DIFFERENT HOSPITAL , QUICK DIAGNOSIS

The news from the hospital was bad and good this morning. Hubbie called to say son woke him up at 2 am saying his fever was going really high. Yes it was 104.5,yikes!!! They immediately gave tylenol (which by the way I was told they were taking him off of because of something showing up in his liver) they bought in tubs of ice and hubbie spent 2 1/2 hours with cold rags to get the fever to break. It's funny how perspective changes, a 103 fever now is acceptable,so when it got to that hubbie went back to sleep. He went to work at 10 this morning.
Now for the good news,which I have been praying for all week,they are moving him to Mission Hospital in Asheville this afternoon.
They have a large very modern infectious disease unit over there and he will get round the clock care.
He is actually sick today and can't eat,this is the 4th day without hardly any food.
I'm not a doctor but I'm just saying 5 days ago with the extreme tiredness,fever,high heart rate,loss of appetite ,rash and other symptoms he has I would have called in a specialist in this area before now !
I have had to continually fight to keep the emphasis squarely on him,because of this uneasy feeling I have had. It is a relief to me that he is being transferred,I just pray it is in time!!
D-in-love called about 3:oo this afternoon to say they were on their way,he was a direct admit to the St. Joseph's campus of Mission Hospital. She would stay with him until hubbie got off work and we went over,daughter is coming later to spend the night.
I iced cakes , did paperwork and payed bills this afternoon.
When hubbie came in from work we hurried through the chores and headed to Asheville.This hospital is 10 stories high and this is the beautiful view from his new home for a while.
Both his new vascular surgeon and his infectious disease doctor came in shortly after we arrived.
They unwrapped and examined his leg,saying it looked good. The vascular doctor said tomorrow they would do an arteriogram because the one they did at Park Ridge wasn't clear enough for them to make a decision on what to do. Then they will do the artery by pass on Friday or Monday.
The infectious disease doctor said that one of the antibiotics that he had been getting since his first surgery was the culprit causing the fever and low white cell count. Lord let him be right !!! He sounded very sure about his diagnosis.
They also took a boat load of blood for his new hematologist to look at,we didn't meet him yet. He is on no IV meds or fluid of any kind right now. Still on the blood thinner shots in his stomach but not coumadone.
Within these first 3 hours he has had more test and more decision have been made than in the last 2 weeks at the other hospital. So far I'm very impressed and am just praying that they are right.
Son seems to be in better spirits even though he is looking at another extended stay in this hospital after the artery surgery. I went down to the very nice cafeteria and got him homemade chicken and rice soup. After he ate that I had to go back down and get him a salad and fruit cup.
#2 son came over for a visit and daughter came in,it was nice having all 3 of my children supporting each other.
Daughter just sent a text from the hospital,son's fever is 98.2 at midnight ,prayerfully this will last through the night.
As hubbie and I left,just as we got to the car I looked up and saw this .It's as if this was God's reassurance for me,I'm at peace tonight for the first time in 3 weeks.
Thanking God for the blessings of today and for His part in healing son.
Good Night and God Bless.

DAY 19 COMES WITH 5TH SURGERY FOR SON

G-son spent the night with us last night and even slept in a little after I got up this morning.
I spent the morning playing "shark" with him between laundry loads and house cleaning.
Son's fever spiked back up last night to 103 and pretty much has stayed there through the morning. Daughter is there with him and hubbie has been in and out a couple times this morning.
His orthopedic surgeon has him scheduled for surgery to close the fasciotomy and check his knee for infection at 4:00 this afternoon.
Daughter said his emotions are up and down again today,but it's to be expected when he knows something's wrong and no one seems to have any answers. It is very frustrating to even those of us who aren't immobilized in a hospital bed!
The new guess from the doctors today is antibiotic fever. This happens when you are on a combination of drugs for an extended length of time. This would be the best case scenario and I pray that this is what is causing the fever and fast heart rate. The doctor believes this is it because of the up and downs of his fever. When he went into surgery today his fever was 98.6, tonight at 11:00 it is 103.
I am still very nervous about sepsis ,and the symptoms are very similar to antibiotic fever. I have been praying for days that this is not it,and the doctor assured me after surgery tonight if indeed this is it he will transport son immediately to the infectious disease unit at Mission Hospital in nearby Asheville.
They will know tomorrow if the cultures he took out of his leg are okay. If they are ,he will be taken off all meds and sent home in the next day or two. My prayers are for this scenario to be God's will for my son.
Daughter said the preacher that married son came by today at the request of our minister who is out of town on a mission trip and his talk did son a world of good because he helped him put things into perspective. He hopefully made him see that this is part of God's plan for him and he didn't do anything to deserve this but must look to get closer to God during this trying time.God has a reason for things like this as well as all the good things that happen.On a light side "you know you're a redneck" if while waiting for son to come back out of surgery you notice that the hospital you're in still has their Christmas lights up and it's almost July 4th !!It doesn't get any easier to look at son when he just comes out of surgery even if it is the 5th time. They successfully closed both fasciotomy cuts and re-opened a nasty looking place on his knee closing to check it out and get a culture. The doctor said it all looks really good to him and he doesn't expect any problems. I just can't shake this uneasy feeling I have about all this. It started last week and my intuitions have been screaming that somethings not as it seems with all this. I am usually a very positive person but I do pay close attention to my intuitions and something just plain stinks right now. I pray that this is one time I will be wrong,not that it would be the only time I've been wrong but it would probably be the best time ever to be wrong.Another patient ?????
No just daughter,who has spent the entire day with son and now is trying to sleep off a headache before she leaves. I hope son remembers her dedication to him for a long time.
I came home did my evening chores and started baking cakes,I have a lot to bake tonight because I never know what tomorrow will bring and I may not get another chance to bake.
Hubbie went to the hospital to spend the night with son tonight,someone always tries to stay the night after he has surgery. Hopefully they will both sleep soundly tonight. If he gets some sleep hubbie is going to go to work late in the morning,we'll see.
Hubbie called to say his vascular surgeon had just came by and I ask if son told him about the soreness and painful lump in his groin where they went in to try to dislodge the clot. They had both forgotten about that but hubbie was able to catch him and he came back and checked it out and said he didn't know why it was so tender in that spot. Maybe they will make an effort to find out why. DUH !!!!
I think I will sleep soundly tonight also,I'm so ready to have my insides settled back down.
Praying for an end to this hospital stay for son to come soon. Asking for God's intervention into his emotional state right now and the peace that God's love can give.
Good Night and God Bless.

