Today has been a typical day in ICU for us. I arrived about 10am to be with my Mom. She was pretty sleepy, and was not too talkative. I gave her a foot rub and she seemed to like that. The nurse told her this morning that unless she started eating more today they would have to insert a feeding tube into her nose. That seemed to get through to her and she did eat a hearty breakfast. Not a ton, but more than yesterday. I think we are going to have to start being a little more firm with her and not really giving her a choice whether or not she wants to eat. She just needs to eat.
Since we were given the ok to make her stuff at home and bring it in, I left at 11:30 when Dad got here to go to the store and make her some Broccoli cheese soup. Dana is making her organic mashed potatoes too, and I brought in some of the leftover turkey meatloaf from last night. Hopefully when she wakes up she'll want some more food and since it was made with love by her darling daughters she will have a harder time saying no. :) I brought some for Dad as well who said it was very yummy, so I hope she thinks so as well.
I got to have a good conversation with her nurse this morning. Mom is officially at this point no longer an ICU patient. She should be moving to the intermediate floor but since they do not currently have any open beds, she is staying where she is. It sounds like their intention is to transfer her directly from here to the acute rehab center so they can get started working on her muscles as soon as possible. There is a tech in there with her now that is doing the EEG which will hopefully determine that she is not having anymore seizures and ready to start getting off those meds. That will be a step in the right direction for sure.
Will write more later as we get an update from the nurse and technician. Keep those prayers coming!!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
A good day, I think.
I just got home after seeing Mom. ICU is closed to family from 6:30 - 8:30, both am and pm, which makes the "late" shift exactly that. She'd had some pain meds right before I arrived, so was pretty sleepy for my whole visit. When we did chat, her mood was positive. She is happy that the surgeon gave the a-okay for some good meals brought from home... she requested soup from Sara, and mashed potatoes from me. Neither Sara nor I have been impressed with the quality of food she's getting in there (Mom says, "Caca", and we say, "How much high fructose corn syrup can you give somebody?"), so we'll be giving her some better organic meals.
Blood sugar is holding well at 113 tonight. Rumor has it that she'll be moving out of ICU tomorrow, and back to the Intermediary Care floor; that's certainly a step in the right direction. While technically she can have visitors there, she's physically not up to that quite yet. We'll keep you posted and let you know when she's ready... thank you for your patience and understanding with that.
Again, I don't think I can stress how very thankful we all are for the prayers, love and support you've all shown us. THANK YOU SO MUCH, from the bottom of my heart!
~ Dana
Blood sugar is holding well at 113 tonight. Rumor has it that she'll be moving out of ICU tomorrow, and back to the Intermediary Care floor; that's certainly a step in the right direction. While technically she can have visitors there, she's physically not up to that quite yet. We'll keep you posted and let you know when she's ready... thank you for your patience and understanding with that.
Again, I don't think I can stress how very thankful we all are for the prayers, love and support you've all shown us. THANK YOU SO MUCH, from the bottom of my heart!
~ Dana
Tuckered out.....
Being up so long really tuckered Mom out. She is still sleeping like a baby, and even a false fire alarm did not wake her up. Its probably good. When she sleeps she does not hurt and her body can just concentrate on healing. While I was here, some people in the ICU lobby were making the heart breaking decision to turn life support off for a fairly young man that is a few doors down from us. I am not sure what happened to him, but there is a pretty big crowd here of his friends and family and the organ donation crew arrived a little bit ago. As I watch their grief, I am especially grateful to God that our Mom is on the recovery road. God is good and I believe he will watch out for and heal her so she will be chasing after DJ and Alex and the grandkids she has not met yet for lots of years to come! Matt reminded me today that on the day he was born his Dad was at home shoveling snow. He decided that thats something his family does for good luck. Since he was shoveling snow all day today in Tahoe, he decided he has sent a lot of good luck her way. I like his thought process!!
At 5 I will leave my Dad here at the hospital and drive to the grocery store to make dinner for everyone. I figure a good, healthy meal is something I can do to keep everyone on the hospital rotation healthy as we're taking shifts with Mom. The ICU is closed to visitors from 6:30-8:30 both AM and PM, so Dana will come back after dinner at 8:30 to hang out with her until its night night time. Please keep those prayers coming warriors!!
At 5 I will leave my Dad here at the hospital and drive to the grocery store to make dinner for everyone. I figure a good, healthy meal is something I can do to keep everyone on the hospital rotation healthy as we're taking shifts with Mom. The ICU is closed to visitors from 6:30-8:30 both AM and PM, so Dana will come back after dinner at 8:30 to hang out with her until its night night time. Please keep those prayers coming warriors!!
