Dave had another ERCP procedure on June 28, 2011 to replace the stent in his bile duct. As Dr. Hutchins had explained before, he would continually need to replace the stents every 6 to 8 weeks as they pose a risk for infection. He had considered a metal stent for this procedure to increase time between ERCP's to 3 months. Dr. Hutchins had decided, however, that a metal stent would be too risky to place and opted for side-by-side plastic stents to dilate the duct passage. He also said that a future surgery would be needed to permanately correct the constricted duct. During the scope procedure, Dr. Hutchins found the the existing stent had migrated out of the constricted area and the duct had remained open, so he did not stent the duct at all! So, as long as the duct remains dilated, Dave will not need to repeat these ERCP's in the future. Dr. Hutchins said that only 5% of stents will migrate and in his procedures this percentage is even less. We find it truly amazing that the result of this ERCP was totally unexpected and that God has chosen to work in a way completely different than ours! (Romans 11:33-36) Praise God for His wisdom!

Dave had an appointment with Dr. Stothert on June 3, 2011 at UNMC. He had an ultrasound ordered to check the size of the 2 pseudo cysts (see 4/22/201 post) on the pancreas. By comparing previous scans, Dr. Stothert determined that the cysts have reduced in size! This is a tremendous praise item since enlargement of the cysts could mean problems in the future and require surgery. Also, we were told that these cysts can remain the same size and not cause problems, but rarely do the cysts shrink in size. Thank you for your prayers.

Dave had his ERCP done on Friday, May 13th and was only in the hospital over night! What a huge blessing and answered prayer. Dr. Hutchins took out the stent and replaced it with a stent that has a larger diameter. He said that this ERCP was a challenge where the T-tube was placed in 2008 is like a cork screw and constricted also and will need repaired in the future as well as the bile duct in the pancreas. He talked with Dr. Grant about possibilities. They decided it would be best to present Dave's case to a group of doctors (from liver transplant) to come up with the best option for him. That may happen as early as Monday the 16th or possibly the 23rd. Please be praying for wisdom for the doctors. Dave's WBC started to climb, so they sent him home on antibiotics. He will have to have this stent changed in 6 to 8 weeks. He has an appointment on June 3rd to have an ultrasound of his pseudo cysts and to see Dr. Stothert.

Dave's appointment went well on May 5th. His labs continue to improve. Dr. Grant decided that he is healthy now and it is time to take out the stent. They do not want to take a chance of it getting infected. We were very surprised that they want to do this procedure on such a short notice. Dave asked if it could be done later and they just felt now is the right time. Dr. Hutchins will be doing the ERCP. He is the doctor that did the first ERCP in 2008 for Dave. This is scheduled for this Friday, the 13th at 2:30. (It is good that we are not superstitious!!) The decision as to what needs to be done to take care of the constricted bile duct will be decided during the procedure. Please pray for wisdom for the doctors and that Dave will not get pancreatitis again.

Dave had his appointment today at UNMC. His CT scan revealed that he has 2 golf ball sized pseudo cysts on his pancreas. Dr. Stothert said hopefully they will not become a problem. Occasionally pseudo cysts are not a problem; however, if they do become a problem Dave will need a surgery to attach the cysts to his stomach or intestine so they can drain. The pseudo cysts are filled with pancreatic fluid. Dr. Stothert gave Dave the go ahead for a normal "bland" diet. Yeah!!!! Dave was excited to hear this news. And no more TPN! Dave will have another appointment on May 5th. Thank you for your continued prayers! Happy Easter! We are so thankful we celebrate a risen Savior!

Dave got a phone call from the doctors at UNMC, he gets to be on a full liquid diet, and he is really excited!!! That means cream of wheat, tomato soup, milk, yogurt, and lots of other yummy foods! So far so good. He is still receiving IV nutrition at night. The CT scan is still scheduled for Friday. Thank you for your continued prayers. We serve a mighty God!

Dave had an appointment in Omaha today. His labs have continued to improve. With the physical exam Dr. Stothert felt a rather large hard area that could be a pseudo cyst. Dave will have a CT scan next Friday, April 22nd, to take a good look at the pancreas again. They have allowed Dave to start on clear liquids! He had a Sprite in hand before we were out of Omaha! His pancreas has tolerated the liquids just fine, PTL! He still is on IV nutrition at night and has lost 15 lbs. We will let you know the results of his appointment and CT scan.

Dave is home! His home health care nurse has been here for 6 hours and just walked out the door(its 11:30pm). Within the PICC line, there are two lines. One of those is clogged, probably from Dave's last dose of lipids. She has been trying to get it unclogged. It isn't a problem at this point, just more of a inconvenience as Diane will have to stop the TPN and give him the antibiotic and then start the TPN back up again. If both lines were working, the antibiotic and TPN could be done simultaneously. Hopefully tomorrow at 7:30am when she comes back, the line will be cleared. Dave has a check up appointment scheduled next Thursday at UNMC. He will be monitored by the doctors at UNMC on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday by labs taken by the home healthcare nurse. It will be decided at a later date what the permanent solution will be. Thank you so much for your prayers.

Dave gets to go home tomorrow, PTL!!!!! He will continue with the IV nutrition; therefore, arrangements need to be made for home healthcare. His WBC is at 19,000 - headed in the right direction! Pancreas enzymes are high, but stable. He will have blood draws done by home health and will follow up with an appointment at UNMC a week after discharge. Praise the Lord for such great news! Thank you for your prayers!

It was mentioned today that if Dave remains stable, he could possibly go home! He would still have the TPN (liquid nutrition through PICC line) and a home health care nurse would come out every day. Dave will likely have the TPN for a few more weeks to allow the pancreas more time for healing. Dave went outside for 30 minutes today. Although it was windy, it was still very enjoyable.

Please continue to pray for the healing of Dave's pancreas.

Praise Dave is making great progress and is still hiccup free.

