Thursday, January 8, 2009
New blog...
For those of you who want to keep up with the Lomon clan (Quebec chapter)... you can find us here! http://mommabears-den.blogspot.com
New Year!
I was just referring a friend to the blog this morning when I realized that I haven't really written anything since last year. We'll call this the last update on Dave. I'll post our new blog site in the next message.
It's been 9 months since the last post. Not much has changed here. Dave is doing well, though not totally there yet. He's put back on most of the weight that he lost during his illness, but his muscle is still not 100%. He did have a bit of a scare a few weeks back when his thyroid medication was adjusted to a new (and too strong) dose. All is well now, though.
We're so very grateful that we are all still a family going into the new year, and more grateful still for all of our friends and family who support us and love us so much! (((hugs))) to all of you and all the best for 2009!
It's been 9 months since the last post. Not much has changed here. Dave is doing well, though not totally there yet. He's put back on most of the weight that he lost during his illness, but his muscle is still not 100%. He did have a bit of a scare a few weeks back when his thyroid medication was adjusted to a new (and too strong) dose. All is well now, though.
We're so very grateful that we are all still a family going into the new year, and more grateful still for all of our friends and family who support us and love us so much! (((hugs))) to all of you and all the best for 2009!
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Doing well
A small update for you all. Dave has now gained about 12 pounds. His weight gain seems to have slowed down, possibly because he's never been a "big" guy as far as his weight is concerned, possibly because he was on another course of antibiotics that prevented him from consuming as much dairy products as he'd been eating previously. Hopefully the gain will continue soon now that he's done with the antibiotics.
His incisions are doing very well and he's even able to change his own bandages (especially when I end up falling asleep on the couch at night... going back to work has caused me to go back to my old sleep schedule). Thankfully, the bandages are getting smaller and smaller and much easier to change now.
He will have some big scars from this, but as we've stated before "better a scar than the alternative".
He'll be visiting with his doctor again next week and will know more at that time as to when he'll be going back to work. He's really looking forward to returning to work. He's quite bored at home doing nothing all day.
A special thank you to all of the employees at Laura Shoppes Canada who pulled together a collection to help us pay for our new refrigerator. We are extremely grateful to you all for this heartfelt gift.
His incisions are doing very well and he's even able to change his own bandages (especially when I end up falling asleep on the couch at night... going back to work has caused me to go back to my old sleep schedule). Thankfully, the bandages are getting smaller and smaller and much easier to change now.
He will have some big scars from this, but as we've stated before "better a scar than the alternative".
He'll be visiting with his doctor again next week and will know more at that time as to when he'll be going back to work. He's really looking forward to returning to work. He's quite bored at home doing nothing all day.
A special thank you to all of the employees at Laura Shoppes Canada who pulled together a collection to help us pay for our new refrigerator. We are extremely grateful to you all for this heartfelt gift.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Up and around
Dave's getting stronger by the day and his weight is steadily going up. So far he's gained back 11 lbs and his calf muscles are almost back to normal.
He's feeling well enough now that he's planning a short visit to Laura (his work) sometime during the week. I'll probably be with him since I'm still not feeling comfortable with him driving that far out on his own. Consequently, it'll have to be an early morning visit so that I can be back to work on time for the lunch hour at school.
We're still receiving wonderful cards and gifts from the people in our lives and we are very much enjoying every one of them. Again, the gratitude we feel towards you all is truly overwhelming. It's nice to know that we have so many friends who love us this much!
Dave just reminded me that I never updated you all after his visit to the Doctor last week. His incisions are doing well enough that the one under his ear is no longer bandaged and the one on his neck is now only half covered. The doctor has given him at least 3 more weeks off work for now. When he goes back on the 30th, we'll know more about when he will be going back to work. I get the feeling that he's itching to get back there soon!
He's eating like there's no tomorrow! I swear, he goes through 2 litres of Homogenized milk per day! Not to mention all the protein he's eating. I'm just thrilled that he's gaining his weight back!
He's feeling well enough now that he's planning a short visit to Laura (his work) sometime during the week. I'll probably be with him since I'm still not feeling comfortable with him driving that far out on his own. Consequently, it'll have to be an early morning visit so that I can be back to work on time for the lunch hour at school.
We're still receiving wonderful cards and gifts from the people in our lives and we are very much enjoying every one of them. Again, the gratitude we feel towards you all is truly overwhelming. It's nice to know that we have so many friends who love us this much!
Dave just reminded me that I never updated you all after his visit to the Doctor last week. His incisions are doing well enough that the one under his ear is no longer bandaged and the one on his neck is now only half covered. The doctor has given him at least 3 more weeks off work for now. When he goes back on the 30th, we'll know more about when he will be going back to work. I get the feeling that he's itching to get back there soon!
He's eating like there's no tomorrow! I swear, he goes through 2 litres of Homogenized milk per day! Not to mention all the protein he's eating. I'm just thrilled that he's gaining his weight back!
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Weighty matters
I've spent most of my life trying to lose weight, and now I find myself in the position of trying to help someone GAIN weight! What irony!
When Dave left the hospital, he weighed a "whopping" 126 lbs. Two days later he was down to 124. Not good figures when you consider that the man is very close to 6 feet tall and that a "normal" weight for a man of that height is 155-160. So we're not trying to get that muscle back!
He's eating an average of 5-6 times per day, including his snacks. We're doing our very best to make sure that he gets plenty of protein and calcium to rebuild muscle and bone density lost during his illness. He's rather enjoying it, you all know how Dave loves to eat!
On another note, his incisions seem to be doing well. The big one is starting to close somewhat. We'll be seeing his doctor tomorrow afternoon so we can give you more updates after that.
My mom and dad arrived from Florida today. As usual, they were bearing gifts. Lots of peanut butter (good for the reversed dieter in the family) and a few other little things that were greatly appreciated. They both look great, but Dad looks particularly tired. Maybe a few days off the road will bring back his usual "sunny" disposition! :-p
When Dave left the hospital, he weighed a "whopping" 126 lbs. Two days later he was down to 124. Not good figures when you consider that the man is very close to 6 feet tall and that a "normal" weight for a man of that height is 155-160. So we're not trying to get that muscle back!
