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!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
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
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
Monday, July 28, 2008
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
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
Sunday, July 27, 2008
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
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
Saturday, July 26, 2008
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
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
Friday, July 25, 2008
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
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
Thursday, July 24, 2008
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.
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.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
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
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
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
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
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
Monday, July 21, 2008
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
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, 2008
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
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, 2008
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
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
Friday, July 18, 2008
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.
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.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
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
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
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
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Surgery day log
Central time
7:40: Karl was taken from his room down to surgery. It was a rough night of preparation work and he was exhausted but ready to go and "get it over with." I told him tons of prayers were going with him today and that he'd be alright. He nodded. After we said our tearful goodbyes, they transferred him to the surgical bed. He was joking with the nurse anesthetist on the way out the door.
9:18: Surgery started.
11:04: The nurse communicator called and said all was going well and Karl's vital signs are good. Dr. Sawyer's team has finished and Dr. Yaszemski's team is now at work.
1:23: The nurse communicator said our vascular guy, Dr. Bower, the one who found Karl's blood clot and is also a cancer survivor, is now working on Karl and clearing a path to minimize bleeding. She said Karl is doing well with the anesthesia and his vitals are strong. I know your prayers are working!
3:10: The vascular surgeon, Dr. Bower, (who has "ice in the veins") is still working on Karl. We knew this part would take awhile. The nurse communicator reported that everything was "going well." Thank God!
4:52: The vascular surgeon is still working on Karl. We had been told that the radiation from Karl's cancer 11 years ago could make some of the tissue "sticky" and therefore take longer to prepare. The nurse communicator said the rumor in the OR is they probably would not take the tumor out today. We had been told there was a good possibility that this would be the case. We should know more at the 7 p.m. update.
7:10: Well, leave it to Karl to have a fly in the ointment. Apparently the tumor is involved a bit more with his bowel and bladder than anticipated, which means the surgeons are being extra careful to free them so the tumor can come out completely encapsulated. According to the nurse communicator, they anticipate having this part done by midnight. We're not sure, but we think they will take out the tumor on Friday. We assume they will keep Karl sleeping until surgery on Friday and we doubt they'll let us see him, just for infection control purposes. But that's purely speculation on our part. We are grateful to be here at Mayo because we know he's getting the best care possible. I'm sorry to be redundant, but keep praying please!
10:57: Just found out they expect surgery to last at least another three hours. Dr. Yaszemski is apparently almost finished with his part and has said he will come up to see us in 30 to 45 minutes.
11:45: Dr. Yaszemski just spoke with us and reassured us that Karl is just fine. We were alarmed about his bowel/bladder issue for nothing. Thank God! They did run in to some "stickiness" from his prior radiation which took Dr. Bower longer than expected. Right now the plastic surgeon is working on Karl and it will take another 3 hours for him to finish. They will keep Karl sleeping until Friday and finish the job of taking out the tumor then. They may also do the reconstructive surgery at that point, depending on how Karl's doing. Dr. Y said Karl is doing just fine and that we should go get some rest. So, that's what we're going to do. We will come back, sometime in the morning, check on Karl and then give you a report. Thanks so much for sharing this experience with us via the blog. It helps to know others are thinking of and praying for us.
Good night and God's peace,
Kerry
7:40: Karl was taken from his room down to surgery. It was a rough night of preparation work and he was exhausted but ready to go and "get it over with." I told him tons of prayers were going with him today and that he'd be alright. He nodded. After we said our tearful goodbyes, they transferred him to the surgical bed. He was joking with the nurse anesthetist on the way out the door.
9:18: Surgery started.
11:04: The nurse communicator called and said all was going well and Karl's vital signs are good. Dr. Sawyer's team has finished and Dr. Yaszemski's team is now at work.
1:23: The nurse communicator said our vascular guy, Dr. Bower, the one who found Karl's blood clot and is also a cancer survivor, is now working on Karl and clearing a path to minimize bleeding. She said Karl is doing well with the anesthesia and his vitals are strong. I know your prayers are working!
3:10: The vascular surgeon, Dr. Bower, (who has "ice in the veins") is still working on Karl. We knew this part would take awhile. The nurse communicator reported that everything was "going well." Thank God!
4:52: The vascular surgeon is still working on Karl. We had been told that the radiation from Karl's cancer 11 years ago could make some of the tissue "sticky" and therefore take longer to prepare. The nurse communicator said the rumor in the OR is they probably would not take the tumor out today. We had been told there was a good possibility that this would be the case. We should know more at the 7 p.m. update.
7:10: Well, leave it to Karl to have a fly in the ointment. Apparently the tumor is involved a bit more with his bowel and bladder than anticipated, which means the surgeons are being extra careful to free them so the tumor can come out completely encapsulated. According to the nurse communicator, they anticipate having this part done by midnight. We're not sure, but we think they will take out the tumor on Friday. We assume they will keep Karl sleeping until surgery on Friday and we doubt they'll let us see him, just for infection control purposes. But that's purely speculation on our part. We are grateful to be here at Mayo because we know he's getting the best care possible. I'm sorry to be redundant, but keep praying please!
