Good Report

Daddy's follow up with the surgeon on Tuesday went well -- he said everything looks good and he doesn't want to see Daddy again for 6 months. The scan was not a full body scan, but showed his abdomen/chest; the shunt is working properly and they did not find any cancer! In the meantime, Daddy has an appointment in a couple of weeks with his surgeon's partner to see about repairing the hernia in his stomach that contributed to the big belly. He also has a follow up next week with the oncologist. 2010 was a hard year, but we experienced God's grace in our family in a deep and tangible way. We pray that 2011 will continue to push us towards a deeper understanding of His grace. Happy New Year to you all!

Merry Christmas!

We are all doing well and we wish you all a Merry Christmas! We are so very thankful for the blessing of celebrating another Christmas with Daddy. But we praise God for the best gift of all, His Son! The richness of what it means that God sent His son to be "God with us" has had a whole new level of meaning to me over the past year, and I am humbled that God came to our mess to love us. May you all know the power of God's presence in your lives, and the sweetness of living in His grace.

On the medical front, Daddy has CT scan on Dec. 28 -- I think this is the first of his regular, follow up scans checking to make sure the cancer has not returned. Also, the shunt has been working marvelously and he is definitely benefiting from it. His belly looks almost normal 3 weeks after the procedure.

Home Again!

Daddy got to go home yesterday before lunch! (The day got away from me and I forgot to post.) He's feeling better than he has in a while, and learning how to pump the shunt. They are going to lay low for a couple of days, but if he's feeling well, they plan to go to the Empty Nesters' Christmas gathering on Saturday. Thanks so much for the prayers and encouraging words -- we've definitely felt them! Merry Christmas to all!

Shunt update

Initial reports are good! Daddy's surgery started a little late but he was in recovery by 9:45, and the doctor came to talk to Mom and Wendi (I didn't quite make it there in time). The doctor said that technically everything went very well. They took off 8 more liters of fluid, cleaned out his belly, and put some fresh fluid back in (but not 8 liters!) to help prevent renal failure. (Disclaimer: this is my translation of the second-hand info that I received so I am aiming for the basic idea of what happened. If you are a health care professional and what I'm saying sounds completely wrong, please let me know!). Daddy went straight to a regular room after recovery, sans any IVs or other tubes besides oxygen. I got to see him for about 30 minutes before I had to leave, and he said that he feels better than he has in 2 or 3 weeks: "My head is finally clear." He said he had some pain in his side where the incisions were, and was already lobbying to get the catheter out (which they removed before I left), but felt better than he did before the procedure. (I imagine that he had some pain meds in him still so here's hoping that he still feels the same when they wear off!). If all goes well, they will let him go home tomorrow. They indicated that they will watch him closely for the next 24 hrs to make sure that his kidneys function as they should, and that his blood clots properly (apparently after this type of surgery sometimes the body reacts by clotting abnormally). Daddy will have to pump his shunt twice a day to make it do its job, and where he has to pump is very close to the incision because of how tall he is (long torso), so he will probably be pretty sore for a couple of weeks in that spot. Please pray for a smooth recovery, and that he will get to come home tomorrow. I will update again tomorrow or if anything changes.

On a lighter note, he was something of a celebrity on the post-surgical hall -- most of the nurses on that floor took care of him during his 2 month stay earlier in the year, and they were all coming by to say hello. They were all excited to see him doing so well because Daddy was still pretty sick when he left the hospital in July. And I think it was encouraging for him and Mom to hear the staff comment on how good he looks and how well he is doing.

Procedure reminder

Daddy will be having a "Denver shunt" placed this Wed., Dec. 8. They have to be at the hospital at 5:30 (!) and the procedure will be done at 7:30am. This is supposed to relieve the fluid build-up in his abdomen (which, I meant to point out in the last post, is why he and Wendi were comparing bellies -- because of the fluid and his hernia, he had to go get some suspenders!). I've read up some on this shunt, and apparently they typically use it for patients with cirrhosis of the liver, but they have occasionally used it for patients who are having problems post-surgery (like Daddy). I have some questions about all that's going on but my understanding is that the vein that the tumor was close to is compromised, and likely will not get better, and they expect the shunt to be permanent at this point. I hope to speak with the surgeon this week and get a better understanding of everything. Also, Daddy has been having significant pain in his shoulder, which his PCP has diagnosed as bursitis, but it concerns me. He has a CT scan at the end of December, so hopefully that will provide clarity on what's causing the pain. Please pray that all will go smoothly on Wed., and that he will get to come home by Fri. And pray for peace for us.

Giving Thanks

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18


Our definition of "all circumstances" has definitely been stretched over the past 13 months. We are so thankful to have Daddy here to celebrate another Thanksgiving with us-- and he cooked the turkey, as usual. Here's a fun picture of Wendi and Daddy comparing bellies (I don't know why it's fuzzy but it was cute)...

We had a great time celebrating with family -- mom's family always comes up from Ga., and we enjoyed much good food and fellowship. It was nice to see Daddy participating and smiling, because this time last year he had just started chemo and was very sick. And Mom was ever the busy hostess as always!

On the medical front, Daddy will be having a "Denver shunt" put in on December 8 to relieve the fluid build-up in his abdomen. This is meant to be a long-term solution to this uncommon problem. Please pray that everything will go smoothly, that the shunt will function as it should, that he will not get an infection, and that Daddy's hospital stay will be the predicted 2 days. I'll update again around that time. Thanks for all the prayers and Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Purple Stride Success!!

