| Shortly after getting his ultrasound done ...we had just enough time to get back to Ron's wen he was called to go down to nuclear medicine for his renal gram. It took an hour to complete. We never had a chance to have lunch. We literally left his room at 12:15 for his ultrasound. We did not return to Ron's room until 2:30.....turned back around for his next test and did not return to his room until 4:30. By the time it was all said and done we made it down to the cafeteria at 5pm. It was a long day...but I am glad we were able to get the tests done. Hopefully, we receive results on Friday. We are also hoping to see Thomas tomorrow! Ron's family plans to come down for the weekend. Really looking forward to it. "How great is the Lord, how deserving of praise, in the city of our God, which sits on his holy mountain!" Psalm 48:1 |
Showing posts with label Evening Update. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Evening Update. Show all posts
Friday, March 7, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
CRUISING ALONG
Hello All.....
We continue to watch Ron build some strength every day. It is a slow process...but to see a little bit more each day makes it all worthwhile. We are truly made to practice patience in this stage of our journey. We must wait for the Lord's plan to come to fruition in Ron's healing process. We know he will walk again...it is only a matter of time....and of course, we know that these things don't happen on our time...but rather on God's time. He knows when the time will be right and he knows what is best for all of us ...especially for Ron.
Yesterday and today I helped scoot Ron into the wheelchair from his bed..it is just a matter of helping him scoot his bottom directly into the chair a little bit at a time...it wears him out...but it feels great..he says..once he is in the chair. We had lunch in the hospital cafeteria both days and then took a stroll outdoors to various areas around the hospital. We had nice talks and people watched as well. The weather was great to be outdoors. We then came back in and cruised the halls and the gift shop. To exercise his legs and arms I would have him pull himself along with his legs and then use his arms to turn the wheels when his legs would get tired. It is good strength training for him.
They had a vendor in the cafeteria selling nurse scrubs and supplies yesterday...they had some with the U of A logo ...he had to have some....so we bought two tops...a red and a blue one. After two heart transplants and one kidney transplant...he has definitely become a Wildcat fan.....sorry ASU alumni and fans....don't hold it against him.
Rob came by from the Wellness Center to see how he was doing and helped him to stand 4 times this evening. He is at the point where he only has to give Ron a boost to start out and then Ron is able to lock up very well on his own. He is getting a little more balance and able to bear more weight on his own...Rob is just there to give support. He is trying to teach him to rock back and forth to shift his weight from one leg to the other. He still has to work on this quite a bit...he loses his balance very quickly as he starts to do this. In time....
The main objective right now ...or the focus, I should say...is to strengthen the torso area....because if this is strong ...then he is able to control the balance of his body better.
His wound is looking very very good now. It is healing very nicely. The renal transplant doctors were in today to do his dressing change and were very pleased with what they saw. The two that were here today felt that we should continue with the treatment we are doing using the wound gel to help stimulate the tissue to continue healing and granulating so well. I have been taking photos of the wound to see its progression. It is so amazing to see how it started ..the size and the condition of the wound and to see how much smaller it is now and how much healthier it looks....quite impressive. We will wait to see what the head surgeons say...hopefully, they will agree with the doctors today. The drawback of closing the wound right now is the risk of more infection. If you close the wound ....it will stay warm and very moist ...a feeding ground for bacteria to grow. So we are all for continuing to let it heal from the inside out. I never thought I would be agreeing to this ...but now, seeing the healing process take place for myself...I realize this was the best route to go.
So...the plan remains the same ....keep exercising to continue strength building...keep pushing on and keep believing in the power of prayer and in the Grace of our Amazing God. He continues to sustain us ....He continues to help us persevere and to stay positive through this all.
One more special note:
I sincerely want to thank those who have made contributions to our donation fund we set up at Washington Mutual. Unfortunately, I am not able to see specifically where the donations are coming from because they just show as "bank by mail" deposits. But, you all know who you are.....I thank you so much. Your generosity is very much appreciated. Every little bit helps right now. Just because I am here ...the bills do not cease back home. We still have the mortgage to pay and utilities to keep up with as well as the living expenses here. I cannot thank you enough......blessings to you always!
"Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds. Exult in his holy name; rejoice, you who worship the Lord. Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him. Remember the wonders he has performed, his miracles, and the rulings he has given."
Psalm 105:1-5
We continue to watch Ron build some strength every day. It is a slow process...but to see a little bit more each day makes it all worthwhile. We are truly made to practice patience in this stage of our journey. We must wait for the Lord's plan to come to fruition in Ron's healing process. We know he will walk again...it is only a matter of time....and of course, we know that these things don't happen on our time...but rather on God's time. He knows when the time will be right and he knows what is best for all of us ...especially for Ron.
Yesterday and today I helped scoot Ron into the wheelchair from his bed..it is just a matter of helping him scoot his bottom directly into the chair a little bit at a time...it wears him out...but it feels great..he says..once he is in the chair. We had lunch in the hospital cafeteria both days and then took a stroll outdoors to various areas around the hospital. We had nice talks and people watched as well. The weather was great to be outdoors. We then came back in and cruised the halls and the gift shop. To exercise his legs and arms I would have him pull himself along with his legs and then use his arms to turn the wheels when his legs would get tired. It is good strength training for him.
They had a vendor in the cafeteria selling nurse scrubs and supplies yesterday...they had some with the U of A logo ...he had to have some....so we bought two tops...a red and a blue one. After two heart transplants and one kidney transplant...he has definitely become a Wildcat fan.....sorry ASU alumni and fans....don't hold it against him.
Rob came by from the Wellness Center to see how he was doing and helped him to stand 4 times this evening. He is at the point where he only has to give Ron a boost to start out and then Ron is able to lock up very well on his own. He is getting a little more balance and able to bear more weight on his own...Rob is just there to give support. He is trying to teach him to rock back and forth to shift his weight from one leg to the other. He still has to work on this quite a bit...he loses his balance very quickly as he starts to do this. In time....
The main objective right now ...or the focus, I should say...is to strengthen the torso area....because if this is strong ...then he is able to control the balance of his body better.
His wound is looking very very good now. It is healing very nicely. The renal transplant doctors were in today to do his dressing change and were very pleased with what they saw. The two that were here today felt that we should continue with the treatment we are doing using the wound gel to help stimulate the tissue to continue healing and granulating so well. I have been taking photos of the wound to see its progression. It is so amazing to see how it started ..the size and the condition of the wound and to see how much smaller it is now and how much healthier it looks....quite impressive. We will wait to see what the head surgeons say...hopefully, they will agree with the doctors today. The drawback of closing the wound right now is the risk of more infection. If you close the wound ....it will stay warm and very moist ...a feeding ground for bacteria to grow. So we are all for continuing to let it heal from the inside out. I never thought I would be agreeing to this ...but now, seeing the healing process take place for myself...I realize this was the best route to go.
So...the plan remains the same ....keep exercising to continue strength building...keep pushing on and keep believing in the power of prayer and in the Grace of our Amazing God. He continues to sustain us ....He continues to help us persevere and to stay positive through this all.
One more special note:
I sincerely want to thank those who have made contributions to our donation fund we set up at Washington Mutual. Unfortunately, I am not able to see specifically where the donations are coming from because they just show as "bank by mail" deposits. But, you all know who you are.....I thank you so much. Your generosity is very much appreciated. Every little bit helps right now. Just because I am here ...the bills do not cease back home. We still have the mortgage to pay and utilities to keep up with as well as the living expenses here. I cannot thank you enough......blessings to you always!
"Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds. Exult in his holy name; rejoice, you who worship the Lord. Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him. Remember the wonders he has performed, his miracles, and the rulings he has given."
Psalm 105:1-5
Saturday, February 16, 2008
MORE PHOTOS
Not much to report today. The renal surgeon did come by and mentioned that they will give the wound gel a few more days to work on Ron's wound. By Wednesday they will decide if they want to go in and close up the wound and let it continue healing on its own. If the gel helps the expedite the granulation they want to see in the tissue ..it just may happen. How great that will be. One less thing to worry about once this is done.
I finally added new photos to the blog...there are more to come....enjoy.
