Wow! What an amazing couple of days! Mom was discharged from the SICU yesterday at about 5PM! A bed FINALLY became available. She was discharged to a step-down floor that specializes in post abdominal surgeries. The staff there is specially trained to deal with patients who have had Whipple's done. This was very comforting!
Mom continues to eat well, eating three meals a day while being supplemented by tube feeds. She is also still sitting up in a chair most of the day and going for 2 to 3 walks around the floor a day. She gets stronger day by day! Her pain is well managed with the exception of moving around a little. For some reason, the 44 staples she got causes her a little discomfort!!
Her epidural is out and she has not had any pain medication since! In fact, mom is doing so well, they are planning on discharging her tomorrow!!!! We are not certain it will happen but that's their plan! Mom is looking forward to that just so she can eat at home!
Still no word on the mass they removed. Maybe tomorrow?? I will keep everyone posted as to whether mom stays or goes home tomorrow.
Thanks all!!!!
Will
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Sunday Update
Hell all! Sorry I missed an update yesterday! However, all things continue to go very well! There is so much to say! Mom's transfer out of the ICU was issued Friday morning. However, all the beds were full on the step-down floor. Therefore, she's still in the ICU.
So, where to begin this update?? Mom started taking food orally yesterday! She had three "meals" including jello, tomato soup, chicken broth and juices. She tolerated them well which appears to be an indication that her stomach is functioning normally! She will receive more of a solid food diet today!
She has been getting up and walking a couple of times a day. She has been doing rounds around the ICU for now. She spends most of her day out of bed. She still requires a little assistance getting in and out of bed, (mostly because of her electronics being attached to her). It appears that she is gaining more strength ever day!
The bandage was removed from her surgical incision yesterday. The site looks great and appears to be healing very well. Mom's red blood cells are on the rise (with no extra blood given to her), while her white blood cells are on the decline! All a sign that she is healing very well!
Her central line was removed yesterday as well. Right now, she still has her epidural. She is getting a constant low dose of pain medication. The plan is to discontinue that in the next couple of days. Her pain is very much under control. Of course it hurts her to cough, or laugh as these activities seem to move her abdominal muscles around a bit too much!
The drains that were inserted into her sutured areas have been removed also. There was little to no drainage emitting from these sites! This is also a very good sign that mom is healing well from the inside!
Blood tests reveal that her pancreas is functioning normally as well with normal blood sugar levels and positive enzymes! "Wow", is all I can say!! At this point, it appears that mom has dodged all ill-side effects and complications of Whipple's and is on the solid road to recovery!!
So, at this point were are awaiting word that a bed has opened up on the step-down floor allowing mom to be transferred. I will certainly let everyone know when that has occurred.
We are hoping to get the results of the biopsy tomorrow or Tuesday. However, I must say that regardless of that outcome (malignant or benign) mom is ready to deal with whatever God's plan is for her.
Now, we just pray for continued success in mom's recovery, and a benign result to the biopsy! Thanks again and again for the continued thoughts and prayers! Please, keep them coming!
Will
So, where to begin this update?? Mom started taking food orally yesterday! She had three "meals" including jello, tomato soup, chicken broth and juices. She tolerated them well which appears to be an indication that her stomach is functioning normally! She will receive more of a solid food diet today!
She has been getting up and walking a couple of times a day. She has been doing rounds around the ICU for now. She spends most of her day out of bed. She still requires a little assistance getting in and out of bed, (mostly because of her electronics being attached to her). It appears that she is gaining more strength ever day!
The bandage was removed from her surgical incision yesterday. The site looks great and appears to be healing very well. Mom's red blood cells are on the rise (with no extra blood given to her), while her white blood cells are on the decline! All a sign that she is healing very well!
Her central line was removed yesterday as well. Right now, she still has her epidural. She is getting a constant low dose of pain medication. The plan is to discontinue that in the next couple of days. Her pain is very much under control. Of course it hurts her to cough, or laugh as these activities seem to move her abdominal muscles around a bit too much!
The drains that were inserted into her sutured areas have been removed also. There was little to no drainage emitting from these sites! This is also a very good sign that mom is healing well from the inside!
Blood tests reveal that her pancreas is functioning normally as well with normal blood sugar levels and positive enzymes! "Wow", is all I can say!! At this point, it appears that mom has dodged all ill-side effects and complications of Whipple's and is on the solid road to recovery!!
So, at this point were are awaiting word that a bed has opened up on the step-down floor allowing mom to be transferred. I will certainly let everyone know when that has occurred.
We are hoping to get the results of the biopsy tomorrow or Tuesday. However, I must say that regardless of that outcome (malignant or benign) mom is ready to deal with whatever God's plan is for her.
