Day 8 - Post Surgery

Hello!

Well, it was a pretty quiet Saturday. Literally so, because there was some confusion regarding Jim's speaking valve orders, and they wouldn't allow him to use it all morning. Jim was very frustrated having to communicate through mime again after having the luxury of being able to speak all day yesterday. We got the miscommunication cleared up this afternoon, and he sang and chatted the rest of the day! He only has to have it out when he sleeps, so he managed to stay awake most of the afternoon. In fact, I think he only slept about an hour the whole day -- much to my chagrin as I was exhausted because the room above me at the hotel decided to throw a party last night, so I didn't get much sleep. Oh well, it was fun to see him SO happy!

The day was long because he didn't get any therapy due to it being the weekend. I'm sure it will be more of the same tomorrow, although he is looking forward to watching the Pro Bowl; especially being he missed most of the Super Bowl when he started feeling so sick last Sunday. The nurse did manage to get him in a regular chair today which required him to stand and shuffle a couple of steps to do so. His legs are still pretty rubbery, but he seems to be getting more strength in that left side. He was able to lift his left arm to almost touching his face -- within about a quarter inch! The picture is of him sitting in his chair and looking quite pleased with himself. He's wearing a prayer shawl from our church, Lord of Life, that was made by Barb Hoeker. I also got one. They are absolutely beautiful and intended to represent being wrapped in God's love. I was very touched that I was remembered too! I am always a freeze baby, so I will be using mine plenty!

We did not get to see any of the neuro doctors today, so I don't have any update on the 'pipeline gentleman'. We're praying that he is able to turn the tide and respond more positively soon. We also did not hear the official results of Jim's MRV, but we are assuming that it came back negative, as he did not have any aspirin ordered for him yet.

Jim is very bored, which is a good sign, but being extremely accepting. He is trying to talk me into going home next week to cheer the E'gals Dance Team on at State Competition next weekend, but I couldn't imagine leaving him! We're hoping Jenna will be able to attend to represent us instead. Coach Jim says to 'kick butt' again next weekend -- Go E'gals! He called the coaches on their way home from Sections at Duluth to discuss scores and strategy -- I hope they can handle things without him!

The big news around here is the upcoming rain that is expected to hit over the next few days. It sounds like the beautiful weather that I haven't been able to enjoy is about to disappear for at least a week -- bummer! I was hoping to get Jimmy outside when he is able to be transported in a wheelchair. Maybe the nice weather will be back by then. Wow, I can't believe I'm actually discussing the weather with you; I guess that's a pretty good sign too!

Jimmy is still progressing positively. He's running a slight fever, so they are changing up his antibiotics, but they don't seem real worried. He actually coughed a few times today, so I am hopeful that it will continue to get stronger, along with his swallow. That is a really big thing! He absolutely hates coughing as it makes his head pound (a number 9 on the pain scale), but it is so good for him. Hopefully, it will get to be less painful for him as his brain heals.

Sorry for the relatively bland report today, although I'm enjoying the emotional reprieve. I think it's probably the calm before the storm, so I'd better take advantage of it now! I'm sure that next week will be more eventful! Thanks once again for all the prayers and support being directed our way and toward the 'pipeline gentleman'. We're still very early in this journey! Enjoy the nice weather you are experiencing back home, and be sure to go to church -- after all, it's Sunday!

Love to you all,
Krissy and Jimmy

Day 7 - Speaking Valve

Hi all!

Well, we made the one-week mark! We've been in Phoenix for 11 days now, but Jim's surgery was last Friday, so that's where I'm counting from. This top picture is of Carlos, one of Jim's favorite nurses. He has the weekend off, and we're not sure when Jim will be moved out of ICU, so I wanted to get a picture being he's made the blog a few times. We love Carlos!

