Hello folks, I have been away from here this week. Most of my time is spent in the hospital with my husband Bill. He had a liver biopsy last Monday morning and it didn't go well. Complications. They finally determined he has a big infection in his gut going on. Hopefully the excellent care he is getting at our local med. center will fix him up, but he has a long way to go. Our son and daughter are here with us. Please send a kind thought or prayer our way, thank you.
Barb
You got it coming from here in Federal Way, gal. Sending wishes for a speedy recovery.
Barb, we'll have Bill, and your family, in our thoughts and prayers for a quick recovery.
Your family will be in our prayers. Hope all goes well
Sorry to hear about Bill, prayer sent to Bill for a speedy recovery.
You know the two of you are in my thoughts, Barb.
Wishing the best for you and your husband. I hope he has a speedy recovery.
Barb you and Bill are in my thoughts and prayers. May he have a speedy recovery.
Here's wishing Bill a full and speedy recovery Barb. Hang in there.
Dennis
Thank you all so much, tomorrow morning when I go in I will tell him you are all thinking of him. He will like that. He is very ill, I am trying to stay positive, he has the best of care.
Barb
Praying for a speedy recovery
Sending healing prayers to Bob; prayers of comfort to your family; and prayers of guidance to his doctors.
Keep us posted.
Thank you, Bill can use everyone's prayers and good thoughts right now. I am strong and healthy thank goodness, hope it helps see me through all this terrible stress.
Barb
Oh Barb....sending a virtual hug your way. Still praying for a good outcome.
Barb, We all are thinking positive thoughts for you. I Will say a prayer for Bill.
Thank you all so much. At a time like this it sure helps to have friends and family around me. In just 3 days is our 43rd anniversary. It will be our first one apart and not having a fancy dinner together. We will have to settle for hospital food.
Barb
Oh Barb, sorry I am a little late on the well wishes for both you and your husband. I will hold you both in my prayers and hope for his speedy recovery.
AND..HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO YOU BOTH! WOW...43 years...that is awesome! That alone is a blessing.
No worries on just having to settle for hospital food together. Hey that can be romantic too! It isn't about where you eat, or what you do to celebrate your marriage. It is about your love for each other, right? This is a trying time and it is proving more to you both without a doubt how much you mean to each other. That, is all that matters. I wish you many years of happiness and good health...for many MORE years of love together! :)
What nice comments Shatanka, thank you!
Bill just came out of 3 hrs. of major surgery to clean out infection in his whole gut area. He is still with us, on a breathing tube, and the next couple days will tell if he will make it. The Dr. hopes to see some improvement by tomorrow. Please keep the good thoughts coming.
Barb
Good show, they cleaned up the bad stuff....things will get much better now...
I'll light another candle tonight.
Continuing to send positive thoughts and prayers your way.
Hoping for the best Barb.
Barb, just heard about Bill's illness....I am so sorry you are going through this terrible trial & I will surely keep you & your family in my thoughts & prayers at this difficult time.....may he have a quick & uneventful recovery..... Dottie
Lady friend, I'll run in to town in the morning to buy enough candles to have them burning 24/7. I'll get some to burn in the shop so if one candle burns out at home another at the shop will send the prayer up.
thank you everyone, it helps more than you know to have kind thoughts and prayers for us. There are a few tiny improvements in him this morning. I am hopeful now.
Barb
Here is a pic of Bill and I on our cruise just last month.
Barb
It's good to have a photo of him for us that haven't met either of you. Best wishes still coming from here in Federal Way, Washington, putting it out there for a quick come-back.
Thanks for posting the picture of you and Bill. It goes right to our hearts. (And that is a really cool cane that Bill has.) You know we are all continuing to hope for the best for both of you.
Thanks for the update Barb. It's great news to hear they have him heading in the right direction.
Dennis
A nice update to read, Barb....he's heading the right way now, good news
I glad to hear that Bill is doing better. Hoping the recovery is speedy.
Okay, Bill... Keep on keeping on!
I'm happy that he is doing better. I hope he has a speedy recovery.
