Assuming the pull in at noon (which is a reasonable assumption) it’s not long now before my company arrives.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

I hope I surprised you. Let’s do something fun today to celebrate YOUR day. Any ideas? I have a few…

I love you! ~Me

It’s official, I purchased my ticket tonight.  I’m going home the Friday after Thanksgiving.  I’m really excited to get home and excited because it means everything is still going great here.

Maybe I’ll get home in time to do some Black Friday shopping.  :)  I got some GREAT deals last year.  :)  I don’t do the early morning crowds and when I was in CA I didn’t do ANY Black Friday shopping but since I moved I found that Black Friday shopping can be kind of fun.

Surgery was yesteray, they were supposed to go back at 3 but didn’t go back until a little after 5. My sister went back first then my dad followed a short time later. About 3 hours later the doctor came in to tell us my sister came through with no problems and that my dad was doing really well but would probably be in ICU for a day. We fully expected that. They had also told us he’d probably have to have one round of dialysis. He was expected to be in surgery for about another hour.

An hour later they were bringing my sister up to her room. We talked to her and she said my dad was in recovery and that the doctor had talked to him and he was going well. She was able to talk to him and he got to see her. That was really awesome.

My dad’s doctor came up later and said he wasn’t going to ICU and that the kidney started working within 2 minutes of hooking it up…even before they were done sewing everything in place! He said my dad would be in recovery for the night just to be extra careful but would be in his room by morning.

My mom, brother, and I went to the hotel to get some sleep. My other sister and her girlfriend stayed with my sister. At midnight my sister called to let us know she’d been in to see my dad. At 5:45 we got a call from Tami to let us know that she’d just had a visitor. My dad got to his room around 3AM. My sister walked over to see him at 4AM and at around 5AM my dad walked to her room to see her.

I can’t begin to tell you how GOOD they both look. In all my secret hopes and wishes of how he’d come through surgery I never imagined he look this good.

The surgery was difficult, he lost a lot of blood and they are watching him very carefully. But, he looks great and says he feels great. Amazing day.

Till later…

I can’t believe it’s already Thursday. This week has been CRAZY. I arrived on Saturday without any problems or delays.

Sunday we had a really nice prayer time after church that was an awesome experience for my dad and sister. My mom and I went to the mall because I DESPERATELY needed a new pair of jeans (I was really worried mine would split they’re so old). The mall was a complete zoo so I ended up just leaving…I couldn’t handle the craziness.

Monday my dad and I got up to leave the house at 6:30AM for the hospital. We got there in plenty of time to have them call him back 45 minutes AFTER his appointment was scheduled for. On top of that it took an hour longer than we’d expected. Just a fun day. But, my dad did fine so it wasn’t too bad.

Tuesday he had dialysis. My nephew had a difficult time Monday at school so I kept him home. Tuesday was pure craziness. Luckily I was able to get access to my home computer on Monday thanks to a friend going by to fix that.

Wednesday I had to stop by a clients for some stuff then came home to check on my dad. The nurse was here for his infusion to get his body ready to accept my sisters organ. The infusion was a little riskier than we first thought and he wasn’t taking it too well so my mom and I stayed home for the evening. The infusion was supposed to last about six hours. It ended up taking 12 hours. He had to have the same infusion today so we got his dialysis moved up to 6:30 this morning.

Thursday my dad was at dialysis at 6:30. He was very restless and just didn’t feel good. Dialysis went OK and he got home just after the nurse had arrived. He got started on the infusion and had a really difficult time with it. His blood pressure kept going up which meant they had to do a slower infusion. At the rate he was at it was going to take 24 hours to infuse him. Not acceptable at all. The nurse had him take the anxiety pills the doctor prescribed and that helped a little. Then his very good friend, our old pastor, showed up to spend the day with him. Immediately his blood pressure dropped. It was CRAZY. I had told the nurse that it would probably drop after he got here but didn’t expect it to happen that fast. But, we were lucky it did. He was done in about six or seven hours.

My brother arrived early evening, my dad’s sister and brother-in-law arrived just after that. They actually picked my brother up from the airport and brought him here. We had a great family evening.

Everyone is in bed now to get up early for tomorrow.

My dad, sister, mom, and brother are leaving at 6:30AM. I’m staying here with my nephew. He’s getting picked up at 9AM to spend the weekend with some friends of his. (His first sleepover at a friends house. ) My aunt and uncle are picking me up around noon to go up to the hospital.

Tomorrow will be a long day. But, it will be very nice to have this next step done.

Surgery is supposed to start at 3. Usually they would take my sister back first but they need to do some exploring in my dad to see where they will be able to put the new organ so he will go back first. Tami will probably be done around 6, my dad probably not until closer to 9 but hopefully sooner.

I should have updates tomorrow.

Till later…

So, here’s the plan for the next week so you can support us in prayer.

Today, I plan on going crazy.  LOL  Actually, today I’m finishing up some work stuff, finishing packing, and doing some last minute cleaning.

Tomorrow I leave for the airport to fly to CA.  My dad has to be at the hospital at 8AM tomorrow for his first procedure to prep him for surgery then they’ll go home and pick me up at 4:30.

Monday my dad and I have to be at the hospital at 8AM for his second procedure.  We’ll be there for 2-3 hours then go home.

Tuesday he has dialysis.

Wednesday a nurse is coming to the house to do his 5 hour treatment prior to surgery.

Thursday he has an early dialysis appointment then the nurse will meet us at the house for his last 5 hour treatment. Then we will all head up to San Francisco — the family is staying in a hotel near the hospital.

Friday morning my dad and Tami need to be at the hospital at 8AM.  I’ll stay at the hotel with Rider until the people who are watching him that day arrive then I’ll head over to the hospital.  I’ll probably take a cab or the bus since parking at the hospital is so expensive and there’s no reason to have that many cars up there.

Surgery is scheduled to begin at 3PM.  (I know you’re thinking the same thing we are…why do they need to be at the hospital at 8AM if the surgery isn’t until 3PM.)  Well, good question.  It’s not uncommon for something to go wrong and a surgery to be postponed the day of.  So, the social worker recommended they be there and ready to go in case the morning surgery gets postponed.

So, that’s the plan for next week.

Till later…