It's time again

Well, the time has come again. T will have surgery to finish the surgery he had a year & a half ago.

The next 3 days will be spent doing as many errands as I can, getting the right kind of bandages, getting everything for Thanksgiving dinner, etc. While he recovers, I won't be leaving the house for very long because of his dizziness. So as much as I can do now will really help later.

Also, I have to do all of the jobs T usually does. That's not really too bad, since the jobs will get done when I want them done.

The part I am NOT looking forward to is dealing with Dear Daughter! Lately she has not been speaking to me-which leaves Dad to deal with all the problems. During recovery Dad won't be able to deal with any problems. He will be dealing with sleeping, taking pills and eating as much as he can. Listening to a teenager yelling & complaining will not be on his TO-DO list.

So--I'm making a list--checking it twice-- (you finish the song)

Surgery Synopsis

TK’s surgery started a little late and went the scheduled 2 hours. Dr Fucci is the best! Since the full story has come to us in little snatches, I will just give you the full story and not waste time with when we found out what!

Dr Fucci said that there was a “massive amount of disease” that had to be removed. Because there was so much, he also had to remove all of the inner ear. However, he did NOT remove the part that helps with your balance.

During the surgery, TK’s lungs started to fill with fluid and his blood pressure went down to 60/40. This is called “congestive heart failure”. The doctors were able to get his stabilized and finished the surgery. But now they were also worried about his lungs. After he woke up (from a good dream, he says) they did a chest x-ray. Yes, his lungs were “wet” and there were some “spots” on them. Thus followed a breathing treatment to help empty the lungs-via the bladder. Then came another problem, but is will only touch on this briefly.

After having the nurses try 3 times to put in a catheter, without using the normal numbing agent, the 4th time (with a different model) finally worked. RELIEF- about 2 quarts worth!! Thankfully the catheter was removed immediately.

Because of the “heart” incident during the operation and the fact that they lungs weren’t clear, they decided to keep him overnight.

The next huge hurdle was getting him a room! The wait was made easier by the fact that we had a great recovery nurse and he was the only one left in that recovery area. Finally I left so I could get a reasonable amount of sleep, since I was already dragging. Thankfully, our 14 year old and I were able to stay at my parents that night which made everything much easier.

This morning he had another chest x-ray to see how his lungs were doing and they were fine (yeah). So when all was said & done, we finally got home this afternoon about 4 PM.

We are SOOOO glad to be at home.

We are SOOOO grateful for everyone who has been praying for TK. We couldn't’ do it without all of you.

We are SOOOOOO grateful for the blessings we have had the last 2 days. Without the blessings from our Father in Heaven, we would have had a much harder time.

Health Issues

This is a difficult thing for me to write. Mostly because there are so many emotions connected with what I am writing about. I need to give a little background so that you understand everything.

TK has Stargardt’s Disease which has left him legally blind for over 15 years. His peripheral vision is 20/20 but his central vision is 20/200. Regular glasses do not help this type of problem. He had to stop driving, which was what he did to relax. He would get into his car and drive up the California coast highway until he felt like turning around and coming back. He has raced and was part of the SCCA. He loved driving and all things car!

Almost 2 years ago we found out that he could drive again by using new special adaptive glasses. Life became wonderful again. Driving and cars became a big part of his life for the second time.
In the last 2 months TK has been having some health problems. The short version of the long story is this: TK has Mastoiditis, with a hardened cyst in his middle ear area; we aren’t sure about the size of the cyst. This will require surgery. He sees the surgeon at the end of this month.

In preparing for surgery, he saw his cardiologist today. The cardiologist did some research on the Stargardt’s. He found that it affects the tiny blood vessels throughout the body, not just in the eyes, which can cause problems with bleeding, organ difficulties, and weakness in all the smaller vessels.

The cardiologist said that TK needed to have a stress test before the surgery. Because of other problems he has, this will be radiological stress test, and it will have to be done 2 days in a row. One of the side effects of the radiological drug is that it can destroy peripheral vision!

This is the point where I breakdown! He just got his ability to drive back and now he has to have a test that could take that away. And he has to have it two days in a row! This is before the surgery that will cut his head open and expose his brain! For some reason I have a harder time with the possibility that he will lose more vision than with the surgery. That could be because I haven’t heard all the particulars about the surgery.

We weren’t together when TK first lost his vision. We met after he had learned to deal with it. Most people never even know he is legally blind because he handles things so well. I confess that sometimes I forget, too; especially now that he can drive.

It’s during times like these that test your faith. Maybe it’s more like testing my concept of my life and how it should unfold. I know that my Father in Heaven is there and I know that He is in charge of everything. It’s more that I have to come to grips with the fact that life is really not in my control and just get ready to deal with what actually happens instead of what might happen.
I know that, but I still find myself bursting into tears as I unload the dryer, or clean the living room, or plan dinner or anything else. Now I just have to paste on the smile and finish this unplanned ride.

Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him with exceeding faith, and he will console you in your afflictions, and he will plead your cause, and send down justice upon those who seek your destruction. (Book of Mormon, Jacob 3:1)

Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, (Book of Mormon, Heleman 3:35)

Mastoiditis links
http://www.nycornell.org/ent/cholesteatoma.html
http://www.drlouryent.com/Pages/PatientServices/1051.html
http://www.drlouryent.com/Pages/PatientServices/1037.html

Stargardt’s links
http://www.macular.org/stargardts.html
http://www.visionww.org/drswindsor-stargardt.htm
http://www.naturaleyecare.com/diseases.asp?d_num=23