Barb. my SIL in Brazil is lighting a candle for Bill today. She'll do it in an actual church rather than in a fish room and a grooming shop so may be it will work better than mine.
Thank you all so much! I so appreciate everything you all are doing. Bill just came off the ventilator this morning, breathing on his own, things are looking up. I am getting more hopeful with each day.
Barb
That's wonderful... ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Wonderful news.
So nice to hear the good news! Thanks for the update.
Dennis
Great news to hear. ;D
Great to hear that.
That's great news Barb.
Thanks again everybody, still a looong way to go though. Today he is slightly conscious for the first time in almost a week. He did try to tell our daughter "get me the hell out of here". It is unlike him to say that though.
Barb
He's only half conscious, Barb. Don't let what he says bothers you until he's lucid again. His brains weren't working enough to formulate saying, "Being like this is hard. I wish things could be as they were before." Breathing on his own was a big step. Semi conscious is great! Tell him that Liz says that he should keep up the good work.
Sounds ok to me...he just wants 'outta there'.. ;D That's the sign that he knows where he's at alright...I'm not fond of hospitals and cow town pill rollers either....
It's great to hear he's improving.
A few more little improvements this morning. It is our 43rd anniversary today. When I got to ICU this morning the nurses had him freshly shaved, first time in 10 days, he had a little fabric bow tie laying on his neck, hair was combed, and he had a bouquet of paper flowers stuck in one hand to give me when I got there. It was made out of paper pill cups on long cotton swabs. His eyes were open a bit and he could say a few words. It was a good visit. They hope to get him out of ICU and onto the surgical recovery ward in the next few days. Thank you all so much for your thoughts and prayers.
Barb
Happy Anniversary to you both. ;D
Good news, Barb. Bet he'll really start coming back now!
Happy anniversary to you both. Good to see that there has been incremental improvement each day. ;D
Happy Anniversary too both of you. It's inspiring when I see two people that love each other as much as you and Bill.
Sounds like he is showing improvement. What a special anniversary present to see this and to hear he is improving enough to be moved out of ICU. Sending prayers of healing and comfort.
Happy Anniversary!
Happy Anniversary Barb and Bill. It's good to hear that the nurses are taking such an interest in both of you and your happiness. You know that means they care about both of you and will do their best for Bill.
I think is wonderful. I think that good thoughts, prayers and superstitious rituals help.
I agree Liz, and thanks to you all!! He is hanging in there, vitals looking more normal.
Barb
That's great new Barb. Now that he's doing better, take a deep breath and spend a bit of time to take care of yourself. It's mighty stressful being at the hospital looking after loved ones. You'll need your strength when it's time for him to come home.
Dennis
I am happy for both of you.
Keep the good thoughts coming, folks. There will be a long journey between how he's doing now and Barb having him back home with her.
Glad things are looking up Barb
Little improvements each day now. He is still in ICU but they hope to get him onto the surgical recovery ward in the next couple days. His abdominal incision is at least 15" long. But I feel he will make it. Just won't be home with me for weeks more. Thank you all!
Barb
Thanks for the update Barb. It's great to hear he is doing better day by day. Don't let them rush the move to the surgical ward as he will get much better care in ICU.
Dennis
Glad to hear things are looking up even if it's little by little. How far are you having to drive up and back each day? Like Dennis said...make time to take care of yourself too. Still have you in my prayers.
Barb I am so happy that Bill is getting better every day. You and Bill are in mine and Patty's prayers. Like has been said before you must take care of yourself. I know it is hard. When all you have is Bill on your mind
Bill continues to improve and may soon go to a nursing home/rehab center before coming back home. I won't be surprised if this is a million dollar bill by the time he gets home. We are among the fortunate with full med. insurance, as good as gold these days I think. Thank you all again for all your prayers and good thoughts sent to Bill and I. Helps so much to know other people care.
Barb
Wonderful news Barb. How is Bill taking all of this? I'm sure he's responding well to all of your encouragement.
Prayers will continue for a quick and easy period of rehab.
