Thank you everybody for all the support...the prayers, good thoughts, visits, calls, emails, cards etc. Thank you for every one of them. Durring the most difficult days you sustained me and my family. Your love and support was very humbling and the wonderful good part that came out of a difficult time. Thanks.
Thank you Kraig, Lesie, Kenzie and Brendan. Thank you Jerr, Kelley, Davis (Little Fellah)and Gracie. Thank you Kalie, Adam, Montana, and Savana and especially Karen. Karen has been amazing and it has not been easy. We had a chance to show what family is all about and I think we did wonderfully well. Thank you. I am so appreciate and so proud of you all.
So here I am so dang happy to be home. It is day 11 at home and day 18 post op.
My first walk on day one at home was 7 minutes at the slowest pace possible and I needed a nap afterwords. Today I will do two 20 minute walks at 3 mph pace. Still slow but a major improvement. This is encouraging! This is my primary objective each day.
I got derailed for a few days with a urinary track infection. I was getting up every hour and it was wiping me out. Perhaps it is not entirely gone out of my system now but it is much better and I am only getting up 3-4 times per night which has dramitically increased my energy level. Another positive.
I started today to get back to the Friends of Pimpollo activities by starting to go through a few hundered emails. I am excited to be back in that game. Some great stuff happened while I have been out if it and I am so appeciate and thankful for those who keep it rolling. Thanks Lizzie, Julie, Monica, Cecelia, Greg, Vicki, Devin, and Sandy who are involved on a daily basis. My apologies for those I might have not included.
Thanks Kraig, Deb and Christie for takin' care of business for me.
When I woke up this morning thinking about Elvia and her family, one of our student/families in Vicente Guerrero with challanges much greater than mine, instead of my challanges, I thought "Dude, you are on the way to getting better."
I hope to write another blog about the bypass/hospital experience. Funny stuff and not so funny stuff happens when you are having by-pass surgery. It is a great thing to avoid if you can and most of us can avoid it if we start young enough. More on that later.
Thank you again everybody from the bottom of my new aorta, new valve, new LAD artery, heart. I love you all and it is your support that got me through this. Gracias,
john
Monday, November 2, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
He's Home!!!!
It was too funny! What could make John more ready to come home than a lunch tray featuring
macaroni and cheese as the main entree?! Those of you who have known John for a long time know that John can hardly be in the same room with macaroni and cheese. It all came about when he was in St. Mary's grade school in Eugene and the nuns were giving him the eagle eye about eating all his lunch. When they weren't looking, our John boy quickly scraped his mac and cheese under the table, and then quickly put his empty plate back on the table. The only problem was that the mac and cheese ended up on his good buddy Roger Herring's shoes. It must have been the deciding moment, as John has seriously sworn off mac and cheese ever since. We couldn't even get him to try the fabulous apple macaroni and cheese served at the top of a mountain in Switzerland which was famous for their apple mac and cheese. He had a turkey sandwich instead!
Anyway, John was discharged from Good Samaritan yesterday. My brother, Kent, and John's sister, Toni, picked up from the airport by cousin George Miller, and daughter Betsy Miller were there to see John and then helped carry things to the car and get John on board. The checking out process is quite detailed, with lots of education for aftercare, arrangements for home health care, and follow appointments to be made for his rehab program and Coumadin maintenance, which will be done at Shapes at Salem Hospital.
John wanted a "real" lunch, and mentioned a bean burrito. We went to the Matador Restaurant on 23rd, joined by Kent, Toni, and our buddy Dave Davis, who has been such an amazing friend through this. John was so pumped to get out of the hospital; it felt like a party!
Toni followed us down to Salem, and after getting John settled in the recliner, Toni stayed with him while I went to get his prescriptions filled and do a marathon heart healthy grocery shopping. John immediately crashed to sleep, but was up and reading the blog comments and e-mails of good wishes on his computer when I came back.
The hospital sent him home with a walker (which drew some funny comments from brother Jim...**see below). John is still a little unsteady on his feet from everything. I made a bed for him on the couch for the night,, and, after watching a little TV, we called it a very big day. He is so happy to be home, and is anxious to be able to walk on the treadmill. He promises me he won't overdo it, but knowing him, that might be a challenge. I suppose his body will give him the message if he is trying to do too much.
