Update...

Well, we just got home from visiting Uncle Pete...

According to the doctors in the ICU Uncle Peter has ARDS. 

ARDS leads to a buildup of fluid in the air sacs. This fluid prevents enough oxygen from passing into the bloodstream.

The fluid buildup also makes the lungs heavy and stiff, and decreases the lungs' ability to expand. The level of oxygen in the blood can stay dangerously low, even if the person receives oxygen from a breathing machine (mechanical ventilator) through a breathing tube (endotracheal tube).

ARDS often occurs along with the failure of other organ systems, such as the liver or the kidneys. 

If you are interesting in finding out more you can look it up on line...

The last Xray that was taken this afternoon on his lungs, did look better, but wasn't very good.  There is lots of cloudy fluid all over his lungs.  

He was taken off of the ventilator for a two hour test run today and did OK...

He began to tire out at the end.  Just like when you stop running.  He was making much more progress in waking up.  Last night we only got a flutter of the eye lids, and today he was actually following us slowly.  Especially, Aunt Mary Patrice!  He isn't following commands, which is a little concerning.  They are planning on seeing if this changes tomorrow...  If nothing has changed they are going to follow with a CT of the brain.  

Please, please say your prayers that there is nothing wrong with the brain...

We have been reassured over and over again, that since the kidneys and the liver aren't working properly it takes the body a lot longer to break up or pass the sedation medication.  We have to remember that he was on these meds for 10 days...  A long time!

Well, I'm pooped!

I have held Uncle Pete's hand and have told him that we are all rooting for him.  I kiss him on the forehead before I leave and tell him it is from all of us...!  

Keep saying your prayers...

elizabeth

18 Hours After....

We arrived late afternoon to the hospital yesterday and what an awesome ICU Uncle Pete is in.  He was completely taken off of all sedatives and heart medications.  And is now only on antibiotics and dialysis.  

They are extremely concerned about his lungs.  His Xrays yesterday came back not so good.  He has all of this cloudy matter all over his lungs.  They believe it is something called ARDS.  It can be curable, but will take awhile.  This is definitely something they will be keeping an eye on and hoping that today the Xrays come back better than yesterday.  

As we were hanging out a huge storm ended up blowing through STL.  It was awesome that we were forced to stay a little bit longer, because he began to wake up from being sedated.  He was blinking his eyes and even turned his head.  We are hoping that when we return this afternoon he has made more progress.

My Aunt is doing well and handling everything with such grace.  She is extremely overwhelmed and at times says she feels like she is drowning.  It is so hard to see my Uncle Pete this way and I can only imagine what she is feeling.  I was actually thinking about leaving on Sunday, but I don't think that is going to be an option....  It's looking like I may be here until June as support... 

Well, I will report later this evening on any new happenings.  

Please keep both my Aunt and Uncle in your prayers.

On another note, the boys are doing great and are having the time of their lives.  Mar Mar (Mara) and Kitty (Kit) have been such awesome babysitters...  It is so hard for me to believe that I use to watch and take care of them and now they are taking care of my babies... CRAZY!  The boys send them off to school in the morning, by opening the door and saying, "Bye Guls!"  And they are greeted home each afternoon with huge hugs and dancing!!!  "Mar Mar and Kitty home!!!"

I will keep you posted...

elizabeth

He Made it!!

Uncle Pete made it through his heart valve replacement surgery yesterday!!

YIPEE!!

All his vitals are really good...  The surgeon found one alarming thing....

There was some bacteria growing on the heart and she is hoping this bacteria is old and not active.  If active this could possibly get to the new valve and destroy it.  So, they are being extremely careful and cautious.

All good news!

I will keep posting new information when I receive it!

elizabeth

Staying Strong....

Uncle Peter is staying strong and resting!

Yesterday was a good day.

Not too much to report, which is a good thing!

He is stable and getting stronger...