Monday, April 4th

Dave felt good today! He does not have the hiccups and has not had any breathing episodes since Saturday night. Yea! Not having hiccups/breathing episodes is also greatly appreciated by the nurses since every time he had one, his heart rate dropped to 50, which set off his heart monitor alarm and always made the nurses scurry around. Dave has lost the 25 pounds of extra fluid. His white blood count is 26,000. His pancreas numbers are still high, but have not increased. The doctors have decided that Dave no longer needs the heart monitor and blood draws are now being done every other day! All good news!

Dave's white blood count is down slightly to 31,000, all other labs remain unchanged. The last two days, Dave has been nauseous and dry heaves a couple of times a day. Throughout the day, Dave's temp was 99, but it slipped back up to 101 this evening. The doctors allowed Dave to unhook from his heart monitor for 30 minutes so he was able to go outside and enjoy the beautiful weather. Dave really enjoyed it and is planning on going outside again tomorrow.

Please continue to pray for healing of Dave's pancreas.

Praise that Dave did not have the hiccups as often today.

Dave wanted us to post a note from him....

Thank you for all your responses to my blog. They are a tremendous source of encouragement to me, to know that my Christian friends and relatives and people I do not even know are praying daily for me. God is giving me a positive attitude to get through this as I know that pancreatitis will take time to heal. God bless each of you.

Dave

Thank you for your prayers, we truly appreciate them and believe in the power of prayer!! Please pray for Dave's mom, she was admitted to the hospital last night in Lincoln. Please pray for Inie's healing, she is pretty weak and found out she must be on dialysis.

After this morning's x-rays the doctors said Dave needs to be on TPN for a minimum of 2 weeks. That means no more food by mouth (only water) and they had to put the PICC line back in. This news was pretty discouraging for Dave. The doctors feel food taken orally only disturbs the pancreas more and it just needs a break in order to heal. They are doing this so they hopefully don't have to do surgery on the pancreas. Dave's WBC is down today to 33,000. The doctors said the TPN can be administered at home IF Dave's WBC, pancreas enzymes, and other important "numbers" become more stable at a normal level.

Praise!

• Dave was able to get some uninterrupted/rarely interrupted sleep this afternoon!
• Dave didn't have as many breathing episodes today!

Prayer Requests:

• Dave's mom will regain her strength.
• Dave's pancreatitis will settle down.
• Dave will only be on his 'TPN diet' for 2 weeks.

Dave had an x-ray of his stomach and lungs and a CAT scan has been ordered for later today. They are wanting to monitor his infection and are concerned a pseudo-cyst is forming around his pancreas. His pancreas enzymes have increased since he started eating, which means his pancreas is not reacting well. Dave is a little down this morning. The trauma team said the food intake is not going as well as they had hoped. He is not nauseous, but he is not able to consume as much food as he needs to sustain his infected body and will most likely have to have another PICC line. The food is making his already distended belly even more taut. This morning he ate about 2/3 cup of cream of wheat and 4 ounces of grape juice. Dave continues to have the breathing episodes and they are increasing in frequency. His white blood count is holding around 30,000, the doctors are pleased it is not increasing (normal is 4,000-11,000). Thank you for your prayers and kind words. It is so encouraging to our family, especially Dave and Diane as they wait on the Lord's timing.

Prayer Requests:

• Dave will be able to eat enough calories orally to not require another PICC line.


• Dave's breathing episodes will diminish.


• Dave will have good results from the tests today.


• Wisdom for the doctors as they determine the best plan of treatment for Dave.


• Strength for Diane as she faithfully stays by Dave's side.


• Strength, healing, and a positive attitude for Dave.

Morning... Last night at 12:30 Dave called Diane to let her know they were moving him. He now has a private room because they cultured C. diff (bacterial infection). He has a nice big room with a great view! It looks over one of the pretty gardens! Once diagnosed with C. diff the rest of your hospital stay is in a private room, not too shabby! Dave also had this diagnosis 3 years ago. The restrictions with this diagnosis mostly affect the hospital staff. They must wear a yellow gown when in Dave's room and Dave has to wear a yellow gown when outside of his room. He is still allowed to go on walks and it doesn't affect visitors. Thanks for your continued prayers!

Dave got approved for a liquid diet today. He ate 1 1/2 Cups of broth and 2 bites of jello. He was able to keep it all down!!! The first food in over a week! If Dave can tolerate enough food to sustain himself he will not need another PICC line. Please pray Dave's body will tolerate food by mouth. Dave continues to have the hiccups and has started having the "breathing episodes" that he had 3 years ago. These "breathing episodes" are family named. They only occur when Dave has the hiccups and the spasms from the hiccups are strong enough to knock the wind out of him making him unable to breath for a short time. As you can imagine this is very scary. They checked for blood clots in Dave's legs, we will get the results from the ultrasound tomorrow.

Please pray that:

• Dave's body will tolerate food.
• Dave will not have the hiccups or breathing episodes. Dave's pancreas will heal.

Praise:

• Dave was able to keep food down today!

Thank you so much for your continued prayers. Dave is feeling better and he looks good, despite his bloated belly. Last night his temp was 101.2, so they ran the 2nd chect x-ray of the day. The lower left lobe of his lung is still partially collapsed. The best treatment at this point is still walking. Dave goes on walks a couple of times a day. They also did blood draws and urine analysis. We found out late last night that the blood culture from a few days ago did finally show a bacterial infection in the blood. They switched Dave's antibiotic (again). They are going to take out Dave's PICC line today and put in a peripheral IV. Due to the procedure, Dave will be without TPN (liquid nutrition) for 24 hours. Please pray that the PICC line is the source of the infection and that the new antibiotic will take care of it quickly. If the PICC line is not the culprit of the bacterial infection in the blood, we will have to look into more complicated solutions. Please continue to pray for Dave's pancreatitis. Dave's temperature was down to 100.3 this morning and his white blood count, liver, and pancreas numbers remain basically unchanged from yesterday.