The people at Good Sam were amazing. John received such excellent care, and all of his nurses were so kind......just terrific! If one has to be hospitalized, Good Sam would be the place! For the family and visiting friends, the location with all of the fabulous restaurants within a short walking distance was great. Also, the beautiful fall colors on all the tree lined streets were just breathtaking. I really love the fall anyway, but this was especially gorgeous, and the air was almost balmy.
John had really turned the corner on Tuesday and Wednesday after getting rid of most of the nausea. He still has a little from time to time, and his heart is still having some a-fib, but that should be able to be controlled with medication in a fairly short while. Our nurse said she thinks of the fibrillation as the heart's temper tantrum from being messed with during surgery. I'm not sure exactly why it happens, but apparently it is not uncommon. We hope it goes away soon.
Anyway, he is definitely on his way, and we think he will have a very good recovery.
**While John was going through this, brother Jim was sick with the swine flu. After both brothers were feeling better, Toni and Beth sent Jim a money card with two brand new dollar bills saying that they realized Jim was feeling a little neglected, what with his making up this nasty business about having the swine flue..ha ha. But they assured him he was still their "cute little guy". Jim, we are glad you are feeling better and, while we're not sending money, we really were concerned about you too. Thanks for your calls through all of this, when you could barely talk you were so sick.
I am officially turning the continuation of this blog back over to John, who won't bother you with a daily account, but will let you know how he is doing from time to time. I know he will continue to enjoy and be encouraged by your comments back to him. Thanks so much for your steadfast care, prayers, and words of encouragement. We are so very grateful. Love, Karen
macaroni and cheese as the main entree?! Those of you who have known John for a long time know that John can hardly be in the same room with macaroni and cheese. It all came about when he was in St. Mary's grade school in Eugene and the nuns were giving him the eagle eye about eating all his lunch. When they weren't looking, our John boy quickly scraped his mac and cheese under the table, and then quickly put his empty plate back on the table. The only problem was that the mac and cheese ended up on his good buddy Roger Herring's shoes. It must have been the deciding moment, as John has seriously sworn off mac and cheese ever since. We couldn't even get him to try the fabulous apple macaroni and cheese served at the top of a mountain in Switzerland which was famous for their apple mac and cheese. He had a turkey sandwich instead!
Anyway, John was discharged from Good Samaritan yesterday. My brother, Kent, and John's sister, Toni, picked up from the airport by cousin George Miller, and daughter Betsy Miller were there to see John and then helped carry things to the car and get John on board. The checking out process is quite detailed, with lots of education for aftercare, arrangements for home health care, and follow appointments to be made for his rehab program and Coumadin maintenance, which will be done at Shapes at Salem Hospital.
John wanted a "real" lunch, and mentioned a bean burrito. We went to the Matador Restaurant on 23rd, joined by Kent, Toni, and our buddy Dave Davis, who has been such an amazing friend through this. John was so pumped to get out of the hospital; it felt like a party!
Toni followed us down to Salem, and after getting John settled in the recliner, Toni stayed with him while I went to get his prescriptions filled and do a marathon heart healthy grocery shopping. John immediately crashed to sleep, but was up and reading the blog comments and e-mails of good wishes on his computer when I came back.
The hospital sent him home with a walker (which drew some funny comments from brother Jim...**see below). John is still a little unsteady on his feet from everything. I made a bed for him on the couch for the night,, and, after watching a little TV, we called it a very big day. He is so happy to be home, and is anxious to be able to walk on the treadmill. He promises me he won't overdo it, but knowing him, that might be a challenge. I suppose his body will give him the message if he is trying to do too much.
The people at Good Sam were amazing. John received such excellent care, and all of his nurses were so kind......just terrific! If one has to be hospitalized, Good Sam would be the place! For the family and visiting friends, the location with all of the fabulous restaurants within a short walking distance was great. Also, the beautiful fall colors on all the tree lined streets were just breathtaking. I really love the fall anyway, but this was especially gorgeous, and the air was almost balmy.
John had really turned the corner on Tuesday and Wednesday after getting rid of most of the nausea. He still has a little from time to time, and his heart is still having some a-fib, but that should be able to be controlled with medication in a fairly short while. Our nurse said she thinks of the fibrillation as the heart's temper tantrum from being messed with during surgery. I'm not sure exactly why it happens, but apparently it is not uncommon. We hope it goes away soon.
