It's so good to be able to post this from the comfort of my house. Tim and I are finally home, and he continues to heal and progress at lightning speed. He is adjusting to the volume level with his two boys running around him like hurricanes, but it's such an amazing sound it's hard to complain. They boys are having a bit of a time trying to stay off their daddy, but they are all smiles!!
Tim wanted me to tell you all that he is so grateful for all of your thoughts and prayers, and know that they truly helped in this process.
We are hopeful that with a few more days of rest and healing, he will begin to feel better and better, and that our follow up appointments will continue to bring good news. I will update this with news from those appointments probably later this week or early next. Hope everyone has a great week, and thanks again for your support.... so blessed!!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
"We're OUT!!!"
There it is... the title I've been waiting for!!
Yippeeeeee - We were discharged from St. Mary's late this morning and are settled in to the Hampton Inn in Rochester for the night. Tim was not up to driving quite yet, so we're going to get him a good night's sleep and head for Des Moines tomorrow. We figure 3 hours will be just about the limit of how much time he can take in the car, so we're breaking the trip up to two days (at the least) barring any set backs.
As for how he's feeling... let's just say Amen for pain pills. He's really continuing to progress at lightning speed, and surpassing every goal we seem to set for him. I look forward to getting him home and into his own bed, and then just more rest, walking, and meds. Seeing how he lost more than half of his own blood during the operation, at this point he's got a long road to getting his body back to "normal" but is off to a running start.
I'm hoping to post on Sunday night with news that we're home!!
Yippeeeeee - We were discharged from St. Mary's late this morning and are settled in to the Hampton Inn in Rochester for the night. Tim was not up to driving quite yet, so we're going to get him a good night's sleep and head for Des Moines tomorrow. We figure 3 hours will be just about the limit of how much time he can take in the car, so we're breaking the trip up to two days (at the least) barring any set backs.
As for how he's feeling... let's just say Amen for pain pills. He's really continuing to progress at lightning speed, and surpassing every goal we seem to set for him. I look forward to getting him home and into his own bed, and then just more rest, walking, and meds. Seeing how he lost more than half of his own blood during the operation, at this point he's got a long road to getting his body back to "normal" but is off to a running start.
I'm hoping to post on Sunday night with news that we're home!!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Out of ICU
Good Evening, and a good one it is. I'm hanging out here next to my wonderful husband as he eats cream of chicken soup, orange jello (for the second time today) and vanilla ice cream :)
He's moved out of ICU and on to the fifth floor of St. Mary's. His general surgery resident was just by a bit a go and is impressed with his progress. I'm completely amazed at how quickly his incision is healing this time and am so pleased they used sutures that dissolve on their own and have proven to be a much better prospect than getting the staples pulled!!
They are now only concerned with his lungs and some fluid they found in the lower lobes while doing a chest x-ray this morning. But the best cure for that is gravity, so we've been walking a lot and working on a breathing machine they give him to use ten times an hour.
Overall, his recovery is moving along way more quickly than I ever expected, and at this rate, we'll be outta here by the weekend. They've asked us to stay in Rochester at least one night after we get discharged to make sure he tolerates the outside world OK :)
At this point, it seems to be downhill ride and I'm just coasting along right beside him cheering him on along the way!! I can't say enough about how your support has helped us both throughout this entire process, and I am overwhelmed at just how blessed we are!!
I can't wait for the post that's titled "We're out"
He's moved out of ICU and on to the fifth floor of St. Mary's. His general surgery resident was just by a bit a go and is impressed with his progress. I'm completely amazed at how quickly his incision is healing this time and am so pleased they used sutures that dissolve on their own and have proven to be a much better prospect than getting the staples pulled!!
They are now only concerned with his lungs and some fluid they found in the lower lobes while doing a chest x-ray this morning. But the best cure for that is gravity, so we've been walking a lot and working on a breathing machine they give him to use ten times an hour.
Overall, his recovery is moving along way more quickly than I ever expected, and at this rate, we'll be outta here by the weekend. They've asked us to stay in Rochester at least one night after we get discharged to make sure he tolerates the outside world OK :)
At this point, it seems to be downhill ride and I'm just coasting along right beside him cheering him on along the way!! I can't say enough about how your support has helped us both throughout this entire process, and I am overwhelmed at just how blessed we are!!
