Success in the OR, Nan is home and resting well

Dear Friends and Family,
Today went pretty well as medical days go, Dr. Gollapudi called about 9:30 from the OR to let us know to be there on site at 11. We registered and went up to OR where they took vitals including a heart rate of 110 and normal blood pressure and there was no fever. The nurses were very kind and supportive, Nan is sort of a celebrity since most nurses have never seen anyone with all the medical history Nan has. The doctor came and spoke with us briefly and then in a few minutes I once again stood there waving my hand forlornly as they rolled Nan away. I think I've done that about 50 times now for all the surgeries and procedures over the past 10 years. Never feels good. So after a few tears at Nan's instructions I found the cafe and ate. I was only back a few minutes when they said she was coming back. The doctor said they had pumped 800 ccs of fluid out of her stomach which should not have been there at all, during the endoscopy he found ulcers in her esophagus which he says will heal with the Aciphex she takes. The tube insertion went well and now she has a little coil of clear tubing under a bandage on her chest, sort of looks like the air line to add air to your tires. He told us to work with the tube, empty when she needed and as the colostomy starts putting out more then she can drink and eat more, all of this is hoping that the assumed blockage will unkink itself and material can flow through. After about an hour they woke Nan, dressed her and she got into her wheel chair. We drove home and got ice chips at In and Out Burger, I was forced to purchase a milk shake, don't want to look cheap and just get free ice. We drove home and Nan went right to bed and has been asleep since except for a very welcome phone call from David her brother.
The doctor was supposed to fax a prescription for a vacuum suction device from Apria. Well he forgot even though I had the fax number ready for him. So we just called again and now they are seeing if they have it in stock! Yikes, nothing like having a tube ready and no way to suction it out. Errrrr, don't like this much.
Nan handled it all with her normal resignation and calm. She always asks the name of her nurse, a gentle gesture which tends to make things more civilized, in spite of her current condition I heard her ask the nurses name. What a gal.

We felt very good about the doctor, several people in OR mentioned that he had worked on members of their own families and they genuinely like him. I can see why, soft spoken, very clear on what he was doing and why, seemed to have great respect for Nan and for her medical journey.

Amazingly it all started at the Antioch hospital 10 years ago when the first surgery took place and no one had any idea of what the tumor even was they took out. GIST as a name had not yet been born back then.

While Nan rests I'm taking care of some business, arranged for my bug to get its AC revived in Brentwood Thursday afternoon and Friday, plan to rotate the tires this evening on the van, need to make appointments for tomorrow to maximize my time while Sylvia is here with Nan.

We've talked to both Jason and Nikki today to keep them up to date on the progress, also Art, Sharon, Barbara Lammerding and Gerry, tried to reach Mary but she was away, talked to Dana and Dave called Nan directly. People help and the messages to the blog from you are very much appreciated today. Thanks so much.

Well now back to business. Thanks for your prayers and expressions of love. I am praying for AMN107, for tumor reduction, for removal of the blockage and for recovery!

love from

tim and nan