Hello all,

I feel the need to update you one last time to let you all know how my father is fairing.  He came home last Friday.  This is the first time he's been home since 12/08/07.  He continues to need physical and occupational therapy at home, but he's home.  He is walking with a walker and is using a myriad of assistance devices, but he progresses each day a little at a time.  I talked to him tonight and he said he is catching himself doing things without thinking first.  I told him this is good, except he needs to wait until he regaind enough strength to do things without plotting a course.  It seems his muscles and brain are working together better, now he needs to get stronger.

That's the update for now on my dad.  I want to thank all of my IAH family for all the support I received over the past three months.  There are three members who kept close contact with me through all of this and I sincerely thank them.  I believe these people are angels sent to help me through this. Poison, Vicky and of course Sandy, thank you all for the continued contact.  I have a very strong family base around me, but I needed and received the extra support from all of you.  Now it's time to take care of myself.  I have neglected my own health and need to get back to watching out for myself.  Just writing this helps me get some closure and allows me to move on.  I truly appreciate everyone on this site and would like to thank all who have sent good wishes, prayers and positive energy to my dad, family and myself.  Have a good night and a wonderful weekend

Bret 

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I expected to have this entire thing over with by now.  My Dad was transferred to a hospital close to home for a couple weeks of therapy to get his legs under him.  Well, that all changed last Thursday when they found a blockage in his small intestine and they had to operate to remove it.  That surgery lasted about an hour and the doctor said there was no issue with the intestine. It had just kinked like a garden hose and when he opened him up he unkinked the hose and he was fine.  They took 7 litres of fluid out of his stomach and intestines.  This left him dehydrated and his BP was low for about 36 hours until they figured it out and gave him a lot of liquid.  The BP went up and that was fine.  Now all he had to do was recover from this surgery and he could go back to therapy.  Well, yesterday my Mom called and said he had blood clots in his legs and they were going to put a screen in his aorta tin case the clot broke loose.  That surgery went fine as well.  Back on the road to recovery..AGAIN!!!  Today, they find out his wrist has a healing fracture and that's why it hurts so bad.  This has been bothering him for the last four weeks.  This man needs a break.  Please send him all th epositive energy you can to assist him to make this turn he so desperately needs.  My family is at its wits end, but we're hanging in there for him.  We are leaning on each other as much as we can.  I need to stop now, I'm becoming very teary eyed and need to get away from this for a while.  Thank you all for listening/reading.  I appreciate all the suppport from my IAH family.  Good night.

Bret 

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Hello all,

I just wanted to give a quick update on my dad and
his progress.  He has been moved from the ICU in Pittsburgh to a
hospital in the suburbs to continue his physical and occupational
therapy.  He is still unable to walk or even move himself around much
in bed.  He is still fed through a feeding tube until he can swallow
without anything going into is lungs.  Right now his throat muscles are
not strong enough.  He still has the trach tube in because there
continues to be a large amount of phlegm in his lungs and it needs
suctioned out from time to time. The other day we found out he has a
staph infection and he is now on a very strong antibiotic to combat
that.  The infection doesn't seem to be hindering him in any way so far.

Now
the good news.  He has therapy six days a week, so his arms and legs
continue to get stronger, but slowly.  He can talk to us now because
they are capping off his trach tube for lengthening amounts of time to
build up his lung capacity.  When the tube is capped, he can talk
almost normal to us.  That's much nicer than guessing what he needs or
wants.  Lastly, I just want to thank all my friends on IAH who have
been praying for my father and my entire family since this all started
in early December.  I will definitely keep you all updated on the
progress.  Thank you all!!!

Bret 

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Hello all,

I would like to thank everyone who have sent prayers and good wishes for my father.  He went through 5 hours of surgery on Tuesday afternoon and evening to do a triple bypass on him.  It was only to be a double, but there was another that needed done.  I just got back from the hospital in Pittsburgh and talked to him.  He's still in ICU recovery, but the breathing tube has been removed and he has sat up on the edge of his bed.  This is all a huge relief to me, my mom and the rest of my family.  That's it for now.  He should go to a room either this afternoon or tomorrow morning.  Again, thank you all for your knind words and prayers.  It means a lot to me.

 Bret

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Hello,

I would like to ask for the good thoughts and prayers from everyone at IAH for my father.  He is having double bypass surgery later this week and I think he could use all the good wishes he can get.  Some of you may remember him as Wayne from the oldcouple and as the gray ghost and his lady here on IAH.  All good wishes and prayers are greatly appreciated.  Thank you all.

Bret

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