Low Key Sorts of Day

It's been a low key of sorts day these past couple of days and I'm enjoying it. It's nice to get back into the routine of things and to go back to your normal life. It's been crazy these past couple of weeks and with Chris now home and recovering the craziness is starting to subside. I'm starting to get into school mode again and with only a couple of weeks left of summer it's a good thing. I went shopping today for some items for my classroom and found some awesome bargains. I love getting new things for my room and planning how I want to set them all up. I love teaching and am actually looking forward to the new crew of kids I'll be teaching this upcoming school year. I just hope they are a little bit calmer then some of the kiddos I had last year. Besides shopping for my classroom I also stopped at the farmers market close to my house to see what kind of goodies they had. This was the first stop this year and am hoping to go a few more times before the season is over. One of the vendors was selling these beautiful and huge sunflowers. I use to love these when I was little and even had my bedroom decorated in a sunflower theme through junior high. I just had to pick up a couple to brighten up our kitchen. I'm glad that I did. Aren't they gorgeous?




I hope to get some more the next time I go. They also get me in the mood for fall which is one of my favorite seasons of the year. I also had some time this past week to get Sloopy groomed. He was getting rather fluffy and in need of a trim. He always looks so cute and young after his cut and I couldn't resist snapping a picture. When he pants it also looks like he is smiling. Secretly I think he is and I'm sure he was happy to loose some of that extra fur he had.



Tomorrow I'm going to take it easy and start working on more school stuff. Getting things prepared for the upcoming school year is a long process but for me it's also in a crazy way relaxing. I like planning and getting creative. Here's hoping I get a lot done tomorrow.

We Are Home

I want to start off by saying WE ARE HOME! This has been the longest, hardest, and some time quickest week of my life. I am so thankful that the surgery is over and that he is recovering quickly and the process is going smoothly. The last day in the hospital we spent watching movies and relaxing. He was finally released to go home Sunday afternoon. It was such a surreal experience to wheel him out of the hospital and head home. We had to first make a stop at the pharmacy to pick up his medication only to find out that our insurance will not allow us to get medication at any other place then Meijer pharmacy. So after 30 min of waiting we had to head over to Meijer to get the medications he needed. We have been settling back into the house and I've been cleaning, doing laundry, and taking care of Chris. We were able to go to the store today and out to lunch. It was nice to be moving around and seeing other places then a hospital room. Chris is in better spirits at home and he is coming along great. I am so thankful for everyone who has supported us and who has helped us along the way. I am pumped to spend the last couple of weeks of summer at home and relaxing with Chris. We are going to watch a lot of movies, go swimming, and walking as much as he can each day. It's crazy to think how quickly summer is going but I'm looking forward to the upcoming school year and getting back to normalcy around here.

Chris is home, He looks so good and is excited about his awesome gift of OSU cookies from Cheryl Cookie and Co.

Day 5

Sorry I'm a little late posting for day 5 but yesterday was a crazy day. The night before I decided to go home for the evening to sleep in my own bed and to see our puppy. I finally felt the lack of sleep catch up with me and my back is shot from sleeping on these pull out sofa things and what they call a lounge chair. It was hard being at home and not with Chris. I spent most of the night wondering if he was doing ok and I don't like sleeping in the house by myself and without Chris. After some sleep I woke up early and headed to the hospital. When I arrived Chris told me it was a rough night and he was having a rough day. In the middle of the night he woke with severe pain a long the incision line. They forgot to tell him that his pain medicine was switched to a needed bases and he had to ask for it. They weren't going to come and give it to him every four hours anymore like they had been doing. He also had to get one of his bandages replaced were they took out a chest tube because the nurse dude didn't know he had it and he had bleed through the bandage and all over his pajama's. After getting that changed and some pain meds he said he got a little of sleep. The day was hard because he was still trying to play catch up with his pain, he was super tired, and really cranky. They had him do a lot of walking and he tackled some stairs. That went well for him but it wore him out quickly. After some visitors and his night meds he finally went to sleep around 8:00 pm. I decided that I would head home for the evening and try to sleep again. When I arrived this morning he said he got a better night sleep but he had gotten sick this morning before I arrived. The smells of the hospital and the soap they use are causing him to feel nauseous. I asked if he was aloud to go outside for a while to see if fresh air would help and they directed us to this roof top play area that he could go sit at. It was really nice outside at the time and the fresh air seemed to help him feel better. The doctors came in and checked him out and said things are looking good and he will get to go home tomorrow. They want to keep him in one more day because he needs to be weened off of oxygen at night. I know this really frustrates him and he is itching to get home. They are only looking out for his best interest and want to make sure everything is safe and healthy. So here's hoping for tomorrow!!