Mara and all her classmates finished 1000 paper cranes.... With 1000 more to count!

Oh how I pray her wishes come true....

He Made It!

Yesterday was a long day....

Poor Aunt Mary Patrice left the house at 645am yesterday in plans that the hospital would do their planned diagnostic tests at 730am...

It didn't happen until 130pm...

Even though it was a long wait and a long day...

He made it through the tests!!!

Go Uncle Pete... You are one strong cookie!!!!

He is still scheduled for his heart/valve replacement surgery on Monday...

Aunt Mary Patrice is planning on getting her rest this weekend  (if I have to lay on top of her and pin her down...)  because Monday is going to be one hell of a long day...

Please keep saying your prayers,

we are taking one day at a time!

elizabeth

A Broken Heart

Here is the update...

We hurried down to the hospital this morning because, they let us know that they were going to lift off some of the sedation and he might come too...

His eyes fluttered a little but nothing ever happened. ;(

Anyways we were met by some heart doctors who have been looking over Uncle Peter's situation.  His Aorta valve is no longer working and will definitely need a new valve to keep kicking!!!

As of tonight they have started one of the diagnostic procedures and tomorrow morning at 730am will start the other.  He is penciled in for a heart surgery/new valve on Monday...

I have held so strong, but for some reason today... All the information and probably lake of sleep sent me off the deep end... We all shed some tears today...

Well, keep him in your prayers... 

We are getting ready to make our paper cranes!

elizabeth

Hang in there....

Here is the latest, and I would not say it is the greatest...

We met with one of the doctors yesterday, who fully explained Uncle Peter's situation.

The fluid from his stomach contained an infection/virus.  A virus can send off spurs/bugs into the blood stream and if you have any problems within the rest of your body, these spurs will attach themselves to it...

After being in the hospital for a while now, they found that he had a leaky aorta valve in his heart.  The spur/bugs were attracted to this area, stuck to it and grew.  The virus has now completely destroyed this valve and is not pumping blood through the system like it normally should.  With that being said, it is sending blood to his lungs... (this is where all the fluid on his lungs is coming from and why he is on a ventilator)  

With that being said, Uncle Peter cannot be off of the ventilator without having his valve replace.   If he does have the open heart surgery and the valve is replace he will eventually be weened off of the ventilator and be able to communicate...

What is so worry some is how in 7-8 days in he going to be able to withstand an open heart surgery???

SERIOUSLY!

And then eventually have a liver transplant....

Anyways, he is still on dialysis, because his kidneys are failing.  He has responded wonderfully to this and his O2 levels are the best they have ever been.  But what we believe is, that he is being held up by the dialysis and this is what is making his O2 levels so good.  We are wondering what will happen when he is taken of the dialysis and if his O2 levels will rise again.  

He was miss diagnosed two days ago with Vasculitis...  

He has a bum aorta valve in his heart that is infected and has been destroyed by this virus, which is Strep, that he tested positive when he came into the hospital on April 1st.  His liver is helping in the destruction as well...

At 1am we called the hospital to check on him and the nurse is so many words explained it isn't a good situation, he is extremely ill...

Say your prayers!

Everyday when we go down to the hospital my stomach turns because the uncertainty of what we are going to be faced with that day...

My aunt and I cried last night or this morning... 1-2am and just cannot believe this is happening to my Uncle Pete... And how the girls are in the prime of their lives... Getting their drivers license, graduation, college...

Nance and Ellen---I have given Uncle Pete many kisses from you guys and told him you love him to the moon and back... If you would like when we get to the hospital, I will call you and you can speak to him... (text me and let me know!) Billy did yesterday... He can hear us, he is just heavily sedated...

Thank you to all my friends back home for the support with my dogs...  And the concern...

I owe you all big time!

My sweet cousin has come up with an idea that she read, if you make/fold 1,000 paper cranes you will get a wish that will come true...

We are going to be folding our hearts out... I so want her wish to come true!!!