Now, we just pray for continued success in mom's recovery, and a benign result to the biopsy! Thanks again and again for the continued thoughts and prayers! Please, keep them coming!
Will
Friday, January 28, 2011
Friday Evening Update
Yet another day of progress! Mom was able to get up and walk around the SICU today. She walked the entire pod!! And, with a pretty good degree of ease! In addition to that, they started her tube feeds. They were tolerated well. Now, mom can begin replenishing her body with some decent nourishment. This will allow her to meet the physical demands of her recovery.
Perhaps the biggest relief for mom today was the removal of her NG tube! She's been looking forward to that moment since she awoke from surgery!
Mom spends most of her day in her chair, sitting up, awake. Occasionally she will catch a nap here and there. This allows her to really rest well at night.
Pain is well managed at this point. Mom describes herself as not really having any pain at all, rather a "soreness" across her abdomen. Her doctor continues to be impressed with her recovery.
Tomorrow, they will start discussing discharge to a step down unit. This means that they will most likely remove her central line tomorrow. It also means that visiting hours will be less restricted. At that point, people wishing to see her will be able to do so. The SICU is pretty strict with visiting guidelines.
Still no signs of complications!! God continues to be faithful! Please help us pray that mom begins to receive substantial nourishment from her tube feeds and, in turn, physical strength. Also, for continued wisdom on behalf of her medical staff!
Thanks!
Will
Perhaps the biggest relief for mom today was the removal of her NG tube! She's been looking forward to that moment since she awoke from surgery!
Mom spends most of her day in her chair, sitting up, awake. Occasionally she will catch a nap here and there. This allows her to really rest well at night.
Pain is well managed at this point. Mom describes herself as not really having any pain at all, rather a "soreness" across her abdomen. Her doctor continues to be impressed with her recovery.
Tomorrow, they will start discussing discharge to a step down unit. This means that they will most likely remove her central line tomorrow. It also means that visiting hours will be less restricted. At that point, people wishing to see her will be able to do so. The SICU is pretty strict with visiting guidelines.
Still no signs of complications!! God continues to be faithful! Please help us pray that mom begins to receive substantial nourishment from her tube feeds and, in turn, physical strength. Also, for continued wisdom on behalf of her medical staff!
Thanks!
Will
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Thursday Update
Mom had another good day! More progress! Mom stood up, took some steps, and did some leg exercises today! She is a little more tired today due to all of the activity though.
We should meet some big benchmarks tomorrow. Her NG tube should be removed and they want to start her tube feeds as well. I'm not sure how long her central line is going to stay in place.
She did receive a little blood today as her counts dipped a little. Nothing that they consider unusual. So, with all that being said, we are still complication free! I have found that telemetry doesn't like when you tap on her ECG leads to make it look like she's in V-Fib!
Dr. Ahmad visited again today and stated that he was still VERY pleased with her progress. Mom is apparently the talk of the ICU. Medical students keep her room very busy as they are studying her case very closely. You can hear talk from across the ICU...."See her? She's the one!" Ha!
Anyway, lots of benchmarks to meet tomorrow!
Thanks for reading! And as always, keep those prayers coming!
Will
We should meet some big benchmarks tomorrow. Her NG tube should be removed and they want to start her tube feeds as well. I'm not sure how long her central line is going to stay in place.
She did receive a little blood today as her counts dipped a little. Nothing that they consider unusual. So, with all that being said, we are still complication free! I have found that telemetry doesn't like when you tap on her ECG leads to make it look like she's in V-Fib!
Dr. Ahmad visited again today and stated that he was still VERY pleased with her progress. Mom is apparently the talk of the ICU. Medical students keep her room very busy as they are studying her case very closely. You can hear talk from across the ICU...."See her? She's the one!" Ha!
Anyway, lots of benchmarks to meet tomorrow!
Thanks for reading! And as always, keep those prayers coming!
Will
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Wednesday Evening Update
Well, all goals for mom today were met! Still no signs of complications. We are still very watchful and approach all of our successes with cautious optimism! Mom got up out of bed twice today and sat in her chair for a couple hours at a time. Her arterial line was removed today leaving her central line and IV in place.
Dr. Ahmad stopped by today to discuss her progress and obviously, he is pleased. Tomorrow, the goals are to remain watchful for side effects as well as get mom to walk (yes, walk!!), and remove her central line. If all continues to go well, they could release her from the SICU within the next day or two.
We discussed a comprehensive plan with her pain management team to help control her pain, yet balance any ill side effects of the medication. They are very open to ideas while still following their protocols. However, it appears that our plans "B" and "C" will not need to be implemented now as it seems to be well under control. Her biggest complaint now is a sore throat from the intubation during surgery and her NG tube that is still in place.
