Today I wanted to post not about Eric, but about all of you. His readers, friends, and our family.
Around Dec. 27th, was the time that things became known that Eric had more than just a common sickness and that his body was really sick and needed special attention. From that day, until today, almost a whole month later each of you have spent time visiting, praying, fasting, reading, and helping out in lots of different ways.
Eric will continue to need lots of these things in the following months as his body continue to heal, especially your prayers. When we plead with our father in heaven for those in need he will bless us and them. These blessings come in his own way and his own time. This has been a lesson we have learned through Eric's afflictions that patience is to endure things and endure them well. We will be blessed through our patience and our faith.
These two videos from our church explain the importance of both prayer and patience. This is our big thank you to each of you for your support thus far. We have been blessed over and over again through each of you. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Videos:
Prayer
Patience
P.S. Eric is doing well today, he has been up walking around again. :)
Until tomorrow.
Kimberly
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
Jan. 21st, 2011
Rub a dub dub Eric doesn't have to have a sponge bath anymore.
So after 20 days of sponge baths and all privacy out the door, Eric was allowed to take a shower. He no longer has any tubes hooked to him (other than the PICC line: for blood, giving meds, etc.) which made it possible for him to shower. I know he feels so good.
This update may not be a big splash, but it's the life of Eric for now.
Please continue to keep him and our parents in your prayers!
Have a great weekend.
Kimberly
So after 20 days of sponge baths and all privacy out the door, Eric was allowed to take a shower. He no longer has any tubes hooked to him (other than the PICC line: for blood, giving meds, etc.) which made it possible for him to shower. I know he feels so good.
This update may not be a big splash, but it's the life of Eric for now.
Please continue to keep him and our parents in your prayers!
Have a great weekend.
Kimberly
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Jan. 20th, 2011
No one ever wants to hear that they are being down graded, unless of course it means moving from an ICU room to a regular room on the heart floor.
Eric has a new room down the hall, new room #3718. It is the same building and same floor, just not in ICU. Hooray!!
He has been up walking around today and scared everyone cause he almost fell. One of his legs from the knee down went numb, they thought it was because he had not moved for such a long time. Just to be on the safe side they brought him back to the room, worked with him on some different stretches and coordination skills. Some of the stretches one side was doing well the other was not working right. So they took him down to do a CAT scan just make sure the brain was in good shape. The test came back good, so they believe it all comes down to not moving around lately.
Photos from my visit:
Swans-ganz catheter
We pray that his progress will continue and that he will be able to return back home soon. He still has lots of recovering to do but being home would be nice for everyone. No mention of doing that yet, but we will take a down grade in rooms for now.
Thanks for all the prayers! We see and feel the affects each and every day!!
All our love and thanks!
Kimberly
Eric has a new room down the hall, new room #3718. It is the same building and same floor, just not in ICU. Hooray!!
He has been up walking around today and scared everyone cause he almost fell. One of his legs from the knee down went numb, they thought it was because he had not moved for such a long time. Just to be on the safe side they brought him back to the room, worked with him on some different stretches and coordination skills. Some of the stretches one side was doing well the other was not working right. So they took him down to do a CAT scan just make sure the brain was in good shape. The test came back good, so they believe it all comes down to not moving around lately.
Photos from my visit:
Swans-ganz catheter
We pray that his progress will continue and that he will be able to return back home soon. He still has lots of recovering to do but being home would be nice for everyone. No mention of doing that yet, but we will take a down grade in rooms for now.
Thanks for all the prayers! We see and feel the affects each and every day!!
All our love and thanks!
Kimberly
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Jan. 19th, 2011
Our "gentle giant" is on the loose again. He has been up walking today. They left some of the catheter in his neck so that they don't have to poke him again, but the (I will call them wires since I am not really sure) wires have been removed so that he can get up and walk. So basically he is not hooked to a machine and is mobile.
So out of 19 days in a chair or bed he has been able to walk around twice. The things we take for granted each day! Walking should help the ole tushy out and hopefully help get that fluid moving out as well.
That's all folks.
Have a great night!
Thanks for keeping tabs on Eric and rooting for him along the way.
Kimberly
So out of 19 days in a chair or bed he has been able to walk around twice. The things we take for granted each day! Walking should help the ole tushy out and hopefully help get that fluid moving out as well.
That's all folks.
Have a great night!
Thanks for keeping tabs on Eric and rooting for him along the way.
Kimberly
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Jan. 18th, 2011
The update today is coming straight from Eric's room. I came up for a few hours to visit and decided to get Eric's input on his update for today.
First he wanted me to let everyone know that his bum is sore, his new best friend is the TV remote, hospital beds are not made for six -four human beings, and pain meds/ambien are a great source of nutrients. :)
The doctors have told him that he just needs to continue to release fluids, and that they are just going to watch him for the rest of the week. His numbers are looking good and they are just going to see how his body will handle things for a little while.
At this time Eric is taking up offers on leg massages and scratching. His personal assistant (his mother) has been placed on this job assignment and would love the help of those with long fingernails.
Other than that Eric has been in good spirits while I have been here and I saw that good ole for- real smile and got him to laugh a few good times. Humor is always good for the soul.
He thanks everyone for their time, support, comments, and prayers. He says that each of you are a big help in coping with the situation.
All of our love and thanks!