Day 4

I think Chris is still stuck on his work schedule because he was up again at 5:15 today. I got him situated with a snack and more comfortable and then went back to sleep for a while. I'm glad the he eventually fell back asleep because today was a very eventful day for him. We started the morning with a trip downstairs for an echo cardiogram to take a look at his heart and to see how the new parts are functioning. I'm always amazed at technology and how interesting it is to sit there and watch his heart beat and move. I could clearly see his new valve and it was reassuring to sit there and watch it function nicely. He then had an EKG and we headed up to the room again. After letting Chris clean up and change his clothes he was able to take a long walk around the floor. He did really well and didn't have any problems. He liked being up and about and not having to be confined to his room all of the time and bogged down with cords. I decided after we got him settled back in that I would head home for a while to visit Sloopy and to do some laundry. I was so excited to see the little fellow and he really perked up my spirits and provided some laughter for a while. While I was at home the doctor came in and finally took out his last chest tube. That was the last major thing that was still attached to him and caused discomfort as well as made moving a little difficult at times. Now that the tube is out he feels like a free man and is in a much better mood. We have spent the rest of the evening relaxing and watching tv and he got his night medicines which pretty much knocks him out for a while. It is looking like tomorrow or Saturday he gets to go home. This is something we both are extremely looking forward to. I know that this will help speed up his recovery because we will be in the comfort of our own home and he won't have nurses and doctors poking and prodding at him all of the time. I also know he misses Sloopy terribly and can't wait to see him. Today was a good day and he is looking great. It's all coming along smoothly and we are getting close to the next step of recovery.

All happy after getting new clothes on and cleaned up. He is looking really good. The pillow that he is holding is in the shape of a heart and has a picture of a heart on it as well. It is a thicker pillow and is used for Chris to grasp to his chest when he is tries to get up or coughs. It provides some extra cushion for him.

Day 3

I can't believe it is already day three. Things are going a lot quicker then I thought they would. Chris is doing pretty good. This has been the hardest day for him so far. This morning they were able to get a room for him and started to pull out some of the IV's, and one of his drainage tubes. What hurt the most for him was two wires that they pulled out which are connected to the heart in case of an emergency and they need to shock the heart. The wires came out around his belly button, so it was a long way and a lot of wire to pull. I thought that the drainage tube would be the worst but he said he didn't really feel it. After they got the tubes and wires out we packed our things up and then moved him to his new room. When we got to the room and all situated I noticed that he was getting really quiet. He finally told me that he was in pain today and super tired. You don't get much sleep in the ICU. The sleep exhaustion and lack of pain medicine was finally catching up with him. The nurse came in, pumped him with some meds, and he was good to go. He was able to do some walking today, put a shirt on, moved around in his chair pretty good, and is now asleep getting some much needed rest. He also had several visitors today which helped to perk his spirits up and take his mind off of things. They said today would be the worst day for him and it should start getting better from here on out. Let's hope they are right. Throughout our stay I've been taking pictures and a movie of Chris working on a breathing exercise. I'm finally able to post them. I will be taking a picture each day to document his progress and to see how far he came along.

Day 1

An hour after he got out of surgery. He looks happy because he is really loopy with medicine. He doesn't remember any of these pictures on day one.


This Curious George is from his first surgery he had when he was three. I think he is bringing good luck. He's been next to Chris the whole time.

E.T. phone home. This keeps track of his heart rate.


Day 2

He made it to the chair for the first time and has more color in him. He is pointing to the pillow where friends wrote messages for him.

This video is Chris working on a breathing exercise. He has to suck in and make the ball hover in a certain spot. This helps to build strength in his lungs and keep fluids out.


Day 3

He finally got a shirt on and has all of his IV's but one out and only one drainage tube in. He looks really good and much better without all of the cords and wires around him.

This is our lovely view outside our window. They are working on a new wing for the hospital that will have 500 more beds and bigger rooms. We get to see dumpsters and materials fly past the room by the crane and listen to construction all day. It's not to loud but at times can be a little annoying.





Today has been eventful and it's time to rest in preparation for what tomorrow may bring. It is looking good that the second chest tube will be taken out tomorrow. This will make him even more comfortable. Lets hope this happens.