This past Saturday, our team of 8 (pictured above + Ruby) participated in Purple Stride Atlanta to help raise awareness for pancreatic cancer and funds for research. In the past 40 years, the statistics for patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer have remained largely unchanged despite significant advances in treatment for other cancers. We had great fun participating in the 5k, and I personally was overwhelmed to be standing next to my dad at an event where so many were walking/running "in memory" of a loved one. Daddy even walked the first lap with my Uncle Dave! Corrie, my father-in-law, and I ran and walked the entire 5k, and my mom, Aunt Linda, and Aunt Cheryl walked it. And can you believe that we forgot to charge our camera battery, and the batteries on all of our backups (batteries and cameras) died? So the only picture we have is from my husband's phone. The fundraising goal for the event as a whole was $150,000, and they raised over $165,000! We are going to see what it might take to get one going in Charlotte next year. Thanks so much to all of you who made donations for our team, or just offered encouraging words.

Also, here's a picture from Corrie's birthday party -- I just liked it and wanted to post it. Daddy is doing ok, but still having the fluid build up so he has another follow up with his surgeon this week. He also continues to struggle with fatigue (which according to all I've read is one of the chief post-op symptoms from a Whipple), but is looking forward to cooking the turkey as usual for Thanksgiving this year -- hooray!

Quick update...

Daddy's procedure last week went well. They removed 17 lbs (aka 8 liters) -- yes, you read that right --seventeen pounds of fluid off his belly. Needless to say, Daddy was feeling much better the next day. I clarified the info I received and the blood clot near his liver is smaller, however, they think that it may be contributing to the fluid retention. They indicated that he may have to have this done every couple of weeks for a while or look at a longer-term option. For right now, he's content to take it a week at a time.

I was surprised on Sunday to walk in at church and see Mom and Dad on stage. They were able to attest to God's faithfulness over the past year, and thank the congregation for their incredible support. I echo what they said (I wish I had a little audio clip of it to post here, but I don't): God has been faithful and present, and one of the main ways we have experienced that is through the body of Christ. We are very blessed by our friends and family, and how they have loved on us through this challenging time.

Medical Procedure & Upcoming Purple Stride

I realized the other day that I almost forgot that we have a blog -- a testimony to how well Daddy's been doing, I suppose. He has had a few small (we hope) problems in the past couple of weeks, the main one being that he continues to retain fluid in his abdomen. Currently, he has so much fluid there that it is affecting his appetite and making him very uncomfortable so he is having a procedure tomorrow mid-day where they will pull the fluid off using a needle. Apparently, the fluid retention has something to do with them reconfiguring his "internal plumbing" and now the body has to learn to redirect fluid to get it out of his body, and it just takes time. That means that he will likely continue to have this problem for a while, and may have to find a longer term option than having fluid drained every 2 weeks. He did have a CT scan recently (just of his abdomen), and they did not see any cancer; however, the small blood clot near his liver is still there (but I think it's shrinking). I am a little vague on the details because I have not been going to his doctor appointments with him lately, and so the information I get is "filtered."

Daddy was hoping to be able to walk with us in Atlanta at the Purple Stride on November 13, but the doctor reminded him that he really needs to be patient with his body and take it easy so he'll be there cheering us on, but probably not walking. Mom has signed up, though, along with my in-laws so we'll have a good contingency! We're still hoping to recruit more of the Atlanta family(hint, hint, if they are reading this). If you are interested in joining us or supporting our team, here's the link http://pancan.kintera.org/purplestrideatlanta10/teamgarrett. It's less than 2 weeks away now, and Corrie and I are getting excited!

When I download pictures from my camera, I'll post one with Daddy from Corrie's birthday. Thanks again for all the prayers and support!

One Year Later

I don't remember the exact date that Daddy was diagnosed but it was around this time last year. It was all a blur, but I just remember feeling a strong need to take lots of pictures at Corrie's birthday, praying that he would be able to be at the hospital when Zoe was born (as a visitor, not a patient) and reading everything I could about pancreatic cancer online. And getting terribly discouraged and afraid because of what I read. But one year later, Daddy is a little thinner, although he's put some weight back on since his hospital stay, and he still tires easily but he continues to gain strength. We are extraordinarily grateful to have him here preparing to celebrate Corrie's birthday again AND... anticipating the arrival of another grandchild!! Wendi and Rich are expecting their first baby in March, and we can't wait! (I was going to let her post this news but she's been otherwise occupied and I can't keep it in any longer!) We are so blessed.

On a sadder note, our friend Kofi went to be with Jesus this week. He truly was a special, godly, humble man and we will miss him terribly. Please keep his family in your prayers, especially in the weeks and months to come.

Road Trip!

When Daddy was going through treatment and during his two months in the hospital, his siblings and their spouses were great about coming up to visit him. (And my kids LOVE when Uncle Bud, Aunt Dot, Aunt Betty, Aunt Linda and Uncle Dave come visit.) Now, he's going to visit them this week! He hasn't traveled anywhere for quite a while, and the fact that he feels up to a multi-day road trip says a lot about how much better he is feeling now. So, look out, Georgia! :)

On a more serious note, please pray for our friend, Kofi, who was diagnosed with cancer in the past 2 weeks. It was a rather sudden diagnosis and has metatasized. He has a wife and 2 kids (one in high school, one in elementary school). He has been a great friend to Daddy, and visited Daddy frequently during his long hospital stay.

Team Garrett

It's official! Corrie (who will be 5 and is terribly excited about running) and I signed up to run in the Purple Stride Atlanta on November 13. It's a 5k Family Fun Run/Walk hosted by the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network to raise awareness and funds for research. We're recruiting for our team-- Team Garrett -- won't you consider joining us or supporting us? Here's a link to our team page.

http://pancan.kintera.org/purplestrideatlanta10/teamgarrett

And We're Back...

