorrow, Monday August 25, Ron turns the big 5 - 0! WOOO HOOOOO!!! No mourning the passing of youth around here; we are celebrating he is alive!!!!
She will not be released from the hospital for at least a couple of more days and then possibly transfer to rehab/SNF (skilled nursing facility) for a few days to help her regain strength.
We had a hard talk about the necessity to make a change in their living arrangements. She understands the need but doesn't like it and has gotten weepy several times throughout the day; change is always hard. On the whole, it was a good day for her.
Thanks for praying!
PS: Tomorrow, Monday August 25, Ron turns the big 5 - 0! WOOO HOOOOO!!! No mourning the passing of youth around here; we are celebrating he is alive!!!!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Full Plate!
It's been a busy couple of days, between Ron and his Mom. Sorry my last e-mail was a little scattered...I was so tired and was literally falling asleep as I tried to get the update out!
Tonight, I'll start with Ron:
He continues to have a rough time with eating so Dr. Arslanlar has now backed him off to clear liquids again and is scheduling his EGD (endoscope down throat) for the first part of next week. Poor guy, felt really lousy Friday morning with gagging, choking and throwing up along with emptying 350 cc out of his g-tube. He's getting to the point where he's afraid to eat. Once he got his stomach empty and rested for a while he felt better. We also had to up his dose of diuretic and now, day 3, it is finally beginning to kick in.
I took him up to HEB Friday evening to visit his Mom. Afterwards, we stopped by the CCU(ICU) to visit with his former nurses. They were so surprised to see him come walking in! It was great to visit with them!
On to Ron's Mom:
Ron's brother, Ken, and his wife, Shar, came down Thursday evening and have been staying with Papa. I arrived at HEB at 8AM Friday morning in hopes of catching her doctor but he had already been there. Her nurse was preparing to give her a blood transfusion because her hemoglobin had dropped from 10.9 when she arrived Thurs to 8.4 Friday morning. Ken and Shar came up and spent the majority of Friday with Mom at the hospital. Sometime during the day Mom had an extremely bright red bloody stool so plans were made to do a colonoscopy Saturday. Shar started the process of getting her to drink the gallon of fluid. Mom was none too happy after about halfway through. They decided to do a bleeding scan to see if they could pinpoint if the bleed was in the upper or lower GI; her's indicated upper so an EGD was scheduled. She was thrilled to not have to finish the fluid.
Saturday morning, I again arrived at 8, determined to catch doctors, this time with great success! I was able to catch both Dr. Shea (GI) and Dr. Karing (primary care). They gave her 2 more units of blood...hemoglobin now down to 7.7. They had also called in a cardiologist to clear her for the EGD because her cardiac enzymes were continuing to increase; indicating she has had a heart attack sometime in the last 24-72 hours. After the GI doc and cardiologist consulted they decided the benefits outweighed the risks of doing the EGD. The most pressing need was to find the bleed and get it stopped. The bleeding causes decrease in overall blood, causing strain on the heart and forcing it to work harder. They feel the bleed and the distress it caused the heart is probably what caused the heart attack.
Ken, Shar, Papa and I waited in the GI lab and were able to talk with both the cardiologist, before, and Dr. Shea, after, the procedure. EGD went well; they did find active bleeding in the very top of her stomach which they cauterized as best they could due to the awkward position and also shot it with epinephrine to get it to clot off; it was still oozing blood but should continue to heal up on it's own over the next 12 hours or so.
Ken left for work; Shar took Papa home to feed him and let him rest and I headed up to Mom's room to be with her when she woke up. Ryan and Stacee arrived shortly after they brought Mom up and were there when they did an echo cardiogram and an EKG in her room; we'll find out results tomorrow. As far as the heart issue goes, she is not a candidate for blood thinners due to the bleeding issue nor will they do anything invasive at this point. She is having no pain or exhibiting any other symptoms but they believe she probably has an underlying heart problem, the bleed just unmasked it.
Even though she was originally diagnosed with pneumonia, it must be very slight. Other than starting her on antibiotics; this has not been an emphasis at all and she has no other symptoms other than the x-ray results...no coughing, fever, etc. She also has a urinary tract infection.
I left around 2:30 and Shar was back up there from 3:30 until after her dinner. I headed home and crashed for about 3 hours...one tired pup!!! I am so thankful the kids are here...they are all extremely helpful with Ron as well as G'ma and Papa!
Please pray:
for Ron has he continues to deal with eating issues & side effects
open heart and mind for G'ma and Papa to the reality of what this means for their future; when I spoke with their family physician he said he has been telling them for years he feels they need to be in assisted living but he can't make them do anything...it's up to the family to force the issue if they don't recognize it on their own...it's either that or hire 24/7 caregivers
as we adjust to my work schedule, Ron's care and many doctor/hospital visits and being able to help with and just spend time with G'ma and Papa
Thank you for your prayer support and encouragement as we deal with these various issues!
