Thank you Lord for the good blood test results today! Curt's liver levels are a little elevated, but they say that is to be expected with chemo (as the liver is the organ that processes and expels the toxins from your body). He's half-way done with his radiation treatments and the initial round of chemotherapy. What a blessing to be on the home stretch...just three weeks to go. He does feel it more by the end of the week, so the weekends are a reprieve and a chance for his body to build back up for the following week.
So far his appetite is holding steady, and he's eating well...no big problems with nausea or vomiting (another BIG thank you, Lord!).
He still needs to avoid crowds as much as possible, and we're continuing to pray for protection from any illnesses. He's in good spirits, even though his low energy levels are a real challenge for him. There's so much he wants to do...but he runs out of steam before he gets it done! On Sunday he experienced a lot of joint pain in his knees again (like he did on Saturday the week before), and he's also had some foot cramps at night, so that's another little prayer request.
Thank you so much for walking through this with us. It's such an encouragement to know that you are praying for Curt, and it is definitely helping to hold us up as we navigate through each new day!
Love you guys,
Patti
Monday, July 12, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
Happy 4th of July!
Hope you all had a great 4th of July weekend! It was nice for us, especially since Curt had a break from radiation today as they were closed due to the holiday. Over this past week we have experienced good days and bad days, but we're excited that we are 1/3 of the way through the six weeks of treatments!
We spoke with Curt's mom today, and she has just four days left to go in her radiation sessions. She sounded great, and said so far she hasn't experienced much in the way of side effects. In her case, the chemo will come later, and we were happy to hear how well it has been going for her.
There's really not too much else to report, but we'll keep you posted on the progress. We're praying for good blood test results again later this week.
Curt and I took a drive this evening to Ma'alaea Harbor and had fun reminiscing about the times we would take the family fishing by the Coast Guard station. The kids all loved it...endlessly baiting hooks, catching little (or not so little) fish, and going to the old Ma'alaea Store for snacks. It was such a neat store...we were sad to see it close several years ago. Established in the 1920's, it had a well-stocked fishing supply aisle...our son Jim was like a kid in a candy store! His brothers and sisters weren't too interested in fishing supplies though...they usually went for the manapua (the best manapua ever!) or real candy.
We are both so grateful to have had many times over these past couple of months to reflect on what a great life we have had together, and what a wonderful family (and extended church family) God has blessed us with. We already have so many good memories...and there have been so many significant spiritual markers along the way. We are confident that whatever is to come, He will give us strength enough for it, just as He gave us the strength to raise all those rambunctious kids!
Isaiah 43:2 reminds us of this:
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you walk though the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.
For I am the Lord your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior."
Take care, and may God's blessings be upon you and your loved ones!
Patti
We spoke with Curt's mom today, and she has just four days left to go in her radiation sessions. She sounded great, and said so far she hasn't experienced much in the way of side effects. In her case, the chemo will come later, and we were happy to hear how well it has been going for her.
There's really not too much else to report, but we'll keep you posted on the progress. We're praying for good blood test results again later this week.
Curt and I took a drive this evening to Ma'alaea Harbor and had fun reminiscing about the times we would take the family fishing by the Coast Guard station. The kids all loved it...endlessly baiting hooks, catching little (or not so little) fish, and going to the old Ma'alaea Store for snacks. It was such a neat store...we were sad to see it close several years ago. Established in the 1920's, it had a well-stocked fishing supply aisle...our son Jim was like a kid in a candy store! His brothers and sisters weren't too interested in fishing supplies though...they usually went for the manapua (the best manapua ever!) or real candy.
We are both so grateful to have had many times over these past couple of months to reflect on what a great life we have had together, and what a wonderful family (and extended church family) God has blessed us with. We already have so many good memories...and there have been so many significant spiritual markers along the way. We are confident that whatever is to come, He will give us strength enough for it, just as He gave us the strength to raise all those rambunctious kids!
Isaiah 43:2 reminds us of this:
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you walk though the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.
For I am the Lord your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior."
Take care, and may God's blessings be upon you and your loved ones!
Patti
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
So far, so good!
