Dear Family and Friends,
With thanksgiving to the Lord we report that dad/grandpa was able to go home today. What a difference a few days makes. Once the abdominal catheter was removed last Thursday and dad/grandpa got a few dialysis treatments under his belt, things have improved steadily.
Dad/grandpa will still need care in the home and we are now working through how to get him to and from his thrice weekly dialysis treatments in Stoney Creek (dad/grandpa thinks he'll be able to drive himself in a week or so!). Aunt Heidi, who has been a very special blessing for dad/grandpa during these trying times, is spending a good part of today and tomorrow with dad and mom and we hope to have community nursing care begin in the near future characterized by a few visits each day from a nurse.
Earlier this evening I spoke with him on his speaker phone as he sat at his table eating supper with mom/grandma and (Aunt) Heidi. I mentioned something about a king and immediately picked up no my suggestion and admitted that he felt like a king - with every need being met by his dear wife and daughter-in-law, even before he could think of them.
To our family and friends in Canada, The Netherlands, the USA and Scotland we offer a heart felt thank you for your prayers and encouragement during these last 4 weeks. Most importantly we thank God for sparing our dear father/grandpa thus far. There is still some way to go in terms of recovering strength, appetite and mobility but we can certainly see the Lord's supporting arms of love and compassion at work in his and our lives. As I've written before, it has also been a special blessing to see how the grandchildren stepped forward, some traveling great distances during the night - sitting with and monitoring grandpa, and driving grandma to and from the hospital.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Saturday December 1
Dear Family and Friends,
Dad/Grandpa's appetite is returning and his body is beginning to function normally again. For this we praise God - an answer to prayer. Yesterday he got out of bed himself and walked down the hall a bit before returning with his walker - a very good development.
Dad/Grandpa had dialysis this morning. He is currently getting it three times per week - this week it took place on Tuesday evening, Thursday evening and now this morning. He is very tired after each dialysis treatment which is to be expected.
I am now sitting with him and he is alternating between reading the paper, snoozing and talking - not unusual at all for him. His humor is in tact. He looks forward to seeing his grandsons tonight and tomorrow morning (Colin & Ryan).
Thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray for his continued recovery and for wisdom for the doctors and family as we consider his future - the return home; the need for support at home; the logistics involved in receiving treatment and the potential need for a move to a facility which provides in-house care. The family meets with the medical team on Monday afternoon to discuss these questions. Below is a picture taken by Jackie.
Dad/Grandpa's appetite is returning and his body is beginning to function normally again. For this we praise God - an answer to prayer. Yesterday he got out of bed himself and walked down the hall a bit before returning with his walker - a very good development.
Dad/Grandpa had dialysis this morning. He is currently getting it three times per week - this week it took place on Tuesday evening, Thursday evening and now this morning. He is very tired after each dialysis treatment which is to be expected.
I am now sitting with him and he is alternating between reading the paper, snoozing and talking - not unusual at all for him. His humor is in tact. He looks forward to seeing his grandsons tonight and tomorrow morning (Colin & Ryan).
Thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray for his continued recovery and for wisdom for the doctors and family as we consider his future - the return home; the need for support at home; the logistics involved in receiving treatment and the potential need for a move to a facility which provides in-house care. The family meets with the medical team on Monday afternoon to discuss these questions. Below is a picture taken by Jackie.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Thursday
Dear Friends,
Dad/Grandpa is now having dialysis three times per week using the catheter positioned in his upper chest. He continues to experience times of progress and then things seem to reverse again. There were positive signs in that he could begin to eat broth and other easily digested foods but he remains very tired and sluggish and the hope that he would be able to return home before long has dwindled.
The doctors are rather undecided on how quickly to transition to solid food with the latest decision being to speed up the move in the hope that his system will kick in. The stomach tube was removed several days ago which is a positive sign.
Continue to pray for improvement to his condition, that he may gain strength, that his bodily functions may fully recover and that he would be encouraged together with the family. The Lord knows His needs and we lay them before Him, our heavenly Father.
Dad/grandpa asked me to read Psalm 37 with him yesterday. Here is one excerpt:
Psalm 37:25 & 26
I have been young, and now am old;
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
Nor his descendants begging bread.
26 He is ever merciful, and lends;
And his descendants are blessed.
Dad/Grandpa is now having dialysis three times per week using the catheter positioned in his upper chest. He continues to experience times of progress and then things seem to reverse again. There were positive signs in that he could begin to eat broth and other easily digested foods but he remains very tired and sluggish and the hope that he would be able to return home before long has dwindled.
The doctors are rather undecided on how quickly to transition to solid food with the latest decision being to speed up the move in the hope that his system will kick in. The stomach tube was removed several days ago which is a positive sign.
Continue to pray for improvement to his condition, that he may gain strength, that his bodily functions may fully recover and that he would be encouraged together with the family. The Lord knows His needs and we lay them before Him, our heavenly Father.
Dad/grandpa asked me to read Psalm 37 with him yesterday. Here is one excerpt:
Psalm 37:25 & 26
I have been young, and now am old;
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
Nor his descendants begging bread.
26 He is ever merciful, and lends;
And his descendants are blessed.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Saturday, November 17
Dad/grandpa started dialysis today through the upper chest catheter for a few hours.
The CT scan indicated that the problem is a "lazy bowel" and somewhat of a pinched condition (like a muscle cramp).