There is no greater joy than the love of our family. We are truly blessed to have such a wonderful little boy in Thomas...he is just an awesome child. He keeps us young and definitely keeps Ron's will strong to continue fighting to get well."God's way is perfect. All the Lord's promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection."
Psalm 18:30
Friday, February 15, 2008
SNOW IN TUCSON
We had quite a cold snap here in town overnight. We woke up to quite a bit of rain and the Catalina mountains are covered in snow. It was an incredible view from Ron's room. Too bad the blinds are installed within the glass pain of the windows or I would have been able to get some great pictures.
The rain clouds have completely covered them now. Much more rain is on the way.
The physical therapist had us up at 8am sharp today. He came in to get Ron up into the wheel chair again. This time a sliding board was used. He did fairly well....with our help of course. It is easier for him to scoot into it rather than trying to get him to stand and pivet into it...more chance of him falling this way until he regains more strength.
We ended up leaving the floor and going down to the cafeteria for breakfast. It was nice for him to do something different. He wanted to take a stroll to the gift shop as well...he ended up buying another "painted ponie" ...he collects them.
Once we made our way back to the room the therapist came back to help him back into bed...same process of scooting.
He was pretty exhausted after all that.
His wound care went well today. The area seems to be narrowing...signs of healing...however, we need the base of the wound to start healing a little more quickly than the rest of the wound. It does no good if the outer and upper area of the wound begins to heal and close if the base is still not healing....they would end up having to reopen the wound if that happens. We started an application of a new wound gel last night and again today. The plan is to use it through the weekend and have the doctors check it again on Monday to see if the gel has made any difference. Our hope is that it will.
Everything else has remained the same today. No other changes to report.
Ron's edema continues to return when he is sitting up. His feet are quite puffy right now and very sensitive to the touch.
It will be so much better once he is walking again to redistribute the fluid that keeps building up at his lower extremities.
Of course, the chronic back pain is always there. It never gets below a pain level of 4 or 5 on a scale of 1-10 (even with pain meds). He has never been at zero. Until I can get him upright and eventually treatment for his herniated disc...the pain is going to be continuous in this area.
But, right now the focus is just getting him walking...we will tackle the back at a later time...for now, he relies on a lot of pain meds to get him through the day.
Thomas is also battling another double ear infection. His third in two months. If this one does not clear up ...we will have to start looking at putting tubes in his ears. I was not happy to hear this but it is what it is. Everyone I have spoken to were so happy once their kids had them done...they say it made a world of difference.
He is scheduled to see the doctor again on the 25th. If the fluid in his ears has not cleared up...then an appointment will need to be made with an ear specialist.
One more thing to add to my "to do" list.
We miss him terribly ...there are no words to express how difficult it is to be without him...my heart aches to be with him every day ...to put him to bed...to read stories to him ....to give him his baths ...to make his meals and listen to his funny conversations and those that are not so funny ...they are quite "grown up" for a three year old.
I don't think he will be up this weekend but soon...we hope.
The weekend is here once again....we will continue on our usual routine of exercises and passing the time as best we can.
As I close this blog...staff are running down the hall back and forth...there is a patient coding at the end of the hall from Ron's room. I pray they save whomever it is. It is something we have come to see quite a bit here these past two months. I know the feeling of this all too well...I pray for the family as well.
Have a safe and happy weekend...hug your loved ones every chance you get....to parents...enjoy and embrace every moment with your babies...do not take your time with them for granted.
"1Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2This I declare about the Lord; He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him." Psalm 91:1-2
The rain clouds have completely covered them now. Much more rain is on the way.
The physical therapist had us up at 8am sharp today. He came in to get Ron up into the wheel chair again. This time a sliding board was used. He did fairly well....with our help of course. It is easier for him to scoot into it rather than trying to get him to stand and pivet into it...more chance of him falling this way until he regains more strength.
We ended up leaving the floor and going down to the cafeteria for breakfast. It was nice for him to do something different. He wanted to take a stroll to the gift shop as well...he ended up buying another "painted ponie" ...he collects them.
Once we made our way back to the room the therapist came back to help him back into bed...same process of scooting.
He was pretty exhausted after all that.
