[amc] More good news for Steve

From: pat hochstetler <srh2pjh@xxxxxxxxx>
To: vhamann <vhamann@xxxxxxxxxx>, kcalmond <kcalmond@xxxxxxxxx>, amc <amc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, sheca_sheca <sheca_sheca@xxxxxxxxx>, "donna.duerksen" <donna.duerksen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, glinatsisi <glinatsisi@xxxxxxxxx>, norris0416 <norris0416@xxxxxxxxx>, cathymorg <cathymorg@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Natalie <Natalie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, rzrback_99 <rzrback_99@xxxxxxxxxxx>, cyndyreid12 <cyndyreid12@xxxxxxxxx>, headspeed <headspeed@xxxxxxxxxxx>, daryl <daryl@xxxxxxxxxxxx>, carrie <carrie@xxxxxxxxxxxx>, gailsmail000 <gailsmail000@xxxxxxxxx>, "phil.hochstetler" <phil.hochstetler@xxxxxxxxx>, mahvha <mahvha@xxxxxxxxx>, sunshine2199 <sunshine2199@xxxxxxxxx>, capatter <capatter@xxxxxxxxx>, rvoran <rvoran@xxxxxxx>, jsw69intadv <jsw69intadv@xxxxxxxxxxx>, rebeccarmt <rebeccarmt@xxxxxxxxx>, earthandwatermassage <earthandwatermassage@xxxxxxxxx>, ldiener789 <ldiener789@xxxxxxxxxx>, ddiener <ddiener@xxxxxxxxxx>, bkmandlem <bkmandlem@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, nclifehealth <nclifehealth@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "sanchez.rafael" <sanchez.rafael@xxxxxxxxx>, rossgr <rossgr@xxxxxxxxxx>, rchoch <rchoch@xxxxxxxxxxxx>, sahhrh <sahhrh@xxxxxxxxx>, snmartin <snmartin@xxxxxxxxx>, drohrer123 <drohrer123@xxxxxxxxx>, janemarawar <janemarawar@xxxxxxxxx>, millerms <millerms@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, chulce <chulce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, peanut_shows <peanut_shows@xxxxxxxxx>, "corine.ross" <corine.ross@xxxxxxxxxx>, jamielwelch <jamielwelch@xxxxxxxxx>, jdbm991 <jdbm991@xxxxxxxxx>, linda <linda@xxxxxxxxxxxx>, ceilmach3 <ceilmach3@xxxxxxxxx>, "rick.mach" <rick.mach@xxxxxxxxxxxx>, libharris <libharris@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, ctwo <ctwo@xxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 14 Oct 2010 00:04:33 -0500

Here's the update for Steve for Wednesday, Oct 13:

Thank you again for your continued prayers for Steve.  He is encouraged and
feels very loved to have so many people looking after him spiritually.  He
continues to receive excellent care from the nursing staff and the doctors.
It helps me a lot to know that he is in good hands.

Steve was sitting up in a chair when I got to the ICU today.  He said they
had him get out of his bed around 4am for a brief time.  He is looking
better and better.  His doctors are very pleased with how well he is doing.
His body responded by making platelets during/after the surgery and the
reading was 105K this morning.  (100K is good.  Before receiving platelets
before surgery, it was 84K.)

One of the rehab activities is re-building his lung capacity.  He has an
apparatus that has a scale and a tube that you suck as much air into your
lungs as possible.  For his age/weight a normal reading is around 3000.
Before surgery, he could suck 4000 (unit?).  Right after surgery, he could
do 1400.  Today is was reduced to 750 - 1000.  The night nurse said it is
not unusual for the volume to decrease the day after surgery.  He should be
able to increase his volume as the days go by.  He's disappointed when he
can't have high readings.  (Most of you know that Steve is an over-achiever
anyway.  He'll get to 4000 as soon as he can!)

When I was visiting tonight, the nurse was hoping they would be able to
remove the tube that is draining fluids around his lungs.  I know Steve is
apprehensive about being able to cough well.  Please pray that when his body
needs to cough, that it will be strong and productive.  (We know it will
hurt, but that's how things are right now.)  He is also feeling a bit weaker
tonight.  (Who wouldn't ... You don't eat for a day and then you don't get a
huge amount of calories the next day.  His appetite has been good.)  Please
pray that his body will gain the strength needed to keep up with the pace of
healing!

The nurse was also hopeful that Steve will be transferred out of ICU
tomorrow.  The timing will depend on when a room opens up for him.  The
heart ward on the 3rd floor was pretty full.  Doctors need to make rounds
(sometimes after a morning surgery) and even after discharge the rooms need
cleaning.  Most likely it will be sometime in the afternoon before he moves
to his final room on the third floor.

Steve's mom had suggested that we rent a special chair that reclines and has
assisted lifting.  The heart surgeon was OK with prescribing that.  I am
working with his insurance case manager and hope we get one delivered on
Friday.  We keep hoping that he will get discharged by Sunday.  We have a
tempurpedic mattress on our bed.  While it is nice that they help your body
position while sleeping, that mold is a bit challenging to extract yourself
from in the morning.  Also, our lounging furniture is a bit low and deep.
However, I expect that Steve will soon be using his strong legs and core to
be moving about the house.

Thanks again for all your support and prayers!  I'll be in touch again
tomorrow.

With Christ's Love,
Pat

[amc] More good news for Steve

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