Day 2

I woke up really early this morning and had a hard time falling back to sleep. I decided to go stay with Chris and see how he was doing. When I went to his room at 5:30 he was awake because they just did an x-ray on his chest. He said that through the night it went pretty good. He had a hard time sleeping because every time he fell asleep the nurse (Abby 2) would come in and give some medication or look at his stats. We talked for a while and then soon after Dr. Phillips came in to do a check up and discuss how things are going. He was happy how the drainage tubes looked and said things are progressing nicely. The only downside of this is his left hand is numb and will be for a while. They nicked a nerve when trying to put an IV in and caused some numbness. They hope that he will regain feeling sometime tomorrow. If not, then we have to talk to some other doctors to see what can be done.
The majority of the day we spent talking and taking little naps here and there. They were able to take the catheter out and he sat up in the chair for a couple of hours. He is progressing smoothly and rather quickly. He was even able to get back into bed mostly on his own after sitting in the chair for a while. He will be staying here in the ICU for tonight as a precautionary measure and it looks like in the morning he will get to go to the step down unit. Things are looking good and I'm sure tonight is going to be a long night with nurses and doctors coming in to check on him. I hope Chris can sleep as much as he can and his lungs get stronger for tomorrow. We have been taking pictures of his progress and a little video of him working on some breathing exercises. I'm hoping to post them sometime tomorrow. Thank you again everyone for all the thoughts and prayers. We are coming a long.

Surgery Day 1

The day has finally come and while I'm writing this it is about to pass. Chris' surgery went great today. It was a long and tedious process that kept me antsy and on the edge of my seat the whole time. We arrived at 5:45 this morning and got him checked in. We headed to the back and made sure he got changed and picked out his anesthesia scent, which he still stuck with root beer. After the usual routine of blood pressure and temp, Chris and I sat and chatted for a bit while our parents rotated in and out to visit. I was happy to see Dr. Phillips today and when he came in to visit he told us that they would be taking him down early to make sure everything got started and to get him to sleep. After he left the nurse came in and said that Chris could pick a prize from the Ocean room. It's this sweet room painted like, you guessed it, an ocean that is loaded with games and toys. He choose Chinese Checkers. It's pretty sweet that they give out prizes to adults to. I'm telling you, a children's hospital is the way to go. Soon after the anesthesiologist came in and gave Chris some medicine to take the edge off and help him relax. Within minutes we were saying our last words before surgery and then off they went and wheeled him down the hall. It was one of the hardest things I've had to do is watch my husband be wheeled away to surgery and know that this was going to be a long procedure. I did feel a little at ease because as he was being wheeled back he started to giggle because the drugs were kicking in. It made me smile and I was able to leave the pre-op area with a happy feeling and headed over to surgical waiting. Now, surgical waiting is something else. It was really comfortable and relaxed. We had a nice sectioned off lounge area with a tv to watch and hang out. The people in there however are very interesting. Lets just say they come from all walks of life and act in so many different ways. It did keep things a little light hearted and entertained as we people watched and listened to them. Finally after nine hours of waiting we were told that he was warmed up, everything went good, and that he was back in ICU. We all headed up and waited until it was ok for us to go back. I was the first one back and I was really nervous about walking in and seeing him. I knew that he would have tubes and lines all over the place and that he might be pale and swollen. When I walked in he was surrounded by doctors and nurses who were doing their checkups and making sure he was comfortable. He has tubes all over and IV's, he was a little pale, but not swollen. When he saw me he said hi honey, I'm ok and I love you. I knew then that I could take a deep breath and feel at ease. The waiting was over and my baby is now in recovery. I spent some time with him and then headed down to the cafeteria with my parents to try to grab a bite to eat. On the way back the fire alarm went off and we were told that the elevators and stairwell were closed and we had to stay put. I stared to freak out, the fire alarm was going off in the tower my husband is recovering in and I'm stuck here while he is up there! Luckily it was a false alarm from the bottom floor and within a few minutes we were allowed to head up and see him. It was nice to spend some alone time with him and I'm very happy with the staff that are on call tonight. Chris' beside nurse is really sweet and her name is Abby too. So Chris kept calling me Abby 1 and her Abby 2. I let him fall asleep and get relaxed and then ventured down the hall to the little bedrooms they have for spouses and parents of those in the ICU. I'm hoping to get some sleep, but I know I will want to go be with him soon. It's been a long and stressful day and I'm glad that everything went well. I thank you so much to all of my friends and family who sent so many well wishes and prayed for us. Please keep praying because recovery is going to be a hard process ahead. I'm also grateful for my parents coming to sit with me today and keep me sane and occupied through everything. We got one day down and now preparing for what lies ahead tomorrow.

Not Today...