His wound care went well today. The area seems to be narrowing...signs of healing...however, we need the base of the wound to start healing a little more quickly than the rest of the wound. It does no good if the outer and upper area of the wound begins to heal and close if the base is still not healing....they would end up having to reopen the wound if that happens. We started an application of a new wound gel last night and again today. The plan is to use it through the weekend and have the doctors check it again on Monday to see if the gel has made any difference. Our hope is that it will.
Everything else has remained the same today. No other changes to report.
Ron's edema continues to return when he is sitting up. His feet are quite puffy right now and very sensitive to the touch.
It will be so much better once he is walking again to redistribute the fluid that keeps building up at his lower extremities.
Of course, the chronic back pain is always there. It never gets below a pain level of 4 or 5 on a scale of 1-10 (even with pain meds). He has never been at zero. Until I can get him upright and eventually treatment for his herniated disc...the pain is going to be continuous in this area.
But, right now the focus is just getting him walking...we will tackle the back at a later time...for now, he relies on a lot of pain meds to get him through the day.
Thomas is also battling another double ear infection. His third in two months. If this one does not clear up ...we will have to start looking at putting tubes in his ears. I was not happy to hear this but it is what it is. Everyone I have spoken to were so happy once their kids had them done...they say it made a world of difference.
He is scheduled to see the doctor again on the 25th. If the fluid in his ears has not cleared up...then an appointment will need to be made with an ear specialist.
One more thing to add to my "to do" list.
We miss him terribly ...there are no words to express how difficult it is to be without him...my heart aches to be with him every day ...to put him to bed...to read stories to him ....to give him his baths ...to make his meals and listen to his funny conversations and those that are not so funny ...they are quite "grown up" for a three year old.
I don't think he will be up this weekend but soon...we hope.
The weekend is here once again....we will continue on our usual routine of exercises and passing the time as best we can.
As I close this blog...staff are running down the hall back and forth...there is a patient coding at the end of the hall from Ron's room. I pray they save whomever it is. It is something we have come to see quite a bit here these past two months. I know the feeling of this all too well...I pray for the family as well.
Have a safe and happy weekend...hug your loved ones every chance you get....to parents...enjoy and embrace every moment with your babies...do not take your time with them for granted.
"1Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2This I declare about the Lord; He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him." Psalm 91:1-2
Friday, February 8, 2008
GOING FOR FOUR!
Today was a better day over all despite the news we received yesterday. The renal transplant doctor was in today to clean and redress Ron's wound. She cleaned out the pockets that have tunneled...it was quite painful for Ron...but she did say overall the tissue is looking really well considering the infections involved. One of the cardiothoracic surgeons also was present to get a look-see of how the wound was doing. He reassured me that as bad as we think it looks...it is actually looking quite nicely, all things considered. He said he understood our worry with the infection but that the medication he is on is the best thing for it. He is getting one gram of vancomycin every 24 hours...they will do labs to check his levels...if they should get too high...they will stop the antibiotic and wait for his levels to go down...this is to help alleviate any renal problems as a result of the antibiotic. Once the levels are back to normal they can simply restart the IV to continue the treatment. Talk of a wound vac is still there but it is still too soon to put one on Ron's wound. The base of the wound is still not healed enough and his kidney sits right below this area...to install a wound vac now would cause harm to his kidney...so we simply have to wait a bit longer. The doctors have advised this wound could take several months to fully heal.
There is the possibility that once he is ready to be discharged...we will still be dealing with the wound....hopefully, by then, he will be able to go home with the wound vac in place and infection free. They will continue to monitor his infection very closely.
Meanwhile, Rob from the wellness center came to see Ron again today. He had him standing again...this time they made it to FOUR attempts. He did so good...on his fourth try he locked his knees perfectly and stood as straight as he ever has. The motivation is there and his amazing will to walk again is undeniable....he wants it so bad. Soon....very soon.
Have a great weekend everyone......
"Though I am surrounded by troubles, you will protect me from the anger of my enemies. You reach out your hand,and the power of your right hand saves me. The Lord will work out his plans for my life - for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever." Psalm 138:7-8
There is the possibility that once he is ready to be discharged...we will still be dealing with the wound....hopefully, by then, he will be able to go home with the wound vac in place and infection free. They will continue to monitor his infection very closely.