Anyway, he is definitely on his way, and we think he will have a very good recovery.
**While John was going through this, brother Jim was sick with the swine flu. After both brothers were feeling better, Toni and Beth sent Jim a money card with two brand new dollar bills saying that they realized Jim was feeling a little neglected, what with his making up this nasty business about having the swine flue..ha ha. But they assured him he was still their "cute little guy". Jim, we are glad you are feeling better and, while we're not sending money, we really were concerned about you too. Thanks for your calls through all of this, when you could barely talk you were so sick.
I am officially turning the continuation of this blog back over to John, who won't bother you with a daily account, but will let you know how he is doing from time to time. I know he will continue to enjoy and be encouraged by your comments back to him. Thanks so much for your steadfast care, prayers, and words of encouragement. We are so very grateful. Love, Karen
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
What A Difference A Day Makes.....
I was "checking out" of the Bailey's condo this morning and John called me from his cell phone.
He sounded like he was calling from his office; his voice was all regular and strong, and his sense of humor was coming through. He had been awake since 6:00 a.m., had eaten half of an egg white omelet, and walked around the hall with his nurse. He told her she reminded him of Nurse
Rachett (and he didn't even know I had referred to her that way in the blog...our minds must run along the same track). Anyway, he said she didn't seem to appreciate it. He thought for a minute that she would make him walk around the hall for a second lap! She had a little smile and was good natured when he told me about her morning regiment. She sat and talked to us about some of what to expect when he goes home, diet, etc. (She didn't know about his Well Spring experience, and all he learned there.)
John's nausea was not entirely gone, but the change in medication had helped through the night, and he felt so much better. He asked me to bring his glasses as he wanted to possibly do some reading. It felt good to him to even have an interest in doing something besides just laying in bed. He is still quite unsteady on his feet, and the occupational therapist came by after lunch to
work with him and discuss his post surgery recovery program. He will most likely do that in Salem somewhere. She must have done a good job putting him through the paces. I had a small errand to run, and when I came back, he was so sound asleep I couldn't wake him.
I drove to Salem for a birthday party for my dear friend Brada. I wouldn't have missed it , but knowing John was feeling so much better made it more comfortable to leave. I am staying in Salem for the night, checking on Kitty, opening the accumulated mail, and going back tomorrow afternoon.
At this point, if he is walking better and his heart stays in rhythm (which has been a bit of a problem which the doctors say is not unusual after such a big surgery), and if he continues to be able to eat and keep the nausea at bay, he may be able to come home Thursday or Friday.
The doctors said they do not want to rush it, but I know John will be glad to be home.
Many wishes from lots of friends at Brada's party and cards in the mail and your comments on this blog will all be delivered/read to John tomorrow....now that he's feeling better. Thanks again for your support. We feel your prayers and love. Cheers! Karen
He sounded like he was calling from his office; his voice was all regular and strong, and his sense of humor was coming through. He had been awake since 6:00 a.m., had eaten half of an egg white omelet, and walked around the hall with his nurse. He told her she reminded him of Nurse
Rachett (and he didn't even know I had referred to her that way in the blog...our minds must run along the same track). Anyway, he said she didn't seem to appreciate it. He thought for a minute that she would make him walk around the hall for a second lap! She had a little smile and was good natured when he told me about her morning regiment. She sat and talked to us about some of what to expect when he goes home, diet, etc. (She didn't know about his Well Spring experience, and all he learned there.)
John's nausea was not entirely gone, but the change in medication had helped through the night, and he felt so much better. He asked me to bring his glasses as he wanted to possibly do some reading. It felt good to him to even have an interest in doing something besides just laying in bed. He is still quite unsteady on his feet, and the occupational therapist came by after lunch to
work with him and discuss his post surgery recovery program. He will most likely do that in Salem somewhere. She must have done a good job putting him through the paces. I had a small errand to run, and when I came back, he was so sound asleep I couldn't wake him.
I drove to Salem for a birthday party for my dear friend Brada. I wouldn't have missed it , but knowing John was feeling so much better made it more comfortable to leave. I am staying in Salem for the night, checking on Kitty, opening the accumulated mail, and going back tomorrow afternoon.
At this point, if he is walking better and his heart stays in rhythm (which has been a bit of a problem which the doctors say is not unusual after such a big surgery), and if he continues to be able to eat and keep the nausea at bay, he may be able to come home Thursday or Friday.