We’re 1/4 of the way through the six-week course of radiation and chemotherapy treatments, and so far it’s been pretty manageable. Curt has experienced a lot of fatigue (which is to be expected) and also some nausea, but nothing too severe. He has still been able to eat fairly normally, although he doesn’t have a big appetite and says he really doesn't get hungry. He hasn’t lost any weight, and has thankfully gained more than five pounds since he returned home from the hospital 2 1/2 weeks ago. PTL!
He doesn't complain when we keep the meals and snacks coming even when he's looking a bit "green around the gills," although he admits he's starting to burn out on the fruit smoothies and says if he has to eat another papaya he's going to throw up! Weird how certain things make him nauseous...like the smell of olive oil heating in the pan...that's one of the worst.
Lately he has been going into his office at Hope as much as he can, then heads to his radiation appointment at 3 pm M-F. Chemotherapy is in the form of pills that he takes at bedtime (to minimize the nausea).
We’re praying that things continue on this way, and that he is able to steer clear of any illnesses during this time. The doctors are monitoring his white blood count weekly, as well as checking his hemoglobin and platelet levels. Please pray for good test results!
God bless,
Patti and family
He doesn't complain when we keep the meals and snacks coming even when he's looking a bit "green around the gills," although he admits he's starting to burn out on the fruit smoothies and says if he has to eat another papaya he's going to throw up! Weird how certain things make him nauseous...like the smell of olive oil heating in the pan...that's one of the worst.
Lately he has been going into his office at Hope as much as he can, then heads to his radiation appointment at 3 pm M-F. Chemotherapy is in the form of pills that he takes at bedtime (to minimize the nausea).
We’re praying that things continue on this way, and that he is able to steer clear of any illnesses during this time. The doctors are monitoring his white blood count weekly, as well as checking his hemoglobin and platelet levels. Please pray for good test results!
God bless,
Patti and family
Monday, June 21, 2010
Going Into Battle!
Curt was so happy to see many of you at church on Sunday! It was wonderful to worship again with our church family at Hope. We had a great Father’s day, and hope all of you dads were totally spoiled yesterday by your loved ones!
Today is the first day of Curt’s chemo and radiation…we’re declaring WAR on this nasty tumor! His first radiation session went fine this morning, and the chemo, in the form of pills, will be taken once a day in the evening.
We’re so excited that you are joining with us to fight this fight in the heavenly realms, persevering in prayer for this battle over the next six weeks. Please pray that whatever is left of the tumor (after this last surgery) is beaten back into remission through the treatments. Please also pray for great precision and accuracy for the doctors, and for strength and protection from infection for Curt’s body.
Thank you for all of your support and prayer during these last nine weeks…so much has happened, and we have already seen God work in mighty ways!
With our love and gratitude,
Patti and family
Today is the first day of Curt’s chemo and radiation…we’re declaring WAR on this nasty tumor! His first radiation session went fine this morning, and the chemo, in the form of pills, will be taken once a day in the evening.
We’re so excited that you are joining with us to fight this fight in the heavenly realms, persevering in prayer for this battle over the next six weeks. Please pray that whatever is left of the tumor (after this last surgery) is beaten back into remission through the treatments. Please also pray for great precision and accuracy for the doctors, and for strength and protection from infection for Curt’s body.
Thank you for all of your support and prayer during these last nine weeks…so much has happened, and we have already seen God work in mighty ways!
With our love and gratitude,
Patti and family
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Back to Maui
We're on our way home! It's been a good past couple of days...pretty uneventful. Lots of rest and healing. The nurse is coming to give us our discharge instructions, and Curt is in great spirits.
We'll miss our little animal friends outside the window...the little mongoose family that comes several times daily for the tidbits that we feed them, and all the little birds that fly down to eat and then back up to the trees to sing throughout the day. It's quite the menagerie! There's even a calico kitty that the momma mongoose is always watching for on high alert.
We'll see you all soon...I've got to sign off now and listen to the nurse's instructions...
Love you!!
Patti
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Another good day!
Curt is making great progress toward going home! They had him walking again today and climbing stairs. As of this morning he is on a regular diet- he enjoyed a nice omelette this morning, and spaghetti for dinner. It was a very busy day with doctor visits, nurses coming in and out all day...in fact, the last doctor left just a few minutes ago (7 pm).