WE'LL TAKE ALL THE SMALL VICTORIES WE CAN GET

G-son got here early this morning,but we did lay in bad and doze while watching cartoons until after 8:00 thankfully. I am not an early morning person anymore 8 am is plenty early enough for me. When we used to bottle feed a bunch of calves I was always up at 7 or before but in these later years I've got used to a more relaxed morning.
When we got up and had breakfast we went outside to do some watering and refilled all the bird feeders.
We looked over the garden for ripe produce but with the dry weather pickens were slim today.
Although it has grown a lot since the first of the month.The half runner green beans have almost covered the trellises and the squash and tomato plants have filled in the rows. So the good Lord has provided sufficient moisture for fresh yellow squash and cucumbers as well as red potatoes,so we are very thankful.
It's hard to believe the lower pictures were taken only 4 weeks ago.
Below is my new unfinished chicken lot, still waiting for the house to get moved into it so we can finish connecting the fence.The house is too big to fit through the gate so we left one side of the fence down.After our morning outside chores ,we had lunch and then headed over to the hospital.
Son kept a 102.5 fever most of the night and into this morning,his oxygen level dropped and there is some speculation that he has a touch of pneumonia in one of his lungs. He has a new lady doctor who is starting 3 new antibiotics and a different IV solution.
Pray that this is the mystery illness and that she proves everyone else wrong. All the nurses think he has an infection somewhere,but they can't figure out why his white cell count isn't high if this is the case.
G-son got a treat while we were there because this is the first day for a wheelchair ride and g-son got to help push his dada around the halls.We found a big window with sunshine coming in and he wanted to sit in it for awhile. He is an outside man and being couped up inside is not helping matters. Maybe tomorrow he can make a trip outside in the wheelchair. He stayed in the chair more than 30 minutes today,that was a big victory.
G-son went back to his dad's room and promptly layed down in the recliner and went to sleep so while physical therapy was getting ready to put his leg in the movement machine I carried g-son to the van and we came home.
He took a long well deserved nap. Hubbie came home from work and he also took a nap.
I did evening chores and fixed g-son a pizza for supper.
Hubbie is headed over to the hospital to help move son to a new room with more room for his therapy. He hasn't eaten anything today and became very emotional when he realized his fever was up again. But at 10:00 it was 101.9 and at 11:00 it had dropped to 99. This is another large victory,if this trend continues through the night.
Praying that they figure out his problems and let him come home for a few days anyway.At this point he just wants out of there.
Thanking God for these small victories today and praying for even more tomorrow.
Good Night and God Bless.

WHAT IN THE WORLD COULD BE GOING ON ????

BLESSINGS, BLESSINGS,ANSWERED PRAYERS, THANK YOU SO MUCH LORD.
About 2 am this morning they had the results of all the test they hurriedly did on son and the results were all the same. No urinary infection, no blood infection,no wound infection,only finding was some collapsed small airways in one of his lungs.Which he now is taking treatments to correct,the medicine in this pipe works intensely to open those airways.He is doing this 4 times a day along with his other breathing exercises. This is a result of extended hospitalization.
His fever finally broke a few hours later and he said when he woke this morning his bedsheets were still wet with sweat.
Today was a restful day for him, the doctors suspended physical therapy,they put him on NPO,which means he couldn't eat anything all day,just water to drink so they could do an ultrasound and some other scan of his colon and intestines.
I took him supper at 6:00 as he thought the test would be over shortly after that and he could eat. They had already done the ultrasound at about 4:30.
At almost 7:30 the nurse finally came in and was able to find out there wasn't going to be any other scan tonight and told him he could eat his supper.
As for my day hubbie and I had nursery duty at church this morning. I went early to help hubbie with he and daughter's Sunday School Class but he only had 1 little girl.
There was only 1 baby in nursery so the other couple said for us to go home they could handle it.As we started up our drive we were greeted by this guy,he was stretched across the drive and even when I tried to coax him from behind by kicking gravel on his tail he didn't budge. Hubbie finally found a stick to move him along with,these black snakes are helpful rodent controllers and this one did happen to be crawling away from the house and I did see him first without any surprise so he got to live another day.
We fixed lunch,#2 son came and after we ate he helped hubbie and I move the camper cover for our truck to a new spot because the old spot is now a chicken lot.
Hubbie and I designed the lot and put back up the chicken lot wire from an old lot.
We got most of it finished except moving the hen house to its new location.
I came home from the hospital about 8:30 tonight,leaving hubbie there to hopefully leave around 10 pm. Son is sure better tonight than he was last night. He said last night was a blur to him,he remembered me being there and the things we talked about but didn't remember his sister stopping by or his dad coming. He didn't remember his dad being there until his fever came down some. That really scared him last night and renewed the seriousness of his situation to him.This is the view from his hospital room this evening. We thought at the farm we were going to get a storm this afternoon but as our wilted garden sweltered in the heat no rain relief came.