10:57: Just found out they expect surgery to last at least another three hours. Dr. Yaszemski is apparently almost finished with his part and has said he will come up to see us in 30 to 45 minutes.
11:45: Dr. Yaszemski just spoke with us and reassured us that Karl is just fine. We were alarmed about his bowel/bladder issue for nothing. Thank God! They did run in to some "stickiness" from his prior radiation which took Dr. Bower longer than expected. Right now the plastic surgeon is working on Karl and it will take another 3 hours for him to finish. They will keep Karl sleeping until Friday and finish the job of taking out the tumor then. They may also do the reconstructive surgery at that point, depending on how Karl's doing. Dr. Y said Karl is doing just fine and that we should go get some rest. So, that's what we're going to do. We will come back, sometime in the morning, check on Karl and then give you a report. Thanks so much for sharing this experience with us via the blog. It helps to know others are thinking of and praying for us.
Good night and God's peace,
Kerry
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Pray, pray, pray
Earlier today I wrote that we weren't sure what was going to happen today because we had no itinerary after 2:30 p.m. All we knew is that Karl was supposed to have a heparin injection, consult with Dr. Yaszemski and Dr. Sawyer, a general surgeon.
The heparin injection was routine, but afterward we nervously busied ourselves, knowing that the meeting with Dr. Y would cause some tribulation. We waited in the consultation room for Dr. Y for an hour. After he arrived, he reiterated some of the details of the surgery along with some of the unpleasant things that could happen. Then he shipped us off to St. Mary's where we met with Dr. Sawyer who then had Karl admitted.
As I write this, Karl is undergoing a preliminary surgical procedure that will allow surgeons to find some "parts" easier tomorrow morning when the surgery actually begins. They said he would probably get back into the room around 8 p.m. Karl will get a quick bite to eat (poor guy hasn't eaten since last night), then they'll give him stuff to clean him out. Seems like an effort in futility if you ask me. Dr. Y said they would transfer him to the ICU unit on the 7th floor tonight so they could begin doing other prep work. However, nobody on the 8th floor seems to know what we're talking about when we bring it up.
Dr. Y said he'd like to be underway by 7:45 a.m. central time. He told us to be here by 6 a.m. if we wanted to make sure to see Karl before he goes to surgery. Mom has decided she will stay here tonight with Karl and I have to pick up Randy at the train station in Winona around 9:30. By the time we get back to Rochester it will be 10:30 p.m. so I'm not sure we will come back to the hospital.
Dr. Y told us about all the things that could go wrong. He has to. The other thing he told us is that Karl is a young guy who is in good shape. He said if all goes well, they could take out the tumor in one day and then go back in on Friday to rebuild the sacrum. I hope you will pray, pray, pray that all goes well...that God guides the hands of the surgeons, that everything is easy to clear, that the bleeding is minimal, that the tumor remains encapsulated, that Karl's vitals are stable throughout, and that he receives the best possible outcome.
In the meantime, one of the great things about the Mayo Clinic is that they have a nurse communicator who will talk to us every two hours during the surgery to let us know what is going on with Karl. I will try to update the blog whenever I hear any news.
The hill is about to get very steep, but as you know, Karl's a climber and it's no hill for him.
Kerry
The heparin injection was routine, but afterward we nervously busied ourselves, knowing that the meeting with Dr. Y would cause some tribulation. We waited in the consultation room for Dr. Y for an hour. After he arrived, he reiterated some of the details of the surgery along with some of the unpleasant things that could happen. Then he shipped us off to St. Mary's where we met with Dr. Sawyer who then had Karl admitted.
As I write this, Karl is undergoing a preliminary surgical procedure that will allow surgeons to find some "parts" easier tomorrow morning when the surgery actually begins. They said he would probably get back into the room around 8 p.m. Karl will get a quick bite to eat (poor guy hasn't eaten since last night), then they'll give him stuff to clean him out. Seems like an effort in futility if you ask me. Dr. Y said they would transfer him to the ICU unit on the 7th floor tonight so they could begin doing other prep work. However, nobody on the 8th floor seems to know what we're talking about when we bring it up.
Dr. Y said he'd like to be underway by 7:45 a.m. central time. He told us to be here by 6 a.m. if we wanted to make sure to see Karl before he goes to surgery. Mom has decided she will stay here tonight with Karl and I have to pick up Randy at the train station in Winona around 9:30. By the time we get back to Rochester it will be 10:30 p.m. so I'm not sure we will come back to the hospital.
