Karl's birthday

Today is Karl's birthday! We'd love to have you send your best wishes by commenting on this post.

As an early birthday gift, last week Dr. Scheutze postponed Karl's first of four rounds of chemotherapy until Monday, Oct. 27. He didn't think anyone should have to spend their birthday all day in the infusion suite. As it stands now, Karl will have chemo the weeks of Oct. 27, Nov. 17, Dec. 8 and Dec. 29. He will receive the exact same medicines as before, will lose his hair all over again, and will undoubtedly be pretty weak. But there's a silver lining to every cloud...this will hopefully kill any lingering cancer cells and after it's over, he can concentrate on physical therapy and getting back to work.

The renovations at Mom's house are coming along well, thanks to Jim Hook, Wally Burr, Gordie Greiman and Dave Mull. Thanks for everything!

Blessings to all,

Kerry

KARL IS HOME!!

I have to warn you…this will be a long entry…I have to catch you up on a lot. But the bottom line is KARL IS HOME!! Well, sort of. But I’ll get to that in a bit. Almost 70 people turned out to welcome Karl home on Sunday. Lots of tears were flowing and both Mom and Karl were very surprised by the people, signs, noisemakers, food and drink. It was amazing! Thanks to all who took time on an absolutely beautiful fall day to welcome us back home. I would have written a post sooner, but the flu bug bit me right after most of the well-wishers left. Thank God it waited until I got home!

Roughly a month ago we learned that Karl’s anticipated “Independence Day” was Oct. 12 and his discharge date was Oct. 13. Of course we’ve seen how those dates come and go and we didn’t want to get everyone’s hopes up only to be dashed. Boy oh boy did a lot happen between then and now. My blog entries would have looked something like:
Sept. 27: Karl’s plastic surgeons think he’s going to have to have surgery to take care of the seeping wound on his back. Karl is worried and so are we.
Sept. 28: Karl’s orthopedic doctors think the wound is healing okay and he won’t need surgery. Karl is relieved and so are we.
Sept. 29: Karl’s plastics docs are concerned about his back and want a CT scan and culture. They think he needs surgery. Karl is worried and so are we.
Sept. 30: Karl’s ortho docs say the CT scan revealed there’s decaying tissue that needs to be removed surgically although the cultures reveal there is no infection. Surgery would set him back another week or two. Karl is worried and so are we. Later in the day, the ortho docs say Karl doesn’t need surgery because the seepage from the wound has slowed. We’re all relieved.
Oct. 1: The plastics guys are pretty sure Karl will have surgery by week’s end. We’re all worried.
Oct. 2: The ortho docs are pretty sure Karl won’t have to have surgery. We’re all relieved.
Oct. 3: Dr. Yaszemski visits Karl and says surgery won’t be needed. Final word. WE ARE ALL RELIEVED! This means we can proceed with homecoming plans. Karl’s physical therapist wonders why Karl’s “Independence Day” is on a Sunday since no therapists will be there. “Independence Day” is when therapists and ortho docs put Karl through the paces to test his abilities. Discharge is usually the following day.
Oct. 4 & 5: AHHHH! Karl’s coming home and Mom’s house is nowhere near ready for him! We need ramps and a handicap-accessible bathroom…not a minor undertaking!
Oct. 6: Megan, Karl’s physical therapist, is going to try to push “Independence Day” to Oct. 10 so that he can be discharged on Oct. 11.

More Blessings

Between Jim Hook, Jeff Niedermier, Wally Burr, Jimbo Myers, Charley Rebottaro, Mark Carr and Kimball Wright, they have taken on this sizeable project. They are all blessings in and of themselves and we can never thank them enough for their kindnesses. But God definitely has His hand in this project. On Monday, Oct. 6, Jeff, Jim H. and I went to Tecumseh Plywood to pick out a shower that would accommodate Karl. I saw Pat Wallich, Tecumseh Plywood’s proprietor, and asked if he had heard what was going on with Karl. He had not. After a brief explanation of Karl’s predicament, I asked Pat if we could get Plywood’s builder’s discount. He said, “I can do better than that. You can have the shower and bathroom fixtures at cost.” Wow. I was amazed. And so thankful. But that’s not the end of the story. Across the counter stood Kimball Wright, one of the best carpenters around. He went to high school with Karl. I’m not sure if he overheard the conversation, but while Jim and I were picking out flooring, Kimball asked Jeff if there was anything he could do. And that’s how Kimball got roped into doing the finish work. This week Jim Hook has been helping Wally Burr plumb the new bathroom. Last week Jim and Jeff tore out a wall, framed the shower, tore up the old flooring and put down tile. Charley came over and did an unbelievable clean-up job. Jimbo and Mark will soon tear out the carpet to expose the hardwood floors. They will sand and refinish them. Then the finishing touches will be put on the new suite for Karl. It will be fantastic.

Needless to say, Mom’s house is not quite in livable condition. And with what I can only describe as divine intervention, our good family friends (and my neighbors), John and Mary Ferguson, offered their home for Karl and Mom’s use while they’re vacationing. The timing is uncanny, but the generosity is amazing.

After three months at the Mayo Clinic, Karl misses some of the folks there. On discharge day we all meandered up to 8MB to say farewell and thanks to everyone who took care of him for 6 ½ weeks. And for the last four weeks Karl had wonderful care in the inpatient rehab unit. You motivated him to improve and he did so at an amazing pace. We’re so thankful to you. Karl will be back in early January to visit both units so please be prepared!

And now a warning: lookout U-M. Karl’s back!

Blessings,

Kerry

The Rock Star and His Scar

Kid Rock is in the house! That’s the nickname they’ve given Karl on the third floor. Nurses and therapists and aides and administrators who aren’t even involved with his case go to Karl’s room to see how closely he resembles Robert James Ritchie, a.k.a. Kid Rock who hails from the Detroit area. (Check out the “actual” photo of him below). Of course Karl eats it up. He’s met so many wonderful people, both medical personnel and fellow patients. All the stories we’ve heard about Mayo Clinic lately are phenomenal. A good example of how the people there work together occurred yesterday. And it’s also a good example of how God is watching out over Karl.

Megan was discussing Karl’s case with her fellow therapists while he was on his stomach and she was stretching his legs. They were talking about how well he was healing. Either Karl is proud of the scars on his derrière or he’s becoming an exhibitionist because he told Megan it was okay for them all to take a look. Keep in mind that for about two months straight Karl had people looking at his “better side” several times each day. As they were checking it out, Megan said that something didn’t look right. Thinking that she was joking Karl said, “Yeah, right.” But Megan said she wasn’t kidding and summoned his nurse. The nurse then called the doctor. The doctor came and took a look and proclaimed that he wasn’t going to mess with the work of the surgeons, so he summoned Dr. Yaszemski’s team. Dr. Hannah, Dr. Redmond, and Dr. Erickson came down to look at Karl’s booty and decided that it wasn’t an infection, but was a build-up of fluid that sometimes occurs with skin grafts. They will continue to monitor it, but aren’t concerned. This just goes to show that his show-off tendencies (and divine intervention, in my opinion) may lead to saving Karl’s butt, literally.

Anyway, this type of teamwork is so typical of Mayo Clinic. We’ve heard stories over and over. It is this teamwork and consultation among medical professionals that truly make Mayo different. Not that physicians and medical professionals at other health systems don’t confer with one another in a similar manner, it’s just that Mayo has so many specialists with whom to consult.

One lady told us she lived in Washington, D.C. and went to Georgetown where they diagnosed her with colon cancer. She decided to get a second opinion at Mayo where after several tests and physicians poring over the test, they told her she didn’t have cancer, but definitely had irritable bowel syndrome. They told her to go to the drug store for Maalox and Milk of Magnesia. Yikes! That’s a bit different than the treatment for colon cancer! Another lady told us she wouldn’t be alive today if it hadn’t been for Mayo. A team of physicians decided the best course of action for her was a tricky bone marrow transplant. A fellow Gloria Dei church member struggled for years with many specialists in the area to try to figure out problems he had for 15 years. Finally he went to Mayo where a team of physicians determined his pituitary gland was out of whack (the exact medical terminology they used, I believe).

We also feel incredibly blessed that the doctors at Mayo Clinic could take on Karl’s case. But we feel equally blessed that Dr. Biermann at U-M recommended Dr. Y. The thing we didn’t know about the Mayo Clinic, unless you have a PPO insurance plan, is that you do not need to be referred. If you or someone you know has a medical condition that doctors can’t seem to figure out or if you need a second opinion, call the Mayo Clinic at 507-284-2511. Explain your medical history and current situation. The operator will then tell you what will be needed and a team of physicians/surgeons will review the information and determine the best course of action. They may need extra tests, which can be performed locally, to determine whether they can help, but they will look at your case. To me, that’s amazing service.

