 |
Friday, October 19, 2012
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Thankful Thursday::October 18
I've had another busy week. Surpised? I thought not.
So yes, Bill was home clear headed and feeling much better. In fact, all day on Wednesday he was telling me how great he felt. Then, on Thursday morning he called me from his bedroom on his cell phone; he was too dizzy to get out of bed and ask me to cancel his doctor appt.... Back to the ER.
His hematocrit was down again, indicative of internal bleeding, so back up to the SLC hospital again. Less than an hour after he arrived at the hospital by ambulance, we were told they would have to perform a splenectomy. Now. So we sent him into surgery with a blood pressure that was up a little from the 71/46 in the ER that morning before receiving blood products, a kidney that had just been blasted with contrast for the CT scan, and a lung that wasn't filling fully because of fluid build up between the ribs and the lung. I felt very much like I was sending a one-legged blind person into traffic... I hoped for the best, but worried.
After the surgery was over, I got an update saying all went well and that the surgeon would be up to see me in a bit. When he got there, he told me that the spleen didn't look quite as terrible in real life as it had on the CT scan, but that it was bleeding badly and the surgeon didn't think Bill would have made it to morning w/o the surgery.
His improvement is remarkable. The surgeon hadn't expected him to recover so quickly, but he is now back at home. Hopefully, this has been the last hospital trip for a while.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In other news: Emily is in a school play, so after school practices will be our life for a while. What that will mean for me: Steve will be taking the kids to school and picking them up after work. I think I'll love my break from chauffeur :)
~~
Other than that, not a lot has happened. Just the regular day to day stuff...
I took Michael to Shriner's Hospital yesterday to meet with a orthotic specialist to help me adjust his braces so that they didn't rub his foot... he made him new ones :) So happy for nice, helpful people!
~~
I am feeling very spoiled! People in my neighborhood have brought me treats, dinner, and called to check up on Bill and me. I love feeling so loved :) (Thanks to all of you who have been watching out for us! :)
And thank you to all who have prayed and sent well wishes. I really feel it and appreciate it!
~~
Gratitudes:
For people who go out of their way to check up on us, pray for us, and lighten our load.
That Bill is making such a great recovery from such a scary situation.
That Michael will get braces that will work for his situation, for his orthotic specialist, and for Shriner's Hospital.
That Emily has the chance to be in the school play. I know that she will love it!
That the sun has been shining and the lighting is changing and creating such a new drama with shadows and light; I need to get my camera out and photograph it!
That Steve & I have been able to go on our walks/hikes in the foothills. They make all the difference!
For yummmy treats and wholesome meals. Why does food make so much difference in life? I can't explain it, I can just feel it. :)
For a husband that does his best to give me whatever I need. I hope that I return that to him daily; he deserves it!
For kids that hug me, call me, and let me know that they love me. It makes my world go round :)
For health. I think I take it for granted way more than I should! It is so easy to just believe it will always be there, but I'm seeing that isn't the case. I need to live each day to the fullest, because there are no guarantees.
For Bill. For the gratitude that he shows and verbalizes. He is a great guy.
For my family and friends who rally around. Life is so much better because of them!
I have so much gratitude in my heart today and so much to be thankful for. Thanks so much for all of the silent things that you do for me: read my blog (though I wish that you'd give a voice to that in the comments :) and pray for my family. I really appreciate all you do!
And I'm especially grateful for Heavenly Parents and Jesus. I am so thankful for Jesus' atonement that allows me to place my burden at His feet and have Him carry it for me. And I'm so thankful for Heavenly Parents - I know that most people just say God or Heavenly Father, but I know that there is a Mother there too & since my own mortal mother has passed away, I have been even more aware of needing my Heavenly Mother. Their purposes are the same, but the way that I feel about each of them is totally different. I need that nurturing influence just as much as the protective one.
The sun is shining outside today. I have been given another day. I am truly blessed!
So yes, Bill was home clear headed and feeling much better. In fact, all day on Wednesday he was telling me how great he felt. Then, on Thursday morning he called me from his bedroom on his cell phone; he was too dizzy to get out of bed and ask me to cancel his doctor appt.... Back to the ER.
His hematocrit was down again, indicative of internal bleeding, so back up to the SLC hospital again. Less than an hour after he arrived at the hospital by ambulance, we were told they would have to perform a splenectomy. Now. So we sent him into surgery with a blood pressure that was up a little from the 71/46 in the ER that morning before receiving blood products, a kidney that had just been blasted with contrast for the CT scan, and a lung that wasn't filling fully because of fluid build up between the ribs and the lung. I felt very much like I was sending a one-legged blind person into traffic... I hoped for the best, but worried.
After the surgery was over, I got an update saying all went well and that the surgeon would be up to see me in a bit. When he got there, he told me that the spleen didn't look quite as terrible in real life as it had on the CT scan, but that it was bleeding badly and the surgeon didn't think Bill would have made it to morning w/o the surgery.
His improvement is remarkable. The surgeon hadn't expected him to recover so quickly, but he is now back at home. Hopefully, this has been the last hospital trip for a while.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In other news: Emily is in a school play, so after school practices will be our life for a while. What that will mean for me: Steve will be taking the kids to school and picking them up after work. I think I'll love my break from chauffeur :)
~~
Other than that, not a lot has happened. Just the regular day to day stuff...
I took Michael to Shriner's Hospital yesterday to meet with a orthotic specialist to help me adjust his braces so that they didn't rub his foot... he made him new ones :) So happy for nice, helpful people!
~~
I am feeling very spoiled! People in my neighborhood have brought me treats, dinner, and called to check up on Bill and me. I love feeling so loved :) (Thanks to all of you who have been watching out for us! :)
And thank you to all who have prayed and sent well wishes. I really feel it and appreciate it!
