August 3 (Friday) - 940pm

I know this update has been slow in coming, but hey, good things are worth waiting for.

Jeannette and Rich both had more surgeries, and the post-operative reports are all good and those all important "numbers" are hanging in there.   I was at the hospital in the afternoon, and Jeannette was being prepared for her operation and that room was abuzz with activity.   The "infection control doctor" came by and checked both of them, and was very pleased with where things are and how the antibiotic cocktails are working.   The bottom line for Jeannette is that her surgery was good....real good and in a non-medical lingo her gut is holding up well and the doctors are pleased.  As Sam put it so well, we aren't out of the woods yet, but there is definitely some light shining through the leaves today.   Jeannette is off of the ventilator she had and the trac was put in and is a tremendous relief for her.   As I'm writing this she is sleeping comfortably, and she is very stable and the numbers are all where they want them.

When I was there Rich was coming out of his anesthesia after the surgery on his broken arm, and when I saw him he was opening his eyes, looking around, and then fading back into la-la land.   He was complaining a little of pain, and so I asked him, "Does you head hurt."  NO.   "Does your stomach hurt?"  NO.    "Does your throat hurt?"  NO.   "Does your chest hurt?"  NO   "Do you feet hurt?  NO   "Does your arm hurt?"  uh-huh.   Ah....with all the bangs and hits and bruises he's had, it made me smile a little that the only thing that that hurt was his arm which they had operated on. That operation went very well, and his arm is now "repaired" and just has to heal.  The word is his "gut" started to work too, so all the signs are good for Rich and the worrisome infection seems to be under control.   He's off the ventilator too, and my guess is he's going to be a lot more alert in the very near future.  

As of a few minutes ago Sam reports that he's talking, and he's even actually doing some complaining about his arm.     Rich--complaining?    They are giving him something for it; but its a balance there, as they want him awake and they don't want to hinder his all important respiration.   So, that's the news for tonight.-John