Kimberly & Eric
First he wanted me to let everyone know that his bum is sore, his new best friend is the TV remote, hospital beds are not made for six -four human beings, and pain meds/ambien are a great source of nutrients. :)
The doctors have told him that he just needs to continue to release fluids, and that they are just going to watch him for the rest of the week. His numbers are looking good and they are just going to see how his body will handle things for a little while.
At this time Eric is taking up offers on leg massages and scratching. His personal assistant (his mother) has been placed on this job assignment and would love the help of those with long fingernails.
Other than that Eric has been in good spirits while I have been here and I saw that good ole for- real smile and got him to laugh a few good times. Humor is always good for the soul.
He thanks everyone for their time, support, comments, and prayers. He says that each of you are a big help in coping with the situation.
All of our love and thanks!
Kimberly & Eric
Monday, January 17, 2011
Jan. 17th, 2011
This update will be short and sweet.
Eric seemed to be doing well today. He was able to get rid of about 6 liters of fluid today. Yep, that's "3" two liter bottles of urine. Pretty amazing that he has any fluid left. But they are cutting back on the meds. since they don't want him to continue to loose that much fluid so quickly.
His bum is a bit sore, Eric claims it was from the uncomfortable ambulance ride from Greenville to Chapel Hill. I would also add that sitting for 17 days straight in a hospital could make ones tushy a little on the sore side as well.
That's all the juicy details that I know right now.
All the best.
Kimberly
Eric seemed to be doing well today. He was able to get rid of about 6 liters of fluid today. Yep, that's "3" two liter bottles of urine. Pretty amazing that he has any fluid left. But they are cutting back on the meds. since they don't want him to continue to loose that much fluid so quickly.
His bum is a bit sore, Eric claims it was from the uncomfortable ambulance ride from Greenville to Chapel Hill. I would also add that sitting for 17 days straight in a hospital could make ones tushy a little on the sore side as well.
That's all the juicy details that I know right now.
All the best.
Kimberly
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Jan. 16th, 2011
I must first apologize to all UNC fans. When I posted a couple of days ago I mentioned "Rory Williams" whom I thought was the UNC-Chapel Hill basket ball coach. I was informed by my second proof-reader (one who obviously knows more about sports, more than my first proof-reader or I do) that he was "Roy" not "Rory".
Now on to the topic at hand.
Eric has seemed to have a good day. He had a few visitors, was told he could eat sweet tarts, star-bursts, and chew on gum. His liquids have been put back on restriction due to the fluid that has built up again, but the meds. seemed to help release a good amount of fluid today.
The doctors are pleased with the numbers they are getting from his catheter and arterial line, and he has been put on a 24- 48 hour watch to kind of see what the next step should be. When I hear he has been put on a watch I kind of laugh because he is being watched like a hawk 24/7 anyway. But I guess they take those readings from a period of time to see how his body is reacting to meds. Again, more wait and see what will happen next.
When he was admitted to UNC they wanted to reinsert the swans-ganz catheter in the same area that he had the previous one on the right side of the neck, but were unable to do so. They ran a Doppler over the area today and found the weather to be a bit foggy :). It also showed a blood clot, which they have upped his blood thinning meds. to help clear this up and will keep an eye on it.
The nurses have taken right to Eric's charm, and he was even adopted by one of them today. They have told my parents that Eric's main physician is great, and he is consulting with the top doctor that they have on staff to treat Eric. We are truly grateful for those prayers to have been answered to receive the best care possible. The team of doctors are concerned for Eric's health and have assured him that they are doing all they can to get his heart back to normal. If they see that his heart can't do this alone they have devices to help take care of the heart if it comes to that. This is one of the main reasons the doctor from Pitt wanted him to be at UNC.
I have made a bit of a change to the blog in the comment section, if you are not a member and did not want to sign up to be a member you can now leave comments and you will be listed as anonymous so be sure to leave your name or family's name at the bottom of your comment.
Thanks again for everything!
Kimberly
Now on to the topic at hand.
Eric has seemed to have a good day. He had a few visitors, was told he could eat sweet tarts, star-bursts, and chew on gum. His liquids have been put back on restriction due to the fluid that has built up again, but the meds. seemed to help release a good amount of fluid today.
The doctors are pleased with the numbers they are getting from his catheter and arterial line, and he has been put on a 24- 48 hour watch to kind of see what the next step should be. When I hear he has been put on a watch I kind of laugh because he is being watched like a hawk 24/7 anyway. But I guess they take those readings from a period of time to see how his body is reacting to meds. Again, more wait and see what will happen next.
When he was admitted to UNC they wanted to reinsert the swans-ganz catheter in the same area that he had the previous one on the right side of the neck, but were unable to do so. They ran a Doppler over the area today and found the weather to be a bit foggy :). It also showed a blood clot, which they have upped his blood thinning meds. to help clear this up and will keep an eye on it.
The nurses have taken right to Eric's charm, and he was even adopted by one of them today. They have told my parents that Eric's main physician is great, and he is consulting with the top doctor that they have on staff to treat Eric. We are truly grateful for those prayers to have been answered to receive the best care possible. The team of doctors are concerned for Eric's health and have assured him that they are doing all they can to get his heart back to normal. If they see that his heart can't do this alone they have devices to help take care of the heart if it comes to that. This is one of the main reasons the doctor from Pitt wanted him to be at UNC.
I have made a bit of a change to the blog in the comment section, if you are not a member and did not want to sign up to be a member you can now leave comments and you will be listed as anonymous so be sure to leave your name or family's name at the bottom of your comment.
Thanks again for everything!
Kimberly
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