Tonight, I'll start with Ron:
He continues to have a rough time with eating so Dr. Arslanlar has now backed him off to clear liquids again and is scheduling his EGD (endoscope down throat) for the first part of next week. Poor guy, felt really lousy Friday morning with gagging, choking and throwing up along with emptying 350 cc out of his g-tube. He's getting to the point where he's afraid to eat. Once he got his stomach empty and rested for a while he felt better. We also had to up his dose of diuretic and now, day 3, it is finally beginning to kick in.
I took him up to HEB Friday evening to visit his Mom. Afterwards, we stopped by the CCU(ICU) to visit with his former nurses. They were so surprised to see him come walking in! It was great to visit with them!
On to Ron's Mom:
Ron's brother, Ken, and his wife, Shar, came down Thursday evening and have been staying with Papa. I arrived at HEB at 8AM Friday morning in hopes of catching her doctor but he had already been there. Her nurse was preparing to give her a blood transfusion because her hemoglobin had dropped from 10.9 when she arrived Thurs to 8.4 Friday morning. Ken and Shar came up and spent the majority of Friday with Mom at the hospital. Sometime during the day Mom had an extremely bright red bloody stool so plans were made to do a colonoscopy Saturday. Shar started the process of getting her to drink the gallon of fluid. Mom was none too happy after about halfway through. They decided to do a bleeding scan to see if they could pinpoint if the bleed was in the upper or lower GI; her's indicated upper so an EGD was scheduled. She was thrilled to not have to finish the fluid.
Saturday morning, I again arrived at 8, determined to catch doctors, this time with great success! I was able to catch both Dr. Shea (GI) and Dr. Karing (primary care). They gave her 2 more units of blood...hemoglobin now down to 7.7. They had also called in a cardiologist to clear her for the EGD because her cardiac enzymes were continuing to increase; indicating she has had a heart attack sometime in the last 24-72 hours. After the GI doc and cardiologist consulted they decided the benefits outweighed the risks of doing the EGD. The most pressing need was to find the bleed and get it stopped. The bleeding causes decrease in overall blood, causing strain on the heart and forcing it to work harder. They feel the bleed and the distress it caused the heart is probably what caused the heart attack.
Ken, Shar, Papa and I waited in the GI lab and were able to talk with both the cardiologist, before, and Dr. Shea, after, the procedure. EGD went well; they did find active bleeding in the very top of her stomach which they cauterized as best they could due to the awkward position and also shot it with epinephrine to get it to clot off; it was still oozing blood but should continue to heal up on it's own over the next 12 hours or so.
Ken left for work; Shar took Papa home to feed him and let him rest and I headed up to Mom's room to be with her when she woke up. Ryan and Stacee arrived shortly after they brought Mom up and were there when they did an echo cardiogram and an EKG in her room; we'll find out results tomorrow. As far as the heart issue goes, she is not a candidate for blood thinners due to the bleeding issue nor will they do anything invasive at this point. She is having no pain or exhibiting any other symptoms but they believe she probably has an underlying heart problem, the bleed just unmasked it.
Even though she was originally diagnosed with pneumonia, it must be very slight. Other than starting her on antibiotics; this has not been an emphasis at all and she has no other symptoms other than the x-ray results...no coughing, fever, etc. She also has a urinary tract infection.
I left around 2:30 and Shar was back up there from 3:30 until after her dinner. I headed home and crashed for about 3 hours...one tired pup!!! I am so thankful the kids are here...they are all extremely helpful with Ron as well as G'ma and Papa!
Please pray:
for Ron has he continues to deal with eating issues & side effects
open heart and mind for G'ma and Papa to the reality of what this means for their future; when I spoke with their family physician he said he has been telling them for years he feels they need to be in assisted living but he can't make them do anything...it's up to the family to force the issue if they don't recognize it on their own...it's either that or hire 24/7 caregivers
as we adjust to my work schedule, Ron's care and many doctor/hospital visits and being able to help with and just spend time with G'ma and Papa
Thank you for your prayer support and encouragement as we deal with these various issues!
Monday, August 18, 2008
Tucson Trip
As promised, following are the details of our trip...
26 out of 39 of the Nordell's were in Tucson to celebrate Lianna & Blake's wedding (brother, Leonard & Nancy's daughter); including all of Ron's Mom, Dad, brothers and sisters! It was wonderful to not only be able to join in the celebration, but to be loved on and encouraged by our family, as well as many others who have been praying and holding us up all these months.