Dr. Y told us about all the things that could go wrong. He has to. The other thing he told us is that Karl is a young guy who is in good shape. He said if all goes well, they could take out the tumor in one day and then go back in on Friday to rebuild the sacrum. I hope you will pray, pray, pray that all goes well...that God guides the hands of the surgeons, that everything is easy to clear, that the bleeding is minimal, that the tumor remains encapsulated, that Karl's vitals are stable throughout, and that he receives the best possible outcome.
In the meantime, one of the great things about the Mayo Clinic is that they have a nurse communicator who will talk to us every two hours during the surgery to let us know what is going on with Karl. I will try to update the blog whenever I hear any news.
The hill is about to get very steep, but as you know, Karl's a climber and it's no hill for him.
Kerry
T minus ?
In between the appointments and procedures, we have found time to explore Rochester. It's a nice little/big town. The entire city revolves around the many Mayo Clinic buildings. It seems the downtown area is made up mainly of Clinic buildings, hotels/motels, restaurants and parking structures. I'm including a few photos so you can see.
Methodist Hospital -- Karl receives his heparin injections and has diagnostic testing done here.
Gonda Building -- Absolutely beautiful. Marble floors and walls, ornate woodwork. All Mayo buildings have lots of artwork and music in the belief that it helps the healing process. Most of Karl's physician consultations are in this building.
Dale Chihuly chandeliers in the Gonda Building -- This sculpture (all 13pieces) weighs 6000 lbs, spans 45 feet, and comprises 1375 pieces of glass. http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.com/pdf%2F7611%2F7611amc.pdf
St. Mary's Hospital -- This photo doesn't do any justice to the size of this facility. This is where the surgery will be performed.
We are blessed enough to be in a very nice part of town, about 3 blocks northeast of the main Mayo buildings and across the parking lot from the Mayo Civic Center. Good housing, we have learned, is difficult to come by in Rochester. There are plenty of extended stay hotels, but they offer little more than a microwave and refrigerator in a slightly larger room. A few weeks ago I had searched for three days. I was becoming pretty frustrated. I waited a week, prayed for help and then, bingo, found the place in which we are now staying which has 2 bedrooms and 2 baths. We were informed yesterday that we received the last available apartment in this building. There is now a waiting list. Again, I have to bear witness. Praise the Lord!
This is the view of the Mayo Civic Center from our suite.
This is the view of downtown Rochester from our suite.
Of course the highlight of Rochester, according to Karl, lies just outside of town. It's the ear of corn water tower. We aren't sure why it's an ear of corn. The Mayo High School mascot is the Spartan. And I always thought Iowa reigned as the corn capital. Regardless, he thinks every town should have some kind of "theme" water tower. You know...Adrian should have a maple leaf-shaped water tower, Tecumseh should have a...okay, we couldn't think of anything. But here's a picture just in case you have a difficult time believing it. I know we did at first!
Monday was a busy and tiring day for Karl, but the procedure to put in his Inter-Vena Cava (IVC) filter went off without a hitch. At 8 a.m. he had an MRI at Rochester Methodist Hospital and at 10:15 a.m. he reported to St. Mary's for the IVC filter "installation." We got back to our suite around 4 p.m. local time and Karl napped until the grogginess of the ativan, versed and phentenol wore off. We then had a nice grilled steak dinner with fresh swiss chard that I brought from my garden along with new potatoes and peas. He really enjoyed it and ate well. After he receivied a few "best wishes" phone calls, we headed out to Walmart to see if we could cause some trouble there.
On July 15th we're not sure what will happen. The itinerary calls for a 10 a.m. heparin injection at Rochester Methodist, a 1 p.m. meeting with Dr. Yaszemski at the Gonda Building and a 2:30 meeting with Dr. Sawyer, a general surgeon, at St. Mary's. But there's nothing scheduled after that. We were told a month ago there would be a pre-surgical procedure and that he'd be admitted in the evening so they could begin surgery first thing July 16. Because we think he's going to have a procedure, Karl won't eat anything after midnight, which means he's going to be pretty hungry. But, it's better to be safe than sorry.
I'll keep you posted.
Peace,
Kerry
If you make the Most High your dwelling --
even the Lord, who is my refuge --
then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
Psalm 91:9-12
Methodist Hospital -- Karl receives his heparin injections and has diagnostic testing done here.
Gonda Building -- Absolutely beautiful. Marble floors and walls, ornate woodwork. All Mayo buildings have lots of artwork and music in the belief that it helps the healing process. Most of Karl's physician consultations are in this building.
Dale Chihuly chandeliers in the Gonda Building -- This sculpture (all 13pieces) weighs 6000 lbs, spans 45 feet, and comprises 1375 pieces of glass. http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.com/pdf%2F7611%2F7611amc.pdf
St. Mary's Hospital -- This photo doesn't do any justice to the size of this facility. This is where the surgery will be performed.
