Morning After

Its the day after Christmas and somehow our family always feels a little more like we have it together than we do on Christmas Day...not that it wasn't special, Brian and Sarah were both with us and we had spent a wonderful day on Sunday with my parents and Brothers in Midland, MI...I think that everyone takes strength and hope from seeing Dave...he is such a miracle in person and a walking talking example of God's loving response to all of our prayers.

Brian flew back to Minneapolis tonight and Sarah has gone out with friends. Dave and I are watching Central Michigan vs Purdue at the Motor City Bowl...its not going well for CMU.

Dave walked down to the grocery store today...I guess he just wanted to do it. I would imagine that it is a half of a mile. He seemed down when he returned ...he said that he had to stop twice to rest his legs. It doesn't seem to be his heart and lungs that struggle, but his legs.

We hope to drive over to Grand Haven this weekend, snuggle up in our cottage and get a change of scene...I think that we both need it, also we want to visit the Drs and Nurses at the hospital in Muskegon.

Dave will be starting rehab again on Jan. 3rd, and will also begin cardiac rehabilitation. That means probably 4 days a week in Ann Arbor. I would like to get away for some sunshine but that may have to wait until the end of Feb, at least.

I have only gotten through the A's and B's as far as getting out holiday cards...maybe by New Years Day !!! I Will get there!! Until then, know that we miss you all, wish you the best and can't wait to talk to you.

Love, Melody and DAve

Its late Sat. nite and Dave has gone to bed...I'm still awake, trying to update the blog so that I can put your minds at rest regarding Dave's progress.
My post from the 1st evidently hit a nerve with many friends reading it...sometimes I am not aware of the frame of mind that I am in when I am writing and it comes out in the paragraphs that I compose. The last posting must have seemed very negative as I received concerned calls and emails.
I was definitely concerned about Dave's attitude and also his general behavior, so I approached his doctor and his rehab therapists regarding it. I was hesitant to bring it up, wondering if I was over-analyzing his behavior and reading too much into things that I thought were indications of a step backwards. As it turned out, it was a good thing to do, although I was nervous that Dave would see it as a lack of confidence in his progress. It would seem that the couple of difficult weeks were directly related to the medication that Dave was trying for muscle spasms at night - a medication that was short-lived and was replaced two weeks later with a more successful choice. After meeting with Dave's Dr., he believes that Dave had a reaction to the medication, causing him to have more difficulty with cognitive function, combined with poor sleep, he believes that this was the problem and that it has already cleared up with the new meds.
Another positive result of bringing this to the therapists attention, is that they have made a point of expressing just how much progress Dave has already made in the initial 5 weeks or so of rehab in Ann Arbor.
I am not saying that Dave is not still frustrated, but he is better able to deal with it and I am not fearful that something is wrong.
We meet with a neurologist and Dave's cardiologist this week - two important meetings, our first with the neurologist and it has been two months since our initial consultation with the cardiologist.
I managed to fire myself up for cleaning house this am and feel much better for it. Although we are home alot, oddly enough, its tough to get anything done. I keep thinking that I will do some holiday decorating...I just can't seem to get there.
Tonite, I did go outside after dark and put white lites on the two little alberta spruces near the porch. I also dragged out a sled that I found at a garage sale this summer...on the back it has the name "TOM" carved into the wood, and its well used...now its decked out in greens and a red bow, as well as a "seasons greetings" sign that Brian made in Boy Scouts in 1990. He should get a kick out of that when he sees it, and somehow I think that the sled is proud to be a symbol of winters past.
I know that you are all thinking of Dave and I ...we miss you and pray for you to have the most wonderful of holidays. Feel free to call Dave, he loves to chat with friends on the phone and misses you all.
Love...Mel

Frustration Reigns

I woke up early this morning - 4:30, and decided to catch up on some correspondence.Last I wrote was before Thanksgiving and here we are, a couple of weeks later and Dave is having a tough time dealing with lack of progress...he is very frustrated and I know that the reality of all that he has to deal with has set in...no more upbeat, happy Dave - angry, irritable and tired Dave is ruling now.
In public he is able to keep up the charade, but at home everything that he either shouldn't do or can't do is maddening.
I know that I have not maintained my status as "Supremely Angelic Caregiver" either, as I lose patience and grow tired of Dave's attitude. I have become impatient where I was formerly patient, and two irritable individuals in one household is one too many!
It was great having Sarah and Brian home for Thanksgiving, even if Brian did end up in the hospital having his appendix out! Yup, can you believe it...I believe it was a ploy to avoid doing all of the odd jobs that I had lined up for him! What that kid will do to get out of work!
Thank goodness for Sarah - she more or less orchestrated Thanksgiving dinner, which we had the day after Thanksgiving, due to Bri being in the hospital. We also had a mom-daughter afternoon at the mall together which was awesome, while the guys did the usual - watch sports.
Jessie is wonderful, although she has a real propensity for chewing anything that she can get her teeth on - including grass, dirt, paper, shoes, etc....fortunately, we have kept a close eye on her and she hasn't done any major damage
She does provide us with a big dose of smiles and love every day - the best medicine that we ould ask for.
Anyhow, there we are. We do what we can, and for now, that has to be enough. Perhaps today will bring improvement...I know that it is hard for Dave to put up with lack of sensation in his right foot and hand, difficulty sleeping due to leg spasms, a blood clot that prevents him from serious cardio rehab, a recent huge hematoma and bruise that hurt one arm, and a sore shoulder that gives him pain in the other,he feels that he is going backward instead of forward, especially after making such great progress so quickly in the first two months or so. He also deals with poor memory, poor reading speed, and frustration with tasks like email that took him no time at all before his injury.
He is very tired of my telling him to get down off a stool, stop using power tools, use his cane to walk outside, and above all, he is sick of my being his chauffeur - not sure if its due to my driving skills or his need for independence.
Anyhow, enuf said...today is another day and I need another cup of coffee before I take Jessie outside again. Love to all - please feel free to email me at melodyarndt@gmail.com -your blog responses don't give me email addresses, or call us 248-505-7277

Another little setback

No cardiac rehab for now...the pain that Dave has had in his calf for almost a month turned out to be a blood clot. Fortunately, it was caught before he started working out, although he had a stress test done the morning before the blood clot was confirmed....it was actually Dave's physical therapist - Andy - who caught it and said that something wasn't right with this pain not clearing up. Sure enough, there it was in ultrasound...thank God again for no disasters while having the stress test.

Dave has been a little downhearted since then. He really wanted to crank things up and start getting his heartrate up, but not for now. I honestly don't know how long they will want him to wait. In the meantime, he is frustrated by spasms that he has in his "sleepy" leg at night. They pop up about every 2-3 minutes, like clockwork, and his leg zaps. AFter several sleepless nights, he is taking an anti'seizure drug and that seems to do the trick.