Bad news just came from hubbie at the hospital son's fever is climbing again tonight. His heart rate is 140 ,they are getting ready to put him on a heart monitor. His fever is 102.5 but has continued to climb even with Tylenol and ice packs. I was there when they took his temp at 8:00 and it was 98.6,blood pressure was 135/85,all was well,what could cause things to go haywire as nighttime progresses?????
Praying for the same results as last night,praying that God guide the doctors in finding out the cause of these spikes at night.
It is midnight and hubbie is still there and won't leave until the fever breaks,he just called and said they are taking son for more test and a CT scan.
Praying for God's intervention again tonight.
Good Night and God Bless.

DAY 16 FOR SON ENDS WITH HIGH FEVER

Today almost felt like a normal day just for a while though. Hubbie followed me to market and helped me unload and set up,we got really busy and it took both of us selling for a little while. Then he watched the table while I purchased corn and beans from the neighbors.
Then he said "okay I'm leaving and heading on over to the hospital in a little while", then it all came flooding back.
Market was okay and I ran errands on the way home,unloaded the van as hubbie came in from the hospital and helped. We had some fresh corn,green beans,squash and potatoes to go with grilled chicken breast for supper. This is the first real meal we've sat down to in 2 weeks I think.
Son called and wanted a few things from the store on my way there.
He was sleeping in and out the whole time I was there and then he started to chill. I knew this was a bad sign and sure enough when they took his fever it was 103.7 .uhhhhhh. This nightmare is not nearly over. I have been afraid all along that he would get an infection.
Things just seem not quite right to me for some reason.Call it a mother's intuition or what ever but something's just not right with this. All I do is pray for God's intervention right now more than ever.
I am home it is 10:30,hubbie is with him now and will stay until they get hold of the doctor.
More than ever tonight I pray for God's healing hand.
Good Night and God bless.

DAY 15 ANOTHER DOWN HILL DIVE ON THAT ROLLER COASTER

Well we all hopped back on the roller coaster today for a dive run.
Daughter called from the hospital to say son wasn't doing well at all with the physical therapy today. He sat on the side of the bed for about 9 minutes before becoming very ill.
His foot turned blue and he had severe pain in his shin bone,that is where the screws and plate is. After the therapy he was having a hard time bringing his pain level back to manageable.
I was in the middle of baking cakes and hubbie was working at church when she first called.
When hubbie got home around lunch she called again and said she didn't want to leave with him in so much pain so hubbie went over to see what he could do. G-son was here today so I stayed with him until daughter came home. She took him with her to get her things from the house she has been dog sitting at all week.
After I finished baking and icing I headed into town to check out the medical loan closet and make a trip to Sam's Club.
I was impressed with the loan closet,they had everything you could think of. I was just going to wait to get anything because they had lots of each item,but the man said if son comes home next week ,since they are only open on Tuesday's and Friday's and would be closed next Friday for the 4th of July, I went ahead and got a couple things I know we'll need. There is no cost and you can keep them for 3 months.Somehow this seems so strange and seems like it should be the opposite,the kids should be picking things like this up for me not me for them!!
I just pray that he gets home before long and is able to use these.
I stopped by Sam's Club for some much needed supplies and while I was there it started storming. When I came out the lightening was scary streaking to the ground just across the parking lot and me pushing a metal buggy !!!
At home there wasn't a storm but we did get some welcome rain. All the thirsty plants looked so relived to finally get a drink. It didn't rain a lot but any helps when it has been so hot and dry.
Hubbie came home and dug some new potatoes from the garden and we steamed some yellow squash to go with them.
He said the dirt was still dry under the potato vines.
He said son had tried to stand this afternoon but that made him very sick very quickly,but he got okay when they layed him back down. He talked to the doctors today and was told they are going to meet Monday and decide when and what they will do next week.
Daughter brought g-son a new toy and he has played with it all evening.
Daughter baked and I iced this evening while hubbie went back to the hospital to shave son and help him get a bath.
When he came home he said he was in much better spirits tonight all cleaned up and relaxed with a low pain level. Maybe tomorrow will be a better day !!
As I sat at the end of our drive today I noticed this Chickory blooming on the side of the road. I miss my wildflower walks, maybe it won't be long before I can get back on them.
Chickory is a kind of scraggly looking plant but the flower is so pretty. The blooms close in the evening and open again with the light of the next morning. Ever wonder why God made things do what they do ??
I am so tired tonight I told daughter I feel like an old dishrag someone has wrung all the water from.
I thank God everyday that it gets closer to son being able to come home and begin the healing process. God knows what's best for son and I know he'll be beside him every step of the way and that is so comforting at a time like this. What a wonderful Savior we have!!!
Good Night and God Bless.

