Saturday March 23rd Update on Paul

 

 


Paul is feeling and looking much better today.  He had a BM (bowel movement) yesterday and it looks like the body is on track to getting back to normal or at least as normal as can be at this stage of the process.  I have been doing Jeanie's "Happy Dance"

I washed his hair and even tried to trim his mustache and beard.  I think he is a bit unrecognizable at the moment for those who know him as clean shaven.

Getting up and walking more and more each day.  We are looking forward to the day when we can come home and get back to work.


Thanks for stopping by.

Jo and Paul

Thursday March 22, 2013

Doctors have put a Wound Vac on the opening in the belly.  Paul has an opening of 5 cm by 2 cm with a depth of 2-3 cm in the middle of the incision site  on his abdomen.   I find it very interesting that they can pack an open area of the body and cover it then use a small vaccum to draw out any air or fluids in order for it to heal. The miracle of modern medicine.

The doctors are a little concerned that Paul is not recuperating as quickly as they think he should be.  They don't have any answers of why his bowels have not woken up.  They said he is doing everything right, breathing exercises, walking, sitting up.  It is just a wait and see......

Grandson Gage continues to bring a smile to our faces with his visits.  He loves to play hide and seeker when Paul does his walks and delights us with his dancing to any music he hears.  He is a joy to us both.

We continue to hope to go home soon.  We know the next few months are going to be a bit rough but we have a strong community of family, friends and physicians who are all there to help us muddle though this.

Once again I can only offer my thanks to all who send us get well wishes and prayers.

Hugs,
Jo and Paul

Wednesday night update

The chest xray from this afternoon showed some fluid on the lungs.  There is a slight infection in the surgical site.  Both are being treated with antibioctics.

The good news is that the J tube placement is good and there is activity inside the bladder/bowels.

Paul sat up for several hours today and did a small bit of walking.

He should sleep well tonight.

Thank you all for the encouraging comments, the jokes and mostly for the continued prayers and outpouring support.

Jo and Paul

Quick Update

Paul had a fever last night and into the early morning hours and blood pressure was high.  The nurses and I gave him a cool wash down and they put ice packs under his arms to help cool the body.

Doctor ordered blood work, urinalysis, chest X-ray and a CT scan with contrast of the abdomen.  His previous white count was good.  We keeping getting mentally geared up to take a walk in the hall and someone else pops in to do something.  Oh well,  so goes our day.

One step at a time.....

Jo and Paul

Goal is set!

Paul is out of ICU and back in a regular room.   His output from both the kidneys/bladder and the stomach secretions are both good healthy colors.  His oxygen levels are consistently good. Blood pressure seems to have gone up with being moved  twice today but otherwise things are looking okay!   They had put us in a double room and then moved us to a private room.  I think the second move was because I will be staying in the room with him.  

We are praying for a complete and uneventful healing and recovery after this second surgery..  Paul looked at the Patient Board in the room where they put in the days date, nurses name and other pertinent information for the room.  One line on it has "Patient Goals", Paul said his goal is to get better and go home.  I' m all for that!

We anticipate a couple more days before the bowls "wake-up", at least that is how the surgeon put it. Then I guess they'll try the J tube feeding again and wait to see if everything progresses as it should.  I have no idea what the time frame will be.

I feel a couple of really good things have come from all this....
The doctors will already have knowledge of how Paul's body can react to surgery.
We now know some of the staff that we will be dealing with when Paul has the esophagectomy both in and out of ICU.
We will know what to bring for a two week or longer stay.
We can already anticipate some of the set backs that can happen and not be totally surprised.

Thank you for the continued prayers and well wishes.  
We both are in awe of all the praying nd good energy coming our way.

Jo and Paul 

Monday, Monday.....

Paul is still in ICU.

Doctor wants to keep him in ICU to monitor his progress closely.

He sat up today for several hours and walked the hall in ICU.  Paul is doing better this time around then he was after the first surgery.  Doctor said it will probably be Wednesday before his bowels wake up and then they need to see if the replacement position for the J tube will work.  Paul still has the NG tube in his nose going to the stomach, draining away any bile secretions that build up.   He is receiving nurishment through a PICC line going up through his arm into a big vein in his chest.  Paul is avoiding using the morphiene as much as possible to prevent the bowels from becoming to lazy.

