It has been several hours since I have updated the blog. Truth is we are waiting for Tracy to get out of an MRI. However, she has done really well. This morning all of the family members got to see her, one or two at a time. Though she was very tired, of course, she interacted with everyone. Even being part of a practical joke on Byron, saying to him as he came in, "Now who are you?". Earlier when I had asked my kids what they thought her first words to me were, Bryon could hear over the phone and answered that her first words to me were, "Where's Byron?". Truth is, her first words were, "Chapstick."
The speech pathologist came in to assess Tracy's ability to swallow. She let her sip from a straw, which Tracy could do, but since the right side of her face doesn't really work yet, it was difficult to get good suction on the straw. But she did swallow, though weakly. Next she gave her water in a spoon, which Tracy swallowed weakly. Then she spooned in a couple of spoonfuls of applesauce. Tracy swallowed that also, but afterwards she cleared her throat and coughed. So, she can swallow, but her throat muscles are weak. It is very good that she can swallow as she does, but she needs to be able to do so safely. She must be able to keep her airway clear. The decision then is too allow ice chips today, reassess tomorrow for clear liquids. Dr. Oghalai came in while I was gone, but Grannie was there and she said that Dr. Oghalai said he was very pleased with the results. He is planning on a feeding tube through the nose tomorrow, if the reassessment does not improve. She will need to have nutrition by tomorrow somehow.
Hey guys, I took a break for a minute because Tracy was back in her room. She is fast asleep; looks very peaceful and I think she is at peace. Jessy said Tracy has been very cooperative and good with everything she must do or endure. Her face is swelling up quite a bit. That is to be expected. Think of when you bump your knee and you say, "Ow!" and rub it, but you don't see anything. The next day, there is a big blue bruise there. Same kind of thing.
Tracy is doing great. We know she is bouyed by everyone's prayers. What a blessing.
Your comments on the blog are an anticipated blessing. Please be sure and sign your name. The blog will only recognize you as anonymous. There are many of you writing and we love it, but a couple have come without a signature and we don't know who sent it.
We'll update again later.
Jeff
Friday, March 28, 2008
Talked with Tracy at 8:00 a.m. Friday
Wanna smile? I talked with Tracy. Talked, like you and I having a conversation. Respitory therapists took the breathing tube out after 7:00 a.m. sometime. Made a huge difference. She looks better and is coherent and interactive. When I saw this was the case, I began telling her abput the blog comments you guys have made and different emails that have been sent and about the visitors yesterday. Then seeing that she was more than just hearing, I began telling her how the surgery went and the positive outcomes we are seeing. She nodded her head in understanding. She, using her voice, asked for chapstick and pursed her lips when I applied it. She said, in a quiet voice, that her neck didn't feel supported. I told Jessy, the day nurse, and she folded up a towel and told Tracy to lift her head. She did and Jessy slid it under. A minute later Tracy wasn't happy with its placement and Jessy repeated the process. I am giving you all these details so that you get a sense of how coherent she is. She is actively thinking, feeling and making decisions.
Now, she is in some discomfort, of course, so she was given more meds to get her to sleep. Jessy said this is a day Tracy needs to rest. Last night, she was given a lot of meds and had a lot of discomfort (a more pleasant word for pain,I guess)If any of the family sees her, they really need to just see her and let Tracy sleep.
At present, the right side of her face is not strong. Muscles do move, but they are sluggish or too weak to move much at all. Should improve. Jessy said that all the patients with similar surgeries come in this way. Jessy was very positive and upbeat, while still being firm about her expectations. She has said that Tracy is doing very well. I understood that too mean, beyond normal recovery.
It is a beautiful thing.
Here is the verse apropos for today, so far. Ephesians 3:20 "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever! Amen.
Now, she is in some discomfort, of course, so she was given more meds to get her to sleep. Jessy said this is a day Tracy needs to rest. Last night, she was given a lot of meds and had a lot of discomfort (a more pleasant word for pain,I guess)If any of the family sees her, they really need to just see her and let Tracy sleep.
At present, the right side of her face is not strong. Muscles do move, but they are sluggish or too weak to move much at all. Should improve. Jessy said that all the patients with similar surgeries come in this way. Jessy was very positive and upbeat, while still being firm about her expectations. She has said that Tracy is doing very well. I understood that too mean, beyond normal recovery.
It is a beautiful thing.
