Last week Mom was moved from ICU to a transitional room. (She can now have flowers!) She is doing good. She is being fed by a combination of a TPN line, a g-tube directly into her stomach, and a liquid diet (including creamy soups and ice cream). She still has a fistule in her small intestine. The doctor has the leakage/drainage under control, but he's not exactly sure how many calories she is actually absorbing since a lot of the g-tube nutrition and what she eats ends up leaking out the fistule.
This morning the doctor said that they need to get more nutrition to her so she has more energy for her rehab. (She has not been out of bed for over 2 months). She did sit on the side of the bed for 20 minutes earlier this week, which is good progress.
Her red cell count was low this morning, so they gave her a couple of pints.
Mom isn't in much pain. During the day, she has been listening to music, reading, visiting with Dad (he's at the hospital at least 8 hours every day) , visiting with family, watching dvd's or watching tv. She also enjoys talking with just about every hospital employee who sticks their head in her room. She has also been exercising her arms and legs... she's getting anxious to walk again.
Please keep her in your prayers.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Update on Mom's condition... Big Improvement
Sorry it has taken so long -just want to update everyone on Mom's condition, and provide some background info:
Mom had an initial surgery in early April to remove carcenoid cancer from her intestines. There was more cancer than the surgeons could safely remove, so their goal was to remove the most offending portions that were causing blockages in the intestines. The surgery was very difficult, but in the end the doctors were cautiously optimisic. The doctors did not sew up her abdomen; they wanted to confirm the condition of her intestines. Unfortunately, after less than a week, a few holes opened up in her intestines. They scheduled emergency surgery - and at this point all the family said good-bye to Mom because the doctors were not sure she would survive the surgery.
Thankfully, Mom has survived and steadily improved. There is still a hole in the intestines, but they were able to attach a bag of sorts that it's draining into. She cannot eat, but is getting nutrition from a TPN line directly into her bloodstream.
The doctors continue to be amazed at her body's ability to recover. Her vital signs have stayed so strong throughout this ordeal. Her main doctor, Dr. Polk, has said that he believes God has a hand in her recovery.
Her current condition, as I understand it, is as follows:
She remains in intensive care, where she's been for over a month.
Her surgical wound has not been closed. It is covered by the bag, and dressing. The dressing is changed every few days but she needs to go into the operating room to have it cleaned and reworked every 2 weeks or so.
She is fully alert and in great spirits.
Ice chips are the only thing she can "eat" but she does savor them.
She can get tired throughout the day, so she can only take visitors in small doses (talking on the phone is very tiring for her as well).
The physical therapist had her sit-up on the side of the bed Friday, for about 5 minutes. It is the first time she has sat-up for over a month.
The remaining cancer she has is considered inoperable, for now. However, since it is carcenoid, there may be some long length of time before it causes any further trouble.
The doctor is hopeful that she can be transferred out of intensive care shortly if her condition continues to improve. From there, if the hole doesn't close in the intestines, he's hopeful that the intestines will heal enough that they can close the surgical wound and she can have a workable bag. After that it's possible she may be able to go home. Whether or not she will be able to eat again is in God's hands... as everything has been from the start.
Thanks to everyone for their prayers and kind words.
Dennis
Mom had an initial surgery in early April to remove carcenoid cancer from her intestines. There was more cancer than the surgeons could safely remove, so their goal was to remove the most offending portions that were causing blockages in the intestines. The surgery was very difficult, but in the end the doctors were cautiously optimisic. The doctors did not sew up her abdomen; they wanted to confirm the condition of her intestines. Unfortunately, after less than a week, a few holes opened up in her intestines. They scheduled emergency surgery - and at this point all the family said good-bye to Mom because the doctors were not sure she would survive the surgery.
Thankfully, Mom has survived and steadily improved. There is still a hole in the intestines, but they were able to attach a bag of sorts that it's draining into. She cannot eat, but is getting nutrition from a TPN line directly into her bloodstream.
The doctors continue to be amazed at her body's ability to recover. Her vital signs have stayed so strong throughout this ordeal. Her main doctor, Dr. Polk, has said that he believes God has a hand in her recovery.
Her current condition, as I understand it, is as follows:
She remains in intensive care, where she's been for over a month.
Her surgical wound has not been closed. It is covered by the bag, and dressing. The dressing is changed every few days but she needs to go into the operating room to have it cleaned and reworked every 2 weeks or so.
She is fully alert and in great spirits.
Ice chips are the only thing she can "eat" but she does savor them.
She can get tired throughout the day, so she can only take visitors in small doses (talking on the phone is very tiring for her as well).
The physical therapist had her sit-up on the side of the bed Friday, for about 5 minutes. It is the first time she has sat-up for over a month.
The remaining cancer she has is considered inoperable, for now. However, since it is carcenoid, there may be some long length of time before it causes any further trouble.
The doctor is hopeful that she can be transferred out of intensive care shortly if her condition continues to improve. From there, if the hole doesn't close in the intestines, he's hopeful that the intestines will heal enough that they can close the surgical wound and she can have a workable bag. After that it's possible she may be able to go home. Whether or not she will be able to eat again is in God's hands... as everything has been from the start.
Thanks to everyone for their prayers and kind words.
Dennis
Monday, May 4, 2009
"Like branches of a tree we grow in different directions, yet our roots remain as one. Each of our lives will always be a special part of the other's.
"Kind Words are like jewels that live in the heart...
and remain as warm memories
long after they have been spoken."
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