Jim surprised me this morning by singing "Sweet Caroline" when I came in. He actually sounded better than usual -- maybe it was just because of the silent treatment that he's been forced to give me the last couple of days. He just couldn't wait to show off to me! It was nice to hear his voice again and to have it sound clearer than it had been before the tracheostomy. I was very surprised that they had gotten his speaking valve in so early in the morning. I guess the pulmonary doctor, Dr. Feldman, came in to check on him and decided that there was no need for him to have to wait for speech therapy to arrive. Everybody seems to really like Jim, so he tends to get special treatment! The purple thing in his throat is the speaking valve. Carlos did tell me that if he talks too much or I don't like what he's saying that I can just 'pull the plug' and he'll shut right up...I'm referring to the speaking valve plug -- I don't mean to give you all a heart attack! I'm thinking that his karaoke days are not quite over - darn! He wanted me to sing a duet, "Party for Two," with him; I told him I would need more than orange juice to do that for him!

This next picture is of Jim showing off with his muscle man pose. He's been working very hard at exercising his arms and legs. He is very ready for more therapy. They plan to move him to Neuro Rehab the first part of next week so that he can have more intensive therapy for three hours a day. He kept asking when they were going to move him...I think it's going to be a very long weekend. He's actually feeling good enough to be bored, which is a really good sign.

He had another swallow test today. His cough and swallow are slowly getting better, but we're all anxious for that to improve the most to keep his respiratory system protected. He did better than I expected, but he's not quite ready for any type of oral feedings yet. He's still got a few more pounds to lose anyways! They did a blue dye test to check his aspirations, so you might notice that his mouth and tongue have a blue tinge today -- nothing to worry about! They plan to do an x-ray test to watch his swallow probably on Monday or Tuesday of next week. They want to make sure that they can keep an eye on his
swallow delays and see if he's having any silent aspirations. The droop on the right side is probably causing some paralysis on that side of his throat. This is also expected to be temporary, although his swallow was slightly off before surgery due to the pressure from the aneurysm thrombosis; so we'll just have to wait and see.

We did get the results from the MRI, and they think that there is just a little bruising and swelling from where they entered his brain to get at the thrombosis. No stroke! They did an MRV today to take a look at the veins to see if any are occluded (clogged) from this bruising. If so, they will just put him on an aspirin regimen. Otherwise, they will do nothing, as I guess it's not a big deal. That was very good news!

I did not get an official update from Dr. Fiorella today, but Dr. Wilson said that our 'pipeline gentleman' is still having a difficult time, but is holding on. Unfortunately, I CAN imagine how he and his family are feeling. Please pray that they can get over this first very difficult hurdle and have an easier race to their finish line. I have another quote from Jim's Bible study book that I found appropriate from Harriet Beecher Stowe, "When you get into a tight place and it seems that you can't go on, hold on -- for that's just the place and the time that the tide will turn." I pray that this gentleman can continue to hold on and that his tide will turn soon! Much love and prayer is being sent his way -- thank you all for that.

Jim wore himself out today with all of his talking. He requested I make quite a few phone calls so he could show off. His voice was pretty weak by the end of the day, but it sure was fun to hold a conversation again. He was telling me about his dream/near death experience that he had. It seems that he was brought down in the basement of the hospital and there was a board with a list of all the times that he had acted selfishly. Then there was a bunch of TV monitors where parts of his life were being replayed to show him where he had made his mistakes. It was pretty interesting how he was describing parts of his life that even I remember where he acted like a jerk. Whether this whole incident was dream or reality, it definitely has made an impact on Jim. I'm thinking that I may have a new and improved Jimmy in more ways than one when we are through this journey. I guess I can thank God for that too!

See.... all your prayers and support have helped so much already! We still have a long way to go, but we're going to be okay. I feel surrounded by God's love through the kind words of encouragement that we receive every day! Keep them coming -- it helps to pass the time for Jim and I to read them together. And just so you know, we are praying for all of you also as I know that we all have personal trials that we have to deal with all through our lives. What goes around, comes around...especially in God's love! Take care, and enjoy your weekend -- I'll be busy keeping my husband from driving his nurses crazy with his boredom.

Love to you all!
Krissy

Day 6 - Vertical!

Welcome back!

As you can see from this picture, today was a rather big day! Physical therapy got Jim up in a standing position -- he was able to do about 90% of the pulling up from his chair and supported his full weight all by himself. It was so great to see him vertical! This would have been hard for any of us to do after lying in bed for a week, but it was especially monumental for Jim with his incredible weakness from his respiratory issues and the deficit in his motor skills. The therapists were quite pleased, and so was Jimmy. I was thrilled!