Once again, Dave has the doctors puzzled. His white blood count has increased again. It is now at 55,500 and normal is 4,000-11,000. Dave's liver and pancreas numbers are continuing to improve. The CT scan that was done yesterday shows that Dave's pancreas is 'impressive' as Dr Nelson stated today. They are puzzled as to why the pancreas looks so horrible, yet the numbers are improving. Two options they have come up with: 1) He is on the tail end of pancreatitis, so his numbers are better, but the pancreas still needs to settle down or 2) Necrotizing pancreatitis, which could mean various things - sloughing off, psudocyst, or that the pancreas is shutting down. The doctors don't seem terribly concerned at this point, they are going to keep monitoring the situation. They are changing Dave's antibiotic in hopes to decrease any possible infection. They increased Dave's insulin and also increased the amount of water he could drink. Dave was excited! Dave is still struggling with the hiccups. Please pray for healing for Dave's pancreas. Although the doctors don't have all the answers now, we rest in the fact that our Great Physician has Dave in His hand.

Thanks for your continued care, concern, and prayers. Dave has gained 25 pounds since arriving here. It is mostly in his abdomen, but his legs are also swollen. His stomach is stretched tight, but we are thankful that he is not in pain. Dave's white blood count had increased to 45,000 and is running a temperature again so the doctors decided to do a CT scan of his liver and abdomen to make sure there are not any pockets of infection. They did not see any today, but will run another CT scan in a day or so. They did note that his pancreas is still 'angry' and that Dave has pancreatitis, which is most likely the culprit of the high white blood count and fever. In an attempt to control the pancreatitis, he is back to 8 ounces of water (no green tea) per day and still no food just TPN solution through the IV. Dave is thirsty, so this was disappointing. They did increase his IV fluid so hopefully that will help with the thirst. Since the pancreas is not fully functional, it is unable to completely process the TPN, so Dave is receiving insulin four times a day. Dave has had the hiccups numerous times in the last 24 hours.

Praise:

• Dave's liver numbers continue to improve.
• Dave's rash is gone.
• Dave's eyes are almost white again!

Please pray that:

• Dave's pancreas will settle down.
• Dave's temperature will return to normal.
• Dave's hiccups will just be hiccups and not turn into not being able to breath as happened in 2008.

Friday, March 25

It snowed a couple inches last night, CRAZY!!! Dave continues to feel pretty good, but his stomach is still bloated. He has a little bit of a temperature, they are culturing his blood to determine the culprit, and he is on 3 different antibiotics to get rid of the infection. He has permission to drink 16 oz of fluids in 24 hours, not a lot but better than nothing! Dr. Grant stopped by and told Dave after he gets rid of the infection they will do some tests prior to him being discharged that will help determine what the next step will be. If possible they would like to balloon the bile duct opposed to performing surgery. Dave had a hernia repair surgery 2 years ago when they placed a large sheet of goretex in his abdomen, cutting through the goretex would increase the chance of his hernias reoccurring. Thank you for your prayers!

Thursday, March 24

Dave's white blood count is still high, but has not changed since yesterday. One lobe of Dave's lung is slightly collapsed or has some fluid in it. They have told him the best thing to do is walk. His rash is getting a little better and is less itchy. Dave's stomach is still bloated, but the nurse said his intestines are starting to function. Dave has permission to drink 8 oz of water in 24 hours, baby steps, but we'll take it. Dave has gone on two short walks this morning.

Wednesday, March 23

Evening Update...............Dave continues to run a fever, but has been able to get some rest. They ran a chest x-ray, they are concerned about pneumonia because of his fever spike, white blood count and elevated heart rate. Thank you for your continued prayers.

Afternoon Update...............Dave had a pretty good afternoon. They still have not cleared him to have any water or ice chips yet, which makes for an uncomfortable dry mouth. Because Dave's pancreas is still 'angry' it can not fully break down the nutrition being fed through the PICC line, so Dave as been receiving a little bit of insulin. Dave's white blood count is elevated and he is running a fever of about 101 degrees. He is still on antibiotics, and the doctors are keeping a close eye on him so they can catch any possible infection early. Dave went on a walk this afternoon or as the nurses called it a 'sprint'. The sprint raised his heart rate quite a bit, so they only let him do one lap and then they did an EKG to make sure everything was ok. Later on, when he wanted to go again, they thought it would be best to use a wheel chair. :) They are keeping a close watch on his heart rate, but are not too concerned at this time.

Please pray for:

• the rash to diminish, it is pretty uncomfortable
• continued peace and healing

Morning Update................Huge praise, although Dave wasn't able to get much sleep, he did have a good night! His pain is manageable now, his liver numbers are better as well as his pancreas numbers; indicating that pancreatitis is improving. They took his NG tube out this morning. He hasn't had any actual food or water yet, just liquid nutrition from the PICC line. Dave is looking forward to ice chips. They are waiting to make sure he tolerates not having an NG tube first. Dave is taking medication for his heart rate and blood pressure, but they look are looking good. Thank you for your prayers.

Tuesday, March 22

Evening update....................................Dave's pain continued to stabilize this afternoon. This evening Dave started the nutrition drink through his PICC line. Dave is running a low grade fever. Tomorrow we hope to discuss the long-term solutions with the doctors. Thank you for your continued prayers.

Afternoon update....................................Thank you for your faithful prayers! Dave has been more comfortable this afternoon. Right now, his pain is at a 3 out of 10, and that is with no pain medication! We have not heard anything back on the x-rays, in this situation, we figure no news is good news. He has been able to catch a few naps here and there. Mom was also able to get a little rest. Doctors have stopped by, but no plans have been discussed for long-term solutions. Dave was able to walk around the halls and take a shower. Please pray for relief from the rash.

Morning update....................................To be completely honest, Dave had an absolutely horrible night last night. He rated his pain at a 10 out of 10 and if you know Dave, he is a pretty tough guy. He wasn't able to sleep at all as the abdominal pressure and pain was unbearable. At 3:15am Dave's blood pressure was 209/102! At 4:35am Dave was given pain medication and felt immediate relief (7 out of 10). We tried to explain to the doctors and nurses that this is NOT Dave and that he has never been in this much pain, but for some reason, they didn't really 'get it'. I guess they are not used to having such tough patients. :) Dave's pancreatic enzymes are elevated, indicating he does have pancreatitis. We are unsure at this point how much of the pain is caused by the pancreatitis and how much is caused by air being trapped in the abdomen from the ERCP. Dave did have an abdominal x-ray around 5am and then again at 9:30am because the 5am one was not clear. Dave is currently getting a PICC line since he hasn't had a meal since Thursday.

