Procedure - Day 30

Jim called at 7. Dr. Yerkes was in and said time frame for the scope and possible surgery to take care of the blocked bowel is mid morning or first thing in the afternoon. Jim and I think that might be around 10 a.m. or 1 p.m.

I arrived at Jim's room at 9 a.m., Pastor Dan and Lily shortly before 10. Tentative hour for procedure changed to 11 a.m., but 11 o'clock came and went, with no sign or word from anyone in OR.

At 1:30 p.m., Jim was taken to pre-op on 5th floor and by 2 p.m. was heading to the Operating Room. That was the last I saw of him until 7:25 p.m., when he was brought back into his room on 4th floor. I learned he was taken to recovery at 5:40 p.m.

Someone from his team of doctors was to come talk to me and/or us about the procedure, but that didn't happen, so I cannot tell you exacts. I am hoping tomorrow morning I will have answers. I had heard the OR was a busy place today and Jim said the recovery area was filled.

When he came back into the room, good signs were he was alert and able to move from the bed surgery personnel brought him in on to the one in his room. He was glad to see me. The UIHC doesn't let families into recovery.

The J-tube has been removed, which he was glad about. The NG tube in his nose remains, but perhaps that too will come out in a few days. Also he is still under NPO orders (Nothing By Mouth). Can't be on that forever, or he'll weigh nothing. His nurse gave him a pain shot and anti-nausea medicine.

Among things he said he was looking forward to:

• sleeping in his own bed and sitting in his recliner
• not having the IV pole 
• being able to get up to answer the door without the IV pole falling over
• not having to cart nutrition stuff in a backpack everywhere

I did a lot of sitting. I was eating lunch when Lorraine came by and we had a nice visit. Many called, but I had no answers. 

I did my morning Bible study today at 5 p.m. The verse, from Luke 1:79, says, "To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; To guide our feed into the way of peace." 

This is what I wrote, a prayer ...

May the Light of Jesus
guide us
our feet
our hands
our mouths
into the way
of His Peace

We cannot
be led
unless we are
focused
We cannot
be focused
unless it is
in Him
with Him
of Him
we believe
with our
every breath
and fiber
all He
proclaims

May the Light of Jesus
remove
the dark intrusions
that settle
on our bones
into our eyes
out of our mouths

May His Light
revive us
renew us
restore us
refine us
redefine us

May His Love
become our Love
His gentleness
His kindness
His Patience
all become ours

May His Truth
be shared
May His blessings
surrond us
transform us
through every trial
we face

May His glory --
the Light
of our Lord
and Savior
Jesus
forever shine

May we be
partakers
of that Light
and through our lives
lived
pass on
that Light
of His
to another
and another. 

(c) Cathy Orrick Luders

I left the hospital at 8:45 p.m., stopped at McDonalds for a fish sandwich, and headed homeward. Within 15 minutes I was near the North Liberty exit and the wind picked up and the rainstorms followed. It was not a good place to be caught in. Traffic slowed to a crawl and most of us put our emergency flashers on, often stopping alongside the interstate, under bridge overpasses for a brief respite. What is normally a 30-40 minute drive home, took an hour and 15 minutes. I talked to Jim during my stopping periods and he called once to tell me to take the 32nd street exit, not  42nd Street NE as it was flooded. I was glad when I arrived home. 

Set Back - Day 27

Today begins anew. Seven hours rested sleep - thank you Jesus - will give me energy for this day.

Jim called at 7. Slept pretty well. Did not have success, unfortunately, with last night's enema or suppository. There is some difficulty in knowing what to give him since he can't take anything by mouth or J-tube.

He is to have an x-ray of chest, I think, or stomach this afternoon.

Jim called at 8:30. Dr. Parekh was in and told Jim he may need additional surgery. Jim doesn't want more surgery. He wants a bowel movement. Said he is getting depressed. Was upbeat before the previous surgery, but now, he is going downhill.

Please pray .... call him, visit him ... if you can.

I arrived at the hospital at 10:45. Around 11:30 Jim and I took a walk down one hall of the wing and up the other. When we got back, he was weighed - he didn't like what it said - 137.5 pounds. He's lost 6 pounds! Shortly after noon he started receiving an antibiotic for the urinary tract infection - 400 mg ciprofloxacin through the IV. And then around 12:30 p.m. he was taken to radiology for an x-ray of his abdomen.