Things went very smoothly at the airport; all of the American personnel we encountered were very helpful and kind; even the guy who did a very thorough body search on Ron! They whisked us through check-in; security, and made sure we were in a bulk-head row with 3 seats to ourselves and they even had our niece, who was connecting with us from Lubbock, moved to the aisle across from us. It was so great to have her along...she was gracious enough to stay with Ron and handle getting all our luggage while I retrieved the rental car. Thanks, Nikki! You are the best! Our flight was right on time, rental car was ready to go, luggage was collected and Ron and Nikki were waiting when I pulled up to the curb! We arrived at the hotel barely an hour after landing, even with @ a 25 minute drive! Others were not quite as fortunate. The flight our kids and 7 other family members were scheduled for on Friday was supposed to depart at 10AM; after 2 cancellations they finally left around 4:00. A long day at the airport with G'ma and Papa. The delays caused the girls to miss the bridal tea and barely allowed them time to freshen up before the rehearsal dinner.
Other than a lot of swelling and typical minor issues (a couple of g-tube drains and one bout of retching after a coughing attack), Ron did very well. The church was a couple of blocks from the hotel and the reception was conveniently located at the hotel itself! His lollilipops helped keep him comfortable...his back gets exceptionally tight when he has to sit upright for long periods of time; the binder is restrictive and uncomfortable (but helps keep his girlish figure!) and, of course he tires easily. We had a nice big room so he could rest on the sofa in front of the TV watching the Olympics, as needed. There were no glitches in our shipment of TPN and other supplies. When we arrived, Nancy had already unpacked all the supplies and stored them in the mini-fridge in our room. Thanks, Nancy! You are such a sweetheart! We had a grocery store across the street where I stocked up on the foods he needed; as well as a microwave in our room.
The rest of Thursday was low-key; Ron helped put programs together and tie bows; we went out to eat then spent the rest of the evening resting.
Friday, Ron slept in...I had to wake him so I could take care of all his medical stuff before I headed out to the bridal tea at 11. After a short walk thru the hotel to greet all the new arrivals, he went back and hung out in our room. In the afternoon, he hooked up with family members to play cards while I helped decorate the church. Then it was time to give him a shower, change "the baby" (our term for his TPN pack...Who's got "the baby"? Time to change "the baby"! "The baby" is crying) and head out to rehearsal dinner! By the time we returned, I was more than ready for bed. Ron decided to sit out at the pool and watch the kids for a little bit before coming in.
Saturday was a lazy day for us; wedding didn't start unitl 4 and the wedding party was busy so we relaxed by the pool for a while. The wedding ceremony was very sweet! We are so happy for and proud of Lianna and Blake; it's evident they desire to make Christ the head of their home. The reception was very fun! Ron decided to sample some watermelon, as well as a bite each of potatoes and wedding cake! Most glorious of all...we hoisted "the baby" on his back and joined the newlyweds on the dancefloor! Nothing more than swaying back and forth but what a wonderful testimony of the miracle God has graciously given us!
Sunday morning, Ron got up early enough to join everyone for breakfast. We all met to celebrate Nancy's parent's 60th wedding anniversary. It was also Nancy & Leonard's 35th anniversary. What a great leagacy!
An exhausting weekend for me but a good exhaustion! It was well worth the effort on my part for Ron to be able to share this special weekend with everyone.
Today, he has been released to begin trying foods with the consistency of oatmeal. He can eat very soft vegetables as long as he chews them to the consistencey of mush. This evenings cream of wheat resulted in throwing up :( YUCK.
Tomorrow, we discontinue his steroid injection (YEAH) and begin oral steroids which Dr. Arslanlar hopes to decrease rapidly. He has been on the steroid due to his adrenal failure so we're all anxious to see if the adrenal failure was due to the trauma his body was undergoing or if it is permanent. Already one strike against him since he only has one kidney; thus one adrenal gland.
We still have no clue as to whether or not he will be diabetic; and won't know until he is on full oral nutrition and totally off TPN. Right now, he receives insulin through the TPN and we don't even do blood sugar checks (other than checking it when they do weekly blood draw).
Last but not least, we return to Presbyterian for IR on Friday, along with visits with Dr. Shires and Dr. Arslanlar.
Please pray:
for eating process to progress smoothly
for stomach/intestines to "wake up" and absorb needed nutrients
against bile back-up and bloating
against retching episodes
for smooth transition as we figure out a new schedule (I started back to work today)
for swelling to decrease
totally off TPN
Sorry this is so long...I wanted to make sure I gave those of you who want every detail the satisfaction!
"O Lord my God, You have done many miracles for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. If I tried to recite all Your many wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them." Psalm 40:6 NLT
26 out of 39 of the Nordell's were in Tucson to celebrate Lianna & Blake's wedding (brother, Leonard & Nancy's daughter); including all of Ron's Mom, Dad, brothers and sisters! It was wonderful to not only be able to join in the celebration, but to be loved on and encouraged by our family, as well as many others who have been praying and holding us up all these months.