The doctors said they do not want to rush it, but I know John will be glad to be home.
Many wishes from lots of friends at Brada's party and cards in the mail and your comments on this blog will all be delivered/read to John tomorrow....now that he's feeling better. Thanks again for your support. We feel your prayers and love. Cheers! Karen
Monday, October 19, 2009
How to Post a Comment
Hey everyone - Kalie here.
So I changed the settings to that anybody can post a comment. I know that Dad loves this, so please write if you feel inclined to do so! Where is says "Comment as", select "Name/URL" as your profile type. Then type your name and IF you want to also include your email address - you can enter that in the "URL" field. Or leave it blank.
Happy blogging.
So I changed the settings to that anybody can post a comment. I know that Dad loves this, so please write if you feel inclined to do so! Where is says "Comment as", select "Name/URL" as your profile type. Then type your name and IF you want to also include your email address - you can enter that in the "URL" field. Or leave it blank.
Happy blogging.
A New Room
John was finally moved from the CCU into a room in the Intermediate Care wing on the same floor. It indicates progress and the need for a little less intensive, round the clock care. He is in a private room with a great view of the air conditioning units. I told him, "What's new? We got our usual parking lot view!" This is our inside joke about the rooms we seemed to be assigned when we took wonderful company trips to great resort hotels.....that was the old days...Invariably, our friends the Hutchins from Medford would get an awesome suite overlooking the pool or the ocean, and we would draw the one with a view of the roof of the front entrance or the parking lot. We just laughed after awhile.
Anyway, today was a day of removing tubes from his chest, catheter, etc. which was not all that fun, but allows him to move around more easily, which is a goal for his treatment. Unfortunately, the nausea keeps hanging on making it difficult for him to want to do anything, eat, or move anywhere. The cute nurse who moved him from CCU to this wing said that now he goes into boot camp! If he can shake the nausea, I think he will really be ready for all of that....breathing exercises, walking to the bathroom in his room and other walking they will have him doing. That would be a big prayer request for him.
A few visitors have dropped by...my brother Kent and sons Grant and Jason, Dave and Karin Davis, and Kathi Marcus. John has had sleepy conversations, but has not felt very peppy to carry on a very long conversation. Kraig, who was working in Portland today, also stopped by a couple of times.
Many thanks for continuing to encourage us, and especially John.
For those of you who are trying to post comments on the blog and having trouble, I tried to do it myself to see if I could figure out how, and I had trouble too. I will ask Jerry to post on this blog some step by step instructions on how to do it, and hope that will help. I read some of the blog comments to John just now, and he really enjoyed that.
Our new nurse Rachett (sp?)...no just kidding..Christine is really very nice...came in just now and said that tomorrow Boot Camp officially begins. He will be taking all meals sitting in the chair...no longer in bed. He will be walking. They will be getting up around 6:00 a.m. and having him move around before breakfast, etc. Wow! I'm glad I'm not staying here! We hope he will have a good night to be in shape for the morning. Thanks again to all.
Anyway, today was a day of removing tubes from his chest, catheter, etc. which was not all that fun, but allows him to move around more easily, which is a goal for his treatment. Unfortunately, the nausea keeps hanging on making it difficult for him to want to do anything, eat, or move anywhere. The cute nurse who moved him from CCU to this wing said that now he goes into boot camp! If he can shake the nausea, I think he will really be ready for all of that....breathing exercises, walking to the bathroom in his room and other walking they will have him doing. That would be a big prayer request for him.
A few visitors have dropped by...my brother Kent and sons Grant and Jason, Dave and Karin Davis, and Kathi Marcus. John has had sleepy conversations, but has not felt very peppy to carry on a very long conversation. Kraig, who was working in Portland today, also stopped by a couple of times.
Many thanks for continuing to encourage us, and especially John.
For those of you who are trying to post comments on the blog and having trouble, I tried to do it myself to see if I could figure out how, and I had trouble too. I will ask Jerry to post on this blog some step by step instructions on how to do it, and hope that will help. I read some of the blog comments to John just now, and he really enjoyed that.
