Monday, April 30, 2012

Monday - Update (4/30)

After the second surgery, Dad had his NG tube replaced (through his nose, into his stomach). It is very uncomfortable. It was in when Allie and I arrived today, but was removed before we left late this night.

Dad was having some difficulty breathing, and had a nagging cough. I spoke to one of the doctors; he mentioned that there is a lot of fluid building up in his lungs. This began when he was taken off the respirator. It worsened after Allie and I arrived. Fluid in the lungs can be caused by a number of reasons; the primary reason for Scott is his high blood pressure. Tonight it maxed at 226/97, which could easily push fluids through the lung's thin membrane. The doctors are working to lower his BP, and was down to 187/77--still enough to prevent the fluid from draining out.

The doctor mentioned that there are a number of options if the lung fluid does not dissipate--one of which is for Scott to be put back on the ventilator. This would be a step in the wrong direction, but would allow his body to heal.

If the fluid lessens, they hope to move Scott to a personal room tomorrow and re-start physical therapy. 

He is still very groggy from him second surgery. We hope tomorrow is a better day.

Adam

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Sunday - Update (4/29)

Not much to report, other than they removed Dad's ventilation tube. He is breathing on his own again! and he still has warm hands.

His brother left this morning, and the multiple unforeseen surgeries has left him pretty fuzzy. He called my sister today, and she and I are returning to Pittsburgh tomorrow to keep him company in the ICU.

Adam

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Saturday Evening - Update (4/28)

The vascular surgery was successful; they removed the large clot in Dad's left arm, and have re-established the pulse in his hand/wrist. Good news!

More good news: his temperature has remained the same (normal) Dad's white blood cell count is on the rise! His body is fighting off his infection.

I cannot believe how strong his body is to endure such a struggle. He has been heavily sedated (once again), but as long as his body keeps fighting we couldn't be more relieved.

Adam

Saturday Afternoon - Update (4/28)

Yesterday, Dad's infection was still present, and raised his temperature to 100.7 +. Last night his temperature was down to 100.2, and this morning it was back to normal. I'm not sure if the infection has cleared, but it sounds as if his body is fighting it off.

In other news, Dad still responds to familiar voices and can answer questions with a head-nod; he is still heavily sedated, and cannot yet breathe on his own. Yesterday, he beckoned his brother to his side and pointed to his left arm. They discovered that he had a very cold hand, and it turned blue overnight. A warm compress helped increase circulation, but only temporarily.

Just 30 minutes ago, they identified a 3 to 4 inch long blood clot in an artery in his left arm. He is going into surgery now to have this clot removed. It should take 45 minutes, and the doctor should know if the surgery was successful right afterward.

Adam

Friday, April 27, 2012

Recovery - Update (4/27)

Dad is still recovering from his second surgery. He is very very medicated to increase his health (many IVs). As I mentioned yesterday, increasing his white blood cell count will truly help speed up his recovery. His medication is stimulating his bone marrow to produce more blood cells, platelets and white blood cells.

His currently on a respirator, and will be until Monday at the earliest (the intent here is to focus his body can recover his blood's volume). During that time, Dad will be heavily sedated and sleeping a lot.

When you call his name he can here you, and opens his blurry eyes, but cannot speak or communicate in anyway. I know it must be frustrating for him.

I should be a quiet weekend, knowing that he will not be able to move or breathe on his own.

Allie and I would like to thank everyone for their words of encouragement during this hard time.

Adam

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Post-Surgery - Update (4/26)

Dad's doctor contacted me earlier today, and let me know how the emergency surgery went: They re-opened 2/3 of his original scar and looked for a possible leaking stomach. They were unable to identify a "hole" (even though they inflated the stomach to be sure) but suspected that one of the suture holes may have been seeping; so, the team re-inforced some of "connections" they made between the new half-stomach and the small intestines.

While the doctor was doing surgery, they noticed a green-ish membrane forming on Dad's organs. Because the doctor scraped many of these organs to rid them of the cancerous mucus, the membrane is most likely the result of his organs trying to heal themselves. But with his low level of white blood cells, Dad is unable to ward off some of these infections alone.

The doctor also installed a few more drainage tubes (for his chest), and another stomach drain. They will keep his stomach deflated for the next couple days until the new sutures heal. Once they do, it'll be a few more days until Dad can drink and eat again--hopefully, this time with no problem.

Scott is back in the ICU, and has been for the past 4 hours, and will be until late Saturday or Sunday (they say). He will remain on a respirator until they level out his vitals (blood O2 levels, blood pressure, pulse, white blood cell and platelet counts)--this may prove the most difficult task at the moment.

