I would like to thank everyone who has been keeping track of my progress. I'm doing so much better now that I'm back home. I greatly appreciate all the cards, food and prayers. Thank you very very much. I praise God for the miraculous gift he has bestowed upon me.
I would like to thank my Mother and Father who love me so dearly, Mandy for being such an incredible big sis', and Nathan for being an awesome big bro'.
Thank you,
Love David (written and posted with help from good friend, Alex)
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Sliding into Home!
We thought we'd never get out of there! We had a swallow study and a therapy consult we were able to nix, but still had a back xray this morning that had to be done. That was a trick - getting him in the chair, then out of the chair, then holding him like an octopus on a little swivel chair to get x-rays of his back. All that went fairly well, put him back in bed, and sat and waited in the room for 3 hours waiting for the discharge papers. The greatest feeling in the world - loading him in the van and heading home!
He is still very medicated, feeling yucky, but starting to eat just a little. He had barely anything to eat in the hospital so we appreciated coming home to dinner provided by some wonderful folks - and that seemed to do the trick. He ate a little bit, but enough to start helping him get his strength back.
So he is settled in his own bed, with balloons, cards and well wishes from all of you - a wonderful place to recuperate. Thank you all very much!
He is still very medicated, feeling yucky, but starting to eat just a little. He had barely anything to eat in the hospital so we appreciated coming home to dinner provided by some wonderful folks - and that seemed to do the trick. He ate a little bit, but enough to start helping him get his strength back.
So he is settled in his own bed, with balloons, cards and well wishes from all of you - a wonderful place to recuperate. Thank you all very much!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
We are almost outta' here!!
Today was full of positive steps to getting David HOME tomorrow!!
It's Sister again writing and giving another update, I actually had written a post and lost it all!! Man, I have not been having the best of luck with this blog!! hahaaha
Anyway, as Mom mentioned, YES, David slept just about all night except for when I gave him is meds. I could not believe it!!
Dr. Fitch and his team came in about 6am and I was able to talk with them as I have been able every morning. They all seemed to think that since David was progressing so well, he should be able to go HOME TOMORROW(wednesday)!!!! I could barely stand it, I wanted to call Mom and Dad right then and there to let them know---but it was so early I waited til Mom got here.
Of course, the first question of the day from David was if he was going to go home today. His little lip puckered up and he almost cried when I told him that it would probably be tomorrow. I have been trying to encourage him everyday that if we go home too early we might have to come back and that would be absolutely awful!! He agreed and then went back to sleep :)
David got transferred to a regular pediatric floor room that has lots of space and a huge window. After David was transferred, I called Mom about 4 and was absolutely shocked when she said, "Guess what we are doing, we have been walking with David around the hospital for about an hour in his wheelchair!" I about started crying and flipping out, I was in utter amazement, just yesterday he could only sit for about 15 minutes!!
More answers to prayers are:
His blood levels have improved dramatically
His kidney blood levels have improved dramatically; urinating great
His pain is well controlled
His eating is slowly improving
He is supposed to go home tomorrow!!!
Requests:
That we can have an easy, smooth and QUICK discharge home tomorrow
That the car ride won't be difficult or painful
The medication regimen would be easily adapted for David's pain needs as he gets home and starts to heal.
Continue to sleep at night.
The LORD has been so faithful and quick to answer all of our specific requests, why do we ever take our eyes off THE Savior and gaze at the circumstances when the LORD is in control of it all!!
May HIS name be glorified above all things and may the LORD receive Honor and praise for all the miraculous deeds that HE has done in David during this time!!
From the depths of our hearts, we thank you for all of your prayer and support!!
Love,
The Bradley Family
It's Sister again writing and giving another update, I actually had written a post and lost it all!! Man, I have not been having the best of luck with this blog!! hahaaha
Anyway, as Mom mentioned, YES, David slept just about all night except for when I gave him is meds. I could not believe it!!
Dr. Fitch and his team came in about 6am and I was able to talk with them as I have been able every morning. They all seemed to think that since David was progressing so well, he should be able to go HOME TOMORROW(wednesday)!!!! I could barely stand it, I wanted to call Mom and Dad right then and there to let them know---but it was so early I waited til Mom got here.
Of course, the first question of the day from David was if he was going to go home today. His little lip puckered up and he almost cried when I told him that it would probably be tomorrow. I have been trying to encourage him everyday that if we go home too early we might have to come back and that would be absolutely awful!! He agreed and then went back to sleep :)
David got transferred to a regular pediatric floor room that has lots of space and a huge window. After David was transferred, I called Mom about 4 and was absolutely shocked when she said, "Guess what we are doing, we have been walking with David around the hospital for about an hour in his wheelchair!" I about started crying and flipping out, I was in utter amazement, just yesterday he could only sit for about 15 minutes!!
More answers to prayers are:
His blood levels have improved dramatically
His kidney blood levels have improved dramatically; urinating great
His pain is well controlled
His eating is slowly improving
He is supposed to go home tomorrow!!!
Requests:
That we can have an easy, smooth and QUICK discharge home tomorrow
That the car ride won't be difficult or painful
The medication regimen would be easily adapted for David's pain needs as he gets home and starts to heal.