Here is the verse apropos for today, so far. Ephesians 3:20 "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever! Amen.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Got to see Tracy
Well, it's 1:30 a.m. and everyone is somewhere asleep. We sat in the waiting room until about 10:30 p.m. when we finally went to find out what was going on and it turns out Tracy had been moved at 9:00 p.m. to the NICU. Frustrating, but understandable (big hospital, lots of major and serious surgeries going on all the time almost day and night). Also, (continuing the glass half full perspective) it probably would have taken about as much time to get Tracy situated and allow the nurses to become familiar with her needs, etc., such that when we did come by, it would be easy...and it was.
Teri is the nurse tonight. She's special; very sweet, compassionate and prays for her patients. Handled me just right when I came in to see Tracy after learning we had been forgotten about. This one faux paux does not negate the very positive experience we have been having here. Magnificent, in spite of this little booboo.
Tracy has a huge, white gauze bandage over her head with a lot of padding on the right side. Her face is somewhat swollen, of course, but she looks good in light of what she has been through. She is pretty uncomfortable with the breathing tube, but she is pretty heavily sedated and receiving pain meds. Her arms are strapped to the rails of the bed so that she does not dislodge or damage the breathing tube. She writhes around quite a bit, when the medicine wears down, but that is the time evaluations can be made of her abilities. She has already held up 2 fingers when asked. That is pretty significant when you consider what she has endured and all the tubes and wires sticking out of (or into) her now. They are actually going to try and take out the breathing tube in the morning.
We are so blessed by the many visitors and commments to the blog. Getting the comments is like getting a present everytime we look at the blog. Wonderful people showed up today, just to sit for a while. We know that took time and resources out of each one's day and we are blessed. Thank you, thank you.
Now, visits are probably not beneficial to either you or us. You can't really see Tracy while she is in NICU and there is not much room to handle lots of people in this part of the hospital. It is kind of around the corner and far to the back. Very quiet back here.
So please talk to us; email us, comment on the blog, call us to see if we are available for a visit, but please be aware that the next few days are pretty seclusive for Tracy.
I gotta try and get some rest. I appreciate you guys so much.
Cool promise from God: Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm, plans to give you hope and a future.
Teri is the nurse tonight. She's special; very sweet, compassionate and prays for her patients. Handled me just right when I came in to see Tracy after learning we had been forgotten about. This one faux paux does not negate the very positive experience we have been having here. Magnificent, in spite of this little booboo.
Tracy has a huge, white gauze bandage over her head with a lot of padding on the right side. Her face is somewhat swollen, of course, but she looks good in light of what she has been through. She is pretty uncomfortable with the breathing tube, but she is pretty heavily sedated and receiving pain meds. Her arms are strapped to the rails of the bed so that she does not dislodge or damage the breathing tube. She writhes around quite a bit, when the medicine wears down, but that is the time evaluations can be made of her abilities. She has already held up 2 fingers when asked. That is pretty significant when you consider what she has endured and all the tubes and wires sticking out of (or into) her now. They are actually going to try and take out the breathing tube in the morning.
We are so blessed by the many visitors and commments to the blog. Getting the comments is like getting a present everytime we look at the blog. Wonderful people showed up today, just to sit for a while. We know that took time and resources out of each one's day and we are blessed. Thank you, thank you.
Now, visits are probably not beneficial to either you or us. You can't really see Tracy while she is in NICU and there is not much room to handle lots of people in this part of the hospital. It is kind of around the corner and far to the back. Very quiet back here.
So please talk to us; email us, comment on the blog, call us to see if we are available for a visit, but please be aware that the next few days are pretty seclusive for Tracy.
I gotta try and get some rest. I appreciate you guys so much.
Cool promise from God: Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm, plans to give you hope and a future.
Brad Bevers fixed the Devotion video
I messed up putting the video on the blog earlier. Brad got it going. Simple mistake. He's a genius. Scroll down and watch it. The words will make better sense when you watch it. I hope you enjoy.
SHE'S DONE!! SURGERY IS DONE!!!
HEAR YE, HEAR YE AND PRAISE THE LORD!!!! Good news. Good news. Dr. Oghalai came in about 7:10 p.m. and said, "It went well". He was very pleased. They feel they got all the tumor away from the brain stem and away from the jugular bulb. They left about 5% to 10% around the nerves that we have been talking about; basically those that control swallowing and facial motor control. They figure that they were able to get so much of the tumor out that there is a good chance the blood supply is effectively cut off and thus the tumor will not grow anymore. By leaving the nerves in tact, the chances are much better that she will not suffer significant loss to them. The nerves have worked by being stimulated with an electrical impulse and that is real good news, but they still have to work on their own. However, the chance is much better that full recovery can be accomplished and much more quickly. The chances are much better that she will make the wedding and make it with good function.