Now back to Kid Rock, I mean Karl. Other than the weird lesion on his back, he’s progressing well. His hospital bed now has a regular mattress and he’s able to transfer without help. He’s been standing for 30 minutes at a time on the tilt table and with the aid of the parallel bars, can go from sitting to standing for a few minutes at a time. He’s also taken a few steps!

Please keep praying…we need the lesion to go away on its own and for him to keep getting stronger so he can come home in October.

Blessings,
Kerry

Turning the corner

Last week Karl made the move to the third floor inpatient rehabilitation unit and ever since then it’s been non-stop activity for him. He surprised his nurse a couple times on the first day on the new floor. She said she needed to take his vitals and before she could get to it, he had already slapped the blood pressure cuff on and was ready to roll. She told him she’d never seen a patient do that before. But Karl wasn’t done. He told her, after a long day of being in his wheelchair, that he was ready to get back into bed. She said she’d help him after she tended to another patient. When she came back in to his room, Karl had already put himself in the harness that swings him to and from the bed. She was surprised to see that and said it was another first. Leave it to Karl!

He’s been standing with both the aid of the incline bed, or “rack” as he calls it, as well as the parallel bars. The first time on the parallel bars, Karl was assisted a bit by his physical therapist, but the next time he did it by himself while the therapist was talking to someone else. She was very surprised to see him standing by himself.

Karl is also feeling pretty independent when he’s in his wheelchair. One minute he’s there talking and the next he’s gone off to fetch himself a beverage or do a load of laundry. It must feel so good to be able to come and go as he pleases after being stuck in bed for eight weeks relying on everyone else.

This morning the therapist mentioned something about putting Karl in a regular bed…his back has healed enough to make that transition. A regular bed will help him tremendously when it comes to sliding to and from a wheelchair. He may be able to do it himself with a regular mattress instead of the puffy air mattress he’s now using.

While it changes every day, a typical schedule for Karl is:
7:00 a.m. Occupational Therapy (OT)
8:30 Physical Therapy (PT)
9:00 Social worker
9:30 Recreational Therapy (RT)
10:00 OT
10:30 OT
12:00 Lunch
1:00 Nursing education
1:30 PT
2:00 PT
3:00 RT

This week Karl’s goal in physical therapy is to sit up in bed, transfer to a wheelchair, complete his daily chores, transfer back into bed from his wheelchair and comfortably position himself in the bed. All of this will be done under the watchful eye of Megan, but the goal is for him to be able to do it all unassisted. In recreational therapy Karl will be making a sliding board so he can transfer from wheelchair to other surfaces and vice versa. Occupational therapy will have Karl focus on dressing himself without assistance and moving in and out of cars, rooms, chairs, etc. All these activities and his progress mean Karl is getting closer and closer to coming home. He’s at a pace that could have him on his way back to Tecumseh sometime in October! Now THAT’S exciting! How blessed we are that Karl is at Mayo Clinic. And how thankful we are that you are all praying for his speedy recovery. We know that combination along with God’s grace is why Karl is doing so well.

When you see what Karl has been through and how he has responded to the surgeries and therapy, I hope you’ll do what the people did after they saw Peter heal the crippled beggar at the temple gate and that you’ll believe in God’s healing power: When all the people saw him walking and praising God…they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. Acts 3: 9-10. I hope you're as amazed as me!

With gratitude to you and God,

Kerry

Standing, moving, thankful

Last week a flurry of activities culminated with everyone telling him he’d make the big move to the 3rd floor inpatient rehabilitation center today. While he still hasn’t moved yet this morning, they told him to expect to be discharged from the 8th floor later today down to the third floor.

On Thursday, Karl’s physical therapist Megan got Karl ready to go to the therapy gym by coaching him to sit up in bed unassisted. He did it! Sliding onto the wheelchair proves to be a bit tricky because his bed mattress is soft and sits higher than the wheelchair. When he moves to the 3rd floor, he’ll probably get a regular mattress which means transferring will be much easier. After Karl was “loaded” onto the wheelchair, he took a trip to the gym where a harness was placed under his rear-end and he was winched up into standing position. For the first time since July 15, Karl stood! While he stood for only 3 minutes, it was a huge accomplishment but quite painful. He said his lower back hurt and if you look at the X-rays below, you’ll understand why. He was pretty tired after that so he went back up to the 8th floor where he tooled around in the wheelchair awhile, harassing the nurses. They were so happy to see him out and about.

On Friday Karl had a Doppler on his legs to make sure there are no blood clots…there aren’t. Then Karl’s occupational therapist took him down to the gym where he worked his arms with various exercises. He played Wii boxing (knocked me down three times) and tennis. What a workout! We also saw his new room on the third floor...it's huge! Later he was visited by Mayo oncologists who talked about doing concentrated radiation along with chemotherapy. We still aren’t sure how that will work, but we know Dr. Yaszemski agreed to allow him to go to inpatient rehab until the incision on his abdomen heals. He may be able to finish his chemo at home! They will be in touch with Karl’s U-M oncologists.

For the last 8 weeks he’s had wonderful care from the nurses and staff on the 8th floor. He’s gotten to know about some of their families and many of them dropped in to check on him, even when he wasn’t their patient. They’ve provided tender care when he was in pain, encouraged him when he had setbacks, and cheered for him when he made progress. And for that, we are all so grateful.

Blessings,

Kerry

Karl is STANDING with Megan, his physical therapist

These are X-rays of the rods and pins holding Karl's spine together. It's no wonder his lower back hurt when he stood!

Some of Karl's nurses. From left is Rebecca, Jeff, Bonnie, Helen and Dave.

What a week!

Karl is improving so rapidly that it’s difficult to keep up with all the things that are happening. On Monday he sat at the edge of the bed while his physical therapist Megan tested his equilibrium. She pushed him this way and that while he resisted. He is getting so much more stable. He had a hankering for fast food so I ran to Arby’s and McDonald’s. His caloric intake is much improved and you can tell it’s really helping him build strength.

Tuesday saw even more activity. Karl was dressed in shorts and a tee shirt when I arrived. His occupational therapist Katie has been working his arms and will help him to do chores that seem pretty easy for you and me. For Karl, putting on a shirt is quite a task and so getting his arms back in shape is very important. He’ll also need arm strength when it comes to getting around in a wheelchair. Around 2 p.m. Megan came in with a wheelchair and a board that allows Karl to slide from the bed to the wheelchair. After wrapping his legs with Ace bandages to help ease the pressure Karl feels when he puts them down, Megan and Anne, his nurse, slid Karl into the wheelchair. Off we went to tour the 3rd floor inpatient rehab area. Once he’s discharged from the 8th floor orthopedic med/surg wing, this will be his new habitat.

Karl met with a bunch of doctors Tuesday to plead his case to be transferred. Our thoughts are that he is ready to start the intense three-hour-a-day rehabilitation. He can’t have chemotherapy until the incision on his stomach is completely healed and they expect that to be at least two more weeks. Rather than wait on the 8th floor, why not do the rehab and then come home for the chemo? All of his doctors seem to be in agreement…except that Dr. Yaszemski likes his patients to have chemo first. Unfortunately he’s out of town. We’re hoping we’ll know something by the end of the week.

In the meantime, Karl is continuing to improve. Today he got into the wheelchair again and Katie took him to an occupational therapy gym where he worked a hand bike and boxed three rounds on a Nintendo Wii. After doing the bike, he said he felt like Lance Armstrong. Only different. He was so intense while boxing that both Katie and I got a good laugh. You’ll be happy to know that his debut bout was a draw. Even though he suffered no literal punches to the eyes, he said, “Cut me Mick.” (Referring to the scene in ROCKY), which of course made us laugh even more. Boy was he wiped out though.

We are so thankful for these improvements and for your prayers and kindnesses. God is good.

Blessings,

Kerry

Redeemer of Life and light that shines in darkness, we thank you for your renewing spirit. Receive our thanks, O God for your healing grace. Forgive, restore and empower us. Sustainer of Life and ever present comforter, we thank you for the gifts of hope and peace. Receive our thanks, O God, for all who journey with us. Receive our thanks, O God, for strength for today and hope for tomorrow.
Amen.

(A.F. Frieze)

Karl working on the hand bike with Katie, his occupational therapist. Karl said he felt like Lance Armstrong. Only different. Karl is guarding his head from punches while boxing on a Nintendo Wii.