Dad/grandpa continues to be on IV, has the grastric tube (to empty his stomach) connected as well as now, at least temporarily, the dialysis tube, not to mention the oxygen connection which he normally also has. So lots of tubes and connections which can be wearisome as you might imagine.
As you can see from the schedule on the right, the grandchildren have been amazing - we are very proud of them. They have told me that it is a privilege to return the lifetime love of their grandfather and grandmother in this way.
Please continue to pray for wisdom for the doctors and nurses, and patience for dad/grandpa, and for the family and medical team to work together in a way that is in the best interest of our very special patient.
Rick
The CT scan indicated that the problem is a "lazy bowel" and somewhat of a pinched condition (like a muscle cramp).
Dad/grandpa continues to be on IV, has the grastric tube (to empty his stomach) connected as well as now, at least temporarily, the dialysis tube, not to mention the oxygen connection which he normally also has. So lots of tubes and connections which can be wearisome as you might imagine.
As you can see from the schedule on the right, the grandchildren have been amazing - we are very proud of them. They have told me that it is a privilege to return the lifetime love of their grandfather and grandmother in this way.
Please continue to pray for wisdom for the doctors and nurses, and patience for dad/grandpa, and for the family and medical team to work together in a way that is in the best interest of our very special patient.
Rick
Friday, November 16, 2012
Friday, November 16
Dear Family & Friends,
The last 2 days have been up and down. There have been a number of developments today, dad/grandpa went in for a CT Scan this morning. Since this procedure requires the use of dye, which could potentially shut down all remaining kidney function, a dialysis (fistula) connection had to be made in the upper chest area - this makes 2 such catheters. The reason for this is that dialysis may need to be started immediately and the abdominal connection isn't functioning (and may never do so).
We are now in a different, private room on the nephrology ward (kidney). We expect the results of the CT Scan to come at some point in the next 24 hours.
Dad/grandpa is now in reasonably good spirits after a difficult morning.
We continue to look to the Lord for all things. Please pray that the reason for the bowel issues will be resolved and corrected in the near future.
The last 2 days have been up and down. There have been a number of developments today, dad/grandpa went in for a CT Scan this morning. Since this procedure requires the use of dye, which could potentially shut down all remaining kidney function, a dialysis (fistula) connection had to be made in the upper chest area - this makes 2 such catheters. The reason for this is that dialysis may need to be started immediately and the abdominal connection isn't functioning (and may never do so).
We are now in a different, private room on the nephrology ward (kidney). We expect the results of the CT Scan to come at some point in the next 24 hours.
Dad/grandpa is now in reasonably good spirits after a difficult morning.
We continue to look to the Lord for all things. Please pray that the reason for the bowel issues will be resolved and corrected in the near future.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Status
Grandpa/Dad's condition is fluctuating. Things appear to improve for a while and then they fall back again.
Encouraging:
- the peritoneal (abdominal) catheter procedure which got this all going is on schedule in terms of the wound healing
- grandpa looks stronger and is in good spirits (although this does fluctuate)
Concerns
- the sluggish bowel issue continues to be a conern. Small improvements but not enough.
- the tube to his stomach is periodically not working and needs to be adjusted. Recognition of this problem seems to take a long time and the resolution only comes when dad gets really uncomfortable.
- if emergency dialysis will be required this may require using the neck area as the entry point
- brief periods of confusion which can lead to grandpa trying to get out of bed, remove tubes etc.
Please pray that the concerns will be overcome and that when dialysis needs to start that the peritoneal approach will do the job . Pray as well that grandpa will be encouraged and that the family will receive the strength and wisdom to provide the level of care grandpa/dad needs in close cooperation with the hospital team.
Rick
Encouraging:
- the peritoneal (abdominal) catheter procedure which got this all going is on schedule in terms of the wound healing
- grandpa looks stronger and is in good spirits (although this does fluctuate)
Concerns
- the sluggish bowel issue continues to be a conern. Small improvements but not enough.
- the tube to his stomach is periodically not working and needs to be adjusted. Recognition of this problem seems to take a long time and the resolution only comes when dad gets really uncomfortable.
- if emergency dialysis will be required this may require using the neck area as the entry point
- brief periods of confusion which can lead to grandpa trying to get out of bed, remove tubes etc.
Please pray that the concerns will be overcome and that when dialysis needs to start that the peritoneal approach will do the job . Pray as well that grandpa will be encouraged and that the family will receive the strength and wisdom to provide the level of care grandpa/dad needs in close cooperation with the hospital team.
Rick
Monday, November 12, 2012
Update from Uncle Garry - Monday
Uncle Garry just called to say that the doctor had met with him, Aunt Heidi and Aunt Diane.
The doctor assured everyone that there isn't something happening here that we aren't fully aware of (a perforated bowel for example).
The doctor is quite positive about how grandpa is doing and says he has improved since Friday.
There are still some challenges to overcome which include:
- dehydration: the IV rate has been increased to help with this
- a sluggish bowel: the doctor said that this is quite a normal condition and often takes a week to recover. The dehydration is one of the causes of this condition.
- increased toxicity which the kidney normally takes care of (creatinine): the doctor said that the levels are no where near the level which would require emergency dialysis through the neck area and that the current plan is to carry out flushing (Wednesday) using the peritoneal (abdominal) catheter which was connected last Tuesday (seems an age ago!)
For all this we praise our gracious God for his countless mercies - they are new every morning.
Lamentations 3:22-24
Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!”
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