Slow but Steady

The post about Dad are beginning to sound the same! so I won't be updating daily while he is at this stage of healing. He still needs dialysis every day or so. His kidneys are showing some promise of healing so that is good news. It can take up to four months for them to heal and function at 100% if at all. We trust for complete healing! His heart has continued to beat at normal rhythm and his lungs have stayed clear. The whole deal with eating will depend on how his ilyostomy heals. It will begin with feedings through a nose tube then to liquids then to soft foods. I don't see that steak in his near future! But then again, if Dad is determined enough who knows? haha! I have been home for a couple of nights while I went to several appointments myself. My fibromyalgia was in quite a flare so my rhumatologist gave me a wonderful shot of steroids! I head up to KU in the morning. I hope to be home in time for Christmas week and back to work in January. My boss is the best ever. She has supported me so much through this and I really am thankful for her.

weekend number 3 update

Yesterday marked the beginning of dad's fourth week here at KU. His saturday was a bit rough. He was in a lot of pain and asking for more meds but his bp was high so for a while it was tough for him. His dialysis was 5 hours yesterday. He has today off from that. Last night they changed his pain med to dilotin and increased his sedation meds a bit so now he has stable vitals and is sleeping very peaceablly. He isn't strong enough to be off of the vent yet. To do that he needs to be more awake and he has so much pain that it seems best for him to sleep with the vent helping him. Mom and I sit here watching him and the football game!
We have a new family here that we have met and bonded with. Wendel had a farm trailer run over him from left hip to right shoulder. They are from east KS and are from the Old German Baptist Brethern community. It is so interesting to see who God brings along for us to meet and befriend. It may only be for a season, but several of the ones we have met here will hold a dear place in my heart long after Dad has healed and this is far behind us. I am thankful on this Sunday.

Friday Dec 4

What a day. Surgery was at 10ish this morning so we didn't need to wait all day for that. Dad is recovering well this evening. They decided not to reconnect the bowels at this time, there was too much swelling. If they had gone ahead and then it had leaked or tore open then Dad would have been in big trouble. As it is now, he has an ileoscopy (like a colanoscopy but with the small intestine) in his side. This will be reversed later down the road. He is already being tested to see if he can come off of the vent tonight and his sedation meds and blood pressure meds have been discontinued. No fever, good color and responding to voices. It is good news and a great day.

Thursday 12/3

I made it to KC with no problems. The highway was full of southbound Fed Ex trucks. Someone is having a Merry Christmas! Dad is sleeping well and wakes up easily when we talk to him. The test today is checking his adrinal glands making sure they are functioning as they should. He is on all kinds of meds now also. Antibiotics, antiyeast,anti justabouteverything else they have on hand! The surgeon said that once tomorrow's surgery is over that it should be all downhill (or uphill, depending on how you look at it!) but it will be better. I don't think he has anything else left to test or xray! Tomorrow they will flush out his abdomen and see if they can reattach the intestines yet. Pray that he is healthy enough to be done with this part and they won't need to do a temp colostomy.

surgery update

Mom had Aunt Anna, Uncle Dwayne, Mitchell,Tammy, Aunt Vicky and George with her this evening. It is great to have family close enough to be where I couldn't. Thank you everyone for being there for Momma so she wasn't alone. Three hours after they took Daddy back they finished and talked to Mom. .... I am sitting here,,,,,waiting,,,,,for the phone toooooooooo..... RING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hate this feeling of knowing they are hearing something and I am sitting here..... now knowing what they are saying..... is it good news? bad news? horrible, terrible, the worst news ever? I HATE NOT KNOWING!.... so now I keep praying.... and waiting..... trusting....
Yeah! surgery is over and it went well. 22 inches removed of small intestine and some lg. intestine. with ganegreen in the area. Dad is very sick right now but they will go back in in two days to clean and evaluate the situation. He may need a temp colostomy but it should be alright in a few days. I'm heading home tomorrow for a few more days to be with Momma and Daddy. I hated the wait tonight but am thankful for God's love and provision and his never ending peace that carries me through. Love you Daddy.

Wednesday Dec 2

The past few days had been fairly uneventful for Daddy. He was having problens with his intestines not wanting to work properly but he was strong enough to start pysical therapy. They want him strong so he can get himself around in a wheelchair until he is healed and ready to walk again. Well tonight they ran another scan and found problems in his intestines. A leak and possibly an obstruction. He is in surgery now while they check it out. I am here in Mulvane so I called my second brother to go and sit with Momma at the hospital. That is George by the way! I know mom called Wes but he has to get up so early for work tomorrow. George doesn't live too far away. I am waiting for an update and will post after I hear from Mom. Please keep up the prayers.

Friday, Saturday

Dad continues to improve. He has been taken off of his vent completely now. It is a lot of work for him but his test show that he is able to handle it ok. Sat. they removed his swan from his heart. They also did a swallow test and he passed so this evening he is enjoying a chocolate milk shake!!!!! He has only been responsive since tues. so this pace is really very fast. He is very weak and has troubles lifting his arms and hands but it won't be very long untl he is strong again. Dialysis is still in his future so we pray that the kidneys finish healing soon.