Picking up the pace

As mentioned in the last blog entry, Karl’s progression has been slow. But I have a feeling things are about to pick up dramatically.

The day after Labor Day was very busy for Karl…doctors took out the rest of the sutures on his back which meant they could put in orders to change to a bed that would allow him to sit on its edge. A nutrition team came by and talked to Karl about taking out his nasal-gastric (NG) tube. Karl was very reluctant about that since the last time they took it out caused him a four-week setback because of a kink in his small intestine. The nutrition folks weren’t the only ones who encouraged the removal of the NG tube. Nurses who had worked with Karl would pop in and ask when the tube was coming out. Doctors encouraged its removal. Therapists teased him about removing the tube. Yet Karl wouldn’t budge and they all understood why. In the meantime, Karl was still receiving intravenous nutrition and was barely eating although he thought Hawaiian Punch he drank was an excellent source of nutrition. Doctors were very concerned about his reluctance to eat and said his nutrition markers were not good. And Karl had no energy and slept most of the time, though he managed to sit in his medi-chair at least once a day.

On Wednesday when I arrived Karl was sleeping. Something looked odd and upon closer investigation I noticed the NG tube was wrapped around Karl’s hand and was no longer in his nose. I woke him up and said, “Karl, did you decide you didn’t want the NG tube in after all?” Karl, startled from waking suddenly, was very confused and then felt his nose, looked at the tube wrapped around his hand and announced that he didn’t do it…the nurse must have. Of course I got a nice chuckle out of that and responded that she apparently wrapped it around his hand to make it look like he did it. Karl, ever the joker, had the occupational therapist (who just arrived to begin arm exercises) tape a straw to his nose to see if the nurse would notice. She walked in, looked at him and matter-of-factly asked, “Karl, why is there a straw taped to your nose.” We all had a good laugh. She was thrilled that the tube was finally out. And so was everyone else. He still received the intravenous nutrition and didn’t eat much…still a big concern for his medical team (and his family). At about 6 p.m. Karl finally got transferred to a different bed.

Oh what a work-out Karl had on Thursday. While sitting on the edge of a bed sounds like a pretty simple thing for you and me, it requires the use of many muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones Karl hasn’t used in seven weeks. Other than being dizzy for the first few minutes, Karl sat up without help for a few minutes. He was very, very tired and didn’t feel like eating much, but the IV nutrition keeps him going.

On Friday the nutrition team came again, concerned about Karl’s lack of appetite. They decided to take him off the IV nutrition to see if that was affecting his appetite. If that didn’t work, they told Karl they could insert a small tube through his nose to his small intestine and feed him while he slept. Karl didn’t like the sound of that AT ALL. He sat on the bed again (after much coaxing) and his physical therapist and I tried to encourage him. But he was pretty lethargic and a bit depressed. He had strict orders to sit in the chair one more time on Friday and twice a day during the weekend. But he just didn’t have the energy to do it on Friday.

On Saturday, Karl was an altogether different person. Without IV nutrition, Karl’s appetite came back a bit. He had meatloaf and a potato, milk and Dr. Pepper. No more Hawaiian Punch – the drink of champions! That’s the first “real” food he’s had since July 14. But he slept most of the afternoon. He did comply with the orders to sit in the chair twice – once for lunch and the next for dinner.

Sunday was a great day for Karl, although apparently the nurse jump-started his appetite with the threat that the nutrition team would be giving him a tube feeding if he didn’t take in 1,200 calories. He ate well. He sat in the chair at lunch and dinner and we had some nice conversations with the nurse. Then we spent most of the afternoon watching movies and talking about Nikki’s engagement. Holy schnikeys – my daughter is engaged!

I don’t know what this week will hold for Karl, but if the last two days are any indication, I think he’ll probably be moved to the rehab floor where the pace will be fast and furious. He will have about five hours of rehabilitation each day. He will learn how to transfer to a wheelchair, stand, walk, and receive education about various and sundry things. He will be wiped out, but the harder he works, the closer he is to coming home!

Thanks for your continued prayers.

Many blessings,

Kerry

Check out Karl's hair! Here he is in the harness that takes him from his bed to the medi-chair that's laying flat. Once he's in place, they raise up the back of the chair and lower the feet.

Bind Us Together

For the past week Karl has been slooooowly progressing. But progression is certainly better than regression. Each day nurses get him up to sit in a chair, which is quite a production. He has gone from clear liquids to full liquids to soft foods in a matter of four days. Anna, his nurse, just ordered him a fruit smoothie which apparently has a protein additive. Anna and I told him it was ground up beef liver, sardines and anchovies. I suppose that’s not the nicest thing to tell a guy with no appetite.

The doctors are pretty sure the kink is gone, but since it’s been about six weeks since his last meal, his stomach is probably pretty small and he’s not very hungry. Tomorrow a dietician will visit him to see if there are foods that sound more appetizing. As soon as he builds his appetite a bit more they will discharge him to the rehab floor where he'll spend another 6-8 weeks before finally coming home (we hope). Somewhere in the mix he'll have to start chemo again. Of course he's not looking forward to that at all. But I have a feeling this week will bring about a lot of positive changes for Karl. And I know we owe much of that to your prayers and all of it to God’s grace.

I’ve had the opportunity to reflect recently about all the wonderful things people have done for Karl – the fundraisers, the yard work, the “move,” the visits, the calls, the gifts, the cards, the blog comments, the prayers and everything else done to help Karl and the rest of us.

Then last week while at church, I opened my hymnal and from it fell a song sheet. At the top of the sheet was the song, “Bind Us Together.” I really like that song and began humming it in my head, then I started closely reading the words and I realized Karl’s experience is doing just that – it’s binding us all together. And then during the the second reading, I followed along carefully. It was Romans 12:1-8 and talked about the fact that we all have different gifts assigned to us by God and that together, we are one body. God was certainly speaking to me last Sunday and sending me the message that YOU are all a part of Karl's healing. The Hamilton/Smith family will all be eternally grateful for your gifts of love and kindness and feel bound to God with and in and through you.

Bind Us Together

Bind us together, Lord,
Bind us together with cords
That cannot be broken.
Bind us together, Lord
Bind us together, Lord
Bind us together in love.

There is only one God. There is only one King.
There is only one Body; That is why we can sing:
(Refrain)

You are the family of God
You are the promise divine.
You are God’s chosen desire,
You are the glorious new wine.
(Refrain)

Blessings,

Kerry

Bill & Sue Muk Memorial Tournament

What a wonderful day! Karin Mukensturm and everyone who attended the Bill & Sue Mukensturm Memorial Golf Tournament were so very generous. The proceeds -- $2080 -- will certainly go a long way to help Karl. After the tournament Karl spoke via speakerphone to the 140 plus people who played and/or just came to support the tournament.

Besides Karl, money from the tournament went to the Gift of Life in memory of Bill and Sue Mukensturm who were siblings and who both died from complications of hepatitis C. Bill and his wife, Karin, owned Wrong Way Pub (now Muk's Sports Pub) together with Carey Wyler (who came from Florida again for the tournament).

Now for news on Karl:

Karl still has a rash, but the doctors think he's allergic to penicillin-based antibiotics so they've stopped those and begun others. At least this time he's not in pain like the last time. I was surprised when I arrived yesterday to find Karl with quite a bit of hair growth. I'll get a photo soon (he has more hats). Other than the red rash, he looks pretty good. They took out some of the stitches on his back today and will remove the rest next week. When that happens, they'll put him in a regular bed and then they'll work on having him sit on the edge of his bed. He's also been cleared to start drinking clear liquids. A CT scan showed that the blockage in his small intestine has been cleared. But it will take some time to get his tummy used to food again so he's going very slowly, starting with Hawaiian Punch on ice. Mmmm-mmmm.

Anyway, rather than bore you with more words, here are a bunch of photos from Saturday's event.

God bless,

Kerry

Remember to look up!

The doctors have figured out the cause of Karl’s allergic problem, thank God (and thank you for your continued prayers). He is doing much better. They’ve replaced his antibiotics with others. The therapists have really been keeping him active, which will supposedly take care of his intestinal issues. Doctors continue to reassure him about this. With the use of the Hoyer lift, they put Karl on a table that inclines to about a 70 degree angle at this point. Only 20 more degrees and he’ll be standing! Karl says it doesn’t hurt, but it takes him a bit of time to get used to being upright after being horizontal day and night.

