Update on Pat

Isaiah 41:13 "For I am the Lord your God, who upholds your right hand, Whos says to you, 'Do not fear, I will help you."

It has taken me awhile to get this laptop up and running as I was having problems connecting to the server here at the hospital (thanks Martha Hadley)!

Pat had a very rough night last night. He didn't sleep at all last night and is finally snoring away and I can tell you honestly that I love that sound. He moaned, groaned, and shifted all night. He wasn't a happy camper. His nurse, Sharon, was awesome last night and she was bargaining away with Pat through the night. She had a great sense of humor and Pat really liked her and even joked with her. She had to put mitten-like gloves on his hands in order to keep him from jerking the tube out of his nose which was surgically placed. They started him out last night with morphine with small doses every hour and a half. This continued through the night. He also was nauseated and his herniated disk was hurting as much as the incision. He has the incision on his neck and a long incision on his stomach with the feeding tube in place. They were finally able to give him some medication for his nausea. This was about 2:00 a.m. and I checked out for a visit on the waiting room couch until about 5:20 when all of the lights were turned on in the waiting room. I guess this was to wake us so that we could visit before visiting hours were closed from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. each morning for shift change. (This applies for visiting hours in the evening from 6:00 TO 8:00 p.m.) I also heard every coke and candy bought in the vending machine while I tried to sleep!

Pat's pain wasn't much better at 5:30 this morning and he had a severe headache. When he doesn't get good sleep he gets a migraine. Although she did let him take his mittens off. He was so glad to see me! I told him that I had to leave at 6:00 due to the shift change and he said "no you don't...just hide until they run you off." I said no, I am not a rule breaker. When I came back after 8:00 he was sitting in the recliner chair and he was so happy and he had so much more relief for his back. His new nurse, Jill, saw the surgeon on duty and he ordered some Demerol. Around 11:00 Dr. Lin came in and reiterated what he said yesterday and that was everything looked normal and he was very pleased. Dr. Lin ordered his migraine medication to be administered through his feeding tube and he also ordered some Lortab for the pain.

Pat has been such a trooper and a good patient. He loves seeing visitors and he loves seeing his kids. Today is G's birthday and he and Bubba came up for about five hours today. Alison brought up a cake for him and I got to sing a little happy birthday to him (Pat was snoring I think when I was singing!) Sis was here early this morning and we will see her again after she is off work.

We will probably move to a room tomorrow and they will start feeding him through his feeding tube. He is still snoring and enjoying his snooze as I continue typing. Gosh, what a relief that is. It is kind of like when you have a new baby and you think "just sleep please"!

It is now 5:00 p.m. I know that I have written many details here, but you know my mom and his mom like to know all the little things!

Thanks again for loving on us!

Hugs,

The Easterling Crew