The test results came back today and indicated that the mass is the same type of tumor as the original one...it is not an infection (abscess). The oncologist was upbeat and positive, saying that the end result of all this is that we have been able to "roll back the clock" and can now start over the way it all should have gone in the first place, with radiation and chemo starting within 2 weeks of the operation. If it had been an abscess, then treatment would have been delayed for many more weeks, as he would have had to be on long-term antibiotics.
We're looking forward to coming home in a couple of days! Thanks for following along with us in this journey, and for supporting us so faithfully in prayer.
See you soon!
Patti
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
First day after surgery
We had a very good day today! Curt spent the first night in ICU (just like he did for the first surgery) and today about noon was moved down to a regular room. No monitors or IV's - hooray! He doesn't like being hooked up to all that stuff. We're so grateful to have a private room (for nice, quiet times of rest) that looks out over a greenbelt of trees and Moanalua valley. Heaven! There's even a window that opens and lets a little breeze into the room. Not your usual hospital experience. Thank you Lord for the little things that bless so extraordinarily!
Curt's starting with liquids to make sure all his systems start up again correctly, so for lunch we smuggled in a Jamba Juice and miso soup. That was a hit!
He was awake quite awhile this afternoon, and he and Jim watched a movie while I went back to the hotel for a nap. I will take the night shift...they have been letting me spend the night in the room (another blessing). We are praying for an uneventful few days of recuperation until he is released to fly back to Maui No Ka Oi. We miss you guys!!
Love you,
Patti
Curt's starting with liquids to make sure all his systems start up again correctly, so for lunch we smuggled in a Jamba Juice and miso soup. That was a hit!
He was awake quite awhile this afternoon, and he and Jim watched a movie while I went back to the hotel for a nap. I will take the night shift...they have been letting me spend the night in the room (another blessing). We are praying for an uneventful few days of recuperation until he is released to fly back to Maui No Ka Oi. We miss you guys!!
Love you,
Patti
Monday, June 7, 2010
Curt status update- 6pm
Hi All,
Curt is awake, talking and cracking jokes! They gave him some medicine for pain, but he's in good spirits. All his fingers and toes work =). He and Jim are talking story... Thank you Lord for bringing Curt through the operation safely! Thank you all again for walking through this with us. Your encouraging comments are loving reminders of how we are so well covered in prayer. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
Love,
Patti and family
Curt is awake, talking and cracking jokes! They gave him some medicine for pain, but he's in good spirits. All his fingers and toes work =). He and Jim are talking story... Thank you Lord for bringing Curt through the operation safely! Thank you all again for walking through this with us. Your encouraging comments are loving reminders of how we are so well covered in prayer. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
Love,
Patti and family
Surgery Success
Hi All,
Dr Liem came out to the waiting room on the 4th floor at about 4:45pm to let us know that the surgery went well and Curt is in recovery. We are heading up to see him now. The doctor still wouldn't commit to what the growth was, but he said that it is pointing to tumor regrowth more than to a brain abscess. They will send it to the lab for analysis. Thank you so much for praying us through these last few hours! Love you guys!!
Patti and family
Dr Liem came out to the waiting room on the 4th floor at about 4:45pm to let us know that the surgery went well and Curt is in recovery. We are heading up to see him now. The doctor still wouldn't commit to what the growth was, but he said that it is pointing to tumor regrowth more than to a brain abscess. They will send it to the lab for analysis. Thank you so much for praying us through these last few hours! Love you guys!!
Patti and family
Surgery Today!
Dear All,
Thank you for your continued and fervent prayers- they mean so much, especially while we're over here on Oahu, far from family and home. We couldn't have made it this far without your outpouring of love, prayer, and support!
Dad had a good night, and his pain has been manageable... it comes in waves, but it's not nearly as bad as it has been the last few days. He was up for part of the morning, talking with us and watching TV, and napping in between. It's great to see him so strong and 'normal'- amazing considering we were just here 6 weeks ago, and there have been two surgeries and almost 3 weeks of hospital stay in between!
It is 2:00 pm and Dad just went in to begin the surgery- we found out late this morning that surgery was to be scheduled for 4:50 pm today, but an operating room suddenly opened up early. Dr. Liem, chief of neurosurgery, will be the one performing the operation again. It will take 3-4 hours, and they will be going in the exact same way as the first surgery.