We got a call back today with the results of Dave's echocardiogam which was done in conjunction with the stress test. It appears that Dave's ejection fraction has not improved as of yet.

It is nice that we have this week off from therapy every day. We are looking forward to Brian arriving tonite from MN , and Sarah driving in from Chicago tomorrow. They are both excited about seeing Jessie! Who could resist her!!

We had hoped to drive out to Grand Haven this weekend and say hello to all of our "second family" nurses, doctors and friends. It looks like due to the bloodclot we will delay this a bit. CAn't wait to see everyone!!

Pet therapy!!

After a busy week of physical therapy, Dave and I stopped at the humane society on the way home and fell in love with a stray , three month old chesapeake bay retriever/labrador retriever mix. We didn't plan on it, but we had hoped to eventually find a replacement for Mickey, our beloved terrier mix who was also a humane society adoptee. Mickey passed away this past spring.

So, we were able to adopt "Jessie" our sweet baby...and she is absolutely wonderful. The plan is that Jessie will be Dave's dog. For now, I am the person responsible for most potty training, etc., but she has been very cooperative and is getting the idea fast. She doesn't mind her crate but isn't anxious to walk into it without a push...she was neutered by the vet at the humane society and got her shots, so she is off to a good start...its hard to believe that anyone could let this gorgeous loving animal out of their sight long enough to lose her.

Dave was lying on the couch tonite after I took Jessie for a walk. When I let her in the house, she found him and jumped up on his chest an laid down for a snuggle. She is big on snuggling.

Next week, wow, I guess thats tomorrow!, Dave will be getting started with cardiac therapy, working out on equipment while being monitored as to his heart status. This makes me feel safe about his exercizing.

We will also be having an updated with the other therapists as to any limitations Dave might currently have and how we may approach repairing any damage.

All we know is that we are happy with the progress that Dave has made so far. We will just pray that he can continue to improve...it would be wonderful if he could get the full use of his right hand and right foot so that he could walk more easily, although he does okay without feeling everything fully.

Hope that you all are well , love, Dave, Melody, and Jessie!

Look how far we've come!

The first two photos were taken before Dave's stroke, while he was in intensive care. The memories of those a few days afterwards when he was moved out of ICU. The last two photos are the week before he left the hospital in Muskegon for rehabilitation in Chelsea, MI. I will try to take some updated photos soon.

Love, Melody

It's a Beautiful Day

It's Friday and for once this week, Dave and I have a morning off from having to be somewhere for a Dr's appt or physical therapy. It's a nice break, in fact we are laying around in our jammies, watching Ellen on TV...laughter therapy is the best!! Thank God for people who make us laugh!

Dave is really doing so well. The brain is a miraculous thing...how it can find new pathways to accomplish things that damaged areas can no longer do. For those of you who don't know, Dave also had a stroke several weeks into his hospitalization for the heart attack. Somehow, a small piece must have broken off of the clot that had formed in Dave's heart, and travelled to his brain. I noticed a change in DAve's vision and notified the DRs who did a CAT scan and found the stroke damage in his brain.

Please don't feel upset if this is the first that you have heard this news...DAve is doing great! As Sarah says, the stroke must have activated her Dad's "happy brain" and he is very upbeat and even his humour has improved...his joke telling ability is better too!!

Sure, there are times when he is tired and frustrated...it is very frustrating for him to have me chastise him for going down the stairs to the basement and doing things that he shouldn't take the risk of doing. It is important that DAve not have any falls or serious bumps due to all of the blood thinners he is on, so I have to "reign him in" occasionally from doing something that he thinks he can do, but perhaps shouldn't risk.

Last night, when giving him a hug, I felt a big lump on his side that hadn't been there before. on removing his shirt, I found a egg size lump with a bruise color on top - a hematoma I guess - I called the Dr., he said not to worry as long as it didn't enlarge, and we seem okay this am, but this is the sort of thing we have to be on top of. Also, for those of you who have never had a loved one on blood thinners, he has to have his blood drawn twice weekly to check his "INR" levels to make sure they are in an acceptable range - with this monitoring, he is told how to adjust his cumidin levels daily. I admit that the drugs and dosages can be confusing and wonder how the elderly or alone do this without help or a clear mind...I have already had to double and triple check the weekly pill holder to see if I had done it right. He takes 10 pills each am, and several at night...thank goodness for his iron stomach...I get sick to my stomach with one vitamin!!

When we go to the physical therapy clinic in Ann ARbor, it is a daily reminder of how fortunate we are and how much others less fortunate are dealing with. Physical therapists are able to improve the lives of many people, and I wish that I had chosen an education that had given me the skills...perhaps I will still choose to do something such as this before I am too old to help. Maybe part of God's plan is to remind me of my desire to help others and to help me find out how I can best do that. There are so many people who need our encoragement...Dave is fortunate in that he has family and friends who love him...what about all of those people who aren't so blessed?

Another gift that has come out of the ordeal of the last two months is that Dave has learned that he really is loved for who he is...I don't think that he realised it before. The emails, phone calls, cards and prayers have done so much for him and for me, not in the least has been the visible fact that they have shown Dave that he is loved by the people he has daily contact with. I think that he thought he was invisible in many ways or that he hadn't made many friends...it is obvious that he was wrong and that good, kind, genuine people like DAve are noticed...that is reassuring to all of us , especially when we start to believe that life doesn't reward good people...it does, just not perhaps in the ways that we expect.

I like to get up in the early morning , turn on the gas fireplace, get a cup of coffee while Dave sleeps, and watch the daylight come. We live in downtown Northville and at that time of Day it is still quiet. Before long, the sun starts to come up and all of the birds start to chatter...we are next to a wall of ivy vines that cover the building next to us, and it is often full of birds in the morning and early evening. They are like an alarm clock going off! There are two huge old maple trees behind our house and they litterally light up when the early sun hits their leaves which are bright yellow fall colors - they still haven't fallen to the ground. I hope that they can hold on a bit longer before the dull days of late November come.

We are looking forward to a visit from Sarah this weekend. She is driving up from Chicago and taking a long weekend to be with us. I think that the weather is supposed to be nice and maybe we will hit the cider mill here in downtown Northville.

Dave and I hope that you are having a wonderful autumn and that every day brings you joy.Feel free to call us anytime - 248-505-7277, or to visit. He is definitely up to it, and we often go out for lunch or dinner if I'm tired of cooking. I have never been particularly good at being home full time, so I have been dragging Dave around on errands etc, and he has been very good about putting up with it. I think that he gets tired of being housebound too.