Sorry for the gap in posts -- I was on vacation, and forgot to update before I left. My whole family (3 girls and husband) had a weird virus two weeks ago-- the main symptom seemed to be laying around crying with no appetite for 3 days. I couldn't get the girls to tell me what was wrong, if anything hurt, etc. Then my husband got it and said he just hurt all over. He stayed in bed for a day, and took 2 more days to really recover. (You can see where this is heading, right?). Well, Daddy got it. We had been out at their house one day when my oldest daughter all of a sudden started acting like she felt bad -- really just crying and laying on the couch. Of course, Pop-Pop had to comfort her, and 3 days later he was in bed for 3 days. The good news is that he's much better now and back on the road to regaining his strength. The bad news is that it obviously takes him much longer to recover -- probably twice as long and he feels like it set him back a couple of weeks. Otherwise, since he recovered, he's doing well -- he was back to making barbecue sauce (not the meat yet) the other day. Seems like there was something else I was going to post about but it's late and my brain has shut down for the night!

Small Milestone

Daddy made it to church on Sunday for the first time since early May. What a blessing for Mom and Dad to get to worship together again and with our sweet church family! I don't know if I've been clear about this, but I want to make sure that I am -- we firmly believe that God is working in our family for His glory, regardless of Daddy's health on any given day. And we are thankful for the people He has put in our lives to point us to Christ during the good times and the hard times. My prayer has been that this whole experience would make our family, and those whom we encounter throughout this journey, long for and cling to things that have eternal value. And I'm done preachin' now.

As promised...

Pictures above from Ruby's birthday party! In other news, Daddy had his PICC line removed this week and the dr. said that they see no sign of infection right now. He followed up with the oncologist, and will just see him every couple of months to check in right now, probably with a scan every 6 months or more. He says he's feeling better every day, and even drove a short distance the other day. He's also back to reading which was a surprise to me because last time I asked about a month ago, he said he was shaking too much to hold the book still. But then I asked him yesterday if he read the book I gave him for his birthday, and he said, "Oh, yeah, I read that already," and he passed it on to a friend. We are so grateful for the little things these days, and just thankful that God has given us more time with Daddy.

Celebrations

This time last year was when I started worrying that something was really wrong with Daddy. It was Ruby's birthday party, and he left super early because he was in so much pain that he couldn't sit still. I had my suspicions then that it was more than just a pulled muscle, but we didn't get the diagnosis for two more months. Well, yesterday we celebrated Ruby's 3rd birthday, and Daddy stayed the whole time! He even let Ruby give him a pretend haircut. I will post a picture soon but I have to recharge my camera before I can get the pictures off it. Needless to say, we had a good time celebrating Ruby, and are grateful that Daddy is here to celebrate another year with us. He's talking about traveling when he feels better, and is tentatively planning to go to church next week for the first time since before his surgery. He has several dr. appointments this week, including a follow up at the oncologist, so I'll post if we learn anything new. Praise God for the opportunity to celebrate big and small milestones!

Extraordinary Cancer Survivor Turns 100

Extraordinary Cancer Survivor Turns 100
Ok, so here's the actual story title. Sorry for all the confusion-- still trying to figure out the logistics of blogging at times! And don't be confused, this is about another cancer survivor -- Daddy's not turning 100 yet! :)

A Happy Story

Daddy is doing a little better every day. He still tires easily but overall is gaining strength. Last weekend, Mom and Dad went out to dinner with some friends and had a great time. This week he finishes up the IV antibiotics. Next week he has a follow up appointment with his oncologist. We are moving right along. I found this story in the link below last week about a Whipple survivor and I found it very encouraging -- Enjoy!
http://ht.ly/2kx2e

Fried Chicken and Ice Cream

When Daddy was going through chemo, the only thing that tasted good to him was fried chicken -- he would eat it every day, and joked after all his procedures that he just wanted a bucket of fried chicken. As long as he was asking for fried chicken, we figured he was alright. Well, now he can't really tolerate the fried stuff (although he is going to try some enzymes to see if that helps) BUT the new post-Whipple "fried chicken" is ice cream. Partly to get out of the house (but mostly, I think, because he likes ice cream), he and Mom have been making almost daily trips to Chick-fil-a for an ice cream cone. On Sunday, they ventured a little farther and came and got the girls and took them to Dairy Queen, and then stayed for dinner. It was a very normal Sunday for us. And very, very nice.

In other news, Daddy had his g-tube removed today. He hasn't used it since a couple of weeks before he got out of the hospital, and he's eating well with no significant problems so they talked the dr. into taking it out today. Apparently they just yank it out -- glad I had to leave that appointment early! Overall, his surgeon was very positive about his progress thus far, and I think Mom and Dad were both very encouraged. Other small steps include: Daddy walked down to the mailbox and back on Sunday, he walked over to visit a neighbor yesterday (and I should clarify that they have almost 4 acres so they don't live in your typical suburban neighborhood -- so they were good walks for him), and they are making plans to get a new computer soon. Who knows, maybe they'll start posting, too!