Praise:

• Dave's temperature is normal which indicates the infection caused by the constricted bile duct is clearing up. It appears that the stint is working properly.
• Dave no longer has a headache.
• Dave's blood pressure is now down to 173/84.

Please pray for:

• Wisdom for the doctors as they assess the best treatment for Dave now and long-term.
• Comfort for Dave.
• Pancreatitis to subside.
• Rest and strength for mom, she was up all night with dad.

Monday, March 21

Evening update.............................11:30pm Thank you for your prayers. A member of the trauma team came to visit Dave around 9:30pm. He said that often with an ERCP air is introduced into the stomach and can be very, very uncomfortable. Thankfully, Dave did not experience this on his two previous ERCPs in 2008. Dave was able to get some medication. Eventually the burning sensation subsided as well as the nausea; however, it was replaced with a feeling of extreme pressure and bloating. Dave is still very uncomfortable. He is not vomiting as frequently. Also, we are thankful that his headache is gone. Dave now has a NG tube, which should eliminate the vomiting and release some stomach pressure.

Please pray for:

• Comfort for Dave
• That Dave will not develop pancreatitis (he developed a very severe case in 2008 following an ERCP)
• Wisdom for the doctors in deciding on a long-term solution for the repair of the bile duct
• Strength and rest for our family

Evening update.............................9:00pm Please pray for Dave. After the surgery he was feeling fairly good, but very recently he has become nauseous and has a burning sensation in his stomach. He has thrown up and is VERY uncomfortable. Please pray that he feels relief very soon and that the pain he is feeling is a result of switching to a liquid diet and that this is not a complication from the surgery.

Afternoon update.........................Thank you for your prayers. Unfortunately the procedure didn't go as we had hoped. The best case scenario would have been a stone or sediment blocking the bile duct but this was not the case, Dave's bile duct is very constricted due to external pressure cause by the scar tissue that resulted from his pancreatitis 2008. This is not where the bile duct was severed in 2008, that area looks great, Praise the Lord! The constricted portion of his bile duct is approximately 9 cm. This area is very infected and will be closely monitored the next couple of days. The stint is only a short term solution and we'll have to discuss long-term solutions with Dr. Grant over the next couple days. Please continue to pray for Dave's healing and wisdom as we make decisions about the best solutions for Dave long-term.

Morning update...................It has been a busy morning. The ERCP was originally scheduled for today, then it was cancelled and on the agenda for tomorrow. 30minutes ago we were told that it is back on schedule for today. All 3 teams are in agreement that the ERCP is the best choice to remove the stone or sludge causing the blockage. Today Dave seems to be doing a little better. He does seem to be having a slight allergic reaction (rash) to the antibiotic, but is otherwise responding well. His fever is down, white blood count is down, and headache is at times a little more manageable. Please pray that the procedure is successful.

Sunday, March 20

Sunday Evening.......... The nurse just informed us Dave is scheduled for the ERCP tomorrow at 1:15pm. This was the first we had heard about a decision being made, so imagine our surprise! She assured us we would get to talk with the doctors before they take him for the ERCP, that made us feel much better. Dave continues to fight a fever, but seems to be fairly comfortable at the moment, PTL! Please continue to pray for Dave's headache, which has been persistent since yesterday. The doctors had pity on him and allowed him 2 Extra Strength Tylenol, this seemed to help! Thank you for your continued prayers for Dave, our family, and the doctors.

Sunday Afternoon.......... Thank you so much for all your prayers. The results of the MRI show that there is a blockage of some sort in the bile duct. They think it may be a stone or sediment. The trauma team is working with a few other teams to make a decision on the best way to address the blocked duct. They will come to a conclusion in the next day or so and the procedure will take place shortly after. The options discussed at this time are an ERCP (scope) or surgery. Pray for wisdom for the doctors as the different teams have varying opinions on the best course of action.
Because the liver is not working properly, Dave has an infection resulting in a fever of 102 degrees, a severe headache, and nausea. The nausea is mostly being controlled by medication. However, he is unable to take Tylenol (because of his liver) and can not take Ibuprofen (because of his kidneys). Please pray for relief from the headache.
The doctors are encouraging Dave to get up and walk around when he is able. The highlight of his day was walking to the elevator to see his grandson Titus. Dave and the family are in fairly good spirits. Although the thought of another surgery or procedure isn't too exciting, we know our almighty God is in control and we are trusting in Him.

Saturday, March 19

Thankfully, it has been awhile since we have updated the blog! Earlier this week Dave came down with a cold and then on Thursday he had flu like symptoms. We didn't think too much of it until early Saturday morning when he appeared jaundiced. His family doctor sent him on to his old stomping grounds; UNMC in Omaha. After testing at UNMC, they have found that Dave's white blood count is high, indicating an infection and his liver counts are elevated as well. An ultrasound indicates that the bile duct is probably at least partially blocked. It is difficult to determine as the bile duct is already compromised from his previous injuries. Dave is going to start on antibiotics and will have an MRI tonight. The MRI will be read tomorrow and a decision will be made at that time as to what the next step will be. They have said surgery may be a possibility. Please pray for wisdom for the doctors, peace for our family, and comfort for Dave.

Wednesday, June 17th

Dave is home!!! They took every other staple out of his incision and sent him on his way! He did have a total of 38 staples, pretty impressive. He will get the remaining staples out next week. He has been told he can exercise by walking, and walking only, for the next 8 weeks. After the 2 months are up he can ease slowly back into an exercise routine. He's already talking about hitting infield practice, riding his bike, and working out on the bowflex. Dr Young knows him well and told him in no uncertain terms that he was only to be walking for the next 2 months! :) As always thanks for your prayers!

Tuesday, June 16th

Dave had his accident one year ago today.