Please pray for guidance and clarity for the surgeon and supporting doctors, that there would be no complications (however minor) from the procedure, and that there would be a clear diagnosis and strong treatment after the surgery. Thank you for standing with us!
I Peter 5:6-7, 10-11 "Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you... After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen."
Love,
Jim, Patti, and family
Thank you for your continued and fervent prayers- they mean so much, especially while we're over here on Oahu, far from family and home. We couldn't have made it this far without your outpouring of love, prayer, and support!
Dad had a good night, and his pain has been manageable... it comes in waves, but it's not nearly as bad as it has been the last few days. He was up for part of the morning, talking with us and watching TV, and napping in between. It's great to see him so strong and 'normal'- amazing considering we were just here 6 weeks ago, and there have been two surgeries and almost 3 weeks of hospital stay in between!
It is 2:00 pm and Dad just went in to begin the surgery- we found out late this morning that surgery was to be scheduled for 4:50 pm today, but an operating room suddenly opened up early. Dr. Liem, chief of neurosurgery, will be the one performing the operation again. It will take 3-4 hours, and they will be going in the exact same way as the first surgery.
Please pray for guidance and clarity for the surgeon and supporting doctors, that there would be no complications (however minor) from the procedure, and that there would be a clear diagnosis and strong treatment after the surgery. Thank you for standing with us!
I Peter 5:6-7, 10-11 "Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you... After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen."
Love,
Jim, Patti, and family
Surgery Monday
Curt's neurosurgeon met with us today and told us the only way to know for sure what is happening is to do another surgery. Curt's headaches are getting worse and on the MRI images the mass is actually larger than it was originally. He is on three different IV antibiotics to cover the possibility of this mass being a brain abscess rather than regrowth of the tumor. Dr. Liem said that his recommendation was for the surgery, and that this is the choice he would make if it were him.
They are scheduling him for surgery sometime on Monday, and we don't have a time yet. We probably won't know until right before it's time to go. Please pray with us for wisdom, precision and accuracy for Dr. Liem and his team, and for strength and safety for Curt's physical body. We take great peace in knowing that his spiritual safety is already guaranteed in the hands of our loving heavenly Father. And the fact is that there can be no bad outcome to this operation...it's a win-win for Curt either way! Nevertheless, we are praying that God, in his infinite mercy, will allow us to have him here with us for a season longer, so thank you for keeping Curt in prayer today. We will try to post another message as soon as we know the time he is going.
Take care,
Patti and Family
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Back in the hospital
Hi Everyone,
Curt is back in the hospital at Kaiser Moanalua (on Oahu). He is on IV antibiotics to cover the possibility of a brain abscess, and as of this evening they still have not made a definitive diagnosis. We are awaiting the neurosurgeon's visit tomorrow morning to discuss treatment options. (He will be the same doctor who performed Curt's first surgery...we are very happy he was the one on call this weekend.)
Please pray with us for the decisions that have to be made tomorrow. Please also pray that if they do surgery, he will be kept safe throughout the procedure, and that it will have another successful outcome.
Sending our love from Honolulu,
Patti and family
Friday, June 4, 2010
Please pray!
For the past several days, Curt has been running a fever and having pretty bad headaches. (Prior to this, he has had no headaches at all since they did the surgery to remove the tumor.) The doctors have been trying to determine where the fever is coming from, as there are no other symptoms that would indicate a cold or the flu, etc. They have been doing blood work over the past few days to determine the type and source of infection that might be causing the fever and accompanying fatigue. They did an MRI this afternoon, and we got some disappointing news...they discovered a mass growing in the original tumor bed.
There are two things that this mass could be: a recurrence of the tumor or a brain abscess. Differentiating between brain abscesses and high-grade brain tumors (such as Curt’s) is often difficult, even with an MRI. This evening (Thursday) he was put on IV antibiotics at the outpatient Kaiser clinic in case it is an abscess, and then we came home. (The three different antibiotics they gave him were the same that would have been given at the hospital to treat a brain abscess.) Tomorrow (Friday) morning, the neurosurgeon on Oahu will be consulted to get a diagnosis and determine a course of action.
Please pray for an accurate diagnosis of Curt’s condition, as this is the most important thing at this point in time. Everything that will be done stems from this diagnosis, so please pray for the doctors to have supernatural insight and wisdom as they view the MRI images and review the blood work.