The doctor was not concerned with this second surgery. He noted that a lot of the other new "connections" looked healthy and were healing relatively well. We're all relieved that the surgery went without a hitch, and cannot wait until he know more...

Thank you for the many messages you've all sent. It is very inspiring to me to see how my father has touched all of your lives.

Adam

Another Unfortunate Surgery - Update (4/26)

Dad has taken a turn for the worse today. This morning he was very agitated and very dizzy. They discovered that his blood oxygen level was hovering around 80, when it should be 100; his white blood and platelet count are also extremely low. They re-admitted Dad to the ICU for the rest of today and tomorrow.

After preliminary scans of his chest and abdomen, the doctors found a small hole in his stomach. All of the fluids he has been ingesting have made their way into his abdominal cavity. A small infection has begun around the site of the opening. Upon discovering, this they immediately prepped him for operation.

Because Scott's vitals are so low, this makes surgery at this stage pretty dangerous; although they are doing their best to keep his body full of antibiotics. They also discovered more fluid near his lungs, which should not be there. They will need to re-insert the tube to remove excess fluid from around his lungs--but at this point, this is the least of their worries.

The surgery has begun, to Scott's full attention and acceptance, and will last 3 hours. The doctor is optimistic that this should be a quick and easy operation and that he will be lucid and talkative tomorrow morning. They will unfortunately have to re-open his suture wound on his abdomen (taking him back a week in the healing process). They will close the hole in his stomach, and stitch him back up.

I will be updated around 4:30 EST today, and will update the blog as soon as I am able. I will also send this out as an email for those that would appreciate an immediate update.

His parents are with him during this time, and are praying for him to come through this with no further complications. We're all pretty scared, but we remain hopeful.

Send your positive energy his way, please.
Adam

Recovery Day 7 - Update (4/25)

I can't believe it's been a week since Dad's surgery...

I must say that Dad was feeling great yesterday, but seemed a tired and more groggy today. He also seemed to be in more pain. He didn't sleep well (again), but was very eager to get out of bed and continue his laps around the hospital. His drive to get better can easily be seen in his enthusiasm to get back in shape!

Dad is loving the popsicles and water--he sounds better and can talk much longer than previous days. The doctor removed many tubes today--they removed a major drainage tube from his chest and his catheter. He says that it feels great to not have all that stuff hanging off of him when he walks and moves around in his chair/bed.

A lot of the morning Dad was tired and was in and out of naps. We checked in after we left, and he was chipper and talkative.

I left with him a print out of everyone's email and comments, and he is enjoying reading through them. He thanks everyone for their continued support.

Adam

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Recovery Day 6 - Update (4/24)

Allie and I arrived around 1pm today, and surprised Dad! He was sitting in his chair, and was delighted to see his kids. He seems very tired; he hasn't really slept for the past 4 days. But, today he slept for several 30-minute intervals--he is all smiles about that!

We also watched as he took a short (but painful) walk outside his room and back--another great step (pun intended) in his recovery.

For the past 6 days, he's had what is called an NG tube stationed through nose and directed into his stomach; this provides major drainage of fluids from his stomach (typical after gastro surgery). It is a very painful tube to withstand as it causes discomfort in the nose, throat and esophagus. At one point, Dad managed to pull this out himself (when he was under the influence of some painkillers!), which meant the doctor had to put it back in (this was several days ago).

But today, the Doctor pulled the NG tube for good! Dad immediately felt better, could speak louder and was given permission to have POPSICLES! He smiled ear-to-ear when this was mentioned and so he, Allie and I enjoyed a round of orange popsicles. This, and permission to sip water, should help him gain back his strength quickly.

Allie and I will be here tomorrow, and we'll meet with Scott's parents (our grandparents) who will arrive around 3pm. I'll have more updates then. All-in-all, this was a great day full of progress.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Recovery Day 5 - Update (4/23)

Sound the horns! Dad has finally been moved from the ICU to his own room. This means he has a mailing address! It also means that he will now be able to rest a bit easier, and have more space to move around.

I called the hospital this morning I was happy to hear that they were arranging his transport to an in-patient room where he will remain for the rest of his stay at the hospital. After a final clearance from his doctor (and 3 unanticipated days in the ICU) they moved him to room 6118.

Once there, I made sure the phones worked. Dad picked right up; he seemed bright and lucid. We had a short talk, but he sounded better than the last time we spoke!  He is still very tired and can only talk for a few seconds at a time (he is not allowed to drink water). However, I would like to make it clear that Scott is not currently taking phone calls. Please do not contact him directly through the telephone.


