I stayed with Daddy last night and let Mama go home and rest. Daddy slept well most of the night. We took several exciting trips up and down the hall and the nurse and I bullied him into doing his breathing exercises to clear his lungs. He is running a higher fever this morning, but they are not overly concerned.
They are switching him to pills for the pain. He needs to be up and moving more, and the morphine is keeping him too groggy to stay awake long enough to walk down the hall.
The doctor should be in shortly to check on him. Mama, Lana and Mark will be back soon also.
We all appreciate your prayers!
- Lisa
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Friday night update
We just came back from the hospital. The pain medicine is making him sleep quite a bit so visits will still need to be brief tomorrow. His vitals are good, and he walked a little bit today so he's doing as good as can be expected at this point.
He has received quite a stack of the ecards through the earlier link. One thing to note is that they are not delivered over the weekend so any sent after this point will not be received, assuming he goes home over the weekend.
Thank you for your faithful prayers up to this point. Please continue to pray that he recovers quickly.
-Lori
He has received quite a stack of the ecards through the earlier link. One thing to note is that they are not delivered over the weekend so any sent after this point will not be received, assuming he goes home over the weekend.
Thank you for your faithful prayers up to this point. Please continue to pray that he recovers quickly.
-Lori
Thursday, January 29, 2009
One last note for today...
I just wanted to let you know he's now in his room resting. The nurses said he lost a lot of blood during the surgery but they are watching his numbers to make sure everything is okay. He's doing as good as can be expected tonight and the nurses said his vitals look good. The pathology report will not be back till Monday. The doctor said he believed it was malignant but that it was all contained within the tumor he removed.
He is in room 383 at Freeman West. If you'd like to send a free email card that they print out and deliver from the hospital, you can go to:
http://www.freemanhealth.com/body.cfm?id=1147 and click on the "free patient greetings" link to do so. There are very few options for the cards so don't feel bad telling him "It's a boy!" or "Congratulations on the twins!" He laughed about the ones he got last time. :)
Again, thank you for your prayers today and in the days leading up to the surgery. We know God was protecting him and guiding his surgeon. We'll keep you posted as we get new information.
-Lori
He is in room 383 at Freeman West. If you'd like to send a free email card that they print out and deliver from the hospital, you can go to:
http://www.freemanhealth.com/body.cfm?id=1147 and click on the "free patient greetings" link to do so. There are very few options for the cards so don't feel bad telling him "It's a boy!" or "Congratulations on the twins!" He laughed about the ones he got last time. :)
Again, thank you for your prayers today and in the days leading up to the surgery. We know God was protecting him and guiding his surgeon. We'll keep you posted as we get new information.
-Lori
Surgery is done...
We just finished talking with the surgeon. He said the surgery went well. He feels like the tumor is cancerous, but that it had not spread anywhere else. Prognosis is good. Daddy is in recovery right now and will soon go to a room. Thank you all for your prayers! Please continue to pray for him as he recovers. God is good.
-Lori
-Lori
On Schedule
Just a quick update. Lisa arrived around 11:30 thanks to Wayne and Judy. It is now 12:45 and things are on schedule for the surgery to begin at 1:00. Please continue your prayers.
-Lori
-Lori
The day has arrived. I slept soundly, woke up early, did a workout on the elliptical machine, and walked a lot in the long halls of the hotel. We are awaiting word from Lisa about when she will arrive. She spent the night with friends in Cave Springs.
Checkin at the hospital is 10:30 with surgery scheduled for about 1 pm. I am ready to 'git-r-dun'!
Further entries will be made by my daughter(s), so you can expect longer stories with more detail and maybe even some humor added.
God bless you, Ralph 8 am Thursday 1/29/09
Checkin at the hospital is 10:30 with surgery scheduled for about 1 pm. I am ready to 'git-r-dun'!
Further entries will be made by my daughter(s), so you can expect longer stories with more detail and maybe even some humor added.
God bless you, Ralph 8 am Thursday 1/29/09
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
It is almost 8 pm. I have completed the 'gut cleansing' and am relaxing in the hotel. The biggest challenge has been with Lisa getting here from Charlotte, NC. Her first flight was cancelled because of weather and the second one, that she actually was on, was diverted to Little Rock. She is now waiting on ground transportation to Fayetteville, which will take another 4 hours by the time they get it arranged.
Thanks to everyone for the prayers. Ralph
Thanks to everyone for the prayers. Ralph
I slept well but woke up early, as usual. It snowed some more during the night but the roads are passable and traffic is moving. The sky should be clearing and it will start to warm up. Yesterday it never got up to 20 and we stayed in except to go get the mail and feed the pets.