If it is determined that the mass is a tumor, there is talk of starting the radiation and chemo immediately (they were scheduled to start on June 7th). There is a new drug that has been showing good success in recent studies in shrinking tumors and surrounding swelling. (We were hoping to be able to have this type of chemo right off the bat, but it is only approved for recurrent tumors.) Please pray that if this treatment is right for him, that it will be approved.
Thank you so much for supporting us in prayer as we face this next challenge. As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:8, “we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing…” We trust that God will guide us through these deep waters! Please pray with us for Curt’s recovery, and for strength and perseverance in the days ahead.
Love you all,
Patti
There are two things that this mass could be: a recurrence of the tumor or a brain abscess. Differentiating between brain abscesses and high-grade brain tumors (such as Curt’s) is often difficult, even with an MRI. This evening (Thursday) he was put on IV antibiotics at the outpatient Kaiser clinic in case it is an abscess, and then we came home. (The three different antibiotics they gave him were the same that would have been given at the hospital to treat a brain abscess.) Tomorrow (Friday) morning, the neurosurgeon on Oahu will be consulted to get a diagnosis and determine a course of action.
Please pray for an accurate diagnosis of Curt’s condition, as this is the most important thing at this point in time. Everything that will be done stems from this diagnosis, so please pray for the doctors to have supernatural insight and wisdom as they view the MRI images and review the blood work.
If it is determined that the mass is a tumor, there is talk of starting the radiation and chemo immediately (they were scheduled to start on June 7th). There is a new drug that has been showing good success in recent studies in shrinking tumors and surrounding swelling. (We were hoping to be able to have this type of chemo right off the bat, but it is only approved for recurrent tumors.) Please pray that if this treatment is right for him, that it will be approved.
Thank you so much for supporting us in prayer as we face this next challenge. As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:8, “we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing…” We trust that God will guide us through these deep waters! Please pray with us for Curt’s recovery, and for strength and perseverance in the days ahead.
Love you all,
Patti
Saturday, May 22, 2010
The Next Steps
Today makes two weeks home from the hospital, and Curt is getting stronger each day. The doctors say that gaining all his weight back right away is not something that we should worry about…to the contrary, they don’t want to see a rapid weight gain. (This would mean a gain of water weight, which is not a good thing.) So one or two pounds per week is a good goal.
We met with the doctor at the radiation center yesterday, and we left very impressed and encouraged. The Pacific Cancer Institute, right next to Maui Memorial Hospital, is very up-to-date with their technology. Our son Jim has done a lot of research and is amazed at how cutting-edge they are, right here on our little island! We are very comfortable with the chemo and radiation regimen that the doctor recommended. Curt will go in this coming Tuesday to do all the preliminaries for the radiation, and then begin treatment about week later.
There will be six weeks of treatments, five days a week. The actual radiation sessions are very short…just about 15 minutes long. The doctor works with their full-time nuclear physicist on staff to map a 3-D image of the tumor bed. They will be doing Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), which is an advanced mode of high-precision radiotherapy. In IMRT, very small beams, or beamlets, are aimed at the tumor bed from many angles. During treatment, the radiation intensity of each beamlet is controlled, and the beam shape changes hundreds of times during each treatment. As a result, the radiation dose bends around important healthy tissues in a way that is impossible with other techniques. Because of the complexity of these motions, physicians use special high-speed computers, treatment-planning software, diagnostic imaging and patient-positioning devices to plan treatments and control the radiation dose during therapy. Chemotherapy will be done at the same time as the radiation therapy.
Thank you again for all of your prayers over the past five weeks! The next couple of months will be challenging in terms of the side effects of the chemo and radiation (fatigue and nausea, etc.). We would greatly appreciate your continued prayer for Curt as he goes through these treatment sessions. Mahalo!!
Love,
Patti and Family
We met with the doctor at the radiation center yesterday, and we left very impressed and encouraged. The Pacific Cancer Institute, right next to Maui Memorial Hospital, is very up-to-date with their technology. Our son Jim has done a lot of research and is amazed at how cutting-edge they are, right here on our little island! We are very comfortable with the chemo and radiation regimen that the doctor recommended. Curt will go in this coming Tuesday to do all the preliminaries for the radiation, and then begin treatment about week later.