Love to all,
Melody and Dave

Dave's first email

Actually it is #2. I sent a note to Doug Park, my boss at ACH-Visteon last week. It took about 30 minutes to type a couple of paragraphs. I make a lot of mistakes because my right hand still feels like "pins and needles." Not sure if and when my right side will finally wake up. Some might say I've been asleep for quite a while! I am not allowed to drive yet so Melody has to drive me eveywhere...mainly therapy in Ann Arbor almost every day. Yeh, I know I need Help.

I would like to thank everyone for writing in. Melody read them to me as I could not read fine print until this week. My eyesight is much better. 2 weeks ago they put some coins in front of me and they were just a blur. Last week I could see them perfectly. I graduated to a cane this week, sure beats the walker. Melody still pushes me in a wheel chair for long distances. I think maybe in a week or two my legs will at least be strong enough to walk without equipment. I am taking all kinds of therapy...I know some of you probably thought I needed it before......finding out what I can and cannot do. My eyesight and strength are almost normal and that is a good start.

One of the hardest things is not being able to do much unless it can be done standing in place. At least I can load and unload the dishwasher. It takes a while but I can do it. My thought now is that I will be able to return to work in January. I will need to get doctor's approval to drive again. At least with a sock and shoe on, my right foot almost feels normal. I'm not sure how my driving will be affected by the numbness in right side if it doesn't go away. Doctor was not sure if and when the feeling will come back.

I am doing well especially considering what happened and all of the associated complications. I'm on my way back. Thanks for all the notes, calls, and prayers as they appear to have worked!

Dave

Monday morning ...

We had a busy and yet relaxing weekend, with Dave watching TV in between visits from home nurses, etc. We slept in, relaxed in our jammies, and worked on getting used to being home again. On Sunday, I roasted a turkey and even made acceptable gravy!...a first! I can already tell that TV is not going to cut it for DAve and I...there just isn't anything to watch! I am reading him chapters of the new Grishom book, "Playing for Pizza"...we enjoy it in between physical therapy, etc.

Believe it or not, a person can keep extremely busy just being the personal assistant to a person who has returned home in need of physical therapy, etc. His calendar is quite full!! But he will make allowances for friends!!!

We went for a long walk today to enjoy the fall weather...I pushed the wheelchair, Dave critiqued my steering skills...I had quite a workout! The Dr. said no need to restrict diet right now, so believe it or not, we are having Pizza tonite!!!

All is well, we are forging ahead, and Dave says Hi to all.
Melody

He's Home!

Everything went smoothly. Dave is doing well, currently taking a long nap in his own bed ! I think that I will have to wake hime up so that he will sleep later tonight! He is doing very well with the walker and had no problems with the 5 steps on the back porch. It's wonderful to have him here!
Melody

Rehab 101

Sorry that it has been so long since I have updated the Blog. We have been so busy. Dave was transported by ambulance to Chelsea Hospital in Chelsea MI (20 mins W of Ann Arbor) last Week. His first Day was a bit tough as he had a long ride on a narrow bed, and later, his blood pressure took a huge drop into the low 70s. This had the result of making both of us nervous about the move, and evidently made the rehab Dr. nervous as well. They held Dave back from any actual rehab until the consulting cardiologist could see Dave that night.
The cardiologist was very thorough - he took an hour just to review Dave's extensive file. He felt that maybe the transfer had stressed Dave and also that he might be on too heavy a medication for blood pressure, so he reduced it slightly and put Dave on a halter monitor so that a continuous EKG would be recorded. After a couple of days of low-key rehab, his blood pressure rose into the 110ish level, and DAve felt more energetic and less light headed.
Since then, Dave has learned a lot. EVerything from dressing himself, bathing, walking with a walker, maintaining balance, exercising and some other therapies. He has been busy and usually is committed to three hours a day of therapy of one kind or another.
I originally tried to get DAve moved to U of M where their acute rehab was based at a hospital that has a cardiac unit...it was nerve racking that Chelsea does not have a cardiologist, in the event of an emergency, DAve would have to be transported to U of M. But I had no success with finding a better situation, and now it appears that Dave will probably come home on Friday the 12th, so I am not as afraid.

Today, I have been thrilled to be able to get DAve in to see his new cardiologist tomorrow!!! This is great news, as we have been on a wait list until the end of the month, and I have been afraid to have him home outside of the supervision of his cardiologist...so I feel much better. It will be hectic tomorrow to go from rehab to cardiologist to rehab, to home...but it will be worth it in peace of mind!

I have not had much time with DAve in rehab, as it is a good 45min drive to Chelsea daily and while I am there with Dave until mid evening, there is no internet wireless in the hospital. With him home, I will have more opportunity to keep up.
I would expect, with the transition, that Dave will probably not be up to vists right away. The DR. explained that transitions are the most volatile time for Dave so I need to keep him calm and stress free. I know that Dave will want to see people, but I suggest that in a few days you call me first to see whats best - my phone is 248-505-7277.

Thank you again for everything...especially the prayers, and keep them coming!
Melody

Returning Closer to Home...

We will be leaving tomorrow am for Chelsea Rehabilitation at Chelsea Hospital. U of M did not pan out, they were concerned that it was too demanding for Dave at this point, so Chelsea was recommended. Wish it was closer to Northville, but whatever is best for Dave is fine.
The ambulance will take Dave at 8am Wedn, I will drive myself and all of our stuff from the cottage. We have a little trepidation, but are ready for the next step.Can't wait to see everyone. Love to all, Mel and Dave

What A Journey it has Been...

There is a beautiful song ,sung by Lea Salonga (of Broadway Fame ) that I have always thought was a sort of theme song for our lives. It begins "what a journey it has been, and the end is not in sight,..." it seems particularly poignant for us now.

We are starting on a new stage of our journey tomorrow...this part will be a real marathon for Dave, as he will be undertaking intensive therapy in an acute rehab unit at U of M. The word is that each day, 3-4 hours are spent in physical therapy. He will be rebuilding the muscles and abilities that have deteriorated in bed over the past month. It will have been a month tomorrow since Dave had his heart attack, and we are so happy to have gotten this far together.

We have no idea how long he will be at U of M, Weeks I imagine. He is a little worried about what to expect, but after all he has been through, I don't blame him. And this is work that he will have to do himself, I cannot help him, except to encourage and support him.

Only God knows why we were chosen to undertake this challenge as a family, but I do know that so many wonderful things have been a result. There are too many miracles to list, and the people here have been nothing short of angels. Sarah at the front coffee shop with a smile and "how is he doing", the wonderful ladies who chatted with me while cleaning the room, at least ten nurses who went beyond the call of duty to be our substitute family as we took up residence in ICU, Dr. Kleavland, such a wonderful man and compassionate doctor, Dr. Brevard whose skill and kindness gave Dave's heart a chance, Debbie in imaging, who helped me personally with my own potential health problem, Steve and Debbie and their family in the ICU waiting for his wife to improve - I pray for them and Chris, hoping that the U of M Drs. were able to give them hope and good news, the compassionate and kind operating room nurse who showed up every few days to give me a hug and listen...I could go on and on.