Meanwhile, Rob from the wellness center came to see Ron again today. He had him standing again...this time they made it to FOUR attempts. He did so good...on his fourth try he locked his knees perfectly and stood as straight as he ever has. The motivation is there and his amazing will to walk again is undeniable....he wants it so bad. Soon....very soon.
Have a great weekend everyone......
"Though I am surrounded by troubles, you will protect me from the anger of my enemies. You reach out your hand,and the power of your right hand saves me. The Lord will work out his plans for my life - for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever." Psalm 138:7-8
Sunday, February 3, 2008
WHAT AN UPSET
Too bad for the Patriots...what an upset....
We really wanted to see them win....so close!
Other than watching the game...we have had a relatively quiet night. We are missing Thomas already.
All weekend he kept telling us that as soon as daddy is all better...we are going back to our house...him , mom and dad...back to our house so he can sleep in his bed and play with all his other toys. He is so ready to have us all home again...I don't blame him...so do I. But, he did say we have to get our car back, first. He worried about our car ever since we dropped it off at the shop...He did not think it was nice of the tow truck driver to take our car. I had to explain to him that he was helping us out by getting the car to the repair shop. He still worried that I did not have our car here.
He did leave in a good mood...hopefully, he slept through the 2 hour drive back home.
Looking forward to another productive week for Ron...I hope they can get him up again as they did on Friday. I am just so anxious to see him start taking steps.
Have a great week.
Blessings.....
"Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act."
Psalm 37:7
We really wanted to see them win....so close!
Other than watching the game...we have had a relatively quiet night. We are missing Thomas already.
All weekend he kept telling us that as soon as daddy is all better...we are going back to our house...him , mom and dad...back to our house so he can sleep in his bed and play with all his other toys. He is so ready to have us all home again...I don't blame him...so do I. But, he did say we have to get our car back, first. He worried about our car ever since we dropped it off at the shop...He did not think it was nice of the tow truck driver to take our car. I had to explain to him that he was helping us out by getting the car to the repair shop. He still worried that I did not have our car here.
He did leave in a good mood...hopefully, he slept through the 2 hour drive back home.
Looking forward to another productive week for Ron...I hope they can get him up again as they did on Friday. I am just so anxious to see him start taking steps.
Have a great week.
Blessings.....
"Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act."
Psalm 37:7
Friday, February 1, 2008
EVENING REST
| Ron took time to rest this evening. He exercised quite a bit today...so he deserves to take a break for the evening. I ran a few errands while the Patient Care Techs gave him his bath. Unfortunately, I ran into car trouble this evening. Not sure what is wrong with the car right now but I hope to get it resolved tomorrow. When I went to start the car..it made this very loud screaching noise...I immediately cut it off. I tried it again...it did not make the same noise again..so I thought I would attempt to drive it...but, my power steering was completely out...my battery light came on as well as my brake light...but I did not have the emergency brake on...so I found this to be quiet odd. I think it is a belt that broke ....At least I hope that is all it is. I had to leave it in the Wal-Mart parking lot. Roadside assist would only come and tow it to a location and given it was after 6pm..I did not want to leave it somewhere that was already closed...not to mention I am not familiar with any shops here in Tucson. A girlfriend came and picked me up and drove me back to the hospital. I will call roadside assist again in the morning and then find a place to have it serviced. Pray that it is something minor. Happy February everyone..... |
Thursday, January 31, 2008
30 days later
| It has been a month today that Ron went into cardiac arrest ...when things became very uncertain for him and our lives. It is so nice to write this today knowing that he overcame the odds and is still with us today ...to share with him the experience of what went on ...it is a blessing that he cannot recolllect any of it. I am grateful that those fearful moments are behind us and now our focus is on Ron's rehab and getting his body strong enough to hold his weight ...that he may be able to stand on his own and ultimately takes steps. The physical therapist came by today to work with him. She helped him to do leg lifts ...a little different from the ones we were doing. She had him doing pelvic lifts ...he did a good job on these. She then had him sit on the edge of the bed....which I might say...he did this all by himself. He was able to swing his legs over all on his own and lift his torso up to sitting position