There will be six weeks of treatments, five days a week. The actual radiation sessions are very short…just about 15 minutes long. The doctor works with their full-time nuclear physicist on staff to map a 3-D image of the tumor bed. They will be doing Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), which is an advanced mode of high-precision radiotherapy. In IMRT, very small beams, or beamlets, are aimed at the tumor bed from many angles. During treatment, the radiation intensity of each beamlet is controlled, and the beam shape changes hundreds of times during each treatment. As a result, the radiation dose bends around important healthy tissues in a way that is impossible with other techniques. Because of the complexity of these motions, physicians use special high-speed computers, treatment-planning software, diagnostic imaging and patient-positioning devices to plan treatments and control the radiation dose during therapy. Chemotherapy will be done at the same time as the radiation therapy.
Thank you again for all of your prayers over the past five weeks! The next couple of months will be challenging in terms of the side effects of the chemo and radiation (fatigue and nausea, etc.). We would greatly appreciate your continued prayer for Curt as he goes through these treatment sessions. Mahalo!!
Love,
Patti and Family
Saturday, May 8, 2010
We're home!!!
Hi All,
Just wanted to let everyone know that we're finally home!! I've never seen Curt happier than he was this afternoon...the sun was shining, the flowers were so bright and colorful, the birds were chirping...it was such a beautiful day when we arrived home from the hospital. We felt such gratitude and wonder as we returned to all things familiar - the place where our kids grew up - 22 years of driving down the same driveway...never before did we appreciate coming home more than today!
I could see that Curt's spirits were instantly lifted even higher than they were when we were preparing to leave the hospital. As we walked inside, the refreshing trades were blowing through the house and he sat down on the couch and said, "oh, this feels so good!" He said "there were times when I seriously wondered if I was going to be able to see all this again...the sunshine, our home..."
We are so thankful for all your prayers for Curt's recovery. And we are so grateful to our Lord for His mercy and grace in protecting him through these last three weeks in the hospital, both here and on Oahu. We are looking forward to what the future holds and we are continuing to pray for a great outcome. In the meantime, we are going to be "fattening" Curt up...he lost 20 more pounds in the hospital! And as soon as he gets more of his strength back, he is looking forward to seeing everyone at church!
Love you,
Patti
Just wanted to let everyone know that we're finally home!! I've never seen Curt happier than he was this afternoon...the sun was shining, the flowers were so bright and colorful, the birds were chirping...it was such a beautiful day when we arrived home from the hospital. We felt such gratitude and wonder as we returned to all things familiar - the place where our kids grew up - 22 years of driving down the same driveway...never before did we appreciate coming home more than today!
I could see that Curt's spirits were instantly lifted even higher than they were when we were preparing to leave the hospital. As we walked inside, the refreshing trades were blowing through the house and he sat down on the couch and said, "oh, this feels so good!" He said "there were times when I seriously wondered if I was going to be able to see all this again...the sunshine, our home..."
We are so thankful for all your prayers for Curt's recovery. And we are so grateful to our Lord for His mercy and grace in protecting him through these last three weeks in the hospital, both here and on Oahu. We are looking forward to what the future holds and we are continuing to pray for a great outcome. In the meantime, we are going to be "fattening" Curt up...he lost 20 more pounds in the hospital! And as soon as he gets more of his strength back, he is looking forward to seeing everyone at church!
Love you,
Patti
Friday, May 7, 2010
Friday update
Hi Everyone,
We’ve had a busy morning here at the hospital, as usual. Lots of visits from the nurses, and the surgeon came by and removed the drain from Curt’s abdomen (ouch!!). Yesterday he said he wanted to keep him another day to make sure the drain was absolutely not needed any longer, and that he would probably be going home on Saturday.) Today he said it still looks like Saturday, but the nurses say you never know until he actually writes the discharge orders to spring him from the hospital. Curt can’t wait to get home to his own bed!
He’s slowly getting stronger every day, and he can walk laps now rather than just up and down the hall in the early morning. It will still be a process of regaining weight and strength…it is amazing how much weight and muscle tone you lose in just three weeks of lying in bed. We figured out that two of those weeks were in a state of total fasting…no food, and only a few days with water or clear liquids. He lived on IV saline solution!