He complained throughout the day of cramping and while at radiology and afterward, chills.

Dr. Yerkes came by at 3:20 p.m. and had the first positive news of the day. He said the x-ray showed good things -- the bile in the NG tube is green yucky stuff, but that is good, compared to yesterday, when only saliva was coming through. Between the bile going out through the NG tube and other gunk going out of the stomach through the J-tube, the obstruction is dissolving. Another x-ray of the abdomen will be done Tuesday and if everything continues going good, it is conceivable surgery is unnecessary. But if surgery is necessary, so it will be.

Last night, when Craig, who is staying with us for a while, came home, he said water backed up after he flushed the toilet. Tonight, I really had to do some laundry and I guess I really should not have. Because the sewer is backing up and when I looked in the bathroom, the shower stall is filled with ugly dirty water. I don't know what to do. I don't think there's anything I can do tonight. I can't get it all done. I can't get up early enough to get everything done. I want a massage. I don't have time for a massage. 

Today is the day

"This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it." ~ Psalm 118:24

That was my first thought shortly after getting out of bed at 4:07 this morning and my devotional reading led me to Exodus 33:14, which said "... 'My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.' "

It was a long walk along the skywalk from Ramp 3 to Elevator H and 6th floor (especially for friend Jani Ford and I, as Jim had wheel chair privileges), but we  checked in at the surgery waiting room area on the 6th floor at UIHC right on the dot at 6 a.m. Within minutes, we were transported to a room on 5th floor, where Jim was readied for surgery.

Pastor Dan came by at 6:45 -- we were surprised to see him on his day off. He read from Psalm 121 and prayed with us. It was much appreciated that he took the time to come. Jim's sister, Dianne Weldon, arrived at 7:30.

Jim had his hair clipped from chest to groin. No more fur.

At 7:15 a.m. I learned Jim had failed to communicate some aspects of the surgery with me. First it was going to be minimal-invasive, then traditional, .... he couldn't seem to make up his mind. And then last week he changed it back to minimal-invasive. I was ready to shoot him.

So, instead of a 4-hour procedure, it would be up to 7 hours, possibly longer. He was in the operating room from 8:15 a.m. to 2:44 p.m. We talked with Dr. Parekh at 2:15 - he said everything went well, no complications. For the next 10-15 days, the risk of infection where the stomach and 1-2 centimeters of esophagus connect is high. Don't want any redness or drainage.

The thoracic epidural that had been suggested for pain control didn't happen because of neurofibromatosis (bumps on his body) and the brain tumor surgery he had in 2006. He receives pain medication through an IV and can push a button every 10 minutes.

And then because of his hiatal hernia, he had to numb the throat area himself with a lollipop swab (disgusting stuff) - I think the anesthesia team called it awake fiber optic. It was supposed to help him not aspirate.

He was in the recovery room from 2:44 to 5:15 p.m., and then taken to 4th floor, right around the corner from Eleavor D. His room number is 59. He can have visitors. Dr. Parekh said depending upon how things go, he could come home on day 4 or 5.

It is now 9:30 p.m. Jim just called me on his cell phone. His nurse already has him sitting up on the side of the bed. Tomorrow he will be up walking. He can talk, but his voice is hoarse. He didn't talk much above a whisper several hours ago. He wants to get better soon, so we all have to be positive.

And now for a little trivia we learned from other "waiting" people ... there are 2,400 bathrooms through the hospital.

We thank you for your prayers along the way and continuing in the long days ahead.

Surgery date is May 5

Jim waited all day for a phone call from his surgeon's nurse. A lot of friends called, but not until 5:03 p.m., when he went out to take the garbage to the curb and come back in, did the long-awaited phone call finally come.

An earlier date was desired, like mid-April, but the earliest surgery date presently available is May 5. The only way it could be earlier is if there is a cancellation, which we could pray for.

Pre-op is scheduled for Wednesday, April 22, at 10:45 a.m. He will have lab work, an EKG, etc., and any additional questions we have will be answered.

Surgery to remove the esophagus is scheduled for Tuesday, May 5. We need to be at UI Hospitals by 6 a.m.

Jim's surgeon is Dr. Kalpaj Parekh (see photo). He is a cardiothoracic surgeon, with 19 years of experience and a high success rate. The surgery is expected to last 5 hours. Jim will be in the hospital a minimum of 5 days, longer if necessary. There will be no chemo.

Thank you for your continued prayers for both of us.