Thank you Lord for sparing Dave's life and allowing him to continue to serve you so faithfully here on earth. Thank you for bringing Dave through the last year and returning his health to him. All the praise and glory is Yours. Amen



Dave is going to be dismissed from UNMC tomorrow, PTL! His kidneys are working much better. He walked (with the walker) half way across the hospital to finally see the suite Diane and the kids have stayed in during Dave's hospitalizations. It's a pretty long hike for someone with a 12+ inch incision! He started taking his pain medication every 5 hours instead of 4. Dave is doing great and ready to get home! Thank you so much for all your prayers, God is faithful!

Monday, June 15th

They took Dave completely off the epidural this morning. They put him back on iv fluids as his kidneys are not functioning at the level the doctors would like to see. They are hoping the extra fluids will encourage his kidney function. The nurses have been really good about making sure to bring in Dave's darvacet at the scheduled times so Dave has been as comfortable as he could be today. He wasn't in lots of pain, but as Dr Young has been telling him, he needs to be able to feel that he has had an abdominal surgery. Dave has been up walking around quite a few times today, walking is much easier when you can feel your legs! :)

Sunday, June 14th

Dave had a really good day today. Last night at 2:00am the anesthesiologists decreased the dosage of Dave's epidural. They will continued decreasing the dosage until Dave is completely off the epidural, sometime tomorrow afternoon. We are very thankful that Dave's pain hasn't increased significantly. They will introduce darvocet, pain med, in place of the epidural. Please continue to pray for Dave's quick recovery.

Saturday, June 13th

Morning update:
Yesterday afternoon and evening Dave was in tremendous pain, he was rating it at 8-9. Because he was feeling so good in the morning the anesthesiologist changed the dosage of his epidural. Dave was in intense pain for about 3 1/2 hours until they put the dosage back to what it had been, at that point he was rating his pain at a 4-5. Then in the evening for 2 hours he was in intense pain again. This time the anesthesiologist gave him a couple shots of lidocaine and upped the dosage of his epidural. Since 9:00 last night Dave has been in significantly less pain. Dr Young said pain free is not where he wants Dave, he wants him to be a little uncomfortable but at the same time tolerable. Please pray the doctors will be able to keep Dave's pain under control. Dave's blood pressure is still elevated this morning, most likely due to the pain. His temperature is slightly elevated as is his white blood count. Please pray he doesn't get an infection.

Evening update:
Dave had a very good day today, PTL! His pain was controlled. He was able to get up and walk 4 different times and sat up in the chair for a little while! Dr Young is wanting to decrease the dosage of the epidural, please pray the pain will stay under control with the dosage change. Dave's blood pressure and temperature are back to normal, PTL! We appreciate all your prayers so much, thank you.

Friday, June 12th

This morning Dave walked 3 laps around the hallway! Then he sat up in the chair for a couple of hours. Dr Young was pretty impressed. Dave is expecting the PT to have him do that again this afternoon. Dave is doing very well. The new incision followed his old one along the mid-line, except it is a little bit longer, over 12 inches! Impressive! :) Dave is starting to feel the incision some, as you can imagine it doesn't feel good, but he says it's tolerable. Please continue to pray for his recovery and for him to be infection free! One of Dr Young's main concerns is that Dave doesn't get an infection.

Thursday, June 11th

Evening Update:

Dave got back to his room around 5:00 tonight. He is doing well, making jokes and giving the nurses a hard time! He's vitals are all good, and his heart rate is 72 (much better then 49 in April). He still has an epidural in, and will continue to do so for a few days, so he is pretty comfortable. He ate a couple of popsicles, chicken broth, and drank some Sprite. He is hoping for some oatmeal tomorrow morning, but mom said probably not yet! She takes pretty good care of him and makes sure he follows all the rules! Tomorrow, Dave will probably sit on the edge of the bed and maybe walk the following day. We are so thankful that the surgery went well. Praise God! Please continue to pray for pain control and quick healing. 

Afternoon Update:

They took Dave back for his surgery at 9:40am, they started surgery at 10:50, and finished surgery around 3:00pm. We just spoke with Dr Young, he said surgery went well. We haven't been able to see Dave yet, he is still in recovery. Dr Young said Dave's bowels were not involved, PTL! They were not able to do the repair with the scope, so they had to make an incision. They placed a sheet of goretex under Dave's facia so he now has a double layer of protection against potential hernias (the goretex and his facia). His facia is stretched really tight, please pray for no ripping. Dr Young would like to see Dave walking around tonight and he will be able to have liquids tonight also. Best case scenario, with no complications, Dave will be in the hospital 5-7 days. Thanks for your prayers.

Wednesday, June 10th

Dave has his hernia repair surgery tomorrow at 10:00am at UNMC. Dr Young will be doing the procedure and has told Dave it will be very extensive. He will attempt to do the repair via a scope and if that isn't working Dr Young will make an incision along the old scar, mid-line, and repair the 2 hernias that way. They have told Dave the estimated length of stay in the hospital will be 7-10 days. Your prayers are very appreciated as Dave is not looking forward to the recovery process. However, we have much to be thankful for, especially prior to this procedure. Dave had to have a colonoscopy and prostate biopsy to rule out cancer as his numbers were not what they should be. Praise the Lord they both came back cancer free!!!! Thank you for your continued prayers.

Friday, April 17th

Evening Update:
Dave is home! PTL! Thank you so much for all your prayers!

Morning Update:
Dave had a good night and a good morning, PTL! He had some Sprite this morning and since he was able to keep that down he was allowed to order "real food". Dave has not felt nauseous since last night. Dr Stothert said if Dave keeps his lunch down he will be able to discharge late this afternoon or this evening! Dave is only in pain when he laughs or coughs and he isn't on any pain medications, another praise! Dave asked Dr Stothert if he would be able to get back to bike riding, weight lifting, and work on Monday. Dr Stothert said that would be fine! We have lots to be thankful for!!!

Thursday, April 16th

Evening Update
Dave is doing well. He is in good spirits and laughing (although it is painful). He was moved around 6pm tonight from a regular room to a cardiac observation floor because his heart rate dropped to the low 50's. The doctors aren't too concerned, but they are taking extra precautions. The doctors don't really have an explanation for it, but Dave also vomited a few times, it seemed to be after he stood up and walked a few steps. Because of the vomiting, Dr Young said that Dave was going to have to wait to start the clear liquid diet until tomorrow afternoon. Dave's a good sport, but he is getting quite thirsty and a little hungry. :) Dr Young hasn't said anything different, so we hope that Dave is still on track to come home by Saturday.