He's eating an average of 5-6 times per day, including his snacks. We're doing our very best to make sure that he gets plenty of protein and calcium to rebuild muscle and bone density lost during his illness. He's rather enjoying it, you all know how Dave loves to eat!
On another note, his incisions seem to be doing well. The big one is starting to close somewhat. We'll be seeing his doctor tomorrow afternoon so we can give you more updates after that.
My mom and dad arrived from Florida today. As usual, they were bearing gifts. Lots of peanut butter (good for the reversed dieter in the family) and a few other little things that were greatly appreciated. They both look great, but Dad looks particularly tired. Maybe a few days off the road will bring back his usual "sunny" disposition! :-p
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Home Sweet Home!
From Dave himself:
Hello everyone, I've made it home! Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers and for everything you've done for us.
(from Lynn)... as you know, Dave is a man of few words... but he gets his point across. We "broke him out" of the hospital last night. We waited forever for the doctor to come up from surgery to give us the OK, so we didn't actually leave the hospital until about 8 pm. Driving was dicey with the wet snow we had all day yesterday, but we made it home in one piece after a brief stop at the pharmacy for Dave's antibiotics.
Today I get to do Dave's bandages, but after a little course at the hospital, I'm ready for that.
Dave was the first up this morning and chose not to wake me. He made his own hearty breakfast and took his medicine. He didn't want to wake me, he's so sweet! We'll be having a little company tonight for the hockey game and we'll have to figure out a way of getting CBC to show on our TV without the benefit of cable.
Have a great day everyone!
Hello everyone, I've made it home! Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers and for everything you've done for us.
(from Lynn)... as you know, Dave is a man of few words... but he gets his point across. We "broke him out" of the hospital last night. We waited forever for the doctor to come up from surgery to give us the OK, so we didn't actually leave the hospital until about 8 pm. Driving was dicey with the wet snow we had all day yesterday, but we made it home in one piece after a brief stop at the pharmacy for Dave's antibiotics.
Today I get to do Dave's bandages, but after a little course at the hospital, I'm ready for that.
Dave was the first up this morning and chose not to wake me. He made his own hearty breakfast and took his medicine. He didn't want to wake me, he's so sweet! We'll be having a little company tonight for the hockey game and we'll have to figure out a way of getting CBC to show on our TV without the benefit of cable.
Have a great day everyone!
Friday, April 4, 2008
Three weeks ago
It was three weeks ago, today that Dave's doctors thought he might not pull through this thing. Today, we're actually waiting to hear if he will be coming home today or sometime this weekend. What an incredible three weeks it has been.
I'm fairly confident that everyone involved in this drama has learned something valuable from this experience. We certainly have.
We have always thought of ourselves as a fairly "prepared" family, but we know now that we're not as prepared as we should be. We need proper life insurance, we need wills, we need more savings, the list goes on.
However, we are grateful that we have some food storage... it has been a great blessing. We are grateful that we have camping equipment (i.e. a good cooler) to save us from our dead refrigerator, and we are especially grateful that we have you all in our lives. I know that I've probably said that many time in this blog... but I seriously don't think that I can say it enough.
Dave and I received a card yesterday from a family who very recently lost their young son. I want to share with you the message that was in this card... it reads:
For I will restore health to you... says the Lord. - Jeremiah 30:17 (RSV)
God bless you with returning health
and comfort from above,
God grant you peace and happiness,
surround you with His love,
And may the sweet assurance
of His constant love and care
Be yours today and every day-
This is my special prayer.
I can't tell you how much this card meant to Dave and to me. It really touched us that the Roach family, who are going through such turmoil at this time, would take the time to chose such a beautiful and heart warming message for our family.
Thank you so much, Glenna, Mike and Hailey. Our hearts and prayers are with you as well.
I'm fairly confident that everyone involved in this drama has learned something valuable from this experience. We certainly have.
We have always thought of ourselves as a fairly "prepared" family, but we know now that we're not as prepared as we should be. We need proper life insurance, we need wills, we need more savings, the list goes on.
However, we are grateful that we have some food storage... it has been a great blessing. We are grateful that we have camping equipment (i.e. a good cooler) to save us from our dead refrigerator, and we are especially grateful that we have you all in our lives. I know that I've probably said that many time in this blog... but I seriously don't think that I can say it enough.
Dave and I received a card yesterday from a family who very recently lost their young son. I want to share with you the message that was in this card... it reads:
For I will restore health to you... says the Lord. - Jeremiah 30:17 (RSV)
God bless you with returning health
and comfort from above,
God grant you peace and happiness,
surround you with His love,
And may the sweet assurance
of His constant love and care
Be yours today and every day-
This is my special prayer.
I can't tell you how much this card meant to Dave and to me. It really touched us that the Roach family, who are going through such turmoil at this time, would take the time to chose such a beautiful and heart warming message for our family.
Thank you so much, Glenna, Mike and Hailey. Our hearts and prayers are with you as well.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Weight loss
Dave has now lost about 18 lbs over the course of the past 2 weeks. Unbelievable! Like he could afford to lose weight?! I guess I'm just going to have to fatten him up when he gets home.
He may be coming home this coming weekend. We're both very happy about that! We'll have a quiet weekend at home with Ben gone to a friend's house for the weekend.
Once he's out, he'll have to have his bandage changed twice daily. That will be my job so I'm off to the hospital early today to learn how to do this particular bandage. I have experience with bandaging, so this won't be a problem.
He thoroughly enjoyed a visit from Mort and Louise Plaskett a couple of days ago. It's nice for him to see familiar faces and to know how much people love and care for him. He really enjoys all of the messages and cards he's received especially the one that showed up in our mailbox yesterday from the Daycare kids I see every day. The outpouring of love he's received is moving to both of us. Thank you all for your wonderful support!
He may be coming home this coming weekend. We're both very happy about that! We'll have a quiet weekend at home with Ben gone to a friend's house for the weekend.
Once he's out, he'll have to have his bandage changed twice daily. That will be my job so I'm off to the hospital early today to learn how to do this particular bandage. I have experience with bandaging, so this won't be a problem.