It has been a whirlwind of a day. We woke up at 4:30 am to pack our things and head to Children's for Chris' surgery that was scheduled for today. We had to be there at 6:00 for preparation before surgery at 8:00. I walked back with Chris and helped him put his hospital clothing on and tied the back of his gown. He was provided pants to wear, so no butt was showing. It is such a hospital cliche' these days that your butt hangs out in the open for the world to see. They have pants now, so there is no random mooning down the halls. He got all changed, blood pressure and temperature took, and picked out his fragrance for anesthesia. He picked root beer. It's so funny how much nicer the staff our at a children's hospital and how cute it is. At 30 in a regular hospital who would be asked what scent they want why they are falling asleep or get band-aids with Tazmanian Devil on it. I sat and talked with him for a while and then my parents and his parents rotated in and out to visit with him. I was sent back in because at that time it was 20 minutes until it was time for him to go to surgery. When I arrived in the room Chris informed me that surgery might get canceled today because an emergency came in and that Dr. Phillips might be needed for it. I tried to remain positive and stay calm as Chris and I waited to see what the outcome was going to be. A few minutes later Dr. Phillips the surgeon came in to inform us that the surgery was going to be postponed until Monday because he was needed for the emergency and because the ICU was extremely busy this weekend and it would be better to let the ICU clear out over the weekend.
I immediately started to cry. It was a mixture of exhaustion, anxiety, stress, and frustration. I just needed to get it out and realize that today just wasn't the day. Today Chris was not met to have his surgery, and today the Dr. was needed for a more serious case. I hope and pray that this persons emergency was fixed and that they are now recovering in the ICU were Chris was suppose to be and that everything will be ok. Everything happens for a reason and for some reason we were not met to stay today and today was not met for surgery. We are going to try and relax this weekend. Today I napped a while, we rented a movie and had some pizza for dinner. Tomorrow Chris and I are going to do some grocery shopping and possibly checking out a show at the Funny Bone. My parents are staying with us through the weekend and we are all going to a Clippers game on Sunday evening. It's nice my parents are in town with us this weekend and are helping to keep us occupied and in lifted spirits. I will be spending this weekend enjoying it with my husband and parents and gearing myself up again for Monday.

Tickerpalooza

This past weekend was a mixture of spending time with friends and trying to make some extra cash. We gathered all of our things we didn't want anymore and prepared for a garage sale. It was going pretty good on Saturday until the rain came in. We at least made a little cash wich was nice. Later that evening we had Tickerpalooza for Chris. I wanted to get some people together to hangout, unwind, distress, and most of all do some drinking. It was a small gathering, but fun. We spent the evening playing cornpong out on the front walkway and jamed to MJ songs. Towards the end of the evening everyone was feeling pretty good and having a great time. I put a pillow case out for everyone to sign so Chris could have something to laugh at and lift his spirits during recovery. There are some pretty funny things on that pillow case. It was also nice to have one of my best friends in town for the weekend. I've known her for 11 years now and we are only three days apart in age. Our moms knew each other from high school and even saw each other in the hospital while they were having us. We were met to be friends from the beginning. We don't get to see each other very often because we live a couple hours from each other but when we do see each other it's a great time and nice to hang out. We went to lunch and saw Bruno. It was pretty funny and shocking at times. I think Borat was a better film but I still liked it. The rest of the weekend we had another day of the garage sale, took a nap, and then started to clean some things up from the weekend. We are now starting to enter the home stretch of Chris' surgery. We have our three year anniversary on Wednesday, pre-op on Thursday, and then the surgery on Friday. It's finally coming and we can finally start to look past this and get back to normalsy. We just have to get through Friday.

In One Week..

It's been a little busy around here lately and I like that. I think it helps to keep me occupied and my mind off of things. A week from now is Chris' surgery. It seems just the other day I was talking about how it was going to be in six to eight weeks. Well it will be twelve weeks when it happens and although they have been stressful and hard, they have gone fairly quickly. I keep thinking that one week from now we will be packing up to go to the hospital and prepare for his surgery. In one week Chris and I will have been married for three years. In one week our lives are going to change for a while. With the recovery, the rehabilitation, the medication, and the doctors appointments, we will be busy and hopefully not to stressed. I'm thankful for all my family and friends who have been there for us through this all and have allowed me to vent my fears and feelings. I know that Chris and I have a wonderful support system and I am eternally grateful for that. I know that on Friday, July 17 I will be relying heavily on this support system to help me get through the waiting process while he is in surgery and to help me keep his spirits high through recovery. It will be a long road a head of us, but I know we will get through it and accomplish any task that is dealt to us. While thinking about all of this I have managed to get things done. Chris and I are preparing for a garage sale this weekend and a gathering of friends to hang out and unwind. I've also managed to get the house cleaned and laundry caught up from the weekend and am looking forward to one of my best friends coming into town. We bowled tonight and had a good time. Didn't do to hot with our scores but having fun is all that counts. It's all about keeping busy, enjoying your time together, having fun, and staying positive. I thank you again for everyone who has been there for us and prayed for us and I ask that you continue to do so, especially on the 17th.

