Journal entry by Debbie Heiman — Aug 8, 2018
I go back and forth between posting on Facebook and Caring Bridge. I’m sorry if you’re not on Facebook, and didn’t see that we were out of ICU. I’m trying my best to keep up with everything.
We got out of ICU yesterday afternoon. It’s wonderful to be back on 8NT, much to the surprise of our nurses from the July 20th surgery. They all feel terrible that we’re back again, but they are happy to have Scott as a patient. He really is the BEST patient you could ask for. So sweet and laid back, even when he’s in rough shape. What a fighter! I’m blessed to call him my husband and best friend!
Scott is still on TPN (nutrition through his port). Unfortunately, he’s not ready to get rid of his NG tube yet. After multiple surgeries so close together, his tummy is going to take longer to wake back up. I’m sure his body is so confused as to what is going on. He was 2 weeks into the healing process and then opened back up. It’s shocking to the system.
We got our walker today and he did an excellent job walking in the hall for about 5 minutes. That’s the first he has taken more than 5 steps since Saturday night when I brought him to Froedtert.
Thanks to amazing friends and family, our kids get to go to Redemption Church Camp. We go when we can, but knew this year wasn’t possible with Scott’s surgery. It’s even more impossible with a second surgery.
The kids haven’t seen much of Scott in the past 3 weeks. With them leaving tomorrow and Friday (2 each day), they want to see Scott before they leave. My Mom is hoping to bring them up today for a short visit. Lexi is babysitting, so hopefully we can get her up here tomorrow night.
Scott is still on 3 very strong antibiotics, along with a lot of fluids to keep him hydrated. He’s getting a bunch of other things too... potassium for sure, but I’m not sure what else. He didn’t need a second blood transfusion, which is good.
Walking really tired him out, and he’s sleeping well right now, even with the nurses taking vitals and doing stuff with all of his IV’s. He is worn out!!! Sleep is always beneficial for the healing process.
That’s the update for now. Thank you so much to EVERYONE for EVERYTHING that you are doing to make our life a bit easier. The saying goes, “It takes a village!” I’m so thankful for the village of friends and family that we have on our side. Blessed beyond belief doesn’t even begin to describe how we feel!
I worry so much about not getting thank you notes out to everyone who has helped us in one way or another, but I hope this public thank you can be enough for right now. I can’t even keep it all straight, since people are helping while I’m here with Scott, and I may not even realize it.
A friend loves at all times.
Proverbs 17:17
We got out of ICU yesterday afternoon. It’s wonderful to be back on 8NT, much to the surprise of our nurses from the July 20th surgery. They all feel terrible that we’re back again, but they are happy to have Scott as a patient. He really is the BEST patient you could ask for. So sweet and laid back, even when he’s in rough shape. What a fighter! I’m blessed to call him my husband and best friend!
Scott is still on TPN (nutrition through his port). Unfortunately, he’s not ready to get rid of his NG tube yet. After multiple surgeries so close together, his tummy is going to take longer to wake back up. I’m sure his body is so confused as to what is going on. He was 2 weeks into the healing process and then opened back up. It’s shocking to the system.
We got our walker today and he did an excellent job walking in the hall for about 5 minutes. That’s the first he has taken more than 5 steps since Saturday night when I brought him to Froedtert.
Thanks to amazing friends and family, our kids get to go to Redemption Church Camp. We go when we can, but knew this year wasn’t possible with Scott’s surgery. It’s even more impossible with a second surgery.
The kids haven’t seen much of Scott in the past 3 weeks. With them leaving tomorrow and Friday (2 each day), they want to see Scott before they leave. My Mom is hoping to bring them up today for a short visit. Lexi is babysitting, so hopefully we can get her up here tomorrow night.
Scott is still on 3 very strong antibiotics, along with a lot of fluids to keep him hydrated. He’s getting a bunch of other things too... potassium for sure, but I’m not sure what else. He didn’t need a second blood transfusion, which is good.
Walking really tired him out, and he’s sleeping well right now, even with the nurses taking vitals and doing stuff with all of his IV’s. He is worn out!!! Sleep is always beneficial for the healing process.
That’s the update for now. Thank you so much to EVERYONE for EVERYTHING that you are doing to make our life a bit easier. The saying goes, “It takes a village!” I’m so thankful for the village of friends and family that we have on our side. Blessed beyond belief doesn’t even begin to describe how we feel!
I worry so much about not getting thank you notes out to everyone who has helped us in one way or another, but I hope this public thank you can be enough for right now. I can’t even keep it all straight, since people are helping while I’m here with Scott, and I may not even realize it.
A friend loves at all times.
Proverbs 17:17
Journal entry by Debbie Heiman — 4 hours ago
This whole recovery from yet another surgery so close to the last, is definitely a roller coaster ride.