He thoroughly enjoyed a visit from Mort and Louise Plaskett a couple of days ago. It's nice for him to see familiar faces and to know how much people love and care for him. He really enjoys all of the messages and cards he's received especially the one that showed up in our mailbox yesterday from the Daycare kids I see every day. The outpouring of love he's received is moving to both of us. Thank you all for your wonderful support!
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
A Mighty Sneeze
Good day today.
Dave's doctor came in to remove the last two drains. He had Dave smile for him and confirmed that the left side of his jaw seems to be slightly paralysed. He said that full mobility will probably return within a few months but there is a small possibility that it may remain that way too. Right now, Dave is talking out one side of his mouth.
He also said that tomorrow, he will put a camera down through Dave's nose to go look at his esophagus and lungs. Not a pleasant procedure, but all things considered a small thing. He said that after that, the feeding tube could come out and Dave can start eating again.
After I got back home, I got a call from Dave and he wasn't sounding very good at all! He said that he'd had a huge sneeze and that he was trying very hard to find a way to blow his nose! After he hung up, I wondered if maybe he'd caught a cold. I know that if he did, he didn't get it from me! About 3 minutes later, Dave called again and sounded wonderful... it seems that that last sneeze dislodged his feeding tube and it came sliding out! He's very very happy about that and even happier that they've decided not to put it back in again. He was hoping he'd get to eat some real food tonight, but that's not to be. We'll see tomorrow after the doctor checks him out thoroughly, but we may have Dave home by the weekend!
Dave's doctor came in to remove the last two drains. He had Dave smile for him and confirmed that the left side of his jaw seems to be slightly paralysed. He said that full mobility will probably return within a few months but there is a small possibility that it may remain that way too. Right now, Dave is talking out one side of his mouth.
He also said that tomorrow, he will put a camera down through Dave's nose to go look at his esophagus and lungs. Not a pleasant procedure, but all things considered a small thing. He said that after that, the feeding tube could come out and Dave can start eating again.
After I got back home, I got a call from Dave and he wasn't sounding very good at all! He said that he'd had a huge sneeze and that he was trying very hard to find a way to blow his nose! After he hung up, I wondered if maybe he'd caught a cold. I know that if he did, he didn't get it from me! About 3 minutes later, Dave called again and sounded wonderful... it seems that that last sneeze dislodged his feeding tube and it came sliding out! He's very very happy about that and even happier that they've decided not to put it back in again. He was hoping he'd get to eat some real food tonight, but that's not to be. We'll see tomorrow after the doctor checks him out thoroughly, but we may have Dave home by the weekend!
Sinking in
Dave had a "good" day yesterday. Or, I should say that it was as good as it gets when you're stuck in the hospital.
We spent the afternoon trying to watch a movie on our little DVD player but were interrupted over and over by nurses, physiotherapists, etc, etc, etc. We didn't mind, of course, it's to be expected.
When I returned last night with Benjamin and Dave started to talk about all of this, he started to realize and mean really realize just what's been happening. It's easy for us all to forget that he's been mostly out of it for the entire time and has absolutely no idea of the drama that was unfolding. I hope he talks about it and sees all of the blessings first, then the harder parts.
Still no news from the doctors on when those last two drains can come out. I know that he won't get the feeding tube removed until then. Dave is very very much looking forward to having real food soon. His choices will be limited for a while, but anything has got to be better than a tube!
His blood glucose levels were almost in the normal range yesterday. I think that was the best news of all yesterday.
We spent the afternoon trying to watch a movie on our little DVD player but were interrupted over and over by nurses, physiotherapists, etc, etc, etc. We didn't mind, of course, it's to be expected.
When I returned last night with Benjamin and Dave started to talk about all of this, he started to realize and mean really realize just what's been happening. It's easy for us all to forget that he's been mostly out of it for the entire time and has absolutely no idea of the drama that was unfolding. I hope he talks about it and sees all of the blessings first, then the harder parts.
Still no news from the doctors on when those last two drains can come out. I know that he won't get the feeding tube removed until then. Dave is very very much looking forward to having real food soon. His choices will be limited for a while, but anything has got to be better than a tube!
His blood glucose levels were almost in the normal range yesterday. I think that was the best news of all yesterday.
Monday, March 31, 2008
New Room!
Dave called last night (twice actually!) He's in his room now and out of ICU. I have the room number but don't want to post it on the web so please contact me personally or call Anna Laberge hospital in Chateauguay and they will give you the room number. You can email me at mommabear.lds@gmail.com, or call me at home until 10:30 am. Visiting hours are from noon to 9 pm, but only 2 visitors at a time. I'll be there most days from noon to 4 or 5 pm, and tonight I'm going to take Ben to see Daddy for the first time in 2 weeks.
Dave doesn't currently have a room mate, so it's nice and quiet for him.
More later.
Dave doesn't currently have a room mate, so it's nice and quiet for him.
More later.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Laughter is the Best Medicine
You know, I can count on both hands the number of times that I've managed to make Dave laugh until the tears run down his face. This in the space of the 24 years that we've known each other. Being a natural clown, he doesn't laugh at other's antics very often, even if he does find them mildly humorous. I'm please to announce that I did it again! (albeit unintentionally).
I was telling him that I wanted to change the shower head on our downstairs shower. I've bought the part needed and just need to find Dave's vice grips to get the job done. He started to tell me where the vice grips could be found and then decided that he had another tool that would do the job better. As he started to describe this tool, he suddenly stopped and started to laugh heartily until the tears were streaming down his face. I must have been a sight, I couldn't figure out why he was laughing. After cleaning up his face of tears, he told me that I had had that "dear caught in the headlights" look and that was what made him laugh. Well, what ever works! After all, Laughter IS the best medicine.
On a more concerned note, we were told today that Dave's blood sugar levels are still quite out of whack, even though he has been off the cortisone for several days. There could be three reasons for this. The first is that the cortisone hasn't completely worked itself out of his system, the second is that his body is still "stressed" from the many surgical procedures he's had to endure, and the third (the one we hope is not the case) is that he has developed type 2 diabetes. He took the news well, and with the usual "Dave" blasé attitude. "So I may have to take more pills than just the one in the morning and watch what I eat." He took it far better than I would have had someone told me I may have diabetes!