Things went very smoothly at the airport; all of the American personnel we encountered were very helpful and kind; even the guy who did a very thorough body search on Ron! They whisked us through check-in; security, and made sure we were in a bulk-head row with 3 seats to ourselves and they even had our niece, who was connecting with us from Lubbock, moved to the aisle across from us. It was so great to have her along...she was gracious enough to stay with Ron and handle getting all our luggage while I retrieved the rental car. Thanks, Nikki! You are the best! Our flight was right on time, rental car was ready to go, luggage was collected and Ron and Nikki were waiting when I pulled up to the curb! We arrived at the hotel barely an hour after landing, even with @ a 25 minute drive! Others were not quite as fortunate. The flight our kids and 7 other family members were scheduled for on Friday was supposed to depart at 10AM; after 2 cancellations they finally left around 4:00. A long day at the airport with G'ma and Papa. The delays caused the girls to miss the bridal tea and barely allowed them time to freshen up before the rehearsal dinner.
Other than a lot of swelling and typical minor issues (a couple of g-tube drains and one bout of retching after a coughing attack), Ron did very well. The church was a couple of blocks from the hotel and the reception was conveniently located at the hotel itself! His lollilipops helped keep him comfortable...his back gets exceptionally tight when he has to sit upright for long periods of time; the binder is restrictive and uncomfortable (but helps keep his girlish figure!) and, of course he tires easily. We had a nice big room so he could rest on the sofa in front of the TV watching the Olympics, as needed. There were no glitches in our shipment of TPN and other supplies. When we arrived, Nancy had already unpacked all the supplies and stored them in the mini-fridge in our room. Thanks, Nancy! You are such a sweetheart! We had a grocery store across the street where I stocked up on the foods he needed; as well as a microwave in our room.
The rest of Thursday was low-key; Ron helped put programs together and tie bows; we went out to eat then spent the rest of the evening resting.
Friday, Ron slept in...I had to wake him so I could take care of all his medical stuff before I headed out to the bridal tea at 11. After a short walk thru the hotel to greet all the new arrivals, he went back and hung out in our room. In the afternoon, he hooked up with family members to play cards while I helped decorate the church. Then it was time to give him a shower, change "the baby" (our term for his TPN pack...Who's got "the baby"? Time to change "the baby"! "The baby" is crying) and head out to rehearsal dinner! By the time we returned, I was more than ready for bed. Ron decided to sit out at the pool and watch the kids for a little bit before coming in.
Saturday was a lazy day for us; wedding didn't start unitl 4 and the wedding party was busy so we relaxed by the pool for a while. The wedding ceremony was very sweet! We are so happy for and proud of Lianna and Blake; it's evident they desire to make Christ the head of their home. The reception was very fun! Ron decided to sample some watermelon, as well as a bite each of potatoes and wedding cake! Most glorious of all...we hoisted "the baby" on his back and joined the newlyweds on the dancefloor! Nothing more than swaying back and forth but what a wonderful testimony of the miracle God has graciously given us!
Sunday morning, Ron got up early enough to join everyone for breakfast. We all met to celebrate Nancy's parent's 60th wedding anniversary. It was also Nancy & Leonard's 35th anniversary. What a great leagacy!
An exhausting weekend for me but a good exhaustion! It was well worth the effort on my part for Ron to be able to share this special weekend with everyone.
Today, he has been released to begin trying foods with the consistency of oatmeal. He can eat very soft vegetables as long as he chews them to the consistencey of mush. This evenings cream of wheat resulted in throwing up :( YUCK.
Tomorrow, we discontinue his steroid injection (YEAH) and begin oral steroids which Dr. Arslanlar hopes to decrease rapidly. He has been on the steroid due to his adrenal failure so we're all anxious to see if the adrenal failure was due to the trauma his body was undergoing or if it is permanent. Already one strike against him since he only has one kidney; thus one adrenal gland.
We still have no clue as to whether or not he will be diabetic; and won't know until he is on full oral nutrition and totally off TPN. Right now, he receives insulin through the TPN and we don't even do blood sugar checks (other than checking it when they do weekly blood draw).
Last but not least, we return to Presbyterian for IR on Friday, along with visits with Dr. Shires and Dr. Arslanlar.
Please pray:
for eating process to progress smoothly
for stomach/intestines to "wake up" and absorb needed nutrients
against bile back-up and bloating
against retching episodes
for smooth transition as we figure out a new schedule (I started back to work today)
for swelling to decrease
totally off TPN
Sorry this is so long...I wanted to make sure I gave those of you who want every detail the satisfaction!
"O Lord my God, You have done many miracles for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. If I tried to recite all Your many wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them." Psalm 40:6 NLT
Friday, August 15, 2008
Safe and sound in Tucson
Wanted to let you know we arrived in Tucson Thursday afternoon. The airport adventure went very smoothly and flight went great (other than an almost puking incident after take-off; I guess the cabin pressure caused pressure to built...he rushed to the bathroom and let off a bagful of fluid, then was fine). Ron is doing very well, everyone is thrilled he is here.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
We're goin' for it!!! And Happy Birthday, Ryan!!!