John and Susan Van Buhler along with Susan’s mom, Dolores Kroll paid a visit while at Mayo for one of John’s check-ups. How nice of them to stop in. Carol Partridge also made the long drive and is staying with Mom for a few days. Carol will be bringing Mom back to Tecumseh either Saturday or Sunday. We are so thankful for our friends and family. I’m heading back to Minnesota on Monday after spending some time in Tecumseh to get a few things in order. I’m eager to see a bunch of you at the Bill Mukensturm Memorial Golf Tournament on Saturday. If you have anything you’d like me to take to Karl, please come to Raisin Valley around 12:30 or 1 p.m. I’d love to see you! If that’s not convenient, let me know and I’ll make arrangements to get it. (email me at hamiltonsmith.family@gmail.com)

Most of the time I think and think and think and finally the spirit hits and I manage to come up with some kind of minutely inspirational prose. Unfortunately, I’m fresh out today. So, instead I’m going to steal something someone sent me via email. I thought it was appropriate.

The Buzzard, the Bat and the Bumblebee

The buzzard:

If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.

The bat:

The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkable nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.

The bumblebee:

A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself.

People:

In many ways, we are like the buzzard, the bat, and the bumblebee. We struggle about with all our problems and frustrations, never realizing that all we have to do is look up! Sorrow looks back, worry looks around, but faith looks up!

Remember to trust in our Creator who loves us and...look up!

Blessings,

Kerry

Booster shot

Just when you think the only thing Karl has to worry about is a kink in his intestines, along comes another issue that’s making him completely miserable. Karl woke up Sunday with a rash all over his body. He said it feels like he has a severe sunburn. On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the worst, Karl said his pain level is at a 7…that’s more severe than it was following surgery. Suffice it to say that Karl is anxious and scared and wondering when he will get back on the road to recovery. And we’re all anxious to have Karl feel better and wonder how we can help. The problem is, we’re pretty powerless at this point and can offer no relief to him. He doesn’t even want to be touched.

Doctors have been running in and out of his room all day. Yesterday they gave him a shot of Benadryl and dressed him with hypoallergenic sheets and cover-ups. Then they thought it was a reaction he was having to an antibiotic he's been receiving intravenously for weeks – vancomycin. They actually have a name for the reaction…it’s called Red Man’s Disease. But today they are postulating that it’s systemic -- that both the pepercillin and the vanco are causing this reaction. So they’ve taken him off those antibiotics and put him on three others.

Needless to say he hasn’t rested very well for the past two evenings and days. We’re hoping some specific prayers from the “warriors” will fend off any further set-backs and take care of this particular situation among others.

I know you’ve been keeping Karl in your prayers, but he’s in need of a booster shot. I know with your help and God’s mercy and grace, Karl can get through this set-back.

With thanks, peace and love,
Kerry

Sending out birds

Just when things seem to be progressing at a nice pace for Karl, his tummy started acting up again.

Until yesterday, Karl had been working hard with both the physical and occupational therapists. The physical therapists were putting Karl at a 45 degree angle using a mechanical lift apparatus. Then when he was in position, they’d work his legs. The goal is to eventually get him in a standing position. They’ve also had him in a sitting position for nearly an hour every day. The occupational therapists have been working Karl’s arms. He is now strong enough to roll himself over on his side with just a little guidance of his legs. It’s becoming less and less painful and he can do it with relative ease.

Unfortunately, Wednesday night was not much fun for him. And last night wasn’t much better either. They had removed his NG (feeding) tube because he was feeling so much better (he said he felt like he could eat a steak). Nonetheless, they were taking it very easy and giving him only clear liquids because they didn’t want to go too fast. Well, apparently the “kink” in his small intestine never worked its way out; more fluid pooled with nowhere to go but back where it came from. Yesterday he spent all day recovering from a night of feeling very ill. The nurses put the NG tube back in place to drain the fluid yesterday morning. Unfortunately, the pump to drain the fluid wasn’t working properly last night so it was more of the same. This morning Dr. Redmond told Karl if things didn’t work themselves out they’d have to do surgery, but they can’t do that for at least two weeks. Dr. Hannah told him, however, that he felt surgery wouldn’t be necessary because of the amount of noise and activity being produced by his intestines/stomach. Ann, the reiki practitioner, also stopped by and said she could “feel” activity, which is a good sign. She did her thing and, as usual, Karl drifted off to sleep.

A surprise visit from Bob and Anita Schultz who were in Minneapolis for a seminar helped to boost Karl’s spirits today. Bob is a high school chum who now lives in California. He and Anita made the 90-minute drive this morning. Karl was so happy to have them stop by. Another guy who Karl hasn’t seen in awhile also stopped in…Dr. Yaszemski. We think he’s had some military obligations in Washington, D.C. and elsewhere. But he promised Karl he’d have him back home soon. It looks like it will be at least another month, however, before we can start planning for that.

This waiting/patience thing Karl is experiencing reminds me of Noah’s experience with the ark. After 40 days and nights of intense rain and then many more of not seeing any living thing other than what was on the ark, Noah et. al was probably getting pretty antsy and stir crazy. Let’s face it…Noah spent a year on that ark! Imagine how badly he and his family wanted out of there. He kept sending out birds just to check the progress of the water’s recession. First they circled, then one brought an olive branch (imagine the excitement) and then the last one never returned. Then Noah waited a little longer. Finally, God gave the all-clear and Noah yelled, “Land-Ho!” and off the animals went. In God’s divine wisdom, he knew the earth was not dry enough for Noah and his family to safely live so he made them wait. Noah’s patience and trust in God is something for which we should all strive. But we’re ready to send out some birds.

Blessings,
Kerry

Working out the kinks

There have been many ups and downs for Karl over the past few days. Thankfully, they’ve been mostly ups lately. After a week of having a kink in his small intestine that caused him significant pain and slowed his digestive process to a near stand-still, it has finally worked out -- we think. While he is still on IV feedings, he is now drinking juice. This time they will take it much more slowly. He complains of being hungry and his stomach is making a lot of noise, which are both good signs.

The occupational and physical therapists have been putting Karl through the paces. Yesterday he sat in a chair for nearly an hour, which was a bit painful because of his incisions and the fact that he’s “restructured.” He is moving his legs and exercising his arms. Karl is feeling stronger. He still has an infection in one of his incisions, but antibiotics and frequent dressing changes have it in check.

His buddy Rodney Partridge also made a surprise visit this weekend which lifted Karl’s spirits tremendously. His visit coupled with the fact that the kink is gone made Karl feel much, MUCH better. He has two drains left in and when those are removed, Karl will probably be moved to a rehab floor and will begin chemotherapy again (He's dreading this, but it's a necessary evil to make sure any lingering cancer cells are decimated). We still do not know how long he will be in the hospital, but each day brings Karl a bit closer to coming home…we keep reminding him of that. The bouquet of balloons from Adrian Steel and all of the cards, photos and gifts (including the slobbered-on ball from Rasta Neidermier, Karl’s favorite German shorthair) also help to keep Karl smiling and remembering that people are thinking about him.

On the home front, Karl’s A-Team buddies showed up at his house again this weekend to help move the contents of his home to a storage unit. I can’t thank them all enough for their hard work. And after all was tolled, the Bad Hair Day? Spa-athon brought in about $4100. Incredible!

Thank you again for your continuous thoughts and prayers. Below is a prayer I found in one of the pamphlets the chaplain brought by one day. I think it sums up what Karl is feeling at times. He is so overwhelmed by your generosity.

Love and blessings,
Kerry

If I Could But Touch

O Lord
I thought
if I could but touch
the hem of your garment
I could be healed.
But where do I find you these days?
What hem should I try to touch?

Then one day
some of your friends
with hearts less complicated than mine
laid their hands upon me
and I felt new.

I give you praise, O Lord
for those hems of garments
that are still around
for touching – Amen

(Season of Your Heart)

In prison

Karl is feeling somewhat better today and this evening, but he’s still having some pain. They put the NG (Nasal-Gastric) tube back in which gave him some relief. Early this morning the doctor told him he thought it would be best to perform this procedure rather than wait for it to work itself out. So, late in the morning they gave him some ativan to relax him a bit and put the tube in place. Next they X-rayed him (no drop this time!!!) and found the tube to be about an inch-and-a-half short of its target. They adjusted it and began pumping some of the pooled fluid immediately. That made him feel better. But the kink and the pain are both still lingering. Doctors have assured us this will remedy itself in a few days. However, having Karl in pain and seeing that he’s not progressing like he was before is causing him (and us) some understandable anxiety.

