Update July 31, Friday 10:40

Hi. Linda had an MRI today that indicated that her lungs contained fluid to the extent that her breathing was distressed. So, the doctors put her in the hospital to give her on going oxygen, to apply more diuretics and to test for pneumonia. The doctors stressed that this was not an emergency situation and that being in the hospital will allow treatment in a setting where Linda can be monitored and where she will feel comfortable that her difficulties can be addressed in the most immediate way. Linda was admitted, IVs were established and treatment began. In terms of positive news, Linda's wound looks really good and her abdominal difficulties appear to be improved. She is on a total liquid diet and is taking new meds and all , in terms of the abdomen, looks much better. Linda has had such a hard time with breathing this week that events today offered her some solace that cause for her breathing difficulties was established and is now being addressed.The doctors want to have the diuretics administered slowly so Linda will be in the hospital another three to four days. I'm confident, as is Linda, that, once we get past this breathing issue, she will be able to go home. I'll keep you up to date. John

Update, July 30th, Thursday, 7:13 PM

Hello. We saw the GI doctor today. He indicated that the gas in Linda's abdomen could not fully account for the respiratory distress Linda experiences. Although the abdomen is distended, the degree of distention should not result in the breathing problems Linda displays. He prescribed three meds for Linda to take to reduce the gas and suggested a consult with a pulmonologist at Stanford to look at the fluid that is in her lungs to determine a course of action to eliminate the fluid. Here-to-fore, the fluid has been viewed by the doctors as inconsequential, but, this doctor feels that the lungs play a significant role, in concert with the gas in the abdomen, to create the stress Linda feels in terms of breathing. So, we are expecting to meet with a pulmonologist tomorrow, if the cardiologist can arrange it for us, or, on Monday, when we are to be seen by the Stanford surgeon, as part of our regular schedule of meetings to look at the wound. Our status, as far as where we will be over the weekend, is dependent upon the schedule of meetings tha tcan be arranged tomorow and what comes from the meetings, should they occur. So, two steps forward, one step back, on the way to getting to the bottom of Linda's difficulties. And that's the way it is... John

Update Wednesday, July29th,6:14 PM

Hi. As it turns out, we will not be able to see the GI doctor until tomorrow at 2:00PM. There was a mix up in terms of Stanford knowing of the doctor's availability.We did see the surgeon's nurse, today, in order for her to review the progress of the wound healing. She feels the wound is healing nicely. Linda experienced a day of rest and walked a little to encourage intestinal motility. Otherwise, not much is changed and not much to report. We are still in Palo Alto at a Holiday Inn Express. It is not Geyserville, or home, but it allows us to be here until we get Linda's problems resolved..Thanks, for your support. John

Update July 28th, Tuesday, 6:44 PM

Hi. Just returned from Stanford and we are ensconced in our motel room. Linda had a long afternoon of x-rays and consultations with the medical staff. Her current problem is a bloated intestinal system, filled with major pockets of gas, that presses on the lungs and inhibits breathing. As a result, Linda is limited in movement or exertion and the lungs are compressed to the extent that mucus forms in parts of the lungs. This mucus creates discomfort and contributes to coughing "jags" and inability to draw breath easily. So, Linda was referred to a G.I. doctor who used to work at Stanford, and with whom Linda had contact three years ago, when she first had distention of her abdomen, which was found to be related to radiation damage. This doctor now works at another hospital in the Stanford area. We plan to see this doctor tomorrow. We hope he knows a means to rid Linda of the gas, as all the usual methods have been tried without positive results. We also hope to find means to prevent the problem from occurring, again, in the first place.

The Stanford visit today was so remarkable in terms of the responsiveness of the staff, their kindness and thoroughness. We've never before experienced such dedication and commitment on the part of a professional staff. Where people like this come from, and how they are made, is a wonderment. We both came away from the meetings today with a better feeling about human kind and a sense of true partnership with the medical team.

