Carl Got a Flat

Good news first - Samantha is doing well. They moved us up to the 7th floor out of ICU. She ate a bit tonight and was awake a bit more this evening.

Her right arm is a bit swollen from an earlier IV and compounded by the fact that there is still a clot in the artery the broviac was in. The doctors say the body will deal with it and that swelling should go down in a few days. They considered giving her blood thinners but that may hinder the free flap. For right now she is getting aspirin - then tomorrow they are planning on turning off the epidural and getting her on oral meds. Once she is managing her pain that way then they want to get rid of all the IVs and give her veins a break.

I am thinking we will go home on Monday or Tuesday...

Now of course things would not be the same in our household without a little bit of drama. Jeremy (aka Carl) called me this morning and from the tone of his voice I knew something was wrong. At first I thought it was Roxy - she was scheduled to have her surgery today. But no - Jeremy was calling me from the hospital. His lung collapsed again - it happened about 6 or 7 years ago. I forget the medical name for it - but last time we were told that it is common among young athletic men. It is even more common to happen multiple times. It so happened that last evening he was feeling out of sorts and having trouble sleeping. At about 3:30 am or so he knew it was the lung and called Damian. Isabella woke up and was a great helper getting dad to the hospital and also at the hospital. She was a mim nurses assistant. Jeremy is doing alright now - they put a tube into his lung thru his chest to help keep the pressure where it needs to be so the lung will stay inflated until the tear heals. Last time he needed to be in the hospital 4 days but this time they sent him home - the technology has improved leaps and bounds according to his doctor. He is on pain meds and is to rest until Sunday when he will go back in and they will cap off the tube and wait another day to make sure the lung doesn't collapse again. If it is good - then on Monday they will remove the tube.

Isabella is at a friends house for the night. I took off a couple hours from the hospital while Chris sat with Sam and went home to make sure he was alright for myself. His color is good, he is just moving a bit slowly.

I made him promise to call 911 if he had any problems during the night and to call me when he woke up tomorrow morning so I know he is ok. I hate that he is home alone - but he wouldn't come and stay with me in the hospital.

I always feel like we are just normal people - is there another normal family out there that has such an active life? If so - please let me know we are not alone!! :)

I got to talk with my friend Dianna today so I am feeling better about things all around. However, I am more sure than ever that I want to take a vacation - just a small one. What do you say Rena - maybe we should run away for a weekend to someplace warm and sunny - say.... California? Maybe a bed and breakfast in wine country?

I will start dreaming about it now....

I will update again tomorrow and let everyone know how Sam did coming off the epidural and how Jeremy is doing with his chest tube.

Until then - Love to everyone!!