2 WEEKS AND STILL NO END IN SIGHT

Market was busy today,I got 2 towel tops crocheted between customers. I even had a good sale after market closed. My bank is across the street behind the market and while I was sitting in the drive through my phone rang and it was a lady from SC who has bought cakes before and had just missed me at the market. I looked across the street and was looking at a blue van in the market parking lot,it was her. We had a good laugh and she bought several things and we exchanged prayer request. That is what I love about my business,it has given me the opportunity to meet so many fellow God loving Christian people. This lady is from a place called Central,SC and I'm glad to know that people all the way where ever that is will be praying for my son. She asked for prayers for her son also in different ways.
I ran errands and picked up supplies,came home unloaded the van,fed the chickens and relined their nest, then headed for the hospital. I stopped to pick up some supper for son on the way as he didn't like what they brought him tonight.
The skies looked pretty angry this evening and we did get a shower of rain while I was at the hospital. It put off my watering chores for 1 night anyway.
Son was doing pretty good tonight,he wasn't in as much pain,he said his pain level was about 4-5 on 1-10 scale,his fever was actually low 97 and his blood pressure was a little high at 150/91. He didn't feel like eating much while I was there but I got him grilled cheese so he can snack on it for a while without it going bad.
The thinking of the doctors now is that they will go ahead and do the artery replacement surgery next week before they send him home. He is getting pretty intense physical therapy all over now to get his muscles in his arms and his good leg back in shape. He was sitting up tonight some trying to get over the light headed feeling from laying on his back so long.He is moving his leg all about now but still has a lot of numbness in his foot and muscle weakness. He can't pull his toes back toward him at all. I just pray that he gets most of his use back and is able to walk when this is all over. For me it is still mind boggling to look back at his life of sports,car accidents and the construction jobs he has done and I've watched him with a chain saw cutting huge trees and jumping and dodging out of harms way and to think what 1 little bounce on a trampoline has done to him !!!
God has a reason for all this and as someone said today he shouldn't be at the hospital where he is, I said I've taken him out of the hands of earthly doctors days ago and am satisfied he is where God wants him to be.
I came home as hubbie was getting ready to go for his nightly visit. When he left I went to work at church for a while. Hubbie will go tomorrow and work while I bake cakes in the morning. Our church always goes on a summer mission trip, this year they are making a second trip to Baltimore, Maryland and all the buses,trucks and trailers were loaded and waiting in the parking lot. They leave early in the morning, God bless their travel tomorrow and may the work they do there up lift You and Your mercies.
Hubbie came home at 11:00,said son was getting sleepy and was not nearly in as much pain as he was last night. Maybe he will get a good nights sleep tonight.
So thankful tonight for the many prayers going up on son's behalf. Thankful for a caring,
loving Lord who listens to every prayer.
Good Night and God Bless.

DAY 13 MUCH BETTER DAY FOR SON

Woke with a headache this morning but it went away soon after I got up. It's probably from my diet lately or better yet lack of a diet,I haven't had any appetite at all since this ordeal began.

After morning chores I iced 12 caramel cakes before going over to the hospital. Daughter took him breakfast this morning and will stay there until I get there,
she doesn't want him to be alone much over there. I wish I didn't have anything else to do so I could spend more time there also,but I have a business to run and after all he is a grown man,way past being babied by mom.
I got a bean burrito from the cafeteria here today and I felt stuffed from eating it all. The possitive thing out of my worry is I've already lost 8 lbs,that's not a bad thing. That only leaves 12 more to get to that 20 lbs the doctor said I needed to loose. But I definitely would not have chosen this method to loose them.
Son has ate his lunch and is sleeping peacefully right now as I write this. He is in much better spirits today because his pain level is down. They now have a mesh sock on his leg.
They came in this morning and took out most of the staples in the knee surgery. The bottom part between the fasciotomy cuts still has the staples because of the pressure of closing those cuts.
The vascular doctor was here when I got here and they have started him on cumodine blood thinner now by mouth.This is as he put it "the granddaddy of blood thinners" and they are hoping this improves circulation through the damaged artery. He talked like they may do the artery surgery before he leaves the hospital. That decision will be made Monday when his main vascular surgeon gets back from this weeks vacation.
It is a relief for me to see him sleeping as he is now,so peacefully !!
I'm planning to stay here about 3 hours and then go home to finish my housecleaning for this week before I work on organizing my ingredient labels and finish icing my cakes.