Monday, Ron went to Presby for ultrasound to check the hematoma...still the same in size and it is definitely a clot, so there is nothing to drain at this point. They will continue to watch.
BIG NEWS! Dr. Shires, Dr. Arslanlar and Dr. Dittman all gave their blessing for Ron to travel to Tucson this weekend for our niece's wedding. They are all very excited for him to do something "normal". Of course, I have a mile long list of instructions and things to watch for, as well as personal pager number and in one case personal cell phone number for our docs! And even which hospital to take him to if the need arises! How's that for great doctors??? We are to call them as soon as we get back in town to let them know how things went.
So, the last two days have been spent with me running around like a mad woman getting flights arranged, rental car, airline forms for medical exception filled out (to be able to clear security with all of his necessary medical equipment and supplies), medical supplies we'll take with us packed, (along with arrangements to have some of it shipped directly from the pharmacy to the hotel), and oh, did I mention in the meantime I'm still running a household, taking care of an invalid (or so he likes me to think he is...he's capable of doing much more but won't unless forced! How's that for being spoiled???!!!) and preparing to return to work on Monday?? Praise God I have the kids here to help out...and they are all GREAT help. It's been such a blessing having all of them live here!
I'm a little anxious but more so, very excited...for both of us!!! We can't wait to be with some of our wonderfully supportive family! And to enjoy a beautiful weekend filled with making lifelong memories! As you can imagine, we are so much more aware of the importance of family, friends and memories.
AND today is our sweet Ryan's 28th birthday!!!! Happy Birthday, Ryan! I was reflecting this morning on 28 years ago today....all the Gregory family filled the waiting room at Glenview Hospital anxiously anticipating the birth of the first grandchild. And, as always, you did things in your own way, and own time...after 24 hours of labor, you made your dramatic entrance into this world and our hearts! We are so proud of you and the Godly man you have become!
Not sure I'll get a chance to update while away, but please pray for a MEDICALLY UNEVENTFUL (restful would be nice,too!) weekend away!
BIG NEWS! Dr. Shires, Dr. Arslanlar and Dr. Dittman all gave their blessing for Ron to travel to Tucson this weekend for our niece's wedding. They are all very excited for him to do something "normal". Of course, I have a mile long list of instructions and things to watch for, as well as personal pager number and in one case personal cell phone number for our docs! And even which hospital to take him to if the need arises! How's that for great doctors??? We are to call them as soon as we get back in town to let them know how things went.
So, the last two days have been spent with me running around like a mad woman getting flights arranged, rental car, airline forms for medical exception filled out (to be able to clear security with all of his necessary medical equipment and supplies), medical supplies we'll take with us packed, (along with arrangements to have some of it shipped directly from the pharmacy to the hotel), and oh, did I mention in the meantime I'm still running a household, taking care of an invalid (or so he likes me to think he is...he's capable of doing much more but won't unless forced! How's that for being spoiled???!!!) and preparing to return to work on Monday?? Praise God I have the kids here to help out...and they are all GREAT help. It's been such a blessing having all of them live here!
I'm a little anxious but more so, very excited...for both of us!!! We can't wait to be with some of our wonderfully supportive family! And to enjoy a beautiful weekend filled with making lifelong memories! As you can imagine, we are so much more aware of the importance of family, friends and memories.
AND today is our sweet Ryan's 28th birthday!!!! Happy Birthday, Ryan! I was reflecting this morning on 28 years ago today....all the Gregory family filled the waiting room at Glenview Hospital anxiously anticipating the birth of the first grandchild. And, as always, you did things in your own way, and own time...after 24 hours of labor, you made your dramatic entrance into this world and our hearts! We are so proud of you and the Godly man you have become!
Not sure I'll get a chance to update while away, but please pray for a MEDICALLY UNEVENTFUL (restful would be nice,too!) weekend away!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Semi-normalcy
Today, we went out to lunch at Joe T. Garcia's, our favorite Mexican restaurant that has a beautiful outdoor eating area...first time Ron's eaten out since sometime early last October! He ate the broth from a bowl of chicken tortilla soup and enjoyed iced tea...such a mundane thing yet such a huge step! Because of the storm in the Gulf we've been experiencing some cooler weather today so we actually enjoyed dining outside.
We also took him to get a much-needed haircut. The lady told him, "I see you've had some home jobs lately." He didn't bother to tell her his wife was doing the best she could under great duress while he was in the hospital! HA! By the time we got home, he was in definite need of a nap.
We are trying to push Ron a little bit and get him out more to see how he handles the activity. We have an ulterior motive; our niece is getting married next week in Tucson and we both really, really want to be there! It would be so good to get away AND to be able to spend time with all the family. This last year has given us an even greater appreciation for our family and how important it is to spend time together making memories!
