Preston Update

Latest update:

Preston had to have an external shunt put back in on Wed. p.m. making that the 4th surgery in 1 1/2 weeks. Thurs. evening it started acting up and wouldn't work properly. The nurses fooled with the tubing and lowered the bag etc. and it started working, thank the Lord.
On Monday they are starting to clamp off the external shunt and see if the internal shunt will work. PLEASE PRAY IT WILL WORK!!! If it does, we can go home by Wed. If not, they have to go back inside of his head and see why it is not working. Also, the dr. mentioned that sometimes a person may need 2 shunts, one of each side, if the left and right ventricles do not communicate properly. He must have thought this was a possibility for Preston, to have mentioned it. But we won't know anything until Monday.

The Lord has supplied our financial needs through love offerings from our church, and individual friends. Also, the hospital is giving us some meal tickets and that helps too.

Preston is getting his strength back, and is getting up with help to go to bathroom etc. But he cannot sit up very long, because when he sits up, the external shunt has to be clamped off and soon the pressure builds up in his brain. He is tired of being in bed, but he has done soooo well in here. He has been joking and carrying on with the nurses, etc. If this external shunt will work and he doesn't have to have any more surgeries, he will be up and at it in no time.

Thank you all for your support and continue to pray for us.

Norma Gwen

I wanna go home!

well, we are still in Greenville Memorial in Children's hospital. It is very tiring.
Preston has something like restless leg syndrome and he constantly kicking off the covers, and I keep trying to keep him covered. Finally after supper last night he went to sleep and slept good all night, so I had some respite. We had lots of company yesterday which helped a lot. Missie stayed with me last night. We are going to do school this a.m.
Gotta go and get Preston's breakfast set up.

Update more later.

Thank you!

I have to say we have never attended a church where we have had so much support and love, through this difficult time. Preston has had so many visitors, it has been such a blessing. He has received gifts, cards, flowers, and most of all, prayers from sooo many friends and family, it is awesome! We couldn't have made it without you all, and I wanted to say you a big thank you to all of you!

Norma Gwen, Junior, Preston and Missie

Tuesday update

Well, Preston's external shunt came out yesterday a.m. So since his dr. was out of town, of course he would be out of town when this happened, his partners had to make a decision as to what to do. They would either put the external one back in, or put one inside. Well, he decided to put one inside. I was a little leery of his doing this; I felt it was too soon. Oh, I forgot to mention, this precious big boy of mine, tried to put the external shunt back in after it came out, and apparently the nurses saw him through the door and came in. Can you imagine???!!! Only my son would attempt something like this. He said he turned his head and it came out??? I was downstairs so I don't know. Anyhow, he came through surgery great and Junior and I bathed him today and he sat up in a chair for quite a while and watched "I Love Lucy." Then he started getting a headache and the nurse gave him tylenol and we laid him back down. Well, his fever was going up and down, and then he pulled out his IV, yes, he did that, can you believe it? And he seemed confused about it all. So they had to start another one, which we hated, and then transfered him from ICU to 6th floor in Children's hospital. I wish they would have kept him until tomorrow to be sure all is well. But they wouldn't listen to me, LOL. So!!! I and Missie are home to spend the night. I am washing and drying clothes, too, and it is so nice to be home. I hope to get a good night's rest tonight.

Keep praying for us.

Saturday update

Preston is about the same, but is not sleeping well at night, nor did he eat a lot today. He is very quiet and calm, and sweet as he can be. His daddy and Missie are staying with him tonight. Tomorrow night I will be back over there.

Posting some more pictures of him and Missie.

Friday - Preston

Well, here is my latest update.

Preston is eating, drinking, getting up with help to go to the bathroom, and is calm as he can be. We are the most surprised at that, I guess. He is so sweet and calm, never getting excited or nervous. I hope this continues forever and ever. He doesn't have any IV's right now! He is off oxygen most of the time during the day, but had to go back on it last night while he was sleeping. Dr. hopes to put the internal shunt in one day next week, but there is still a lot of blood in his spinal fluid, until it becomes clear he will not do it. I feel we are going to be there at least another week, and the dr. said he will be in PICU until the surgery. The external shunt needs extra attention, and infection is a high risk. Today was not the best day on the unit. We had 3 different nurses and I ended up one time having to change Preston alone. I am glad he had a diaper on, but it was still hard, but I managed it. This is the first day we haven't gotten the best of service.

Some dear friends sent Preston a set of I Love Lucy dvds. It helps stimulate his mind and he gets some great laughs from the dvds. He loves the Andy Griffith and I love Lucy ones. It helps pass the long hours for him. I was able to go to a family room today and read my email, and go down for my meals. It gets me out of the room for a little while and he is fine for a while.

I am worn to a frazzle. Missie and I are home tonight to get a good night's rest. Any and every prayer will be much appreciated. Missie is missing her family. She was supposed to stay with someone tonight again, who loves her very much and spoils her, but when they brought her to the hospital she didn't want to leave. So she stayed and Jr., Missie and I ate supper together at the hospital. Bro. Curtis visited with Preston for a few minutes; Preston was so happy to see him. He loves Bro. Curtis, our assistant pastor.

We have decided that Jr. will have to take some days off next week. I just cannot do it all alone next week. God will have to supply the financial need. I cannot even worry about the money part right now, my mind is too tired. It will all work out.

Preston has had many visits from our church family. Our pastor has been there every day but one. It is sooo appreciated. It brightens his days as well as mine or Junior's, whoever is staying with him. He has received cards, money, flowers, gifts, thanks everyone!!! It is all a blessing and shows how much he is loved.

Norma Gwen

Preston

Well, Preston went in the hospital for a relatively simple surgery to have his shunt replaced or repaired, and there was a piece of shunt tubing embedded in his brain. They had to get it out, and then busted a blood vessel or something in there and he was bleeding heavily. He had to cut him open more to get in there and stop the bleeding. He was able to do that, but had to staple him up without a shunt. He was moved to regular room, and did ok that night. Tues. he started having a high fever and was not very responsive so they did CT scan and moved him to ICU, thankfully, adult ICU had no beds and they put him in pediatric ICU and we can stay with him. He was critical at this point. The dr. didn't even put him to sleep but put an external shunt from his brain to an outside bag. That relieved the pressure off his brain, his temp came down and things were looking up. He is now able to pee, and not be cathed. He can drink, and is drinking some, but won't eat, but he is getting lots of fluids. He is swollen with fluid, but he knows everyone who comes to see him, and he is able to talk and move his body, so seems he is pretty good as far as brain wise. They were concerned about more brain damage because of the extent of his surgery. He cannot get up until the external shunt is gone. As a result there is a problem with his one lung, he either has a spot of pnemonia or part of his lung has collapsed. They did another chest exray this a.m. and also another CT scan. The fluid coming from Preston's brain has to be clear before they can put an internal shunt in.
So that is the latest.
Please continue to pray for us all.
Jr. hasn't been at work all week, but I know God will work it all out.

Norma