Daughter is baking now so this is a good way for us to stay out of each others way in the kitchen.
I was able to finally get my floors cleaned when I got home then I started compiling the NCDA required ingredient pages and labels for my cakes. This is just going to add another expense to my products that I can't re-coup right now. I am definitely going to have to get better about placement of the blank sheets in my printer because I wasted about 3 sheets before I got it positioned correctly. My ingredient pages look like ransom notes,haha.Daughter said she would type them all up and make them look professional. Since I need to have them tomorrow and I am not a quick typer,this is what the NCDA lady said to do so this is what they'll get tomorrow if they come through. And yeah that bottom green strip is aluminum off a soda can,haha !!!
Hubbie went to the hospital tonight to sit with son and he called to say he was still doing much better. One nurse could even feel the pulse in his foot with her fingers and that hasn't happened since the accident. Maybe the coumadine is working better than the other stuff or maybe God has stepped in and opened that artery. We'll see Monday when his vascular surgeon gets back.
Hubbie went by a medical loan closet today and they were closed but he looked in the window and said they had everything in there. This closet is through one of the large area churches and you can use their items 3 months for free. They are open again Friday so we are going to pick up a few things I know he'll need.
I finished all my icing and wrapping a little early tonight it is only 11:00. An early bedtime will suit me just fine.
Hubbie isn't home yet but he hasn't been getting home until around this time so I'm not worried.
Thank you Lord so much for the relief son is getting right now and for all the blessings you have given me.
Good Night and God Bless.

DAY 12 ,NO SURGERY ,BUT SOME PROGRESS

Up this morning to see how much housework and laundry I can get done before going to the hospital.
Daughter called to say they had postponed son's surgery today. His leg is still too swelled to close the other cut. He was disappointed,but was still in a lot of pain.
I get there just before lunch time and they had uncovered his closed side,which still looks pretty open to me !!But his leg as a whole looks better to me today. Just as I was getting comfortable a lady came in the door apologizing for having to come in and change the dressing and sponge in the still open cut.A lot of the pain would be from the clear sealing tape that was taped over the hairs on his leg. She said she was so hoping he would get to have the closing surgery,sparing him from the dressing change.
I decided this might be a good time for me to go have lunch since I hadn't eaten this morning and didn't think I should see this on an empty stomach.
I got some steamed asparagus spears and went outside to sit at the outdoor tables just outside the dining room.
After I finished eating and tryed to get back in I discovered all the doors were locked and only opened with an employee card. Soo I started walking,it was a beautiful sunny day and not to hot yet ,clouds were starting to rise on the horizon in advance of the afternoon summer storms. My I did not realize how big this place was as I finally arrived back at the front entrance.
When I got up to his room they were just finishing up and he was calmed down from the intense pain waiting on something to settle his stomach,as the pain had made him feel sick.
He ate his lunch and then drifted in and out of sleep for a while. The surgeon came in to look at his leg himself and said it would probably be next Tuesday before they closed the fasciotomy completely. He answered all our questions and even discussed the possibility of sending son home for a few days. He said all the pain was coming because there was just barely enough blood going through the damaged artery to his lower leg and foot to keep it alive. That was also why it was healing so slowly. He told son he could now move his leg into any position that felt comfortable as long as he kept it level with or above his heart most of the time. When he left son felt better and seemed to relax some. He said he would just as soon stay in the hospital another week as come home and not be able to get up anyway. His fever went up a little when they checked it right before I left so I don't think sending him home will be an option.
I delivered some Avon on my way home and finished laundry while hubbie came in from work and took a nap. Us girls take care of the daytime and he takes the late shift so he can help son go to the bathroom and shave and whatever. He has been going to bed at 11:30 and getting up at 5 am so he deserves a long afternoon nap.
It began to look like a storm was blowing up so I went to the garden and picked cucumbers and squash that were ready and went over and fed the chickens and gathered the eggs.
No storm came not even a sprinkle and we need rain desperately. I watered some of my potted plants and my patio tomatoes which have been providing us with cherry tomatoes for several days now.
After hubbie left for the hospital I started baking cakes and compiling my label info for each cake. I am just cutting off the ingredient label from the bags of flour,shortening,etc.
I will scan a page of ingredient labels for each cake tomorrow.
It is 12:30 and I am waiting for the last oven to finish.
Thanking God for blessing to calm son's fears and praying for healing for him.
Good Night and God Bless.

FIRST DAY OF SUMMER

Woke before g-son this morning for a change,usually I am surprised by his face 2" from mine saying" good morning Nena,the sun is shining".
He slept for a while after I got up today. I got all my Avon orders in the car and was ready to go by the time he got up.
After he had his waffle and chocolate milk breakfast we headed out. I told him he was the Avon man today and we had fun all around my route watching for horses,tractors,flowers,etc. by the roadside.
We finished my route just in time to head over to the hospital to meet daughter for lunch in son's room.
When we got there they were trying to get another IV started. Most of the veins in his right arm are getting exhausted. The 2nd nurse finally got it started and got his pain meds back on track.
His pain level concerns me greatly,after this long I would have expected it to be lower by now.
They are going to do the final closing of the fasciotomy at noon tomorrow.I pray to God that this relieves the pain.G-son and I stayed for about 3 hours and he sat beside his dada and repeatedly told him he loved him and that he was the best dad in the world. This was good medicine for his dad I know.
When his dad got really sleepy we left to let him get some rest.
We headed for the pool at sis-in-laws house with his aunt T (daughter) and uncle D (#2 son).His friend Walker was there waiting for him,these 2 would have fun anywhere.This looks like a bull session to me!!!!When you need a little help aunt T is always good to call, especially when it's uncle D that you're trying to squirt with water.Serious bull session ?????
He did not want to get out of that pool but hunger finally got the best of him and we headed home for supper. I didn't have to coax him to eat tonight, that's for sure.
Pawpaw was home form work and he had a little shadow as he fed the animals tonight and picked in the garden. I fed my chickens on my own this evening and they were disappointed they didn't get to escape their pen again tonight.
Hubbie headed over to the hospital at 8 and while he was gone I did some house cleaning. Tomorrow I'll be at the hospital from 11:30-3:00 so that won't leave much cleaning and laundry time,so I got a head start tonight.
Praying for tomorrow's surgery to go well and for God's healing hand.
Good Night and God Bless.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