So, still here. More tomorrow. John

Update, Monday, July 27th,4:29 PM

Hi. Just returned to our motel room in Palo Alto after our visit at Stanford Hospital. Linda's left lung was found to contain fluid and her intestinal system is operating with a too low motility rate. These issues combine to cause shortness of breath, from pressure, and fatigue, from poor oxygenation. She was told to take more diuretic to pull fluid from her body and she was given a strong laxative to reduce the press of the intestines on her lungs. We will return to the hospital tomorrow to see if she is improved. The good news is that her wound is healing nicely and she was taken off the wound vac. I was taught to perform wet to dry gauze packing which must be done, now, 3 times a day until the wound is completely healed. At this time, we will be staying yet another week in Geyserville, assuming linda is improved tomorrow to the extent that she can go away from the Stanford area. We are to return to Stanford next Monday. We will not leave the Stanford area until we are sure Linda is able to breathe freely and is not experiencing discomfort. That is all ,for now. John

Update, Sunday, July 26th, 2:54 PM

Hi. Headed for Stanford right now. Linda had a rough night with coughing, fast respiration and poor sleep. We want to get to Stanford ,today, to try to get blood tests and imaging completed early in the morning so that we can have something definitive discussed when we meet with doctors at 1 PM, Monday. There is something effecting her breathing and we have to isolate what this is as soon as possible. I will blog again, once we know something tomorrow, probably, late tomorrow. Thanks, John

Update, July 25th, Saturday, 11:49

Hi. Linda is doing better today. She and her doctor talked late yesterday and she agreed to take a small dose of diuretics as the doctor indicated that the blood tests revealed that she was "too wet." So we've gone from "too dry" to "too wet" and, apparently, this is the reality that lots of people in Linda's circumstances face. Linda's heart rate and respiration, as well as blood pressure, are in normal ranges, right now. But, we still have to be alert to the fact that the right balance of fluids sometimes takes a while to affect. Her situation is complicated by other problems she has had...all related to radiation ... and these problems require administration of meds that have to be taken into account when devising a course of action specific to her heart surgery. Linda's mood is, of course, better today and she is able to rest without worry about her heart rate. So, that is all for today. We go back to Stanford on Monday and hope to be given permission to retreat to McKinleyville, but, we will have to wait and see how Stanford staff respond to the wound status and this issue of fluid balance. Thank you, for your support. John

Update Friday, July 24th, 2:45 PM

Hello. Linda's heart rate continues to flux. We tried several approaches yesterday and seemed to strike out. Last night, I checked every two hours and found a great deal of variability from normal to very high. This morning, before the visiting nurse came, Linda took more potassium and guess what... the heart rate was normal when the nurse took Linda's vitals. The nurse took blood samples and spoke with the Stanford doc. The doc. ordered stat on the blood results and will talk to us this afternoon. He was pleased that the potassium stabilized the heart rate. He voiced that we are still getting the fluid situation right and seemed okay about our efforts to resolve the situation. Linda has no temp and, other than some additional, expected ( because of the meds ) intestinal problems and allergy problems, is doing well. If the potassium does not keep the rate stable, then, I suppose, we will have another trip to Stanford in our near future. I will keep you up to date. Thanks, John

Update, July 23, Thursday,10:45 AM

Hello. Linda rested well throughout the night. I checked her heart rate every two hours and it remained within the expected range. However, when she woke up, she was congested, again, and coughed a great deal which elevated her heart rate. We will try some more allergy meds in the hope that we can reduce the severity of the reaction. The problem is, that many of these allergy meds dry you out and we are working to hydrate Linda. So, lots of water and Gatoraide, juices and soups. I will keep you posted as to her progress. John

Update July 22, Wednesday, 2:54 PM

Hi all. Well, yesterday was a hard day. Linda, again, experienced an elevated resting heart rate ( 106 to 109 per min. ), was fatigued and out of breath. Calls made to Stanford resulted in taking her off the diuretics completely and hydration of her system. Over night, every two hours, we checked her resting rate and it gradually came down. Today, the visiting nurse came by and confirmed that Linda was doing better. Her heart rate at rest, as I type, is 88 per min. ,which is about Linda's usual rate. Linda is bothered by a bad allergy and woke up with a chest full of congestion and so we are taking measures to lessen the influence of the allergy on her well being. We will continue to monitor her today and tonight, as we did last night, just to be sure she continues on the right path. Her Stanford doc. has been very accessible and wonderfully responsive to our calls. And so it goes...or..."and that's the way it is"...Boy, have I missed Cronkite over all these years, and , to think they repalced him with Rather!! John