But do feel free to send him your letters and gifts (if you have them ready and waiting--I know there are a few!). Here is his address:

Scott Carey
UPMC Passavant, Room 6118
9100 Babcock Boulevard
Pittsburgh, PA 15237
USA


Unbeknownst to him, Allie and I are driving back down to Pittsburgh tomorrow morning to visit. We're looking forward to seeing him healthier and in a better room. Hopefully this suprise winter (spring?) weather storm doesn't slow us down too much...

Cheers,
Adam

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Recovery Day 4 - Update (4/22)

Dad had a better day today, says Craig and Cathie: he was sitting up very often and seemed to be more aware of his surroundings. Dad's mental temperament (amnesia-like episodes, confusion, disorientation, erratic behavior) is typical of someone who has undergone extensive surgery. It is likely that some anesthesia remains in his system, even now, 4 days later. Sedatives, pain killers and other IV medications can combine to have some very interesting side effects; all of which might be attributing to Scott's mental disposition.

Scott can not yet accept gifts--he is still in the ICU and has very limited space. Nurses are still concerned about his mental awareness, and they want to be sure he is "clear" enough to be on his own all day.

Craig mentioned that he is planned to be moved tomorrow to his own room. When he is in his own room, I will post the address of where he may receive letters. I must stress that at this point (and for the next couple weeks) he will not be able to ingest solid foods, let alone sweets--so, please don't tempt him! He is allowed few sips of water a day.

Tomorrow, Dad will most likely have a few "hoses" removed from him--a welcomed step in the right direction.

Scott's parents plan to visit in 3 days, so he will have company later this week. Our thoughts are still with him, and we'll check in twice daily with the ICU nurses until he finds himself a room of his own!

Adam

Recovery Day 3 - Update (4/21)

Allie and I made it home safely, and once home I called to see how Dad was doing. The head nurse at the ICU said that he was still disoriented, saying that he wants to go back to his flat! I said, "wouldn't you?!" He knows where he is and why he is in the hospital (for the most part), but he's not 100% yet.

Not too much to report for Saturday, April 21. Craig and Cathie arrived early in the morning to stay with Dad for the weekend. They mentioned that Scott received sedative to help him sleep through the night which he did, and seemed more rested when he woke.

The doctors removed his spinal block (which was providing 100% pain interference); this means now that Dad may have a bit more pain as the days go on. Craig made mention that he seems just as active and restless as when Allie and I were there.

The nurses helped him to his chair again today, and he took a few more assisted steps back and forth to his bed--it's good to see that his is still mobile!

Craig and Cathie are heading back to NY tomorrow, late morning, and will chat with them about Sunday's update.

(Sorry for the delay of this post!)
Adam

Friday, April 20, 2012

Recovery Day 2 - Update (4/20)

Dad had a restless night so he was very exhausted today. He's a bit confused about where he is, what he's doing here, and who the nurses are (but not who his kids are!).

He took his first steps out of bed and into a reclining chair, which is great progress! Tomorrow he's looking forward to moving from the ICU to his own room, where he'll be more independent and comfortable. His brother (Craig) and sister-in-law (Cathie) will be here tomorrow morning, and will keep him company through the weekend.

Allie and I will be taking off in a moment to return back to Rochester, but leaving a big metaphysical chunk of ourselves here with Dad so he can get through the night alright!

Scott still does not have a room number, mailing address or phone number as yet, but I will make sure to publish this information when I receive it. Thank you for keeping him in your thoughts, he brightens up each time I tell him of your messages and good words.

Adam

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Recovery Day 1 - Update (4/19)

Dad is breathing on his own, and is able to communicate today--great news! Of course, he is very fatigued, as his body has been really put through a lot. But he's been smiling and laughing when he can.

He was able to sit up directly for a few minutes today, and we're looking for more progress tomorrow. The doctor's hope that he'll be able to sit and walk in a day or two, which would be most excellent. For now, he'll continue to sleep and gather is strength for tomorrow.

I was able to share with him your notes, messages and health-felt concern. Please keep him in your thoughts and check back tomorrow for more updates.

We're so thankful that he has no complications, that he looks healthy and that he still has his sense of humor: I asked, "Would you like to do the hokey-pokey?" he responded, "no, too many wires!"

Adam

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Surgery Day 1 - Late Night Update (4/18)

It was a 15 hour surgery (the first patient in, and the last one out), but Dad pulled through! He is currently in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), recovering from a long day. I just spoke with the surgeon who gave me the following update:

The surgical team removed his Gall Bladder, Spleen, the lower half of his stomach along with some Small Intestine, the Appendix, and some Large Intestine. Although this list seems extensive, the doctor assured us that Scott would be back to work after he has healed; the doctor also assured us that he might even be sitting up tomorrow and able to chat with us in the morning. Another positive thought: he'll never have to worry about Gall Stones!