I have learned many life lessons while here and know that I have more to learn, but I am so thankful that so many people that prayed for Dave and I and our kids.
We have further to climb,so please continue with those prayers.

Thank you to you all,
Melody

Message from Dave

Dave is dictating this message to his bedside secretary:
"Thankyou to everyone for your kind thoughts.I should be travelling to the Detroit area Monday or Tuesday to the U of Michigan Rehabilitation Center in AA. At this point I have been in bed for almost 4 weeks so I can't walk very well. my appetite is coming back even if the food is not interesting. Today was my first day walking , I walked across the room with a walker and back again. I was exhausted. I don't remember anything of the first 3 weeks, but Melody says that I got great care. Thankyou so much for the notes of encoragement - Melody read them to me from the Blog and the cards you have sent. I will try to update via the blog as I make progress. Thanks again,
Dave

Movin' on up...

Dave has really stabilized nicely as far as his lungs and heart - now he just really needs to gain strenth and defeat the evil intestinal bacteria that has shown up in the latest test. It causes extreme diarhea and he is now quarantined . He has however been moved to a lower grade of care so he can probably be moved back to the homefront soon if he does well at this level.

We are working hard at trying to add to Dave's diet - he has little or no appetite - but the dietician had great ideas about adding protein powder to milk, and some other items to get more into him. He is still extremely weak, largely due to his heart and being in bed so long, but also due to lack of nutrition, and everything goes straight through him.

I will sign off for now and hope to have more details of a potential move tomorrow.Thankyou again to everyone for continuing to keep us in your prayers and thoughts.

Watching Poker with Dad....

So, after returning to work in Minneapolis for about a week, I returned home to Michigan for the weekend to check on the house in Northville (which I had to break into!), and driving over to Muskegon to check in on my dad. I caught him just as the Michigan game had ended, and we chatted about the Cubs chances of making the playoffs. Even though he was desperately trying to get some sleep, he asked that I turn the TV on to check some football scores. Wisconsin was playing Iowa which was rather boring for both of us, so we opted for watching his favorite, Poker! He got a few laughs from his favorite announcers before finally getting some shut eye. Since then, I've been catching up on all of the comments being left on the blog from friends and family alike. Knowing all of the love and support that is out there has made this about as easy as any of us could expect.

Sarah and I are giving our mom a much needed rest for the night, before we both head back to Chicago and Minneapolis respectively tomorrow. About time for us to get some shut eye as well.....

Cat scan showed that there is still something going on in Dave's lungs but it is improving. The physical therapists sat Dave up in the recliner chair several times. He was exhausted but it helped the pressure on his back.
I guess that we have turned the corner since Dave is grouchy ...he doesn't dare give the nurses any guff so it falls to me. I ended up taking more time off today to recharge my batteries and to give Dave more time to be independent.I did some errands, went to the bank to review accounts and pay bills, and since it was a spectacular day , I walked down to the beach in Grand Haven.

Wow, what a wonderful respite. I laid down in the warm sand,closed my eyes and just listened to the wind, waves and the occasional gull that flew by. Some sun worshippers were laying out on the beach in beach chairs, watching the kite surfers challenging the whitecaps. Sailboats were out on the water as were the salmon boats. I felt totally relaxed and calm, feeling deep down that everything was going to be better than alright.

Dave has had a busy morning. All of the DR.s stopped by and the decision was made to do a CAT scan. Also, the infectious disease specialist is checking him for anything they might possibly be missing. I am so happy that they are leaving no stone unturned to make sure that they are treating Dave for the right thing.

While Dave was having his CAT scan, I made a few calls and ran into our friend Cindy Kleymeer in the lobby...thanks so much for the visit and the goodies, Cindy. I'm glad that I wasn't gone when you stopped by.

Brian is flying into Detroit this weekend and will have to drive over here to see his Dad. We had hoped to be back in Northville by now but I believe that we will be here for quite a while longer.

During a break last night I had the idea of picking up Harry Potter CDS from the library and buying a CD player. I wasn't sure if Dave would enjoy it - he hasn't wanted to watch TV or listen to music for some time, but today, after he ate a little, I pushed him to try it, and he seems to like it! Hopefully it will distract his thoughts from the hospital and his situation if just for a while.

I also did some on-line research into "guided imagery"used in recovery. I had heard of this before - the idea is to listen to relaxation and positive imagery CDS after surgery to help train your body and mind to relax. I went to the Cleveland Clinic site and they gave a resource for CDS. I talked to the producer of the CDS and decided that they would be worth a try - relaxation is not DAve's strong suit - neither is positive thought, so we will give this a try . Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I am having them overnighted so that both of us can give it a
try.

Later:
Tapes arrived and Dave is willing to give them a try. His pain seems to be reduced and yet he is unable to relax enuf to go to sleep. I stayed until he finally nodded off and hoped for a restful night for him for a change.

How can a man who looks so good be so sick?
Why can't we just move from A to B to C? Instead we go all over the alphabet, frequently in reverse?
I know that we have come so far...a friend told me to not have any expectations and then you won't be disappointed...just take one day at a time.
Good advice, I suppose, if you can do it.
I haven't been all that successful.

Yesterday seemed to start out well and then went downhill.Dave started to complain of pain in his chest. The pulmonary specialist arrived just about then, examined Dave and found a "Rub", an inflammation of the pericardium causing it to rub against the lungs,producing a lot of pain. And we have a real catch 22 in that drugs that would reduce inflammation could also cause Dave's stomach to bleed and since he is on blood thinners ,it could lead to other problems. So ,another drug is being tried and so far isn't reducing the inflamation. He is taking simple tylenol with something else for pain.

I stayed, as usual, until the "witching hour" - around 1am, I have started a routine of trying to give Dave as much of a non-hospital environment at night as possible. This includes closing the door against noise and light while I am there, putting a towel over the monitor that is always on but not being used, turning off TV or any other distractions, and laying down in the recliner next to Dave so that we can hold hands while he dozes off. This seems to help him be less anxious and I can remind him when he needs to take deeper breaths to avoid going on the dreaded BiPap machine.