Update, July 21st, Tuesday, 10:20 AM

Hi. The Stanford visit resulted in being told that at least one more weeek of living near by, in Geyserville, is necessary. While the wound is healing nicely, there is one part of it that is still deep enough to require the wound vac packing. Next week should see us leaving for home and using "wet to dry" gauze packing, which is something I can do and will not require specialized supervision from Stanford. We would still see a home health nurse in McKinleyville, but, just to review and assure progress, not to pack the wound. Diuretics were further reduced by Stanford doctors and, again, the staff at the hospital were very encouraging about the wound status and Linda's progress. Thanks, to all for the support. John

Update Sunday, July 19th, 10:10 AM

Hi. Saturday was a day in which Linda rested, for the most part. She had some allergy problems last night and was kept up from coughing a couple of times. Today, will be more rest and, tomorrow, we will be back at Stanford for the weekly check. The wound vac continues to operate reliably and we note no apparent negative effects from the reduced diuretics. We hope to be given the green light to go back to McKinleyville tomorrow and, yet, know that the wound may not be healed enough for us to leave Geyserville. Thanks, for your attention to Linda. These are tough circumstances to deal with and the knowledge that people care, makes a big difference. John

Update July 17th, Friday,6:47 PM

Hi. Linda was just cleared to leave the hospital. We will drive back to Geyserville as soon as the paperwork is completed. Her diuretics were adjusted and she feels better. Just a blip along the way. But, a bit of a freight there for a while. We will be back at Stanford on Monday for our scheduled appointment. The wound vac was changed today and the wound continues to heal and, actually, looks pretty good. Thanks, for the support. John

Update-July 17, 2009 11:45 am

Hello All,

Last night linda was complaining of shortness of breath, fatigue and had difficulty breathing. My dad took her down to stanford late yesterday and upon arrival they ran some tests which indicated her heart and lungs were fine. More tests today showed however that her symptoms were due to her fluid levels, so they have taken her off her diuretics and she has improved. Now they have to figure out what the right amount of diuretic is for her to take. For now she will remain at Stanford until they can figure that out. More updates later:)

Mandy

Update Wednesday, July 15th, 12:31 PM

Hi. The visiting nurse left a short while ago. She Indicated that the wound was much improved. Linda's doctor reduced the amount of diuretics she must take,but, otherwise, meds remain the same as when Linda left the hospital ( blood thinners, blood pressure, stomach pills for acid reflux, calcium, electrolytes, etc. ). Linda is now taking a nap but ,when she awakes, I hope to take her for a walk around the circular driveway they have here. Emma is due to come by later today and Linda is, of course, looking forward to seeing her. Mandy continues to hold down the fort in McKinleyville. She was here over the weekend. Rascal was sick with intestinal problems but is now recovered, much to our relief ( as well as his, I'm sure ). Hot days, now, in Geyserville with temps in the high nineties. For folks rooted in Mendo for 5 years, and in McKinleyville for 5 years, these temps are difficult and, yet, reminicent of our days in Chico where the summers would reflect triple digit days, as a matter of course. All is well. John

Update, July 13th, 7:44 PM

Hi.  The visit to Stanford today went very well.  The wound vac was changed and the Stanford staff felt that the wound was healing very well.  In fact, they said there may be a chance that the wound would be sufficiently healed next Monday to allow consideration of travel back to McKinleyville next week.  We do not want to get our hopes up too much but it was good to know that relocation home may be possible.  So, we shall see.  John

Update Monday July 13th, 11:01 AM

Hi;  Sorry, about no blog the last few days.  A little mix up in communication.  All is well.  Linda is off to Stanford today.   The visiting nurse meeting, Friday, went well as the wound continues to heal.  The nurse indicated she thought it would be at least another two weeks, however, before Linda will not require the wound vac.  (maybe more, as this process takes a long time with wounds as large as Linda's ).  Linda was a little blue after hearing this but, yesterday, was feeling better and was actually heartened by the news of the wound getting better.  We'll know more after the visit today and get an estimate from Stanford as to a projected date when we will be able to be in Mckinleyville.  Thanks, for all the interest and concern.  John

Update July 9th Thursday,9;50 pm

Hi.  Linda took a walk today and, actually walked, after I blogged, yesterday.  She was tired today and slept for along time this afternoon.  She  sat at the computer a little and does not evidence any temperature.  The vac. continues to fill the canisters and, thereby, does its job.  Not much else to report as the days begin to be about the same as the healing process just takes time and routines develop around meds, sleep, eat and walk.  Linda is able to listen to books on computer discs and enjoys reading notes from the e-mail and on the blog.  More tomorrow.  John

