Prayer chain needed

[mrkelley23]

I feel like a hypocrite asking, since I rarely add to these kinds of threads, but if any of you would care to, my father-in-law could use all the prayers and good wishes you can spare. His wife came home and found him collapsed on the porch. Wendy is taking her to the hospital to meet the ambulance. Don't know anything more now, but will post when I do. His name is Bill.

Thank you.

[a1mamacat]

Sending good thoughts for Bill

[Catfish]

Thoughts and prayers. Hugs and love.

[Bob78164]

I feel like a hypocrite asking, since I rarely add to these kinds of threads . . . .

My understanding is that there is traditionally no scorekeeping with this sort of request. He's in my thoughts. --Bob

[Beebs52]

You got'em.

[T_Bone0806]

Will keep positive thoughts and words from here, Mr. K.

[Beebs52]

I feel like a hypocrite asking, since I rarely add to these kinds of threads, but if any of you would care to, my father-in-law could use all the prayers and good wishes you can spare. His wife came home and found him collapsed on the porch. Wendy is taking her to the hospital to meet the ambulance. Don't know anything more now, but will post when I do. His name is Bill.

Thank you.

Oh, and don't feel like a hypocrite. There are times when we all know people are behind us and sometimes it's just difficult for one to express something that hasn't been said before. I know, I've been there. It's all good.

[MarleysGh0st]

I hope there's been some good news today that you haven't had time to tell us.

[christie1111]

I have asked for my share but even if I had not, you have them for Bill and the whole clan.

[ontellen]

Same here, Mike. Hope everything is okay. Hang in there!

[silverscreenselect]

Hope everything turns out okay.

[mrkelley23]

Update:

After having almost no hope after talking to the doctor post-surgery on Friday night, ("More than half of these cases don't make it; the bleed was pretty big -- 10 mm; I'll come back in the morning to see how he's doing") Bill is still hanging on and showing signs of improvement. Yesterday morning the surgeon was very pleased with the signs of progress, admitting that he expected to come back and do more surgery, but not only did that not happen, but the physical healing was progressing quite nicely. Last night he was showing signs of voluntary movement, and this morning, I just found out that he's overbreathing the ventilator (a good thing) and trying to communicate with his eyes. Just waiting now for the pulmonologist to come by and authorize removing the breathing tube.

He's far from out of the woods, but this is so much better than what I was dreading when I heard the initial diagnosis, it's amazing. Folks, if you have loved ones on Coumadin (Warfarin) it wouldn't hurt to have the cardiologist review the case and see if it's still recommended. The neurosurgeon told us that he sees an average of 5 cases a WEEK of brain bleeds caused by blood thinners, and he's just at one hospital (of 2 major ones) in a town of 120,000 people or so.

[SportsFan68]

WTG Bill!

[Buffacuse]

Sounds like he's fighting back...I'm pulling for him and you.

[tlynn78]

Scary business, Mr. K. I'm glad things are looking better, and you've got vibage from here.

t.

[christie1111]

Encouraging!

Keep giving us updates.

PS, we can't be sure but the BB network is pretty powerful.

I'm just sayin'!

[ghostjmf]

Prayers en route, & thanks for the update.


My mom was on Coumadin; we'll never really know if the mini strokes or the big one were related to the blood thinner & not blood clots, She definitely had had the clots, but when they finally got diagnosed (after the sets of doctors ignored her "I can't enough oxygen" symptoms) they were in her lungs, not her brain; hence the Coumadin & eventually a Greenfield filter inserted via her leg.

[mrkelley23]

Bill's still kicking, but there have been a few setbacks. His heart rate is worrisomely high, so they've cut back on number of visitors and lighting, to try to keep him calmer. His pacemaker appear to be functioning oddly, so they've called the cardiologist in for consult. That was supposed to happen today, but haven't heard any results from that. I was going to take the two younger boys by tonight for a visit, but Wendy says he's pretty out of it, so we're going to wait until tomorrow.

The neuro news is all good, though -- voluntary movements on both sides, and they sat him up on the edge of the bed today. As always, it's a long road to recovery from these things.

[mrkelley23]

Thought I would update this, for other reasons. Bill is going strong. His right side is still weak, so he walks with a cane, only drives in daylight (and with much worry from his family), and can't do some things. But for him to even be here is a miracle, and the fact that he can do so much is a testament to his strength and his medical care.

