Improvement for Paul

Well, the doctor came in today and said that Paul doesn't have C DIF. I haven't told you sooner that he had diarrhea for 4 days and they thought it might be C-DIF. That can be spread person to person and cause a perforation in the bowel (it can sometimes cause death, but we weren't talking about that!). The diarrhea is apparently caused by the antibiotics and will improve when they stop them. Meantime he needs the antibiotics for 14 days to completely get rid of the pneumonia.

So, there are more complications caused by the treatment, bummer. They just brought him back from an EGD (esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy) and we don't have the results yet but they were looking for the possibility of an ulcer caused by the treatments. The next step is a colonoscopy tomorrow. (Boy, they will have looked at all Paul's organs from the inside by the time they're finished here, lol.)
(Forgive the spelling, spell-checker doesn't know how to spell these either)

Paul is breathing MUCH better and they did an EKG that looked good. He still has lots of fluid retention but the doc said he'll get right on it. He thinks the steroids probably caused that and he'll have them stop the steroids gradually.

I'm escaping every day or two to maintain my sanity. Today I saw Duplicity. It was okay but confusing to follow. I've also seen Hotel For Dogs and Coraline in 3D (I told you I was desperate, lol). I am escaping to the Wooly Wonders yarn shop to knit with the "girls" for 2 hours Tu & Th and usually a couple hours on Saturday. I've made some nice things but best of all, I've learned lots about knitting, woo-hoo!

2 weeks of IV antibiotics

There isn't much to report right now except they need to give Paul iv antibiotics for 2 weeks to treat the pneumonia. Holy Cow, that's a long time. The antibiotics cause other problems in the digestive track.

He's feeling better with regards to his heart but worse in his stomach and intestines. It's a catch 22 dilemma, darned if you do and darned if you don't, lol.

We hear from home that ash is falling in Homer finally. Not a lot, about 1/8th inch expected but bothersome none the less. Everybody turns off computers etc to protect them from the deadly dust. It's very sharp and does much damage. We are more fortunate that we have endless use of our computers. I'll pray for rain to wash away the ash from the air and ground. It will be good for the crops but bad for the lungs.

Feel free to write or call. There isn't much else to report but It's good to communicate by voice. Much love to all, Karen

FLASH, this just in: PNEUMONIA

The specialist just came in and they finally have a diagnosis of pneumonia in the right lung. They are treating it with antibiotics and the doc said he'll keep an eye on his progress.

They are doing cultures of the fluid and sputum to determine which bugs are growing and which antibiotics are going to kill them (that takes 3-4 days).

That's all for now!

Paul still in Hospital

We have had a partial diagnosis of a lung collapsing because of fluid between the lung and the sack. They did draw off 21 ounces of fluid but that didn't give the hoped-for results. Paul is still wheezing and coughing being unable to breathe.

Last night at 12:30 am they did more CT scans of the lungs. We still don't have the results of that test.

Paul looks well and sounds bad. He apparently feels pretty good as he gives the nurses a hard time (teasing and joking).

Sunday night he started coughing something up from his lungs and couldn't breathe and doesn't feel safe to go home yet. The nursed think it's bronco spasms and the doctor said something about asthma (adult lung reaction not the usual "born with it" type of asthma. They are still giving him breathing treatments and steroids. Hopefully it will help.

Better News

We have a diagnosis. Paul has fluid in the sac holding the lungs (pleura, I think). Same problem as last March in Houston Texas. They will put a needle in his back today and remove it. It's preventing the lung from expanding and giving him shortness of breath. The fix is immediate and he should be home by tomorrow.

Sorry for the lack of details but I am using the worlds slowest internet access and I'm heading out the door to church and then off to the hospital, bye, Karen

Good news and Bad news

The good news is that I've finally finished my new socks. They are bright enough to keep you awake at night. I think they will look good with jeans and my sandals.

The bad news is that Paul was having trouble breathing and he wanted to go to the hospital. The doctor doesn't think it's serious, just bronco-spasms (an asthma response in the lungs from all the irritation of surgery). They kept him overnight and are doing tests to eliminate everything else. He looks good and his blood oxygen is 95 or better.