It's about time that Allie and I call our 20-hr day quits! We plan to visit him tomorrow morning around 9am, and continue to visit when he has the energy for it. I will update with more information when I can.

Wishing our Dad a quick and safe recovery!
Adam

Surgery Day 1 - Evening Update (4/18)

Allie and I have been at the hospital with Dad for about 14 hours now, and we've finally just heard an update from the OR staff! They have begun the HIPEC solution profusion, which should last another 3:30 hours or so.

Although this is speculation, I am hopeful that this means good things! The HIPEC is used to remove any remaining cancer cells that might not have been visible by the surgeon and his team. At the least, the surgery seems to have been successful enough to administrate the HIPEC solution, which means he's healthy enough to receive it!

The day isn't over yet, though: Allie and I will meet with the surgeon post-operation tonight at 9pm to discuss the finer points of the long surgery. Until then we're going to stretch our legs and grab dinner, knowing that the hardest part of Dad's surgery is over.

We hope this news finds you well, and thank you to everyone for your kind emails and messages--I'll be sure that Scott receives them as soon as he's able to read (I'll have to give back his glasses first!)

Signed,
Adam

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

going forward...only my kids will be posting here

.... I do not plan on posting any more here for awhile. My kids have promised to post update on a daily basis here about what my days are like and how my time post surgery is going.

so stay tuned...

Surgery time on Wednesday

..got the call a bit ago; I need to be at the hospital at 5:00am on Wednesday
for an 8:00am appointment with "The Knife".

5:00am is SO early.. but that means it all should be done by 8:00pm tomorrow night.

Tuesday...

...met with the surgeon this morning. Good conversation. He was optimistic about the surgery and maintaining a good quality of life. Had three vaccinations due to the spleen being removed tomorrow: Meningitis vax, pneumonia vax and Hib vax. Had blood drawn for a type and cross for blood transfusions tomorrow, and have been on a liquid only diet today.

It is a beautiful day here today. Leaves are out more fully than in Rochester.

I am in good spirts. My kids are keeping me laughing.

Monday, April 16, 2012

A relaxing morning coffee....


Friends are kisses blown to us by angels. ~Author Unknown

Just this past Tuesday I finally found a great "European Style" cafe in Pittsford, and have found myself there almost every day since, either for coffee or lunch.

Today found me there again, in the warmth of a "summer" like morning. I sat outside at a small table enjoying a great cappuccino and thinking about all good things... friends, family, my children, special people in my life, conversations, life thoughts, and great quotations... It reminded me very much of my time in Prague...

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Hospital info

Will be staying ....staying...an interesting a word;
really I should say: I will be watching TV at the following location.

UMPC Cancer Center at Passavant
9100 Babcock Blvd
Pittsburgh, PA 15237


email: when I can get to it = scarey3694@yahoo.com
but I don't expect to online for a week to 10 days...but who knows.

Friday, April 13, 2012

A few days to go

I was diagnosed In mid January 2012 with a form of cancer called Psuedomyxoma Peritonei or PMP. This cancer is called Psuedo because it stays isolated in the peritoneal cavity and does not enter the blood nor lymphatic system like most cancers, so in other words it does not spread outside of the peritoneal cavity.

It usually begins in the appendix and then escapes the appendix by bursting forth..."with the power of 10 billion butterfly sneezes" and then spreads along the walls of and onto the organs through-out the peritoneal cavity. The only course of action is surgery. There is NO IV chemo that is used to affect this cancer.

So I will be traveling to Pittsburgh, PA on Monday, the 16th, to prepare for surgery on the early morning of the April 18th, to remove as much of the cancer as possible, but with MY personal mandate to the surgical team of maintaining my quality of life. I wish no heroic surgical measures if only to rid my body of this cancer if it means my quality of life goes away.

The surgery is a quite extensive surgery called cytoreduction and debulking surgery along with a Hot chemo agent called Mitomycin C bath for the last two hours of the surgery. Normally, the surgery will entail stripping the walls and organs of the tumor, a sticky mucous type tumor. It usually means the removal of many organs, including the spleen, gall bladder, the ascending colon, mesentary and a fair bit of the small intestine. It is usual for this surgery to take between 12 & 14 hours

This blog was created ONLY in an effort to keep my friends informed of my progress post surgery. It will not be an ongoing saga of my course or outcome.

So my children will update this each day as they find out how I am doing way down in Pittsburgh...

I appreciate your support and prayers. I will hope to be back in Rochester by mid May. yes, I WILL be back at Home my Mid-May !

Cheers. - Scott