Worry and anxiety have been troublesome, yet natural emotions for Karl and, I imagine, the rest of us throughout this ordeal. When the apostle Paul was in prison in Rome as a persecuted Christian, he wrote a letter to the Philippians and addressed those emotions. Paul wrote in Chapter 4, Verses 6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Here Paul sits – in a prison. Unable to move from the chains that bind him to the miserable conditions to which he is undoubtedly subjected. I imagine that’s much like Karl is feeling – only Karl may have it a bit worse. He is bound to his bed, unable to move other than his upper body to beckon the nurse when the alarms on his IVs sound or when he’s thirsty or in pain. It must be horrible for Karl. And the thought of another surgery lingers constantly in the back of his mind.

We can learn from Paul’s letter and pray for Karl to feel the same joy Paul expressed to the Philippians because of his relationship with God and Christ Jesus. The concept of rejoicing or joy appears 16 times in his missive and concludes with, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (4:4)

This is but a bump on Karl’s climb to the top of the hill. I’m absolutely confident in that. But Karl sure needs help and reassurance right now. Tonight and in the coming days I’ll be praying for his continued healing. I’ll also ask for Karl to receive God’s peace, knowing that He is good and will always protect Karl as well as you and I. And for that, we can all rejoice.

Blessings,

Kerry

Decision time

It has been a long weekend and not a very good start of the week for poor Karl. He hasn’t been able to eat and has been nauseated since Friday night. The only relief he gets is when he sleeps. Thankfully he sleeps a lot. Doctors have put him back on IV nutritional supplements and have given him back his dilaudid push button. Ann, the reiki practitioner said she could sense something wasn’t right in his stomach area and after working on him, felt she had helped.

About 6:30 p.m. eastern time the intestine/bowel doctor gave us the results of a CT scan Karl had earlier today – his small intestine is partially blocked and has a "kink" in it. The doctor said this is something that will most likely work itself out without any additional measures, but to avoid the possibility of surgery, they’d like to put a nasal/gastro (feeding) tube back in place. This will likely give Karl immediate relief because they can drain the pooled fluid. The doctor also said this would likely straighten out the kink quicker, too.

The not-so-good news is that Karl will need another X-ray like the one in which they dropped him (not a pleasant memory) in order to put the tube in place properly AND he’ll have to be awake for the procedure. So it’s decision time. Karl will need to decide either tonight or tomorrow morning as to whether we wants to wait it out or have the tube put in place.

In the meantime, the physical therapists put Karl in a harness-type apparatus that enables a crane-type machine to lift him into place over a Medi-chair. The chair is in a reclined position when Karl is first placed into it and then the back straightens up and the legs go down so he’s in a sitting position. It’s pretty slick and while it wears Karl out, he says it’s not too painful. However, since he’s not been feeling well, they’ve suspended this activity since Friday.

Prayer warriors: I ask that you pray for Karl’s continued healing, the relief of his pain and nausea, that his intestine “straightens up” and that God be with the doctors who treat him. You are all so integral to his improved condition. Again, thank you for loving Karl so much and for all your prayers.

Blessings,

Kerry

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

1 John 4:7-8, 11-12

Wow!

Wow! The last two days Karl has improved a great deal and received more good news. We have God – and you through your prayers – to thank for that.

Yesterday during rounds, the ortho doctors stopped in and said Karl’s white blood count is continuing to go down, which means the antibiotics -- pepercillin and vancomycin – are doing their thing. They checked the skin graft on his back and said they were very happy with his progress. Dr. Hannah, his plastic surgeon, also seems very happy with Karl’s progress. Today he gave Karl fantastic news…Karl won’t have to wait 6-9 months to get on his feet! Wow! We’re assuming that’s because they didn’t use his fibula to reconstruct the sacrum, but we’re not sure. Regardless, it will be awhile before he’s on his feet…but at least it won’t be 6-9 months.

Karl’s appetite, while it isn’t voracious, is also continuing to improve. Today he was taken off the IV nutritional supplements. That means the only intravenous infusions he’s receiving are his antibiotics. Super progress!

The physical therapists finally arrived yesterday and they gave Karl an exhausting workout both yesterday and today. Their goal at this point is to get Karl to sit on the edge of his bed. It’s very painful for Karl for several reasons…first, his bed is very soft which makes it difficult to stay steady. Second, one of his abdominal muscles was used as the skin graft on his backside and he has staples, both front and back. Third, he has, as he calls it, the Eiffel Tower, holding his spine together. Fourth, he hasn’t sat up in almost three weeks. Today it was easier for him, but still painful. It will take some time. The therapists also fitted Karl with boots that will help him to eventually walk. To get him accustomed to them, the boots are put on his legs/feet for two hours and then taken off one hour.

Today the therapists started talking about rehabilitation facilities and whether Karl had a preference as to where he’d like to go. We inquired about Ann Arbor facilities and will be talking with our U-M physicians to see if they have a recommendation. But the fact that we had this conversation leads us to believe we need to start thinking about discharge. Wow! Karl will hopefully talk to his orthopedic surgeons at rounds tomorrow as to a possible discharge date and whether they will discharge him to a transitional care facility or a facility that specializes in physical and occupational therapy.

After yesterday’s physical therapy session, Karl was absolutely spent. The new reiki practitioner, Ann, had perfect timing. At 2 p.m. she came in -- after physical therapy. While her technique is different than Deb’s, the results were the same. He was relaxed and feeling good. Which reminds me…the other day I asked him if he was having pain. After a quick evaluation, he said he wasn’t having any pain. Wow!

We are blessed and we pray the same for you,

Kerry

P.S. My other brother’s birthday is today. He is 51. Kirk works with computers and knows some tricks that allow him to “fix” votes on the hat poll. There is NO WAY that many people voted for the John Deere hat, but we’ve been having quite a laugh over it. He told me people weren’t voting for the hat, but for the “fox” (a term he has used for years to describe himself in order to irritate me) in the picture with Karl. Yeah, right Kirk.

P.P.S. My next blog update will be Monday...I'm taking the weekend off!

Taking it easy

Karl is having another good, albeit busy, day. After having a good night's sleep, his plastic surgeon dropped in bright and early and told him he was going to avoid surgery another day, that all was healing well. The infection control doctor stopped by later and said Karl had "turned the corner." Fantastic news! And believe me, Karl was dreading the thought of more surgery. Apparently his white cell count is down and the infection is being held at bay.

Two RNs came in to change Karl's dressings and bathe him and change sheets. They call it a "buff and fluff." Rolling him has become much easier and less painful because Karl can tell everyone exactly how he wants it done. This process generally takes between 45 minutes and an hour.

A nurse educator came and spoke to us about a his care and answered questions. Next, Karl's orthopedic surgery team dropped in...they are happy with his progress and told him he could now sit up straight in bed. They also ordered special braces that will help Karl's legs and feet stay strong. Mom and I have been taking turns rotating his hips and moving his legs so they don't atrophy too much.

Two social workers came in later and asked about whether he would be staying here for rehabilitation or going home. The answer to that is: we don't know! We have learned to go with the flow when it comes to specifics, although I find that if we press for certain answers or appointments (okay, it's more like a nag), we usually get a response.

A new reiki practitioner, Ann, stopped by to make an appointment with Karl for tomorrow. Then Brian, a chaplain, stopped in for a nice chat and a prayer. We learned he is an ELCA Lutheran intern from a synod in Iowa, although he's originally from Minneapolis. He has one more year before being ordained. He said there are 40 chaplains that service St. Mary's Hospital.

Karl has been eating bites of cottage cheese and pears today. We are hoping to increase his solid food intake so he can get rid of the IV nutritional supplements.

But other than that, Karl's been laying around and taking it easy. Slacker.

We are grateful to you for your prayers and concern. Please don't stop now!

Love to all,

Kerry

A message from Karl

Karl had a great day. His feeding tube is gone. The doctors are still worried about possible infections and so they have isolated his room...we have to wear gowns and gloves when we're around Karl. The thought of debridement and irrigation again makes Karl shudder, but they think the antibiotics he's on are doing the trick because he is feeling pretty good. His plumbing issues have cleared up and he ate well today, although he is still being supplemented intraveneously. That should end in a day or two and then he'll be on his own. The plastic surgeon is happy with the way Karl's wounds are healing. We are hoping to have more of the same progress tomorrow along with a little physical or occupational therapy.

Karl has recorded a message for you. I hope you can view it!

We are blessed thanks to you and the good Lord above!