Morning Update
Praise God, Dave’s surgery went well! Dr Young repaired the gastric tube tunnel by making a 4 inch incision and stitching up the inner stomach lining. Dave won’t be able to have anything to eat or drink today but tomorrow he will start on a clear liquid diet for a couple of days and then onto a liquid diet. Sounds yummy! Dave will be in the hospital overnight and will hopefully be home on Saturday. Thanks again for your prayers.
Also, today is Jiree’s birthday, so be sure to wish her a happy birthday!

Wednesday, April 15th

Dave was at UNMC today from 2:00 until 5:45 running tests and speaking with doctors. Dr Young decided Dave will NOT have the hernia repair procedure tomorrow. Instead he will have the gastric tube tunnel repaired. This surgery will be at 7:30 am tomorrow and is expected to last 1 to 2 hours. Dr Young will cut along the gastric tube tunnel to stitch the stomach lining, cut away some of the scar tissue to help the healing, and stitch up the external abdomen. The risk of infection due to the leaking gastric juices was too risky to do the hernia repair. So the hernia repair will be done at a later date, at Dave's convenience, probably mid June. Dr Young plans to keep Dave one day and discharge him on Friday.

Tuesday, April 14th

Dave will have his hernia repair surgery on Thursday, April 16th. He will be in Omaha on Wednesday having tests run and meeting with the anesthesiologist. His procedure as of now is planned as a scope, if the doctors feel it necessary they will open him along the preexisting scar and complete the repair that way. Since Dave had the gastric tube removed a month ago, he is STILL leaking from the resulting hole in his stomach. (It leaks externally.) We pray the Dr Young will be able to do something about the leaking as well! Dave is excited about getting this behind him so he can get back to "normal". Dave asks for prayer for successful a surgery and a quick recovery. God is good! Thank you for all your prayers and support. We pray you had a blessed Easter where we remember that Christ not only died on the cross for our sins but was raised from the dead!

Friday, March 13th

We had a little scare last night...Dave started not feeling well on Wednesday, his body was achy. By Thursday Dave was feeling worse. UNMC recommended Dave have labs run so he went to Dr Bertolini's office in Lincoln around 11:00am. By 4:00pm he was feeling significantly worse and went to see Dr Bertolini again. His labs showed an increase in his white blood count, but his liver counts were normal. Dr Bertolini saw Dave at his worst and decided to send him to UNMC. We drove Dave to the emergency room at UNMC where they were ready and waiting for him. They ran CT scans of his abdomen and pelvis, which both came back normal, PTL! Since Dave was already there, Dr Young decided to take out Dave's gastric tube! Dave is now tubeless!! Dave did stay the night at UNMC, but was discharged on Friday. They decided he must have had the flu, better safe than sorry! Dave said staying the night in the hospital brought back a lot of memories, yuck! We are so thankful that Dave is ok and that he doesn't have the G tube anymore! Dave will have a surgery to repair the hernias in about one months time. He is looking forward to being "normal" again. Thanks for your continued prayers.

Thursday, December 18th

Dave only has ONE TUBE LEFT! Dave had his appointment in Omaha today and Dr Grant took out his t-tube (the tube that was in his bile duct)!!! Everything went very well. They had Dave stay at the hospital for 2 hours afterward just to make sure he was able to tolerate the tube being out. He will need to carefully watch for negative side effects for the next couple of days (i.e. running a temperature, feeling poorly) He is feeling very tired and is running a low grade temperature right now. Dave does not have another appointment set up for Omaha at this time. He will have labs done in Lincoln on Monday.

Dr Grant said the g-tube (feeding tube from way back when) will stay in until sometime this spring. They will repair the 2 hernias and take out the g-tube at the same time. To take out the g-tube they will need to stitch up the lining of the stomach as well as the skin around the opening. Dave's liver will be evaluated prior to this spring procedure to make sure they don't have to remove any part of it.

Thanks for all your concern, support, and prayers over the past 6 months. We want to wish each of you a very blessed Christmas as we celebrate our Savior's birth!

Thursday, December 11th

Dave had his appointment in Omaha with Dr Grant today. She tied off his t-tube again! So far he is feeling really good, PTL! If all goes well Dr Grant will pull the t-tube out next Thursday, Dec 18th. She will literally pull the tube out of his abdomen, this will not take surgery or anesthetic. She said it should be painless! Please pray the bile duct is completely healed and there won't be any complications when they take the t-tube out. If there aren't any complications Dave won't have to have the surgery they have been talking about and promising since the first week he was in the hospital! That would be one more miracle in Dave's amazing story!!!

Dave is still going to work for 3 hours everyday. It is still tiring but he is building up stamina and doing great. His last day of PT was Monday, Dec 1st. He is still going to Madonna Pro Active 3 times a week to work out on his own! Dave got the okay last week from the doctor to drive!!! What a liberating feeling for him! Thank you for all your prayers, we will never be able to thank you enough!

Friday, November 21st

Yesterday Dave had appointments in Omaha. Dave went to Interventional Radiology for a cholangiogram. The results of the cholangiogram showed the bile duct was not leaking, it is working properly, PTL!!!! Since the bile duct wasn't leaking Dr Grant tied off his t-tube. She took the bag off and literally tied a knot in the tube to see if his bile duct was working properly. After Dave got home from Omaha he started feeling sick. Diane untied the tube and put a makeshift bag on it. The tube started draining a significant amount of bile compared to what it had been draining previously. Dave was running a temperature and feeling pretty crummy. After talking with nurses in Omaha, Dr Grant wanted to see Dave immediately. So Diane drove Dave back up to Omaha and Dr Grant put the bag back on the tube. They put Dave on an antibiotic to take care of the infection.

Monday, November 10th

Dave just got home from Hy-Vee. He worked for 3 hours this afternoon! Being on his feet for 3 hours combined with a good workout during PT this morning has made him pretty tired. All in all Dave is thankful to be able to be back at work! Thanks for your continued prayers!