I am ready! I can tolerate the clear liquids and colon cleansing today. Just bring it on. I will get to visit all of my daughters tomorrow!
I've been thinking about the word submit, or submission. Paul tells us in Romans, Ephesians, and other places to submit: to authorities and governments, to each other, wives to husbands, slaves to masters, children to fathers, etc. I thought about how, when I lay on that table, I am in total submsision to the doctors and nurses--literally placing my life in their hands. People used to do that when they rode in a helicopter with me, and we do that when we get on a plane today--totally submit to and trust the pilot.
That is what Jesus asks us to do daily; deny ourselves, submit to and trust and follow Him.
I am ready! I can tolerate the clear liquids and colon cleansing today. Just bring it on. I will get to visit all of my daughters tomorrow!
I've been thinking about the word submit, or submission. Paul tells us in Romans, Ephesians, and other places to submit: to authorities and governments, to each other, wives to husbands, slaves to masters, children to fathers, etc. I thought about how, when I lay on that table, I am in total submsision to the doctors and nurses--literally placing my life in their hands. People used to do that when they rode in a helicopter with me, and we do that when we get on a plane today--totally submit to and trust the pilot.
That is what Jesus asks us to do daily; deny ourselves, submit to and trust and follow Him.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
We spent the day watching the weather, packing clothes and medicines, charging cell phones, and talking to friends and family.
Tomorrow (Wed) we will check into a hotel in Joplin. I will begin the clear liquid diet and colon cleansing process. Carol will go to Fayetteville and meet Lisa at the airport.
The hospital called and discussed my condition and the process of checking in.
The weather appears to be cooperating. It is snowing now but that will stop soon. It will remain cold, but the sky will clear.
Tomorrow (Wed) we will check into a hotel in Joplin. I will begin the clear liquid diet and colon cleansing process. Carol will go to Fayetteville and meet Lisa at the airport.
The hospital called and discussed my condition and the process of checking in.
The weather appears to be cooperating. It is snowing now but that will stop soon. It will remain cold, but the sky will clear.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Update on Ralph's progress through surgery
It is Jan 26, 09, just 3 days until my scheduled surgery to remove a kidney which contains a tumor. We are experiencing an ice storm which adds to the stress.
My saga started several months ago with knee pain and swelling. I do not like to go to doctors, so I let it go quite a while--much too long. Finally, I consulted an orthopedic surgeon who suggested that the knee needed total replacement. I informed him that I had been a jogger all of my life and the problem was just a tendon tear on the inside, and that he could arthroscopically repair it easily. He did not really agree, but he did agree to try it. On August 22, 08, he did the arthroscopic procedure and said he was unable to help it--the cartiledge was totally disintegrated! Walking with a cane for support, I went to La Palma El Salvador and climbed those hills for 10 days just two weeks later. When we returned I could not wait to have the replacement because I was really hurting.
On October 6 Dr. Ball performed the total joint replacement on my left knee. I was in good physical shape and fully expected to recover rapidly. The doctor said that after he opened the knee he almost sewed it shut and immobilized it for 3 or 4 months because the irritation inside was so bad. Two days later my fever was 103+ and I was really sick. An infectious disease doctor was brought in, and they experimented with various antibiotics for a while. Ten days later I left the hospital not knowing what the cause of the fever was, but it was gone. I was on a strong antibiotic for 2 months. My knee hurt all the time and physical therapy became physical terrorism. Recovery was very slow. Others who had similar surgery later were way ahead of me in walking.
On December 29 I went back to the doctor with the knee swollen and aching. He drew fluid from it and sent me to the lab for blood testing. On the way to the lab I met the infectious disease doctor in the hallway. He inquired how I was doing and felt of the knee. He ordered a ceretec scan in addition to the blood testing.
The scan was done a couple days later, and the doctor called me at home on Saturday afternoon to tell me that the scan showed infection in my right abdomen. He ordered a CT scan with contrast ASAP. That scan was completed on a Wednesday afternoon, and the doctor called me to his office the very next morning. He informed us that the CT scan showed a 6 cm tumor on my left kidney. Carol and I were shocked big time. The doctor referred us to a gastroenterologist for a colonscopy and a urologist for kidney removal. We were able to see the urologist the very next day. He explained that it was a slow-growing tumor, had probably been growing 4-5 years, might not have caused any symptoms for another 5-6 years when it was too late, and needed to be removed but it was not an emergency (it was to me). He explained that it was in the upper center of the kidney and too large for a partial kidney removal--the whole thing would need to come out. He would do it semi-laproscopically through two very small holes and one about 8 cm across. He said the tumor was assumed to be cancerous until it was removed and proven otherwise, although many of them are not. If it is cancerous, and if the cancer is totally encapsulated in the tumor, the removal is all that is needed. If it is not encapsulated and the cancer has spread, further treatment would be needed. He answered all of our questions and we scheduled the surgery for January 29, the earliest that he could do it.