Kerry

Message from Karl

Feeling the love

We are finally settled into Karl’s new room on the ortho floor. Karl had a CT scan earlier to see how his spine is healing and to figure out why his plumbing is still hesitant to work. Just before he was transferred onto the cart to go to radiology, Lisa Carr at Bad Hair Day? called with the incredible news that the donated services of the Bad Hair Day? staff during the Spa-athon, along with the silent auction, bake sale, and 50/50 generated $3792! He was so touched…he teared up.

Karl just can’t understand why people would go to this much trouble for him. He feels unworthy. To be honest, we are all feeling overwhelmed by your generosity and support. How can we ever thank you? We wish we could have been there.

Please know that we thank God every day for giving us friends and family and people we don’t even know who support us through prayer and good thoughts, and/or send us cards, notes, emails or call us. We thank Him for the medical staff (even the X-ray guy) who care for Karl each day. We thank Him for blessing us with the generous people in our Lenawee community and beyond who have donated goods, services and money. Last, but certainly not least, we thank Him for his grace, mercy and ultimate gift – his son, our savior, Jesus.
We hope through all of this you have seen a glimpse of His wonders and have a renewed sense of how gracious and wonderful people are. We are so touched and we’re “feeling the love!” You guys are wonderful!



The signs on the door at Bad Hair Day?




The Bad Hair Day? staff, ready to roll!




Linda, Brittany & David Martin and Wendy Burr



The bake sale table. Wow!




Lisa Carr & Meggan Kolby color Kris Verrier's hair



Stephanie Harmon had her toenails painted to match husband, Lauren's, bike



Lisa Carr styling Tina Rebottaro's hair





Deb Otter and Leigh Elliott buy 50/50 tickets



PK got a special mohawk for Kar-oh-oh-oh-oh


Thanks to Margaret (Cook) Miller and Wendy Burr for the photos

Call to arms

Today has been interesting to say the least. We thought it was going to be a super, upbeat day in terms of Karl’s progress. Karl said he felt good and had a great night. There was talk that they'd take out his feeding tube, that he'd move to a regular ortho room out of ICU, that he'd start getting physical therapy, etc. We happily learned the infection is in check and he wouldn’t need extra surgery for debridement and irrigation. We gave him Jello and he took all his meds by mouth. The morning was going very well.

It was shortly after he had his morning meds and Jello that he started having chills and felt nauseated. After the whole team of ICU physicians thought about it, they decided that some of his plumbing wasn’t working due to the amount of narcotics he's taking. To address the situation, they came up with several alternative plans should one or the other not work. Plan A was to decrease the intake of narcotics until the plumbing started working. What they didn’t count on was that all of the plans would be messed up a bit by a simple set of X-rays.

In comes the X-ray guy who tells Karl's nurse, Jodi, he needs two films which requires them to put two hard plates under Karl’s back. Since he didn't tell us he was coming, Jodi didn't have a chance to give Karl a bolus of extra drugs for the extreme pain he's in when they roll him to one side or the other because of the long incision on his back. To top it off, as they are rolling Karl, the sheet the X-ray guy is holding tears and he accidentally drops Karl onto the hard X-ray cartridge. Needless to say, Karl was hurting. In fact, I’ve never seen him in so much pain. So, we went back to square one and gave him more narcotics. In other words, Plan A was delayed.

Just to throw a little extra excitement, Karl's blood is getting a bit thinner than desired so they decided to give him Vitamin K and keep him in ICU for the rest of the night just to monitor him. As Karl said, "But other than that, I'm doing just fine."

Actually, it's been several hours since that happened and he's resting more comfortably so we're back on track for Plan A. I'm sure he'll be okay, especially after his prayer warriors go on the attack. God must be sick of hearing Karl’s name! But once again I’m calling on you to do your thing. It works every time.

Love and blessings to all,

Kerry

Back on track

Thought you'd all be happy to hear that Karl is doing much better today. He's still in ICU because they may have to irrigate and debride his incision again tomorrow (which is not atypical) and they want to closely monitor it as well as his pain. He’s been smiling and cracking jokes with Jodi, his nurse as well as Mom and me. However his back, and specifically his incision (probably the packing), is giving him a lot of pain.

Deb, the reiki practitioner, recently made a visit. She worked on him for quite awhile and it calmed Karl significantly, lowered his blood pressure and heart rate and relieved some of his pain.

Despite the setback last night, he’s still making progress. Karl began taking medications by mouth today and they’ve graduated him to “real” food… no more protein drinks through the feeding tube…for right now anyway. They are also giving him some blood because his hemoglobin was down a bit. That will make him feel better as well.

Karl may stay in ICU for the weekend, which is a comfort to us because he will be monitored very closely. Of course that allows us to sleep better. After last night, Mom and I could both use a little more of that.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Blessings,

Kerry

Back to surgery

Karl was just wheeled down to surgery. After feeling pretty punk all day and running a fever, one of his surgeons came in to check the incision on his back and didn't like what he saw. So they are going to open his incision, check out any hardware to make sure it's not the cause of the infection, flush it out and stitch him back up. And we were making such good progress.

Needless to say, Karl was not exactly thrilled (nor were any of us) about the prospects, but we'd rather have them catch any infection early on. They will do general anesthetic (no ventilator) and bring him back to the same room, barring any serious developments. Right now, I'm going to pray there's no serious developments and that all goes well. If you're checking the blog right now (it's 10 p.m. in Michigan), I hope you'll do the same. I'll add to this post whenever I get any information.

Kerry

Part two:

Karl is back in ICU on the 7th floor so they can monitor him more closely. They expect to move him back to the 8th floor later today. I understand it is common to have infections such as this (they warned us prior to surgery), especially for such complicated cases. They may go in every other day for a few days to make sure the bacteria is completely flushed. It's 4:35 in Michigan now. Goodnight.

The Big Move

Today Karl moved from the Intensive Care Unit to the regular orthopedic floor where, I'm assuming, he'll receive specialized care and training when the time comes. That's less than a week after his initial surgery. We are so thankful...we were told he would be in intensive care for a month!

I'm not sure if any of you have picked up on the fact that Karl is a tad bit impatient, but I think he thought that because the ventilator came out yesterday, today he should be walking. Oh boy does he have a hill to climb! He's very frustrated because he just can't seem to get comfortable. And we're frustrated because we can't help him get comfortable.

Today he's been poked and prodded and moved and rolled and poked more. One can certainly understand why he's impatient and frustrated. Add that to the fact that he's running a fever and is still on a bunch of narcotics that would probably render the average person nearly comatose. We're still waiting to see if/when they will start up antibiotics. I'm sure once those kick in he'll feel better.

Today I've been saying prayers of thanksgiving for Karl's progress to date. I also asked for continued healing and for his fever to cease. But mostly I've been praying for all of us to have more patience, as our friend Faith V. said, and I WANT IT NOW!

Love and peace (and patience),

Kerry

The ventilator is gone!!

Mom and I walked in at 9:30 this morning and a team of respiratory therapists and nurses were getting ready to pull the breathing tube. We had been told yesterday that they would do it tonight. And last night they didn't want us to stay with him because they wanted him to rest up for the event. Because Karl did so well in terms of getting rid of fluid and probably because he complained incessantly (which, I guess, is normal) about his breathing tube, they pulled it this morning.

I'll write more later, but this was such good news I knew you'd all want to know. Praise God! Your prayers worked...again!! Thank you and keep up the good work!

Peace and love to all,

Kerry

Addendum:

Karl had a super day. It's hard to believe that less than a week ago he endured both a 19- and 18-hour surgery. He is winking and smiling and giving thumb's up and cracking jokes -- and being sweet and whispering "thank yous" to everyone for their trouble. Karl is being Karl.

In the afternoon, they weaned him off the fentanyl which is a remarkable feat. They replaced the fentanyl with delauded which is also a very strong pain reliever. However, he is receiving a smaller constant dose. They also gave him a button, which can be pushed every eight minutes for a "booster." Of course, Karl pushes it every 30 seconds, just to see if he can get away with an extra one.

He is having a rough time talking because his throat is sore from the breathing tube, but his voice should return by tomorrow or Thursday, which is also when they expect to move him out of ICU to a regular orthopedic room. The ability to swallow pills is also a goal Karl is working very diligently to achieve. He can then begin to take medication by mouth and some of the IVs can come out.

An intern working in Dr. Sim's office stopped by to see Karl. She was absolutely amazed at his condition. She called him a superstar. Of course I have no doubt that your prayers have enabled Karl to fare so well. Isn't it amazing what our loving God can do when we have faith in Him?

Karl's hill is still at a steep incline. He is having phantom pain in both legs and at times can't feel his feet. But considering the fact that he had a total sacrectomy, we're pretty happy to think he can wiggle his toes when asked.