Thursday, November 6th

Dave had an appointment yesterday with his family doctor in Lincoln. Dr Bertolini gave him the okay to go back to work on Monday, with instructions only to work 2-3 hours a day! Dave is looking forward to getting back to his normal every day routine.

This morning when Dave woke up he noticed the stitch in his blake drain had come undone and the tube had migrated out of his abdomen about 3 inches. He went to the doctors' office in Lincoln to push the tube back in place and re-stitch it. When the doctor took the bag off the tube fell completely out of his abdomen. They called Dr Grant, liver doc in Omaha, and she said to go ahead and leave the tube out! Dave is now down to 2 tubes! PTL!!!

Thursday, October 23

Dave's appointments today went well. His first appointment was with Dr Mormino the orthopedic surgeon. They took 3 x-rays of Dave's ankle. He said he couldn't tell where the break had been on the fibula (outside bone). The break in the tibia is healed. In the next 4-6 months the soft tissue in the ankle will be healed also and give Dave more range of motion. Dr Mormino has released Dave!!!

His second appointment was with Dr Stothert from trauma. Dave had labs run yesterday and Dr Stothert was pleased with the results. Dave's liver and kidney numbers have returned to the normal range! PTL!!! (They didn't do his WBC.) They are going to continue watching the 2 hernias and will repair them when he has his next surgery. Again, the trauma team was very pleased with Dave's progress!

His last appointment was with Dr Grant, liver specialist. She wants to continue monitoring Dave's bile output from his T-tube for 2 more weeks. Dave was really hoping to be able to go back to just one bag. There has been a lot of inconsistency in the output from both drains which is confusing to them. In 2 weeks Dave will go to interventional radiology for a cholangiogram rather than an x-ray cholangiogram. IR is able to do a more accurate placement of the dye, therefore, better able to view the bile duct's functioning at the injury site. The results of this cholangiogram will help determine what the next step will be for Dave. They are still talking possible surgery, but they have also said there is a chance Dave may not need surgery if the bile duct heals on its own and is not too constricted. Please continue to pray for healing of the bile duct.

Dave continues to do great at home! He is still doing PT 3 times a week. He continues to get stronger. Dave has gained 8 pounds since he has been home! Thank you for your prayers and support! The next update will be in about 2 weeks, we don't have the appointment set yet.

Wednesday, October 8

Dave's appointments went well today. He had the cholangiogram first and didn't get the results until late afternoon. The results showed a slight bile leak. However, the bile is not being picked up by Dave's blake drain, which poses the question where is the bile going. As yet one more diagnostic tool, Dr Grant decided to put a bag on the t-tube to measure any bile that may drain and to see if this makes a difference in the output of the blake drain. (Dave's blake drain is draining some fluid but it is not bile.) Dave's t-tube immediately started draining a significant amount of bile. They told Dave to start drinking more fluids so his body can replenish what it is losing. Dr Grant is going to discuss the results of the cholangiogram with her colleagues at a monthly meeting. By presenting Dave's case to the group she is hoping to get some feedback for what the next step should be. They are still talking surgery. Different time frames have been thrown out, some doctors have said 2 months down the road and some have said 6 months down the road. I think it is sufficient to say they want to give Dave's body time to heal before he has another surgery. At this point we still do not know what the extent of the surgery will be.

Dave now has a button G-tube. This replaced the 6 inches of tube that was sticking out from his stomach, taped to his body, and visible through his shirt. The button is flush with his skin and can't be seen through his clothes! They don't want to get rid of the G-tube because it would take another surgery to insert one in the event that he would need it. Since the tube is already there and isn't a cause for infection (the stomach/intestines have so much bacteria anyway the tube doesn't get infected) they have decided Dave will keep the G-tube until after his liver surgery. He isn't using the G-tube and hasn't since he has been home.

Dave has 2 hernias in his abdomen along his incision. Dr Young gave Dave an elastic belt to prevent the hernias from getting any worse. They will coordinate surgery to fix the hernias when Dave has his liver surgery. Dave's white blood count was 15,000. It has been holding pretty steady at 15,000 for about the last month. The doctors seem to have quit putting as much emphasis on the high WBC. Dave's physical therapy is going great. He is going to PT 3 times a week at Madonna ProActive. In the last week his PT, Darrin, has put Dave on the stationary bike and also on the elliptical machine. Dave was on the elliptical for 10 minutes and worked up a sweat! He thought it was great!!!! He is looking stronger and feeling stronger daily. On 3 of the days Dave doesn't have PT he works out on the Bowflex at home. Although he tires sooner than he once did, Dave is very determined to have a complete and quick recovery. Dave is enjoying being home and getting life back to normal. He is going to church, spending time with his family, going to Norris softball games, and getting together with friends. Dave had a birthday last week (56 years young!!!!) and is thankful the Lord has blessed him with another year! Dave's next appointment in Omaha is October 22. We will give you an update after the appointment! Thank you for your continued prayers, the body of Christ is amazing!

Wednesday, September 24

Dave's 2 appointments went really well. His first appointment was with Dr Grant, the liver surgeon. She re-stitched his blake drain as it needed to be stabilized. She would still like to get Dave out 2 more months before doing a surgery. There is still a chance the bile duct could repair itself which would lessen the seriousness of the surgery. She would like to have a cholangiogram done on Dave's t-tube in a couple of weeks. This will show her if the T-tube is working properly. She may need to put a new t-tube in, this would probably be a one night hospital stay. Dave's next appointment was with Dr Young from the trauma team. Dr Young was very excited with how good Dave looks! Dave will have a button G-tube placed when he has the cholangiogram. Dr Young wants to leave the G-tube in until after the surgery. This type of G-tube isn't visible through clothing as it will be flush with the skin! Overall the appointments were very encouraging. Thank you for your continued prayers.

The next blog entry will be with the results of Dave's cholangiogram that will take place on October 8th.