Continue to sleep at night.
The LORD has been so faithful and quick to answer all of our specific requests, why do we ever take our eyes off THE Savior and gaze at the circumstances when the LORD is in control of it all!!
May HIS name be glorified above all things and may the LORD receive Honor and praise for all the miraculous deeds that HE has done in David during this time!!
From the depths of our hearts, we thank you for all of your prayer and support!!
Love,
The Bradley Family
New Room 7705
When I posted last, I didn't realize they were going to move us so fast from the step-down room to a regular room. But that's a good thing! Another step toward going home!
So it may be that folks will have to visit him at home.
He has been pretty quiet today - not feeling very good, and I think it's the problem mentioned before, but not sure.
So it may be that folks will have to visit him at home.
He has been pretty quiet today - not feeling very good, and I think it's the problem mentioned before, but not sure.
Room 5307
Not too much to add this morning, but David's in a regular room and I wanted to let the folks who've been asking know where they've moved him, Room 5307. If you wanted to visit and have any trouble finding us, call my cell, 862-6906.
He's doing great from the surgery, but he's still uncomfortable due to his bowels. We hope to have some help for that a little later. He's also a little disappointed that he's not quite ready to go home. We are thrilled as there's a possibility of him going home tomorrow! I wasn't here quite early enough to talk to the doctor, but Mandy said he thought that might be a possibility. I guess when PT comes around today to try him in the chair, we'll know how that part of it goes. I'm not sure he's quite ready for the 30 minute ride home - though we still pinch ourselves whenever we have to transport him in his new van, how very smooth and comfortable it makes our lives.
Mandy stayed with him last night and said he slept through the night (except for having to stir him when the nurse came by). Can you imagine! In all these years of no sleeping through the night, I wasn't even here to enjoy it :-) I'm not surprised - his sister has no doubt speeded his recovery time and surely added to his comfort---so, so thankful for her.
One of us will try to update at the end of the day.
He's doing great from the surgery, but he's still uncomfortable due to his bowels. We hope to have some help for that a little later. He's also a little disappointed that he's not quite ready to go home. We are thrilled as there's a possibility of him going home tomorrow! I wasn't here quite early enough to talk to the doctor, but Mandy said he thought that might be a possibility. I guess when PT comes around today to try him in the chair, we'll know how that part of it goes. I'm not sure he's quite ready for the 30 minute ride home - though we still pinch ourselves whenever we have to transport him in his new van, how very smooth and comfortable it makes our lives.
Mandy stayed with him last night and said he slept through the night (except for having to stir him when the nurse came by). Can you imagine! In all these years of no sleeping through the night, I wasn't even here to enjoy it :-) I'm not surprised - his sister has no doubt speeded his recovery time and surely added to his comfort---so, so thankful for her.
One of us will try to update at the end of the day.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Out of the ICU!!
Ok, so it's Amanda again, and i've heard i'm getting threats against my life because I haven't been updating quick enough....sorry, had a little bit of technical difficulties--i couldn't post for some reason on the blog. :0)
Let me catch you up on all of the wonderful ways the Lord has been faithful to David over just the past 24 hours!
As mom said, he had a bit of a rough start to last night and really finally got to sound sleep at about 5am this morning. AS you can imagine, that was really hard on mom, but she would never admit that because she is the best mom and woman that I've ever and will ever know! The praise in all of that is when the surgery fellow came to round that morning(which has been around 5:30 everyday while I was there) he was able to remove David's surgery dressing, re-dress the incision and remove the HUGE drain(more like a pipe) all while David pretty much stayed asleep!! WOWWWW! What a blessing. I don't think I could every explain to you or make you comprehend what type of pain David was in before surgery with his hip. We just could not roll him over without it just destroying him. Since he has been in here, the LORD has miraculously healed that pain!!! In fact, that left leg is as straight and relaxed as I have ever seen it in my life!!!
As the morning went on today, the ICU nurses removed the IV in his neck and removed his foley catheter. His kidney labs continue to improve! Praise the Lord. To be honest, I have not gotten his lab work from today for his blood, but I am assuming that they would not have moved him if it had not improved or it was not stable at this point. THey also would not have removed the line from his neck if they were concerned that he might need more blood.
So a big test came when Physical therapy came it!! uhh ohh-moving and sitting! Dad was there to transfer Dave into a wheelchair that they provided bc it reclined more that David's. Mom said that he did pretty good and was able to sit for about 15 minutes. I was so proud of him for being so brave. I can only imagine that would be scary to do for the first time after having this back surgery. Whoo, I can't even bare to think about it...
Mom left to go home and sleep about 1pm today and then about 2 we moved to a step down bed!!! Whooo hooo. We have had great nurses here as well. Elise, Alex and Jessica came up to see David. It was so nice to have them come and it helps him as well. He is still pretty snookered from the medicine, I think most of that is from the Valium(muscle relaxant) but that is really necessary right now for his muscles to stay relaxed. He is not on the IV Dilaudid(very strong pain narcotic) and it seems that his emotional state is much more calm and stable--answer to prayer! He is also taking oxycodone as needed for pain.