without my help. It was great to see. He worked on a different type of leg lifts while sitting on the edge of the bed...She really worked him today. He was very tired after they were done. His edema seems to have become worse tonight on his lower extremities ..it has us both a bit concerned. I will have the doctors take a look at them tomorrow. I keep hoping it is simply because is not able to walk therefore not able to redistribute the fluid in his tissue. His kidney is working ...he continues to have good output...so I am not sure what is going on with this. We finally received the results of his echo ....Dr. Copeland indicated that it looks awesome and his ejection fraction is staying steady around 55%. We were very happy to hear this given he is no longer receiving the chemo-like drug Retuxamab anymore...so we were anxious to see how his heart function would be. This is great news. Please continue to keep Ron in prayer that his rehab will move along with great progress. That the Lord will place his hand upon him once again and bring him the muscle strength he needs to walk again real soon. "Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord." Psalm 27:14 |
Monday, January 28, 2008
HURRY UP AND WAIT
We waited all day for Ron to have his echo done. They did not come to his room until 10 minutes to 5pm. We obviously will not know the results until sometime tomorrow. The wound care nurse came by to take care of Ron's wound on his tailbone...she said it is looking real good from Friday ...as she tried a different type of wound care on Friday. She will check it again on Wednesday to see how it is healing. The renal doctors also came by to take care of the kidney transplant open wound. They continue to reassure us that his wound tissue is very healthy and looks good. The physical therapist also came by today and did a few exercises with Ron...mostly upper body exercises. While they were not much ...they really wore him out. Every day he will increase the number of reps to help increase his strength. He also did some pelvic lifts in bed ...he did one set of 20...which is 5 more than yesterday....slow progress...but progress nonetheless. He is pretty wiped out tonight. I don't know if he will sit on the edge of the bed tonight.
|
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
GOOD NEWS
| Another good day with positive results. Ron's creatinin has gone from 2.2 to 1.8 ...almost to normal range of 1.5! The dialysis cath was suppose to come out today...but the P.A. never made it back to Ron's room ...so, my guess is it will come out tomorrow...all the doctors are in agreement that it is ok to take it out. They removed all the remaining staples he had on his sternum and his groin areas....everything looks really good. I sat him up twice in bed today...he sat up much better today...at lunch time he was able to lift himself to a sitting position once I helped bring his legs off the bed and to the floor...he was quite impressed with himself. We did a lot of leg lifts and exercises in bed to stretch his muscles. The doctors will keep him here through the weekend and on Monday they will do another echo to see how the heart is doing before transferring him to a rehab facility. A representative from Kindred Rehab facility ...advised of the care they can offer from medical needs...wound care...and rehab. The goal is to get him ready for extensive rehab that he can do as an outpatient eventually. Several people I have spoken to here at the hospital have advised that this is a very good facility in town...they know people that work there or have been there...and had nothing but positive things to say about it. This made Ron and I feel a lot better about the move. I am also happy that the doctors are not rushing to transfer him out...they are giving it time to make sure he is stable enough to leave. I still do not have all the details as to how this will all play out in terms of the doctors keeping up with his care once we leave here...these are things I will have to sit down with someone from the team to be clear on. Overall...Ron had a good day. He ate well...and enjoyed meeting new friends today from Avondale...a young girl from our church...Sarah...who had a heart transplant back in July ...she was here for her 6mth follow-up...she received very good news. It was a joy to meet her and her parents ....Ron really enjoyed the visit and we both look forward to many more visits with them once we get home. We also had another visit from the hospital's PR Rep. She brought us a nice 8x10 photo that was taken of Ron with his kidney surgeon and his heart surgeon. They will be publishing the photo in the kidney newsletter soon. She also asked Ron if he would be up to meeting with another reporter from a program that airs on channel 9. They will run a whole segment on Ron and his experience to help promote the transplant program for UMC. Of course, Ron was all for it...anything to help promote the program here. The PR rep said after Ron is through with rehab...she will also call the network new stations to see if they want to do a final story on Ron as well once he is up and walking once again. He continues to be the local celebrity . "The Lord is God, shining upon us." Psalm 118:27 |