Wishing all you dads out there a VERY HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TODAY !!!
Below is my favorite picture of my dad and I , actually it was the picture that never should have been, but sometimes like this one that's the most precious ones.The story is that my mom and aunt scheduled a photo session to have my picture made and I guess that was not in my plans so I pitched one more fit and refused to even get on the table until along came dad. In his work clothes without even taking off his coat we had our picture made. I have a 8 x 10 in a frame in my bedroom and it is absolutely my favorite pic of he and I. Yes I was truly a daddy's girl and I still miss him so much,it will be 29 years since he's been gone on July 8,2010. I still get choked up thinking about it.
He was a hard working farmer who loved the land and loved growing good things to eat from it.
Today we took Father's Day to son at the hospital in the form of a Dairy Queen ice cream cake and his son.
All the family made it as well as D-in-loves brother and wife so it was a nice time and seemed to cheer son up a little. He is still in a lot of pain in his calf muscles.
Our associate pastor had brought him a nice framed picture with well wishes from some church members on it.
The pastor came by while we were there to wish him a Happy Father's Day. I pray that is the last one he will ever have to spend in the hospital.
We all left him and his wife there for the afternoon. G-son came home with me and daughterOn the way home g-son out of the blue said "let's go through the car wash". Now the last time he was in my van and I tried this I thought he was going to hyper ventilate he got so scared. I reminded him of that and he said he still wanted to go. My van always can use a wash so here we go.Car wash fear conquered !!!! He was disappointed when it was over.
Here at home we spent the afternoon working in the garden,watering and playing hide and seek. G-son and I went over to feed and water the chickens and he let them all out of their lot ,but did a good job helping me round them up and get them back in. I told him he was not a good gate keeper ! He said they just wanted some of the outside grass !
As the sun set this evening and hubbie went to the hospital and daughter went to a dog sitting job,g-son and I settled in for a peaceful, quite night.
He's had his supper and bath and is now crashed in the recliner trying to keep his eyes open. I think he will soon lose that battle.
Hubbie is coming home and letting son spend the night alone tonight for the first time since he's been in there. But he said when he wakes up during the night he wants to watch TV but doesn't want to disturb whoever is there sleeping. All he is doing now is healing so I think he will be alright. After his surgery Tuesday hubbie will spend that night. Daughter is going over there early in the morning,g-son and I will spend some time there after lunch tomorrow.
I'm optimistically hoping they will release him Thursday or Friday,I know he'll feel so much better when he can get out of that hospital bed and move around.
Thanking God for His many blessings of today and asking for His healing hand on son's broken body.
Good Night and God Bless.

SOLD OUT MARKET DAY, DAY 9 OF SON'S HOSPITAL STAY

Market was really busy today,there was an antique street fair plus this is Father's day weekend. I sold out early today,then listened to dissapointed customers the rest of the day.I probably could have sold another dozen caramel cakes at least.I stopped at 3 stores on my way home for next week's supplies , and mailed an afghan I sold on e-bay.
I unloaded the van and put away everything then ate a cool wrap from chick-fil-a and it almost made me sick. Then I remembered that the last one I had did the same thing.
I walked over and fed the chickens and brought the eggs back and I felt better.
I got ready and went by Sonic for son's supper. He had a room full of visitors when I arrived,one of his uncles (my brother) and his family,even one of his daughter's boyfriend.
After they left he ate some of his grilled cheese and fries and drank his milkshake. His appetite is better now than it has been since he got here. He is still all grogged out with all the pain meds.
It is a beautiful evening tonight,a few clouds floating around make a picture perfect evening sky.I love the colors in this photo,taken out of the window of son's hospital room.

Daughter and d-in-love brought g-son by for a few minutes on their way to eat pizza. He is kind of scared of seeing his dada in the bed and was looking at all the tubes hooked to his dada with fear in his eyes,poor little guy just wants his dada home.At least his fear doesn't upset his dad as much as it did at first.

Son is getting well enough now to probably spend some time alone. He is sleeping more deeply when he does sleep.His leg is getting near normal size but he is still having a lot of pain from the work they did yesterday.

This has been an experience I hope doesn't come into our family very often. We are all worn out after a week and a half of constantly being stressed by helplessly having to watch the pain and discomfort son is going through. For me it feels like more mental fatique than physical,but I haven't been sleeping enough and that always really causes my Lukopenia to rear it's ugly head,making me feel so tired and draggy. I'm sitting here now yawning like I haven't slept in a week ,when actually I've been getting the same sleep time as always.