Meeting Dr. Phillips and Thurman Cafe

So it finally happened today... we got to meet Dr. Phillips!!!!! I know, an excess of exclamation points, but I need to show my excitement because we have been waiting a while for this day to come. Dr. Phillips is the surgeon who will be repairing Chris' aortic root. It's nice to finally put a face to the person who will be taking care of my husband for 7-9 hours and repairing his heart. He was a kind man and looked younger then what I thought he was going to. I am glad he is young though. The surgery is going to be long and tedious. I don't want an old man who needs breaks or has to sit to get through the procedure. He looks strong and meticulous in his work. He performs these surgeries several times a week and there is an average of one adult a week at Children's. I feel confident that if he can work on a teeny tiny newborns heart, then he will have no problem with Chris'. What they are going to do is take the part of the aorta that is damaged out and replace it with a mechanical part. We got to see and hold exactly what is going to be used in his heart and get the full details of how it is going to be done. It was really interesting to be able to see what will be used for the repair and hold them while he discussed with us the surgery. With these mechanical devises Chris aortic root will be back to "normal" and he wont need it replaced again. There was another option with a tissue implant but it would need to be replaced in 15-20 years. Why go through another procedure when you can have mechanical parts and not need to? The only downside is he has to take a blood thinner the rest of his life. Chris, be careful at work and watch those cuts! I swear, he comes home everyday with a new cut on his arm and has no idea of how it got there. Typical man. After our discussion with Dr. Phillips we met a kind nurse who took us on a tour of the ICU where Chris will be spending his first and possibly second night of recovery. I am a very visual person and like to know what things look like and what to expect before I have to go someplace or do something. It was nice to get this mental image to help prepare myself for when Chris will be in there. I don't do well with hospitals and never have been able to stomach them for to long. I know that this will be a test for me but it is something that I will do and be strong while doing it for my husband. All in all it was a very informational day and I feel prepared and ready for July 17 and the long hall afterwards. I am going to stay with him the whole time in the hospital and always be by his side. I love him so much and I want him to know that I am rooting for him to get better. I know he would do the same for me and like I said almost three years ago on July 15, "For better, or worse, in Sickness, and in health."
After our visit at Children's we headed over to Thurman Cafe. I've heard a lot of good reviews about this place and numerous people have ranted and raved about the hamburgers. The place is a little hole in the wall covered from floor to ceiling with memorabilia and chachkies. It was a fun place. The hamburgers, oh my the hamburgers!!! They were huge and the absolute best hamburger I've ever had. I prepared for the early dinner by not eating anything all day before hand. I'm sure glad I did that or there would be no way I could eat that thing. It was yummy and fun. I highly recommend that if you are downtown close to German Village that you stop at Thurman Cafe. Go early in the day and try to avoid the weekend. The place is tiny and doesn't have much seating room. If it gets busy be prepared to wait for a couple of hours. However, the wait is well worth it!

Inside of Thurman Cafe. I don't think they could cram another thing on the wall. I love it though!


Chris gearing up for his ginormous burger!


Isn't it huge? I got the three cheese burger. It was yummo!


Chris is enjoying his pizza burger.


Look, he's a clean platter!


I am to! Well, almost. I did manage to eat all of my burger, but that was about it.

Surgery Info

We arrived at Children's at 3:50 for our 4:30 appointment. Chris wanted to get there early because he wasn't sure about how traffic would be. We checked in and waited for the doctor to see us. Around 4:15 the nurse came to us and said that the doctor was still in surgery and it would be another hour until he could meet with us. I thought, here we go again with the waiting and waiting. We went into a back room and filled out some paper work as we waited. Close to when the doctor was suppose to come the nurse came in and said that surgery was going to take two to three more hours and that he would not be able to meet with us today. So as you can, imagine two days in a row of cancellations, I got pissed. I asked the nurse if there was anyway anybody could give us any information about the surgery or even the freaking date. She said she would get the papers and see what she could find out. A half hour later she walked in with papers in tow and sat down with as much information as she could give us. We found out that surgery will take place Friday, July 17, and it will last on average 6 to 8 hours but probably longer. They are going to remove the part of the aortic root that is enlarged. She was not sure if they were going to replace the removed part or just connect the two ends together. She did not have any information about how the rip in the patch is going to be fixed or if it will even be during that surgery. I pray that they can do it all at the same time. Chris will be in the ICU over night and in the hospital for a few more days after that. She is not sure how long he will be there because it all depends on each person and how they recover. Chris will be out of work for about 6 weeks and there will be rehabilitation exercises and lots of appointments that we will have to do during those six weeks. She said that when he is in surgery he will be on a heart bypass machine and have several IVs and tubes when he comes out that need to stay in for a couple of days. We will be meeting with the surgeon soon to get the exact details and how the patch is going to be fixed. I'm glad that we at least got a date today and know a little bit of how things are going to work for the surgery. It is going to be the longest/scariest day of my life and I hope and pray that everything will be ok and that he has a great recovery process. As soon as I find out more information I will post what we know. Please keep us in your prayers. This is going to be a long summer.