Unfortunately, his wife Sherry, Wendy's mom, is now in hospice care. She's fought the good fight against uterine cancer which they thought they had beaten three different times, only to have it show up in other parts of her body. She's had it in her bile duct for over two years now, and has endured so much chemo that the doctor won't give her any more, and multiple stent replacements and steroid treatments to keep her going. Through it all, she has maintained her outward demeanor, to the point where my mother almost refused to believe she was as sick as she was. This last trip to the hospital, though, yielded multiple sites where the cancer is sitting, the surgeon says he can't operate, and there's no more chemo or steroid treatment that will help. She's resisted hospice all this time, but she finally accepted it. Today I visited her, and she was in better spirits than she's been in many months. That may be because she's getting so many visitors. If you all don't mind, I'm going to share a little of her story from my perspective.

Sherry was the second mom-of-a-girl-I-dated who didn't like me. Looking back, that should have let me know then that Wendy and I were made for each other. Every other girl I've dated, their Mom liked me more than the girl did. When I first met Sherry, I slipped and said something rude (Wendy and I had only been dating for a few weeks) and that set the tone for our relationship for almost thirty years. Although she came to tolerate me, especially after the boys were born, I don't think she ever quite got over the fact that her only daughter fell in love with a divorced waiter with no prospects who then eloped and robbed her of her only chance to be the mother of the bride. Reading over that, it seems that we had an adversarial relationship, but we really didn't -- at least I hope not. I loved her for what she was and I hope she grew to do the same. When her cancer first showed up (nearly 11 years ago!) I despaired of what would happen to Wendy. She and her mother were so close that I didn't know if Wendy could survive her mother's death. Luckily, she beat the odds and all of her doctor's expectations and lived a great life all this time. She persisted through the heartbreak of her only son's untimely death, her grandson's diagnosis of epilepsy, and her husband's stroke and eventual rehab. Through it all, she remained quintessentially Sherry.

Sherry loved music, and especially loved going to see live music. Actually that's how Wendy and I met -- Sherry brought her with her to see a local 50s revival act (Think Sha-na-na) at the place where I was working. Through the years, Sherry became fans of several acts, local and national. To show you how devoted she was, she received a call today at the hospice center from a member of the group Lonestar (even if you don't like country music, you've probably heard their song Amazed) who had heard she was very ill and wanted to wish her well. I don't know how many times she saw Lonestar, but I know she and Bill went every year (until this last summer) to FanFair in Nashville. She also has made it a tradition to go with Wendy to Memphis in August every year for what I laughingly always called Elvis Easter. I guess I'll be filling that role from now on.

She's been in so much pain for so long. When I first brought up the idea of hospice, I told her that they would take care of her pain, and wouldn't worry about timetables like they did in the hospital. I don't know if she forgot or what, but yesterday (her first day in hospice), she was in pain, and Wendy said Let's call the nurse and get you more pain medicine, and she said, "Well, I can't for another hour." Wendy said, "Oh, yes you can" and rang the bell for the nurse. That's what I love about hospice -- their focus is on making the patient comfortable, not following some book about what is best for the patient. I believe that's why Sherry was so alert today and able to see and enjoy so many visitors -- because she didn't have any pain for the first time in who knows how long.

I feel like I know so many of you, even though I've never seen you face-to-face. That's why I'm sharing this story. I'll let you know when she passes, but until then, if you could think good thoughts for Sherry McBride, Wendy and I would both appreciate it.

Mike

[SportsFan68]

Sending good thoughts for Sherry. I'm very glad she was admitted to hospice. My Mom was scheduled to be admitted the day she died, and I know it would have been a great comfort to her in what had turned into some very difficult and painful final days.

[BackInTex]

Thanks for sharing Mike. Sherry is in my thoughts this evening.

[MarleysGh0st]

After seeing what my dad went through during his four year fight with cancer, I can't imagine what eleven years would be like.

I hope hospice helps Sherry find peace in the time she has left.

[Catfish]

Hugs and love.
Love,

[Beebs52]

Prayers and painfree hugs.

[kayrharris]

Thanks for sharing. Hugs and thoughts for your family and especially Wendy.

kay