We had mentioned the prospect of going to the wedding to Dr. Arslanlar a couple of months ago and he was all for it. He said he still has this goal in the back of his mind. Obviously, there are many logistics to work out; but he says all very doable. TPN will have to be shipped there in advance, letter of medical necessity to get all his paraphernalia through airport security, supplies to pack...YIKES!! Actually, finding clothes he can wear over the g-tube, binder and swollen legs will be difficult but getting his swollen feet into a pair of shoes will be the biggest challenge!
We will wait until Monday after his next CT and IR to make a final decision, though. Dependent on how things go, we will plan to arrive a couple of days early so Ron has those days to rest before all the activities begin Friday evening. Please pray for our discernment.
Wednesday is our day TPN and other supplies are delivered; the day Dr. Arslanlar makes changes in TPN if needed, evidenced by blood test results or any symptoms experienced. Ron is progressing well, with setbacks being smaller each time. Now that he's eating (drinking) more, he has started having more swelling in his legs and gaining about a pound a day (now up to 196!) so, as of today, they have backed off on his amino acids (protein) as well as discontinued the filtered water they put in the TPN. Hopefully, this will help decrease the swelling.
This morning, as I was out walking (enjoying the cooler weather); I started getting a little anxious thinking about starting back to work in a couple of weeks. My heart and mind were racing wondering: How are things going to work out? What if...?; How will we...?, etc. And then I thought how dare I question God's plans? Hasn't He shown Himself faithful many times over? Hasn't He promised to go before us? Doesn't He tell us to "be anxious for nothing" and to not worry about tomorrow? I love it when God speaks so clearly; reassuring me of His sovereignty and sufficiency; reminding me my job is to trust and allow Him to work, however He chooses, knowing His plan is so much bigger and better than mine! So, we'll keep placing one foot in front of the other, stepping out in faith!
Much love to each of you,
Christie
PS: I promise I'll get to those bazillion thank you notes soon! Know you are not unappreciated!
We also took him to get a much-needed haircut. The lady told him, "I see you've had some home jobs lately." He didn't bother to tell her his wife was doing the best she could under great duress while he was in the hospital! HA! By the time we got home, he was in definite need of a nap.
We are trying to push Ron a little bit and get him out more to see how he handles the activity. We have an ulterior motive; our niece is getting married next week in Tucson and we both really, really want to be there! It would be so good to get away AND to be able to spend time with all the family. This last year has given us an even greater appreciation for our family and how important it is to spend time together making memories!
We had mentioned the prospect of going to the wedding to Dr. Arslanlar a couple of months ago and he was all for it. He said he still has this goal in the back of his mind. Obviously, there are many logistics to work out; but he says all very doable. TPN will have to be shipped there in advance, letter of medical necessity to get all his paraphernalia through airport security, supplies to pack...YIKES!! Actually, finding clothes he can wear over the g-tube, binder and swollen legs will be difficult but getting his swollen feet into a pair of shoes will be the biggest challenge!
We will wait until Monday after his next CT and IR to make a final decision, though. Dependent on how things go, we will plan to arrive a couple of days early so Ron has those days to rest before all the activities begin Friday evening. Please pray for our discernment.
Wednesday is our day TPN and other supplies are delivered; the day Dr. Arslanlar makes changes in TPN if needed, evidenced by blood test results or any symptoms experienced. Ron is progressing well, with setbacks being smaller each time. Now that he's eating (drinking) more, he has started having more swelling in his legs and gaining about a pound a day (now up to 196!) so, as of today, they have backed off on his amino acids (protein) as well as discontinued the filtered water they put in the TPN. Hopefully, this will help decrease the swelling.
This morning, as I was out walking (enjoying the cooler weather); I started getting a little anxious thinking about starting back to work in a couple of weeks. My heart and mind were racing wondering: How are things going to work out? What if...?; How will we...?, etc. And then I thought how dare I question God's plans? Hasn't He shown Himself faithful many times over? Hasn't He promised to go before us? Doesn't He tell us to "be anxious for nothing" and to not worry about tomorrow? I love it when God speaks so clearly; reassuring me of His sovereignty and sufficiency; reminding me my job is to trust and allow Him to work, however He chooses, knowing His plan is so much bigger and better than mine! So, we'll keep placing one foot in front of the other, stepping out in faith!
Much love to each of you,
Christie
PS: I promise I'll get to those bazillion thank you notes soon! Know you are not unappreciated!
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Details from Presby IR
Sorry I didn't post an update yesterday...it was a long, exhausting day.
I was up by 6 to begin watering yard (what I would give for a sprinkler system!!) and get a walk in before having to get myself and Ron ready before home health nurse arrived to do PICC line change and blood draw before we left for Presbyterian at 10:45. Whew! I was tired before we even left!
Shires and Dittman both came out at different times to tell us they had an emergency "bleeder" so to settle in, it would be a while.
