need everyone's prayers so much!!

[misothere]

CALLING ALL ANGELS!!!

I just got a call from my sis' Patty & they're prepping John for emergency surgery!

He complained of pain (I guess in abdomin area) & they took X-rays & he may have some kind of a tear!

Doreen just went to check out a rehab yesterday 'cuz they're talking about moving him since he's improved so much, but good thing he's still in SICU right now!

LIGHT A CANDLE, SAY A PRAYER IF YOU HAVE TIME (HEY - IT CAN'T HURT, ALL THAT'S COME FROM THIS SIGHT IS PRAYERS FOR HIM THAT "HAVE PERFORMED MIRACLES" SO FAR, RIGHT)!!

Thanks in advance to everyone,
Love Lisa

[june72]

Prayers going up for him! How's he doing now?

[glitternotes]

Am in agreement with you.May God bless you. joseph

[misothere]

ALL YOUR PRAYERS FOR JOHN MUST STILL BE WORKING!

HE IS AWAKE FROM SURGERY, THO' VERY TIRED WHEN DAD & SIS' PATTY VISITED THIS MORNING.

THEY ASKED IF HE WAS IN PAIN & HE PINCHED 2 FINGERS TOGETHER (LIKE SAYING "A LITTLE BIT")!

HE SMILED AT STUFF THEY TOLD HIM & SEEMS TO BE IN GOOD SPIRITS & STILL NO FEVER (WHICH IS THE VERY MOST IMPORTANT) RIGHT NOW!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE!

[glitternotes]

HELLO EVERYBODY,AM NEW HERE,AM REQUESTING ALL OF YOU TO PLEASE PRAY FOR ME AND MY SISTERS THIS CHRISTMAS,WE WILL BE REMEMBERING THE DEATH OF OUR MUM,PLEASE PRAY FOR US.

ALSO , I REQUEST YOU,TO AS WE FACE THIS DROUGHT PERIOD IN OUR COUNTRY,PLEASE BOW DOWN AND PRAY FOR OUR DAILY BREAD THAT GOD WILL COVER US WITH HIS BLOOD.ONE THING I ASK OF YOU,REMEMBER US ALWAYS,PLEASE PRAY AND PRAY HARD.
I LOVE YOU ALL AND GOD BLESS YOU.

JOE.

[misothere]

Merry Christmas Everyone & welcome to Glitternotes.

For all those who have loved ones that are not with us..........There's a wonderful poem called Merry Christmas From Heaven & you may wish to check it out on the following website.

[Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now]
(Roll cursor over each paragragh on the plaque to read the words & may this help ease the pain of loved ones who have passed).

[katlnhats]

Lisa,
You and your family don't leave our prayers... and it sounds like John is continuing to improve, in spite of the surgery. Thank God the tests showed it!

Joe - Will add you and yours to our prayers, thanks for writing and please feel free to post a new thread and keep us updated on how you're doing. To post a new thread, go to the top of the prayers forum and you'll see Post New Thread - you can have your own there and we'll definitely answer and help you through this time, as we really try so hard to keep up with everyone in here - welcome.

Prayers and Hugs to you both!

Marilyn

[misothere]

Marilyn,
Check your PM - I'll update the forum tomorrow, since as we know how things can change so quickly with John.
Thanx for your continued prayers - they've worked "so far" & have been totally appreciated!!

Again - to Leslie, I am praying for your Christmas Miracle - 'cuz I now truly believe they can & "do" happen.

[katlnhats]

Hi Lisa,
Checked it and replied. I'll send you a looooong email when it stops being so hectic around here!!!!!

Hugs,
Marilyn

PS: Miracles "definitely" do happen!!!!

[june72]

Joe.......your in my prayers!


Lisa........keep the updates coming!

[katlnhats]

Hi,
Yes, what June said!!!!!

Hugs,
Marilyn

[misothere]

Update on John since 12/23:

John woke up from his 12/22 surgery for removal of "most" of his Large Intestines due to a rupture. They didn't test him right before his immediate surgery, but he may have had "divertculitis" (? spelling). Which is like absess's on the intestines.

Still has NO fever - just 1 BP medication that also regulates his heart rate - back on "CUP" over trache & dad said Tuesday they said he's almostly breathing on his own & gave him "moist air" while dad was there. PLUS - no hand restraints, 'cuz the trache TUBE is out that he kept trying to pull out!!

He's also back on nutrient type food thru nose instead of just liquid nutrients. Has a suction thing (like dentist) next to him & can suck up saliva or whatever on his own.

He's totally weaned off sedation medication as of today & much more aware & using communication board. He even read the Rehab brochure & (according to Doreen) seems to have accepted his amputations & colostomy bag & wants to "move on" like he's thankful for being alive.

John even communicated to the nurse (by pointing to a picture of himself on his bulletin board). She understood before shaving his face, that he wanted her to try to do a "goatee" like in the picture. She said she tried, but said it was hard. But John always was "into" his appearance & that's a good sign he asked.