Down for a nap....
Mom was up for a little over an hour sitting the chair, which is more than she did yesterday so we are pleased. The efforts to get from one to the other pretty much wipes her out, so she is snoozing. She hurts to much at the incision line she feels like she is not getting any better, although we can obviously see she is. Please say an extra prayer for God to touch Mom's heart and mind and remind her that he is healing her little by little.
Finally some improvements....
I wish I could take a picture of what I see in front of me right this moment. My Mom is sitting up in a seat in her room in ICU and my Dad is standing slightly behind and next to her. She has her head rested against him and he is rubbing her neck and running his fingers through her hair. The love and devotion that is so evident between them right now takes my breath away and makes me heart so full. It is honestly the most comfortable that I have seen her. When the look at each other they are transformed to the 18 and 20 year olds that you see in their wedding pictures. Although this whole process has been so awful, it is truly touching and amazing to see this level of love between our parents for Dana and I. As I am writing this, it is hard for me to fight back the tears.
Today has been a pretty good day. Mom's speech has improved dramatically just since I was with her last night. She is able to put together clear, concise sentences and seems to be more cognitive and aware. She is still in quite a bit of pain though, which is concerning to us. But the staff here is managing it as best they can. Getting her up in a chair 2 days in a row is a good thing as well. The more she moves around the faster she will heal, so they are making an effort to get her moving. I got to be here today when the neurologist came in to talk to her/us. (Unfortunately for her he in no way resembles McDreamy from Grey's Anatomy.) He said the EEG was done yesterday although he has not been able to see the results yet. This will show us whether or not she has had any more seizures which he was fairly certain she has not. In his opinion the original problem was caused totally by the low blood sugar and once that was corrected her seizures stopped. She will be weaned off the seizure meds over the next few days. He has ordered an MRI for the next few days to see what her brain looks like. He explained it that severe low blood sugar can present like a stroke that affects certain parts of the brain. Where the stroke affects are permanent, the blood sugar ones are not and will fade away as the balance gets corrected. This is great news for us, for the vasy improvement in her speech is a good testament that her body is already righting itself. He said there is a good likelihood she can be transferred out of ICU in the next day or 2 back to the regular care floor. Please keep praying that she continues to improve enough to facilitiate this!
Just with the changes that I have seen from last night to today, I am filled with cautious optimism. I believe in my heart our Mom will recover! We have a long, hard road ahead of us though, so we need those prayers to continue more than ever. We have come pretty close to losing her twice now, so we would like to ask for God's blessing that she will experience nothing but healing from now on! Both my parents are currently snoozing in their chairs while I write this, so I am going to sign off for now. I will right more later today.
Thanks again for your love and prayers! They mean the world to us!!
Today has been a pretty good day. Mom's speech has improved dramatically just since I was with her last night. She is able to put together clear, concise sentences and seems to be more cognitive and aware. She is still in quite a bit of pain though, which is concerning to us. But the staff here is managing it as best they can. Getting her up in a chair 2 days in a row is a good thing as well. The more she moves around the faster she will heal, so they are making an effort to get her moving. I got to be here today when the neurologist came in to talk to her/us. (Unfortunately for her he in no way resembles McDreamy from Grey's Anatomy.) He said the EEG was done yesterday although he has not been able to see the results yet. This will show us whether or not she has had any more seizures which he was fairly certain she has not. In his opinion the original problem was caused totally by the low blood sugar and once that was corrected her seizures stopped. She will be weaned off the seizure meds over the next few days. He has ordered an MRI for the next few days to see what her brain looks like. He explained it that severe low blood sugar can present like a stroke that affects certain parts of the brain. Where the stroke affects are permanent, the blood sugar ones are not and will fade away as the balance gets corrected. This is great news for us, for the vasy improvement in her speech is a good testament that her body is already righting itself. He said there is a good likelihood she can be transferred out of ICU in the next day or 2 back to the regular care floor. Please keep praying that she continues to improve enough to facilitiate this!
Just with the changes that I have seen from last night to today, I am filled with cautious optimism. I believe in my heart our Mom will recover! We have a long, hard road ahead of us though, so we need those prayers to continue more than ever. We have come pretty close to losing her twice now, so we would like to ask for God's blessing that she will experience nothing but healing from now on! Both my parents are currently snoozing in their chairs while I write this, so I am going to sign off for now. I will right more later today.
Thanks again for your love and prayers! They mean the world to us!!
And one from Dana...
Sara's update pretty much covers where Mom was yesterday, so I will focus on saying a most sincere, "THANK YOU!" to all our of friends and family... The support that you have shown us is nothing short of phenomenal, truly. I find myself bowled over with encouraging messages, heartfelt emails and even supportive "pokes" from Facebook.