The ICU is still his home away from home for the time being. He knows all of the nurses by their first name now and has a friendly rivalry going with Eric, one of the nurses. Eric, you see, is a Boston Bruins fan.
I'll let you all know when he's out so that if any of you would like to visit, you may.
That's all the news for now, more tomorrow.
I was telling him that I wanted to change the shower head on our downstairs shower. I've bought the part needed and just need to find Dave's vice grips to get the job done. He started to tell me where the vice grips could be found and then decided that he had another tool that would do the job better. As he started to describe this tool, he suddenly stopped and started to laugh heartily until the tears were streaming down his face. I must have been a sight, I couldn't figure out why he was laughing. After cleaning up his face of tears, he told me that I had had that "dear caught in the headlights" look and that was what made him laugh. Well, what ever works! After all, Laughter IS the best medicine.
On a more concerned note, we were told today that Dave's blood sugar levels are still quite out of whack, even though he has been off the cortisone for several days. There could be three reasons for this. The first is that the cortisone hasn't completely worked itself out of his system, the second is that his body is still "stressed" from the many surgical procedures he's had to endure, and the third (the one we hope is not the case) is that he has developed type 2 diabetes. He took the news well, and with the usual "Dave" blasé attitude. "So I may have to take more pills than just the one in the morning and watch what I eat." He took it far better than I would have had someone told me I may have diabetes!
The ICU is still his home away from home for the time being. He knows all of the nurses by their first name now and has a friendly rivalry going with Eric, one of the nurses. Eric, you see, is a Boston Bruins fan.
I'll let you all know when he's out so that if any of you would like to visit, you may.
That's all the news for now, more tomorrow.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
High Spirits
He's baaaack!
I walked into the ICU today and was greeted with a hearty wave and "Hi sweets!" A few seconds later Dave informed me that he now has a "flip-top head". He apparently asked to see his incision and was quite impressed.
A few minutes after that, his surgeon came it to look at the drains, so I also got to see the incisions. Not for the weak stomach, but it's not nearly as bad as I had envisioned it. It is, however, considerably longer than the nurse had told me. It's going to leave an impressive scar. In total, he has 3 incisions, two of which are about 2 inches long. The larger one is about 8-10 inches long. The surgeon was very pleased with what he saw and he proceeded to remove 7 of the 9 drains. I had to turn away, that was kind of gross. The last two drains will come out tomorrow or Monday. He also said that Dave will NOT require skin grafting after all! They will simply stitch the incision closed and there will only be a few lines to show where he was operated on.
Dave was in excellent spirits all day long and even sat in the chair around noon time. He read his book for a while until the book "got heavy" and had to stop. He tried to listen to Ben's MP3 player, but he discovered that there were only a handful of songs programmed into it, so I'll have to bring him mine tomorrow instead. He'll have a better selection and he'll also have FM radio if he wants to listen to his favourite morning show. Unfortunately, he's going to have to continue getting his hockey scores second hand for the time being.
He was very happy to hear all of your messages and wanted me to thank you all for caring so much about him and thank you all for the support you all offered to our family. We are truly in debt to you all.
I asked him if he would like visitors when he gets out of the ICU and he said "sure!" When I asked if he wanted me to limit the number of visitor per day, he said that would be a good idea, I should limit it to 50 visitors per day. Sounds like Dave's back in fine form (at least psychologically). Physically he's on the mend. He's weak, but he'll make it... that's all that counts.
I walked into the ICU today and was greeted with a hearty wave and "Hi sweets!" A few seconds later Dave informed me that he now has a "flip-top head". He apparently asked to see his incision and was quite impressed.
A few minutes after that, his surgeon came it to look at the drains, so I also got to see the incisions. Not for the weak stomach, but it's not nearly as bad as I had envisioned it. It is, however, considerably longer than the nurse had told me. It's going to leave an impressive scar. In total, he has 3 incisions, two of which are about 2 inches long. The larger one is about 8-10 inches long. The surgeon was very pleased with what he saw and he proceeded to remove 7 of the 9 drains. I had to turn away, that was kind of gross. The last two drains will come out tomorrow or Monday. He also said that Dave will NOT require skin grafting after all! They will simply stitch the incision closed and there will only be a few lines to show where he was operated on.
Dave was in excellent spirits all day long and even sat in the chair around noon time. He read his book for a while until the book "got heavy" and had to stop. He tried to listen to Ben's MP3 player, but he discovered that there were only a handful of songs programmed into it, so I'll have to bring him mine tomorrow instead. He'll have a better selection and he'll also have FM radio if he wants to listen to his favourite morning show. Unfortunately, he's going to have to continue getting his hockey scores second hand for the time being.
He was very happy to hear all of your messages and wanted me to thank you all for caring so much about him and thank you all for the support you all offered to our family. We are truly in debt to you all.
I asked him if he would like visitors when he gets out of the ICU and he said "sure!" When I asked if he wanted me to limit the number of visitor per day, he said that would be a good idea, I should limit it to 50 visitors per day. Sounds like Dave's back in fine form (at least psychologically). Physically he's on the mend. He's weak, but he'll make it... that's all that counts.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Awake
Dave is awake and aware. Maybe too aware. He's having quite a lot of pain. The medication makes it "tolerable", but he's quiet... even for Dave.
I read to him this afternoon, I think it gave him something to focus on other than the noise of the ICU and the pain.
He was supposed to be moved to a regular room today, but since there has been quite a lot of space freed up in ICU, they've decided to keep him a little longer. I'm not complaining, he'll get more "personal" care there but I'm going to bring him some music to make the place a little more friendly sounding.
His hands are not as swollen, that looks better some. They must have cut back on the cortisone. He doesn't remember much. He was quite surprised to know that he's been in the hospital a total of 10 days now. He seemed really moved when I read the messages from you all. I will bring him more tomorrow.
Nite!
I read to him this afternoon, I think it gave him something to focus on other than the noise of the ICU and the pain.
He was supposed to be moved to a regular room today, but since there has been quite a lot of space freed up in ICU, they've decided to keep him a little longer. I'm not complaining, he'll get more "personal" care there but I'm going to bring him some music to make the place a little more friendly sounding.