Thanks Pauline, now that he is off the morphine and most narcotics for the pain, his mental state is almost normal. For awhile he was out of it mentally. I am so relieved his brain is fine now, after all he went through. It was a concern.
Barb
What's the latest Barb? I haven't been too consistent since Monday. I hope I didn't miss anything.
Thank you for asking Ron. Bill has been gone from home for exactly 6 weeks today. He has been in a local (thank goodness it is local) nursing home/rehab. center for almost 3 weeks. After 24 days in the hospital, a lot of it in critical condition, he can't walk now. He got too weak. But his surgery is all healed and he is well except for the walking issue. So, he needs to gain strength and be able to stand alone, then walk with a walker, to come home. Last week I had a handicap ramp built at home for him to get up our 4 steps into the house. He may have to come home in a wheelchair for awhile. Our home is all handicap accessible except for those 4 steps. Taken care of now.
All kind thoughts and prayers are appreciated for him to get strong enough to be able to walk, even if it is slow and with a walker. He has lost 50 lbs. through all the illness. Now he is only 155 lbs.
Barb
All of our prayers and positive thoughts have helped Bill pull through this serious time in your lives. We'll keep him in our prayers for the strength he needs to walk again.
You will both be in our thoughts and prayers Barb.
Dennis
He's still in our thoughts and prayers...I'm feeling that he'll be up and around soon... ;D
Thanks for the update Barb. It will be a great day when he gets up and back home where he belongs. I'm sure he's getting pretty bored and restless in that nursing home....not to mention, somewhat despondent.
Tell him that if I were there, that one day he'd see this 6'2'' old guy, losing his hair, and on a knee scooter beeping his bicycle horn, come rolling down the hall to his room to visit (and wake everyone up!). And he'd have to work his butt off to beat me at checkers, Old Maid, & Go Fish! Then we'd back up to a corner of the hall and watch the all the girls & ladies walk by and hold up our score cards! Probably I'd also get him to save up all his apple juice in a quart jar and I'd have some yeast with me and we'd get a batch of applejack started for my next visit!
Ahh...but alas...I'm too far away at the moment :(
But if I weren't....that's what would happen! ;D
Quote from: Ron Sower on March 31, 2014, 10:06:51 AM
Thanks for the update Barb. It will be a great day when he gets up and back home where he belongs. I'm sure he's getting pretty bored and restless in that nursing home....not to mention, somewhat despondent.
Tell him that if I were there, that one day he'd see this 6'2'' old guy, losing his hair, and on a knee scooter beeping his bicycle horn, come rolling down the hall to his room to visit (and wake everyone up!). And he'd have to work his butt off to beat me at checkers, Old Maid, & Go Fish! Then we'd back up to a corner of the hall and watch the all the girls & ladies walk by and hold up our score cards! Probably I'd also get him to save up all his apple juice in a quart jar and I'd have some yeast with me and we'd get a batch of applejack started for my next visit!
Ahh...but alas...I'm too far away at the moment :(
But if I weren't....that's what would happen! ;D
LOL..the place would throw ya both out.......LOL ;D
Thanks for making me smile Ron! I have had a bad morning and you made me forget it for a moment. I surely wish you were here to do all that fun stuff with Bill. He would love to do it all. He is very bored and I am his only excitement or interest at all, twice a day when I visit. Otherwise it is just TV and our cranky daughter. Thank you!
Barb
PS I hope your leg is healing up well?
The silly thing, Barb, is that if I were there, I would do that! And I would probably get kicked out of the nursing home for trying to organize hallway races with wheelchairs, knee scooters, crutches, and even gurneys! Several years ago I had some surgeries and would take my IV stand and walk down the hall pulling it behind me pretending it was a puppy! Used to keep the nurses going! Hell...I was in my 30's then. I've become a little more sedate!
My foot is coming along well. Went to doc today for 1st followup. He said everything is perfect and pristine; that I've taken good care of his work! I was bored from the minute I got home from surgery. 10 movies so far!!!
Speaking of getting older April 1st is Ron's Birthday..... ;D
Still praying, thanks for the update