Ima Jean called to inform the family that Billy Dail (Aunt Edna Mae's son) is in Norfolk General with Pancreas Cancer. I don't know any details. Dad says that Aunt Carrie is running a high temperature and her time here is limited. Mom's sister, Aunt Gladys is growing weaker each week. Her heart is weak and her activity is limited, but she still insist on living at home by herself per my last account of her by Ima Jean...and so are the days of our lives.
Rick and I had a great weekend, getting re-certified in Disaster Relief Childcare. This group of people (200+) this time is pretty impressive. The amount of equipment is phenomenal. There will be 4 more training this year, so if you're Baptist and willing, Go For It! Other areas of training are Mass Feeding, Recovery, Water Purification, Shower/Laundry and Chaplaincy. Rick and I are considering being trained & certified in Shower/Laundry, long hours, but the works not quite as demanding.
Are you all enjoying this weather or WHAT?!!!!!!
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Friday, March 06, 2009
Surgery Update number 2
I saw the doctor this morning and he is very pleased with the results. The pressure in the eye is where he wants it to be. I actually do not have stitches on the outside of my eye. The irritation with the stitches under the eye has kicked in and it can be very irritating. I am taking 3 different types of drops to help with the healing process. This is going to be a very frustrating next few weeks and I hope that I will soon get used to the stitches. Not much to tell for now. Sorry for grossing you out Barry. At least you get to read it and not experience it:) I go back to work on Monday and I warned the kids before I was not going to be a happy camper when I got back. Typing with this is also not a very fun thing to do.
Howie
Howie
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Surgery Update
Well I was at the hospital a little after 6 this morning and went back to the OR about 7:40. I was given the sleeping juice and woke up while the surgery was occurring. This was expected and I was talking with the doctor while he was doing his thing. However, I began to feel the sting of the needle in my eye, so they gave me another dose in the IV and went back out for a few minutes. I woke back up just as the doctor was finishing up. He said the surgery went well and now I am back home with a patch over my eye. I go back to his office tomorrow morning at 8 and he will remove the patch. I will be taking 3 types of eye drops and the recovery period is about 3-4 months. The eye will be kept dialated for a few weeks and I will have blurry vision for a few weeks in the left eye.
As far as the actual procedure goes, they basically pealed back the thick layer of my eye and then cut a doggie door into the eye itself. He put in a shunt, which is like a tiny straw to help keep draining fluid out of my eye and keep the pressure down. One concern is that the pressure will get to low and they will have to correct this if this occurs. I have stitches under my eye lid, which they can remove later with a laser if they need to lessen the pressure. I also have stitches on the outside of my eye, but I have not seen these yet. I will have these for about a month.
He explained that these will become very irritating, using the example of having sand paper rubbing against itself. My eye is still numb, so I have not had the pleasure of t his discomfort yet.
Well that is all for now, I am off to take a long snooze.
Howie
As far as the actual procedure goes, they basically pealed back the thick layer of my eye and then cut a doggie door into the eye itself. He put in a shunt, which is like a tiny straw to help keep draining fluid out of my eye and keep the pressure down. One concern is that the pressure will get to low and they will have to correct this if this occurs. I have stitches under my eye lid, which they can remove later with a laser if they need to lessen the pressure. I also have stitches on the outside of my eye, but I have not seen these yet. I will have these for about a month.
He explained that these will become very irritating, using the example of having sand paper rubbing against itself. My eye is still numb, so I have not had the pleasure of t his discomfort yet.
Well that is all for now, I am off to take a long snooze.
Howie
Monday, March 02, 2009
Howie Surgery and Lol's Father
I was asked about Lol's father and his cancer. The outcome was the best that it could be. It had not gotten too close to the brain as they had worried. They felt that they got everything and he did not have to have chemo or radiation. There is now another update. He had a cancerous tumor inside a non-cancerous tumor. You have probably never heard of this and there is a good reason for this. He is the 8th person in the world that has been known to have this condition. His case will be written up in the medical journals. Lol called me on Friday with this update.
Howie is getting his surgery on his eyes for glucoma (sp) on Thursday. This is much more invasive that the laser surgery that he had before. Don't understand exactly what they're doing. If Howie has some time, maybe he can elaborate further. He just too young to be having some much trouble with glucoma. At least his mother thinks this because if he is old enough for this, then what does that say about my age.
Howie is getting his surgery on his eyes for glucoma (sp) on Thursday. This is much more invasive that the laser surgery that he had before. Don't understand exactly what they're doing. If Howie has some time, maybe he can elaborate further. He just too young to be having some much trouble with glucoma. At least his mother thinks this because if he is old enough for this, then what does that say about my age.