We’ve been bringing in homemade fruit smoothies and good nutritious meals to help fatten him up. As comfortable as this room is, and as helpful as the nurses are, the hospital food is still…well, just hospital food!!
We’ll keep you posted with any new developments…
Take care,
Patti
We’ve had a busy morning here at the hospital, as usual. Lots of visits from the nurses, and the surgeon came by and removed the drain from Curt’s abdomen (ouch!!). Yesterday he said he wanted to keep him another day to make sure the drain was absolutely not needed any longer, and that he would probably be going home on Saturday.) Today he said it still looks like Saturday, but the nurses say you never know until he actually writes the discharge orders to spring him from the hospital. Curt can’t wait to get home to his own bed!
He’s slowly getting stronger every day, and he can walk laps now rather than just up and down the hall in the early morning. It will still be a process of regaining weight and strength…it is amazing how much weight and muscle tone you lose in just three weeks of lying in bed. We figured out that two of those weeks were in a state of total fasting…no food, and only a few days with water or clear liquids. He lived on IV saline solution!
We’ve been bringing in homemade fruit smoothies and good nutritious meals to help fatten him up. As comfortable as this room is, and as helpful as the nurses are, the hospital food is still…well, just hospital food!!
We’ll keep you posted with any new developments…
Take care,
Patti
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Wednesday Morning Update
Hi everyone,
Curt is making steady progress toward going home! He tried some solid food (spinach omelette) this morning, and so far, so good. The pain is much, much better, and he had a good morning (including a walk down the hall). He doesn't like the way the pain medicine makes him feel, so he has gone without it for about 24 hours and the pain is bearable.
He said his first shower this morning made him feel like a new man! (The things we take for granted, right?) Activity still takes a lot out of him, as up to this morning he's only been having juices or broth, oatmeal, etc. They call it a "full liquid" diet, and for him milk products are not included so it really limits the menu. I think when he gets back to a regular diet and starts having more protein intake we'll see him gain a lot of strength. We're trying to let him sleep as much as possible without interruptions- it seems to be refreshing and healing.
The surgeon says he should be able to go home on Friday, so that was good news as well. Thank you so much again for all of the prayers that you have offered up for Curt during these last two and a half weeks. We have walked through so many crisis moments, and it was your faithful prayers that helped to carry us through. We are forever grateful!!
Love you,
Patti
Curt is making steady progress toward going home! He tried some solid food (spinach omelette) this morning, and so far, so good. The pain is much, much better, and he had a good morning (including a walk down the hall). He doesn't like the way the pain medicine makes him feel, so he has gone without it for about 24 hours and the pain is bearable.
He said his first shower this morning made him feel like a new man! (The things we take for granted, right?) Activity still takes a lot out of him, as up to this morning he's only been having juices or broth, oatmeal, etc. They call it a "full liquid" diet, and for him milk products are not included so it really limits the menu. I think when he gets back to a regular diet and starts having more protein intake we'll see him gain a lot of strength. We're trying to let him sleep as much as possible without interruptions- it seems to be refreshing and healing.
The surgeon says he should be able to go home on Friday, so that was good news as well. Thank you so much again for all of the prayers that you have offered up for Curt during these last two and a half weeks. We have walked through so many crisis moments, and it was your faithful prayers that helped to carry us through. We are forever grateful!!
Love you,
Patti
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Monday Night Update
Today was a better day than yesterday! Recovering from GI surgery is a painful process, and Curt was just barely recovering from the first surgery when he was hit a week later with the second. This seems to be making things happen more slowly than they might otherwise. For instance, he started on clear liquids Saturday, but had to revert back to only water on Sunday. One step forward…two steps back. Today we’re back to clear liquids, and they changed his pain medication to one that doesn’t give him bad cramps or makes him feel nauseous all day.
This has been quite a learning experience, and it definitely gives you a better understanding of what people often are going through while they are in the hospital. When they feel like they have been run over by a Mack truck (several times), they are just trying to hold it together to get through the day ahead of them. It’s all they can do to converse, even with family members.
As difficult it is to watch him going through this, Curt is always the one trying to encourage us! (He’s is one of the most optimistic and positive people I know, and even in the midst of the pain it’s endearing to see him be so nice to the nurses…they are all so sweet and helpful here.)