The third colonscopy of my life was done and the colon is clear of infection. We don't know what showed up on the ceretec scan as infection, but it apparently is gone.
We are now watching the weather as freezing rain falls. Can we get to the hospital on Thursday? Can Lisa's flight from Charlotte get into Northwest Arkansas airport Wednesday? Can I stay healthy and not catch a cold? Can the hospital stay on schedule or will they postpone my operation?
The good news is that to the best of our ability we are trusting in God. His plans don't always match ours. We believe Romans 8: 28. We know that people are praying for me in Honduras and El Salvador and Zambia and dozens of states across this great country of ours. The battle belongs to the Lord.
My saga started several months ago with knee pain and swelling. I do not like to go to doctors, so I let it go quite a while--much too long. Finally, I consulted an orthopedic surgeon who suggested that the knee needed total replacement. I informed him that I had been a jogger all of my life and the problem was just a tendon tear on the inside, and that he could arthroscopically repair it easily. He did not really agree, but he did agree to try it. On August 22, 08, he did the arthroscopic procedure and said he was unable to help it--the cartiledge was totally disintegrated! Walking with a cane for support, I went to La Palma El Salvador and climbed those hills for 10 days just two weeks later. When we returned I could not wait to have the replacement because I was really hurting.
On October 6 Dr. Ball performed the total joint replacement on my left knee. I was in good physical shape and fully expected to recover rapidly. The doctor said that after he opened the knee he almost sewed it shut and immobilized it for 3 or 4 months because the irritation inside was so bad. Two days later my fever was 103+ and I was really sick. An infectious disease doctor was brought in, and they experimented with various antibiotics for a while. Ten days later I left the hospital not knowing what the cause of the fever was, but it was gone. I was on a strong antibiotic for 2 months. My knee hurt all the time and physical therapy became physical terrorism. Recovery was very slow. Others who had similar surgery later were way ahead of me in walking.
On December 29 I went back to the doctor with the knee swollen and aching. He drew fluid from it and sent me to the lab for blood testing. On the way to the lab I met the infectious disease doctor in the hallway. He inquired how I was doing and felt of the knee. He ordered a ceretec scan in addition to the blood testing.
The scan was done a couple days later, and the doctor called me at home on Saturday afternoon to tell me that the scan showed infection in my right abdomen. He ordered a CT scan with contrast ASAP. That scan was completed on a Wednesday afternoon, and the doctor called me to his office the very next morning. He informed us that the CT scan showed a 6 cm tumor on my left kidney. Carol and I were shocked big time. The doctor referred us to a gastroenterologist for a colonscopy and a urologist for kidney removal. We were able to see the urologist the very next day. He explained that it was a slow-growing tumor, had probably been growing 4-5 years, might not have caused any symptoms for another 5-6 years when it was too late, and needed to be removed but it was not an emergency (it was to me). He explained that it was in the upper center of the kidney and too large for a partial kidney removal--the whole thing would need to come out. He would do it semi-laproscopically through two very small holes and one about 8 cm across. He said the tumor was assumed to be cancerous until it was removed and proven otherwise, although many of them are not. If it is cancerous, and if the cancer is totally encapsulated in the tumor, the removal is all that is needed. If it is not encapsulated and the cancer has spread, further treatment would be needed. He answered all of our questions and we scheduled the surgery for January 29, the earliest that he could do it.
The third colonscopy of my life was done and the colon is clear of infection. We don't know what showed up on the ceretec scan as infection, but it apparently is gone.
We are now watching the weather as freezing rain falls. Can we get to the hospital on Thursday? Can Lisa's flight from Charlotte get into Northwest Arkansas airport Wednesday? Can I stay healthy and not catch a cold? Can the hospital stay on schedule or will they postpone my operation?
The good news is that to the best of our ability we are trusting in God. His plans don't always match ours. We believe Romans 8: 28. We know that people are praying for me in Honduras and El Salvador and Zambia and dozens of states across this great country of ours. The battle belongs to the Lord.
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