Mom is sitting in her chair across from me now as I type. I can't help but to think of and be thankful for the blessings we have been given! I wish everyone could see the miracle I can see right now!
As always, thanks to everyone for the continued support and prayers! Mom says "thank you" and feels very blessed to be surrounded by such great friends and family!
Will
Dr. Ahmad stopped by today to discuss her progress and obviously, he is pleased. Tomorrow, the goals are to remain watchful for side effects as well as get mom to walk (yes, walk!!), and remove her central line. If all continues to go well, they could release her from the SICU within the next day or two.
We discussed a comprehensive plan with her pain management team to help control her pain, yet balance any ill side effects of the medication. They are very open to ideas while still following their protocols. However, it appears that our plans "B" and "C" will not need to be implemented now as it seems to be well under control. Her biggest complaint now is a sore throat from the intubation during surgery and her NG tube that is still in place.
Mom is sitting in her chair across from me now as I type. I can't help but to think of and be thankful for the blessings we have been given! I wish everyone could see the miracle I can see right now!
As always, thanks to everyone for the continued support and prayers! Mom says "thank you" and feels very blessed to be surrounded by such great friends and family!
Will
Wednesday Morning Update
Mom had a great night last night! Her vitals remained stable...pain management was good...blood work was normal! She had a slight issue with her blood pressure dropping a little last evening. This was a normal response to the medication she was giving herself through her epidural for pain management. That has since stabled out.
This morning, the goal is to get her to sit up! We continue to watch for signs of complications....excessive drainage from her drains, fever, and wavering vital signs. Prayerfully, these will not show up!!
We are also praying that her internal parts (stomach, pancreas, bile duct) function normally, and that her outputs are all good as well!
Thanks all!!
Will
This morning, the goal is to get her to sit up! We continue to watch for signs of complications....excessive drainage from her drains, fever, and wavering vital signs. Prayerfully, these will not show up!!
We are also praying that her internal parts (stomach, pancreas, bile duct) function normally, and that her outputs are all good as well!
Thanks all!!
Will
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Status Update
We've spent the last 2 hours with mom. She is in the SICU. She has been awake, alert, talking and joking! Truly a miracle! She looks as if she had a great nights sleep having no ill side effects of her anesthesia. She has a self dosing epidural that has her pain very much under control.
Final reports from surgery are that she did very well. They were able to remove all the necessary components as well as the mass. The mass has already been sent down to patho. We should have the final results of that within 5 days or so. There was minimal to no bleeding during the procedure, so there was no need for a transfusion. (Good news as this always reduces the possibilities of some complications.) Again, there is no evidence of any spread of this mass!!
They were able to remove the bile drain which she has had in since November. She was relieved to hear THAT news when she woke up!!! Right now, she has two drains in to relieve any drainage from her internal sutures. Hopefully, these won't leak and can be taken out prior to her discharge. Dr. Ahmad has no reason to believe that this will not be the case as he feels good about the suturing itself.
So, where do we go from here? Well, they will continue to monitor mom VERY closely over the next two days in the ICU. They will keep a close eye on her heart and the development of any side effects of the procedure. Starting tomorrow, they will start sitting her up to get her mobile slowly.
The staff here has been incredible! We are truly thankful for the excellent care she has received thus far!!
Things to pray for now...continued wisdom and clarity on behalf of mom's caregivers. NO SIDE EFFECTS of the surgery including, infection, delayed gastric emptying, more than normal leakage from her drains, as well as continued pain management and comfort for her. We also pray that the mass comes back benign. That would mean that mom is DONE with this episode in her life!!
If the mass turns out to be malignant, then a few light treatments of chemo and radiation will be in her future. But again, as noted before, very "gentle" chemo and radiation. Nothing that would cause hair or weight loss.
Thank you all again....and again....for your support and prayers. A true miracle was performed today! God remains faithfull and in control...."His will be done!"
Thank you!!
Will
Final reports from surgery are that she did very well. They were able to remove all the necessary components as well as the mass. The mass has already been sent down to patho. We should have the final results of that within 5 days or so. There was minimal to no bleeding during the procedure, so there was no need for a transfusion. (Good news as this always reduces the possibilities of some complications.) Again, there is no evidence of any spread of this mass!!
They were able to remove the bile drain which she has had in since November. She was relieved to hear THAT news when she woke up!!! Right now, she has two drains in to relieve any drainage from her internal sutures. Hopefully, these won't leak and can be taken out prior to her discharge. Dr. Ahmad has no reason to believe that this will not be the case as he feels good about the suturing itself.