Update July8th , Wednesday 4:39

Hi. I just typed a blog entry and it appears to have been swallowed by the computer meanies. I'll try again. Linda did not sleep well last night. The visiting nurse came today and all looked good and healing is on course. Linda is taking a nap now and did not walk much today due to her being tired. Warm weather here and we've heard from our Mckinleyville friends that it has been cold in the north country, particularly on the 4th. I'll keep blogging and Linda will keep healing and soon, I hope , we can be in our home with our daughter and dogs and cold weather ( although the warm weather here is great for healing ). More tomorrow. John

June 7th Tuesday, 4:43 PM

So, another good day. Linda walked, with help, outside for a short distance and was able to sit, briefly, at the computer and write a few notes to her kids. All is going well but very slowly. The wound looks good and the fluid coming from the wound is reduced so all appears to be going as planned. Thanks, to all of you following the blog and writing notes as it makes a difference. John

Update July 6th, Monday, 7:32 PM

Hi. We went to Stanford today. All is okay. They examined the wound and took vitals and checked her lungs. They indicated that the wound was healing very nicely. We must return to Stanford next Monday for a similiar exam. Inbetween, we will have the visiting nurse. They said that the periodic, and low grade, fevers Linda experiences are par for the course and nothing to worry about. Mandy is back in Mckinleyville and Emma, after a short visit yesterday, is back in her home in SF. We are back in Geyserville and Linda is now resting as the trip to Stanford exhausted her. The wound vac goes everywhere with her, as it has a strap like a purse, that goes over her shoulder. This is all very tedious but the healing process associated with this wound is extensive. That is all for now. John

Update July 4th, Saturday 1:22 PM

Hi. A little blip last night as Linda developed a fever and we called Stanford and they suggested we go to Healdsburg emergency room to have her evaluated. We did go, and, the blood tests revealed nothing of concern. We returned to the ranch, around midnight, and Linda slept well and awoke this morning with no fever after a dose of antibiotic. A little tense for a while, but, good news at the end. The fever was, probably, just a small reaction to some bacterial element in her system. Hard to miss the fireworks and all the activities around the 4th, but, healing is a wonderful substitute, and, Linda is clearly on the mend. Emma may be able to visit tomorrow as she may be over her cold. Mandy was here for a day and left for Modesto yesterday. She will be back and will visit on her way to Mckinleyville on Monday. Linda's nephews and families are here for a short while, so, she is able to have some society during the day. She enjoys the two babies, ages 7 and 11 months. More tomorrow. Thanks, John

Update July 3rd, Friday, 2:42 PM

Hello. Vac problems are worked out and linda has had some very good sleep and rest. The wound is healing and there are no complications. We will go to Stanford on Monday for their review of the wound and Linda's status. Then back to the ranch, until the 13th, when we will go to Stanford, again. After that, we hope we will be able to go home, but, it all depends on the wound and how well it heals. We have been away from home so long. Strange, how home becomes so important when being away is not by choice but by difficult circumstance. But, we are thankful that things are going well, now, that soon we will be on our way to Mckinleyville and that Linda has such caring family and friends. John

Update Wednesday, July 1st, 2;00pm

lINDA SLEPT WELL LAST NIGHT, EVEN THOUGH HER WOUND VAC KEPT SOUNDING ALARMS SUCH AS," LOW PRESSURE" AND "BLOCKED TUBE" ETC.. WE ARE WAITING FOR THE HOME HEALTH NURSE WHO IS ,RIGHT NOW, AN HOUR LATE FOR HER APPOINTMENT TO CHANGE THE VAC AND ATTEND TO LINDA. WE HOPE TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES WITH THE VAC IN OUR MEETING WITH THE NURSE. LINDA IS STRONGER WITH THE ADDITIONAL SLEEP, BUT, STILL REQUIRES HELP GETTING UP AND WITH EVERY DAY HUMAN EVENTS. lOTS OF MEDS AND A MED SCHEDULE THAT SHE WILL HAVE TO KEEP FOR A LONG TIME. IT IS BETTER HERE, LINDA'S DAD COULD NOT BE MORE GRACIOUS, AND WE STILL LOOK FORWARD TO BEING IN OUR HOME. rASCAL AND CHICO WILL NOT RECOGNIZE US AND THE LAWN IS PROBABLY BROWN AS mCKINLEYVILLE HAS HAD A "HEAT"WAVE WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE SEVENTIES!! JOHN