Still Waiting

I got up this morning all prepared and mentally ready to meet the surgeons today. About a half hour before it was time to go we got a phone call saying they had to cancel and reschedule. Luckily they are able to reschedule from tomorrow at 4:30. It is really frustrating to get yourself mentally prepared for some big news and then have to wait again. This has truly been a huge test of patience. I feel like all we've done is hurry up and wait until what the next thing is or step is explained to us. I really hope that we get a date tomorrow because I'm not sure how much longer I can wait and be patient at the same time. After the meeting with the surgeons we are going to try out Thurman's Cafe in Germain Village. I've heard from a lot of people that this place rocks and has some awesome hamburgers. Hopefully we will be able to go and it will be a good meal. At this time tomorrow we should know a detailed plan of the surgery, recovery time, and when it will be. Let's hope...

I snapped this cute picture of Sloopy sleeping as I was blogging. He is to stinking adorable.

Information Monday

The weekend has been going pretty good. We went to one of our favorite places on Friday to see the last weekend of the show before the new one starts. Chris and I love Shadowbox Cabaret and we don't miss a show. It's a great place to hear some awesome music, laugh your ass off, and have some fun. The show was pretty good and I am looking forward to their "Best Of" show which will be starting next weekend. The rest of the weekend we have been relaxing, dinner for Chris' aunt's birthday, some yard work, and cleaning. All in all it's been nice and the weather is beautiful outside. Tomorrow starts the last three days of school and I am gearing up for summer. I am so ready to be done with school and have a break from the kids. I'm getting a little tired of hearing "Mrs. Hallstrom" called every five minutes. The quiet will be nice. Tomorrow is finally the informational surgery day we have been waiting for. We meet at noon at Children's Hospital with the surgeon to discuss the course of action that will be taking place and hopefully the date. I've been waiting for this day for what sees like years and I am prepared with whatever the doctor is going to tell us. I will keep you posted on what we find out tomorrow. Until then I will be enjoying the rest of this beautiful Sunday.

A Tidbit About Surgery

We finally heard from the nurse about some information for Chris' surgery. We first found out that Dr. Cook is not going to be operating on him because he isn't even a surgeon. WTF??? He is a cardiologist specialist and figures out what is wrong with the patient's hearts and then gives all the information to the surgeons. I find that a little bit frustrating because it seems like we have to go through a middle man. Wouldn't you think it would make more since for the actual surgeon who is going to do the operation be the one we should of met on the first day and been in contact with this whole time? I guess not. Anyways, the nurse said that Dr. Cook presented all the information to the surgical team this past Wednesday. He said that the surgeon will be contacting us for a meeting hopefully on June 8 to discuss the whole plan of action and when it will be taking place. He did say that Chris will be having the surgery done at Children's Hospital. I see it now, Chris in a batman gown, laying in a rainbow room, and waiting for the clown to visit to pass out balloon animals. The reason he will be going here is because they have dealt with a lot of children and adults who have congenital heart disease which is what they are calling it and are better equipped for this type of surgery. As long as he is getting the best and they know what they are doing I have no problems with where the surgery will be taking place. Plus, I think a children's hospital will be more cheery and he might have xbox or a game system in his room. Until then, this is all we know. I am now starting to see a glimpse of the finish line. It is still very far away but at least a little in sight.

The Longest Week

Has it only been a week since my last post? It feels like it's been a month or a year. A lot can happen in a few short seven days that make up a week. The beginning of the week started off sad and slow. We laid to rest Grandpa George on Thursday. The preparation and the viewing were hard to get through and the saddest part was the actual funeral. Grandpa George was a great guy and even though he was not my actual grandpa he felt like one to me. He always made me laugh and had the funniest quirks and wisecracks. He also had the cutest laugh. He certainly was jolly and we will surely miss him. The funeral had so many wonderful flowers and planters that it was nice to see such beauty and life in such a sad situation. We were able to take a couple of planters and arrangements to remember him by. I particularly loved this one from Chris' cousin in Chicago. I've never seen an all white arrangement and it is absolutely beautiful.

I am glad that this weekend we were able to hang out with some awesome peeps who always know how to make me laugh and whom I always have a fantastic time with. We started the evening by attending the Clippers game at Huntington Park. This is the first time I've ever been to the park and I was thoroughly impressed. We had standing room only tickets which was fine because it allowed us to walk around and take in the sights. Even though we stood the whole time we had a great view and there was even a little ledge to place our drinks and things on why we watched the game. It's a pretty snazzy set up they've got down there. My cousin Sadie was in town and she came to the game with us. It was nice spending time with her and partying with everyone. I don't get to see her that often so I was glad she could come with us. After the game we went to this bar on campus that had $.75 draft beer. I don't drink beer but for that price, shoot, keep them coming. It was awesome to have so many of our friends there drinking together and having a great time. They are all such an amazing group of individuals who I know I can trust, count on, and have on hell of a time when I'm with them. I can't wait until our next gathering because who knows what we will get into.