"Nurse Mom"

Daddy's CT scan on Monday was normal -- yay! Apparently, there is a small blood clot near his liver (that they knew about but Mom forgot to mention to me a while back) that has gotten a little smaller, and will likely take 6 mo. of being on a blood thinner to dissolve but appears to be stable. They put the PICC line in and Mom learned how to do the infusions of the antibiotic. I've been teasing her that she'll be ready to get her nursing degree after this. Daddy is sounding more like himself and acting more like himself each day. I noticed on Sunday that his cheeks don't seem so sunken in. And he ate a whole Chick-fil-a sandwich the other day! He's also getting a little bored (which, personally, I think is a good sign). He enjoys visitors so if you want to call them and swing by, I think they would appreciate it. We continue to be so appreciative of all the prayers and practical support we've received.

Examples of "normal"

They determined that Daddy has 2 infections, and they have isolated them. The plan to treat them includes multiple antibiotics and inserting another PICC line on Monday. Daddy will also have yet another CT scan Monday to assess why his stomach is still so bloated. Otherwise, he is feeling much better and doing more normal things such as...
1. Having Sunday lunch with us, sitting in his normal spot at the dining room table and eating a normal lunch.
2. Using his cell phone again to make and receive calls (there was a little delay in this one because Mom accidentally washed it and despite all their efforts could not revive it. She had to go get him a new phone so he is up and running again).
3. Going out with a friend to get another wine-making kit (Thanks, Tim!).
4. Hosting people for dinner at their house last night. Daddy said it was "GREAT!"
He still gets tired easily but is plugging along and working hard despite getting weary. Every little step forward makes a difference these days!

Grrr....

So, I'm starting to think that I should stay away from posts that give any kind of positive qualitative statement about how Daddy is doing. After I posted yesterday, Daddy ended up at the doctor where they determined that he still has the blood infection, and apparently has an infection in his lungs (mild pneumonia?) as well. He was continuing to have chills and a mild fever off and on, and generally felt miserable yesterday. They gave him a shot, added back an antibiotic and continued another. They also determined that his blood was too thin (he's been on blood thinner due concerns about the blood clot in his leg from his hospital stay) so they adjusted his medication. Today he said he felt "human" again. He has an appointment at the infectious disease doctor on Monday. He continues to eat regularly, even sending Mom out to get him ice cream at Chick-fil-a, and his digestive system seems to be working fairly normally. The physical therapist has been several times this week. We are glad that Daddy was feeling better today or else our "spa day" might not have been so relaxing. Mom, Wendi and I had a very fun time -- Mom really needed to be pampered!

Continuing to Move Forward

Not much has changed, hence no new posts recently. Daddy continues to work on eating and moving around. He had a follow up appointment at the doctor (his PCP) on Monday, and blood tests showed that his white cell count was dropping significantly, which we took as a good sign that the antibiotic is working. He did have some chills and a slight fever yesterday, but seemed ok by the end of the day. Pray that his body and the antibiotics can effectively fight this infection once and for all. He's still very weak but even had a couple of short outings this week and continues to move forward. Wendi and I are taking Mom for a "spa day" tomorrow to celebrate her birthday a little late, and Daddy surprised her and took her this week to pick up the ring he bought her for her birthday. So, slowly, we are returning to more normal activities, and hopeful that Daddy will continue to gain strength and stamina.

Hanging in There

Well, now we know what kind of infection he has -- it has a name but I can't remember it -- the blood cultures did grow some bacteria so hopefully they can treat this more specifically. Basically, they have confirmed that Daddy has a blood infection so they have added an antibiotic to hopefully knock it out. He has a follow up appointment at one doctor tomorrow, and likely will have more during the week. He's holding up ok (as of this afternoon), but is having a hard time sleeping. He has been diligent about eating and drinking though, and still takes laps around the house. And he finally got a much needed haircut today (thanks to Wendi!), so he's not looking quite as wild and woolly!

Still Fighting

Well, it appears that Daddy is still fighting the so-far unspecified infection. He has had chills and a fever off and on for the past 2 days so today he went in for some bloodwork and another chest X-ray. They started him on another antibiotic and agreed that as long as his temperature stays down, he's eating and drinking, and they stay in touch with the dr. about any changes, he can stay home. So far he's stable. I assume it will be early next week before we have the results of the bloodwork. Hopefully, since he's been off of antibiotics for most of the week, the cultures will be more conclusive and they can know what they are treating. Otherwise, he was doing well -- eating and drinking more every day and "taking laps" between the kitchen and the living room. Whatever is going on with this infection is making him weak, though, and it is discouraging to continue to watch him do well and then digress. I know he's weary of it, too. Will update as able...

Home Sweet Home

Daddy got to come home today! He sounded good when I talked to him on the phone tonight and, while tired, he is relieved to finally be home. He will have a home health nurse come in a couple of times to check on him and also he will have physical therapy at home until they transition him to outpatient. He is not on any IVs or tube feeds, and is eating normally. The challenge will be for him to keep up his food and liquid intake, and get moving slowly so that he can regain his strength. Right now, we are still figuring out what Mom and Dad's day-to-day will look like so we'll update as we know more and when they are ready for visitors. Pray that no infections pop back up, and that he will continue to move forward. I think we are all longing for some sense of normalcy, and are starting to feel like it's a possibility in the not-so-distant future.

Hope

One by one, IV's are being removed, medications are being discontinued and we're looking towards busting out of the hospital. (All according to medical advisement, of course.) The word on the street (or rather the hospital halls) is that there's a possibility Daddy may be able to come home on Wednesday. Yes folks, after two months, he might be able to be sleep in his own bed by the end of the week! Hallelujah!
Certainly one of the contingencies is that he have adequate intake and that he be up and moving. Mom reports Daddy did a great job of eating today and was up much more frequently than he has been. Although Daddy continues to have a slightly elevated white blood count, they have discontinued the antibiotics and are keeping a close eye on him with regard to that. They haven't been able to locate anything that would explain the white blood count and as I reported over the weekend, it appears that the infection around his abdomen is resolving. Sooo...that's what I know today.

