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2 years, my gosh was it really 2 years ago that so much changed?  2 years ago, we all went off to work as usual, and that evening things quickly spiraled beyond our control.  Whoever would have thought that that cold night in January would be able to be replayed so vividly 2 years later. 

The message below was written by Mom and Dad's friend Donna, and it truly touch both their hearts.  Sometimes living in the here and now and taking each day as it comes can be difficult; but for that we pray!


Hi all, well it has been nice to not have any crisis involving Louie lately isn't it? He has been doing well but is not done yet. It will be 2 years on Friday since the accident. He is mobile and drives himself to exercise and various places. He has had several episodes of pancreatitis but has dealt with them admirably here locally without a trip to Houston. But Monday he will be going in for a check up with Dr. Red.
I guess the purpose of this email is to ask that we all continue to pray for Louie. While he is maintaining his lifestyle and health, he is not done. He still deals with the fistulas, leaking and bandaging and not eating. He still hasn't regained his stamina and endurance which has hopes will return with the final surgery. He wants to be done with the drainage and get on with his life. Even if things do not go as planned with surgery, if he could just get closed up to be able to function without that bandage. Ruthie and I often talk about how much the prayers did for him in the beginning. How prayer truly saved his life.
We both believe the power of prayer is what guided each of the steps between Jan. 28 2009 and today.
I guess what I am saying is that I am as guilty as the rest of not perhaps praying with the intensity I should for Louie, though pray I do. He truly needs our prayers to complete this journey - to pass the finish line and resume his life as normally as possible. So please pray, pray for a good appointment, for some closure possibly and for the strenghth and patience to do it all in God's time. thank you for always being there.

Grandparent’s Day

Today students at Creek View Elementary (Cayla’s school) honored their grandparents.  Last  year at this time Dad had just been released from the hospital, and he was unable to make a trip to College Station.  Mom came to represent the grandparents, but Dad vowed that this year he’d be there too.  He definitely held up his end of the bargain and today they both joined her for lunch.  I picked up Chinese food for the group, which included some “Wonton-less” Wonton Soup for Pawpaw. 

Cayla thanks you so much for coming today, Mimi and Pawpaw! 

Home Again, Home Again

Dad made it home yesterday afternoon.  Tuesday Dr. Young surgically inserted a new line, but that proved to be quite difficult. I guess Dad has had so many lines, that it is becoming increasingly difficult to get them in.  Thankfully they were able get it done, and now we're just hoping it lasts... a long time. Dad's sore, but very happy to be back home!

Comings and Goings

To say nothing has been going on is not exactly true.  Up until a week ago, there really was not much going on.  With us - no news is good news!  Dad managed to stay pretty healthy and he'd been able to get out of the house quite a bit driving around and visiting some friends. 

Last weekend he was admitted to the hospital in El Campo with pancreatitis.  Hospital stays aren't exactly fun, but the stay in EC wasn't bad at all.  It was practically like being at home.  To say Mom and Dad were "happy" to not be sent back to Houston is a huge understatement.  We've had two hospital stays in Houston this year (one in March and one in August), and each short stay stretched on much longer than ever anticipated.  It really is impossible to get discharged from that place!  This time (in El Campo) Dad stayed for a few days then was released (just in time to watch Game 1 of the World Series).  The Ranger's poor performance was quite possibily more disappointing than the hospital stay itself.

As of today they are back at ECMH with a line infection.  Antibiotics were started, the line was removed and a temporary one was inserted.  Monday or Tuesday they will surgically insert another.  It looks like he will be there for at least the next few days. 

Luckily because things had been going so well, Mom and Dad both were able to make it to College Station for Cayla's birthday a few weeks ago.

 Last year Dad really wanted to make it to Cayla's birthday party, but he wasn't discharged yet.  Last year at
that time we were on the count down.  However, one year ago today, he was loaded up and taken home.  

Blast from the past - 10/29/09

 

Sometimes it seems like ages ago, sometimes it seems like not so long at all, but it's amazing how far he's come.  We have so very much to be thankful for!

The Pictures I Promised

I’m sure this is already long forgotten, but if you go back a couple of posts you’ll see I promised some pictures from Leslie and Gary’s wedding.  Here they are!

 

He's Home!

Who would have thought that a battle with pancreatitis could last practically a week?  Getting into Hermann is fairly easy.  You can come by helicopter, ambulance, car, or just walk on in off the street.  Of course I'm not recommending it as some place to book your next outing, but if you need to - you can get there. Getting discharged is nearly impossible.  After they determined the pancreatitis earlier in the week, mom and dad started pressing them about his release.  He was so ready to go home, but each day came and went and at the end of the day he was still there.  The main treatment for pancreatitus is "Nothing By Mouth", and REST!  What part of that can't be done from home?  Actually, what part of that doesn't he already do?  Finally, we got word that he might be able to go home on Friday. Boy was he ready!  However it looked like Friday might turn to Saturday with still no release.   Last night around 11 he made it back to El Campo.  THANK GOODNESS!  Another night in the hospital might have landed him in the Psych Ward!   He's encountered these same hold ups each time he's been released.  The first time, I wanted to blame it on the fact that he'd been there for 9 months.  I don't know what excuse I can give for the other times, but I do know that next time something pops up he'll fight that trip to Hermann tooth and nail!  He's surely glad to be back home, and some healthier days ahead are definitely in the plan. How nice it would be to not have to go back until the next round of surgeries?

**The next round of surgeries are still some time away.  Duke did an evaluation during this stay, and determined that it's just not ready.  We were really hoping that the next surgeries would be soon, but unfortunately the waiting continues.

Detour

A trip back to Hermann was in order this weekend.  Some vomitting followed by tightness in his sides made him worry that something was amiss.  Yesterday morning they headed to Houston.  They could have taken their time (and packed more than just the TPN), because Sunday's turned to Monday and no assigned room, much less diagnosis.    All day was spent back in Emergency, but after midnight they were finally moved to Jones 6.  The X-Ray showed nothing, and we're still waiting on the official results of the CT Scan. 

More to follow when a definitive answer is reached.  Dad's ready for that definitive answer, because he's ready to head back home.  He clearly remembers just how hard it is to get released from that joint. 

On happier note:  Friday, Mom and Dad headed to the Magnolia area for Leslie (Greg's daughter) and Gary's wedding.  Hopefully I'll have some pictures to post soon!