A Quick Update!

What day is it? What is my name? I think that is how we are all feeling right now after a crazy few weeks of hospitals, doctors, tests, and crappy televisions. I apologize for the lack of blog updates, every day I kept saying I would write an update the following day when we got more information but it turned out to be a never ending cycle! Hopefully I can get you caught up to speed :)

Rewind back to the 26th of March, we met with Dad's NEW chemo doctor, Dr. Ejadi, at TGen. We had a great appointment and fell in love with him from the beginning. He listened to Dads entire story, the issues he was having, ect and wasted no time in setting up a plan. He wanted to get a CT scan to see what was going on after the 4 rounds of chemo so he got him in 30 minutes later! By the time Dad got home Dr. Ejadi called Dad back and said he needed to turn around and check himself into the ER because there was fluid around his heart.

Always all smiles, even in the ER

To keep the first few weeks simple, Dad stayed in the hospital for four days to be monitored while they put him on a few medications to get rid of the fluid around his heart. Not only was there fluid but his heart was beating very irregularly, up to 192 beats per minute! Since his hear twas beating so fast, his body was only focusing on his lungs and heart which led to edema (swelling of the limbs). They ended up sending him home because we all agreed that he could rest at home just as he was in the hospital. The next week he was still feeling lethargic, extremely short of breath so he went to see the cardiologist who put him on another medication and sent him home. Three days later we checked him back into the ER because he was just not getting better. Saturday the 6th Dad had surgery to remove the fluid around his heart and in his lungs. They then placed tubes from both lungs and the heart to drain the fluid into little boxes that look like this:

Sleeeeeppppyyy

Dad stayed in the ICU until Tuesday the 9th where they moved him to the telemetry wing because he was doing better. He was good until about 7pm that night and had a big set back. By Wednesday he wasn't able to walk anymore and could barely breath in or out. The nurses didn't think he was going to make it and Dad really didn't think he was going to either. After many answered prayers Dads health was going in an upward direction on Thursday and he started eating, walking, and breathing better. Since then, he is down to one tube in his right lung and has lost at least ten pound of water weight.

Dad has now been in the hospital 10 consecutive days and Lord knows he is bored out of his mind! We moved to the oncology floor yesterday which was exciting because Dad now has a flat screen TV in his room instead of a green tinted RCA TV (imagine watching 4 days of The Masters on a green TV). The right lung is still draining a little bit too much to let him go home so they are going to try another medication to stop the fluid. Praying Dad gets to go home in the next few days, he is getting cabin fever :)

What am I forgetting? A million things I can already tell, but all you need to know is that Dad is doing much better! Thank you all so much for the calls and prayers the last few weeks. I know we don't always return your calls, but just know that we appreciate them regardless. I will update again in the next week when we know more, love you all!
 

RN Clown visit, she prescribed chocolate

Dave Harmon came to visit!

First night out of the ICU

Getting an ultrasound to check for blood clots

<3

Listening to some tunes

One of Dad's carepackages..thank you to the Hollidays and everyone else that sent stuff for Dad!

Getting ready to walk some laps

We have been taking lots of naps

Best Buds