Recovery and rehabilitation may be easier and faster. Her equilibrium will be all messed up due to the resection of the inner ear. She will be dizzy. Tomorrow, she will probably throw up a lot. Doctor Oghalai is thinking that she will not have to have a feeding tube. He hopes to take the breathing tube out tomorrow. He was careful to make sure that we heard, "We will have to see" when questioned about what Tracy will be able to do and when.
He is pleased with the results, but it was still a very aggressive, invasive procedure.
Speaking of aggressiveness, he said this tumor was a classic meningioma and was not any bigger than they expected it to be. Future stereotaxic radiation treatments will likely be effective if necessary. It will be necessary for us to monitor the tumor for the rest of our lives. MRI's every year and intervention as needed.
We are now on the working side of this event, so please continue to pray on our behalf for our strength, patience, and God's mercy on us. Also, please pray for us to be able to communicate effectively the testimony of God's presence.
I'll tell you moer as it comes in. Thanks for your interest guys.
Jeff
Recovery and rehabilitation may be easier and faster. Her equilibrium will be all messed up due to the resection of the inner ear. She will be dizzy. Tomorrow, she will probably throw up a lot. Doctor Oghalai is thinking that she will not have to have a feeding tube. He hopes to take the breathing tube out tomorrow. He was careful to make sure that we heard, "We will have to see" when questioned about what Tracy will be able to do and when.
He is pleased with the results, but it was still a very aggressive, invasive procedure.
Speaking of aggressiveness, he said this tumor was a classic meningioma and was not any bigger than they expected it to be. Future stereotaxic radiation treatments will likely be effective if necessary. It will be necessary for us to monitor the tumor for the rest of our lives. MRI's every year and intervention as needed.
We are now on the working side of this event, so please continue to pray on our behalf for our strength, patience, and God's mercy on us. Also, please pray for us to be able to communicate effectively the testimony of God's presence.
I'll tell you moer as it comes in. Thanks for your interest guys.
Jeff
6:00 p.m. Update
Praise the Lord for his guiding hand! All right fellas and fellettes, here is the latest and it is good news. I happened to be unavoidably out of the waiting room at the time Dr. Yosher, the neurosurgeon, came in to give us the latest news. Here is what I gather from the ecstatic group in the waiting room. Some of Dr. Yosher's part is/was the brain. That is what they have been working on so far. This tumor has been pushing its way to the brainstem, actually compressing that area about more than twice the normal space. Dr. Yosher said they have gotten everything away from the brain stem and any vital (life sustaining) areas. Now they are going to get to work on the jugular bulb, which is Dr. Oghalai's part for the time being. They are going to leave some of the tumor around the nerves controlling swallowing and facial motor control in order to save those nerves. What that means is Tracy will potentially have better recovery and rehabilitation success. Her face is not likely to droop meaning there would not have to be a follow-up surgery to try and connect or rebuild nerves. She will likely still have difficulty swallowing due to trauma to the area as they worked around it. However, trauma is better than destruction; there is expected rehabilitation. It is also important to appreciate that the nerves mentioned are working "now". But we're not done yet.
The inscision was much longer than anyone expected, about 2" or 3" down the neck. Apparently, this tumor is now recognized as "the biggest" that some of the doctors have ever seen. However, everything seems to be working for the good (sounds familiar, doesn't it - Romans 8:28).
More good news; Christopher and Rachael just arrived. Gotta go give hugs. Tell you more if you're waiting up.
Jeff
The inscision was much longer than anyone expected, about 2" or 3" down the neck. Apparently, this tumor is now recognized as "the biggest" that some of the doctors have ever seen. However, everything seems to be working for the good (sounds familiar, doesn't it - Romans 8:28).
More good news; Christopher and Rachael just arrived. Gotta go give hugs. Tell you more if you're waiting up.
Jeff
This Morning's Devotion
Grandad suggested we all say the 23rd Psalm. Deidre decided to film it while we did it. This moment in time is a great picture of how the Bevers live. What a grand family to be a part of. This morning was a very special moment as we all held hands and recited God's promises together. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
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