Jim was nice and calm when I came in this morning -- such a treat! It's really hard to be away from him, and I can't help but feel guilty when he's had a difficult night. He's still very tired and slept most of the day away. I'm a little worried about him getting his nights and days turned around, so I asked the night nurse to let me know if he's too wakeful tonight. She said he slept soundly all last night, so maybe he's still catching up. Between snoozes, we got him up in a chair (twice) and exercised his arms and legs. His nurse, Carlos, even unhooked him so that we could move the chair out of his room and look out the window for awhile. He's definitely getting some strength and coordination back. He was able to pull himself forward and side to side a tiny bit in the bed, and he's able to lift his right arm over his head and point to eyes, ears, etc. The left arm is getting closer to his face but still proves to be a struggle. He is able to kick his legs out and hold them there for awhile and was even able to lift his feet onto the foot rest of his chair. He still has some droop on the right side of his face, but he's really close to being able to shut that right eye completely now. He hasn't been able to move his right eye ball (track) the past few days, but he's starting to follow a finger now. Baby steps, but they are in the right direction!

The radiologist thought he might have seen a possible stroke on his CT scan, so they did an MRI today to confirm it. So far, I haven't gotten the news. Of course, we are hopeful that he didn't have that complication, but the doctors feel that he has good odds of overcoming it even if he did. The pulmonary doctor is hoping to get him upgraded to the neuro therapy floor soon so that he can get lots of treatment while he's here recovering. Jim is very anxious to be able to walk again, so I know he will continue to work really hard.

Dr. Fiorella said that the 'pipeline gentleman' is still hanging on, but it's been a challenge. He says it's like calling audibles on a football field as they have to adjust to each new issue that arises. Please keep praying for this man's successful recovery. I was surprised when he told me that he expected Jim to have even better results than this man, if he ever gets the opportunity. Let's keep praying for that option! When Dr. Spetzler gets back on Monday, maybe we'll get a more definitive plan on how he wants to do things. I still have no idea if we'll be here another week or another month or more. Patience, patience, patience!

Jim and I both did well today. I think we are both feeling much less anxious, for now, and are content to just help get him recovered from this first part of the journey. Jim has always called me Nurse Ratched, from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", and sometimes Nurse 'Wretched' ever since the ordeal of his last surgery -- he thinks that is SO funny! Well, he'd better watch out because Carlos taught me how to suction him from his trach; he'll probably have to go home with it, depending on how long we stay. This definitely earns me a new sticker for my cap. I just might start wearing my nurses outfit out of the Halloween box at home to entertain him -- but he'd better be a good boy!

He was a little disappointed that he didn't get to try the speaking valve for his trach today. The speech therapist never made it to his room to do an evaluation and give it a try. He is hopeful that he will get a chance tomorrow. I kind of liked the quiet -- I wouldn't want it permanently, but it was a nice change. He's very good at mouthing words to me and has a letter board to point at to help spell out the ones I can't decipher. He's doing a very good job of communicating. Of course, I love it best when he mouths, "I love you," and blows me kisses. He also tells me that I talk too much -- what's new? His bad mood seems to have disappeared - yay!

I want to thank all of you for your continued support (again). Jim really appreciates all the words of encouragement that I read to him each day, and so do I. We both have to continue to trust in God and to keep the faith as we await the next step in our journey. Like I said yesterday, this is a marathon, and I hope we ALL have the stamina to reach the finish line. I found a quote in a book that one of Jim's Bible study groups sent him that I really like from Mother Teresa: "I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish He didn't trust me so much." That says is all!

Love and blessings,
Krissy

Day 5 - Tracheostomy

Hello!

I'm giving this a try from my Blackberry, so we'll see how it goes. I got yelled at again today but not from Jim, from my mother. She thought that I painted Jimmy in a bad light yesterday and was worried about what her friends would think. I am trying to give honest information, which is what I promised to do, and I don't think it's unexpected for a person as miserable as poor Jimmy is to have a cranky day once in awhile. In case of any potential misunderstandings, I would like to clarify that Jim is an incredibly adorable and well-liked person and that he has been extremely sweet, loving, and very cooperative overall. Yesterday was just another difficult day for both of us, and he was feeling very scared and anxious -- who else could he take that out on other than me? There now...are you happy, Mom?