My yard smells so good with all the mimosa trees in full bloom. I sat out in the sunroom for a little while last night trying to wind down from the very stressful time at the hospital yesterday and it looked like pink clouds in the tree tops and had the most wonderful fragrance.

Hopefully by this time next week I will have some company in the sunroom.

Hubbie's brother and his wife came by to visit tonight and after getting roused up son started having a lot of pain. Daughter came in and as I was leaving they were bringing him some more meds. Bless his heart. At least he is eating some food with all this medicine.
On my drive home I could see lightning in the distance,it looked like a bad storm,but it was quite a ways off.
I came home,returned a phone call and am planning on an early bedtime,I'm pooped !!!
Thanking God for the comfort He gave son today and the blessings he gave me.
Good Night and God Bless.

FOURTH SURGERY GOES BETTER THAN EXPECTED

Day began with morning chores,I was getting ready to walk over to feed the chickens that d-in-love gave me but I haven't got moved over to my house yet, when hubbie came in from the hospital. He said son had the best night yet and both of them slept most of the night. That is good news, he got at least one good night before surgery this morning.

Daughter called and said she was with him and the doctor before he went in and the doctor was optimistic about how much he would be able to do today.

It will be about an hour and a half surgery.

I baked cakes all morning,then iced 6 caramels before getting ready to come to the hospital and relieve daughter.

Hubbie went to work at church and had to stay until the Terminex man finished spraying.

He came in the door as I went out.
Well it didn't turn out as good as the doc thought it might but it's still better than what they thought yesterday. He got one side completely finished,the side with the white bandage has some sort of pulleys to screw tighter each day,by Tuesday it will be completely healed together. However the side that still has the tube coming out of it,they only got partially closed and it will have to be finished Tuesday. So the day counts as a surprise blessing because we have 1 done instead of both only partials. Thank you God.

Daughter didn't want to leave until they brought him back to his room. So we waited for almost 2 hours past when he should have been here. She went to the desk and the doctor happened to be there. He said they lost the pulse in his foot but he went down there and he found it and they were bringing him up. A couple men from church were here when they brought him in and that helped him get awake.

Daughter left when they got him settled down a bit and things seemed to be okay for a short while. Then he started to have cramps in the calf of that leg and they were excruciatingly painful. At first they were constent but after about an hour the pain,nerve and muscle cramp relieving meds started to work and he is finally peacefully sleeping. I've never seen any of my kids in that much pain and it was not a pleasant thing to go through but we worked through it.

I feel like someone has just reached inside me and twisted my insides. I pray he can rest away some of the intense pain. While we were fighting it I told him to call on God because He would help him,I think he did!

There are so many tubes in him and monitors peeping it is almost unbelievable. As good as he was yesterday,he is bad today, so continues the roller coaster ride.
It has been a really nice sunny not so hot and humid day today.Son misses being outside, he wanted the curtains open so he at least could see the sunshine.

Hubbie came about 7 so I could come home,
I grabbed a bite to eat,
then headed to church to finish what he didn't get done this morning. Then I iced cakes,wrapped and got things ready for market. Got a call from the NCDA telling me that I can have the generic labels.
Also got a call from the vacation rental place at the beach,they changed our week to mid September. I'm glad that all worked out.
D-in-love text me that son ate a whole sub sandwich and piece of pie tonight. That will make him feel better to have something with all that medicine in him. God please bless him during the night with comfortable sleep.
Thanking God for the blessings of today,I can't wait to see His plan for tomorrow.
Good Night and God Bless.

DAY 7 OF SON'S HOSPITAL STAY

I'm just now getting to write today's( actually yesterday's) post because the power just came back on at our house.

Hubbie came in from the hospital when daughter relieved him early and he helped me load my van for market. He said son had another tough night,little sleep and a lot of pain and discomfort.
He went to bed to sleep some as he is going back to stay overnight again tonight.
I had a slow market day and if it hadn't been for a meeting with the NC Dept of Agriculture after market I would have left early.
This was the meeting I talked about in an earlier post that was to let everyone know how to get into compliance with the food selling rules of the state. Since I have already been inspected years ago,my only question was about labeling. The inspector there is going to find out if I can use a generic label since I only sell certain kinds of cake.
According to the rules now there would need to be so much information on each cake you would have a hard time seeing the cake trough all the labels. As it states all ingredients need to be listed along with weight,my name and address and name of product. And ingredients doesn't mean you can just say flour,it needs to be what is in the flour. Have you ever looked at the label on things such as flour,there is a long list of things in these products. The part that is circled in blue would need to go on each cake for just this 1 ingredient. They are supposed to get back with me and said just keep doing what I'm doing until then,maybe she'll lose my question !!!
I left after an hour and the meeting was still going on,they also made several people take certain things off their tables that you cannot make in home kitchens to sell.
I ran a few necessary errands and hurried home to unload and head for the hospital. I relieved d-in-love and stayed until her dad relieved me about 8:00. I feel better today looking at son, his color is better, fever is down,blood pressure is down a little,all improvements over yesterday. They started him on a new kind of blood thinner which is a shot in the stomach every 12 hours,the nurse showed d-in-love and son how to give the shot as he will have to have it when he comes home until he has the artery surgery.
His surgery tomorrow to partially close the fasciotomy cuts on his leg is scheduled for 10:30 in the morning.
He had several visitors tonight and he loves to talk so he was in high spirits when I left.
Hubbie and I went to church to work tonight and when we came home the power was out just at our house. Our transformer is in the edge of the woods and birds and animals have several times in the past touch the wires and caused the fuse to blow.
I called and reported it and hubbie left to go by #2 son's house to get a quick shower before heading to the hospital. I decided just to go to bed in the dark I am so tired.
I hadn't been laying there but just a few minutes when I heard the power truck coming up the drive so I got up and showed him the transformer and he agreed an animal or a limb had indeed blew the fuse. He took a long pole and replaced the fuse from the ground in just a few minutes I was back in the light and the cool. I was very thankful he came as fast as he did.
Excitement is over for this day I hope.
Thank You Lord for your blessings today.
Good Night and God Bless.

