Bad News/Good News

Bettyjo had been eating some soft foods, and drinking some water. Earlier today she began leaking from her neck again. She will be having a swallow test tomorrow and will see the ENT later this week.

Bettyjo went to the Ortho today, and it appears that she may be out of the collar in 4 more weeks. Originally it was to be 8 more weeks.

Please pray for total healing, and mental strength, for all of us.

Good News

Bettyjo went to the ENT yesterday. He was very pleased with the healing that has taken place with the open neck wound. It is almost completely healed. He has allowed her to begin drinking water, and on Monday she can start eating some very soft foods. In two weeks she is to start eating ground meat etc. Please pray that the esophagus will not leak and that she will have an easy time getting back on food, and that she does not develop an infection.

She is still having pretty substantial pain from the rod in her neck, and will be going back to the Ortho next week, hopefully we will have good news from him as well.

Updates

Bettyjo is still in considerable pain as a result of the rod being placed in her neck. The good news is that her incisions are healing well and with out infection. Se will be going to the ENT next Friday, so please pray that she will be able to swallow something (even water would be progress) after that visit.

Please pray for my dad who had rotator surgery this week. The damage was more extensive than originally expected, and he is in considerable pain. The worst thing is that he is not supposed to drive for two weeks and will be stuck at home while my mom works. However, I expect he will be driving before then.

Lastly, please pray for my grandmother as she has had some serious vision problems, and will be having an MRI and CT scan to diagnose the problem.

Bettyjo Status

Bettyjo went to the Ortho today, and received some disappointing news. He wants her to stay in the hard collier for 10 more weeks, till around September 19th. The staples came out today, and the Xray shows the rod going from c4 to t2.

Bettyjo Status

Bettyjo received a call this morning that Dr. Miley was ill and would not be able to keep his appointment with her today. It is rescheduled for Wednesday.

Dr. Willet (ENT) saw her today and was very impressed at how well the open wound in her neck is healing. He changed the way, and packing material type. We will see him again in two weeks. He said that it appears that the original bone graph was what was keeping the wound from healing the first time around.

Bettyjo Status

She is in a fair amount of pain yet from the surgery. The incisions themselves look good, and we have been keeping up on the prescribed antibiotic. She will be going to both the ENT and Othro doctors on Tuesday. I hope to be posting good news to this blog site then.

Bettyjo Status

Bettyjo and I enjoyed the Choctaw fireworks Tuesday night from our front yard. The walk to our front yard and back was exhausting for her, so I am certainly glad we did not try to go anywhere.

Bettyjo is tired but I think doing better. Home health care is scheduled to come to our home and change her dressing twice a day, and she has a appointment to see Dr. Willet on Tues., so the wound care will most likely change.

Bettyjo Status

Well.........she came home today. Our trip home was much less eventful than the one we took in March (we came home in a freak snow storm in rush hour traffic, she was very sick and we didn't know how to hook her feeding tube up........and my nerves were shot). Other than the pain from the surgery, she is doing very well. I was able to watch the nurse change the dressing on the open wound on her neck, and I think I can do it if Aetna won't allow the home health nurse to come out twice a day as she is now scheduled. That wound is starting to close, and is about 1" smaller than it was last Thursday, and it did not seep any blood.

Thank you all for your prayers and support, it is greatly appreciated.

Bettyjo Status

Bettyjo was unplugged from all machines today. No IV, no pain machine, no oxygen. However, she does still have a feeding tube, but at least that is where she was at when she went into the hospital last week. The doctor would like to see her come home Wednesday, so......we'll see. With her pain level tolerable she would like to come home. I am a little nervous caring for the large open wound in the front of her neck, although the nurse has said that it is healing well.

Bettyjo Status 7-1-07

The girls and I visited Bettyjo this afternoon. Thanks to the narcotics her pain has diminished, but they have left her a little nauseous. The surgical incisions are healing fine. Please pray that she is healing as well below the surface. It looks as if she will be coming home Tuesday or Wednesday, barring any further complications. However, I am pushing for Thursday or Friday, as I am a little worried about caring for the open wound on the front of her neck because it is deep, and about 3" long.