The other night when things seemed so bleak, I put my hands on each of my Mom's legs and willed her to feel my love, and to keep fighting. I find myself running out of ways to plead with God for her health and recovery, and occasionally I start to weep. Then I'll get a little note from one of you, and find a little a little more grace to continue on with. For that, I thank you.
~ Dana
The other night when things seemed so bleak, I put my hands on each of my Mom's legs and willed her to feel my love, and to keep fighting. I find myself running out of ways to plead with God for her health and recovery, and occasionally I start to weep. Then I'll get a little note from one of you, and find a little a little more grace to continue on with. For that, I thank you.
~ Dana
Monday, December 29, 2008
One more before bed....
After a whirlwind 12 hour travel day, I arrived in San Diego tonight. (In grand a entrance I might add, including an aborted landing and emergency go around to avoid another plane on the runway. Fun.) Our great family friend Kerri picked me up and we met Dana and DJ at Kerri's house. After the exchange we went straight to the hospital where I got to see my Mom for the first time.
She looks tired and pale, but to be totally honest, not at all as bad as I was expecting. I got to spend a few hours with her. She drifts in and out of sleep quite a bit, and was in some pain. The night nurse that had been there the night before remarked to me that she thought Mom had improved a whole lot from yesterday in her speech. She has to speak slow and it seems like she gets mixed up trying to get specific words out when she talks. When the nurse asked her who was visiting though, she looked at me and smiled and said "My baby. That's my baby." That was my Mom through and through and the moment made me want to cry with a mixture of relief, gratefulness, fear and cautious optimism.
Because she was hurting I asked the nurse to give her some pain medication which she put in the IV, but Mom was able to swallow her own cholesterol pill which was encouraging to me. The pain meds made her super sleepy, and since I had been up for so long already and had a windy drive to Ramona still to go, I gave her a kiss and told her I would see her in the morning. She said she loved me before I left and wanted to make sure my Dad would be coming with me tomorrow. I am overwhelmed with how much I needed to tell my Mom I loved her and hear it back from her. I am so humbled by this whole experience and the strength of my Dad and sister, and grateful for the unwavering support of Glenn and Matt respectively. I have an amazing family.
Tomorrow I am planning on going back to the hospital with my Dad, and then maybe tag teaming with Dana with Alex so that she can see Mom too. They have been shouldering all of this themselves for so long I am just going to try and cook some meals for everyone and fill in where ever I can be of the most help to them. It is such a relief to finally be here. Please keep those prayers and thoughts coming. I truly believe that they are helping!!
She looks tired and pale, but to be totally honest, not at all as bad as I was expecting. I got to spend a few hours with her. She drifts in and out of sleep quite a bit, and was in some pain. The night nurse that had been there the night before remarked to me that she thought Mom had improved a whole lot from yesterday in her speech. She has to speak slow and it seems like she gets mixed up trying to get specific words out when she talks. When the nurse asked her who was visiting though, she looked at me and smiled and said "My baby. That's my baby." That was my Mom through and through and the moment made me want to cry with a mixture of relief, gratefulness, fear and cautious optimism.
Because she was hurting I asked the nurse to give her some pain medication which she put in the IV, but Mom was able to swallow her own cholesterol pill which was encouraging to me. The pain meds made her super sleepy, and since I had been up for so long already and had a windy drive to Ramona still to go, I gave her a kiss and told her I would see her in the morning. She said she loved me before I left and wanted to make sure my Dad would be coming with me tomorrow. I am overwhelmed with how much I needed to tell my Mom I loved her and hear it back from her. I am so humbled by this whole experience and the strength of my Dad and sister, and grateful for the unwavering support of Glenn and Matt respectively. I have an amazing family.
Tomorrow I am planning on going back to the hospital with my Dad, and then maybe tag teaming with Dana with Alex so that she can see Mom too. They have been shouldering all of this themselves for so long I am just going to try and cook some meals for everyone and fill in where ever I can be of the most help to them. It is such a relief to finally be here. Please keep those prayers and thoughts coming. I truly believe that they are helping!!
Enroute to the Mama....
I talked to Dad and Dana earlier and they were at the hospital with Mom. They had gotten her to sit up, but that pretty much exhausted her. She is awake but not really able to communicate much. Dad says she can't get the words out and it seems like her brain is a little clouded. She was supposed to have the EEG today, but as of our last conversation, that had not happened. I am a little frustrated with the hospital with their lack of follow through.