I'm so thankful I thought to bring the laptop. I was able to get quite a bit of work done (for all you school employees, I'm already working on the first TEKS Checks--benchmarks--to be given in September, UGH!!). They finally took him to CT at 1:45 then straight to IR. He was finished around 4:30...just in time to hit the wonderful traffic heading home.
Results from CT and IR (Notes from Dittman with Shires comments in blue)
Drained off about 50 cc of fluid--some looks like fairly new blood; still about double that amount there but it looks like mostly a large clot; will take a while to resolve. If it does not resolve may have to go in and inject with something. Continue to keep binder on, tight.
Left side swelling equivalent to hernia—what does that mean? Nothing remarkable, just keep an eye on for now
PICC line looks ok right now; (home health nurse was not able to draw blood from it yesterday) try force flushing…if still have problems may need to change
G-tube site is red on surface but there is no evidence of abscess on scan; replaced dressing and wafer, left open; clean daily with mild soap--NO ALCOHOL; that would sting terribly--and apply antibiotic ointment
Stomach looks full; not emptying completely as yet—can’t tell by one snapshot picture whether or not it’s draining; good news, stomach is bigger! (had been about the size of a walnut!)
Swelling in legs, something we'll have to live with for now: wear TEDS (compression socks) all the time
See back at scheduled appointment on August 11—hoping to remove g-tube at that time but will be dependent on how he’s handling feedings, etc
Questions for Shires:
Diet questions: Increase volume and stay with what he’s been doing or progress? Stay with what he’s doing (mostly clear liquid diet with small amounts of cream items thrown in) …if he can go 2 or 3 days with full meals (able to eat equivalent of entire tray in hospital) w/o having to open g-tube, can progress to next step (which will be full liquid diet throwing in a few more substantial items, like cream of wheat)
So, there you have it! He was very tired and napped off and on as we waited yesterday. And of course he had his lollipop for the ride home and a nap in his recliner after arriving. (Plus part of an orange sherbet freeze for being such a good patient!)
Ron's feeling pretty good today; getting the pressure off his right flank has definitely helped.
Love,
Christie
The following song has been so encouraging to me; hope it ministers to you as well!
"Bring the Rain" by Mercy Me
I can count a million times
People asking me how I
Can praise You
With all that I've gone through
The question just amazes me
Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You
Maybe since my life was changed
Long before these rainy days
It's never really ever crossed my mind
To turn my back on you, oh Lord
My only shelter from the storm
But instead I draw closer through these times
So I pray
Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain
I am Yours regardless of
The clouds that may loom above
Because You are much greater than my pain
You who made a way for me
Suffering Your destiny
So tell me whats a little rain
Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain
Holy, holy, holy
Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty
is the lord God almighty
I'm forever singing
Holy, holy, holy
Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty
is the Lord God Almighty
Everybody singing
Holy holy holy
You are holy
You are holy
I was up by 6 to begin watering yard (what I would give for a sprinkler system!!) and get a walk in before having to get myself and Ron ready before home health nurse arrived to do PICC line change and blood draw before we left for Presbyterian at 10:45. Whew! I was tired before we even left!
Shires and Dittman both came out at different times to tell us they had an emergency "bleeder" so to settle in, it would be a while.
I'm so thankful I thought to bring the laptop. I was able to get quite a bit of work done (for all you school employees, I'm already working on the first TEKS Checks--benchmarks--to be given in September, UGH!!). They finally took him to CT at 1:45 then straight to IR. He was finished around 4:30...just in time to hit the wonderful traffic heading home.
Results from CT and IR (Notes from Dittman with Shires comments in blue)
Drained off about 50 cc of fluid--some looks like fairly new blood; still about double that amount there but it looks like mostly a large clot; will take a while to resolve. If it does not resolve may have to go in and inject with something. Continue to keep binder on, tight.
Left side swelling equivalent to hernia—what does that mean? Nothing remarkable, just keep an eye on for now
PICC line looks ok right now; (home health nurse was not able to draw blood from it yesterday) try force flushing…if still have problems may need to change
G-tube site is red on surface but there is no evidence of abscess on scan; replaced dressing and wafer, left open; clean daily with mild soap--NO ALCOHOL; that would sting terribly--and apply antibiotic ointment
Stomach looks full; not emptying completely as yet—can’t tell by one snapshot picture whether or not it’s draining; good news, stomach is bigger! (had been about the size of a walnut!)
Swelling in legs, something we'll have to live with for now: wear TEDS (compression socks) all the time
See back at scheduled appointment on August 11—hoping to remove g-tube at that time but will be dependent on how he’s handling feedings, etc
Questions for Shires:
Diet questions: Increase volume and stay with what he’s been doing or progress? Stay with what he’s doing (mostly clear liquid diet with small amounts of cream items thrown in) …if he can go 2 or 3 days with full meals (able to eat equivalent of entire tray in hospital) w/o having to open g-tube, can progress to next step (which will be full liquid diet throwing in a few more substantial items, like cream of wheat)
So, there you have it! He was very tired and napped off and on as we waited yesterday. And of course he had his lollipop for the ride home and a nap in his recliner after arriving. (Plus part of an orange sherbet freeze for being such a good patient!)
