Friday, January 15, 2016

Finally made it home!

Finally made it home AND took a couple of days to rest and get settled again.

We welcome visitors, food, and  healing thoughts!!

-Becca 

Sunday, January 10, 2016

The Great Escape!

OK, so it wasn't exactly an escape, but Albert was released Saturday afternoon, smack dab in the middle of the Texans game.  Yes, the one where they lost their marbles and forgot how to play football when they got to the playoffs.  We did get to watch the end of the game from a comfy bed at our friend's place.

So for the next few days, before we head home, we will take it easy, work on pain management, walking, breathing and arm excercises...and doing our best to avoid pneumonia. Pneumonia is the team's biggest concern.  So  these breathing exercises and walks will help clear the lungs and get out all the gunk that could cause them to collapse AND then keep them clear.

Lucky for us, we stay with the sweetest, kindest lady that treats us like her children, cares about us, loves us, and makes sure we have everything we need.  

We should be headed home early next week provided everything is still going so very well.

Thanks for reading,
-Becca

Friday, January 8, 2016

Friday Update...

(Albert with Nurse Margie...one of many great nurses here!)

Well foks, today was certainly not as crazy as yesterday, thank goodness!

Bert got through the night and started his morning very early, taking a walk at 5:30 AM!  So far today he has been praised for being a very good patient, asking to get out of bed, instead of being forced to get out of bed.

The medication schedule has been amazing!  His pain level has been at .5 to 1 on a scale of 0-10 since surgery.  Every now and then, he feels a twinge or a tug, but the real pain has been managed very well so far (huge improvement over last time).

His progress today includes:

-got off of oxygen about 6:30 this morning
-removed 2nd of 3 iv ports
-removed leg circulation apparatus
-no diet restrictions
-removed approval requirement to get out of bed.

The surgeon is thinking that he could very likely be on his way out of the hospital on Saturday evening or Sunday morning!!!  Yay!!!  The original discharge day was Tuesday, so he is obviously ahead of schedule!

He is in a research group that is testing some pre-surgical and post-surgical activities that lead to Rapid Recovery Post-Operative.  WOW!!  I had some doubts, thinking that they would be pushing Albert too hard or too fast, but everything seems to be perfectly timed.  Most importantly, Bert feels as though he has some autonomy over his recovery and being the over-achiever that he says he isn't, he is working hard to exceed his own expectations!

I read all the blog and facebook comments to him today and he is blown away by all the love you guys are sending our way!  He chuckled at some comments and felt overwhelmed with others!  Lots of hugs back at you guys!

Thanks for reading...
Becca

Thursday, January 7, 2016

Victory Lap!


Bert is doing his victory lap, through the tunnel...
_______________

Today was WOW, just WOW...

To think that this morning he was on the operating table cutting out cancer (NET) and now he is practically RUNNING laps in the hallway...  (OK, so it's more like speed walking!!)

But seriously, he really is a very strong, courageous person who is NOT letting the disease win!

Our little support group, Laura, Ellen, Karen and Jennifer...y'all got us through this crazy day!!!!! Thank you from the bottom of our family's heart!!!

Visitation, yay!!!


Love, love, love that smile!!!!!!!

Bert's surgery is over!!

So, he made it out of surgery!!

The surgeon said everything went well, no surprises!!!!


surgery started at 7 am, central time

completed a puzzle as a family this morning, waiting to be called back...

he was taken back at 7, and it should take about 2 1/2 hours...


i will let you know when i get an update from the doctors...

Surgery Day is here...


Today is the day...we are all checked-in and ready to get rid of a NET tumor behind his lung and several nodules on his diaphram...

Gonna kick cancer's ass, again...