Please pray for steady progress back to solid foods, and for the pain to improve so he doesn’t have to take as much medication (which also slows the digestive system down). Please also pray that he’ll feel more like walking, which he’s only done twice since the surgery.
We’d like to wait at bit more before having visitors- thanks to all for your understanding.
Thank you again for keeping us in prayer…we can feel all the support and the covering it is giving us!
Love you,
Patti and family
This has been quite a learning experience, and it definitely gives you a better understanding of what people often are going through while they are in the hospital. When they feel like they have been run over by a Mack truck (several times), they are just trying to hold it together to get through the day ahead of them. It’s all they can do to converse, even with family members.
As difficult it is to watch him going through this, Curt is always the one trying to encourage us! (He’s is one of the most optimistic and positive people I know, and even in the midst of the pain it’s endearing to see him be so nice to the nurses…they are all so sweet and helpful here.)
Please pray for steady progress back to solid foods, and for the pain to improve so he doesn’t have to take as much medication (which also slows the digestive system down). Please also pray that he’ll feel more like walking, which he’s only done twice since the surgery.
We’d like to wait at bit more before having visitors- thanks to all for your understanding.
Thank you again for keeping us in prayer…we can feel all the support and the covering it is giving us!
Love you,
Patti and family
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Saturday Update
Good news this morning...the doctor is starting Curt on clear liquids! On the 6th day of no food or water, this is a milestone...we're stoked! Please pray there's no nausea.
Physical recovery is slowly moving forward...abdominal surgery is extremely painful. More walking today, etc. Getting in and out of bed with the incision through the stomach muscles is a challenging feat, to say the least!
Curt is still not up to having visitors, so we're asking people to please hold off on coming to the hospital. Thank you so much!!
Patti and Family
Physical recovery is slowly moving forward...abdominal surgery is extremely painful. More walking today, etc. Getting in and out of bed with the incision through the stomach muscles is a challenging feat, to say the least!
Curt is still not up to having visitors, so we're asking people to please hold off on coming to the hospital. Thank you so much!!
Patti and Family
Friday, April 30, 2010
Friday morning update
Hi everyone,
This morning has been better for Curt. The pain from the surgery is lessening, and for the first time he actually felt like watching the news on tv (we’ve been keeping it quiet in the room since the surgery at his request). The doctor came by and is pleased with his progress, and the infection appears to be under control…his temp was just 99 during the night. They had him up and walking yesterday, but it was torturous! More of the same today, I’m afraid…no mercy around here…hahaha!
Seriously though, the sooner they have you up and around, the sooner the digestive system will kick back in and you can being to eat again…five days with no food does wonders for the figure! Please pray for increasing intestinal activity so the doctor is able to give the go ahead for the food to begin.
Back from a quick break – the nurse just had Curt up and walking down the hall. The pain was much better than yesterday – yay! The nurses are wonderful here…they are so caring and encouraging, and very informative. It’s a beautiful day in Kahului…our room gets the morning sun, which is a cheerful reminder that the “Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, His compassions never fail. They are new every morning!”
Thanks again for your prayer support through everything! In times like this we realize just how precious our church family is to us!
Love you,
Patti and Family
This morning has been better for Curt. The pain from the surgery is lessening, and for the first time he actually felt like watching the news on tv (we’ve been keeping it quiet in the room since the surgery at his request). The doctor came by and is pleased with his progress, and the infection appears to be under control…his temp was just 99 during the night. They had him up and walking yesterday, but it was torturous! More of the same today, I’m afraid…no mercy around here…hahaha!
Seriously though, the sooner they have you up and around, the sooner the digestive system will kick back in and you can being to eat again…five days with no food does wonders for the figure! Please pray for increasing intestinal activity so the doctor is able to give the go ahead for the food to begin.
Back from a quick break – the nurse just had Curt up and walking down the hall. The pain was much better than yesterday – yay! The nurses are wonderful here…they are so caring and encouraging, and very informative. It’s a beautiful day in Kahului…our room gets the morning sun, which is a cheerful reminder that the “Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, His compassions never fail. They are new every morning!”
Thanks again for your prayer support through everything! In times like this we realize just how precious our church family is to us!
Love you,
Patti and Family
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