I am currently sitting in Las Vegas, waiting for my flight to San Diego. Southwest was not incredibly helpful with the arrangements and I ended up having to go pick up my bags in baggage claim and then go through the whole check in and security process all over again. Ironically our flight from Norfolk to Vegas was continuing on to San Diego and they couldn't find a way to put me on it which didn't make me too happy. All I want is to get there as soon as I possibly can and to kiss my Mom!
I will update more when I get there and get up to speed. Please keep those all important prayers coming!
I am currently sitting in Las Vegas, waiting for my flight to San Diego. Southwest was not incredibly helpful with the arrangements and I ended up having to go pick up my bags in baggage claim and then go through the whole check in and security process all over again. Ironically our flight from Norfolk to Vegas was continuing on to San Diego and they couldn't find a way to put me on it which didn't make me too happy. All I want is to get there as soon as I possibly can and to kiss my Mom!
I will update more when I get there and get up to speed. Please keep those all important prayers coming!
No Change So Far....
Since the last few mornings I have woken up to emergency phone calls/messages, I was relieved this morning that there were no new problems reported. She will have her EEG sometime this morning, so please pray that comes back completely clear and that she continues to come around from the episode on Saturday night.
Matt and I are packing up and getting ready to head to the airport to get to Tahoe and San Diego respectively. Please say a prayer for no flight delays along the way. I really need to see my family!
Matt and I are packing up and getting ready to head to the airport to get to Tahoe and San Diego respectively. Please say a prayer for no flight delays along the way. I really need to see my family!
Sunday, December 28, 2008
A little good news....
I had forgotten to include this before, but as a bit of good news my Dad did tell me that the last time he knew the blood sugar count was checked she was up in the 80's. Since 100 is normal, this is a very good sign. Please keep the prayers coming!
Hey all. Here is the latest. Mom is slowly coming around, although not nearly as fast as we, and her doctors would like to see. She is able to answer basic questions with phrases like "Oh god", "ouch" and "ok." Not full phrases as we would like, but enough to know that her brain probably was not completely damaged by the low blood sugar. At this point the doctors don't know much. They don't know how her blood sugar got so low, and they don't know what all the damage could be. Tomorrow she will have an EEG, which is essentially a EKG but for the brain. After this scan we will know if there is any permanent damage to her brain. It is very likely that her body just shut down after being so low on sugar and chose functions that would keep her alive while shutting everything else down. She may just be coming out of that state slowly as the body tests that the balance of the body is ready to handle everything again. But we are cautiously optimistic at this point. We will know more tomorrow, and I will be posting more as soon as I know.
We are so grateful for all of your prayers and well wishes, but we need them more than ever. Please keep them coming! This woman is the absolute backbone of our family. We would be utterly lost without her and I am convinced that God has much more for her to accomplish in her lifetime. I know, as many of you have expressed to me, that she has made many of your lives better as well, just for knowing her. She has adopted many of Dana and I's friends along the way and made you honorary parts of our family. Tonight, we ask that all of you say a special prayer of healing and recovery for our Mom. Thank you so much for your support!
I will be flying from about 12:30pm EST to 4pm PST, so no posts between then. Dana will update me in between so I will post when I get to Las Vegas, and again when I make it San Diego and am able to see her. God bless our Mom and God bless all of you for loving and praying for her!
We are so grateful for all of your prayers and well wishes, but we need them more than ever. Please keep them coming! This woman is the absolute backbone of our family. We would be utterly lost without her and I am convinced that God has much more for her to accomplish in her lifetime. I know, as many of you have expressed to me, that she has made many of your lives better as well, just for knowing her. She has adopted many of Dana and I's friends along the way and made you honorary parts of our family. Tonight, we ask that all of you say a special prayer of healing and recovery for our Mom. Thank you so much for your support!
I will be flying from about 12:30pm EST to 4pm PST, so no posts between then. Dana will update me in between so I will post when I get to Las Vegas, and again when I make it San Diego and am able to see her. God bless our Mom and God bless all of you for loving and praying for her!
The whole story so far....
Here are all the updates so far from my sister's email. This should bring everyone up to date on where things stand right now. All new posts will be new information as I get it.
12/28/2008
Well, two steps forward, one step backward…
Last night, Mom was the best I’ve seen her in a long time. The doctors had removed her monitors, her pain pump, her “leg squeezers” and were getting ready to move her back upstairs to the regular surgical recovery floor: all excellent news. She’d had her hair washed (yay!), was watching an NCIS marathon (sweet!) and was looking forward to maybe getting some real food. I went home about 7:30 feeling pretty good about how things were going.