Please don't worry or panic, I think everything is going to be just fine.

The First Day

Paul's first day home was uneventful. He walked to the Guard House to say hello to a couple of the gate guards here at the Thousand Trails. Everybody here knew of his problems and have been praying for us. They were very excited to have him home again too.

I made the trip to Walmart for his several new prescriptions. What a test. It took about 1 1/2 hours and we turned the papers in the night before. Oh well, so much for planning ahead. There were some conflicts with several pills and even one he can't take until he finished the antibiotic.

That taken care of, it was time to trade Arla's car for Paul's truck. The timing worked out to have his truck in the dealership for warranty repairs and borrow a car Paul could climb in and out of by himself. It sounds like a simple task but it took 2 1/2 hours. I stopped at Costco and picked up Paul's repaired hearing aids on the way home but that only took 10 minutes. I fed him lunch and we both took a much needed nap.

When he's through on his computer we'll go for another short walk and settle in for the night. We're both tired but he has a reasonable excuse, I'm just dragging for no apparent reason.

All in all, he's doing great and taking it easy, as the doctor insisted. I'm just doing the chores to keep life going. We have been richly blessed and are so very grateful for all our friends and family who have been praying for us, a huge
T H A N K S .

Paul's Home, finally.

I think Paul must have some Irish blood to be so lucky to get released this early. Only 6 days since a very serious and life threatening surgery.

We waited from 10am till 6+pm for them to wade through the red tape. Then to top it off, they forgot to send us with all the prescriptions. I finally got him to the motor home at 7pm.

It's been a long day for both of us but we're ready for a rest and as you can see, Paul and Tucson have already started.

The doctor says it will be 6 weeks before he can drive and 3 months before he can ride his motorcycle. He must take it VERY easy for the next week and then take it easy for the next 2 weeks. We see the doctor in 3 weeks for a follow-up.

I'm a Happy Camper and so is Tucson, she really missed him.

Coming Home Tuesday, Woo-Hoo!!!

Paul got his "swan" out of his neck this morning and they finally transferred him down to another room. He's detached from all the tubes and wires and he's free to move about the halls. He's been walking twice today and the doctor came in to see us both.

Dr Martin said he was doing well and asked us how this compared to the last surgery. We said there was NO comparison. Last time he looked pale and weak for 2 weeks but this time he looked healthy and normal on the second day. He also has NO arm pain for the first time in 14 months.

Doctor said it looks like he can come home tomorrow. The doc will be in mid-morning and see how he's doing. He expects he will release Paul then.

I washed the bed sheets and got things ready for him to come "home". The doctor said he wants to see Paul in 3 weeks and then in a month he can make the drive back to Alaska. It will still be 3 months before he can drive the boat or run his backhoe or dozer. That's okay, Paul's future is finally bright again.

Bored is good news

This picture is just a pretty sunset in Las Vegas and it has nothing to do with Paul. I don't have any new ones of him right now. I'm planning on taking one when he gets moved to another room.

I can tell that Paul is feeling good because he's bored and fighting his tubes and wires. He even asked the nurse to take him for a walk today.

He didn't see all 3 doctors today so he didn't get moved downstairs. I guess they'll get him disconnected tomorrow and move him. (all 3 doctors have to agree that he's out of the woods before he gets moved)

Paul eats dinner in a chair

Not a big deal but Arla (Paul's sister) wanted to see her brother. (She's stuck in Hawaii, poor thing, lol)

Paul's color is good and he's happy and talkative. He's been up walking each day since the surgery and sitting in a chair for 3 hours at a time.

It looks like they will move him to a regular room tomorrow. They still have to remove more monitors but that only takes a minute.

Happy Birthday Leslie

Today I finished Leslie's lace poncho. Fortunately, it was also her birthday.

For Paul: Friday the 13th is Good Luck

Paul got the chest tubes out of his chest this morning along with the "pacemaker" wires. It was very painful and traumatic and it messed up his blood sugar and started his heart fibrillating.