When I came in this morning (earlier this time), Jim was pretty worked up again. They had to suction his lungs four times during the night (that is what he remembered, but it was probably more) and did a CT scan at 4:30am. He was afraid he was going in for another surgery! He also said that he died at 4:19am and that he begged God to let him come back to me, if he promised to be a better person. Evidently, God let him return to me -- thank you, God (maybe that is why he was so nice to me today)! He said that it was very real and not a dream. I hope he can tell me more later, after this whole experience, but he may not remember a lot of what's been going on, and that's probably okay. I will definitely be saying a special prayer of thanks to God tonight!!

The pulmonary doctor made the decision to give him a tracheostomy this morning. He wanted to get the secretions out of his lungs before it turned into pneumonia. This is a hole/plug that they put in his neck to better access his airway. Now he'll have another new battle scar! His poor nose and throat are just raw and bloody from all the suctioning. The doctor is really glad they did this as they removed a bunch of 'gunk'. Hopefully, this will allow him to get his strength back so that his neuro stuff can heal better. He looks much better and is already off the ventilator and breathing on his own. They plan to start tube feedings today to get him some nutrients so he can get stronger. The poor baby hasn't eaten since last Wednesday, except for the few bites of pureed chicken on Sunday -- he should definitely be skinnier when we finally come home! The hardest part is that he won't be able to talk until he gets a special plug to insert into the trach. He might get this as soon as tomorrow or the next day - he's hoping for tomorrow. This is especially difficult for someone as chatty as Jim. At least I won't have to listen to any of his really bad singing for awhile! Just before they came in to do the tracheostomy, I told him to tell me that he loved me one more time. The smart mouth said, "I love you one more time." Gotta love him!

I talked to the neuro doctors regarding his CT scan. There's good and bad news. The good news is that there doesn't appear to be evidence of any new strokes, so his motor skills should, hopefully, improve as his pulmonary issues clear up. The bad news is that the scans don't really show any improvement in regard to the pressure being relieved. Therefore, he may not feel any better or show any improvement in the interim period between surgeries. It was worth a try, but his aneurysm was, unfortunately, in a bleeding and thrombosing phase rather than in a more encapsulated phase. Dr. Spetzler and Dr. Fiorella are still throwing around the bypass and clip removal in conjunction with the pipeline stent. We still don't have any clearer picture of the ultimate plan yet, but I'm sure they'll have that all figured out by the time we DO get the 'compassionate use' FDA approval. Dr. Fiorella gave me my daily update on the 'pipeline gentleman'. It sounds like he had a really rocky day, but he's still hanging in there. Please keep both these boys in your daily prayers -- we're SO wanting for this pipeline to be a viable option for Jim, and my heart goes out to this other gentleman and his family. I don't envy them anymore than I do Jim or myself, and I pray for their strength and peace.

I would say overall that today was a baby step in the right direction. I got a lot of mouthed, "I love yous," and even a couple of hugs as he was able to lift his arms much higher than before. He has been practicing moving his arms up and down and kicking his legs out very diligently. He's definitely a fighter! Jimmy still has a very long way to go -- both now and in the future. We're both doing our best to make it through this marathon! The outpouring of love and support has been amazing. I hope you can all have the stamina to stay with us ... We really need you!

Take care, God bless, and enjoy your evening!

Much love,
Krissy

Day 4 - Post Surgery

Welcome back!

Here's a picture of Jim with his only smile of the day. As you can see, he's in the early stages of growing his post surgery goatee! This is the only time we see Jim with facial hair (except for the scattered patches that he misses each day). I think there's going to be a little more gray in it compared to the one he grew for us five years ago. Be sure to give him a bad time about that!

