Dad (Ron to you) Update
Sorry for taking a couple days off on the reports. The truth is, there hasn’t been too much to report which is both good and bad.
The good news is there have been no set backs. The doctors did find some cancerous cells in the tissue they left in (i.e., they didn’t get everything), but no so much that a second surgery is required. It appears my Dad will have to take a drug called Glevak (sp?) which is type of chemotherapy with a very good track record with this type of cancer and minimal side effects (i.e., no hair loss, weakness, etc). That’s the good news.
The bad news is that it is taking my Dad’s GI system longer to wake up than he had hoped. Basically, after anesthesia, your systems wake up one at a time and the GI is the last. Unfortunately, until it wakes up, you can not have anything by mouth, even water to drink and gas builds up in the abdomen causing pain and discomfort especially when you have just had abdominal surgery. That’s what my Dad has been dealing with since Monday. He has not even had liquid since the surgery other than a spongy swab to wet down the inside of his mouth. Not pleasant.
There were some signs last night that the GI system is now waking up, but it is progressing slowly. My Dad was feeling pretty good for most of today and much better than yesterday which is encouraging, but things are still moving slowly. Part of the bummer of all this is that once everything is awake, you can start having liquids in small amounts and then gradually move to solids. The thing is that they have to observe this process in the hospital and it takes several days. It is now looking unlikely that my Dad will be out of the hospital before Wednesday and it could certainly be longer.
The earliest he could have come home was today and so of course, that is what we were all hoping for. However, the doctor believes things are progressing normally which is what really matters, but we were all optimistic and hopeful that the total hospital stay could have been under 2 weeks. Not much chance of that now. Now we’re just hoping he gets to a place where he can at least drink something soon. I think that would have as many psychological benefits as physical and both are important.
Meanwhile, the kitchen project I mentioned is in full swing. Our incredible friends proved themselves to be even more generous and dedicated than I had praised them for being. Here’s what’s happened so far:
Tuesday – My Mactastic wife hatches her ambitious and border-line insane plan to completely remodel my parent’s kitchen before people head back to work on Monday after the Thanksgiving holiday. The emails go out to our friends and people line up to help with labor, skill and money faster than even my wife can find jobs for them all.
Wednesday – The old kitchen is completely removed and cabinets and other materials were shopped for and purchased.
Thursday – Paint was purchased and some was applied, but mostly we ate the fine meal that our many friends brought for us to eat. My Mom even got out of the hospital for the first time to do something other than rush home for a shower. Good day.
Friday – The cabinets went in. The old kitchen was taken to the dump. Even the bases of the countertops went on. New lights were installed both in the ceiling and under the cabinets
Today – The cabinets were completed, the counter bases were put on, most of the counter was tiled, the sliding glass door in the dining area was replaced by new French doors, the crown molding went on, a new pantry cabinet was added, the room was almost completely painted.
Tomorrow – I think the tiling will be completed, the appliances moved in and the backsplash begun (and maybe finished), the new door will be finished and about 15 different people at least will do about 150 things with no payment, with no request even for thanks, simply because they are people so changed by the Spirit of God that they do not hesitate to help a brother in need. Truly amazing, humbling and inspiring.
That’s all for tonight. Keep praying. Thank you.
If you would like to help with this project either physically or financially, contact my lovely wife at 4stumps@comcast.net.
The good news is there have been no set backs. The doctors did find some cancerous cells in the tissue they left in (i.e., they didn’t get everything), but no so much that a second surgery is required. It appears my Dad will have to take a drug called Glevak (sp?) which is type of chemotherapy with a very good track record with this type of cancer and minimal side effects (i.e., no hair loss, weakness, etc). That’s the good news.
The bad news is that it is taking my Dad’s GI system longer to wake up than he had hoped. Basically, after anesthesia, your systems wake up one at a time and the GI is the last. Unfortunately, until it wakes up, you can not have anything by mouth, even water to drink and gas builds up in the abdomen causing pain and discomfort especially when you have just had abdominal surgery. That’s what my Dad has been dealing with since Monday. He has not even had liquid since the surgery other than a spongy swab to wet down the inside of his mouth. Not pleasant.
There were some signs last night that the GI system is now waking up, but it is progressing slowly. My Dad was feeling pretty good for most of today and much better than yesterday which is encouraging, but things are still moving slowly. Part of the bummer of all this is that once everything is awake, you can start having liquids in small amounts and then gradually move to solids. The thing is that they have to observe this process in the hospital and it takes several days. It is now looking unlikely that my Dad will be out of the hospital before Wednesday and it could certainly be longer.
The earliest he could have come home was today and so of course, that is what we were all hoping for. However, the doctor believes things are progressing normally which is what really matters, but we were all optimistic and hopeful that the total hospital stay could have been under 2 weeks. Not much chance of that now. Now we’re just hoping he gets to a place where he can at least drink something soon. I think that would have as many psychological benefits as physical and both are important.
Meanwhile, the kitchen project I mentioned is in full swing. Our incredible friends proved themselves to be even more generous and dedicated than I had praised them for being. Here’s what’s happened so far:
Tuesday – My Mactastic wife hatches her ambitious and border-line insane plan to completely remodel my parent’s kitchen before people head back to work on Monday after the Thanksgiving holiday. The emails go out to our friends and people line up to help with labor, skill and money faster than even my wife can find jobs for them all.
Wednesday – The old kitchen is completely removed and cabinets and other materials were shopped for and purchased.
Thursday – Paint was purchased and some was applied, but mostly we ate the fine meal that our many friends brought for us to eat. My Mom even got out of the hospital for the first time to do something other than rush home for a shower. Good day.
Friday – The cabinets went in. The old kitchen was taken to the dump. Even the bases of the countertops went on. New lights were installed both in the ceiling and under the cabinets
Today – The cabinets were completed, the counter bases were put on, most of the counter was tiled, the sliding glass door in the dining area was replaced by new French doors, the crown molding went on, a new pantry cabinet was added, the room was almost completely painted.
Tomorrow – I think the tiling will be completed, the appliances moved in and the backsplash begun (and maybe finished), the new door will be finished and about 15 different people at least will do about 150 things with no payment, with no request even for thanks, simply because they are people so changed by the Spirit of God that they do not hesitate to help a brother in need. Truly amazing, humbling and inspiring.
That’s all for tonight. Keep praying. Thank you.
If you would like to help with this project either physically or financially, contact my lovely wife at 4stumps@comcast.net.
Comments
And of course, I am still praying for your Dad.
What strategies have you used to wake up his G.I.? Would attaching headphones to his intestinal area and playing AC/DC "Thunder" on full blast be an option? I'm pretty sure that would work. Give it a go and report back.
I know you weren't part of the family yet when I had MY kitchen remodeled last year. It's worth a dip into the archives (anything just after Nov. 9, 2005) if you want to see how to REALLY do that kind of a remodel.