His hands are not as swollen, that looks better some. They must have cut back on the cortisone. He doesn't remember much. He was quite surprised to know that he's been in the hospital a total of 10 days now. He seemed really moved when I read the messages from you all. I will bring him more tomorrow.
Nite!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Correction
I deleted the last post because after visiting the CDC site, I realized that I have been mis-informed (oddly enough, by hospital staff... anyway), so if any of you are curious or concerned about Necrotizing Fasciitis, you are welcome to check out their web site at... http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/groupastreptococcal_g.htm
I will, however stress that this was NOT caused by smoking. Both smokers and non smokers can contract Strep A and B. This infection was either caused by an abscessed tooth or by an abscessed tonsil.
I will, however stress that this was NOT caused by smoking. Both smokers and non smokers can contract Strep A and B. This infection was either caused by an abscessed tooth or by an abscessed tonsil.
Today's surgery
It was a bit of a mixed feelings day today. When I arrived at the hospital, Dave was back on the ventilator, and had been given morphine again. They did this to assure him of a good night's sleep. He was quite awake though, and he was also somewhat grumpy. He refused to respond to me for a while and was obviously displeased at being restrained. I asked him if he was sad and he nodded slightly.
At 11:45 he was taken to the operating room for surgery number 4. When I returned to see him at 2, his breathing tube had been removed and he was looking much more like his old self (minus the beard and mustache of course!). He was quite groggy, but responded with small nods to questions. He also was quite happy to have his hair played in. I didn't stay long as I wanted him to get some rest after the surgery.
This evening, he had a visit from Sheila H. who works with him at Laura. When I spoke to her later, Sheila said that Dave was talking a little and responding to questions. I can't wait to hear his voice for myself tomorrow.
I'm guessing from this that the drain has been removed from his mouth. I know that talking is probably still painful for him because of the tonsillectomy, but he's making the effort and that's what counts.
At 11:45 he was taken to the operating room for surgery number 4. When I returned to see him at 2, his breathing tube had been removed and he was looking much more like his old self (minus the beard and mustache of course!). He was quite groggy, but responded with small nods to questions. He also was quite happy to have his hair played in. I didn't stay long as I wanted him to get some rest after the surgery.
This evening, he had a visit from Sheila H. who works with him at Laura. When I spoke to her later, Sheila said that Dave was talking a little and responding to questions. I can't wait to hear his voice for myself tomorrow.
I'm guessing from this that the drain has been removed from his mouth. I know that talking is probably still painful for him because of the tonsillectomy, but he's making the effort and that's what counts.
News from Dave's Surgeon
This is going to be another long one.
I had a conversation with Dave's surgeon last night, not long after I updated the log. He says that the infection is under control (yay!) and that the breathing tube which was supposed to come out last night will stay in until today or tomorrow to make certain that his breathing is good.
He also said that barring any complications, we could expect to bring Dave home in about one week (give or take)!! He will have to go back to the hospital a couple of weeks after that for a skin graft on his neck to close the 6 inch by 1 1/2 inch wound. For that he will only stay one night or two. He should be eating again in a few days.
On Friday (the day after Dave's Priesthood Blessing), Dave underwent a second scan. When Dr. Larose saw the scan, he became quite frightened for Dave's life. He scheduled Dave's surgery for the following morning so that his team would be "fresh". The surgery itself was very delicate. The abscesses were numerous and the most troubling abscess was right at the base of Dave's skull mere millimeters from the Carotid Artery. As he operated, he strongly felt that God was guiding him (his words) and that there were "angels" attending in the room. He was prompted to not only remove Dave's bottom teeth, but all of his top teeth as well as his tonsils.
At this point in our conversation, I told him of the blessing that Dave was given on Thursday afternoon. He briefly paused before telling me this story...
When Dave's surgery was over, Dr. Larose was called to the St-Jean Hospital on a consult. While he was there, a 3 year old child was brought into the emergency room. The child had choked on a piece of pop corn and was in severe respiratory distress. The attending physician intubated the child, but the child was still not drawing in air. Since Dr. Larose was in the building he was called to assist. He passed a fiber optic wire into the child's wind pipe and pushed out the kernel of pop corn. The child left the hospital the same day no worse for wear. Doctor Larose insists that there was an angel there as well as during Dave's surgery.
It's nice to see and know that there are still doctors in this world who don't have the "god complex" and who believe in the power of prayer, blessings and ministering angels. I thanked Doctor Larose. I told him that there were no words grand enough to express my gratitude for what he had done. He was very humble.
I'll be going to the hospital again today, this time I'm taking my "bestest buddy" with me. I think Dave will be thrilled to see her. I will be bringing all of your comments with me to read to Dave.
I had a conversation with Dave's surgeon last night, not long after I updated the log. He says that the infection is under control (yay!) and that the breathing tube which was supposed to come out last night will stay in until today or tomorrow to make certain that his breathing is good.
He also said that barring any complications, we could expect to bring Dave home in about one week (give or take)!! He will have to go back to the hospital a couple of weeks after that for a skin graft on his neck to close the 6 inch by 1 1/2 inch wound. For that he will only stay one night or two. He should be eating again in a few days.
On Friday (the day after Dave's Priesthood Blessing), Dave underwent a second scan. When Dr. Larose saw the scan, he became quite frightened for Dave's life. He scheduled Dave's surgery for the following morning so that his team would be "fresh". The surgery itself was very delicate. The abscesses were numerous and the most troubling abscess was right at the base of Dave's skull mere millimeters from the Carotid Artery. As he operated, he strongly felt that God was guiding him (his words) and that there were "angels" attending in the room. He was prompted to not only remove Dave's bottom teeth, but all of his top teeth as well as his tonsils.
At this point in our conversation, I told him of the blessing that Dave was given on Thursday afternoon. He briefly paused before telling me this story...