He has had very good nurses and the doctors have been seeing him often so they're right on top of every incident. They got his heart in sinus rhythm by 1pm and the blood sugars under control shortly thereafter.

He started feeling better and got up in the chair for a couple hours and then walked around the CCU. After such a busy day he's tired and in need of a nap. After a short nap he felt much better and sat up and ate dinner.

His recovery this time is nothing short of a miracle. With the first bypass surgery he looked the same for the 12 days of his hospitalization. This time his color is great and he continues to improved everyday. We are truly BLESSED.

Hooray, Paul's doing GREAT

I wasn't looking forward to going to the hospital this morning, Paul looked so bad when I left last night.

What a pleasant surprise when I walked in and he was sitting up, awake and asking where I was. His color is terrific and he has a BIG smile.

The doctor removed the ventilator this morning and he started to talk right away. His voice is a little horse but that will go away soon. They are removing tubes, wires, and medications systematically and getting him ready to be up in a chair later today. They expect him to be walking by tomorrow morning.

I haven't seen him look this healthy for well over a year. He's happy and animated. He's talking non-stop and cooperative. I am amazed and thankful for the huge blessings from our Heavenly Father.

I'll update again tomorrow but it can only be good news. Thanks to all our friends and family for the prayers and offers of help. We love you!

Paul is out of surgery

Well, the worst is over.

The doctor said that he replaced the 3 bad bypasses. He said that Paul's blood vessels are so small that there was no where else to put blood vessels. He said that Paul had his ONLY bypass surgery, there is no place else to put blood vessels.

It took the doctor 2 hours to cut the heart out of all the scar tissue before he could start the bypasses.

Paul is still sleeping and on the ventilator. They will let him wake on his own and remove the vent from his throat in the morning.

He is not bleeding because they did some precautionary platelet and blood products at the beginning of the surgery. It's a good thing because he needed it.

They are trying to keep his blood pressure down and warm his body up. He did rouse enough to know I was holding his hand but that's about it.

Oooooh, a new tam

Silly girl, taking a picture of myself in a mirror.

I just wanted you to see the latest tam I made last night and today. These are some of my favorite colors. Of course, I won't need it till next winter.

Redoubt Volcano in Alaska

Redoubt is about 65 miles (as the crow flies) from Homer Alaska.

It has been active for a few months, threatening to blow but it's calm at this time.
There is a web site you can go to and see live video of the area.

http://www.avo.alaska.edu/activity/Redoubt.php

I just thought you might be interested. not to alarm anyone.

Surgery date set

Paul's cardiac surgeon called today and set the date for Wednesday, March 11th. (That is Kelsey's birthday)

He checks in at 6am and the surgery is 9am. It will take 4 to 6 hours depending on how it goes.

Well, that's it. You prefer it short and to the point don't you?

Any questions? You can comment below and Blogspot sends me an e-mail or you can e-mail me direct...OR... you can call me if you know my cell phone number. (If you know it then you are probably a friend and I'd welcome the call)

A little give-away with a catch!

The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you. This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:

1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!
2. What I create will be just for you.
3. It'll be done this year. {might be a little while}
4. You have no clue what it's going to be. It may be a story. It may be poetry or an article on properly cleaning your face before a masque. I may draw or paint something. I may bake you something and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure!
5.I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

The catch?
Oh, the catch is that you must re-post this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on your blog. The first 5 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did win a FAB-U-LOUS homemade gift by me!*Oh, and be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it!*

This sounds like a fun "Pay it Forward" kind of chain letter. I'm game and playing, how about you?

Love,
Karen

My latest Hand Knit Tams

I couldn't take a picture of the back but that would have been good.

Did I forget to mention that I had a couple of blemishes burned off my face. I got the call from the lab that there is NO cancer, Hooray!!!

The Heart Surgeon

We had the visit today with the heart surgeon. He made it very clear that this is a difficult surgery for the patient and the doctor. The odds are not good either.

Paul has no other choices and the doctors agree.

We are still waiting for the date for the surgery, we should hear today or tomorrow.

Paul and I feel really good about the doctor. We both like him and he comes highly recommended by the nurses at the hospital too.

More later as we know it.