My Dad got a call from her nurse about 10 pm; apparently Mom had a seizure of some sort, and was continuing to have mini-seizures. Her blood sugar was down to 33 at that time, so they began to manufacture a chemical rebalance for her. She had a CT scan around midnight, but results wouldn’t be available until morning. They had Mom in some sort of a medicinal slumber, so they sent Glenn and Dad home to get some rest. They also moved her back into the ICU so she could have constant monitoring.
My Dad went down to the hospital early this morning. Results from the CT scan are positive: there wasn’t a stroke, or a loose blood clot, and there is no bleeding on the brain. However, her blood sugar was down to an alarming 10! The current train of thought is that she is having seizures due to extreme low blood sugar, so they are monitoring her hourly at this point. They are bringing in a neurologist to bounce ideas off of to see if they’re missing anything. Dad will stay with her today, and I’ll go down this afternoon once Alex goes down for a nap. Sara will fly here from Norfolk tomorrow.
Please, please, please continue the prayers! I am hopeful that if this is just a blood sugar issue that it can be easily treated. I am so ready to write an email that contains nothing but good news! Thank you all for sticking with us through this whole ordeal, and for supporting the whole family in prayer. It means so much to all of us…
Anticipating some GOOD NEWS,
Dana
PS: Pastor Lee – please forward to the Prayer Chain. Thank you!
12/27/2008:
Sorry there hasn’t been an update for a few days; things have been a little crazy!
Mom has been moved out of the ICU, and into the Intermediate Care area. This has been a good move in more ways than one – not only does it mean that she’s improving little by little, but since it’s quieter, she’s finding it easier to sleep and rest. The healing process is progressing, albeit slowly. After being down so much after knee surgery and now being flat on her back for the last three weeks, Mom is very weak. Getting up and out of bed to sit in a chair is a huge accomplishment, but it absolutely wipes her out. I keep trying to remind her that she’s getting stronger with every day that passes… J
GOOD NEWS:
1. Her white blood cell count has gone from a staggering 33 down to a nearly normal 11. (Optimal range is 5-10.) This is the indicator the doctors are watching to gauge her infection, so numbers this low are very encouraging.
2. The section of intestine that was removed was tested, and is cancer free!
3. The physical therapists who come in to work with her are thrilled with her knee replacement.
4. Her color is good, and she even cracked a few jokes yesterday. (At my expense, I might add!) She hasn’t done that for some time, and it was wonderful to hear.
It looks like she’ll be needing 24 hour care for some time to come, so even if she is released from the hospital she unfortunately can’t quite come home. (I guess we’ll be looking at some sort of rehab facility, but I’m sure we’ll know more soon.) There is still a significant amount of pain to deal with as well; hopefully that will begin to subside further as she continues to heal. I’m hoping that as soon as she’s able to sit up for an extended length of time (and gets some of the numerous IVs and monitor cables removed) that we’ll be able to wheel her outside for a short change of venue… those four hospital walls are closing in, and the view never changes.
We are all so incredibly thankful for the outpouring of love and support we’re received. God is SO good, and we’ve been so blessed by all of your prayers! Please keep them coming, as THEY ARE HELPING!
Thankfully ~
Dana
12/23/2008:
Mom did have surgery last night, about 7 pm. She was in tremendous pain right before, and very nervous. So were we! We all held hands and prayed together before she left, which at the very least made me feel better…
The procedure was a “technical success” according to her (slightly stingy with details) doctor. They ended up removing a sizeable section of large intestine, which was very badly infected. She came through surgery well, especially considering how weak she is. We are so hopeful that this will kick-off her road to recovery!
My Dad and I really felt the need to see her face afterwards, which meant waiting until she came out of recovery just before midnight. She was very “ouchy”, but they gave her one of those self-medicating clickers – I hope she uses it! My Dad stayed with her after I left; he may have even spent the night. I’ll have to wait until he calls me this morning, as I accidentally took his cell phone home with me… doh!
They kept her in ICU last night, and may be moving her to an intermediate care room today. I will keep you posted. Christmas will be most definitely spent in the hospital, so we will do our level best to make it a happy one for her. Dad and I bought her a (very) small live tree that we can add to her room, and we’ll just find a way to celebrate all around her.
THANK YOU ALL for your phone calls, your emails, and you unending prayers. I know my Mom could feel the love yesterday, and it was a huge comfort to her. We’d like to ask for your continued support, as she now faces yet another recovery period. May there be no further infection, good gut healing and a general restoration of health!
One thing I know I’ve forgotten to mention is the state of my Mom’s knee replacement. Her doctor for that kept warning us that if the infection travelled down into the new knee, the WHOLE THING would have to be redone/replaced. The fact that this has not yet happened with all the infection running through her body is a miracle in itself, but we will ask God to continue keeping that area safe and free from danger.
