One week + 3 days after surgery

Mitch had visitors today - Mr. Stahl (Principal of H.C.) and Mr. Slenk (the discipline guy - I don't really know what Mr. Slenk's title is...at H.C.). Thanks, guys, for stopping by. It means a lot to know that people care. He got a big envelope with a bunch of cards that students made for him in Choir. Thanks for the words of encouragement - they put a smile on his face.

The plan right now is that Mitch will start going back to school, at least part-time, after Tulip Time week.

Mitch keeps getting stronger every day. He is sleeping well, sitting up most of the day, taking walks with his crutches around the house. All good stuff. Maybe we will go out for supper to the Crazy Horse on Friday or Saturday night. He should be able to sit at a high-top table with not too much trouble.

We go back to the doctor (actually we see the doctor's nurse assistant) on Monday at 1:30 to have the staples removed. They will also take x-rays of his hip to see how things are going.

God is good - all of the time - even when things don't go quite the way you thought they would. He knows what we are going through. He cares and loves us so much! We feel His presence and love. Thanks for your prayers.

Cheese balls and water!

Yes, cheese balls and water are the snack of choice this afternoon. Mitch has now moved from the walker to crutches. He can go much faster with the crutches. He said that the crutches are easier on his shoulders. He also took a shower this afternoon. He did really well until he took off the dressing and looked at his scar which includes the staples...he got a light-headed for a little while there, but after fanning him with some air, he felt better. The scar actually looks really good. It's a good thing that those kinds of things don't make me light-headed...what a pair we would be! He is thinking that he might try to go to his sister, Hilarie's soccer game tomorrow night. We'll see how the day goes. All-in-all, it has been a good day! The prayers are working! Thanks.

Monday...one week after surgery

Mitch is continuing to gain strength every day. We have been able to manage his pain well. He is averaging 6 hours between each pain pill. He was experiencing some muscle spasms in his hip so we got some meds for that today. It also helps if he ices it. He slept all through the night last night - from 11 to 8 (I woke him up at 8 because after laying still all night, he needs to get moving. He wasn't exactly happy with me!) Please pray that Mitch will try really hard to do what he needs to do to heal fast. He is doing a great job, he just needs extra encouragement sometimes. I told him he should be able to use his crutches by Wednesday or Thursday. Thanks for the continued prayers!

We're Home!

Yes, we are home. Mitch did fine with his walker going up a stair and down this morning with the PT. She said we worked great together as a team.

His PT came in around noon...at 1:30, I finally called the nurse and she said she didn't have the OK from the doctor...so she had to track him down. About 20 minutes later, I went to the desk to see how things were going...and she had heard from the doctor and just needed to go over the discharge papers. We were on the road at 2:10, home by 3:00. Mitch did great getting in and out of the Denali and getting into the house.

There's no place like home! I don't really care if I see the inside of DeVos Childrens Hospital for a long time! It's a great hospital, but I'm done!

Please pray for a speedy recovery. Thanks again for your prayers!

Going home on Saturday

Mitch's PT didn't get to his room until 3:00. She got him up on crutches and he made it out of the door before he got dizzy. He did really well. They she put him in a wheelchair and brought him to the PT room where he learned how to do a step. He was a little dizzy but did pretty well. On the way back to the room, we were talking about how well he did with the walker the night before. She asked him if he would rather use the walker than the crutches for now and he said yes. So, we are going home tomorrow with a walker. She said that he could use the crutches when he feels more comfortable. He was disappointed, but at least he is coming home tomorrow. We will have to wait until a PT gets to the room and gives him the OK, so hopefully, that will be sooner than later. He is very anxious to get home and so am I. I think he will do much better at home because we are constantly waiting for the nurses to come in and help with his walking and stuff. Thanks for your prayers. Please continue to pray for a quick recovery.

Good News!

First, I have to tell you about last night. Every night, the nurses have had to give Mitch a shot to prevent blood clots. It hurts like none-other (in Mitch's words). Well, Mitch was kind of sad last night because he really wanted to be at home for Hilarie's banquet, but it didn't look like that was a possibility. So he told the nurse he was having a really bad night. He was the negotiator...he asked her that if he got up and walked to the door and back, then he wouldn't have to have the shot. It worked! And he walked! He did it! I guess a little determination and fear of pain gets you places.

Now the good news...the doctor came in this morning and said that if Mitch can walk steady with his crutches, he can go home today!!! He had to go to the bathroom this morning, and he got out of his bed and stood with his walker and peed (once again, a lot). He is moving SO much better this morning. So today could be the day!! The PT comes in at noon so, I'll update you with the news later.

Something I wanted to share with you...

I was on Matt Yount's blogspot this afternoon and noticed the line "leave a good impression of Jesus" and I just wanted to share something with you. Jimmy (14 year old boy who was in the bed next to Mitch) came in on Tuesday morning with some "personal issues" which I really can't share. Jimmy is also by-polar and has some mental disabilities. You know how when you are in such tight quarters you can either ignore the people next to you or you can strike up a conversation. Well, I decided to have conversation. People are SO interesting to me, so I was able to learn a lot about her and her family. I did a lot of listening. She was a very nice lady who has her hands full with her son. She is a homemake who raises goats. She asked me what I did and I told her that I worked in the office at my church. She actually continued to talk to me...I didn't know if that would turn her off or not. Jimmy was discharged this morning... The doctors feel that some of his "personal issues" are a result of some sexual things that may be going on, but he wouldn't tell the doctors anything. When she left, she gave me her name and phone number and wanted mine also...so we exchanged those. I told her I would be praying for her and she said thanks. I hope I "left a good impression of Jesus" with this family just by listening and caring.