Progressing

Hello all. We continue to move forward a little at a time and are thankful that it feels like we're moving in the right direction! Daddy had a CT scan last night to check on the status of the infection in his abdomen and to see if there was any fluid still on his lungs--apparently, there's a small area of residual infection and a small amount of fluid on the lungs still. However, the doctors don't seem concerned about the fluid on the lungs and feel that will resolve on its own. My understanding regarding the infection is that Daddy will continue on antibiotics through the weekend. (The infectious disease MD is monitoring the infection closely, but I don't currently know what his opinion of the CT results were. All I know is that they're going to continue the antibiotics for the time being.)

They have postponed the 24 hour stomach feeds for the immediate future to give Daddy's system a chance to kick in, but Mom reports that Daddy is eating. Our goal is to keep him eating and moving so that he can finally get out of that hospital and (hopefully) into rehab! (I'll add, albeit cautiously, that the goal seems like it's in sight! ) Keep praying for continued strengthening, endurance, a healthy appetite and protection from additional complications.

Lastly, I have to echo Alicia's last post...these last few months have been a rollercoaster ride to say the least and I don't know that there are words to adequately express the gratitude that our family feels for all of you who have literally come along side us and held us together. It's been a beautiful picture of true community and the body of Christ at work in such tangible and practical ways. We are so very thankful for the outpouring of love and support, the cards, the prayers, the meals, the hugs, the visits and the countless other ways that you have cared for us through this time...

Thankful

Today I just wanted to say thanks to all the people who have loved on our family so well the past couple of months-- from family members who have come in at the last minute to lend a hand or just be there for encouragement to our church family who has truly walked with us on this long journey. We have received notes of encouragement from all over the country, literally. My girls have been loved on so well by friends who took them to play so I could be at the hospital. Daddy's co-workers have been super sweet in calling to check on him faithfully and letting us pester them as we try to figure out all the logistics of Daddy going on disability and/or retiring (and here's a shout out to Ida who has been incredible and really taken care of the logistics for us). I have just been thinking about this today, and overwhelmed with God's goodness to our family so I wanted to say so. I imagine that if you read this blog, then you are a part of that and we are blessed by the time you have taken to lift Daddy and us up in prayer.

PS -- There's not much change with Daddy today but we had a productive meeting with his surgeon and the nurses to get us all on the same page and make sure Daddy knows what he has to do to get out of the hospital, and we know best how to help him.

One step at a time

Daddy seems to be progressing a little bit every day. They currently have him on continuous feeds through his stomach tube, so he's feeling pretty full and not very interested in eating, but he is trying to eat a little. He was up several times today for 1 hr+ stretches and took a couple of walks. He is still very weak, but that is not unexpected based on all he's been through plus not really having much nutrition for nearly 2 months. I spoke with his surgeon for quite a while yesterday (all of the following is my translation of the medical language and may not be precise), and his surgeon indicated that Daddy's biggest challenge right now is lack of nutrition. For some reason, his body has not kicked back in and accepted the artificial nutrition very well -- this is probably partly due to the effects of chemo on his body. Also, when someone is malnourished, fluid is more likely to collect in the body which makes it easier for infection to harbor which can lead to more complications (as we have experienced). There are some signs that maybe his body is starting to accept the nourishment so we are hopeful. The dr. indicated that it takes months to correct lack of nutrition so regaining his strenght will take some time. Daddy has been in good spirits and more alert the past couple of days. We are still aiming for him to go to rehab sooner rather than later where they can help him get strong enough to come home. We continue to pray for healing and rest, and we continue to be overwhelmed and blessed by the support we have received from friends and family.

And we're back out of ICU again...

They moved Daddy back to the 6th floor today, although we still aren't clear on where the infection was/is. We hope that we'll get more answers Monday or Tuesday, when the lab results come back. Weekends in the hospital seem to be rough, especially if you're trying to get information! This afternoon, he was more alert (than yesterday when he was out of it all day) although still tired. He got out of bed and sat up for about an hour this morning. He did complain of tightness in his chest before they moved him out of ICU, so they did an EKG which was normal and decided that he was stable enough to move. We really don't know much more than we did a couple of days ago, except that they started a new antibiotic. I also noticed that he was much less swollen in his extremities today -- his feet looked much better than they have in weeks but he is still complaining of being bloated in his stomach. He has a lot of challenges ahead of him, but we are hoping and praying that this week he can definitively turn the corner for good. Mom has had a rough couple of days because Daddy has been very up and down since Thursday, and could use any encouragement that you are able to send her way. Email me offline if you need her address. Thanks again for all the faithful prayers and encouragement.

Brief update

So this is what I know: they think Daddy has an abscess on his liver that may be the source of the infection. They removed 3 1/2 liters (yes, you read that right -- three and one half liters) of fluid from his abdomen earlier today without putting a drain in (he had a blood thinner early this morning so they couldn't put a port in). So that explains why he had some difficulty breathing yesterday, and probably why he had chest pains. They did a CT scan that showed no evidence of a blood clot in his lungs (which was apparently a concern). He still has a blood clot in his leg that hasn't resolved. They put Daddy on a new antibiotic, and took him off the others that he has been on for 12 days. They have an infectious disease dr. on the case now who seems to be leading the charge in trying to figure this whole thing out. He is back on a liquid diet for now. Scott and I went to visit him tonight, and while he was obviously weary and discouraged, he sat up and talked to us for a while -- the longest (lucid) conversation I've had with him in weeks. He seemed more like himself, albeit exhausted and frail. Hopefully by Monday, we'll have more specific answers and they will be able to get on top of this infection that keeps haunting him. Will update as we know more.