Friends and family are people whom I am so thankful and blessed that I have. I know I always have someone to talk to, cry to, vent to, laugh with, joke with, and be a total goober around. I'm glad that the week is over and am looking forward to what the next one may bring. I've only got 8 more days left of school and then it's a summer siesta. I know the summer will be great and it will also be challenging and trying at times. No matter what we will get through it just fine and with a sweet ass tan.
Update: We got an e~mail from the surgeon today and he said that last Wednesday he presented Chris' case to the team. The nurse is supposed to be contacing us tomorrow to fill us on on what was discussed and what is going to happen. Lets hope that the surgery is soon and that we get some good news. Keep your fingers, toes, and anything else crossed!!

The Countdown Is On

The countdown is on. I have 15 more days of school and then it's summer vacation. I'm looking forward to this summer because it will be nice to relax and distress as well as allow me to mentally prepare for Chris' surgery. It's a good thing that the surgery falls in the summer months because it allows me to devote my full attention and energy into his recovery. If we can only get the doctors to call us and inform us of what the hell is going on that would be great. We were told that tomorrow we will find out what the next step is in this process. If we don't hear by tomorrow then I'm going to have some words with the doctor. This waiting and not hearing anything for a week and a half is getting ridiculous. I know that when the actual date is set and we know how the surgery is going to go and what it will entail I will feel better and more at ease with things.
This week at school we are working on the IOWA test. It is a standardized test were the kids have to fill in the little bubbles and follow along as I read the questions to them. Can you believe that kindergartners are taking a standardized test? I can remember in kindergarten we did a lot of playing and learning our letters. It sure has changed since then. My kids can write complete sentences and read. They also can add, subtract, and recognize money. It feels like at times that I'm having to teach first graders and on a first grade level, but then I look around at my kids and realize they are only five and six. It's amazing how everything has moved back a year in the school world. What we learned in first grade I'm teaching in kindergarten. The same for each grade. Who knows in several years what my kids will be learning or even my grand kids.
After the week is over I'm really looking forward to the long three day weekend. I'm going home to see the family and my cousin and aunt who are flying in from California. I'm also glad to be home to send my brother off to Wisconsin. He got a job as a flight instructor at an airport in WI and he moves there this weekend. It is going to be weird to think my brother will be living hundreds of miles away. It will however give us a new place to visit and a cheap place to stay. I see sleeping on an air mattress in a tiny apartment in my near future. The weekend should be fun and chocked full of cookouts, family, and fun.

Waiting.....

Have you ever sat back and thought about how much waiting we do in a typical day? Waiting for the coffee to get done. Waiting at a traffic light. Waiting for the clock to get to that magical hour when we get to go home from work. Waiting for dinner to get done. I feel that right now and in the next coming weeks, my life will be filled with more waiting then ever. Waiting to hear how Chris' tests went. Waiting to find out when his surgery will take place. Waiting for information as to if I will be teaching here next year or at another school. I think and I hope that through all of this waiting and wondering I will become a more patient and understanding person. Maybe I should take all this waiting into consideration and hope that it will give me time to build up confidence, patience, and strength so that when the waiting is over I can handle what ever news or event is handed to me. I just hope that this waiting will bring about good news and that Chris' surgery will be done soon.

48 Hours

The weekends come and go quickly and as I'm sitting here I realize that tomorrow starts another work week and there is still tons to do. Saturday I really enjoyed going home to see my parents and celebrate mother's day with them. We ended up going to my grandpa's condo on the lake to hang out and so my dad could take care of some things on the boat and get the tarps off the screen windows. I was really looking forward to taking a relaxing ride on the pontoon around the lake and taking in the sites of the approaching summer. However, it was far to windy and we had to stay on land. It was still an enjoyable time being at the lake and watching the water. It was nice to have dinner there and talk with mom and dad. After a short visit we headed back to the house and watched The Curious Case of Benjamen Button. It was a really good movie. Long, at times but good. One of my favorite things to do is to pop some popcorn on the stove, snuggle up in the chair with a warm blanket, and watch a good movie. I was happy to get to do this on Saturday with Chris and my parents.
Today we got up early for breakfast and more chatting with the folks before we packed up the car and headed back to Columbus. It was now time to celebrate moms day with his mom. We went out for a late lunch and then came back to our house to talk about his grandpa and how he is doing. A lot is going on in the family right now and it doesn't look like his grandpa will be around much longer. We have to spend as much time as we can with him and enjoy every moment of it. His aunt came over to discuss some more about grandpa's health and to get more details about Chris and his heart. As we sat there and discussed things Chris got excited because it finally reached 4:08 on the clock. This met that 48 hours had passed and he could now take his heart monitor off. I felt bad for him because the tape was on tight and left welts and rashes from where he had to pull them off. His parents are taking the monitor to OSU Heart Hospital tomorrow and hopefully we will find out soon the data from the monitor and how his CT scan went on Friday. I am ready for the doctors to just tell us when the surgery is going to be and what it will all consist of. Waiting is the hardest part and I just want a date to pinpoint when we can get his heart back to being healthy.
These are pictures of the heart monitor he had to wear for 48 hours and of the welts that it left.