Monday, January 21, 2008
IN A NEW ROOM
| We are out of ICU! ......We said our goodbye's to all the wonderful nurses there...we hope to see them again ...but not as Ron as a patient...just to visit from here on out. He is settled in in the new room ...they gave us a nice corner . larger room ...we have a great view of the Catalina mountains. Lots of room to be comfortable in. He has his own private bathroom and shower....which I am able to use now. He is currently receiving his IV infusion of the Retuximab...his 4th and final dose. Dr. Copeland came by and said his echo today looked awesome! He said it is practically normal. It is functioning very well. All good news to hear today. Now that he is receiving his last dose of this medication....he will just have to be monitored closely....to make sure there is no further rejection. They cannot give him too much of the medication and wipe out all his b-cells...otherwise he will start developing all types of infections...it is a balancing act when dealing with these medications. We hope to have someone from cardiac rehab up to see him tomorrow...they gave him a quick assessment today to get things going on this. He needs to get stronger ...he needs to start walking again. Ron's new room number is 4832, 4NE. The new phone number is 520-694-2005. But, you can always call on our cell phone, too ...623-570-5539. "27 I am leaving you with a gift-peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid. 28 Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again." John 14: 27-28 |
Sunday, January 20, 2008
ONE MORE NIGHT IN ICU
| We did not leave the ICU this evening. We have to wait for an available bed on the regular unit. Hopefully, tomorrow will be the big day. The resident came by to write all the orders for the transfer...so we are hopeful this will happen on Monday. Ron had great urine output today...the most he has ever done in months....2100cc's in one day! The kidneys are definitely working...he has not had dialysis in three days! It doesn't get better than this. The kidney doctors are so excited about this...as long as he continues to show a good amount of output they will hold off on dialysis. If they were to start dialysis again..then the kidneys tend to get lazy and stop working if a machine is going to do the work for them....his creatinin has stayed constant at 2.1....so they are happy with this for now...normal range is 1.5...and if he continues with the output he is doing ...he is surely to reach that normal range very soon....Praise God....the progress continues. Ron did try to stand today...it was for a brief moment...the strength to do this is still not quite there...but every little bit helps...he just has to continue with the exercises he has been given while in bed...and hopefully...that day will come when he can stand and hold his own weight...what a day that will be. We will miss all the nursing staff in the ICU...many have become friends ...who truly care about us and want to see Ron succeed in his recovery...but moving to the regular floor is definitely a step in the right direction....it means he is not sick enough to be in ICU...and that is a great thing! While we are not going to have the one on one attention we have here....we also have many friends on that floor who know us very well and also share in the goal to help and see Ron succeed in getting better sooner rather than later. We are surrounded by great staff here ....they genuinely care about us and Ron and are very compassionate as well as passionate people in the work they do here .....we could not ask for more. |
"So, be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord."
Psalm 31:24
Thursday, January 17, 2008
A HARD DAYS WORK
| Ron had his dialysis done again today. It really helped and was much needed. His feet and legs were very swollen today ..they managed to get a lot of fluid off today. I hope he gets another treatment again tomorrow. Surgery has been rescheduled for tomorrow but we do not know the time yet. He had a good nap durng dialysis as did I.....it was much needed after our 5am wake up call this morning. He was then ready for a good workout. He sat up at the edge of the bed...he dangled his legs and did leg lifts. He then used the exercise pedals and pedaled like he was trying to get out of here. After he rested for a few minutes he asked for help into the regular chair. The nurses tried to stand him up but he was much too weak. He wanted to try a second time and they did...but it was still too much for him. We told him the fact that he even tried was an incredible attempt...and a great effort. We will just try again tomorrow and every day after until he is able to do it. After this workout ...he went into the cadillac chair and sat there for a good hour. Once he was back in bed ...he was ready for some pain medicine and sleep. So, we shall see what time surgery is tomorrow and I will let everyone know how it goes. Keep the prayers coming ...I can't imagine life without prayer, without our Lord. "May he grant your heart's desires and make all your plans succeed." Psalm 20:4 |
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