And we're back in ICU

Apparently, Daddy has an infection in his abdomen -- not sure if it's something new or if the other never really cleared up. They did say he has less fluid there than last time. And he had chest pains last night so they moved him back up, with tentative plans to drain the fluid again. They have called in an infectious disease dr. to consult so hopefully this time there will be some resolution. Yesterday morning they took out the drain to his lungs and were talking about sending him to rehab today if there was a bed open, but he did not have a good morning when I was there yesterday and, personally, I was not overly optimistic that he would be in rehab today. It seems that we are stuck in the same cycle -- he shows signs of infection, goes to ICU, they seem to treat it, he seems better, but within the week he's showing signs of infection again. My mom is exhausted, and we are all quite tired of being up at the hospital. We appreciate all the people who have been praying for us faithfully. Will update when I know something else.

And we're back on the 6th floor...

They sprung Daddy from ICU on Sunday night, and he's been doing fairly well since. He's down to 1 IV and the drain in his side to drain fluid from his lungs. He has been sitting up for several hours each day, and he took a couple of walks today. For the past 2 days, he has been eating 3 small meals a day with small snacks. Since they took out the PICC line, which was providing him with most of his nutrition, eating is extra important and he seems to be tolerating most foods well so far. He's been somewhat groggy/tired which is likely a combination of some of the pain meds he's taken to help with the pain from the drain in his side, and just being worn out from all that his body has been through. Overall, though, he's not loopy like he was -- he seems to be more himself and more focused on recovering. We are just taking it one day at a time and rejoicing in the small steps forward for now.

One day at a time

Daddy was taken back up to ICU this morning after he developed chills and a fever. Doctors suspected the culprit was an infection that stemmed from his PICC line (which has been in for over a month now). The PICC line was removed, a dose of a powerful antibiotic was given and he'll be in ICU for 24 hours (give or take) for monitoring. He continues to have some fluid on his lung, but the earliest they can do something about that is tomorrow morning because Daddy's been on blood thinner for the clot behind his knee. It just seems to be one thing after another.
He was able to eat a little bit of this and that today, so that's a good sign...the more we can get food in him, the better! Please continue to pray for healing and resolution of these various issues. Daddy's frustration is evident (although certainly understandable) and our family is weary. It's so easy to be discouraged by these setbacks, but pray that we all will find hope, peace and encouragement in the day to day.

Back in ICU

Daddy is back in ICU. They think it's another infection but are running tests. That's all I know right now. One of us will post more later.

The Latest Speed Bump

So, you know how I said that if you go visit, invite Daddy to take a walk with you? I was just kidding. Because now he's bed-bound for a few days due to a small blood clot in his leg. Otherwise, he's eating more (and tolerating it), seems to be feeling better, and is definitely getting his voice back. They are going to send him to rehab before they send him home -- prior to finding out about the blood clots, it looked like he might go to rehab next week, but now that has probably been postponed another week. The doctors/nurses indicated that Daddy's likely had a rougher time recovering because of all the treatment he had for the cancer. I have been reading some blogs and other online support info about other patients who had Whipples, and I had noticed that theme as well -- i.e., the people who had a Whipple because of pancreatic cancer didn't seem to bounce back as quickly as those who had it for other reasons (pancreatitis, benign tumors). Visitors continue to be welcome -- he seems to have perked up a little the past couple of days, and always benefits from short visits! In other news, Mom's birthday is on Monday, so remember to wish her a happy birthday! (A good daughter wouldn't discuss her mother's age, but it's a big birthday for her.)

Moving Forward Again?

I say that tentatively because it seems that every time Daddy is doing better, something else happens, so I think we're all proceeding cautiously. However, in the past 2 days, several very good things have happened. They did a CT scan to make sure that there is no more fluid collecting in his abdomen or lungs, and it came back clear so they took out all the drains. Also, Daddy has been given the all clear to eat "whatever he wants," and while he hasn't taken full advantage of that yet, he has been eating some solid foods at every meal. He still has the drain in his stomach, but has not been using it (i.e., his digestive system is processing the food). He is still getting a little loopy in the afternoons/evenings, and we aren't sure why, especially since it's not consistent, but he definitely has periods where he's lucid and interacts like normal. He's also starting to get his voice back so it's easier to have a conversation with him. He definitely benefits from visitors, but tires easily so shorter visits work best for now. If you do visit, invite him to walk with you -- he may decline, but that's one of the things that will help him get home quicker. Thanks for your prayers -- keep praying!!

Musical rooms continues...

Daddy got moved back to his old hall last evening, and is actually across the hall from his last pre-ICU room. He seems like he is feeling better, although he still has many tubes in him. He is pretty lucid from the morning through early afternoon, and then he starts to get a little loopy. We suspect, after consulting with the nurse and Wendi's Dr. friend, that it is likely due to his electrolytes being off since he lost so much fluid the past few days. Overall, he seems to be in better spirits and has not really complained of hurting. His dr. will be back in tomorrow and we hope to get a better understanding of the plan for the week (i.e., when he can start eating more, when the drains will come out, etc). It seems to be difficult to get info on the weekends, which can be frustrating, although his nurse today was super nice and helpful. Please pray for strength for Daddy, and for us to continue to see God working through this situation in our family. I think we are all fighting discouragement as he enters week 5 of being in the hospital.