The next few days are sure to be rough. I am just so thankful to have my Mom here with us for Christmas…thank you Jesus!
Dana
12/22/2008:
I just talked to my Mom this morning… the intestinal drains aren’t working as well as the doctors would like. She is back to having intense pain, and her white blood cell count is again much too high. She is frustrated and understandably a little frightened, as are the rest of us. We are so wanting some *GOOD* news for her, for some relief from the pain she is in, and for some sort of permanent solution to this malady. Today they will send her for another scan. Depending on the results, they may pull out her drains and send her in for emergency surgery to remove the affected portions of intestine.
So again, we ask you to stand with us in prayer, asking for her health to improve. It is so uplifting to Mom to know that she has the best Prayer Warriors behind her! Our entire family continues to be thankful for the incredible support you have shown to her, and to us…
It only seems fitting at this time of year to list at least one positive item against the negative. The love that I have witnessed between my parents throughout this ordeal has overwhelmed me; my Dad truly adores my Mom, and that is a tremendous comfort to her. Sara and I are so blessed to have their example…
Thank you again! I will update tomorrow as we find out more.
Dana
PS: Pastor Lee, can you please forward this to the SeaCoast prayer chain? Thank you!
12/17/2008:
I am THANKFUL! J
I just got off the phone with my mom… she sounds SO much better! Yesterday the surgeon went in and placed three drains inside of three abscesses. (From what I understand, this should have been three separate procedures, but her surgeon is extremely skilled. Yes!) The relief was almost immediate; by last night both my dad and two of her doctors commented on how much better she looked. She still has the drains in place, and they will reassess her condition on Friday.
While all of this is wonderful news, there will still be some trials ahead. The surgeon told her that the abscesses will refill of the own volition in about six months, so the affected intestines will need to be removed. They want mom to be stronger physically first, so that surgery will be delayed until sometime in January.
I am so incredibly thankful to all of you for the unending prayer, supportive emails and phone calls! I have seen the power of your collective action, and I am humbled by it. Many thanks from the deepest parts of my heart… please keep up the wonderful work!
With a joyful heart,
Dana and family
12/16/2008:
I wanted to try to get online this morning, and write in individual groups, but I’m running out of time… J
My mom Candy has not been doing well since her knee surgery back in early October. Last Friday she finally went to the doctor after two months worth of intense pain, and they ran a blood work panel. The results came in yesterday, and they were less than stellar. They sent her for an MRI yesterday and then admitted her to the hospital last night. She has some sort of infected intestinal abscess that is going to have to be repaired; we won’t know the extent of the surgery until this morning when the surgeon comes in. My mom hates doctors & hospitals (hence her waiting over two months to get in there), so this is pretty close to complete torture for her. My entire family and I would be very appreciative of any prayers said on her behalf. She's scared, and so are we.
Please stand together with us and ask God for a successful surgery, a complete recovery and a relief from the pain that Mom has been having. Our most fervent Christmas wish is to have our Mom/Wife/Grandma restored to good health and happiness!
Dana ~ on behalf of all of the Nolan, Jennings & Flaherty Families
12/28/2008
Well, two steps forward, one step backward…
Last night, Mom was the best I’ve seen her in a long time. The doctors had removed her monitors, her pain pump, her “leg squeezers” and were getting ready to move her back upstairs to the regular surgical recovery floor: all excellent news. She’d had her hair washed (yay!), was watching an NCIS marathon (sweet!) and was looking forward to maybe getting some real food. I went home about 7:30 feeling pretty good about how things were going.
My Dad got a call from her nurse about 10 pm; apparently Mom had a seizure of some sort, and was continuing to have mini-seizures. Her blood sugar was down to 33 at that time, so they began to manufacture a chemical rebalance for her. She had a CT scan around midnight, but results wouldn’t be available until morning. They had Mom in some sort of a medicinal slumber, so they sent Glenn and Dad home to get some rest. They also moved her back into the ICU so she could have constant monitoring.
My Dad went down to the hospital early this morning. Results from the CT scan are positive: there wasn’t a stroke, or a loose blood clot, and there is no bleeding on the brain. However, her blood sugar was down to an alarming 10! The current train of thought is that she is having seizures due to extreme low blood sugar, so they are monitoring her hourly at this point. They are bringing in a neurologist to bounce ideas off of to see if they’re missing anything. Dad will stay with her today, and I’ll go down this afternoon once Alex goes down for a nap. Sara will fly here from Norfolk tomorrow.