Our new nurse Rachett (sp?)...no just kidding..Christine is really very nice...came in just now and said that tomorrow Boot Camp officially begins. He will be taking all meals sitting in the chair...no longer in bed. He will be walking. They will be getting up around 6:00 a.m. and having him move around before breakfast, etc. Wow! I'm glad I'm not staying here! We hope he will have a good night to be in shape for the morning. Thanks again to all.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Three Steps Forward, One Step Back
John's comfort level this morning was compromised when he took a Vicodan about mid morning which caused him to be very drowsy again and then nauseated. This sick feeling to his stomach stayed the rest of today which, of course, meant that he was not very interested in eating much.
The Jamba Juice was what appealed to him most in small amounts. So, I think it is quite clear now that the narcotic drugs are not only not all that helpful, but are actually causing him to feel more uncomfortable generally.
He did get a shave and a sponge bath which made him look pretty good and had to have felt good too. He kept one sleepy eye at a time on the Tennesee/New England game (played in the snow), but the drowsiness got the best of him.
The game plan for the night is to manage his discomfort/pain with Tylenol and the nausea with some Compazine possibly, and hope he has a reasonable comfortable night.
I had an early bowl of soup with my brother, and am headed to Bailey's condo to get a good night's sleep. The kids have all called, and life moves on. It was really great having them here
the last few days. They were good tonic for their Dad and a real comfort for me.
Thank you for your comments on the blog. I hope John is perky enough tomorrow so that I can read them to him. That will encourage him for sure.
The Jamba Juice was what appealed to him most in small amounts. So, I think it is quite clear now that the narcotic drugs are not only not all that helpful, but are actually causing him to feel more uncomfortable generally.
He did get a shave and a sponge bath which made him look pretty good and had to have felt good too. He kept one sleepy eye at a time on the Tennesee/New England game (played in the snow), but the drowsiness got the best of him.
The game plan for the night is to manage his discomfort/pain with Tylenol and the nausea with some Compazine possibly, and hope he has a reasonable comfortable night.
I had an early bowl of soup with my brother, and am headed to Bailey's condo to get a good night's sleep. The kids have all called, and life moves on. It was really great having them here
the last few days. They were good tonic for their Dad and a real comfort for me.
Thank you for your comments on the blog. I hope John is perky enough tomorrow so that I can read them to him. That will encourage him for sure.
Sunday Special!
Today really seems like a special day because John is sooooo much better, alert and talking, and actually able to stay awake for more than a minute!
This is my first time to post to this blog. Kalie and Jerry were great to think of communicating in this way to all of you wonderful family members, friends, and dear ones who have been so supportive. They have been doing all the posting so far. Kalie flew back to Adam, Montana and Savanna yesterday morning, and Jerry and Kelley just left to drive home to Bend. Kraig, Leslie and McKenzie (Brendan went home with friends last night) are still here for a few hours, and then will head to Hood River to start their week.
John's nurse greeted us this morning, saying, "You're not going to believe it! We have a new man here today!" Edel, the sweet Irish nurse, is our favorite and has been incredibly wonderful with John. John was sitting up in bed working on the breathing apparatus which is so important to keep his lungs cleared. He still sounds a little like the Godfather with his raspy voice, but it has also become much stronger....more than a whisper. He doesn't remember much of the last three days because he was so out of it with the double anesthesia from the two surgeries and then the narcotic drugs he was given. Finally, the doctor who is covering for Dr. Tsen this weekend, made the decision to stop all the heavy drugs for pain as he felt John's system was ultra sensitive to those drugs, and they were keeping him from waking up. So, through the night, he only had tylenol or a low dose of Vicodan if his pain was intolerable. That really made the difference. I can't tell you what a relief it is to have him back and awake! His biggest complaint is that the night was sooo long and boring. I'll take that as a good sign...that he is bored.
Challenges today are to get him to eat, do his breathing exercises, sit up and move around a little more, and continue to keep good vitals. Our friend, Dave Davis, offered to bring John anything to eat that would tempt his taste buds. John said that would be a Jamba Juice Berry Protein Workout with Soy. (John is figuring out how to get a workout, one way or another....you know how he is). So, the Daver as we call him, is bringing one from a Jamba Juice clear over by Lloyd Center (the closest one he could find on line) all the way back to Good Sam! What a friend!!!