Out of ICU

Well, Wendi tried to update from the hospital and had some technical difficulties, hence just the header below. The update she tried to post went something like this (although this is my version based on the info she relayed to me)...
Daddy is out of ICU and back in a regular room. We have had a hard time getting info today (since they missed the dr. who rounds at the crack of dawn, literally), but Mom requested that they move him back to the last hall he was on prior to ICU because the nurses there really seemed to have his back, so that's in the works. Otherwise, he was really sleepy and out of it still, still has multiple drains in him and is still on oxygen but we were told he's doing too well to stay in ICU. They (Mom and Wendi) were going to work on getting him up and moving today some, and maybe eating/drinking some more.

Musical rooms--back to the 6th floor

Small steps

Today was not the leaps-and-bounds improvement we were hoping for but Daddy is doing better overall. He had fluid on his lungs that they had to remove today, and while he had more holes poked in him to drain the fluid, he can breathe better. They are focusing on breathing treatments and strengthening his lungs. They sent the fluid from his lungs off for culture to make sure he doesn't have pneumonia. In the meantime, they confirmed that there was infection in the fluid around his liver and they continue to treat that. He looks better, and was a little more active today. He listened to his ipod and watched a little TV (both of which he has mostly resisted in his entire hospital stay thus far). Tonight when I went to see him, he was in a good mood although a little loopy -- they are still working out the kinks in his medicine, and he's just exhausted. Keep praying for his body to rest and heal, and for rest for all of us as well!

Resting and Stable

Daddy is resting and stable now. They were able to do the procedure and inserted 2 drains in his abdomen because they found 2 places where fluid was collecting that were not connected. They think that the infection was in the fluid and the fluid may have leaked from the pancreas, but once they remove the fluid and the antibiotics kick in, the pancreas should heal itself. It takes 5 days to get the official lab culture results, the signs seem to be pointing to this fluid as the culprit of the infection. His fever broke during the procedure and his vitals have been stable all afternoon. He said right after the procedure that he feels better already, and the dr. said he should feel significantly better tomorrow. Before all of this started, he was actually hungry this morning, and the endoscopy yesterday showed that his stomach is working like it should, so hopefully tomorrow he will be back on the road to full recovery. He will be in ICU for 3-4 days (i.e. through the weekend) so he can't really have visitors. We understand that there are people who want to visit the family, and we welcome visitors -- the best time is around meal times, when we go down to the cafeteria. Kevin is our point person through Saturday morning, if you want to come visit and need to call someone to find us. Thanks for all the prayers -- we have been really blessed by the support we've received from family and friends, and see God meeting us in this.

Moved to ICU

Just spoke with Wendi and they moved Daddy to ICU because they can't seem to stabilize his temperature and heart rate right now. They hope to drain the fluid this afternoon if they can get him stable. Please pray for him.

Not the Ideal Birthday Present

So today is Daddy's 65th birthday and to celebrate, he got moved to a higher level of care. Last night he spiked a fever and his heart rate shot up so they did a couple of CT scans and found that he has fluid around his liver, and clearly there is some type of infection going on. They are still in the diagnosing stages today. In the meantime he still has a fever and is on antibiotics but stable. Will update when we know more. He is in the level of care between ICU and a regular room (I'm drawing a blank on the name of it now) -- basically he just gets a little more TLC.

Approaching Week 4

Well, I haven't posted much the past few days because I haven't really been sure what to post. It seems that he will have a really good day, then a not-so-good day. On the good days he is up frequently, interacting more like normal, more willing to try things, even watching TV occasionally, joking around. On the not-so-good days, he stays in bed a lot, seems very drowsy, sometimes complains of nausea, seems reluctant to move around and it seems difficult for him to engage in conversation. The doctors aren't really sure what's going on. They apparently took the "input" part of his g-tube (i.e., the tube in his stomach) out today since it wasn't working anyways, leaving just a drain in there. They have been talking for a couple of days about possibly doing an endoscopy to check out his throat/esophagus/stomach and make sure they aren't missing anything, but that hasn't happened yet and we are a little confused about if/when it will. Tomorrow it will be 4 weeks since his surgery. Pray for wisdom for the doctors to discern if there is anything physical hampering his recovery, for our ability to encourage him and help him take the steps he needs to get better, and for wisdom to know when he should go home.

One Step at a Time

After a couple of really rough days, Daddy seems to be moving forward again. He has been complaining of a really sore throat for several days, and today they finally decided that they think he has thrush (caused by being on antibiotics long term). They started treating that, his throat feels much better, and he seems to be more willing to eat and drink now. He also took his longest walk yet today. He has decided that he is going to do whatever it takes to get home by his birthday, which is next week (June 10). We appreciate your prayers that he would stay focused and determined. His biggest struggle (and ours too) this past week has been fighting discouragement. One other note: it seems that he has a TON of visitors on Sundays, which can get overwhelming, so we would encourage visitors to come throughout the week for short visits or call before coming on Sundays so we can stagger the visits better. But please keep coming to visit him -- he seems to benefit from visitors very much.

Change of scenery

Just a quick note that they gave Daddy a new, brighter, bigger room today (as of about noon). He's on the same floor, different hall -- so if you go to visit, check in at the front desk to get his room number. Please continue to pray for motivation for him to take the steps he needs to get better.

