A Good Day!

Mom reports that today was "a good day." It was so nice to hear her say that!! She said that Dad was in fairly good spirits, although he still isn't talking very much (not that he ever does) and didn't feel like having her read to him. His dry humor popped up when the nurse asked how his hands were doing. He said "Well, I can feel them."

He was bathed and shaved today. Mom said, "Wow, sweetheart, they've shined you right up! You must feel like a king!" Dad said, "Nooooo."

He is still in the ICU. There was some talk yesterday about moving him to a regular room today, but it didn't happen, and Mom's not sure what the holdup is. She thinks maybe it's because his blood pressure and heart rate are both quite low, but that is only a guess.

Mom plans to take his glasses and hearing aid when she goes tomorrow, hoping that will encourage him to stay awake a little more. They did get him moved to a chair for a few hours today . . . but he fell asleep in the chair too. :-)

Awake and Talking Today

Mom says that Dad is fairly alert and talking today, although he's taken a number of naps. This afternoon the nurses have gotten him up from the bed to sit in a reclining chair for awhile, despite his protests. It is uncomfortable for him to move, but it is beneficial for both his lungs and his muscles.

Last night Dad had several episodes of irregular heartbeat, but today that seems to be under control. Mom did get home to sleep last night, but she wasn't able to get back as early as she wanted to this morning, so she may sleep on the couch in the ICU waiting room tonight.

Thank you all so much for caring and praying.

Dad made it through surgery

Mom just called to say that Dad is out of surgery. He is in a lot of pain, so they are giving him something for that. The surgeon told her he removed a large tumor and some surrounding tissue . . . but was not able to get all the cancer. That was not unexpected.

Please pray for the Lord's comfort for them: physical for Dad, and emotional, mental & spiritual for both of them. Thank you so much.

Surgery today

I just spoke with Mom, and she said that an ICU room had become available, and they would be coming soon to take Dad and prepare him for surgery. She said she feels God's sweet peace, for which we are grateful!!

Dad was disobeying orders today. They gave him wet sponges to moisten his mouth but told him not to swallow . . . well he wanted to swallow, and he did. :-) Who would have thought my dad, who never broke the speed limit, would be so rebellious! Mom said the nurse pretended she didn't see anything. :-)

Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers.

Surgery tomorrow (again)

Turns out Dad's surgery won't be today after all, because the hospital doesn't have any open ICU beds. Now they are planning to do it tomorrow (Sunday). We don't know the time yet.

Mom is doing well. On the phone she sounds calm and strong, which we know is God's strength as a result of your prayers. THANK YOU !! We would appreciate prayer for wisdom to identify things Mom might need help with, that she might not think of or feel comfortable asking for. And also wisdom to know when I/we should make plans to go to Maine.

"The eternal God is your refuge,
And underneath are the everlasting arms..." (Deuteronomy 33:27)

So it is cancer

We found out this morning that Dad does have a large cancerous tumor in his stomach. The surgeon is planning to remove part of the stomach and intestine, and reconnect everything as best as he can.

They are not sure where the cancer originated or how far it has spread. We will know more after the surgery.

Thanks for praying for all of us.

Surgery tomorrow

Dad's upper GI scope this morning showed that the passage from the stomach to the small intestine is completely blocked. The doctors are not sure if it is a tumor, or scar tissue from ulcers. They did a biopsy and expect the results tomorrow morning.

After the biopsy results are in, they are also planning surgery tomorrow to remove the blockage. (The surgeon told Mom that Dad's doctor used "special charm" to convince them to do the surgery on Saturday. :-) We are happy that Dad consented to surgery.

He still has a productive cough, so his lungs need clearing up also. Thanks for caring and praying!