Dads Update

Hey Everyone,

A quick update for the week. I had a lab on Friday and my red blood count was down. Part of the reason I am low on energy. Sooo I had a transfusion on Saturday and it's beginning to help. Looks like it will take longer to get through the recovery but of course I'm impatient. I also have a home care company helping for a few days. They have sent in a PT to give me some exercises tips. They also send a home nurse to check my vitals and general condition about 2 days a week. I will have another lab next week to check the blood. Usually takes me about 2 to 3 days to get the full benefit of the transfusion.

Looks like Mike and Deb & Terry with family will be here for Thanksgiving. It will be pretty simple so Mom can enjoy our first holiday in the house. It will be the first time in who knows how many years the turkeys will be cooked inside in the oven. Hopefully all that will change next year.

Well that's about it for today. I want to thank all of you for your support and visits while I was in Baltimore. Your help is greatly appreciated. Also all of Mike's transportation aid here at home and watching over everything at the house.

Love to all.

Dad

back home in texas Nov 20

We have spoken to most everyone, so there really isn't much to tell. The flight home was uneventful-- it just made for a long day. We had lots of help at the airport in Baltimore. Dad was wheeled from the taxi all the way to the gate. Luckily, even with all the changes, we kept our first class status. Barbara and Jack Murphy picked us up and took us out to Michael's to pick up my car. Dad was tired when we got in. I'm glad I put a few things in the freezer. A quick microwave and dinner was ready. Dad has not fared to well since the trip. He has been exceedingly tired and still is eating very little. We decided to call home health and set up a few appts. They came out and checked his vitals. Everything, including the oxygen was okay. They set up a physical therapy session which he had today and a few follow up visits next week. The biggest issue is the appetite. When he weighed yesterday morning, he was at 123 pounds. That is a 20 pound loss for those 3 weeks in the hospital. He is taking some pill that is suppose to increase his desire to eat. It is not working to great just yet.
Once we got home we hit the ground running, catching up on bills, orthodontics yesterday and MD eye treatment today. Michael had to come out to the house and drive me to the eye doctors. I find it difficult to drive after the injection.
This weekend we will be planning time for a Thanksgiving celebration. No smoked turkey this year or the special dressing. We have to keep it simple with so little time to get things done.
I hope you all have a good and happy holiday season. I know the economy is a mess and is affecting everyone's finances, so we will have to focus on our blessings and pray for better times ahead.
Hugs to you all,
Mom/Sandy

Nov 14 RE: Baltimore

After reading the news from Debbie, it is hard to celebrate, but we do have some good things to share
. After working with the physical therapist today, trying to get out of bed and walk, the PT figured out in a hurry that the tube on the right side was indeed a problem. I had a feeling they were thinking that Dad was gold bricking, maybe for pain meds. We think the PT talked to the Dr. on the floor because the next thing we knew they decided to take out the offending tube. The plan this morning was to leave both tubes in until tomorrow. The pain is GREATLY diminished, and he is even getting up on his own. Dr. A came in about 30 min ago and most of his report was very positive. In a nutshell, he said all the fluid was pretty much gone, and we could check out Sun if we liked. Well we like. The other news is that he felt Dad had positive results from t he surgery. The plans are for him to relax and recouperate over the next couple of months. At 3 months from date of surgery, they will do a base line CT and labs. Probabilty they will do 3 to 4 rounds of chemo just to stay on the safe side. Of course this disease has its own mind -- as we know -- but for now all things are pointing in a positive direction.
When we check out of the hospital, we will stay at the Holiday Inn Sun and Mon night. Our flight is around noon on Tues. We are soooo ready to get home, and especially sleep in our own bed.
Just a little side story: After Dad worked with the PT I went down to the chapel. I said some prayers and told God that we really needed a miracle, that we were so tired and had little or no energy left... Five minutes later, Dad called as I walked down to the food court to tell me that the Dr. had ordered removal of the offended tube. I call that our miracle.
Now we have to continue to pray as a family for all of us -- jobs, financial security, good health.
I know Christmas will be lean for all. We just cut our retirement withdrawal by more than 50%. So it won't be like years gone by. We will have to focus on the meaning of Christmas and try to have a great time in spite of all the economic woes out there. Please do not worry about Dad and me, as you know, we have lots of "stuff".

Love you all,
Mom/Sandy

Greer Family update

Hello to all and Happy Birthday to Ashlie and Dad, Saturday and Monday.

I have disappointing news. The economy woes have come to visit the Greers. Terry was laid off from his new job after just two months. Rumors are the owner would have to pay the headhunter $14,000 if he kept Terry on after 90 days and didn't want to pay it. We were both very surprised as things with the job seemed to be going well. In addition, Danny called today and said he was laid off as of today. Of course, that means no child support will be paid. I know things are stretched tight for all anyway. I would like to suggest no name drawing this year for Christmas. I know we were pretty much just doing the kids names, but at this point we may be limited on what we can do for our own kids. If you have the means and want to, then buy for any or all that you can. I personally will be happy with a Christmas card with a family snapshot or recent school pictures of kids to put on my fridge.

I hope all are doing well. We're looking forward to seeing Mom and Dad back home in Texas!