Thank you so much for loving Karl. He is sooo worth it.

His loving sister who hopes some day she can borrow his Mini Cooper,

Kerry

Spa-athon at Bad Hair Day?

Bad Hair Day?

in downtown Tecumseh

is holding a

Spa-athon

on Sunday, July 27th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Lisa Carr and staff are graciously & generously offering:

hair services (color, cuts, styling, men's cuts, children...etc.), as well as manicures, pedicures, acrylic nails, nail art, massage, and tanning

There will also be a bake sale and a 50/50 raffle

Remember, no appointments...first come, first served

All proceeds will go directly to Karl

Monday, July 21

Karl's had a lot of different, new and good things happen today -- the first of which was when a nurse specialist came in and used reiki on him. Reiki is an energetic healing technique involving the use of hands. If Karl hadn't been so sore in so many places, she would have laid her hands on him, but in this case, her hands were waved above and around him. The aim of reiki is to balance and amplify physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual energy. It was pretty amazing because his blood pressure and heart rate dropped to very nice levels. Jon, his nurse today, said that most times when the patient is receptive it works. Apparently, Karl was receptive.

Just as she finished, they changed Karl's sedative to one that allows him to be a bit more awake (Precedex). While it threw him for a loop at first, it has really helped him. Both his heart rate and blood pressure have dropped to very nice, pre-surgical levels. They are still doing some precautionary renal stuff, like x-rays, etc. because they think maybe the stents aren't quite where they should be, but he's been given lasix and it has been very effective. In fact so much so that they are going to give it to him intraveneously. This is all in preparation for the probability of taking out his vent tomorrow.

He's also been given his first tube feeding, which caused some pain at first because these parts hadn't been used in awhile (almost a week). But right now he's resting comfortably after having several bouts of anxiety over his breathing tube, for which he faults his big sister. In other words, he's gotten downright ornery and has been making lots of motions and waves and looks of total frustration, anger, and, well, you get the picture. I take this as a good sign.

A Catholic priest also stopped in to meet us. While Pastor Webb has said some pretty nice prayers for Karl, I have to admit, the one the good father offered was worthy of the possibility of the consideration of conversion (but don't count on it Marcy). Karl mouthed the Lord's Prayer and we both had tears running down our faces because we know the Lord is with us. I know He's with you, too.

Blessings,

Kerry

Sunday, July 20

11:00 a.m.
We are having quite an active morning with Karl. We arrived around 8:30 to find him as alert as he can be considering the fentanyl and propofol they are giving him. Karl is probably a bit more swollen than yesterday. Last night his breathing tube came out after he coughed. His nurse was at lunch. They had to intubate him again, which requires a team of people and I guess it hurts your throat a lot. Karl, I’m told, was pretty frightened. From the stress, his blood pressure dropped so they gave him more fluid, which of course, made him more swollen. It looks like they’ll give him some lasix later to get rid of some of the fluid. All and all, he’s responding well and trying to communicate as best he can by making hand motions, pointing, nodding and shaking his head.

We asked if he knew why he was here and he said no. So we filled him in. Shortly after that, Dr. Hannah, one of his plastic surgeons and Dr. Yaszemski both popped in to see how Karl was doing. Dr. Y told Karl he had negative margins and the tumor was gone. Karl responded with a thumb’s up. He has been able to move his hands, fingers, legs, feet and toes.

I asked Karl if he’d like to listen to music and he nodded. So I hooked up my iPod, put the buds in his ears, and amazingly enough, his head started bobbing up and down ever-so-slightly to the beat of Jackson Browne’s “Doctor My Eyes.”

Amy, his nurse for the day, has been good about monitoring his pain. She asked one of the doctors on the floor about perhaps giving Karl dilauded instead of fentanyl. I’ve been advocating a change since the first day because when he had his biopsy at U-M, the fentanyl had no effect. Of course the doses he’s receiving here are 200 times that, but at least the question has been posed. He’s sleeping well right now, but I think that’s mainly because of the propofol.

The next goal for Karl is to remove the breathing tube/ventilator. His swelling will have to be reduced dramatically for that to occur. And we’d also like his kidneys to pick up on their function. It’s not that they aren’t functioning…it’s just that many of his organs have been a bit shocked by all that he’s been through so we’d like them to come back to normal.

We will probably hang with Karl for the rest of the morning, but will take an afternoon break and come back for some evening time with him. I’ll fill you in more at that time.

11:00 p.m.
Mom and I came home about noon, had lunch, took a nap and then headed back to the hospital. Karl seemed to be a bit more agitated, but some of the swelling had gone done. Amy felt as if he was doing a bit better. His vital signs were good and they had taken the ventilator down to the C-Pap mode, which means he's basically breathing on his own. She and the doctors were still a bit concerned about his creatinine levels so an ultrasound was ordered on his kidneys; it's a proactive approach and nothing to worry about. After an hour or so of walking around, we came back in the room and found Karl to be a bit agitated because he had moved around so much. I asked Karl if he'd like to pray and he nodded. After I prayed, I told him about all of the prayers he'd been receiving. I told him about all the people who loved him and named many of you (all that I could remember) who had left messages on the blog or had called or emailed. He was pretty teary simply because he doesn't think he's worthy of this much love. But we all know he is.

On Friday, my good friends Marcy and John Vanderpool celebrated their 50th birthdays (yes, they were born on the same day). Karl helped to pick out an especially fun card for Marcy. I told him that she called and wanted me to give him a kiss. I asked if he wanted it and he nodded, so I gave him a kiss on the top of his head. Then I said, oh, and Marcy said she was going to get you for the card you picked out. Do you remember it? It took him a second, but he gave me a big wink. Karl is definitely still in there!

Mom and I came home for dinner and when we went back to the hospital we found Karl to be agitated and anxious about his vent tube. Sarah, his nurse again this evening, explained that they had done labs to find out about his oxygen levels and they are all good, in fact, the best they had been, so while his breathing seemed more labored, his deeper breaths were actually getting more oxygen into his lungs. She thought perhaps the event from the evening before was causing him some anxiety and that he seemed much calmer when we were around. At that point, Mom and I decided we wouldn't leave him alone until his vent was out (which is scheduled for Tuesday!!!).

I whispered in his ear that everything was fine. We weren't going to leave him again. Everything was just as it was supposed to be and the tube in his throat, although uncomfortable, was helping him. He seemed to calm and drift back to sleep. At one point he opened his eyes, saw Mom, and gave her a wink. We're trying to make the atmosphere as close to home as possible. Therefore Ice Road Trucker is on the History Channel and the remote is next to his hand. Mom is spending the night. I'll go in the morning and relieve her. I think we'll all rest better (including poor Sarah who told us she cried when she went home). Even when Karl can't speak and is mostly out-of-it he has a charming effect on people!

As I write this, Joel Osteen is on the tube. I don't know if you've ever watched him, but his message is always uplifting and simple. He has this nice, twangy accent that somehow makes you feel like he's very sincere and truly God-loving. Tonight he said, "There's nothing that brings God more honor than you goin' around braggin' on his existence."

Well, I hate to brag, but God's right here in Rochester and he's brought us so many blessings thanks to y'all. I pray he's doing the same for you!

Hugs, Kerry

Saturday, July 19

2:30 p.m.:
We just returned from seeing Karl for the first time after his long surgery yesterday. His face is extremely swollen because he was on his stomach for so long. But his vitals are very good. We talked to him and his eyebrows raised. He knew we were there. He couldn't open his eyes because they were so puffy but a tear formed at the corner of his eye. The nurse commented that she thought he was crying because he was so glad to know we were there. She told us he wiggles his fingers and toes when she asks him to.

The ventilator is still doing his breathing and they will keep him sedated for awhile longer because his body has been through quite a bit of trauma. They continue to give him high doses of fentenyl for pain and propofol (which is the drug that I couldn't remember in the earlier post that paralyzes him a bit). As long as they give him propofol, they'll keep him on the vent. He's also getting insulin and an antibiotic, pantoprazol, along with various fluids such as lactated ringers and sodium chloride. Karl is on a special bed called a Clinitron that is air fluidized and also uses sand to put less pressure on his back.

The nurse (Janet) suggested we interact only intermittently with him at this point because it causes him to respond and stir a bit, and they want him to be as still as possible. While we'd like to be there for him all the time, we think it's best to allow him time to rest. We will call periodically to see how he is and we'll go back tonight, probably sometime around 7 just let him know we're there.