I haven't gotten much exercise other than the four times a day that I take the four flights of stairs to his room, but he had me hopping today. He was absolutely furious with me when I came into the room this morning. I decided to sleep in an extra half hour and he took me to task for it! He actually had his nurse, Carlos, call me as I was walking down the hall to his room. He proceeded to chew me out and even called me the "B" word, which is a HUGE mistake at our house -- he's lucky I didn't club him right then and there! He was being so mean to me and kept telling me to leave, so I went and sat on the couch until he settled down. Eventually, he told me about a bad dream that he had where he was surrounded by dead people and couldn't move to get away. That explained things. I think that he woke up very scared from this dream and, when I wasn't there, he kind of freaked out. He was a little more disoriented at first but gradually got more clear headed. His speech was a also more slurry, but he didn't seem quite as exhausted today. He's still very weak, though, and frustrated with how minimally he can move. He went through this last time, but he was on a respirator then, so he wasn't able to verbalize his frustrations and pain as much then. I have to keep reminding him (and myself) that he is still ahead on his progress compared to his surgery five years ago.

Because of his ability to verbalize, he is being very bossy. He kept telling me to sit down because I was making him nervous, but as soon as I would, he'd ask me to get him something or do something for him. Then he would tell me to sit down again. This went on all day. After awhile, I was making myself nervous! He showed a little more sense of humor today, but it definitely had a darker edge to it. He still says that he hasn't decided whether to keep me around or not, but then he tells me he's just kidding. He would do the same thing after flipping me the bird. He's starting to get on my nerves!

We are both a little concerned about his lack of motor skills. I remember this from last time, but I still would like some reassurance that he hasn't suffered a stroke. The doctors don't think that he has -- they just think that his weakness from the aspiration has increased the intensity and that those will fade as he gets stronger. They did agree to do another CT scan for me tomorrow morning, just to set me at ease and because it's been a few days since he had one. Hopefully, that will come out as expected. I do think that he was stronger and that his motor skills improved a little as the day went on. The physical therapist came in to work with him, and he wanted to do the exercises she gave him a couple of times more during the day. No one can say he isn't trying his hardest! He got up in his chair again but was really happy to get put back to bed. His chest sounded much clearer, but they were having trouble getting rid of the rattle tonight, so I think they may be doing a deeper bronchial suction on him later, if they can't clear him up. He really needs that cough to come back.

Dr. Fiorella came up to see us and let us know how the 'pipeline gentleman' was doing. He said that he had some up and down issues that they were dealing with, but it wasn't unexpected -- just a little disappointing after the excitement yesterday; but the gentleman is still holding his own, and he'll continue to try to keep us posted. I'm sure I don't need to ask you all to continue to pray for this very special gentleman. Jim is very frustrated that he can't get a timeframe from the doctors on his treatment. He wants all the answers now, and he's just not going to be able to get them. He's very impatient about going home, although he's no where near ready. He just needs to relax and let his body take the lead over his mind -- easy to say, but hard to do. Dr. Fiorella thinks he'll be hospitalized about another ten days, which puts us at the three week mark that I pretty much expected from our trip to Phoenix last time. I'm not booking any airline tickets home yet!

I'm pretty sure this is the earliest I have posted my entries yet -- it's about 9:30pm. I promised Jimmy I would get in earlier tomorrow morning (I don't want to get chewed out again), so I'm going to go right to bed and start catching up on my lost sleep. I hope he has an easier night, despite the extra suctioning treatments he will probably be receiving. Please pray for that darn cough to recover and for his pain to be better. He wanted me to tell you all that his pain is the "worst ever, and that it really sucks!" I'm sure you would never have guessed that. I just keep reminding him at the end of each day that he's one more day closer to getting well. Thank you so much for the continued prayers and support. They are much appreciated by us both!

Love, Krissy

P.S. I've been reading him your blog comments, emails, text messages, and facebook walls. He really enjoys that and is even starting to respond to them himself through dictation. I have a blackberry, so it allows me to receive them throughout the day. Thanks for that also!

Day 3 - Post Surgery

Hello to all!