Waiting Rooms are Interesting

Today we took a trip to OSU Heart Hospital for Chris to have a Ct scan (Cat Scan) done. This test is to check to make sure that the veins around his heart and leading up into his head and in his head are functioning and looking ok. We were told we had to be there by 11:40 so they could get his IV started and ready for the scan that was suppose to start around noon. Noon came, 12:15 came 12:30 came and finally by 12:55 they took him in the back to start his IV and get ready for the test. They must have been running behind or over booked today. Who knows. I feel that if we have to report by a certain time then that is when they should be ready to. I guess it wouldn't be a hospital if they weren't running behind. When they came to take Chris back into the room to get his IV set up and prepared for his Ct scan they told me that I needed to wait in the lobby. No big deal I thought because I came armed with enough papers to grade to last me a few hours and the lobby had plenty of interesting magazines for reading as well. I sat and graded my papers and before I knew it an hour and a half had gone by. During this time I was also taking in the sites of the lobby and people watching. Sitting in a waiting room can bring you very interesting individuals to keep you entertained without them even knowing they are doing so. An older lady came in to get some kind of test done and she had to wait in the lobby for an hour and drink some kind of medicine before they could run her test. As she was sitting there she thumbed through the magazines and skimmed over the articles. What I found funny and interesting about her is if she liked an article or thought it was going to be a good read she'd close the magazine and quickly plop it into her bag beside her. By the time she finished her medicine and had to go take her test she had a regular newsstand with a nice variety of magazines in her bag. I think I counted four by the time she was done. Besides magazine lady there was a grandmother, mother, and daughter who came in with the thickest Kentucky accents ever. The mother was in for a test on her heart and grandmother and daughter were there for support. After a half hour of them trying to figure out where they should go smoke and if they should be a loud to smoke I had to leave and go to the next available lobby area. A person can only take so much talk over smoking in a Kentucky accent.
After my entertainment of people watching and grading papers for two hours a nurse finally came out and told me that they were having a hard time getting his heart rate down and that it was going to be another hour until they could even administer his CT Scan. You mean to tell me this whole time he wasn't even getting the scan done? I told the nurse that I should go back to sit with him because he might be nervous or just frustrated and maybe with me in the room his heart rate would slow down. Chris' average heart rate beats in the high 80s. In order for a CT Scan to work properly a persons heart rate needs to be in the 50s or low 60s. After several doses of drugs and who knows what they finally got his heart rate down to 64 and he was able to go and get the scan done. You guessed where I had to go, yep, back out to the lobby. This time it was 3:15 and I was told that the scan would take about 20 to 30 min and he would be out. Well an hour later the nurse came to tell me that the scan was done but they noticed during this whole ordeal that his heart rate would spike up really quickly for a few seconds and then come back down. From the time they first got him in the room to the end of the scan it had done this six times. They put a portable heart monitoring device on him that he has to wear for 48 hours to see if the spikes happen again or how frequent they occur. He wears it in a little pouch around his neck and has five electrodes stuck around his chest taking in data. Monday we are to return the device and they will hook it up to a computer and look to see all the lovely information this sucker took in over the 48 hour span.
Chris did really well today and through it all he stayed in good spirits and joked around. He came walking out of the room and into the lobby acting like a robot and greeted me in a robot voice. It was really cute and I got a good laugh out of it. We had a good rest of the night and enjoyed the evening before bed. When we turned the lights out we could see the green flashing light from the monitor blinking on his chest. He started to talk like Darth Vator and said that he would make a good flash light. I'm thankful that he is able to joke about these things and keep me laughing through it to. Humor helps in these situations and makes it seem less scary or difficult. He is fast asleep now but I've been having a hard time sleeping lately. I use blogging as a stress reliever and I'm hoping that I can get to bed soon now that I've got all of this off my chest. Tomorrow we are heading to Sidney to see my family. I always enjoy going home and am looking forward to being with them.