Doreen bought him a new Todd Rudren CD (his favorite) & she said he started trying to play "Air Bass" & she asked him if he misses playing his bass guitar & he said yes. Another great sign, music "REALLY IS" his life's passion.

They had John on highest (10) level of Morphine for pain mgmt. after surgery & it's been slowly weaned too. Today they dropped it to (4), & giving him Methadone (according to Doreen) 'cuz it's a way to get people off Morphine.

He has a clear pain patch still (for the past 3 weeks) as Morphine has been lowered to help with pain increasing. Remember before 12/22 emergency surgery that he was already being weaned off oxygen & morphine 'cuz he was doing so well & may've been moved to rehab soon!

ALSO STILL NO SIGN'S HIS KIDNEY'S & LIVER SUFFERED FROM THIS PAST SURGERY!! (Miracle in itself)!

Only concern Doreen had, was his left arm seemed to swell tonight after he rec'd. antibiotic (which I'm assuming is needed since it's only a week since surgury, plus he still has the prior skin graph surgery's not totally healed & the last thing he needs is an infection right now!

John asked for his daughter Sylvie on Christmas & when Doreen said she was not coming up today, he cried. Sylvie did visit the day after Christmas tho' & it was the first time since aprox. 10/10 (before his medically induced coma) that he's been awake while she visited him & he was extremely glad to see her!!

My other 2 sisters have visited him since surgery with thier husbands that have the week off. My husbands a carpenter & there's work right now, so he can't take time off to visit with me (since there's been no work alot this fall & I still haven't found a job & we need the money).

So I'm visiting tomorrow with dad & I'll try to see if anything else has changed since tonights/this AM's tel. update from Doreen.

All past & future prayers from everyone for John is so-o-o very much appreciated more than words can express!!

My heartful thanx go out to you all & a wish for blessings for everyone's new year!

(I knew I should've bought that book about "getting to the point in writing" - I seem to write like I talk)! LOL

[misothere]

12/29 Visited John with Dad & sis' Michele & he looked really good, color good, sitting up in bed, alert - but tired.

Changes since last update - morphine from 4-3 & mostly breathed on his own for 24 hrs which nurse said is excellent right now, but still getting "moist oxygen" & rest periods with machine at night. Totally off all sedation medication & that's probably why he's alert more.

Left arm swelling was checked by an xray & Cat Scan. They told us it's NOT part of his blood clot near lungs that split off - only phlebitis (? spelling). Still no fever, yet White blood cell count was high! They brought in portable xray while we visited & we had to leave. Doreen said the results were that there's fluid near his lungs, but they "believe" it's just congestion that he needs to cough up now that there's no tubes in his mouth & he's awake to do that. He said he's in no pain & seemed in "good spirits", but got tired & we told him it's okay to close his eyes & rest even if we're here, so he did - but woke up before we left when xray machine was arriving.

I just found out that every morning each SEICU person gets an Xray around 3-4AM, then Dr's (with students - "training hospital") do thier Rounds from 7-10/11AM - No wonder he's tired! Plus today needing xray & CAT Scan!

I asked John what he thought about the Rehab brochure Doreen showed him & he remembered it & his eyes & brows & facial expression seemed to say "I'm ready".
So I said "you're ready to get outta' here"? & he did reply by nodding his head yes.

He did mouth words about his today nurse.....said "she's the best" & put up 1 finger like #1 ! He could totally grip our hands back when we held them too! He nodded yes when asked if he's been using the communication board, & when asked if he tried writing he nodded & mouthed "sloppy"! He was too tired to use board w/us.

His cover over trache came off 3 times while we visited (& while nurse was at lunch). I put it back on once, Michele did once & John actually tried doing it the 3rd. time & I helped. (Nice to see change from him pulling it out, to trying to put it back in)!

Nurse who's soley assigned to John that went to lunch wasn't pleased the nurse "covering her did not respond to the beeps on his machine". Doreen came to visit as we left & I told her to make sure the nurse "adjusts trach cover" so it doesn't pop off (she said she would).

ONE BAD THING (MAYBE)?? Doreen asked John if he was glad to see Dad, me & Michele & he nodded yes.

BUT THEN - he mouthed "where's DAVE"? That's our oldest brother who died 6/23/06 of Lung Cancer!
(Doreen went back to the day John went to hospital & tried seeing what he could remember with her questions).

She then said ..."remember Dave had lung cancer, just like mom" & John nodded yes. Next "do you remember being at Dave's viewing with guitar & all those pictures of his life there"? John started crying....guess he did remember. He was in medical coma so long, it's no wonder that he can't remember "everything" right now!

[katlnhats]

Well, I have only one word to say... YIPPEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ok, not really, I type like I talk too, so this is such GREAT news! He's come so far and seems to have a fantastic attitude towards getting on with his life-that's a lot of the battle right there, still will be praying for all of you and I think all of this is JUST great!!
Hugs,
Marilyn

[misothere]

Thanx Marilyn