We are blessed enough to be in a very nice part of town, about 3 blocks northeast of the main Mayo buildings and across the parking lot from the Mayo Civic Center. Good housing, we have learned, is difficult to come by in Rochester. There are plenty of extended stay hotels, but they offer little more than a microwave and refrigerator in a slightly larger room. A few weeks ago I had searched for three days. I was becoming pretty frustrated. I waited a week, prayed for help and then, bingo, found the place in which we are now staying which has 2 bedrooms and 2 baths. We were informed yesterday that we received the last available apartment in this building. There is now a waiting list. Again, I have to bear witness. Praise the Lord!
This is the view of the Mayo Civic Center from our suite.
This is the view of downtown Rochester from our suite.
Of course the highlight of Rochester, according to Karl, lies just outside of town. It's the ear of corn water tower. We aren't sure why it's an ear of corn. The Mayo High School mascot is the Spartan. And I always thought Iowa reigned as the corn capital. Regardless, he thinks every town should have some kind of "theme" water tower. You know...Adrian should have a maple leaf-shaped water tower, Tecumseh should have a...okay, we couldn't think of anything. But here's a picture just in case you have a difficult time believing it. I know we did at first!
Monday was a busy and tiring day for Karl, but the procedure to put in his Inter-Vena Cava (IVC) filter went off without a hitch. At 8 a.m. he had an MRI at Rochester Methodist Hospital and at 10:15 a.m. he reported to St. Mary's for the IVC filter "installation." We got back to our suite around 4 p.m. local time and Karl napped until the grogginess of the ativan, versed and phentenol wore off. We then had a nice grilled steak dinner with fresh swiss chard that I brought from my garden along with new potatoes and peas. He really enjoyed it and ate well. After he receivied a few "best wishes" phone calls, we headed out to Walmart to see if we could cause some trouble there.
On July 15th we're not sure what will happen. The itinerary calls for a 10 a.m. heparin injection at Rochester Methodist, a 1 p.m. meeting with Dr. Yaszemski at the Gonda Building and a 2:30 meeting with Dr. Sawyer, a general surgeon, at St. Mary's. But there's nothing scheduled after that. We were told a month ago there would be a pre-surgical procedure and that he'd be admitted in the evening so they could begin surgery first thing July 16. Because we think he's going to have a procedure, Karl won't eat anything after midnight, which means he's going to be pretty hungry. But, it's better to be safe than sorry.
I'll keep you posted.
Peace,
Kerry
If you make the Most High your dwelling --
even the Lord, who is my refuge --
then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
Psalm 91:9-12
Friday, July 11, 2008
Into the storm
Yesterday our drive to Minnesota seemed pretty uneventful. Karl and Mom took turns napping until I hit a bump or a song was louder than the one it succeeded. That is, until we hit just west of Camp Douglas National Guard Base on I-90/94 in Wisconsin. (It must be noted here that we stopped at a gas station at the Camp Douglas exit where Mom bought “squeaky fresh” cheese curds. We wondered what “squeaky fresh” meant, until we had a few curds and it actually squeaked against our teeth. They are yummy and I highly recommend them!)
As we traveled on, the sky grew cloudier and darker. Finally as we took the I-90 fork to the south you could see the sky was turning a strange greenish color -- the color you see when the weather is severe and usually packs damaging winds, hail, torrents of rain and even tornadoes. I kept saying, “We’re heading right into it Karl. It’s going to get nasty.” He said, “Naah, we’re going to miss it. We’re going to turn away from it.” Then we rounded a corner and headed dead-on into the storm. About 300 yards ahead you could see that a wall of heavy rain was waiting for us. On we drove. First there will large drops of rain and then, boom, it broke loose. The wind blew the car off course a bit and the rain was so heavy that I slowed to 40 mph. Both hands were on the steering wheel. I leaned forward to get a better look at the road ahead. Cars and semis had pulled off onto the shoulder.
I asked Karl if we should pull over. He said, “Naah, let’s keep going.” On I went, not knowing if a tornado was ahead, if a semi had jack-knifed in the road ahead, or if I’d hydroplane out of control.
It dawned on me last night that Karl has approached this illness with the same attitude. So far he has plowed through, persevered, pressed on. Nothing, not even a maelstrom of complications that appeared today, will keep Karl from weathering this storm.
Today started at 8 a.m. with a pre-surgical meeting in which redundant questions were repeated over and over (please note my redundancy). They need to make sure they get it right, they explained. That meeting ended by having the nurse and respiratory therapist tell us that the surgical team assembled for Karl’s surgery is impressive, even by Mayo’s standards. That certainly gave us confidence.