Please, please, please continue the prayers! I am hopeful that if this is just a blood sugar issue that it can be easily treated. I am so ready to write an email that contains nothing but good news! Thank you all for sticking with us through this whole ordeal, and for supporting the whole family in prayer. It means so much to all of us…
Anticipating some GOOD NEWS,
Dana
PS: Pastor Lee – please forward to the Prayer Chain. Thank you!
12/27/2008:
Sorry there hasn’t been an update for a few days; things have been a little crazy!
Mom has been moved out of the ICU, and into the Intermediate Care area. This has been a good move in more ways than one – not only does it mean that she’s improving little by little, but since it’s quieter, she’s finding it easier to sleep and rest. The healing process is progressing, albeit slowly. After being down so much after knee surgery and now being flat on her back for the last three weeks, Mom is very weak. Getting up and out of bed to sit in a chair is a huge accomplishment, but it absolutely wipes her out. I keep trying to remind her that she’s getting stronger with every day that passes… J
GOOD NEWS:
1. Her white blood cell count has gone from a staggering 33 down to a nearly normal 11. (Optimal range is 5-10.) This is the indicator the doctors are watching to gauge her infection, so numbers this low are very encouraging.
2. The section of intestine that was removed was tested, and is cancer free!
3. The physical therapists who come in to work with her are thrilled with her knee replacement.
4. Her color is good, and she even cracked a few jokes yesterday. (At my expense, I might add!) She hasn’t done that for some time, and it was wonderful to hear.
It looks like she’ll be needing 24 hour care for some time to come, so even if she is released from the hospital she unfortunately can’t quite come home. (I guess we’ll be looking at some sort of rehab facility, but I’m sure we’ll know more soon.) There is still a significant amount of pain to deal with as well; hopefully that will begin to subside further as she continues to heal. I’m hoping that as soon as she’s able to sit up for an extended length of time (and gets some of the numerous IVs and monitor cables removed) that we’ll be able to wheel her outside for a short change of venue… those four hospital walls are closing in, and the view never changes.
We are all so incredibly thankful for the outpouring of love and support we’re received. God is SO good, and we’ve been so blessed by all of your prayers! Please keep them coming, as THEY ARE HELPING!
Thankfully ~
Dana
12/23/2008:
Mom did have surgery last night, about 7 pm. She was in tremendous pain right before, and very nervous. So were we! We all held hands and prayed together before she left, which at the very least made me feel better…
The procedure was a “technical success” according to her (slightly stingy with details) doctor. They ended up removing a sizeable section of large intestine, which was very badly infected. She came through surgery well, especially considering how weak she is. We are so hopeful that this will kick-off her road to recovery!
My Dad and I really felt the need to see her face afterwards, which meant waiting until she came out of recovery just before midnight. She was very “ouchy”, but they gave her one of those self-medicating clickers – I hope she uses it! My Dad stayed with her after I left; he may have even spent the night. I’ll have to wait until he calls me this morning, as I accidentally took his cell phone home with me… doh!
They kept her in ICU last night, and may be moving her to an intermediate care room today. I will keep you posted. Christmas will be most definitely spent in the hospital, so we will do our level best to make it a happy one for her. Dad and I bought her a (very) small live tree that we can add to her room, and we’ll just find a way to celebrate all around her.
THANK YOU ALL for your phone calls, your emails, and you unending prayers. I know my Mom could feel the love yesterday, and it was a huge comfort to her. We’d like to ask for your continued support, as she now faces yet another recovery period. May there be no further infection, good gut healing and a general restoration of health!
One thing I know I’ve forgotten to mention is the state of my Mom’s knee replacement. Her doctor for that kept warning us that if the infection travelled down into the new knee, the WHOLE THING would have to be redone/replaced. The fact that this has not yet happened with all the infection running through her body is a miracle in itself, but we will ask God to continue keeping that area safe and free from danger.
The next few days are sure to be rough. I am just so thankful to have my Mom here with us for Christmas…thank you Jesus!
Dana
12/22/2008:
I just talked to my Mom this morning… the intestinal drains aren’t working as well as the doctors would like. She is back to having intense pain, and her white blood cell count is again much too high. She is frustrated and understandably a little frightened, as are the rest of us. We are so wanting some *GOOD* news for her, for some relief from the pain she is in, and for some sort of permanent solution to this malady. Today they will send her for another scan. Depending on the results, they may pull out her drains and send her in for emergency surgery to remove the affected portions of intestine.
So again, we ask you to stand with us in prayer, asking for her health to improve. It is so uplifting to Mom to know that she has the best Prayer Warriors behind her! Our entire family continues to be thankful for the incredible support you have shown to her, and to us…
It only seems fitting at this time of year to list at least one positive item against the negative. The love that I have witnessed between my parents throughout this ordeal has overwhelmed me; my Dad truly adores my Mom, and that is a tremendous comfort to her. Sara and I are so blessed to have their example…
Thank you again! I will update tomorrow as we find out more.