When Dave's surgery was over, Dr. Larose was called to the St-Jean Hospital on a consult. While he was there, a 3 year old child was brought into the emergency room. The child had choked on a piece of pop corn and was in severe respiratory distress. The attending physician intubated the child, but the child was still not drawing in air. Since Dr. Larose was in the building he was called to assist. He passed a fiber optic wire into the child's wind pipe and pushed out the kernel of pop corn. The child left the hospital the same day no worse for wear. Doctor Larose insists that there was an angel there as well as during Dave's surgery.
It's nice to see and know that there are still doctors in this world who don't have the "god complex" and who believe in the power of prayer, blessings and ministering angels. I thanked Doctor Larose. I told him that there were no words grand enough to express my gratitude for what he had done. He was very humble.
I'll be going to the hospital again today, this time I'm taking my "bestest buddy" with me. I think Dave will be thrilled to see her. I will be bringing all of your comments with me to read to Dave.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Discomfort
I spent the better part of the day with Dave today. I arrived to find him quite conscious. They have "dialed down" his anesthetic and taken him off the ventilator. He's breathing on his own, but he's still receiving oxygen. We had a great conversation... that's to say, I talked, he wiggled his eyebrows. He's thrilled that the Canadiens have clinched their playoff spot (his eyebrows rose a great deal for that news). He enjoyed a sponge bath that I was permitted to assist with, and we shared a few private jokes. He was really trying hard not to laugh when I told him about the plot that his sister Cecile and I had been hatching to pierce his ear and give him a tattoo while he slept. We were kidding of course.
Dave was visibly moved knowing that Cecile, Barry, Mark, Ed and Heather had been to visit and was visibly elated when I told him that Brother Theriault had been there to give him a blessing. I could really feel the love that he feels for all of these people. We also shared a prayer together just before I left for the day.
His surgery has been moved to this evening sometime, and I was assured that his surgeon will be calling me himself this evening some time. He will probably be removing the breathing tube today as well. This is good, but worrisome none the less. You see, with the breathing tube gone and with him breathing on his own they will no longer be able to give him morphine. The reason for this is that the morphine is so strong that it could cause him to slip into a deeper than normal sleep and he could have respiratory distress as a result. Sadly, that means that he is now in tremendous pain at the moment.
For the most part, it was a good visit, but seeing him in so much pain was quite upsetting to me. Following the surgery today, they will give him a lighter pain medication, but it will only take the edge off the pain, not eliminate it completely.
He's so strong, and I can see the he's fighting very hard. I'm proud of my man.... he's a fighter. I know he will continue to fight as hard as he can.
Dave was visibly moved knowing that Cecile, Barry, Mark, Ed and Heather had been to visit and was visibly elated when I told him that Brother Theriault had been there to give him a blessing. I could really feel the love that he feels for all of these people. We also shared a prayer together just before I left for the day.
His surgery has been moved to this evening sometime, and I was assured that his surgeon will be calling me himself this evening some time. He will probably be removing the breathing tube today as well. This is good, but worrisome none the less. You see, with the breathing tube gone and with him breathing on his own they will no longer be able to give him morphine. The reason for this is that the morphine is so strong that it could cause him to slip into a deeper than normal sleep and he could have respiratory distress as a result. Sadly, that means that he is now in tremendous pain at the moment.
For the most part, it was a good visit, but seeing him in so much pain was quite upsetting to me. Following the surgery today, they will give him a lighter pain medication, but it will only take the edge off the pain, not eliminate it completely.
He's so strong, and I can see the he's fighting very hard. I'm proud of my man.... he's a fighter. I know he will continue to fight as hard as he can.
Short for now
Hi everyone, Dave had an excellent night and is resting as comfortably as possible under the circumstances. He is scheduled for surgery late this afternoon.
We continue to feel and experience the outpouring of love from all of you and we certainly feel your prayers and the power of his Priesthood Blessing at work.
Thank you for all of your comments. As soon as Dave is conscious, I will read them all to him.
On a side note, by request I've added a couple of family photos at the bottom of the blog. Feel free to take a peek.
We continue to feel and experience the outpouring of love from all of you and we certainly feel your prayers and the power of his Priesthood Blessing at work.
Thank you for all of your comments. As soon as Dave is conscious, I will read them all to him.
On a side note, by request I've added a couple of family photos at the bottom of the blog. Feel free to take a peek.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Progressing
Hi, a brief little update this morning. Dave had a good night, his vital signs are all normal and there is no fever.
More surgery tomorrow to clean and scrape, and as I said yesterday he may have the breathing tube removed tomorrow as well. If this happens, he will be taken off the anesthetic and will regain consciousness. I was concerned when they told me the tube will come out because earlier on I had been told that if he removed the tube himself, they would not be able to get it back in again. When I expressed my concern I was assured that the swelling had gone down sufficiently that they would be able to re-intubate if necessary.
His night nurse also told me that we can assume that he will be hospitalized a minimum of 2 more weeks, possibly longer, until they are able to remove all of the drains in his neck and mouth. He will have to keep his feeding tube some time as well because he will not be able to eat anything orally until his throat heals.
I am taking a "day off" from the hospital today because I am simply exhausted. Since he is still anesthetized, this is a good time to be away.
I know that some of you have been having difficulty posting comments. I have adjusted the settings and it shouldn't be a problem anymore. If it is, just send me an email instead at mommabear.lds@gmail.com
More news when it becomes available.
More surgery tomorrow to clean and scrape, and as I said yesterday he may have the breathing tube removed tomorrow as well. If this happens, he will be taken off the anesthetic and will regain consciousness. I was concerned when they told me the tube will come out because earlier on I had been told that if he removed the tube himself, they would not be able to get it back in again. When I expressed my concern I was assured that the swelling had gone down sufficiently that they would be able to re-intubate if necessary.
His night nurse also told me that we can assume that he will be hospitalized a minimum of 2 more weeks, possibly longer, until they are able to remove all of the drains in his neck and mouth. He will have to keep his feeding tube some time as well because he will not be able to eat anything orally until his throat heals.
I am taking a "day off" from the hospital today because I am simply exhausted. Since he is still anesthetized, this is a good time to be away.
