We will miss the marathon too on Saturday. Andrew and his dad and Peter have helped at the finish with the food and drinks for as long as I can remember. Pete did it and then started taking the boys. They loved helping their dad and Coach Curcio. I took over a few years ago and had such fun.
I have been taking up entirely too much space on facebook, so I thought I would write an update and then update a little bit there. It's past my bedtime already, so I will try to make this short!
We got here Tuesday and came to Andrew's pre op appointment. There seemed to be confusion on whether or not he was going to be admitted Tuesday. We finally were told he would be, so we went over to the main hospital (from the clinics) and were put on the neuro floor.
We were there and watched a whole movie on Pete's lap top, while we waited for someone to talk to us. We had one nurse tell us he was leaving soon, so another nurse came in near the end of the movie.
I left around 9:00, and Pete fell asleep. Before I left, I told two nurses I had Andrew's meds and was not sure what they were going to do. They said they would use meds from the pharmacy, and I knew that; but we always bring his medications. I don't think he had any seizure meds on Tuesday night. And I don't know if that was planned, but I was surprised because they did not want him to have seizures before or during the placement of the electrodes ~ the brain surgery.
So on Wednesday, I thought to ask Andrew if he'd had a shower the night before. He had not. He was supposed to use special antibiotic sponges if we had stayed at the hotel. I told the nurse. She got him some bottled stuff and a towel, so he could take a shower in the bathroom in his room. He had to be super careful because he did already have an IV. I was not feeling really good at that point, and I called Pete to bring a hair dryer; because he had a little bit of time before they were taking him to get ready for surgery.
Pete brought it, and I dried Andrew's hair. He was sitting in the bed, and a doctor came in to talk to him. I heard him draw a big breath. I heard him start another, and I told the doctor he was getting ready to have a seizure. He did. It was awful. A really bad one. No one came in. The doctor was on one side, and I was on the other talking to him and praying for him. When it ended, he rolled over in pain. I knew it was pain. I told the doctor something was not right and that I hoped he had not dislocated his shoulder.
He had. His right shoulder...again. Just like last time we were here. Fast forward past many conversations and hours of terrible pain, and they set Andrew's shoulder in place when he was put to sleep for his original surgery. He went in around 12. It was hard to leave him. But the doctor prayed a wonderful prayer and even prayed scripture. That made it easier. But it was hard to let him go.
We had a few updates while in the waiting room. It took much longer than we thought and were told. But we knew we were getting updates. Another fast forward to talking to the neurosurgeon. Dr. Haglund said all of the electrodes went in fine...except one. They had to get it back out. So they had to cut a hole in his skull to get it out. I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone, but I also felt calm (so thanks for the prayers). Dr. Haglund stayed until they got Andrew awake, so he could check his left side and also make sure he had not had extra bleeding. Then Andrew was moved to neuro ICU and had the VIP room on the end on the 8th floor. It had the prettiest view. He slept well and was up pretty early.
By the time I got there about 7:30, Andrew was sound asleep but had been up and walked a loop around the ICU with his nurse. He ate a tiny bit of fruit and drank some chocolate milk. He slept and then walked two more loops before the techs hooked him up to the monitors.
Then they put him in a smaller bed and moved him back to the EMU (epilepsy monitoring unit) ~ in the same room as last fall!
He has slept a lot today and eaten very little. His head hurt just a little bit. His shoulder feels good, so far.
There was talk of unwrapping his head and pulling one electrode out just a tiny bit - but that would be bedside. As a man, who was in his surgery yesterday, started to unwrap his head, I asked if they were still doing it. Our nurse had just told us they did not have to after all. Fast forward again. The man called his boss who called someone else. And Andrew's head stayed wrapped.
He also is not supposed to take all of his meds tonight. So we will see. He may start having seizures tonight. They don't want them lumped together, so we are praying there is some space and rest in between. But...that is part of the reason we are here. The seizures are not on anyone's schedule!
Andrew was up a lot Tuesday night getting an MRI and CT and other tests. So the lack of sleep and medicine probably set him off. He had a plan to drink caffeine and not sleep, so we will see.
Thanks for praying. God has given us assurance when we have needed it. We don't know what we would do without Him.
I am off to bed. Pete is returning to Boone Saturday to conduct a funeral. He will stay for Sunday morning services and then come back. Whitney is coming to stay with us while he is gone. Sam is having way too much fun in Bristol and Abingdon. My grandmother is sick and in the hospital, so everyone is stretched a little bit thin there. I appreciate their help. We appreciate everyone's help and prayers. Especially those prayers.
Part of what Dr. Haglund prayed was Philippians 4. We also just had it read at church, and verse 8 really spoke to me. But 6 & 7 really helped yesterday!
Thanks again for praying.
We will be here in the same place until next Wednesday, the 18th, when the electrodes will surgically be removed. Then he will have to stay another couple of days to recover. We hope to find out in a few weeks if they think the big surgery will help him. He will also have follow up for his shoulder.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Meditate on These Things
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:6-9