As I drove the 20minute drive to the cottage, there was a movie-like low cloud or haze that was undulating about 30 ft. up above the highway. It looked like something out of a Harry Potter movie! I often stop at the 24hr Walgreens one the way home to pick up something that I need. The ritual once I get to the cottage has become toasting some bread, adding my neighbors homemade jam, and having a half of a beer as I unwind in front of some late-night comedy . Once the glass of beer is gone, I'm limp as a noodle and I trudge upstairs and crash into bed.I set my phone alarm and before I know it , its time to get up and smell the coffee, heading out to the hospital in time to see the Drs. on their rounds, and grill then with questions - not really, but their jobs are so interesting and I know just enuf biology to get myself in trouble.


,

Who knows where the time goes...

Tuesday
In addition to the swallow test that Dave had yesterday, an echo cardiogram was done - I was able to watch it along with both Dave's heart and lung DRs. It was fascinating seeing his heart beating and the valves opening. It was evident where the heart was functioning well and where it had been damaged. A surprise find was a blood clot, attached to the inner wall of one of his ventricles.This is also reducing the efficiency of his heart. Medication is being given to assist his body in absorbing the clot back into his system.
The pulmonary specialist is actually limiting Dave's exercise - he is quickly gaining strength and fine motor skills, but it is important that his lungs and heart get more rest since his breathing is still labored.
Dave has started eating soft foods, a huge effort is required and he is often exhausted after just a few bites. The feeding tube is still in his nose so that he can still receive nutrition support.

Dave's clarity of thougt is improving rapidly as well. He still is evidently worried about many things and I try to reassure him that all is well. Worry is one thing that he certainly doesn't need. His emotional recovery from this will be tough in addition to the physical.

So much is going well but we still have glitches that set both of our nerves on end. Tonight, Dave's heart rate wants to shoot higher and his breathing is too shallow, so he has to wear the Bi-Pap a lot...not his favorite. He seems to be down and he won't talk about what may be bothering him. I ask that all of you keep praying for him.
Love, Melody

Say Cheese!

...from Sarah

Well, this morning we got the news that Dad had passed his swallowing test which means that he can try eating solid food! To our surprise, his lunch (Beef Stew, Biscuits, and Jello), included a personal-sized Birthday Cake. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to eat more than a few bites, but it's a start.

Dad gave his permission for us to post his photo to share with all of his "fans". We will continue to update you on his recovery as things change.

Thank you again for all of your support!

-Sarah

Happy Birthday Dad!

...from Sarah

Well, Dad turns 59 years old today. I went to Target last night in search of a blow-up birthday cake, but all I came back with is a "Birthday Boy" ribbon that we can pin to his hospital gown...if the nurses allow it in the CCU. I came in this morning and the Physical Therapy team had Dad out of his bed and in a chair. He seems to be doing really well, but his breathing is still pretty labored.

On one hand, it's not the best circumstance for a birthday, but on the other hand, we have him with us and that's all that matters.

More to come later...time to go celebrate with the Birthday Boy!

Love to all, Sarah

What now?

Although the daytime seemed to go okay, nightime was a different story. Dave seemed to be extremely restless and a little confused. He was having a very tough time with the BI-PAP machine which is a mask that he has to wear which forces air into his lungs. I told him that he looked like a sexy fighter pilot but he didn't appreciate the lightness of my comment. He fought the mask all night, trying to pull it off and I felt horrible that I couldn't help him relax. The night nurse tried everything including valium and morphine, but nothing calmed him.
When Dave finally seemed to be sleeping, I headed to the cottage for sleep at around midnight, conked out, and then received a call at 3:30 am from the night nurse saying that Dave wanted me to come in . He was difficult to console, and I think that he was confused between dreaming and reality. He insisted that I go find him some food and drink, even though he couldn't have anything. Its an awful thing to feel so helpless, both for Dave and for Me.
At about 10 am my parents came in - it turns out that they thought that I was still in bed at the cottage where they were and they didn't want to disturb me. They didn't know that I had left for the hospital shortly after getting home.
Anyhow, it was great, as usual to have their help and support. We waited to see all of the DRs. He is making slow progress and again meds etc. were altered to try to get the fluid out of his lungs.Dave was told that he could take the BI-PAP off every few hours as he wanted and try to use the nasal oxygen to breath by himself. I think that he is improving with this hour by hour.
Sarah arrived after being in a wedding in Northville on Saturday, and she relieved me so that I could go home and sleep a few hours. Our wonderful neighbors at the cottage saw me pull up and all came out to give me hugs and offer support. Two of these wonderful friends have lost their husbands to heart problems.
I zonked out immediately and slept for 3-4 hrs., heading back to the hospital to meet Sarah and relieve her of Dad-Duty...she does a great job and Dave responds well to her.
So, its 10:30 pm, Dave is breathing on his own for a couple of hrs. Its a lot of work for him and the effort makes him tired. I just decided to break hospital rules and call Brian on my cell phone. I put the phone up to Dave's ear and he actually spoke a little with Brian. It was a great moment.
I am hoping that Dave will get some sleep tonight and that I will get some as well.
I always worry about the night - night nurses are more intent upon a holding pattern than on progress...that's probably not fair, I'm sure that all nurses are different.
Besides, some nights a holding pattern is wonderful, as long as we don't go backwards.
Tomorrow Dave's ability to swallow will be assessed .Hopefully he will be given the okay to have soft food and drink instead of the steady diet of ice chips and tube feedings. He will also probably be having another echocardiogram to assess his heart, and another xray for his lungs.

Each day and night I pray for less fear for both Dave and I, more faith in God's plan for us, knowledge and skill for the Drs and Nurses, and I thank God and all of our friends for their love and support. All of us will have difficult times in our lives, the love and caring of friends and family is what makes it bearable. I have seen so many people here that are in as bad a situation as Dave is,and I pray that they have the same support behind them as we are so lucky to have.

Love to you all,
Melody and DAve

One hour..One Day...One week at a time.

After Sarah left yesterday, we thought that we were making great progress...but Dave started having more difficulty breathing with just the oxygen mask, and as he struggled more, he started to mouth-breath and was not getting enuf oxygen. Hyperventilation set in and he really freaked out when one of the Drs. decided that he should be immediately moved to the regular ward instead of Critical Care. In addition, the tube feedings were leading to everything passing right thru his digestive system, leaving him uncomfortable and exhausted.
After we were settled into the 2-person room in another ward, I could quickly see that he wasn't ready for it...so I went to the nursing desk and asked if they could consult with whomever could make the decision to move Dave back as I didn't think he was ready to be downgraded from critical care.
Within a half hour, it was as if the cavalry had arrived. Nurses from critical care came to move him back to his old room...the pulmonary specialist that Dave sees daily had specifically noted that Dave was to stay in intensive care, but someone had overlooked it and transferred him anyway. I felt like we were being rescued as I was starting to feel frantic.
Back in his old room, Dave settled down little but it was obvious that he was still breathing fast and shallow..our wonderful nurse - Wendy - suggested that we try a forced air mask that actually pushes air into the lungs, opening them up . Dr. Cleveland was called, he agreed it was a good idea, and fortunately, Dave took to it well - he obviously was getting the air that his lungs needed as he quickly fell deep asleep for the first time since his breathing tube had been removed - over 36 hrs. before. What a relief!For the first time since days one and two, I found myself overcome with emotion and had to leave the room so that Dave wouldn't see. Such a roller coaster of emotions...many friends had warned me to prepare for this but I didn't realize that it would hit me so hard.
Anyhow, I left Dave at around midnight, hoping that he would sleep thru most of the night