Love you all!

elizabeth

Oh... What next....?

Man O Man...  My poor Uncle Pete has been through hell and back and believe it or not it isn't over....

We went to the hospital today knowing he has a bum liver, vasculitis (sp?) (an immune disorder affecting in his lungs), infection on his stomach (which is under control), fluid on stomach, only breathing 20% on his on and 80% from the machine, highly sedated, Kidneys are failing and starting dialysis....  With all that being said we get down there and Aunt Mary Patrice is met by multiple heart doctors who proceed to tell her that a month ago when my uncle wenr to another local hospital for being sick, he tested positive for Strep.  This was handled with an antibiotic, normal procedure.  Then on April 1st when he arrived to this hospital he tested positive again for Strep... No one said anything...! The antibiotics that he has been given have been controlling the Strep... and I believe it is under control at this point...

BUT....

They have found fungi growing on his aorta valve and the bottom part of his heart, that is a cause of Strep.  The aorta valve is not beating properly and is pushing the blood up and then back down and not through the body like it normally should.  And is causing his lungs to fill up with fluid and blood... (which is then making breathing hard...) Not to mention he has a leak in that valve...  So at this point they don't know if he has an immune disorder (vasculitis--which causes bleeding on the lungs, but he hasn't taken to the steriods that have been administered the last three days which leads them to believe this is a heart disease) or a heart disease (sorry, I can't think of the name for it right not!).  My Aunt was met by by a heart specialist/surgeon who wants to do open heart surgery in about 2-3 days do give him a new valve...  UGH!!! OMG!!! 

Basically, they were suppose to have run a diagnostic test last night to see how the blood is flowing through his heart...   We have called the hospital, but he nurse is writing up her reports and will call when she has them completed.  He looked so calm and rested yesterday... I kissed him and told him we all loved him and to hang in there...! 

What a strong guy he is....

I hope this isn't too confusing and you can kind of understand what I'm talking about... The whole thing is really confusing...  And we just keep going over things constantly....

Again, keep him in your prayers...  

He is an integral part of this family and would be just lost with out him....

elizabeth

Please Say a Little Prayer!!!

“Heavenly Father, You are intimately aware of the struggle he is experiencing -- the pain and the despair. You know the desire of his heart to be healed of this illness. I ask now for Your healing touch. I know that You are able and that just like in Bible times, You can heal my Uncle Peter.

“I also understand that You will chose what is best for him. I pray that through this trial, he will draw close to You -- that You will be his comfort and strength. I pray that ultimately, whatever happens, You will be glorified through him. I pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.”

As some of you already know my Uncle Peter, Pete, Great Uncle Punkin is very ill!

I have been here in St. Louis for the last couple of days and never dreamed this would every happen to such a wonderful man.  I have hugged and kissed him and told him we are all here for him.  As of today they have lowered his meds that make him completely out of it.  It was so great to see the dry sarcasm even hooked up to a ventilator and cannot even speak.  

My Aunt let him know that yesterday Billy was there all day and sat with him...

He started to get all choked up and tears began to fall from his face.  It is a sight I don't think I will ever forget. 

(My Uncle and Billy have always had an indescribable relationship since Billy was my boys ages)

After many doctor visits he will have to face some battles and boy do I mean battles...before a transplant can even take place.  

I have held strong for 48 hours and at one point today after a team of doctors left, I couldn't hold the pain and tears in any longer.  I ran over to Uncle Pete, he opened his eyes, I laid my head on his shoulder, told him I loved him and he just had to pull through this and be strong.  He turned his head and put it on my head and I lied there and cried.  

It is so, so, hard to see him this way... I have no explanation for it...

Thanks so much to Kit, her 6 friends and Mara.  They have been taking so good care of my boys while I have been helping to take care of Aunt Mary Patrice and keep up with the day to day chores of the house.

