Friday morning brings new realities
Dear Friends,
Another busy morning for Nan. After a night with some more sleep she awoke to continued pain in her left knee. So it was off to the ultrasound where they discovered a small blood clot, once again Nan's awareness of her body paid off. However there are no treatment plans to be implimented. Usually they increase the blood thinner but in this case no one wants to increase the chances of restarting the GI bleed when it has just stopped over the last 4 days. She got a Greenfield Filter about 2 years ago when we were at City of Hope on the Sugen trial. It is an amazing titanium device that fits in the main artery about tummy level in the body, has little arms that reach out and catch blood clots. It can be 80% full of clots and yet allow 100% of the blood to pass. Since she has that device on board already there is less concern about clots getting to the heart and lung.
Dr Greenberg, attending surgeon, was here, examined the incision wound and pronounced it better and told us that Nan was now in pretty good condition, that the main hurtle to overcome was getting her strength back. On that front Nan has already sat up in a chair for 35 minutes, brushed her hair, brushed her teeth, had a sponge bath, changed her Jonny, thats what they call a hospital gown here in the east and finally got to go back to bed. Then PT came and put her through the paces with arm and leg exercises to do several times a day. Later she will walk after she recovers her energy. Still no food or water through the mouth but a tube is carrying food through her nose to her tummy and that is doing well so far. By the first of next week I think her throat will be recovered enough to be allowed water and food. I think that will be a big spirit boost for her. I have rarely seen Nan as subdued as she is right now and she needs to find the fight to recover spirit again. That is my prayer today, will you join me?
I keep getting chastised for not listing the address of the Tracy SDA Church for tax deductible donations more often. I forget that only a few of the latest blogs show when someone logs in which prevents them from seeing the address of the church. Here goes: Tracy SDA Church, 2025 Holly Drive, Tracy, CA 95376 or the treasurer, Bob Miller, 161 Ramona Way, Tracy, CA 95376. Checks should have just the church name with a sticky note mentioning Nan's Recovery Fun. Also our new address here at the hospital is: Brigham and Womens Hospital, 75 Francis Drive, Boston, MA 02115 7-B Room 38
We ended up with the nicest roomate, she is from Maine and has a new hip going for her. We loved her almost immediatelly. The care level today is very good, our nurse is Dawn and she is kind and careful. Nan will sit up again at 1 pm and finally they came for their $5 and the TV now has more than 1 channel. Nan is pleased.
We hope you have a nice weekend and a good 4th of July. We intend to hold down the fireworks here in the room, just sit and walk which is plenty of excitement for us.
We are very thankful today for the blessings God has showered on us. It is the most wonderful feeling to hold Nan's hands in mine, look into her beautiful blue eyes, see the soft edges of a smile cross her face and realize that we have another chance of life. It is almost impossible for Nan to understand all that she has been through in the last month, she knows the basic facts but is still wondering why it is taking so long to recover, why she has so little strength, why everything hurts to move. She longs to board a plane for home, for the short trip to Roxanna and Ricks house, for escape from this place. It will come, it is on the way but it will take a while.
I want to get this blog out, sorry it is so late but we've been doing quite a bit of things this morning. Please pray that Nan will have the courage to keep trying, to keep exercising, to keep walking, sitting and trying.
Thank you for being so faithful to Nan in your prayers.
love
tim and nan
Another busy morning for Nan. After a night with some more sleep she awoke to continued pain in her left knee. So it was off to the ultrasound where they discovered a small blood clot, once again Nan's awareness of her body paid off. However there are no treatment plans to be implimented. Usually they increase the blood thinner but in this case no one wants to increase the chances of restarting the GI bleed when it has just stopped over the last 4 days. She got a Greenfield Filter about 2 years ago when we were at City of Hope on the Sugen trial. It is an amazing titanium device that fits in the main artery about tummy level in the body, has little arms that reach out and catch blood clots. It can be 80% full of clots and yet allow 100% of the blood to pass. Since she has that device on board already there is less concern about clots getting to the heart and lung.
Dr Greenberg, attending surgeon, was here, examined the incision wound and pronounced it better and told us that Nan was now in pretty good condition, that the main hurtle to overcome was getting her strength back. On that front Nan has already sat up in a chair for 35 minutes, brushed her hair, brushed her teeth, had a sponge bath, changed her Jonny, thats what they call a hospital gown here in the east and finally got to go back to bed. Then PT came and put her through the paces with arm and leg exercises to do several times a day. Later she will walk after she recovers her energy. Still no food or water through the mouth but a tube is carrying food through her nose to her tummy and that is doing well so far. By the first of next week I think her throat will be recovered enough to be allowed water and food. I think that will be a big spirit boost for her. I have rarely seen Nan as subdued as she is right now and she needs to find the fight to recover spirit again. That is my prayer today, will you join me?
I keep getting chastised for not listing the address of the Tracy SDA Church for tax deductible donations more often. I forget that only a few of the latest blogs show when someone logs in which prevents them from seeing the address of the church. Here goes: Tracy SDA Church, 2025 Holly Drive, Tracy, CA 95376 or the treasurer, Bob Miller, 161 Ramona Way, Tracy, CA 95376. Checks should have just the church name with a sticky note mentioning Nan's Recovery Fun. Also our new address here at the hospital is: Brigham and Womens Hospital, 75 Francis Drive, Boston, MA 02115 7-B Room 38
We ended up with the nicest roomate, she is from Maine and has a new hip going for her. We loved her almost immediatelly. The care level today is very good, our nurse is Dawn and she is kind and careful. Nan will sit up again at 1 pm and finally they came for their $5 and the TV now has more than 1 channel. Nan is pleased.
We hope you have a nice weekend and a good 4th of July. We intend to hold down the fireworks here in the room, just sit and walk which is plenty of excitement for us.
We are very thankful today for the blessings God has showered on us. It is the most wonderful feeling to hold Nan's hands in mine, look into her beautiful blue eyes, see the soft edges of a smile cross her face and realize that we have another chance of life. It is almost impossible for Nan to understand all that she has been through in the last month, she knows the basic facts but is still wondering why it is taking so long to recover, why she has so little strength, why everything hurts to move. She longs to board a plane for home, for the short trip to Roxanna and Ricks house, for escape from this place. It will come, it is on the way but it will take a while.
I want to get this blog out, sorry it is so late but we've been doing quite a bit of things this morning. Please pray that Nan will have the courage to keep trying, to keep exercising, to keep walking, sitting and trying.
Thank you for being so faithful to Nan in your prayers.
love
tim and nan
posted by Tim Mustard @ 8:13 AM
1 Comments:
At 2:19 PM,
Anonymous said…
Nan and Tim,
Praise Him for another few baby steps! Nan, I know that you are frustrated and feeling so very weak right now, I remember thinking I would never feel better, and I was only in ICU for 5 days. It will get better so gradually that you won't even realize it at first. Each day you get yourself a little bit closer to that hot tea. All I wanted was a diet coke. You both continue to be in my daily prayers and praises! Keep up the fight and you'll be out the door before you know it! God's blessings.
Jani DeHart
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