Sabbath afternoon - hanging in there!
Hello friends,
It is about 3 pm here and a lot has happened since this morning. Some good, some not so good.
Nan handled sitting in the chair very well and stood twice in the process. It was as tough to do as anything I have ever seen anyone do since she is so weak and frail.
Nan has been visited by teams of doctors from Plastic Surgery who assessed her incision and were pretty OK with the progress, made suggestions and left. Then the Cardiology doctors came. They took a hard look at the evidence from the last couple days showing what her heart has been doing and decided that at this point her heart is OK. They suggested that her red cell numbers be supported higher, there is a name for it but I can't spell it, like hermatocrit. They have been allowing a level of 25 or 26 but now are going to support 30 or more. They are also going to try to get her heart to work a little more effectively by evening. Then we had two visits from the GI team. They had scoped her on friday and located a blot clot at the point where the small and large intestine are attached to each other. They are not sure whether that is a point of bleeding or what. They want to avoid another surgery at all costs. As you can imagine they want desperately to avoid going back into the OR so they are going to wait and watch for a couple days to see if the bleeding slows on its own AND THAT IS OUR PRAYER DIRECTION TODAY. While there are other serious issues facing Nan the blood loss through the colostomy represents the most immediate threat since it is an unknown with no sure answer how to repair it or even what needs to be repaired.
Right now Nan is awake and watching her blood flow in and out through the clear tubes to the dialysis machine. She is moving her head around and appears to have more energy, probably a direct result of the new blood she just received. I have been able to show her some of the email comments and cards you have sent to us. She is touched by each one. She does not have enough strength yet to operate the computer on her own or the cell phone but that will come in a couple days.
Our situation is this according to me, a non medical observer. General healing is taking place all over her body, she has removed all the extra fluid that her body was filled with herself, in fact she is a couple units of fluid lower than normal right now. Her various wounds and puncture points are healing up rapidly. She is mentally sharp and is yawning, smiling, moving about well and when awake can carry on a good conversation but in a very soft voice. Her skin looks normal color now and Nan looks like Nan again. Her heart is pumping excellent blood pressure, her lungs are dry and working well, her throat is healing, at this point she is not on any oxygen at all, her legs are warm and have good pulses all over. She looks much better than she did a week ago. So we have many more plusses than minuses right now. However some of the obstacles are very serious, the most serious being the lost of blood through her colostomy. Secondly are her kidneys and their ability to process toxins, creatin and bun levels etc. But that can be dealt with by a visit to dialysis when needed as the kidneys do better and better on their own.
So the view from Nan's room is hopeful yet with concerns. It is not my intention to color reality either way. I am simply sharing what I know, what I feel and what I hope. I have never felt less adequate in my life since there is so little I am able to do to help Nan in a medical way. I am here for moral support, to move blankets, to make sure nurses know things I have observed, to be an encouraging coach to her, to relay what doctors tell me in simple language to her, to be visible in her eyes when she wakes and when she falls asleep and to pray without ceasing for her. I have more confidence in God at this point than at any other point in my life. I feel comfortable sharing my desires and hopes for Nan, for our future together, for His divine intervention, for His grand will to be done.
Each of you reading this blog can have a part in Nan's life too. This afternoon I am appealing for your prayers for the bleeding from the GI tract. Please let God know how much we need His help with stopping the bleeding. He has stopped her bleeding before on the night after surgery and He can certainly do it again. Please remember that there are many others facing very serious health issues even among those reading this blog.
Thank you for being a prayer warrior for Nan. She is worth your time, your energy, your prayer time.
with love,
tim
It is about 3 pm here and a lot has happened since this morning. Some good, some not so good.
Nan handled sitting in the chair very well and stood twice in the process. It was as tough to do as anything I have ever seen anyone do since she is so weak and frail.
Nan has been visited by teams of doctors from Plastic Surgery who assessed her incision and were pretty OK with the progress, made suggestions and left. Then the Cardiology doctors came. They took a hard look at the evidence from the last couple days showing what her heart has been doing and decided that at this point her heart is OK. They suggested that her red cell numbers be supported higher, there is a name for it but I can't spell it, like hermatocrit. They have been allowing a level of 25 or 26 but now are going to support 30 or more. They are also going to try to get her heart to work a little more effectively by evening. Then we had two visits from the GI team. They had scoped her on friday and located a blot clot at the point where the small and large intestine are attached to each other. They are not sure whether that is a point of bleeding or what. They want to avoid another surgery at all costs. As you can imagine they want desperately to avoid going back into the OR so they are going to wait and watch for a couple days to see if the bleeding slows on its own AND THAT IS OUR PRAYER DIRECTION TODAY. While there are other serious issues facing Nan the blood loss through the colostomy represents the most immediate threat since it is an unknown with no sure answer how to repair it or even what needs to be repaired.