Wednesday, September 17

After:
93 days in the hospital
93 x-rays
WBC as high as 86 thousand
29 days of dialysis
24 CT scans
13 1/2 hours of surgeries and procedures
10 ultrasounds
10 days unconscious
9 tubes in the tummy and back
6 EKGs
5 trips to Interventional Radiology
and One Great Big GOD...

DAVE IS HOME!!!!!!!

The next blog update will be after Dave's follow up appointment at UNMC on Sept 24. Next Wednesday the doctors will most likely decide how extensive Dave's future surgery will be. The trauma team did tell us there is a very slight chance that Dave's bile duct will heal on it's own. A small portion of the left side of his liver has died and they will need to remove this, however, if the bile duct does not heal they will remove the entire left side of his liver. Please continue to pray that Dave does not have to have the left side of his liver removed.

We want to extend a heartfelt thanks to all of you prayer warriors!! We know your prayers are the reason Dave is at home today. It was awesome to experience the way the Body of Christ works together! During the most difficult days it was the faithful prayers of our brothers and sisters in Christ that encouraged us and helped us through. A big thanks to all those who came to the hospital, thank you for the meals, gifts, cards, and especially your prayers. It has been most humbling to be the recipients of such generosity. We praise God that Dave is home and for your faithful prayers. We have truly been blessed! Thank you!

Tuesday, September 16

For those of you keeping track today is month 3 since Dave's accident. The plan is still to come home tomorrow, PTL! Dave has had some discomfort in his abdominal region for the last 3 days. He had mentioned it to the doctors and nurses but they didn't know what would be causing the pain and sensations. This morning during breakfast Dave discovered his gastric tube was leaking. He lifted his shirt up and his tube literally fell out of his stomach. That was the answer to his discomfort! The tube, which by the way has a bulb on the end of it, had worked its way out of Dave's stomach and through his skin, OUCH!!!! The nurse quickly reinserted another gastric tube, with a larger bulb this time. This was done bedside and was painless for Dave. The tube was inserted through the preexisting tunnel and then the bulb was inflated after the tube was properly placed in his stomach. Last night was the last time Dave will receive tube feedings at night, PTL!!!! Dave had discharge evaluations in both PT & OT today. As you can imagine he has improved since the initial evaluations 11 days ago. As always thank you for your prayers.

Monday, September 15

Dave had a great day today! For one of his PT sessions he walked around outside, it was so beautiful out! The doctor took a look at Dave's CT scan from Friday and said there isn't any pockets of fluid in his abdomen. He said he didn't know quite what to make of the situation and called the Trauma team at UNMC to get their opinion, we don't know what Trauma had to say yet. The confusion stems from the blake drain suddenly not draining much of anything (and what it is draining is different than before), the t-tube still not draining very much, and now per the CT scan there aren't any pockets of fluid sitting in Dave's abdomen. The pesky hiccups still seem to show there ugly head through out Dave's days. However, the hiccups aren't causing as many breathing episodes, though the episodes do still take place randomly. Dave has gained 15 pounds! He is eating great, no nausea or lack of appetite, and he is still getting tube feedings at night. Dave is looking at discharge from Madonna on Wednesday, yes, 2 days from today!!! PTL! He will only need outpatient PT, they said he won't be needing OT after discharge! Thank you for your faithful prayers!

Saturday & Sunday, September 13 & 14

Dave continues to gain weight, PTL! He has an appetite and is still getting tube feedings every night. Dave didn't have PT or OT this weekend, just the walking he did on his own. He really enjoyed watching the Husker game on Saturday night! Thank you for you continued prayers!

Friday, September 12

Today using the groceries they bought on Wednesday, Dave helped make lunch for Diane, a therapist and another patient. Diane said she loved it! Dave is having a CT scan at 5:30 tonight at Bryan. They are concerned about his leaking bile duct because the amount of fluid draining from the blake drain dropped significantly in the last few days.

Thursday, September 11

For Dave's outing today he went to Barnes and Noble with Madonna therapists. In order to transition from Madonna, Dave was allowed to leave Madonna for 3 hours with Diane! In physical therapy Dave worked on the Bowflex and stairs. He did have hiccups today but no breathing episodes. Overall, he had a very good day.

Wednesday, September 10

Dave's WBC came down a little, 16,600! He went on an "outing" with PT & OT to the grocery store. Nope, it wasn't Hy-Vee, Dave didn't have a choice in the matter! :) Being on his feet that long was a challenge but he did well. Dave has started walking to PT & OT without the cane, another step in the right direction! During therapy Dave went outside and walked on grass and other uneven ground without the cane. Some have inquired if Dave is up to visitors... he definitely is and would be encouraged by your visit. Stop by, Dave is in room 210.

Tuesday, September 9

In Recreational Therapy Dave bowled on the Nintendo Wii. What a neat way to do rehab! He said the therapist beat him easily, oh well, maybe next time! He should probably challenge her to a game of softball or baseball! He did stairs and some balancing exercises in PT, which he informed me he dominated! It was so good to see that confidence again! He is using the cane less often, PTL!

Monday, September 8

Dave's WBC went up, 17,000. He had lots of PT & OT today. It was difficult, but he enjoyed the challenge. He keeps getting stronger! We are so thankful he is in Lincoln. Thank you all for your prayers and support.

Saturday & Sunday, September 6 & 7

Dave is now in room 210 at Madonna and the room even has a window! Dave is now taking all oral medications (no more IV's). Dave had PT, OT, and speech evaluations on Saturday. They determined that he doesn't need speech therapy so he will just start PT and OT on Monday. Dave is still getting tube feedings at night so that he can get in enough calories. Thanks to the medication to increase his appetite, Dave is eating more and gaining weight. PTL!

Friday, September 5

Dave is packed up and moving to Madonna! Praise God!

As soon as the paperwork is finished, Diane will be driving Dave to Madonna. Hopefully they will be arriving in Lincoln by 2:00 today! Today Dave's WBC is down to 15,000, other than that we don't have any other news to report. Dave is doing very well and is anxious to start rehab at Madonna. Again, thank you for your continued prayers.

Friday, September 5

Happy Anniversary Dad and Mom!!!!
Dave and Diane are celebrating their 32nd wedding anniversary today, PTL! Update to follow...