Updates and Such

Quick update on Dad:  He is doing awesome!  So far, BETTER than the BEST case scenario!  Honestly, everyone expected a lot more pain, a lot more complications and a lot more emotional stress on all of us.  He is doing great.  Of course, we are still quite early in the process, so things could always change, but for now he is doing wonderfully.

 

The nurse said today that he is looking better than any patient he has ever seen have this surgery.  I think that is fitting... my dad is one of those people who in school put in minimal effort and got straight As... Like now, he is just doing his thing, trying to just endure this process and he is getting through it with flying colors!!! It really has been amazing to see how human bodies are able to preserve energy to help the body heal and how quickly one can feel like themselves again.

 

Dad will likely have one of his chest tubes removed today---several days earlier than the norm--he will also get his nose hose removed on Monday (hence the lack of facial pictures... I don't mind embarrassing dad through photos but even I have standards).  When I left last night he had just finished 10 laps around the nurses station and when I was leaving he was about to go for another walk.  He leaves all the nursing staff amazed at his progress.  I saw one of his incisions... it looked so cool... like frankenstein with all the staples...  It looks like a cesarean incision but curves up in the middle.  He is going to be so cool now with those scars.  Seriously, I think he is cooler already.

 Here we have Dad's tootsies!!  Also pictured are the leg cuffs that inflate to keep circulation going and to prevent blood clots.  He doesn't wear them as much anymore as he is moving so much.  Last night while we were there, he joined us in a game of spades.  He tired towards the end but was perfectly able to play... our team won by the way...  Of course, once we were done, he scooted us out and pressed his button (delivers pain meds but also makes him really sleepy... I think he mostly uses it to make himself sleep).

Thank you all for your prayers... you really can feel a prayer you know.  We are very sensitive to the fact that many others have trials in their lives right now.  These lives of ours are very fragile and it's incredible how quickly our lives can change.  I'm grateful that we have choices and are able to decide how to handle these trials.  Admittedly, I am not an incredible example of how to handle these sorts of things as I was a mess for a couple weeks after finding out about my Dad's cancer.  It took a lot of soul searching and prayer for me to get a handle on what I truly believe about life.  I hope any of you that are feeling loss or going through trials will feel comfort as our prayers come your way.