When I got here today I was doing my usual assessment of him and noticed a unusual feeling in his abdomen. There was some air under the skin that I was able to palpate and then there was a bit larger area that I was not expecting to feel. I had the floor nurse feel it and she decided to page the intern. David did not complain of pain when I was pushing on it, but his abdomen is distended. The intern came in and decided to order a x-ray for the stomach and intestines. He just came in right now and told me that David has a very small ileus(a slowing of part of the intestine), but that they would just watch it for now. He is already on some medicine that will help with that (Lactulose)
Mom came back this afternoon and her and dad went and got a little dinner together. My roommate, Jennifer, was here at Duke for work and she brought me some dinner. Dad went home about 7. Mom stayed and we were able to talk for a little while . David got his abdomen x-ray and then we gave him a really good bath. He has been asleep since about 10 and I am hoping he will be able to get a good nights sleep tonight.
I ask that you pray for a couple specific things for the coming days to get us home:
His ileus would resolve in the intestines and he would not have difficulty going to the bathroom
Continued decrease in kidney labs
Continued increase in blood labs
Continued increase in appetite
Continued pain control with meds
Continue to gain strength and energy
Getting into a wheelchair to be easier for him
Once again, we thank you for all your prayers and support. The Lord has been so faithful in answering the specific prayers that we and you have been praying!!
Daniel 6:19-23:
19 Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. 20 As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” 23 Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
David is our current example of Daniel ;0) Mom used this passage to encourage David to TRUST IN THE LORD!!
Love,
The Bradley Family
Let me catch you up on all of the wonderful ways the Lord has been faithful to David over just the past 24 hours!
As mom said, he had a bit of a rough start to last night and really finally got to sound sleep at about 5am this morning. AS you can imagine, that was really hard on mom, but she would never admit that because she is the best mom and woman that I've ever and will ever know! The praise in all of that is when the surgery fellow came to round that morning(which has been around 5:30 everyday while I was there) he was able to remove David's surgery dressing, re-dress the incision and remove the HUGE drain(more like a pipe) all while David pretty much stayed asleep!! WOWWWW! What a blessing. I don't think I could every explain to you or make you comprehend what type of pain David was in before surgery with his hip. We just could not roll him over without it just destroying him. Since he has been in here, the LORD has miraculously healed that pain!!! In fact, that left leg is as straight and relaxed as I have ever seen it in my life!!!
As the morning went on today, the ICU nurses removed the IV in his neck and removed his foley catheter. His kidney labs continue to improve! Praise the Lord. To be honest, I have not gotten his lab work from today for his blood, but I am assuming that they would not have moved him if it had not improved or it was not stable at this point. THey also would not have removed the line from his neck if they were concerned that he might need more blood.
So a big test came when Physical therapy came it!! uhh ohh-moving and sitting! Dad was there to transfer Dave into a wheelchair that they provided bc it reclined more that David's. Mom said that he did pretty good and was able to sit for about 15 minutes. I was so proud of him for being so brave. I can only imagine that would be scary to do for the first time after having this back surgery. Whoo, I can't even bare to think about it...
Mom left to go home and sleep about 1pm today and then about 2 we moved to a step down bed!!! Whooo hooo. We have had great nurses here as well. Elise, Alex and Jessica came up to see David. It was so nice to have them come and it helps him as well. He is still pretty snookered from the medicine, I think most of that is from the Valium(muscle relaxant) but that is really necessary right now for his muscles to stay relaxed. He is not on the IV Dilaudid(very strong pain narcotic) and it seems that his emotional state is much more calm and stable--answer to prayer! He is also taking oxycodone as needed for pain.
When I got here today I was doing my usual assessment of him and noticed a unusual feeling in his abdomen. There was some air under the skin that I was able to palpate and then there was a bit larger area that I was not expecting to feel. I had the floor nurse feel it and she decided to page the intern. David did not complain of pain when I was pushing on it, but his abdomen is distended. The intern came in and decided to order a x-ray for the stomach and intestines. He just came in right now and told me that David has a very small ileus(a slowing of part of the intestine), but that they would just watch it for now. He is already on some medicine that will help with that (Lactulose)
Mom came back this afternoon and her and dad went and got a little dinner together. My roommate, Jennifer, was here at Duke for work and she brought me some dinner. Dad went home about 7. Mom stayed and we were able to talk for a little while . David got his abdomen x-ray and then we gave him a really good bath. He has been asleep since about 10 and I am hoping he will be able to get a good nights sleep tonight.
I ask that you pray for a couple specific things for the coming days to get us home:
His ileus would resolve in the intestines and he would not have difficulty going to the bathroom
Continued decrease in kidney labs
Continued increase in blood labs
Continued increase in appetite
Continued pain control with meds
Continue to gain strength and energy
Getting into a wheelchair to be easier for him
Once again, we thank you for all your prayers and support. The Lord has been so faithful in answering the specific prayers that we and you have been praying!!
Daniel 6:19-23:
19 Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. 20 As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” 23 Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
David is our current example of Daniel ;0) Mom used this passage to encourage David to TRUST IN THE LORD!!
Love,
The Bradley Family
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