That's the update for today.  We are so ready to get out of here and get home to start the next phase of treatment.

Thank you for the prayers and well wishes.

Jo and Paul

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

We are doing well.  Paul actually sat up for a few hours and walked the hall in ICU.  He is doing so much better.  The doctors did have to make a bigger insicion and had to use 20 staples to close hon up.  The J tube has not been tested yet, but we are not in a hurry this time.  Taking it easy and slow.
Paul has brightened my Saint Patrick's Day with having greenish bile coming from the NG tube.  This is really a cause for celebration as up to now it has been brownish black!

This seems to be the month of unusual celebrations for us...

Looking forward to being transferred out of ICU tomorrow if all stays uneventful through the night.

Thanks again for the Get Well wishes and Prayers.

Jo and Paul

Out of surgery

Paul is out of surgery.
He will be going to ICU.
The bowel obstruction was caused by the J tube being placed too low.
Abdomen flushed with antibiotics.
If everything goes well, home in a week to a week and a half.

Thank you for the prayers.
God is good, prayers answered.

Jo

Second Time's a Charm?

Paul is scheduled to have surgery to correct a bowel obstruction tomorrow morning at 8:30 am.

With all the problems of the brownish stomach secretions and the bowels not doing the job the doctor ordered a CT scan yesterday night after checking Paul's vitals, input/output and the drainage from the surgical site on the abdomen.  The CT scan showed something is not right.  The upper bowels are dilated then collapsed.  The doctor also does not like the amount of fluid draining from the  surgical site, he said it is way too much to be a seroma.  Doctor said they have given everything more then enough time to correct itself, calm down and become functional now it is time for intervention and to open him up and look around to see what is going on.  They are also inserting a Picc line to get him some nutrition while everything is resting.

I told Paul I think this is his body preparing for the bigger surgery to come later down the line.  It's giving him all the trouble now so the doctors can get to know him and then be fully aware of how his body will react.  The doctors will then be able to anticipate and be ready for any complications.  Got to think positive thoughts and look for a good outcome.   Paul continues to keep his sense of dry humor and is fighting very hard not to become discouraged.

My son-in-law, Kevin drove me home last night to get the mail, bills and a few other things that had to be taken care of.  He then drove me back the same night so that I could continue to be at Paul's side.  Thank you Kevin from the bottom of our hearts.  And thank you Lisa for gathering all our mail and the papers I requested, you are awesome!

We'd like to send a great big "Thank You" for the cards, comments on this blog and well wishes received. To thank each of you  individually would take me a few hours so this will have to do.  .  

Hugs and love,

Jo and Paul

 "Good thoughts bear good fruit, bad thoughts bear bad fruits -and man is his own gardener."

James Allen

Enough

This morning we had a good start.  Paul had a BM at 4:30 am.  What a great present for me.  We were joking that this will be a birthday to remember !  Who else could be so happy at receiving a sh*t for their birthday?

Our celebration was short lived. When the  incision from the J tube surgery started to ooze while he was sitting and getting geared up for our morning walk.  I cleaned it, and let the nurse know.  It seemed fine.   Paul wanted to get some walking in after the achevement this morning.  The oozing filled four 4 by 4 pads within a few minutes.  Doctor came and put on some butterfly stitches .  He said should be fine just some small oozing.  Cleaned up , covered with gauze and towel in hand we were ready to attempt the walk again.  Made it a bit further, now the oozing was running down his belly.  Doc came back, squeezed it and said the insicion may need to be opened up so it can drain.  For now it will be a wait and see.  it is not infected, just a small part of the insicion opened.  Surgeon said to wait...walk later today and see what happens.  As long as there is no infection, the surgeon dose not want to reopen the insicion or put in a drainage tube.

When is this going to end?  Enough already!  How much more is it giving to take before Paul's positive outlook goes down the drain?  

Paul's feelings... It's one thing after another.

For those who know me all I can say is... It's Jo Lord, not Job!

Love and hugs to all
Jo and Paul