Next we met with the vascular surgeon Dr. Thomas Bower, who by divine intervention in my opinion, had a surgery cancellation for next Wednesday and took on Karl’s case. Our meeting with Dr. Bower may have saved Karl’s life. But I’ll get to that later. After explaining his role in Karl’s surgery, he acknowledged that he knew what Karl was going through…that several years ago he was diagnosed with colon cancer that involved 14 of 17 lymph nodes. He said this team of surgeons tends to be very aggressive. Because of his experience with cancer they want to attack it and get rid of it. There is something very comforting about having a physician who has had a similar experience take care of your loved one. Plus, he had a great sense of humor. I asked if he had a pretty steady hand, if he had any palsy, ticks or tremors. With a big smile on his face he stretched out his hand and wryly said, “Ice in the veins.”
Now to the life-saving part. Dr. Bower noticed that Karl’s left leg was swollen and so, “just to be on the safe side,” ordered a Doppler.
After the Doppler study, we had a meeting with Dr. Franklin Sim, who along with Dr. Michael Yaszemski, is an orthopedic surgeon who will carefully remove the tumor and “just enough” tissue around it to have clear, cancer-free margins. He got on the phone with Dr. Yaszemski and mentioned something about a blood clot found on the Doppler behind Karl’s left knee. He nonchalantly asked about postponing the surgery, or drug therapy, or an IVC filter. Needless to say, our eyes bugged out and our spirits dropped. He then scheduled an appointment with the thrombophilia clinic to evaluate Karl’s case. I don’t know about Mom or Karl, but my stomach was churning.
Dr. Wysokinski, with whom we counseled about Karl’s thrombosis during a 5 p.m. appointment, explained this is common in cancer patients. The bottom line is that Karl will now need heparin injections to thin the blood. On Monday he will undergo a procedure (probably with Dr. McBride, who he described as a "master" in this area) to receive a temporary inferior vena cava filter which stops blood clots from traveling to the lungs or heart, thereby saving his life. (Dr. Wysokinski was also impressed with Karl’s team of surgeons and said they are the best team available and again put us at ease. He said Dr. Bower may have saved his life by ordering the Doppler and marveled at the fact that it was ordered.) Karl will need heparin injections until he finishes chemotherapy and then will need Coumadin until he is cancer free.
As we crossed the Mississippi River yesterday into Minnesota, the rain lightened. The clouds broke and some clung closely like thin wisps of fog over the hills and valleys near the Mississippi. As we came closer to Rochester, the skies began to brighten and were clear light blue. Then as we entered the city, the sun was bright and even glared off the buildings of the Mayo Clinic.
The symbolism is pretty clear to me. God will help Karl weather this storm. And there will be a storm. We heard rumbles of thunder today and yet the right people were at the right place at the right time to order the right tests. Try to tell me God isn't with us. Just like yesterday, Karl needs to drive through and pay no attention to the vehicles stopped on the side of the road because on the other side of the storm are bright blue skies and sunny weather.
Peace and love,
Kerry
As we traveled on, the sky grew cloudier and darker. Finally as we took the I-90 fork to the south you could see the sky was turning a strange greenish color -- the color you see when the weather is severe and usually packs damaging winds, hail, torrents of rain and even tornadoes. I kept saying, “We’re heading right into it Karl. It’s going to get nasty.” He said, “Naah, we’re going to miss it. We’re going to turn away from it.” Then we rounded a corner and headed dead-on into the storm. About 300 yards ahead you could see that a wall of heavy rain was waiting for us. On we drove. First there will large drops of rain and then, boom, it broke loose. The wind blew the car off course a bit and the rain was so heavy that I slowed to 40 mph. Both hands were on the steering wheel. I leaned forward to get a better look at the road ahead. Cars and semis had pulled off onto the shoulder.
I asked Karl if we should pull over. He said, “Naah, let’s keep going.” On I went, not knowing if a tornado was ahead, if a semi had jack-knifed in the road ahead, or if I’d hydroplane out of control.
It dawned on me last night that Karl has approached this illness with the same attitude. So far he has plowed through, persevered, pressed on. Nothing, not even a maelstrom of complications that appeared today, will keep Karl from weathering this storm.
Today started at 8 a.m. with a pre-surgical meeting in which redundant questions were repeated over and over (please note my redundancy). They need to make sure they get it right, they explained. That meeting ended by having the nurse and respiratory therapist tell us that the surgical team assembled for Karl’s surgery is impressive, even by Mayo’s standards. That certainly gave us confidence.
Next we met with the vascular surgeon Dr. Thomas Bower, who by divine intervention in my opinion, had a surgery cancellation for next Wednesday and took on Karl’s case. Our meeting with Dr. Bower may have saved Karl’s life. But I’ll get to that later. After explaining his role in Karl’s surgery, he acknowledged that he knew what Karl was going through…that several years ago he was diagnosed with colon cancer that involved 14 of 17 lymph nodes. He said this team of surgeons tends to be very aggressive. Because of his experience with cancer they want to attack it and get rid of it. There is something very comforting about having a physician who has had a similar experience take care of your loved one. Plus, he had a great sense of humor. I asked if he had a pretty steady hand, if he had any palsy, ticks or tremors. With a big smile on his face he stretched out his hand and wryly said, “Ice in the veins.”