~~
Gratitudes:
For people who go out of their way to check up on us, pray for us, and lighten our load.
That Bill is making such a great recovery from such a scary situation.
That Michael will get braces that will work for his situation, for his orthotic specialist, and for Shriner's Hospital.
That Emily has the chance to be in the school play. I know that she will love it!
That the sun has been shining and the lighting is changing and creating such a new drama with shadows and light; I need to get my camera out and photograph it!
That Steve & I have been able to go on our walks/hikes in the foothills. They make all the difference!
For yummmy treats and wholesome meals. Why does food make so much difference in life? I can't explain it, I can just feel it. :)
For a husband that does his best to give me whatever I need. I hope that I return that to him daily; he deserves it!
For kids that hug me, call me, and let me know that they love me. It makes my world go round :)
For health. I think I take it for granted way more than I should! It is so easy to just believe it will always be there, but I'm seeing that isn't the case. I need to live each day to the fullest, because there are no guarantees.
For Bill. For the gratitude that he shows and verbalizes. He is a great guy.
For my family and friends who rally around. Life is so much better because of them!
I have so much gratitude in my heart today and so much to be thankful for. Thanks so much for all of the silent things that you do for me: read my blog (though I wish that you'd give a voice to that in the comments :) and pray for my family. I really appreciate all you do!
And I'm especially grateful for Heavenly Parents and Jesus. I am so thankful for Jesus' atonement that allows me to place my burden at His feet and have Him carry it for me. And I'm so thankful for Heavenly Parents - I know that most people just say God or Heavenly Father, but I know that there is a Mother there too & since my own mortal mother has passed away, I have been even more aware of needing my Heavenly Mother. Their purposes are the same, but the way that I feel about each of them is totally different. I need that nurturing influence just as much as the protective one.
The sun is shining outside today. I have been given another day. I am truly blessed!
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Update on Bill::Siblings/Family Pictures::Oct. 10
It's been a few days.....
Things weren't better Thursday after all. Bill was more confused than when he has ammonia levels greater than 100, only his ammonia was 45. Something was off.....
At his family doc, we found that his SATs were only 82%, so he was prescribed oxygen and had a battery of blood tests ran.
At the liver doc, he went over all of his labs, looked at Bill, shook his head and kept looking at the labs, trying to see what he was obviously missing.
In between those two appt., we ran and got a canister of oxygen and a canula to sustain him through the two visits. The first doc thought the confusion was lack of oxygen, but even at 95% on oxygen, the confusion worsened.
So I took him back to the ER. I had hoped to just get him admitted, but his family doc told me that he was a liver patient and confusion was just part of the game. It turned out the ER was the right place to be, though, because they connected the dots and found through xray that Bill had pneumonia. He stayed in the hospital a few days and came home with a clear head. Thank heavens!!
~~~~~
On Monday, I took the kids and went up into our mountains for pictures. Amber had been wanting the siblings to have their picture taken together. I wanted to add Steve & me to the mix and get a family pic... but after the happenings of the past week, I decided that it would just add a complexity I wasn't looking forward to, so we just stuck with the sibling pic.
They turned out super cute. How could they not with how cute/beautiful/handsome my children are?! ;)
Aren't they awesome?! But my favorite picture of the day was definitely this one:
My goofy, silly, mischievous boys, and my sweet daughter-in-law who has to live with them. This picture speaks volumes to me and leaves me laughing every time I see it. :)
~~~~~~~
My gratitudes:
That Bill is home safe and sound-minded.
That Amber pushed for the pictures even when I tried to be a wet blanket.
That we have a long weekend coming up, starting at 3:15 pm today.
That Michael's g-tube has been able to be put back in every time w/o going to the hospital....even when it has been out for hours. (I'm praying that this stage of him taking it out will end - it is a stress every.single.time.)
I wish you all the best!
Things weren't better Thursday after all. Bill was more confused than when he has ammonia levels greater than 100, only his ammonia was 45. Something was off.....
At his family doc, we found that his SATs were only 82%, so he was prescribed oxygen and had a battery of blood tests ran.
At the liver doc, he went over all of his labs, looked at Bill, shook his head and kept looking at the labs, trying to see what he was obviously missing.
In between those two appt., we ran and got a canister of oxygen and a canula to sustain him through the two visits. The first doc thought the confusion was lack of oxygen, but even at 95% on oxygen, the confusion worsened.
So I took him back to the ER. I had hoped to just get him admitted, but his family doc told me that he was a liver patient and confusion was just part of the game. It turned out the ER was the right place to be, though, because they connected the dots and found through xray that Bill had pneumonia. He stayed in the hospital a few days and came home with a clear head. Thank heavens!!
~~~~~
On Monday, I took the kids and went up into our mountains for pictures. Amber had been wanting the siblings to have their picture taken together. I wanted to add Steve & me to the mix and get a family pic... but after the happenings of the past week, I decided that it would just add a complexity I wasn't looking forward to, so we just stuck with the sibling pic.
They turned out super cute. How could they not with how cute/beautiful/handsome my children are?! ;)
     |
Aren't they awesome?! But my favorite picture of the day was definitely this one:
 |
My goofy, silly, mischievous boys, and my sweet daughter-in-law who has to live with them. This picture speaks volumes to me and leaves me laughing every time I see it. :)
~~~~~~~
My gratitudes:
That Bill is home safe and sound-minded.
That Amber pushed for the pictures even when I tried to be a wet blanket.
That we have a long weekend coming up, starting at 3:15 pm today.
That Michael's g-tube has been able to be put back in every time w/o going to the hospital....even when it has been out for hours. (I'm praying that this stage of him taking it out will end - it is a stress every.single.time.)
I wish you all the best!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)