So, where do we go from here? Well, they will continue to monitor mom VERY closely over the next two days in the ICU. They will keep a close eye on her heart and the development of any side effects of the procedure. Starting tomorrow, they will start sitting her up to get her mobile slowly.
The staff here has been incredible! We are truly thankful for the excellent care she has received thus far!!
Things to pray for now...continued wisdom and clarity on behalf of mom's caregivers. NO SIDE EFFECTS of the surgery including, infection, delayed gastric emptying, more than normal leakage from her drains, as well as continued pain management and comfort for her. We also pray that the mass comes back benign. That would mean that mom is DONE with this episode in her life!!
If the mass turns out to be malignant, then a few light treatments of chemo and radiation will be in her future. But again, as noted before, very "gentle" chemo and radiation. Nothing that would cause hair or weight loss.
Thank you all again....and again....for your support and prayers. A true miracle was performed today! God remains faithfull and in control...."His will be done!"
Thank you!!
Will
MOM'S OUT OF SURGERY!!
Mom's surgery is complete! It was a success!! Dr. Ahmad stated that she did as well as she could have. She remained stable through out the entire surgery. The tumor was removed for biopsy and there is no evidence of spread. The next day or two will be critical for mom while she is in the ICU. However, the docs are optimistic based on her performance in surgery. More details to follow. We hope to get to see mom in the next hour or two. Again, thank you all for the continued thoughts and prayers! God has been faithful! We pray for moms continued endurance in her recovery!
Will
Will
SURGERY UPDATE
Just received a call from Lisa (a nurse in the operating room with mom)... mom is doing great! They have removed everything they need to remove and are in the process of putting everything back together. Mom is tolerating the surgery very well! Obviously, there is still a great deal of ground to cover however, things are going well so far.
For so long it seems like we have been running two races....a sprint and a marathon. Hopefully, the sprint will start to come to an end and we can then focus on the marathon. Regardless of what race we are running, God has on the running shoes. We pray for continued strength for mom and continued strength in faith for the family.
Thanks all!
Will
For so long it seems like we have been running two races....a sprint and a marathon. Hopefully, the sprint will start to come to an end and we can then focus on the marathon. Regardless of what race we are running, God has on the running shoes. We pray for continued strength for mom and continued strength in faith for the family.
Thanks all!
Will
Day of Surgery
Finally, the day mom has been waiting for has arrived! We just got the word that mom is now back in the OR. Everyone got an early start to the day, getting down here at UC at 5AM. Mom was in GREAT spirits this morning! We said our temporary "good byes" to mom at about 06:30. There was lots of work to do to prep her (central line, arterial line, epidural, etc.). We know she is in the best hands available. We are so blessed to have these medical resources at our back door! We continue to pray for mom's strength, clarity and wisdom on behalf of mom's medical staff, and strength for all our family members! Thanks to all!
Will
Will
Monday, January 24, 2011
Last Day Pre-Op!
Mom finished all of her pre-op orders today and is very upbeat about her surgery tomorrow. We're reporting to UC at 05:30. Surgery is scheduled to begin at 07:30. The surgery is slated to last about 6 hours. I'll continue to post as things progress tomorrow. Thanks again for all of your thoughts, support and prayers!! God remains in control!
Will
Will
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Mom's Appointment Rescheduled
Mom’s appointment with the anesthesiologist was rescheduled for Thursday, January 13th. She will have all of her pre-op work done at that time. Mom continues to get stronger every day! She really feels good and is looking forward to moving forward with the surgery!
Thanks again for your continued thoughts and prayers!
Will
Monday, January 3, 2011
Surgery Scheduled!!
Good Evening All!!
Mom's surgery has finally been scheduled! She will undergo Whipple's Procedure on January 25th. She is slated for 07:30 that morning. Some pre-surgical consult work will need to be done which includes x-rays, blood work, and an interview with her anesthesiologist. That appointment is scheduled for January 11th. The surgery will be conducted at University Hospital. We feel very blessed to have the resources of their medical facility in our back yard! (So to speak!)
Please pray for continued strength for mom as well as vision and wisdom for the doctors in charge of her care! God is in control!
Thanks!
Will
Mom's surgery has finally been scheduled! She will undergo Whipple's Procedure on January 25th. She is slated for 07:30 that morning. Some pre-surgical consult work will need to be done which includes x-rays, blood work, and an interview with her anesthesiologist. That appointment is scheduled for January 11th. The surgery will be conducted at University Hospital. We feel very blessed to have the resources of their medical facility in our back yard! (So to speak!)
Please pray for continued strength for mom as well as vision and wisdom for the doctors in charge of her care! God is in control!
Thanks!
Will
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