I can't wait for the post that's titled "We're out"
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Amazing progress
Good Morning,
It's taken me a while to get a new post going because when I got to the hospital at just after 6:00 this morning, they were getting ready to remove the breathing tube and get things going. After waiting for what seemed like an eternity for the respiratory doctor to "sign off" the nurse made a decision to go ahead and extubate him. Since then he's stepped down from the oxygen mask to the nasal tubes and has been switched over to an as needed pain button instead of the continual infusion. He's also, amazingly enough, been out of his bed and seated in a chair. It's so much more than I ever expected, and a phenomenal sign of how his recovery is going to progress.
His nurse today is an amazing gal who is of an aggressive mindset, that can only mean good things for Tim. Not to mention a bit of a smart alick whose dished it right back when Tim's smart tongue has revealed itself :) I could not ask for more at this point and am so excited for what today is going to bring.
We look forward to moving from the ICU floor, and when that happens, I'll post again!!
GOD BLESS every one of you for your thoughts and prayers, I cannot express to you my appreciation and sense of comfort that I feel knowing we are blessed with and surrounded by such amazing friends and family.
It's taken me a while to get a new post going because when I got to the hospital at just after 6:00 this morning, they were getting ready to remove the breathing tube and get things going. After waiting for what seemed like an eternity for the respiratory doctor to "sign off" the nurse made a decision to go ahead and extubate him. Since then he's stepped down from the oxygen mask to the nasal tubes and has been switched over to an as needed pain button instead of the continual infusion. He's also, amazingly enough, been out of his bed and seated in a chair. It's so much more than I ever expected, and a phenomenal sign of how his recovery is going to progress.
His nurse today is an amazing gal who is of an aggressive mindset, that can only mean good things for Tim. Not to mention a bit of a smart alick whose dished it right back when Tim's smart tongue has revealed itself :) I could not ask for more at this point and am so excited for what today is going to bring.
We look forward to moving from the ICU floor, and when that happens, I'll post again!!
GOD BLESS every one of you for your thoughts and prayers, I cannot express to you my appreciation and sense of comfort that I feel knowing we are blessed with and surrounded by such amazing friends and family.
Monday, January 19, 2009
More news from the ICU
Hi All...
It's now about 8:00 pm and it's been a pretty long day. I'm sitting along side Tim's bed in the ICU but am thrilled that a member of the Neurosurgeon's team was by a while ago and gave Tim a great review. He has full function of his legs and all of his nerves check out. He is not in any pain and will remain here tonight and into the morning tomorrow. I am hopeful that he will do well enough tonight that the breathing tube can be removed and we can be upgraded to a non-ICU room where he can be brought out of sedation so I can see the smile on his face when he truly knows he is tumor free!!
Your prayers have and continue to be a blessing to me. I'm sure they have played a major role in the overall success that today has been. Please continue to pray that his body heals and we can move on down this road more tomorrow.
I'll continue to update as his status changes.
It's now about 8:00 pm and it's been a pretty long day. I'm sitting along side Tim's bed in the ICU but am thrilled that a member of the Neurosurgeon's team was by a while ago and gave Tim a great review. He has full function of his legs and all of his nerves check out. He is not in any pain and will remain here tonight and into the morning tomorrow. I am hopeful that he will do well enough tonight that the breathing tube can be removed and we can be upgraded to a non-ICU room where he can be brought out of sedation so I can see the smile on his face when he truly knows he is tumor free!!
Your prayers have and continue to be a blessing to me. I'm sure they have played a major role in the overall success that today has been. Please continue to pray that his body heals and we can move on down this road more tomorrow.
I'll continue to update as his status changes.
Recovering in ICU
Tim is out of surgery, has been to x-ray to make sure nothing was left behind :), and is on his way to ICU for the night. He will have a breathing tube in until at least tomorrow morning, and while that is in tact he will remain sedated. His uncle said he's never fully coherent anyway :)
I am looking forward to seeing him after they've got him settled in his room and will post again with more details after I've spent a few minutes with him.
I am looking forward to seeing him after they've got him settled in his room and will post again with more details after I've spent a few minutes with him.
IT'S OUT!!
Just a quick update. We were informed that the incision was made at 11:18 and our communicator called a bit ago to tell us.... IT'S OUT!! We know that the positive side to that is less time in surgery and under anesthetic means much quicker and easier recovery for Tim.
Not much more to say at this time except...
IT'S OUT and those are probably the most relieving and amazing words I've heard in a very long time!! I'll send more when I get more, but continue to pray for his healing.
Not much more to say at this time except...
IT'S OUT and those are probably the most relieving and amazing words I've heard in a very long time!! I'll send more when I get more, but continue to pray for his healing.
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