Tues. a.m. update

Well, I do not have a good update. Fever is not real high, but he is not responding and we cannot get him awake very easily. Dr. Johnson has ordered a CT scan STAT and he just got back from that. So I am waiting to hear from him. We feel he has fluid on the other side of his brain. The internal shunt seems to be doing well for the right side, but if there is fluid on the left side, then something has to be done about that. I just don't know how many surgeries he can keep on having. I am not trying to be negative or pessamistic, but I don't want him to continue suffering. I have released him to the Lord, if He wants to take Preston to Heaven. I will miss him and grieve for him, but I don't want him to keep suffering. He has suffered so much in his 18, almost 19 years. Junior is more optimistic. He feels if they can put another shunt in he could be home by the weekend. Only God knows. But I know in Heaven he would be normal and happy. I keep thinking of the song that Greg and Susanna sing, "If you could see me, now, the pain is all erased, you'd never want me to leave his place, etc." I have given him to God, to the best of my ability.
I should be hearing something soon.

Preston

Well, this surgery was minor compared to the first one he had 3 weeks ago today, but this has knocked his socks off, so to speak. He wanted some pain medication because his head was hurting so bad. So they are giving him morphine, and that is helping him to rest. I am glad he is resting. His O2 sats were in the 80's, so he has to have oxygen. His fever has been quite high and his white blood count is very high. I hope it is not infection. But it wouldn't be a big surprise after all of the surgeries he has had.

Junior went home to try and get a little rest; if things get worse, he will return. He missed all day at work today. I wonder sometimes where all of this will end. Only God knows that, and I have to trust Him. He hopes to get a few hours at least in at work tomorrow.

My inlaws are coming in Wed. and bringing cake and ice cream for Missie's 13th birthday, IF Preston is able to have all of the commotion in his room. It will certainly cheer her up if they can do that. She is with our former landlady, and has called a few times tonight as she was worried about his fever.

I hope to get a little rest tonight. I have been aching today from not having enough rest and that causes my fibromyalgia to flair up.

Will update, Lord willing, in a.m.

Came through surgery

but has quite a high fever and nausea, so they gave him tylenol for fever and phenergan for nausea and he went to sleep.

Bro. Dan Parker and Gail Hobelman was with us during the surgery and it was a blessing. Then Jr.'s aunt Beulah and cousin Wendy came over from Greer and stayed a while.

They did not put another external shunt in, just got the internal shunt working. So we will see if it continues to work. We hope and pray it does.

What a night!

Preston didn't have a good night. If he slept at all, it wasn't more than 1 hr. He was nauseated, thirsty, headache, and this a.m. had an aura (beginning of seizure.) The nurse and I had to change a lot of his bed during night, as he missed the urinal. I was sooo tired. I bought some tea with caffeine to drink to wake me up this a.m They came and got him early for surgery. No one was here but me. Jr. and Missie are on their way, but didn't make it soon enough. But he was so anxious for surgery and told the ladies that I didn't need to go downstairs with him. He is just so happy he is soon having surgery. I am too!!!

I have to remember this everyday: 'GOD IS IN CONTROL.' He has to give strength where there is no strength, for us to go on. He needs all of our needs and will supply.

Will update after surgery.

Sunday Update

Preston's external shunt fell out this a.m. about 9. The dr. on for the weekend, a partner of his neurosurgeon, didn't want to do surgery today to replace it and then do surgery again tomorrow. So the fluid (some of it) is running out the hole where the external one was, and out through the incision. But not enough is coming out, as he is getting aggressive now, and hopefully will go to sleep and we can make it until a.m. His surgery has been moved up to 9:45, thank the Lord. The sooner the better! From what the dr. said to Junior this a.m., they are putting an external one back in and also trying to fix or replace the internal one.



This a.m. I was so blessed by going to church. Missie and I went, and Bro. John Parker preached a sermon I needed to hear, and what a blessing it was. Missie really loved his preaching, too. I thanked him and told him I needed that, and he said to pass it on to his buddy, Preston. It was about God being in every circumstance, and not losing faith when we go through the hard times. I was soooo low in my faith, but that sermon really helped me. Missie and I both needed it. I wish Junior could have heard it too.



We are just hoping this surgery tomorrow works and soon we can go home.



Missie's 13th birthday is Wed. and she is very sad. But her grandparents are coming on Wed. and bringing her a cake, etc., and I have a few gifts I snuck over here for her. When we all get straightened out, I hope to do something special for her 13th birthday. This is a big time in a little girl's life, to become a teenager. She was so hoping Preston would be out by then, but I have my doubts.



Will try and update tomorrow after surgery.



Thanks for all of the prayers and please keep them coming

Wow, comments allowed!!!

I have tried to figure out how to let people leave comments and now the comment option is on my posts! How weird is that! Anyhow, I am glad it is working now.

I was home today!

Missie and I were home most of the day. It is wonderful!!! I washed, dried and ironed clothes, vacuumed, mopped kitchen, Missie cleaned out refrig. and washed most of the dishes. We changed the sheets on mine and her beds. I cleaned Preston's room and washed his bedding in faith he may come home soon???? 3 weeks is so long for our family to be separated except for little bits of time. I miss us being together as a family. We are a very close family and it is very hard. I also got some things mailed today that I needed to mail. So I feel I accomplished a lot.
I ran to hospital and took Junior clean clothes, and let him go to the library and get some books to read. Preston was in pretty good spirits. Junior had showered him and shaved him and changed his bed.
Tomorrow Missie and I plan to attend morning worship service, and to friends for lunch. This lady is a dear friend who has been there with us for every surgery that Preston has had, visited him a lot, brought goodies, and is fixing food for us tomorrow. It has been such a blessing; that lady is Gail Hobelman. We even look alike. They thought in PICU we were blood sisters because we look so much alike, even our smiles they said. I have gone to dr.'s and dentist' offices and they thought I was Gail. We have known each other for years and Gail said we must have rubbed off on each other!
Anyhow, I am off to bed.