Today was another rollercoaster day! After a much too short night's sleep, I received a call from Jim's nurse. Evidently, he had had a very difficult night, and they wanted to move him back to ICU. I was just planning to grab a quick breakfast but ran over to the hospital instead. I got my workout running up the six flights of stairs! When I got there, he had a roomful of medical people tending to him. They were busy taking chest x-rays and, as you can see from the picture, they had put in a tube down his nose to drain the vomit and other secretions from his stomach to keep him from aspirating. Needless to say, I was pretty upset. He was so weak and exhausted that I was really worried about him having the strength to fight through this. They moved him down to ICU (he got his same room back) and I had to wait for about an hour while they got him settled in. That was difficult. I spent that time texting and making phone calls, which helped to pass the time and eventually settled me down (thanks, Dan and Sheila!). It was hard to tell the kids the bad news, but I was glad that they weren't with me to have to see him so fragile. When they called me in to see him, he seemed much more relaxed. They had put his catheter back in, and I was afraid that they were going to put him back on the respirator, but they chose not to do that as his oxygen level was good. His chest x-ray came back looking okay, so he just slept, and I crashed on the couch in his room.

When he woke up around 2:00pm, he definitely seemed improved. He was still tired and weak, but he was more alert and looked better. Dr. Spetzler popped in for about 10 seconds and didn't seem concerned. I asked him if this was more of a lung concern than brain, and he said, "yes". I know Jim went through this the last time, five years ago, but it's still scary in the reality of the moment. I felt much better as I realized that he wasn't going to need the respirator and that he was improving already. He's quite a warrior! The most important thing for his body to do right now is for him to get his cough and swallow and gag reflexes back so that he can protect his lungs. This should improve over time, along with his other motor skills, but I'll feel better as I see more progress and start skipping the backwards slides. Baby steps ... my new mantra!

As you can see, he felt good enough to be put into a chair. He was still pretty tired, but managed to sit up for almost 2 hours. While he was up, Dr. Spetzler came back in with a big smile on his face. He squeezed my shoulder (twice -- very unlike himself) and told us that "so far, so good" on the gentleman having the pipeline surgery. I was SO ecstatic! Jim's not much looking forward to any more procedures, but he'll be happy too once he realizes the magnitude of this option. I had to run down to the cafeteria before it closed to grab a quick dinner while they put Jimmy back to bed and missed seeing Dr. Fiorella; but he did leave me a voicemail. I could tell he was so excited! He thanked me for sending all the prayers (you can all pat yourselves on the back for that!) and said that the gentleman having surgery was so pleased to be able to potentially help Jim out. I really hope I get an opportunity to meet this 'mystery' gentleman
someday! The doctor said that the surgery went perfectly and that the patient was doing great. He also said that he would go ahead and get the approval process started now. So keep those prayers coming!

It was a lot more fun making phone calls and texting this evening and being able to share the good news. Jim wanted to call Bob Fields and sing 'Happy Birthday' to him during his nebulizer treatment, which I let him do. The funny part is that Bob was actually able to understand him -- amazing! I still don't think he's going to find that his voice improved any from this surgery, though ... not that that's ever stopped him from getting on stage and singing karaoke! Maybe he can use his sympathy card to get one of "his" bands to learn 'Sweet Caroline' for him to sing -- well, maybe not!

Because he was doing better and still very sleepy, I was able to come back a little earlier than usual tonight, so I am looking forward to a good night's sleep. Hopefully, tomorrow will be a better day all the way through. I'm missing Jim's silly jokes -- he's just a little too cooperative and sedate for my tastes. I'm much more comfortable dealing with him while he's being his usual pain-in-the-butt self. Although, he did tell me today that he's made a decision not to leave me and has decided I'm worth keeping around -- jerk! So, please pray for a good day for Jimmy tomorrow. Pray for his cough, gag, and swallow reflexes to get stronger, for this wonderful gentleman to continue to do well with his new pipeline device, and for Dr. Fiorella to be able to get the same surgery approved for Jim. We're one more day closer to a new and improved Jimmy!

Love to you all!
Krissy

Day 2 - Post Surgery

Good Evening!

I hope you all enjoyed the Super Bowl game -- it was a good one, although I wish the Cardinals had come out on top. Phoenix is pretty quiet tonight!