Right now Nan is awake and watching her blood flow in and out through the clear tubes to the dialysis machine. She is moving her head around and appears to have more energy, probably a direct result of the new blood she just received. I have been able to show her some of the email comments and cards you have sent to us. She is touched by each one. She does not have enough strength yet to operate the computer on her own or the cell phone but that will come in a couple days.
Our situation is this according to me, a non medical observer. General healing is taking place all over her body, she has removed all the extra fluid that her body was filled with herself, in fact she is a couple units of fluid lower than normal right now. Her various wounds and puncture points are healing up rapidly. She is mentally sharp and is yawning, smiling, moving about well and when awake can carry on a good conversation but in a very soft voice. Her skin looks normal color now and Nan looks like Nan again. Her heart is pumping excellent blood pressure, her lungs are dry and working well, her throat is healing, at this point she is not on any oxygen at all, her legs are warm and have good pulses all over. She looks much better than she did a week ago. So we have many more plusses than minuses right now. However some of the obstacles are very serious, the most serious being the lost of blood through her colostomy. Secondly are her kidneys and their ability to process toxins, creatin and bun levels etc. But that can be dealt with by a visit to dialysis when needed as the kidneys do better and better on their own.
So the view from Nan's room is hopeful yet with concerns. It is not my intention to color reality either way. I am simply sharing what I know, what I feel and what I hope. I have never felt less adequate in my life since there is so little I am able to do to help Nan in a medical way. I am here for moral support, to move blankets, to make sure nurses know things I have observed, to be an encouraging coach to her, to relay what doctors tell me in simple language to her, to be visible in her eyes when she wakes and when she falls asleep and to pray without ceasing for her. I have more confidence in God at this point than at any other point in my life. I feel comfortable sharing my desires and hopes for Nan, for our future together, for His divine intervention, for His grand will to be done.
Each of you reading this blog can have a part in Nan's life too. This afternoon I am appealing for your prayers for the bleeding from the GI tract. Please let God know how much we need His help with stopping the bleeding. He has stopped her bleeding before on the night after surgery and He can certainly do it again. Please remember that there are many others facing very serious health issues even among those reading this blog.
Thank you for being a prayer warrior for Nan. She is worth your time, your energy, your prayer time.
with love,
tim
posted by Tim Mustard @ 12:04 PM
3 Comments:
At 2:18 PM,
Anonymous said…
Nan and Tim - both of you have in my thoughts always and everytime I go to the DF I ask about you. Now I've found your blog. Although not a religious person - more of a spiritual person, I will continue to light some incense for Nan, and meditate. I was out of commission - email wise - for a while with pain. Trying out different meds to get rid of the pain; and also I was in the hospital to insert the J tube and am being fed through is for about 14 hours every day, and then trying to eat normal food the rest of the day. Slowly I hope to get more energy.
My love to the two of you.
At 2:34 PM,
Anonymous said…
Hi Tim and Nan,
Our hearts are lifted up in prayer to our heavenly Father, the Great Healer, to stop the bleeding in Nan's colon. I know you must be feeling very far from home these days. We also pray that His ministering angels will surround you both and give you peace. Get some rest and take care of yourself, Tim. Nan needs you to be strong and healthy for her.
Love and prayers ~ Roger and Carol
At 3:51 PM,
Anonymous said…
Hi Again Mustards,
We will most certianly change Our Prayers for Nan's Heart to the blood loss issue.(not forgetting the Heart) It seems like is it hard to keep the priority in order but We know that the Good Lord knows what needs the most attention and as He has already demonstrated in the past days He can and will take care of the problems, what ever they may be.
Tim, you are a ROCK, God is pouring a measure of understanding and power into You that I've never seen the like of, and You are most certianly deserving of every bit of it.
God Bless You Both,
Bob & Carrol.
P.S.
Carrols Temp is normal and She ate Her first full Meal in 48 hours this Noon and is doing what the Dr. said He thiught She would. (Praise the Lord) Thanks For the Prayers that You have offered in Our behalf.
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