I know that some of you have been having difficulty posting comments. I have adjusted the settings and it shouldn't be a problem anymore. If it is, just send me an email instead at mommabear.lds@gmail.com
More news when it becomes available.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Encouragement
I spoke to the ICU nurse a few minutes ago and Dave was out of surgery. The doctor is said to be "Encouraged" by what he saw during surgery. They will be operating again on Wednesday and if the healing process is going well, Dave will be extubated (have his breathing tube removed) sometime this week.
I am so grateful for this news. Grateful especially for the intervention of our Father in Heaven and for all of the prayers on Dave's behalf. Please keep those prayers coming as Dave will have a long road to travel towards complete recovery. I know that he's going to pull through this!
For the time being, I will be updating this blog every time I have news. This can be several times per day.
On a sadder note, I just returned from a memorial service for a young boy of 8 who very suddenly passed away two Sundays ago. His parents are devastated. Please pray for the Roach / Wallis / Johnstone families during this terribly tragic time. They desperately need the comfort of our Father.
I am so grateful for this news. Grateful especially for the intervention of our Father in Heaven and for all of the prayers on Dave's behalf. Please keep those prayers coming as Dave will have a long road to travel towards complete recovery. I know that he's going to pull through this!
For the time being, I will be updating this blog every time I have news. This can be several times per day.
On a sadder note, I just returned from a memorial service for a young boy of 8 who very suddenly passed away two Sundays ago. His parents are devastated. Please pray for the Roach / Wallis / Johnstone families during this terribly tragic time. They desperately need the comfort of our Father.
So far, so good...
Our cautious optimism continues.
All day yesterday as well as overnight, Dave's temperature was normal and his vitals signs are excellent. What a strong man he is.
He is in some pain at times, especially when the painkiller wears off a little. I can tell he's in pain when his brow furrows and small lines appear on his eye lids. I inform his nurse and she immediately prepares a syringe for his painkiller.
He didn't wake for me last night except to open his eyes very briefly.
The nurses who changed his bandage were expecting the worst (especially since both of them had already seen the wound in his neck earlier in the week), they said that they were pleasantly surprised by the condition of the wound this time. He will, however, be going in for surgery again today so that the doctor can scrape any dead tissue away and for a closer look at his wound. He will also send the small camera back up his nose and down near his lungs to be sure that no infection is taking hold there.
Dave's blood sugar levels are all out of whack. Apparently this is "normal" for people who are on the type of medications that he is on and it is not to be worried about. The nurses test his sugar levels every 4 hours and administer insulin as needed. The poor man is becoming a pin-cushion!
I was encouraged to bring music for Dave to listen to, so I will be commandeering Ben's MP-3 player and downloading some soothing music. It has been clinically proven that certain types of music promote healing and well being. We'll take all the healing we can get!
Surgery is at 9 AM.
Benjamin is coming home tonight and will resume his studies tomorrow. Thankfully he's only missed 1 day of school throughout this ordeal (so far). Having him home in the evenings will be more of a challenge for me to be able to visit Dave, but we've already heard of some ideas in the works with the men of our Church to take Ben under their wings in the coming week. We are extremely grateful for this.
You'll notice that at the bottom of each post there is a place where it says "Comments". Please feel free to leave messages to Dave here if you wish. I will read them to him.
More news tonight. Have a great day!
All day yesterday as well as overnight, Dave's temperature was normal and his vitals signs are excellent. What a strong man he is.
He is in some pain at times, especially when the painkiller wears off a little. I can tell he's in pain when his brow furrows and small lines appear on his eye lids. I inform his nurse and she immediately prepares a syringe for his painkiller.
He didn't wake for me last night except to open his eyes very briefly.
The nurses who changed his bandage were expecting the worst (especially since both of them had already seen the wound in his neck earlier in the week), they said that they were pleasantly surprised by the condition of the wound this time. He will, however, be going in for surgery again today so that the doctor can scrape any dead tissue away and for a closer look at his wound. He will also send the small camera back up his nose and down near his lungs to be sure that no infection is taking hold there.
Dave's blood sugar levels are all out of whack. Apparently this is "normal" for people who are on the type of medications that he is on and it is not to be worried about. The nurses test his sugar levels every 4 hours and administer insulin as needed. The poor man is becoming a pin-cushion!
I was encouraged to bring music for Dave to listen to, so I will be commandeering Ben's MP-3 player and downloading some soothing music. It has been clinically proven that certain types of music promote healing and well being. We'll take all the healing we can get!
Surgery is at 9 AM.
Benjamin is coming home tonight and will resume his studies tomorrow. Thankfully he's only missed 1 day of school throughout this ordeal (so far). Having him home in the evenings will be more of a challenge for me to be able to visit Dave, but we've already heard of some ideas in the works with the men of our Church to take Ben under their wings in the coming week. We are extremely grateful for this.
You'll notice that at the bottom of each post there is a place where it says "Comments". Please feel free to leave messages to Dave here if you wish. I will read them to him.
More news tonight. Have a great day!
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Cautiously optimistic
A little update for Easter afternoon.
Dave had another scan this afternoon and Blessed Be... it was clear! We are cautiously optimistic at this point.
He will be back in surgery tomorrow (that will be the 3rd surgery since last Wednesday) to clean the wounds and scrape again if necessary. There will be another scan scheduled for Tuesday after that.
His color and vital signs are very good today, no fever to speak of. He is still heavily sedated and slept through the two visiting blocks that I was there (6 hours worth). I don't believe he will need to be catching up on his sleep after this! I will be going back this evening to sign the consent forms for the surgery, with any luck I'll get to talk to him tonight and actually see the color of his eyes. He's been spoiling me, so far every evening he's woken up for me. Doesn't that sound just like Dave a few years back? Up all night and asleep all day!
He's going to be a little miffed when he wakes up and realized that his chest has also been shaved! Oddly enough, his sister Cecile and I had been joking with him on Friday that we were going to wax his chest while he was sleeping! Strange how that happened anyway!
Dave had another scan this afternoon and Blessed Be... it was clear! We are cautiously optimistic at this point.
He will be back in surgery tomorrow (that will be the 3rd surgery since last Wednesday) to clean the wounds and scrape again if necessary. There will be another scan scheduled for Tuesday after that.