Now to the life-saving part. Dr. Bower noticed that Karl’s left leg was swollen and so, “just to be on the safe side,” ordered a Doppler.
After the Doppler study, we had a meeting with Dr. Franklin Sim, who along with Dr. Michael Yaszemski, is an orthopedic surgeon who will carefully remove the tumor and “just enough” tissue around it to have clear, cancer-free margins. He got on the phone with Dr. Yaszemski and mentioned something about a blood clot found on the Doppler behind Karl’s left knee. He nonchalantly asked about postponing the surgery, or drug therapy, or an IVC filter. Needless to say, our eyes bugged out and our spirits dropped. He then scheduled an appointment with the thrombophilia clinic to evaluate Karl’s case. I don’t know about Mom or Karl, but my stomach was churning.
Dr. Wysokinski, with whom we counseled about Karl’s thrombosis during a 5 p.m. appointment, explained this is common in cancer patients. The bottom line is that Karl will now need heparin injections to thin the blood. On Monday he will undergo a procedure (probably with Dr. McBride, who he described as a "master" in this area) to receive a temporary inferior vena cava filter which stops blood clots from traveling to the lungs or heart, thereby saving his life. (Dr. Wysokinski was also impressed with Karl’s team of surgeons and said they are the best team available and again put us at ease. He said Dr. Bower may have saved his life by ordering the Doppler and marveled at the fact that it was ordered.) Karl will need heparin injections until he finishes chemotherapy and then will need Coumadin until he is cancer free.
As we crossed the Mississippi River yesterday into Minnesota, the rain lightened. The clouds broke and some clung closely like thin wisps of fog over the hills and valleys near the Mississippi. As we came closer to Rochester, the skies began to brighten and were clear light blue. Then as we entered the city, the sun was bright and even glared off the buildings of the Mayo Clinic.
The symbolism is pretty clear to me. God will help Karl weather this storm. And there will be a storm. We heard rumbles of thunder today and yet the right people were at the right place at the right time to order the right tests. Try to tell me God isn't with us. Just like yesterday, Karl needs to drive through and pay no attention to the vehicles stopped on the side of the road because on the other side of the storm are bright blue skies and sunny weather.
Peace and love,
Kerry
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Surgery is scheduled
We have a surgery date. It will be Wednesday, July 16. This date brings along with it mixed feelings for Karl and the rest of the family. On one hand, he is nervous, apprehensive and downright frightened about what's to come. He'd be crazy if he wasn't.
On the other hand, July 16 will be the beginning of the end of his climb to the summit of the hill. He is really eager to have this tumor removed and have his spine reconstructed in order to begin the process of recovery and rehabilitation.
On Thursday we went for one final check-up with Dr. Scheutze before surgery. We were very happy to learn the tumor had shrunk about one centimeter! Chemo Sabe is sure doing its job. Of course it's also made him a bit anemic and he had to get a unit of blood, but that's become a fairly normal side effect.
I think it's time I reveal to you that when we initally met with Dr. Scheutze, he told us there was a 33 percent chance the chemotherapy would increase the size of the tumor, a 33 percent chance it would stay the same size and a 33 percent chance that it would shrink. Needless to say, that made us all pretty nervous. However, I have absolutely no doubt that your prayers and God's grace put is in the "shrinkage" category. Thank you and mostly, thank God!
Today, Karl flew to Washington, D.C. to the National Institute of Health (NIH) to undergo another battery of tests. This time it's for study purposes. Since the type of cancer he has affects only one percent of adults with cancer, the NIH wants to learn more about it. He will have a PET scan among many other tests. I'm sure it's to see if the particular chemotherapy protocol he has undergone is the best way to kill the cancer cells. Karl is eager to help others with sarcomas and especially peripheral nerve sheath tumors. He was told Thursday that it will probably be 20 years before they see another patient with a tumor in the same location as Karl's.
He will be home tomorrow, long enough to pack and ready himself for the 10-hour drive on Thursday to Rochester, Minnesota and the Mayo Clinic. He has appointments with the various surgical teams scheduled for Friday, Monday and Tuesday. On Tuesday evening, he checks in for pre-surgical procedures and then very early on Wednesday the surgery begins.
Since I know some of you will be anxious to hear news, any news, I will try to give you updates via this blog as soon as I get any information. Wednesday will surely be a grueling, long, anxious, hand-wringing, nail-biting (if I could think of more adjectives I'd put them here) day. But to keep me busy that day, I took the remainder of Karl's hat photos last night. I sure hope I get the captions right. Karl has already caught a few mistakes on the ones I've already posted. Bear with me...I'll correct them, hopefully. If not, please let me know, okay?