DAY 6 OF SON'S HOSPITAL STAY

Early morning shift at the hospital today. Daughter slept very little last night so she was glad to get home in the bed.

Son unfortunately has a low grade fever this morning ,they think he may be getting phenmonia.
Just another hurdle on the road to recovery,the doctors came in this morning and changed their plans. Now they are only going to partailly close the fasciotomy cuts on Friday. Don't know why that decision was made. But I can tell he sure doesn't feel as good as he did last night.
I really feel for him as I get stressed by this roller coaster ride, and I'm not the one laying in that bed. He is sleeping peacefully at the moment and that is a good thing. He needs to relax, his blood pressure was up to 164/98 just a while ago. I'm just sitting here saying some quiet prayers right now.

Blood pressure has continued to climb throughout the afternoon and no one seems to know why.I continually move his foot as it keeps going to sleep and he still can't move it on his own.
The Physical Therapist came in this evening and was really rough with him,she hurt him so bad he almost got sick. Something must have gone wrong for her today because she even was not friendly like usual and it looked like she was taking it out on his leg.
D-in-love came in right in the middle of all the commotion and I'm sure it didn't help her already upset stomach. I stayed until we got him comfortable again about 6:00 and then I came home.
I feel like I have worked a job all day,whew!
After a small supper I did weekly paperwork and payed bills while hubbie got ready for his night at the hospital. He left to go there at about 8:00 so d-in-love could get home to g-son.
I iced my cakes for tomorrow and got things ready to go in the morning.
Thanking God for His care of my son during this,I can't imagine going through something like this without Him beside me to lean on and give my burdens to.
Good Night and God Bless.

THIS POST NOT FOR THE WEEK STOMACH

G-son and I woke about the same time this morning.He ate a big breakfast and settled in for the morning.I feel better this morning as word comes that son is better. Last night when hubbie and daughter returned about 12:30 they said he had settled down and was resting.The plans for today were to go back into OR to trim the fasciotomy cuts and redress that but that changed after the vascular surgeon got there. Now they are going to put a wound pump on the fasciotomy cuts to speed the healing process. This is vacccuming all the drainage from the cuts. One side has already almost stopped draining but the other side is draining continuously. The tubing has to be watched closely to make sure it doesn't start pumping red blood because he is on blood thinners now to prevent clots.The middle cut is the actual surgery cut,that and the small cut on the side of the knee. Son said he wanted that trampoline gone and was going to save these pictures and show them to g-son when he wanted to get on a trampoline again.

Back to my morning , with the help of g-son I did 2 loads of laundry and cleaned the bathrooms before d-in-love came by to pick him up.

I came to the hospital to relieve hubbie,it was raining cats and dogs when I got here.
It did my heart good to see him in the spirit he is in today. He was working with the physical therapy people now and is not in near the pain that he has been. A nurse came in and shaved him and he is sleeping peacefully now.

The main knee doctor who did the knee surgery came in and talked me through the entire ordeal and how they found the damaged artery yesterday and why they are thinning his blood,that is why his foot looks better today. He said this is a very fine line with this vaccum because it could start everything back to bleeding again and delay the healing. We're just not even going there !
D-in-love brought g-son in to see his dad for a while tonight. When he whined at one time about something son said I even miss hearing him whine. It reminded me of a song by Trace Atkins called "You're Gonna Miss That". I've got to figure out how to send songs to my blog but it's to late tonight for that.
After they left daughter came in to stay the night with son,he wants someone there now as one of the nurses came in and said he really should be in ICU to be watched continuously. But it seemed she was the only one who felt that way. He wasn't in much pain at all tonight so that's a good thing.
I left and came home to bake cakes,it is 12:20 am and the last ones are in the oven. I am going to relieve daughter in the morning and spend most of the day at the hospital until d-in-love gets off work.
I believe prayers have made a difference in son's condition we just have to be vigilant throughout this healing process. He said tonight that God definitely had his attention !
Thankful tonight for answered prayers,I know God is listening and it is comforting to know he is always with us.
Good Night and God Bless.

Hubbie went home for a much needed break,he has been here since early this morning. This kind of sress really makes your age show. I can tell my lukopinia has reared its ugly head again because I sweat continuously and feel like all I want to do is sleep.