A few steps were taken!

The PT came back and helped Mitch take a few steps with a walker. But after about 6 steps, he felt nauscious and threw up his lunch...BUMMER!!!! He was SO disappointed and is very frustrated. The PT said that he did great, it's just that his body is having a hard time adjusting after the surgery. He wants to walk so bad and it breaks my heart that he's not been able to do what he wants to do. But like the PT said, he is making progress and is doing better than yesterday. He is resting now. They will try to get him up in the chair again later. There is no way he will be going home tomorrow and most likely not on Saturday either unless things turn around. Keep praying...

Mitch is up for the 2nd time!!!

WOW! What a difference a few hours can make! Mitch had some lunch (his McDonald's hash browns and some fruit for lunch (yeah).

He wants everyone to know he peed 750 ml! He thought he was going to fill the hand-held urinal! He thought that was SO sweet! He also was able to put on some boxers. He said he was feeling like a woman wearing a dress!

He did SO well getting out of bed and standing for a few minutes. He used a walker to help him over to the wheelchair. He is sitting up and doing really well. We are waiting for the PT to come in and help him hopefully walk with his crutches! AWESOME!

Mitch's roommate just left so there a more space in the room. We requested that, if possible, that he won't have to have another roommate. Mitch has so many contraptions in his room...so claustrophobic. I sometimes think I am going to go crazy. So maybe that could be a prayer request...that no one will have to be put into his room.

Thanks, once again, for the prayers! We are truly feeling them.

A Mitch Update

Mitch had a great night of sleep last night. His hemoglobin is much better after this blood transfusion. His PT came in today and got him up in the chair. She wanted him to try walking with his crutches, but he started getting light-headed again, so he is sitting in his stretcher wheelchair. They want him in the chair 4 times today. He really needs to get used to sitting up and moving more, so he won't get so light-headed and things keep progressing. He needs to keep his hip at a 60 degree angle. That makes things really interesting. Still trying to process how all this is going to go. I guess, one day at a time.

Hemoglobin (sp?) is low.

Late this morning, the nurses got Mitch into a stretcher chair. He got out of bed and sat in the chair for 1 hour -15 minutes. He did great getting into the chair. He is not allowed to bend more than 60 degrees, so that makes it a little tricky. He still got a little light-headed when he sat up. The nurse just came in around 3:30 and she said that they are going to give Mitch 2 units of blood. His hemoglobin is at 7...his normal is around 14. She said that giving him some blood should be the pick-me-up that he needs. Of course, that means more pokes from needles (which he absolutely hates) but he has been a real sport about it! I'm glad that they made this decision. He is just so weak and his color is a little pasty. This will be a 4 to 5 hour process. Thanks, once again, for the prayers.

Update on Mitchell

onI got to Mitch's room today and he wasn't looking too good. He was throwing up and was on oxygen. His hip was hurting him and his stomach wasn't feeling good, so they tried a different pain medication...well he didn't respond well. So they changed the plan. They gave him something to settle his stomach and are going try something different. Please pray that he will eat and that the food stays in his stomach so they can give him his pain medication orally. The nurse really wants him off his IV since the medication they are putting through there doesn't seem to be working. They are also planning on getting him up, at least sitting at the side of his bed. His nurse is great. He had her yesterday too. She told me yesterday that she didn't want to be mean to him because he is such a nice kid...so polite and kind. It told her to be mean! It's the only thing that motivates him. So here we go. I'll be giving updates later. Keep praying!

Sitting up...not so good!

The PT came in around 12:30 and tried to get Mitch up into the chair. Well, he never made it to the chair. He became very light-headed and had to lay back down. This is not unusual because he hasn't been up for awhile now. He wasn't in a lot of pain so that's good. They are going to try again later. Please pray that it will go better next time. Thanks!

A new day!

Mitch didn't have the most restful night. Not a lot of pain, but he couldn't get comfortable. Today, his physical therapist, Bonnie, wants him to get up to sit in a chair 3 times! Mitch wanted me to change the number to 1! I told him "no can do"... He also has a machine called a CPM (Continuous Passive Motion) machine that he has to do for 2 hours 3 times a day. It is a sweet machine...it does all the work, he just has to lay there. He likes it because it is covered in soft sheep skin. He's had a lot of bleeding, which is normal, so they have to keep putting additional gauze and tape on it. It should be "fun" when all the tape has to come off! He is on a morphine pump which he can push every 10 minutes if he needs it. He hasn't been needing to push it that much, which is good. He said the pain isn't nearly as bad as his back...more of an achy pain...not like the feeling of being stabbed with a knife. He says thanks for the facebook wall posts. He is not able to respond to them yet because he's still hooked up to IV and has the oxygen monitor on his finger. Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers. The support is greatly appreciated.

Surgery went well!

Mitch's surgery went well. He got started a little late (9:30) and he was done with surgery at 11:15. The doctor is satisfied with the results. It didn't go quite as he imagined it would, but the results are good. Mitch is resting now...probably won't be up for visitors tonight. Call Doug's cell first if you are thinking about coming up. He has a roomate, so the room is tight. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers. He was very calm and not nervous at all before surgery. He was just looking forward to the "happy" drugs that they gave him just before surgery. I'll keep you updated as time goes on.

Mitch's Hip Surgery

Mitch's hip surgery is scheduled for 9:00 Monday (April 20) morning. He will be at Spectrum Butternut. They will be building his hip socket with some plates and screws to correct his hip dysplasia (sp?). The surgery usually takes about 3 hours. He is expected to be in the hospital for 3 to 4 days. Please be in prayer for Mitch, the doctors and nurses, and all who will be involved. Thanks!