In the meantime, I have heard some of you have tried to post on this blog to no avail. If that's the case, feel free to email messages and words of encouragement to Karl. I don't know that I'll be able to respond to each email personally, but I will certainly relay your message. The email address is hamiltonsmith.family@gmail.com.
Mom and I will be staying in an apartment about 13 blocks from St. Mary's Hospital where Karl's surgery and recovery will take place. That address is:
211 First St. NE
#413
Rochester, MN 55906-3712
Finally, some of you have asked how Karl is doing. I think Karl is coping with all of this by looking beyond this year. He's thinking that in 2009 and 2010 he'll look back and say, "Boy, 2008 wasn't a very good year for old Karl. I'm glad I got through that." Your support, friendship, words of encouragement, yard care, meals, cards, hats, lawn mowing, donations and prayers have lifted him up and helped him so much...you'll never know. We are so thankful and we all feel your love.
God's Blessings,
Kerry
In sickness, sorrow, want, or care,
Each other's burdens help us share;
May we, where help is needed, there
Give help as though to You.
And may Your Holy Spirit move
All those who live to live in love.
On the other hand, July 16 will be the beginning of the end of his climb to the summit of the hill. He is really eager to have this tumor removed and have his spine reconstructed in order to begin the process of recovery and rehabilitation.
On Thursday we went for one final check-up with Dr. Scheutze before surgery. We were very happy to learn the tumor had shrunk about one centimeter! Chemo Sabe is sure doing its job. Of course it's also made him a bit anemic and he had to get a unit of blood, but that's become a fairly normal side effect.
I think it's time I reveal to you that when we initally met with Dr. Scheutze, he told us there was a 33 percent chance the chemotherapy would increase the size of the tumor, a 33 percent chance it would stay the same size and a 33 percent chance that it would shrink. Needless to say, that made us all pretty nervous. However, I have absolutely no doubt that your prayers and God's grace put is in the "shrinkage" category. Thank you and mostly, thank God!
Today, Karl flew to Washington, D.C. to the National Institute of Health (NIH) to undergo another battery of tests. This time it's for study purposes. Since the type of cancer he has affects only one percent of adults with cancer, the NIH wants to learn more about it. He will have a PET scan among many other tests. I'm sure it's to see if the particular chemotherapy protocol he has undergone is the best way to kill the cancer cells. Karl is eager to help others with sarcomas and especially peripheral nerve sheath tumors. He was told Thursday that it will probably be 20 years before they see another patient with a tumor in the same location as Karl's.
He will be home tomorrow, long enough to pack and ready himself for the 10-hour drive on Thursday to Rochester, Minnesota and the Mayo Clinic. He has appointments with the various surgical teams scheduled for Friday, Monday and Tuesday. On Tuesday evening, he checks in for pre-surgical procedures and then very early on Wednesday the surgery begins.
Since I know some of you will be anxious to hear news, any news, I will try to give you updates via this blog as soon as I get any information. Wednesday will surely be a grueling, long, anxious, hand-wringing, nail-biting (if I could think of more adjectives I'd put them here) day. But to keep me busy that day, I took the remainder of Karl's hat photos last night. I sure hope I get the captions right. Karl has already caught a few mistakes on the ones I've already posted. Bear with me...I'll correct them, hopefully. If not, please let me know, okay?
In the meantime, I have heard some of you have tried to post on this blog to no avail. If that's the case, feel free to email messages and words of encouragement to Karl. I don't know that I'll be able to respond to each email personally, but I will certainly relay your message. The email address is hamiltonsmith.family@gmail.com.
Mom and I will be staying in an apartment about 13 blocks from St. Mary's Hospital where Karl's surgery and recovery will take place. That address is:
211 First St. NE
#413
Rochester, MN 55906-3712
Finally, some of you have asked how Karl is doing. I think Karl is coping with all of this by looking beyond this year. He's thinking that in 2009 and 2010 he'll look back and say, "Boy, 2008 wasn't a very good year for old Karl. I'm glad I got through that." Your support, friendship, words of encouragement, yard care, meals, cards, hats, lawn mowing, donations and prayers have lifted him up and helped him so much...you'll never know. We are so thankful and we all feel your love.
God's Blessings,
Kerry
In sickness, sorrow, want, or care,
Each other's burdens help us share;
May we, where help is needed, there
Give help as though to You.
And may Your Holy Spirit move
All those who live to live in love.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
What's goin' on
We were all a bit worried that Karl may have been on his feet a bit too much at the Rock N Bowl, but he was so pumped up from that night that he did surprisingly well...until about Tuesday when his hemoglobin dropped to 7.2 (normal is 13-15). That's a normal side effect from chemotherapy. Its job is to destroy fast-growing cells such as a cancerous tumor. But then it also stops hair growth as well as red blood cells, ergo the drop in the hemoglobin count. He received two units of red blood at Herrick Medical Center on Friday, and was feeling much better on Saturday and his appetite picked up a bit, although he can't taste much these days.