Speaking of friends, my dear friends Brada and Tom Bailey have made their downtown condo available to us during this time. It has been much appreciated as Kalie and I could sleep, shower, etc there these last few days. Actually, last night was my first night in their bed as I had been staying at the hospital on the waiting room couches since the surgery. I just wanted to stay close by. Also, our friend, Betsy McKillop, flew home from Kansas City, where her Mom and other extended family live, and came from the airport to join me and the kids for dinner. My friend from childhood, Kathi Marcus, daughters Debi, and Kimi and her husband Steve have been with us for awhile every day. We refer to them as our Sun River family because of the ten+ years we all spent time at Sun River when the kids were little. Old friends...dear friends.
Now I could go on and on about the support and care we have experienced from all of you. The
power of your prayers for John and us is immeasurable. Your kind expressions of love through e-mails, blog responses, and calls have been holding us up and getting us through. Thank you so much. You just can't know how much it has meant.
I'll try to do a good job like my kids in keeping up this blog for awhile more, and promise to not make it so long in the future. I'm just kind of overflowing with gratitude right now. Love, Karen
P.S. I goofed right out of the chute and sent the posting after just typing the title...oops, I'm just a beginner at this.
This is my first time to post to this blog. Kalie and Jerry were great to think of communicating in this way to all of you wonderful family members, friends, and dear ones who have been so supportive. They have been doing all the posting so far. Kalie flew back to Adam, Montana and Savanna yesterday morning, and Jerry and Kelley just left to drive home to Bend. Kraig, Leslie and McKenzie (Brendan went home with friends last night) are still here for a few hours, and then will head to Hood River to start their week.
John's nurse greeted us this morning, saying, "You're not going to believe it! We have a new man here today!" Edel, the sweet Irish nurse, is our favorite and has been incredibly wonderful with John. John was sitting up in bed working on the breathing apparatus which is so important to keep his lungs cleared. He still sounds a little like the Godfather with his raspy voice, but it has also become much stronger....more than a whisper. He doesn't remember much of the last three days because he was so out of it with the double anesthesia from the two surgeries and then the narcotic drugs he was given. Finally, the doctor who is covering for Dr. Tsen this weekend, made the decision to stop all the heavy drugs for pain as he felt John's system was ultra sensitive to those drugs, and they were keeping him from waking up. So, through the night, he only had tylenol or a low dose of Vicodan if his pain was intolerable. That really made the difference. I can't tell you what a relief it is to have him back and awake! His biggest complaint is that the night was sooo long and boring. I'll take that as a good sign...that he is bored.
Challenges today are to get him to eat, do his breathing exercises, sit up and move around a little more, and continue to keep good vitals. Our friend, Dave Davis, offered to bring John anything to eat that would tempt his taste buds. John said that would be a Jamba Juice Berry Protein Workout with Soy. (John is figuring out how to get a workout, one way or another....you know how he is). So, the Daver as we call him, is bringing one from a Jamba Juice clear over by Lloyd Center (the closest one he could find on line) all the way back to Good Sam! What a friend!!!
Speaking of friends, my dear friends Brada and Tom Bailey have made their downtown condo available to us during this time. It has been much appreciated as Kalie and I could sleep, shower, etc there these last few days. Actually, last night was my first night in their bed as I had been staying at the hospital on the waiting room couches since the surgery. I just wanted to stay close by. Also, our friend, Betsy McKillop, flew home from Kansas City, where her Mom and other extended family live, and came from the airport to join me and the kids for dinner. My friend from childhood, Kathi Marcus, daughters Debi, and Kimi and her husband Steve have been with us for awhile every day. We refer to them as our Sun River family because of the ten+ years we all spent time at Sun River when the kids were little. Old friends...dear friends.
Now I could go on and on about the support and care we have experienced from all of you. The
power of your prayers for John and us is immeasurable. Your kind expressions of love through e-mails, blog responses, and calls have been holding us up and getting us through. Thank you so much. You just can't know how much it has meant.