Whenever I drive back to the cottage for the night, I am amazed at how the hospital has become my reality. The cottage setting is wonderful so late at night. While driving down a dark road near a city park, deer are almost always visible, grazing in the flower beds of neighboring homes. AS I come around the curve to our street, the view opens dramatically to the lake michigan shore , sparkling in the moonlight, and the lighthouse and pier lit up in the night. I park the car and climb the 40+ steps up to the cottage and walk down the path to the backdoor, brushing against the white hydrangeas that are all in bloom.
Inside, I dump my purse on the counter,and head straight to bed, setting my phone alarm for 6:30 so that I can make it to the hospital in Muskegon around the time that the DRs. come around.

That's the routine. I usually grab a coffee from The coffee lady in the lobby - Sarah is extremely nice and runs a brisk business in coffee, muffins, etc. Unfortunately, she isn't here on weekends so I head to Panerra to grab supplies.



Saturday am
For some reason, even though I got 7 hrs sleep, I feel like I am exhausted this morning. I met with the pulmonary specialist this morning and he seemed pleased with how the forced air mask is working for DAve. He made a few changes to meds and left. The cardiologist came later and made some changes to potassium and other meds and said he thought Dave was making some progress. Internal medicine sent the dietician to make up the correct tube feeding for Dave...I didn't mention that they put the small tube throught Dave's nose and into his stomach again as they are not confident that he is swallowing well. One monday, he will have a swallowing assessment done to determine if he can return to drinking at all. They want to absolutely avoid anything going down the wrong way into his already fragile lungs.

Just as I was feeling overwhelmed with keeping my eyes open, I was surprised to see two little leprechauns outside Dave's room! No, I wasn't hallucinating...my mom and dad are really quite small!! They were an unexpected surprise and it was just what I needed to have someone I trusted sit with Dave while I went home and slept a few hours. When I came back, I was very refreshed and able to deal with a restless DAve. He asks over and over for water and food - he can't have either, and I have to try to calm him, swabbing his mouth with a small sponge on a stick. He is very irritable, frustrated, and I believe that his is having some daytime "dreams" that seem like reality to him. I hope that this will clear up once he is out of the hospital environment.

It's 11pm and almost time to go home to sleep. Dave is unable to sleep and keeps fighting with his mask, so I think that a sleeping pill may be in order. I'll talk to the nurse - Amy.

Please continue to pray for Dave. I believe it makes all the difference.
Love, Melody

Also, if you want to email me directly my email is melody@melodyarndt.com I am not allowed to use the cell phone in DAve's room and that is where I am most of the day.

PT, OT and Sherbet

...from Sarah

It's Day 2 without the ventilator and Dad is doing great! I got in around 9am and he was much more alert than last night. Mom said that he has been pretty demanding now that he can really ask for what he wants (ice chips, cool washcloths, etc.) She told him that he better plan on spoiling her if she's ever in the hospital and he agreed :)

The Physical Therapists came back this morning and gave him a workout including another session of sitting up on the side of his bed. It's amazing to think that a person's muscles atrophy in just a few days (or 10 for Dad) of laying in bed. It's going to take time, but his muscles will grow stronger day by day. They asked him a bunch of questions and he answered clearly. Actually, he was cracking jokes the whole time, saying that he should have workout clothes on to do this :) He also said that it felt great to sit up and that he was ready to stand. Count on Dad to try and go the distance in one day! The therapists made a deal with him that they would come back this afternoon with a walker so he could try and stand. Sounds amazing, but it's remarkable how far he's come in the last 24 hours.

About an hour later, an Occupational Therapist came in to work with Dad. He was really exausted from his last workout, but still wanted to try and stand. We gave it a shot and he got up slightly, but not all the way. Again, he was really tired from this morning so it wasn't a surprise to anyone. I didn't know very much about Occupational Therapy before today, but it's such a great field. They will work with Dad to become independent again with basic things like walking and bathing.

As for the Sherbet, it is officially Dad's least favorite thing at the moment. He kept saying how horrible it tasted and that he would rather have ice chips. I said that it has more nutritional value than water and he responded with "barely". He's really making me laugh today. He's kind of a cranky patient and it's cute :)

Well, it's about 12:30 here in Muskegon and I'm sitting at Dad's bedside helping him take his oxygen mask on and off and giving him water through a straw. He keeps trying to do it on his own which is probably a good thing, but I'd really like him to rest for a bit. Mom's taking a quick break so that she can feel refreshed while nursing Dad the rest of the day. I'm getting ready to head to Northville to be in my friend Kelly's wedding tomorrow at Meadowbrook. I'm really looking forward to being with all of my friends and then I'll be back at the hospital on Sunday before heading to Chicago that night.

Happy Friday to all of our friends and family reading this post. I am thankful every day to have each and every one of you in our lives.

-Sarah

PS: Dad is still in Critical Care, but they are hoping to move him to a "regular" room in a couple of days!

The Tube is Out!

...From Sarah

Well, I certainly picked a good day to come back to the hospital after a 3-day hiatus back home in Chicago. I took the advice of our friend Jess and went home this past Sunday to get my life together and I definitely feel refreshed.

I arrived here in Muskegon around 3pm and the word on the street (or in the halls of the CCU) was that Dr. Cleveland was coming to take out the ventilator. Dad was still sedated, but a little more alert than I had seen him the previous week, so it was great to seem him communicate with facial movements and shoulder shrugs. He has also gotten pretty good at pointing when he wants something. His current favorite is a cool washcloth on his forehead. He groans happily whenever we replace his cloth with a cooler one.

Dr. Cleveland arrived around 5pm and Mom and I went to the waiting room. I have to admit, we were more anxious than excited considering what happened last time they tried taking him off the ventilator. When we hadn't heard anything after 45 minutes, Mom went to ask the nurse and found out that the procedure went great. Seeing Dad for the first time without the ventilator and the feeding tube in his nose was so amazing. He was fairly alert and trying to talk. When we heard those first low, throaty words, we were so excited! Since then, he's been trying to talk with the oxygen mask over his face, and somehow I seem to understand everything he's saying (mostly just "Yes", "No", "I don't care") even though mom is clueless :) It must be a special father-daughter bond.