We've also been busy trying to find a place to stay in Rochester, which has been particularly difficult. We know we'll be there for more than a month so we'd like something more than just a motel room with a refrigerator and microwave in it. I'm confident it will work out.
And speaking of housing, we will be putting Karl's house in Adrian on the market (by owner) and so we've all been busy cleaning, sorting, packing, etc. I have to tell you, because I find it so darned funny, that Karl was incredibly prepared for any possible food shortage brought on by Y2K eight years ago. Karl had even labeled Saltine cracker packages with "stale" on the outside. Now who on earth puts a stale package (actually, there were 3) of crackers back in his cupboard? Karl explained that he kept those in case he needed them for cracker crumbs. "Ohhhh," I said, nodding my head in presumed understanding. I have to admit that I still don't get it.
Today Karl is getting his monthly MRI and CT-scan and tomorrow, July 3, we see Dr. Scheutze for a follow-up appointment. We are also hoping he'll tell us about Karl's PET scan in Washington, D.C. Karl will fly in to D.C., brother Kirk (who lives 2-3 hours away near Philadelphia) will pick him up, take him to the appointment, and then get him back to the airport. What, you may be asking yourself, is the reason he has to travel all the way to D.C.? The answer is because it's free of charge. For purposes of the study in which Karl is participating, the PET scan will determine how much the chemotherapy regimen has affected the cancer.
Anyway, we still have bunches of photos to take (mostly hats), post and label for this blog, but I have a feeling I won't be getting to that anytime soon. I know I'll have time once I get to Rochester. I'll let you know as soon as I hear about a definite surgery date.
Until then, keep the faith!
Kerry
Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Romans 12:11-12
We've also been busy trying to find a place to stay in Rochester, which has been particularly difficult. We know we'll be there for more than a month so we'd like something more than just a motel room with a refrigerator and microwave in it. I'm confident it will work out.
And speaking of housing, we will be putting Karl's house in Adrian on the market (by owner) and so we've all been busy cleaning, sorting, packing, etc. I have to tell you, because I find it so darned funny, that Karl was incredibly prepared for any possible food shortage brought on by Y2K eight years ago. Karl had even labeled Saltine cracker packages with "stale" on the outside. Now who on earth puts a stale package (actually, there were 3) of crackers back in his cupboard? Karl explained that he kept those in case he needed them for cracker crumbs. "Ohhhh," I said, nodding my head in presumed understanding. I have to admit that I still don't get it.
Today Karl is getting his monthly MRI and CT-scan and tomorrow, July 3, we see Dr. Scheutze for a follow-up appointment. We are also hoping he'll tell us about Karl's PET scan in Washington, D.C. Karl will fly in to D.C., brother Kirk (who lives 2-3 hours away near Philadelphia) will pick him up, take him to the appointment, and then get him back to the airport. What, you may be asking yourself, is the reason he has to travel all the way to D.C.? The answer is because it's free of charge. For purposes of the study in which Karl is participating, the PET scan will determine how much the chemotherapy regimen has affected the cancer.
Anyway, we still have bunches of photos to take (mostly hats), post and label for this blog, but I have a feeling I won't be getting to that anytime soon. I know I'll have time once I get to Rochester. I'll let you know as soon as I hear about a definite surgery date.
Until then, keep the faith!
Kerry
Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Romans 12:11-12
Thank you so much!
We are still in awe and so very touched by the support -- both by your kind words and monetarily -- Karl received on June 20 at the Rock N Bowl. There must have been at least 300 people there. It's really difficult to put into words what it meant to all of us. And it's also going to be very hard to thank everyone for what you did. Suffice it to say that we all shed a tear or two (okay, buckets on my part).
I never know if it's good form to say how much was raised, but since so many people have asked, I think it's appropriate to tell you that it's upwards of $7,000. This will be so very helpful to Karl to bridge the gap between the time his short-term disability ends and his Social Security kicks in.
Special thanks go to Kayla Mohr and Tina Wheaton for everything they did to plan, organize and put on this wonderful event. You guys are fantastic. I regret not getting a photo of the two of you, but I did get a bunch of photos. And here they are:
XOXO,
Kerry
I never know if it's good form to say how much was raised, but since so many people have asked, I think it's appropriate to tell you that it's upwards of $7,000. This will be so very helpful to Karl to bridge the gap between the time his short-term disability ends and his Social Security kicks in.
Special thanks go to Kayla Mohr and Tina Wheaton for everything they did to plan, organize and put on this wonderful event. You guys are fantastic. I regret not getting a photo of the two of you, but I did get a bunch of photos. And here they are:
XOXO,
Kerry
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)