10:25 p.m.:
We just got back from visiting Karl. Tonight his nurse was Sarah and she was great. She tapered off some the the propofol so that he'd be more alert with us and so she could also check his reflexes. He was glad to have us there and we'd ask if he wanted us to tickle or rub his arms or get him a warm blanket. He nodded and he'd close his eyes. The longer we were there, the more he wanted to talk and the more he wanted to talk, the more mucousy his venilator became, which caused him some panic and he mouthed that he couldn't breathe. A team quickly came in an suctioned him and Sarah upped his propofol, which made him more comfortable and sleepier. I then told him we were going to leave and he opened his eyes and shook his head no. So we stayed, but I told him he needed to calm down and rest, that we'd be there and we'd keep tickling and rubbing. Finally, when he was deeply asleep, Mom and I left. But we were there almost 3 hours tonight.

Tomorrow we may spend a bit more time with Karl. Sarah thinks our presence helps him to be less frightened. She said there is really no telling when he'll be weaned from the various and sundry tubes, the ventilator, medications, etc. It all depends on how his body adjusts to this surgery. Right now his vitals are very good. They are waiting for functions to come back, one at a time. Tonight it looked like his urine output was just starting to increase, which means the swelling will decrease. We shall see, but I'll give you the low-down tomorrow.

I'll update the blog whenever I get any information. I know you are all looking for news about Karl and the blog is, to be honest, therapy for me. I sure wish we could skip past this part and get right to the rehab stuff. But, he just climbed Mt. Everest and now he needs his sherpas -- YOU-- to guide him back down. It will be slow and steady. But he needs you so please keep praying and responding. When he's able, he will look back at this blog and see all the comments and his spirit will soar. Each and everyone one of you hold a special place in his heart -- and in ours.

Wishing you God's peace, love and grace,

Kerry

Here we go again

Dear warriors,

We just returned from dropping off Randy at the train station in Winona after having a bite to eat at Perkins, which reminds me…the jelly packets there look very similar to the jelly packets Mom received in her care package from the breakfast bunch this morning. Actually, they look exactly like the Tecumseh Big Boy packets. Hmmmm. She is still giggling over the crazy things she’s pulling out. It’s just the medicine we need right now.

It was tough seeing Karl this morning. He knew we were all there and you could tell he was in a great deal of pain. We told him he was having surgery today and that he’d be done with the ventilator tube soon and he’d be able to talk. He asked for something to write with/on. After several attempts and some considerable frustration on Karl’s part, Mom finally discerned that he wrote, “I hurt.” Of course that made us feel horrible and we all had a good cry. But I asked if he’d like me to pray with him and he nodded yes. And before I prayed, I told him there were hundreds of people praying for him from all over, which made him tear up. Anyway, in the prayer I asked for pretty much everything I asked for in the last blog entry, but I also asked that Karl’s pain subside. Shortly after the prayer, Karl nodded off to sleep. God is good.

At 7:40 they took him to surgery. We kissed his teary face and told him he would be okay. The nurse communicator called at 9:30 and told us surgery began at 9:08. We are expecting to hear something again very soon. When they do, I'll update this blog.

11:56: The nurse communicator called and said she doesn't have much of an update other than Karl is doing fine. His vital signs are good. Surgeons are still working on exposing the area that will be resected.

1:26: Dr. Sim, an orthopedic surgeon, is working on Karl right now. Karl's vital signs are still strong and he's doing well.

3:20: Karl is fine, but they are still working on taking out the tumor. Best estimate is that they will be finished by 8 p.m. Looks like reconstruction will wait for another day. Lord, be with him.

4:45: I just heard from Dr. Yaszemski. He said the tumor is out and they have negative margins. Praise God! He said everything has gone exactly as planned. He also told us they were going ahead with the reconstructive surgery using donor bones. Again, the surgery is taking longer because of the Karl's previous radiation which makes things stickier and more brittle than desired. He ended with: "Karl is doing great." Glory be to God!

6:45: Karl's nurse along with the nurse communicator just called to let us know that he was doing well and that they were still performing the instrumentation portion of the surgery. They thought it would be 11 or 11:30 before he would be back to his room. The nurse communicator said she thought it would be wise for us to visit him in the morning rather than go tonight as they will keep him sedated.

10:00: I called the floor. Karl is still not there. I asked them to call me when he gets there and is settled. They agree. I decide to grab some shuteye.

12:15: Dr. Yaszemski called...said Karl is still doing well. He is done with his portion of the surgery. All rods and pins are in place and he is happy with what's been done structurally. The plastic surgeon, Dr. Yssar, is now finishing up. He should be done in an hour.

2:15: I called the floor again. Karl is still not there. They expect him within the hour, but say it will take them 30 to 45 minutes to settle him and they will call after.

3:01: Karl's nurse called. He's finally in the room. She said he is still sedated and will remain so. He is quite swollen, I assume, from fluids and medication they gave him throughout the surgery. He will remain on the vent until the swelling goes down. I hope to grab some real sleep now.

Time to take another hill

Just got back from visiting Karl then grabbing a bite to eat.

Karl was completely asleep during this visit, which made us much more at ease. They had just taken him down for a CT scan and apparently it wore him out. That enabled us to question the RN at length. First, Karl is doing fine. His vital signs are all strong. He is getting a combination of fentanyl for pain and another drug that starts with a P (I'm so technical) that sort of paralyzes him and looks something like skim milk. (The RN called it God's milk). Anyway, the ventilator is still in place, but he's initiating breaths on his own. Since he's going for another big surgery tomorrow, they're going to leave it in place. We found out he took 10 units of blood during last night's surgery, which is quite a bit. Yet without the vascular surgeon's work, his blood loss would have been much more severe.

Another interesting bit of information is that Karl's RN, Lance, was an Army artillery guy who was injured while serving during non-combat exercises. He is a graduate of Wayne State but got his BSN from Akron. He also informed us that Dr. Yaszemski was recently promoted to brigadier general (one star) http://www.af.mil/bios/bio.asp?bioID=10829. And you'd never know it. He is the most humble guy and has a way of putting us at ease. Again, I have to glorify God for blessing us with Dr. Y's skills, along with all the other miraculous things that have occurred over the past few months. At some point, I'm going to give you a recap of those blessings.

Tomorrow will be another long day for us. We will begin the day in Karl's room at 6 a.m. (central) to let him know we're there and stay with him before he goes off to surgery. Then Randy and I will drive to Winona where he'll catch a return train to Ann Arbor. We aren't sure about the time of the surgery, but I'll keep you posted like I did on Wednesday.

Again I'd like to call on you to pray that all goes well, that God guides the hands of the surgeons and other medical technicians, that the tumor be removed with ease and in entirety, that Karl is strong enough to take the reconstructive surgery, that his pelvic bones are strong and can handle donor bone, that everything goes as smoothly as possible and that Karl comes through this with the best possible outcome. And please pray this in Jesus' name. According to John 14:13-14 Jesus said, "And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."

So my wonderful prayer warriors, I'm calling you to active duty again. Support Brigadier General Yaszemski and his staff along with Private Karl. They will be fighting to take the next hill.

Love and peace,

Kerry

Mini Cooper

We just came back from visiting Karl. He is on a ventilator and resting. We know that he finally got back in his room about 4 a.m. He opened his eyes and knew we were there. He wanted to talk, but when he tried it made him uncomfortable. He reached for our hands, moved his legs and feet. His nurse, Lance (who happens to be from Marquette, MI), said he wiggles his fingers and toes when asked. We know they are keeping him very comfortable, yet conscious. There is a nurse in his room 24/7. We didn't feel we should stay because you could tell he wanted to talk and we had to keep trying to calm him. His vitals are good and if all stays the same, they will remove the tumor tomorrow and if he remains strong, they will also do the reconstructive surgery.

One of the things Karl has talked about the past few years is a Mini Cooper. He loves them. He rambles on about the facts and figures, the performance record, the fact that the S series is a bit faster, but gets less gas mileage, blah, blah, blah. He wants a red and white one. They are ranked 5th best in gas mileage. Am I getting my point across? The guy is freakishly crazy about Mini Coopers. In fact, he was obsessing over Mini Coopers prior to surgery. Everytime we saw a Mini Cooper here in Rochester, he'd point it out. We had to park next to one at Walmart one day so he could check it out. Well, today I whispered that he'd have a Mini Cooper in no time. His eyes opened, eyebrows arched, and he lifted his head. I guess major surgery, a ventilator, and drugs that completely numb one's body, cannot make Karl forget about a Mini Cooper.

Thank you one and all for the love you've shown. Keep on trucking (or should I say, Mini Coopering) and keep praying.

We love you right back,
Kerry