Dad's still coughing every now and then, trying to break up the fluid in his lungs but it (both the fluid and the coughing) has decreased significantly. After a couple hours of hanging out and helping to keep him comfortable with cool cloths and soothing talk, the nurses decided to start giving him some anti-anxiety medication to help him stay calm and hopefully fall asleep. Apparently, his body didn't want to cooperate which isn't that surprising considering he had been sedated for the past 10 days. It looks like he's finally ready to rest and after we rolled him on his side and gave him some ice chips (with a splash of valium) I think he's finally relaxed.

It's getting late, so I'm going to sign off. Once again, thank you to all of you for your thoughts and prayers. Please keep posting comments. We read them to Dad today and he really enjoyed it.

-Sarah

ThumbsUp!

I panic a little each morning when I wake up, wondering what I have missed during the night as Dave heals in the hospital room. It is very hard to trust anyone with your loved one's life when you have just met them and last night was Laura's first with us as DAve's nurse. She believed that it was best to allow DAve to rest through the night so he was sedated quite heavily, given morphine in case he has any pain that we don't know of, and only disturbed to suction his breathing tube when he coughed into it. Although our daytime nurse/friend Wendy would like to see more done to move DAve's recovery along, I am more able to leave and rest if he is resting comfortably, even if he is sedated.

Today Dave underwent a brochial scope to look into his throat and lungs to see if they seem ready to remove his respirator. Dr. Cleveland seemed relatively pleased with DAve's progress, even though there is still some swelling and inflammation.He is prescribing some steroids to reduce swelling and breathing treatments that are attached to his respirator to help expand his lungs. This is great news and I am hoping for him to be ready tomorrow.

Another wonderful moment came when the team of physical therapy girls came into the room...they are so cheerful and upbeat and they worked together to swing Dave to the edge of the bed, "dangling" him ...that's a technical term. He was helped to sit upright at the edge with his feet on the floor and support himself. WOW! He loved the feeling of being off the bed and able to do something for himself. He is definitely very weak but I think that this helped him believe in his ability to recouperate. He also didn't mind the physical therapy cheerleaders!

Night comes again and the optimism of the day always fades in the dark. Why is it that we feel so alone and freightened in the night? The new night nurse said some scarey things about Dave's condition and I went home at midnight worrying about the future. I made a conscious decision to not let these fears and doubts enter my mind...God is looking out for Dave and so am I, and I trust the DRs. and nurses that have brought him this far.

"Baby Steps"

After getting a full night's sleep, I headed off to the hospital to get there right after shift change between 7-8am. That way, I have the best chance of catching the Drs on their rounds. I talked with both Dr. Cleveland - the Pulmonary(lung) specialist and Dave's Cardiologist. They both believe that it will take time for Dave's lungs to clear and they are giving him medications to eliminate fluids from the body in general, as well as to strengthen the heart's pulse. I have become pretty adept at watching his blood pressure monitor and respiration and heartrate monitors.Potassium levels are important as well as are his glucose levels. An xray was done to examine fluid levels in the lungs and it was determined that they are still quite high. When I asked just how the fluid comes to be there, I was told that "Pulmonary Adema (sp?)" is a result of the body sending fluid to the damaged heart to help it continue pumping, however, it often sends too much in a heart attack situation, the result being that the fluid flows into the lungs which are particulary susceptible to fluid increases.
Next question...How do you get rid of it? One method, urinating it out - so Dave is on a diuretic of sorts. Second method, suctioning the lungs to eliminate built up fluids - nurses do this frequently, not a pleasant process for Dave, making him gag, choke and feel like he can't breath...this often causes him to panic and is perhaps the leading need for sedation in order to rest. The third method is that the various cells of the body may absorb some fluid.
All of this takes time, and painstaking work by nurses, Drs and Dave. It's tough to sit by and see him choke and grimace, but I keep telling him that soon he will be getting the respiration tube out - it will be such a blessing when he is ready - no one is estimating when that will be - at least they are not sharing their estimates with me.
I now spend most of my day in Dave's room, helping the nurses when I can do anything, and trying to encourage and relax Dave when he is at all awake. I think that he is worried about what is yet to come, but I keep telling him that it is all getting better and better, we just are taking a lot of baby steps for every advancement.
I have been mindlessly knitting, believe it or not, it is one thing that distracts me but also lets me keep my attention on Dave...reading is out, it just takes too much concentration...so I sit and do endless rows of simple knitting with chunky yarn that Sarah picked up for me at Wall Mart. I am asked by everyone who enters the room "what are you making". I respond that I have no idea, but it really does help keep me calm and productive in some small way when I feel powerless. Knitting, praying, making phone calls, and loving Dave have have become the rhythym of my day.
I don't need anything in particular, but thankyou to all of you who have offered...just your prayers for Dave and the Drs and Nurses that are making him well.

The Fam

Thanks to Joyce for emailing this photo taken in the hospital waiting room. We certainly aren't looking our best, but we're happy because Dad's health is improving. Thanks again to everyone for your love and support!

-Sarah

Sunday Night....Monday

So, after a good start to the day Sunday, having the first chance to see my dad's eyes open in close to a week, he had a rough go of things that night. The nurse and staff struggled with finding the right balance of sedation with the ventilator, and he was quite frantic throughout the night, with his blood pressure and resperations dropping considerably. By the end of the night, he was completely sedated again, with hopes to learn more from our regular nurse during the day Monday.

And we got exactly that. Multiple doctors consulted during the day, and were able to find a perfect balance to make him more comfortable, and slowly take him back off of the sedation. He had a great start to the day, and continued to show progress throughout. By 6:00 tonight, my mom and I arrived back at the hospital after a short nap, to find him propped into a near sitting position in his bed, with his eyes as open as we have seen to date! He was moving his arms and legs routinely on his own, and began to respond with more facial expressions and nods of yes and no. He seemed to be more concerned with the tennis scores from the U.S. Open than he was anything else, and even got a chuckly out of hearing that the lions had won yesterday. When put on the phone with Sarah, he had a huge smile on his face and was looking like the dad that I know. We all continue to think good thoughts, and believe that the progress we have seen is just a start his recovery ahead.....

Brian.....Melody, and Sarah

Mercy Hospital, Muskegon, MI

Friday, September ?, 2007

It's 3:30 or so and I am sitting bedside in CCU keeping an eye on Dave's readings on the monitor as well as his handsome face. For those of you who don't know the details of Dave's heart attack, I will bring you up to date as best I can, although both my memory and my concentration seem to be jumbled, so not everything will make sense or even be correct.