Today was quite eventful. I feel like I've been riding on a rollercoaster and am ready to get off. The morning was wonderful. Jim was feeling so crummy last night, and I was really dreading having to watch him suffer through another day, but when Jenna and I came in to see him, he was much improved! He was relaxed and feeling fine without the use of any pain medications. His drooping seemed a little better, and we had just missed him being up and sitting in a chair. His overall demeanor was much more positive, which makes things a lot easier for me to tolerate. He kept telling Jenna and me how beautiful we were -- and, of course, we ate it up!

Dr. Fiorella stopped by to visit and so did Dr. Spetzler. Both were very pleased with Jim's progress. Dr. Fiorella seemed downright amazed at how well he was doing. The big pipeline stent surgery is Monday (tomorrow) for the gentleman who has a fairly similar case to Jim's, and he was pleased that I promised a huge network of prayers that would be coming his way. So, please everybody, don't let me down! The outcome of this surgery is VERY important to the plan for Jimmy. Pray, pray, pray, and then pray again ... please! Judy McStott, it's time to place another call to the poor Clare sisters. We'll be watching the recovery of this gentleman and rooting for him as diligently as we do Jim's, and the doctors have promised to try to keep us informed. I will pass along anything that I hear to all of you. It is such an exciting option!

The kids all flew back to their prospective destinations this afternoon, and it was very nice for them to leave their daddy looking so well. Although it was unfortunate that I had their flights scheduled right at the start of the Super Bowl game. I guess that's why I got the flights so cheap! Shortly after they all left for the airport, Jimmy got moved out of ICU and was upgraded to the next level Neuro floor. I can't believe he was moved out so soon! He has a wonderful private room that looks out at the Hampton Inn, where I am staying. He also got to have his catheter removed and passed enough of his swallow test to be able to start on thickened liquids and pureed foods. He was pretty bummed about not passing the whole way, but we all are all thrilled that he has come so far so fast. He had mashed potatoes and gravy with his pureed chicken and vegetables and some sugar free vanilla pudding for dinner tonight -- yum! Unfortunately, he was very exhausted by the time that he got settled in his new room and his food arrived, so he only ate a few bites. He started feeling pretty crummy again, and I started getting a little worried as he seemed to be regressing a little bit. He seemed weaker and wasn't quite as clear headed as he was all day. The physical therapist came in to evaluate him (right at the start of the Super Bowl game of all times) and he didn't do very well. This really frustrated him. It's hard to say how much was fatigue and how much is a potential problem beginning to develop. His cough is still very weak and he's having trouble clearing his chest. This can be a problem in regard to the risk of pneumonia. His gag reflex seemed a little weaker also, and they were having trouble suctioning him when his chest started rattling as the evening progressed. He became more and more tired and uncomfortable. Then he started vomiting again. This was disappointing as he had done so well all day, and we were hoping that the swelling was beginning to subside at a more rapid rate. Because the vomit appeared to have some blood in it, they took a chest x-ray and drew some blood. I am waiting to hear the results from the nurse. Jim was so exhausted that he wanted me to leave so he could try and sleep, and I asked the nurse to call me so that I could relax and try to sleep too. Obviously, I have not yet heard anything, which probably indicates another restless night ahead. They are looking for evidence of pneumonia issues in his lungs and possible bleeding issues in his abdomen, although the internist didn't think the bleeding part was likely as he wasn't sensitive in his tummy. I'm hoping the news is good. For awhile, they were considering sending him back to ICU for a few days, but his vitals still look good, so they have decided to leave him where he is.

Unfortunately, Jimmy is feeling pretty down about his setback. I don't even have any funny tales to tell! He said to tell everyone that it was a black day. I disagree. Although the ending wasn't great, he accomplished a lot earlier, and he was more settled down and stable by the time that I left him at 9:30pm. We both have to get used to baby steps and the fact that sometimes we might take a step back every now and then. I am almost as exhausted as he is, but I am also very anxious to see him tomorrow morning, so I probably won't get to sleep in quite yet. I hope to have more good news than bad to pass on for everyone tomorrow. Please continue to pray for Jim and don't forget the extra prayer request for the gentleman having the pipeline stent surgery tomorrow. This is going to be another monumental week for both of them to get through! I'm going to wrap this up as my eyes are feeling as blurry as Jim's are right now -- take care, God bless, and tune in for more fun facts tomorrow!

Love and sweet dreams, Krissy