I'll try to do a good job like my kids in keeping up this blog for awhile more, and promise to not make it so long in the future. I'm just kind of overflowing with gratitude right now. Love, Karen
P.S. I goofed right out of the chute and sent the posting after just typing the title...oops, I'm just a beginner at this.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Update
Dad's continuing to improve. He's getting his voice back...with a little surly attitude to go with it. "Let's go" he says. "Where John?" "Home." "No, John, you need to get a little better first." Shi# and Son of a bi#$% are his favorite responses of choice. Disorientation is normal, but the nurses are going to try to get him off of morophine and on some other pain medications to help with that. He's eating normal food and the goals for today are to get out of ICU and to really work on his breathing. I'm headed back to CO. Jerry and Kraig and Mom will take it from here. Thanks to everyone for your continued support! - Kalie
Friday, October 16, 2009
Sitting up and eating
Dad continues to do well breathing on his own. The nurses got him into a chair and have him sitting up. He's had a little bit of sherbert and juice. (He's got a temporary permission slip from Wellspring Heart to eat ice cream!) We've been talking to him and he whispers back while watching the Rutgers football game (with his eyes closed). He's still pretty groggy but his level of alertness improves each time we go in to visit. The doctor expects him to be ready to move out of CCU/ICU (we thought they were separate but they're really the same thing) and into a regular recovery room tomorrow morning. We're hoping he (and we) get some sleep tonight. Thanks to everyone for your continued support and prayers - it's really helped us get through the tough parts. Yeah...go Dad go!
Breathing!
Dad's made some great strides. He's been breathing on his own for a few hours and the nurses took out his breathing tubes about a half hour ago. After taking his tubes out, Adel said "Now you can say Hi Karen!" Dad was able to whisper "Hi Karen" - good. Then the nurse said "John, do you know where you are?" He shook his head yes. "John, where are you?" "In heaven" said Dad and then a big grin came over his face and he kind of laughed. Then, as mom and the nurse were laughing, he said "In the hospital." It's so great to see he's got his sense of humor back. Seems that he is feeling less fearful and more comfortable with his status. So are we.
More progress
John continues to stabilize. His nurse, a fine Irish woman named Adele, was very encouraging during our last visit. John is clearly responding to our questions with nods:
"Dad, will the Beavers beat the Ducks in the civil war this year?" (nodded yes)
"Dad, do you want us to tell all your great friends and family you're doing well?" (nodded yes)
"Dad, do you look sexy with your entire frontside shaved?"(vigorously nodded yes)
We've passed on all of your good wishes to Dad. I know he feels blessed to have all of your support. Thanks, Jerry and family.
"Dad, will the Beavers beat the Ducks in the civil war this year?" (nodded yes)
"Dad, do you want us to tell all your great friends and family you're doing well?" (nodded yes)
"Dad, do you look sexy with your entire frontside shaved?"(vigorously nodded yes)
We've passed on all of your good wishes to Dad. I know he feels blessed to have all of your support. Thanks, Jerry and family.
Update
Dad is slowly coming to this morning. We haven't been called in by the doctor since he got out of surgery so that is good. Just went in to visit and he is responding to our voices and squeezing our hands. According to his nurses he's exhibiting behavior that is "normal" for this stage in the process. The next hurdle for him, which they expect to take place this afternoon, is to be taken off the ventilator and then he'll be able to go from critical care unit to ICU.
Recovery Take Two
Just met with Dad's doc post surgery. They identified and dealt with the source of the bleed. He'll be slowly backed off the anesthesia and likely will be awake by 7-8am. It's been a long night with plenty of uncertainty but now perhaps we've turned a corner. Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers.
Not out of the woods yet
Dad has had some bleeding, which is a complication the doctor said might happen. The doctor decided it was best to open him back up and see if they can find the source of the bleeding. He is in surgery now. The family is all here together. Please keep praying for Dad.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Dad's Out of Surgery
Dad's surgery is over and his heart is functioning well. Our family should be able to see him this evening. A big sigh of relief! Now the recovery begins...
Surgery update
Dad's surgery began around 10:45am. At around 1pm the nurse indicated Dad's valve was going to be replaced as well. We knew this might be done, so it is not a surprise. She said the surgery was going well.
Dad's Heart Surgery
Dear Friends and Family,
I am Kalie, John's daughter, and am starting a blog to communicate with you all about my dad's open heart surgery scheduled for today.
A little background for any of you this catches by surprise. Over the past year my dad began to notice he frequently felt tired. A few friends recommended that because of his family history of heart disease, he should attend the Wellspring Heart Institute's week long retreat to conduct a full medical analysis and also to learn how to adjust his lifestyle, if necessary, to maintain or improve the healthiness of his heart. Having led a very active and healthy life over the past 40 years since his own Dad died of a heart attack at 53, he agreed to go on the condition that a preliminary cat scan showed that he needed it. That cat scan became the first of a series of surprises, that necessitated this surgery today.