Lets back up:

On Labor Day, while Dave and I were enjoying our cottage in Grand Haven, I arrived home from a long walk, just as Dave came back from a run. It appears that he might have been jogging on the beach, which he often does in Grand Haven...I hate for him to do it in the heat of the day but he seems to enjoy it.

Dave climbed the 40 or so steps up to our cottage and relaxed on the deck, drinking some soda and some water. He then came in the house and took a shower. While I was watching TV ( with both the noise from the TV and the fan running) I heard a banging noise coming from the upstairs bathroom. It sounded like the vanity doors closing over and over. I headed up the stairs and found Dave on the bathroom floor, covered in sweat, signaling me by closing the vanity door in front of him. He said that he couldn't stop sweating and he was breathing rapidly. I called 911 and started toweling him in cool water, thinking that maybe he had overheated.

I heard the ambulance coming so I ran outside to signal it from the deck, at the same time, our cottage neighbor Julie ran over, heard the news and ran upstairs to help. Julie was a Godsend, and I mean that literally. She is an ER nurse in Chicago and knew how to help the paramedics and what questions to ask Dave. The paramedics did an EKG and strapped Dave into a wheeled chair to take him down the steps to the first floor and then down the 40 or so steps to the street and waiting ambulance...this was not an easy task.

Incredibly,(thank you again God) Louise, our other neighbor, has a "lift" that runs up and down the sand dune, and although she was out of town and I expected it to be locked, I pushed the button and it started! They took Dave down the hill in the lift. Just when they put him in the ambulance, he had a seizure, and now we know, a heart attack. We also now know that they defibrillated him, restarted his heart as they transported him to Grand Haven hospital and then immediately on to Muskegon Mercy where a cardiac team was on hand to catheterize him and insert the new stent.

Another incredible act of God, we did not find out until yesterday that when Dave arrived at the heart facility, a young man who is a physicians assistant named Tim helped prep Dave quickly for surgery - It turns out our both our son Brian and Sarah know this young man and Tim is now one of our many "angels" in Dave's treatment and recovery.

From what Tim tells us, Dave's condition was very serious and the surgeon immediately inserted the balloon and a new stent, allowing blood and oxygen to flow. As they took Dave to Critical Care, Dr. Bravert told me that Dave's condition was very serious and that the heart had been damaged. The artery that was totally blocked is called "the widowmaker". 95% of all people who have a blockage in this artery do not survive - God was with us again and has not left Dave's side. The heart team immediately put Dave into what is called a "hypothermic protocol, where his body is brought into a hibernation state by reducing his body temperature, I believe that he was down around 88 degrees. This is a newer technology that allows the body to direct all of its efforts to reducing a strain on the heart and mending as best it can.

After 24 hours in hibernation,(and total sedation), Dave was allowed to rewarm slowly. The biggest problem became stabilizing his blood pressure which kept dropping dramatically whenever he stirred or was worked on. This was unnerving to say the least and the Drs kept him totally sedated and he was receiving multiple medications to help his heart and circulatory system.We still did not know if there had been significant brain damage as he had not been allowed to come to at all.

Dave's nurses have been fabulous, and again, many miracles. The first Day we were stunned to find that our wonderful day nurse - Wendy - was Kelly Marrs good friend and college roommate! This gave us all a wonderful connection and we felt as if Dave was in the hands of a very capable and caring friend. I really cant say enough about all of the nurses Dave has had and the quality of compassionate care that he, the kids and I have all received. Special heartfelt thanks to Dan, Wendy, Greg, Lisa, Beth, Randi, Tim and Tami. Without these angels we could not have made it this far.

Anyhow, we finally saw Dave's pressure improve and stabilize - a thrilling improvement - and the nurses started backing off on all medications. I think that this was on Friday that we were able to see many of the meds cut back to the point of being very minimal. His heart was beating mostly on its own as with the blood pressure improvement the Dr. removed the balloon pump that was making it easier for Dave's heart to circulate his blood.

But with these improvements came a setback or two - fluid had increased in Dave's lungs and bacteria had been found in his sputum. So, now he was enduring vacuuming of his respiration tube - a difficult thing for him to endure even under sedation as he thrashed against having his lungs flushed and suctioned. Antibiotics were added, and though we had hoped to have his breathing tube removed and sedation cut back by Sat., it didn't happen, in fact by Saturday he had a temperature and the fluid was nasty. Wonderful Wendy thought to put Dave in a special bed which automatically shifts his body on a timed sequence, hopefully helping to dislodge the phlegm so that it could be suctioned. The bed also was put on a "percussion " cycle where the back side of Dave's chest would be "thumped" by the bed, loosening secretions.

Sunday am -
I slept late this morning, knowing that Wendy was back with Dave. I gave her a call before coming in and found that the Dr. had okayed weaning Dave from the respirator and giving him a chance to breathe on his own. So, I rushed in, and Wendy was bring Dave out of the total sedation, allowing him to wake up. The negative is that the respiratory hose goes down the throat to the lungs and feels horrible to the patient, as if they are suffocating. Wendy told me how to try to keep Dave calm and to encourage him to breath through the respirator hose, "like a straw".

The most wonderful gift is that Dave came to, I was able for the first time since labor day to look my Dave in the eyes and know that he recognized me and heard and understood what I was saying! He worked hard at relaxing so that his breathing rate would even out. When asked to, he squeezed my hand and wiggled his toes. He even nodded his head yes and no in correct response to questions. When Sarah and Brian arrived, he was able to do the same for them, answering Bri's question of "Dad, do you want to know the tennis scores?" with a nodded yes and the same response to the question of "Could you hear the Dave Mathews music that we had playing in the Ipod by your ear last night?"

The kids had recorded some Dave Mathews, Dave's favorite band, on a friend's Ipod and the nurse gave us the okay to lay the earphones by his ear in hope that he might be able to hear it...He Did!

After our time interacting with Dave, the nurse decided to remove his breathing tube and sent us from the room with a promise of letting us know in the waiting room when it was completed. It took longer than we had expected, and Wendy was in tears when she came down to tell us that Dave had to be re-intubated. He tried hard to breath well enough without it, but he was really struggling with the fluid in his lungs. Wendy said that he surely didn't want the tube put back, but his shook his head to signal that is what he wanted.

So, even though it is a disappointment, we will happily wait until Dave is ready to try again. Unfortunately, they probably will need to keep him sedated again to keep him comfortable. So, we have had a taste of the wonderful things to come and know that all of our prayers and the prayers of friends, family as well as total strangers have been answered and that we just need to be patient and let God's work be done in his own time, waiting for Dave's body to be ready for the challenge.

I will try to give you more info soon, but for now, I'm going to take a break...KEEP PRAYING! We love you all,
Melody, Sarah and Brian