His color and vital signs are very good today, no fever to speak of. He is still heavily sedated and slept through the two visiting blocks that I was there (6 hours worth). I don't believe he will need to be catching up on his sleep after this! I will be going back this evening to sign the consent forms for the surgery, with any luck I'll get to talk to him tonight and actually see the color of his eyes. He's been spoiling me, so far every evening he's woken up for me. Doesn't that sound just like Dave a few years back? Up all night and asleep all day!
He's going to be a little miffed when he wakes up and realized that his chest has also been shaved! Oddly enough, his sister Cecile and I had been joking with him on Friday that we were going to wax his chest while he was sleeping! Strange how that happened anyway!
Easter Morning
Dave had another surgery yesterday. They found several new abscesses had formed so they worked on those. He now has 9 drains in his neck and one in his mouth. They removed about 15 teeth and his tonsils as well. They cannot close up his gums because they wouldn't be able to see if infection was forming so his mouth has to be suctioned every hour. This is very painful for him.
It took me about 15 minutes to realize that they shaved off his beard and mustache. When I told him this, he opened his eyes! He was mostly conscious for about 2 hours while I visited. I chatter to him constantly and he reacts somewhat to what I say. He can't speak (of course), but he blinks for yes and no. He looks me straight in the eye and doesn't break eye contact at all. I was lightly touching his hand and he raised his hand to grip mine. He's so strong! I know in my heart that he is fighting a mighty battle and that he will win! He did try to speak once, all that came out was sort of a soft grunt. One of the doctors was checking his breathing shortly afterward, so I told him that he'd tried to speak. He said to Dave "That's really good! Now don't do it again!" (smile)
Today he is scheduled for another scan. The doctor has scheduled more surgery for Monday, but if the scan is not good he will come in today to do the surgery. You just have to have respect for a doctor who is willing to give up his Easter Sunday for a patient.
I am so very grateful for the wonderful support that we have had over the past several days. Our families been wonderful as have our friends from the Greenfield Park ward and all of my "Hearts" ladies. Dave's friends and work mates have also been wonderful. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support and love you all very much. Please continue to pray for Dave's healing and please please please think ONLY positive thoughts. He WILL beat this! He WILL be home with us again! He is STRONG and has a great heart. The angels of Heaven are attending to him and surrounding his medical team, I feel them there every day. Our Father In Heaven will help him gain his strength back and will bring him home to us!
It took me about 15 minutes to realize that they shaved off his beard and mustache. When I told him this, he opened his eyes! He was mostly conscious for about 2 hours while I visited. I chatter to him constantly and he reacts somewhat to what I say. He can't speak (of course), but he blinks for yes and no. He looks me straight in the eye and doesn't break eye contact at all. I was lightly touching his hand and he raised his hand to grip mine. He's so strong! I know in my heart that he is fighting a mighty battle and that he will win! He did try to speak once, all that came out was sort of a soft grunt. One of the doctors was checking his breathing shortly afterward, so I told him that he'd tried to speak. He said to Dave "That's really good! Now don't do it again!" (smile)
Today he is scheduled for another scan. The doctor has scheduled more surgery for Monday, but if the scan is not good he will come in today to do the surgery. You just have to have respect for a doctor who is willing to give up his Easter Sunday for a patient.
I am so very grateful for the wonderful support that we have had over the past several days. Our families been wonderful as have our friends from the Greenfield Park ward and all of my "Hearts" ladies. Dave's friends and work mates have also been wonderful. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support and love you all very much. Please continue to pray for Dave's healing and please please please think ONLY positive thoughts. He WILL beat this! He WILL be home with us again! He is STRONG and has a great heart. The angels of Heaven are attending to him and surrounding his medical team, I feel them there every day. Our Father In Heaven will help him gain his strength back and will bring him home to us!
Saturday, March 22, 2008
How it all began...
This blog idea started as I was looking through a dear friend's blog on her son's fight with Leukemia. I thought it would be a great idea to do it as well considering the circumstances that our family are living through at the moment. This way, everyone will get the same news while I won't have to repeat myself quite so much! Not that I don't love to talk, you all know I do, but honnestly over the past week I have quite literally talked my throat hoarse.
Most of you all know how this started so I'll simply summarize by saying that my sweet and wonderful husband, Dave, was diagnosed with Necrotizing Faciitis (also known as Flesh Eating Disease), on Wednesday March 19th, 2008. It likely began in an abscessed tooth, and quickly spread to his neck and then to his chest area.
During the first surgery, agressive treament was done. I won't go into details, not everyone wants the colorful parts. Suffice it to say that by Thursday, he was unrecognizable as the old Dave. In the ICU, he was as still as a statue. Anyone who knows Dave knows that he can't sit still for more than a minute at a time unless he's sleeping. At rest, he still moves almost constantly. Needless to say, it was a shock to see him this way with a huge bandage around his neck. I was told that he had 5 drains in his neck and that the surgery had gone as well as could be expected.
He has been kept heavily sedated ever since to prevent him from pulling the ventilator tube out of his nose and also to help ease the stress and pain of the situation. In the evening, he briefly opened his eyes for me, but quickly went back to sleep.
His condition is critical, but he is a stong man. We are praying hard for his recovery.
Most of you all know how this started so I'll simply summarize by saying that my sweet and wonderful husband, Dave, was diagnosed with Necrotizing Faciitis (also known as Flesh Eating Disease), on Wednesday March 19th, 2008. It likely began in an abscessed tooth, and quickly spread to his neck and then to his chest area.
During the first surgery, agressive treament was done. I won't go into details, not everyone wants the colorful parts. Suffice it to say that by Thursday, he was unrecognizable as the old Dave. In the ICU, he was as still as a statue. Anyone who knows Dave knows that he can't sit still for more than a minute at a time unless he's sleeping. At rest, he still moves almost constantly. Needless to say, it was a shock to see him this way with a huge bandage around his neck. I was told that he had 5 drains in his neck and that the surgery had gone as well as could be expected.
He has been kept heavily sedated ever since to prevent him from pulling the ventilator tube out of his nose and also to help ease the stress and pain of the situation. In the evening, he briefly opened his eyes for me, but quickly went back to sleep.
His condition is critical, but he is a stong man. We are praying hard for his recovery.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