I like to step out and get something to eat, walk, or do a puzzle while he’s sleeping. Last night, that wasn’t possible. He really needed me every 15-20 minutes. He is still very weak, and has so many tubes everywhere. He needs help with every move he makes. The silly machine beeps every time he moves, which had him at his boiling point. There’s only so much a person can take!
Around 2 or 3 AM (I’m not sure) I heard him calling “Deborah”. That means he really needs me! He said, “I think I pulled out my NG tube.” I walk over to him, and sure enough, he had somehow accidentally pulled it out in his sleep. He said he woke up and could actually breathe well and knew something wasn’t right. I was praying that they wouldn’t insist on putting it back in. They said as long as he didn’t vomit or have a lot of nausea, he could keep it out. He is doing well without it.
Last night he spiked a fever and it was over 101 again this morning. It is a concern to the nurses and surgical team, especially since he’s already on 3 strong antibiotics. If the fever comes back tonight, they will run some more blood cultures. Please pray for a fever free night!
His blood sugar was high last night and again this morning. He had to get insulin both times. He’s never had that happen before. I’m learning even more about medical things during this hospital stay, as if I don’t already know enough.
He was a little bit more awake for a bit of the morning. Yesterday he couldn’t stay awake for long at all.
He did a lot from 9AM-1PM and then he was exhausted and slept hard! He walked the halls twice, watched the Price is Right, got bathed, and has spent most of the morning in the recliner. It’s good to get him out of bed for a large part of the day!
An infectious disease Dr. just stopped in to see us. He wanted to talk about antibiotics and explain C-diff to us. We told him that Scott had C-diff in New York. Scott does not have it currently and we hope it is avoided. He is going to take Scott off of 2 antibiotics and only keep him on Zosyn for 4 weeks. It will be great to get him down to only 1 antibiotic.
His potassium is constantly low, and when they give it to him in his arm, it makes his arm burn like it’s on fire. He is currently getting 2 hours of potassium. He’s still getting 24/7 TPN nutrition. It’s been almost a week since he’s eaten any food. Saturday was the last time he drank anything. I feel horrible for him.
He is still getting an overload of fluids. What goes in must come out. I feel bad that he has to go so often. It’s a huge annoyance, and like I said before, it’s so hard to maneuver with all of the tubes and wires.
Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful man, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Hebrews 12:1-3
I like to step out and get something to eat, walk, or do a puzzle while he’s sleeping. Last night, that wasn’t possible. He really needed me every 15-20 minutes. He is still very weak, and has so many tubes everywhere. He needs help with every move he makes. The silly machine beeps every time he moves, which had him at his boiling point. There’s only so much a person can take!
Around 2 or 3 AM (I’m not sure) I heard him calling “Deborah”. That means he really needs me! He said, “I think I pulled out my NG tube.” I walk over to him, and sure enough, he had somehow accidentally pulled it out in his sleep. He said he woke up and could actually breathe well and knew something wasn’t right. I was praying that they wouldn’t insist on putting it back in. They said as long as he didn’t vomit or have a lot of nausea, he could keep it out. He is doing well without it.
Last night he spiked a fever and it was over 101 again this morning. It is a concern to the nurses and surgical team, especially since he’s already on 3 strong antibiotics. If the fever comes back tonight, they will run some more blood cultures. Please pray for a fever free night!
His blood sugar was high last night and again this morning. He had to get insulin both times. He’s never had that happen before. I’m learning even more about medical things during this hospital stay, as if I don’t already know enough.
He was a little bit more awake for a bit of the morning. Yesterday he couldn’t stay awake for long at all.
He did a lot from 9AM-1PM and then he was exhausted and slept hard! He walked the halls twice, watched the Price is Right, got bathed, and has spent most of the morning in the recliner. It’s good to get him out of bed for a large part of the day!
An infectious disease Dr. just stopped in to see us. He wanted to talk about antibiotics and explain C-diff to us. We told him that Scott had C-diff in New York. Scott does not have it currently and we hope it is avoided. He is going to take Scott off of 2 antibiotics and only keep him on Zosyn for 4 weeks. It will be great to get him down to only 1 antibiotic.
His potassium is constantly low, and when they give it to him in his arm, it makes his arm burn like it’s on fire. He is currently getting 2 hours of potassium. He’s still getting 24/7 TPN nutrition. It’s been almost a week since he’s eaten any food. Saturday was the last time he drank anything. I feel horrible for him.
He is still getting an overload of fluids. What goes in must come out. I feel bad that he has to go so often. It’s a huge annoyance, and like I said before, it’s so hard to maneuver with all of the tubes and wires.
Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful man, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Hebrews 12:1-3