During his open heart surgery today, the doctors intend to perform a single bypass and also replace a section of his aorta that is enlarged.
His surgery is scheduled to start in the next hour. We'll keep you posted!
I am Kalie, John's daughter, and am starting a blog to communicate with you all about my dad's open heart surgery scheduled for today.
A little background for any of you this catches by surprise. Over the past year my dad began to notice he frequently felt tired. A few friends recommended that because of his family history of heart disease, he should attend the Wellspring Heart Institute's week long retreat to conduct a full medical analysis and also to learn how to adjust his lifestyle, if necessary, to maintain or improve the healthiness of his heart. Having led a very active and healthy life over the past 40 years since his own Dad died of a heart attack at 53, he agreed to go on the condition that a preliminary cat scan showed that he needed it. That cat scan became the first of a series of surprises, that necessitated this surgery today.
During his open heart surgery today, the doctors intend to perform a single bypass and also replace a section of his aorta that is enlarged.
His surgery is scheduled to start in the next hour. We'll keep you posted!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
What is a Fopper?
hola friends!!!These days we now know what a blogger, twitter, and tweeter is but what is a FOPPER?
Let me tell you right now that being a FOPPER is a very cool thing.
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To be a FOPPER you need to answer affirmative to any one of the following questions?
Have you been on a Friends of Pimpollo (FOP) Team Trip and fallen in love with the likes of the three precios ones to the right/above?
Are you in love with these three girls who are in our program and go to the school right along side the Oxaca city dump even though you haven't ever met them? (Extra points)
Are you a FOP Child Sponsor, donor, volunteer, or committee member? (Also extra points)
Have you ever helped FOP on it's holiday party or the 100 Artists show?
Have you ever been on a FOP trip and read to these kids, played with them, held them, laughed with them, hugged them like life long friends at the end of the day and returned to your hotel room and cried your eyes out?
Have you ever had an emotional response that surprised you when you heard the stories of these great kids?
Have you ever thrown up with them on a busride between Juchitan and Oaxaca? (More extra points?)
Have you told the story of FOP or FOP kids and programs to someone else?
Do you have a hard time talking for a while after watching Julie Hoy's fabulous FOP video?
Does your support of these needy kids of Oaxaca and Chiapas have any aspects that others might describe as very committed, driven or even just a little bit obsessive?(Automatic qualifier).
If the answer to anyone of these is yes then you are a FOPPER and you may not even know it. Know that the 460 people that Friends of Pimpollo serves loves FOPPERS!
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HI. MY NAME IS JOHN AND I AM A FOPPER...
Monday, January 19, 2009
FOP DVD and Julie Hoy...
Almost all of you know Julie Hoy. She is from Salem and a Christian singer and songwriter. She has produced seven cool CD's and is a huge part of this mission. Julie was a member of one of our first team to visit Pimpollo in 1991. She has been there numerous times every year since. She was with us when Friends of Pimpollo was founded and even did a CD dedicated to the Pimpollo kids.
Julie has now given us the best tool we have ever had for telling the story of our mission...all aspects of it.
It is 10 minutes long, it is awesome, and I think you will love it. The video will give you a good understanding of how we grew and the reach of our three different and exciting projects, all education based. Please watch it. You can watch it on youtube by clicking on the following link:
Better yet you can email me or call me (503) 881-0931 and I will mail you the DVD. Of course the DVD is a much beter way to view it and then you can show it to your friends and family.
We are so thankful to Julie and Jason Carter who produced the DVD with Julie. We are thankful for all Julie has done for the kids and families in our mission.
Gracias Julia!
juan/john
juan
Welcome!
I set up this blog so that I could communicate better with all of you who support the mission of Friends of Pimpollo. A lot of the news that runs between Mexico and Friends of Pimpollo (FOP) flows through me. I hope simply to provide a better flow!
How will it work? I don't know. The first time I tried to google "blogger" I got "booger". I've known for a log time what a "booger" is but now I know what a "blogger" is too. Progress. We will learn as we go.
I have never been more excited and optimistic starting a new year. 2009 holds so much promise. We have some great plans 2009 and I hope to share some of my dreams with you soon.
In addition I will write you about the cool stuff our kids and families accomplished in 2008 with a little help from us.
May God bless you all. Here is to the most exciting year ever!
Happy New Year!
juan/john
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