Love,
Debbie

Thursday Nov 13 Baltimore

yep we are still here! Dad is having severe pain still, resulting from the tube insertion on the right side. They are giving him pain meds to keep it tolorable until they take the tubes out tomorrow. It is very localized pain, but keeps him pretty immobile -- moving hurts. The good news is that there has been little drainage since this morning. Maybe the tubes have done the job. If they get them out tomorrow, we will focus on moving and walking. It will take a day or two to be certain that the fluid does not accumulate again. We have rescheduled our plane flight for around noon Tuesday of next week. If he gets out of the hospital before then, we will stay at the hotel. That way, if there are any problems, we will be close to the hospital.
I talked to Carole today. They are planning an excursion to Disney World next summer. Jessica tells them it will be her last summer at home; after all she will be 17 by then. Hard to believe so many years have gone by. I remember watching Johnny Carson's last Tonight show at their little A-frame house the week she was born. I also heard that Amanda made honor roll last report card.
Friday is Ashlie's birthday. I won't say how many years. They are going to spend Thanksgiving in San Antonio with Scott's Mom. It has been a while since they visited her. Krista and family will be visiting them over the Christmas holidays.
Michael tells me that Deb starts her new job training program sometime soon. I hope this means more money and benefits for her. I have to check with him about picking us up at the airport on Tues afternoon.
At least by getting in on Tues., I can make my ortho appt on Wed. Rumor has it that I should be getting the braces off. Thurs. is the eye appt. I will be 4 weeks late for this injection, but, fortunately, there hasn't been too much deteriatation. (not sure about spelling of that last word) Do blogs have spell check?
Time to wrap up. I usually tidy up Dad's area and tuck him in before I leave. We are both so very anxious to get out of here and get home!
Love you all,
Mom/Sandy

Tuesday Nov 11 Baltimore update

I think we are being held hostage here. The procedure they determined yesterday needed to be done and scheduled for today-- never happened. After having blood drawn and waiting nearly all day without anything to eat or drink, we find out that radiology wasn't going to get to him today. His nurse called down to find out about him having something to drink, and that is how we found out he wasn't on the schedule. Dr. Alex. intern came in about 3 pm to apologize saying that radiology had so many emergencies, it had shoved back all the scheduled procedures. Thirty minutes later, a nurse practicioner came in from radiology telling us they we sorry, but they just found out about the Dr's request that the procedure be done. She implied that the request had gone through the wrong channel. Later still, Dr. A's resident came in and told us that we might need to come up with a plan B because it didn't appear that we could make a Friday discharge. I wish I had told him, we were already on Plan B. They don't want to send him home oxygen dependent or with any drainage tubes hanging out. What a mess. I certainly don't want to get cross ways with Alexander's group. Who knows, we could need them again in the future. I am angry that they weren't more proactive about the breathing situation last week. Plus the fact we have wasted about 3 hospital days as well as 3 hotel days sitting around waiting for something to be done.
Other than this issue, he is doing well -- not even taking any pain pills.
At this point we are not even sure they will get to him tomorrow morning, so we are not sure what we are going to do. I am at a point of renting an Enterprise car and start driving home.
I hope you are all doing okay. It is fun hearing the family news -- learning about grandchildren making honor roll and better jobs and job situations in the future. I am glad for both Debbies!
We will keep you posted over the next few days on our plans. I told Dad we needed to get out of here soon. I am becoming fast friends with the shuttle drivers, learning about their families etc.
Love and hugs to all
Mom/Sandy

Monday nov 10 -- baltimore update

As some of you may have heard, we have had to change plans about leaving on Wed. Dr. Alexander visited this morning a said they needed to do a CT scan to see what they could determine about the fluid around the lungs. They took Dad about noon -- he wasn't in a great mood because he had to drink that awful tasting contrast junk. Dr. A said to plan to stay a few days extra. They do not want to send him home oxygen dependent. Of course that has meant changing Dr. appts at home and the all important flight. We managed to get most of everything done by phone, but I had to call Pat Lucht for help in changing the flight. She managed to get one out for us Friday morning around 9 am. I did not even ask if we were able to keep the first class status. It doesn't matter if we can just get home.

Dad has been tired all day although we did get up for one short walk down the hall. I think the breathing problem is taking a toll. Dr. A came in at 6pm to give us the results of the CT scan. He said there is a fluid build up around the lungs -- almost serum like. It is not a usual thing after this surgery, and especially for it to go on this long. There is also some fluid in the lower abdominal area, but that should resolve on its on over time. The plan is to go in tomorrow and draw off the fluid around the lungs. That should make him feel a lot better. The will have the fluid analyzed and determine then if any additional treatment is needed. There is a slim possiblity that there is some meso around the lungs. Whatever the problem, Dr. A seems to thinks it can be resolved. We asked him the preverbial question about getting the "95%". He reponded very positively, and actually Dad is recovering just great from the surgery itself. without this fluid issue we would be planning for our trip home with "bells on".
So for now, we are both very tired, and hope that the procedure tomorrow puts him back on track. Pat did tell us that if we need to change the flight again to let her know. I sure hope that won't be necessary.
I am so glad that the hospital changed his room now that he has to stay longer. It is nicer and much quieter, and I can stay if it becomes necessary. We need a few more prayers to get us through the next few days. I will update you all as the news comes in. It is difficult to call all of you in a timely manner, but will do my best.
Love and hugs,
Mom/Sandy