Ron's feeling pretty good today; getting the pressure off his right flank has definitely helped.
Love,
Christie
The following song has been so encouraging to me; hope it ministers to you as well!
"Bring the Rain" by Mercy Me
I can count a million times
People asking me how I
Can praise You
With all that I've gone through
The question just amazes me
Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You
Maybe since my life was changed
Long before these rainy days
It's never really ever crossed my mind
To turn my back on you, oh Lord
My only shelter from the storm
But instead I draw closer through these times
So I pray
Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain
I am Yours regardless of
The clouds that may loom above
Because You are much greater than my pain
You who made a way for me
Suffering Your destiny
So tell me whats a little rain
Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain
Holy, holy, holy
Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty
is the lord God almighty
I'm forever singing
Holy, holy, holy
Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty
is the Lord God Almighty
Everybody singing
Holy holy holy
You are holy
You are holy
Monday, August 4, 2008
Progress
Small bump in the road this weekend. It seems Ron jumped in to eating a little too much too soon! He did great on the clear liquid diet but when he progressed to full liquid--adding cream soups, puddings, sherbet, etc,--it was a little more than he could handle. Friday he started feeling crummy and ended up having to unclamp his gastric tube twice to drain gastric juices. He's also experienced extra discomfort around his g-tube site; we can't tell if there is any redness because it is covered with a special dressing and "wafer". No fever, which is a good sign. We can also tell that the area they drained is getting larger, not painful or tender but larger. No sign of bruising so we don't think it's bleeding, but possibly a build up of seroma fluid. We spoke with Dr. Shires and he wants to see Ron at Presbyterian tomorrow (Monday) at which time they will do either a CT scan or sonogram and he will go to Interventional Radiology to have the g-tube site looked at, as well.
On top of that, we started having air conditioner problems. We had all stayed up 'til midnight watching a movie Friday. When we were headed to bed Aaron noticed water on the pantry floor. As we investigated further, we found about 2 inches of standing water under the AC unit, the coat closet soaked and water in the garage. Aaron and Kristin went to the warehouse to get our industrial shop vac while Ryan and I (under Ron's direction) tried to figure out exactly where the leak originated. We dried everything up, cleaned everything out and placed buckets underneath the AC unit to catch the drips. We decided to maintain things until Monday so we wouldn't have to pay higher weekend rates. (Don't worry....we still have cool air.) We were all up until 2:30AM which I'm sure didn't help Ron! He slept in Saturday morning, then napped off and on, but still felt puny most of the day.
Today has been a better day, we back-tracked on his diet and have stuck mostly to clear liquids, only adding a cream-based item here and there, since Friday evening, and he has tolerated this very well.
Main areas of concern:
Increased size of drain site
discomfort at G-tube site
Continued swelling in legs (left especially)
Thanks for your continued prayer support and encouragement.
Much love,
Christie
This is what the Lord says, 'At just the right time, I will respond to you. On the day of salvation, I will help you...And I will make my mountains into level paths"
Isaiah 49:8 & 11
The purpose of our trials is not only to test our worthiness but also to increase it, just as the mighty oak is tested by the storms as well as strengthened by them
On top of that, we started having air conditioner problems. We had all stayed up 'til midnight watching a movie Friday. When we were headed to bed Aaron noticed water on the pantry floor. As we investigated further, we found about 2 inches of standing water under the AC unit, the coat closet soaked and water in the garage. Aaron and Kristin went to the warehouse to get our industrial shop vac while Ryan and I (under Ron's direction) tried to figure out exactly where the leak originated. We dried everything up, cleaned everything out and placed buckets underneath the AC unit to catch the drips. We decided to maintain things until Monday so we wouldn't have to pay higher weekend rates. (Don't worry....we still have cool air.) We were all up until 2:30AM which I'm sure didn't help Ron! He slept in Saturday morning, then napped off and on, but still felt puny most of the day.
Today has been a better day, we back-tracked on his diet and have stuck mostly to clear liquids, only adding a cream-based item here and there, since Friday evening, and he has tolerated this very well.
Main areas of concern:
Increased size of drain site
discomfort at G-tube site
Continued swelling in legs (left especially)
Thanks for your continued prayer support and encouragement.
Much love,
Christie
This is what the Lord says, 'At just the right time, I will respond to you. On the day of salvation, I will help you...And I will make my mountains into level paths"
Isaiah 49:8 & 11
The purpose of our trials is not only to test our worthiness but also to increase it, just as the mighty oak is tested by the storms as well as strengthened by them
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)