The latest plan

We have a plan...well, at least for now. The doctors have decided not to re-do the placement of the feeding tube, but will leave in the tube that is draining the fluid from his stomach. As the goal is for Daddy's stomach to resume working relatively normally, the doctors have decided to keep him in the hospital for another week in order to hopefully allow it to do so. He was given the green light to try soft foods and hopefully will be able to tolerate that well. (Daddy will be able to clamp the tube draining from his stomach to give his stomach an opportunity to process the food, but leaving the drain in will still alleviate some of the pressure until his stomach resumes functioning.) Please continue pray that his stomach will begin working and processing food. Also, continue to pray for his spirits--that he would feel encouraged, hopeful and motivated to get up and walk as much as possible despite entering week #3 of his hospital stay. Mom is hanging in there, although she is certainly weary from traveling to/from the hospital--please pray for endurance and rest for her.
(P.S. There is some talk that they move Daddy to another room for a change of scenery--will let you know if that transpires...)

Moving forward

Daddy's fever came down quickly Friday night and he seemed to be feeling very well that evening. Over the weekend, we seemed to have some difficulty communicating with the staff/doctors as we were expecting them to fix his feeding tube (because the dr. indicated they likely would); however it turns out that the doctors who would fix it don't work on the weekends unless it's an emergency, so we anticipate they will address that issue today. Daddy continues to struggle with discouragement, feeling like as soon as he starts to feel better, something else happens and he takes a couple steps backwards. There are some encouraging signs, like he seems to want to eat and doesn't seem to have much nausea these days. Will post more later...

Prayer alert!

Daddy has developed a low-grade fever -- they are unsure why but are treating it with an antibiotic. Also, they did an x-ray today and discovered that there is a "kink" in the feeding tube in his stomach -- i.e., it doesn't work and they are still trying to decide what to do about that. In the meantime, he hasn't been able to eat or drink anything (because he's in limbo about his stomach), but he is getting an IV with nutrients. Please pray for his body and protection from infection, and for my mom who has had a rough couple of days.

As promised...

Family pictures -- I am still figuring out this blog thing so didn't get them in the last post...

Keep praying...

This afternoon they put a feeding tube in Daddy's stomach to ensure that he gets enough nutrients when he goes home. When his digestive system starts working again and they are sure that he's back on track, they will remove it. It looks like he will go home with it, so hopefully this is a step closer to getting him home. Apparently he's in the small percentage of people whose digestive system takes a while to kick back in. Both of my parents are really struggling with discouragement right now, and really need your prayers. On a happy note, I am posting some family pictures that we took the weekend before Daddy's surgery, so enjoy!

2 Weeks

So, it's Wednesday and Daddy is still in the hospital, and we don't have an anticipated discharge date as of right now. He's been pretty groggy and irritable, we think mostly due to the pain meds he's been on, so they are adjusting them. It's a balance between managing his pain and being alert enough that he can mentally focus on his recovery. So far, from what I've read and what the doctors have said, the digestive symptoms he has been experiencing are still in the range of normal for this type of procedure. I read, too, that 14 days is the average post-Whipple hospital stay. When I was up there today, they were talking about putting the tube back in his stomach (via his nose) to relieve some of the bloating (i.e., his body still isn't processing things like it should). He actually asked for a milkshake and had a few sips of it today -- the first time he's really had an appetite for anything, but if they put the tube back in, he can't eat or drink anything. We have appreciated so much the flood of support the past few days -- we have really needed the encouragement.

Up and Down

We're aiming (again) to have Daddy home Wed. this week but again he has some progress to make before he can get there. Specifically, pray for the doctors to get his pain under control, for him to be able to eat more, and for his body to process the food properly. They took the tube out of his nose/stomach yesterday. He has eaten a little more today (actually tried a couple bites of mashed potatoes) and taken several more walks, but he still has very little appetite, and overall he is very discouraged. Daddy has not been very talkative partly because he lost his voice when the tube was down his throat and partly because the pain meds have him drowsy but he still seems to benefit from visitors and Mom definitely does. I think the longer he stays in the hospital, the more it wears on all of us emotionally and physically, so we appreciate your prayers for strength and stamina to stay upbeat for Daddy.

Day 10

Well, it seems that Daddy has a couple of good days and then hits a speed bump. We were hoping to be talking about going home today, but the past 2 days he has been in significant pain. They did a CT scan yesterday to make sure there were no blockages, and they did not find any but apparently a lot of fluid was sitting in his belly keeping his stomach from contracting so they put the tube back down his nose to his stomach to drain some of the fluid. I haven't been up there today but Mom said he was in a lot of pain last night still and didn't sleep well. While he has the tube in, he cannot eat or drink anything. It will be in for 2-3 days. They said it will be mid-week next week before we talk about going home again. Please pray that his stomach will kick in and start working properly. Most of the pain is from gas building up because his digestive system is not dissipating it like it should. Visitors are still welcome, more for Mom right now than anything -- it gets lonely up there and she is usually there from 10am-7pm at least every day.

Day 8 -- Praises!

Daddy continues to improve a little every day. He not eaten much at all yet due to having very little appetite, but for the past 2 days he has been able to keep everything down. He is taking frequent walks up and down the hall, and is pretty much "unplugged" except for 1 IV in his arm. Today we got the results of the pathology report -- the Dr. said that it's been a while since he got such a good report back. The tumor was 1.5 cm, the margins were clear and they did not find any cancer in the lymph nodes. Yay -- praise God for such good news! Mom and Dad both seem to benefit a lot from visitors at this stage, so feel free to visit them at the hospital.

Introduction

In October 2009, our Dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Last week, he had a Whipple procedure to remove the tumor along with a significant part of his digestive tract. Through this experience we have learned how many people love him, and how many lives he has touched through his generosity, gentleness, and faith. We created this blog to keep people updated on his progress, to provide an opportunity for others to encourage him, and to give glory to God for the work he has done in our lives through this journey.