Not to mention my friends Axel, Patty, Chloe, Maddison, and Chingy for taking such good care of my furry loves! And thank you all my great friends for worrying about me and the concern for my uncle...  I love you all!

I was planning on heading home with dad on Sunday, but Aunt Mary Patrice asked me this morning if I would stay for much longer.... 

Not a prob! I wouldn't leave for the world!

The girls talked with Uncle Pete this evening, even though he couldn't talk, he would raise his eyebrows in response...

We love him so and are learning to patiently to wait sec by sec, minute by minute, day by day for his recovery...

He is looking much better from yesterday...  

And hoping for the same results tomorrow!

Please pray... my Uncle Peter can't have enough!!!  

We all love him to the moon and back!!!

elizabeth

Colorful Morning!

The sun is shinning, the birds are chirping, my carpets are cleaned (as of yesterday!), and cinnamon buns in the oven!

We have lots to do to day, and typically I've already started cleaning, doing laundry and making beds...

What the hell....

I'd rather drink my coffee & blog right now instead!

If the boys and dogs don't care... I'm giving it up for this morning! 

I'm gonna change the boys clothes and let them go and play in our muddy backyard!!!

There are many hours left in the day to clean...  RIGHT!

This is what I am telling myself as I see the boys run by and Bernice's tumble weed follows behind...

(see I would have already vacuumed for the morning...)

OH BOY!

You will have to look closely...

This is a like daddy like son moment!

Mark sticks his tongue out when in a serious concentrating moment and so does my little monkey Matthew!

The same way to be exact...!

lol!

This is my little artist...

Just like his mommy!

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

Filled with lots of love and colors...

elizabeth

Tornado's Oh MY!

"Fill your paper with

the breathing of your heart"

~ William Wordsworth

Well, Monday we had our first scare of thunderstorms and tornado's....

Whew!

We were all good except the rotted fence of my neighbors came crashing down!!!

The sirens went of and I quickly rushed the boys to the bathroom...

Bernice came charging in and instantly jumped in the tub, before all of us...

So glad she was safe!

I just had to take a photo!

We made it through the storm with little damage and electricity!

Now waiting on the grass to dry up so we can play out back...

elizabeth

Stop the Bus...!!!!

Sade it coming to Memphis...

And guess who is going....

Yours Truly!

Mark, tried to surprise me with tickets the other evening, but had to call because he was having issues with the Internet... Not surprised!

I was given strict orders... nothing over $400 and no back stage passes... DARN!

I'm soooooo EXCITED!!!

Just had to share!

elizabeth

Spring is FINALLY here!!

Winter is officially over and we have busted out the shorts, t-shirts & shades!

It couldn't get here soon enough...

My monkeys are boys through and through!

They would stay outside all day and roll in the mud or swing from the trees, like little monkeys do!

I will say, I am ready to give up the man chores...

mowing the lawn,

trimming,

power washing...

It has been rewarding at times, but I will not shed a tear to turn my duties back over!

My neighbor keeps popping by when ever he sees me outside, to see what we are up to next... I know he is thinking... If only my wife would do some of these things!

LOL!

Poor Jill... Or should it be Way To Go Jill!

MR. David, does it all! LOL!

Well, he will be quite surprised this morning to see his fence has fallen (due to heavy winds!)...

He has been planning on fixing it, but was hoping he had a little more time...

He can take all the time he needs, but he will have a huge St. Bernard in his backyard!

LOL!

Well, not much else to report here...

Keep my Uncle Peter in your prayers... We love him to the moon and back!



Dear Jesus, Divine Physician and Healer of the sick, we turn to you in this time of illness. O dearest comforter of the troubled, alleviate our worry and sorrow with your gentle love, and grant us the grace and strength to accept this burden. Dear God, we place our worries in your hands. We place our sick under your care and humbly ask that you restore your servant to health again. Above all, grant us the grace to acknowledge your will and know that whatever you do, you do for the love of us. Amen.

Elizabeth