Dana
PS: Pastor Lee, can you please forward this to the SeaCoast prayer chain? Thank you!
12/17/2008:
I am THANKFUL! J
I just got off the phone with my mom… she sounds SO much better! Yesterday the surgeon went in and placed three drains inside of three abscesses. (From what I understand, this should have been three separate procedures, but her surgeon is extremely skilled. Yes!) The relief was almost immediate; by last night both my dad and two of her doctors commented on how much better she looked. She still has the drains in place, and they will reassess her condition on Friday.
While all of this is wonderful news, there will still be some trials ahead. The surgeon told her that the abscesses will refill of the own volition in about six months, so the affected intestines will need to be removed. They want mom to be stronger physically first, so that surgery will be delayed until sometime in January.
I am so incredibly thankful to all of you for the unending prayer, supportive emails and phone calls! I have seen the power of your collective action, and I am humbled by it. Many thanks from the deepest parts of my heart… please keep up the wonderful work!
With a joyful heart,
Dana and family
12/16/2008:
I wanted to try to get online this morning, and write in individual groups, but I’m running out of time… J
My mom Candy has not been doing well since her knee surgery back in early October. Last Friday she finally went to the doctor after two months worth of intense pain, and they ran a blood work panel. The results came in yesterday, and they were less than stellar. They sent her for an MRI yesterday and then admitted her to the hospital last night. She has some sort of infected intestinal abscess that is going to have to be repaired; we won’t know the extent of the surgery until this morning when the surgeon comes in. My mom hates doctors & hospitals (hence her waiting over two months to get in there), so this is pretty close to complete torture for her. My entire family and I would be very appreciative of any prayers said on her behalf. She's scared, and so are we.
Please stand together with us and ask God for a successful surgery, a complete recovery and a relief from the pain that Mom has been having. Our most fervent Christmas wish is to have our Mom/Wife/Grandma restored to good health and happiness!
Dana ~ on behalf of all of the Nolan, Jennings & Flaherty Families
A new way to keep up to date about Mom.....
Dana has been working super hard to keep the email chain going, so I thought I would try to help her out. I created a Blog called Candy Love that I will update every time we get new information, as well as include all of Dana's previous emails to boot. You can bookmark the blog and anytime you have a moment you can pop on to get the latest email. My only request would be that every time you check out the blog, you stop and take a moment to say a quick prayer for our Mom. She used to do something called "dryer prayers" (a lot of you know about it and have been beneficiaries of it already) where she had a list of prayer requests and every time she did a load of laundry she would pray for the people on her list. This is our technology savvy version of her dryer prayers and we hope to have it make just as much of an impact as she had with hers.
I am still in North Carolina where I was here for Christmas with Matt's parents. After the events of last night, we tried to get out today but were unable to book anything. Tomorrow we will take our original flight out of Norfolk to Las Vegas, where I will send Matt home to rescue our car and make sure our house is still standing from the snow, and I will continue on a newly booked leg to San Diego. Once I am there I should be able to update the blog pretty often. Please feel free to leave notes and comments as well. I hope to be able to read the remarks to her so she knows how loved she is, and eventually when she is better, she will be able to update the blog too!
We need your good thoughts, well wishes, and prayers more than ever right now! Keep them coming and I will do my best to keep you updated. Feel free to pass along the blog to anyone you know of that knows our Mom, or just prayer warrior that is in your circle too. Our Mom is one tough cookie, but her body is tired and she needs to be lifted up more than ever! Thanks so much for your support! It means the world not only to us, but to Mom too! We love you!
I am still in North Carolina where I was here for Christmas with Matt's parents. After the events of last night, we tried to get out today but were unable to book anything. Tomorrow we will take our original flight out of Norfolk to Las Vegas, where I will send Matt home to rescue our car and make sure our house is still standing from the snow, and I will continue on a newly booked leg to San Diego. Once I am there I should be able to update the blog pretty often. Please feel free to leave notes and comments as well. I hope to be able to read the remarks to her so she knows how loved she is, and eventually when she is better, she will be able to update the blog too!
We need your good thoughts, well wishes, and prayers more than ever right now! Keep them coming and I will do my best to keep you updated. Feel free to pass along the blog to anyone you know of that knows our Mom, or just prayer warrior that is in your circle too. Our Mom is one tough cookie, but her body is tired and she needs to be lifted up more than ever! Thanks so much for your support! It means the world not only to us, but to Mom too! We love you!
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