Update on my dad

My dad did really great with his surgery. The surgeons were able to place a stent in his carotid artery and we are so thankful for that. In fact, he was able to go home today! He is resting and just taking it easy for awhile. After the surgery a nurse came and got us so we could see him and speak with the dr. The dr told us that the blockage was major, 95% blockage to be exact. He is very lucky. My mom ask him how far my dad was from a major stroke. The dr said he couldn't say for sure but if he had to guess he would say not very far, probably a matter of weeks or months. He said that is really hard to guess. We are thankful for the wonderful doctors and hospitals we are blessed with here in America.

I am going to get on my "political" soapbox for a minute. My mom was commenting to the dr about how much medicine has changed as this procedure wasn't around a few years ago and she said "no telling what will be available in the future". My dad's dr said that lots could be done in the future as long as we keep the government out of medicine aka "socialized medicine". He told my mom that if we lived in a country were medicine was socialized my dad wouldn't have been able to have the surgery b/c of his age. They (countries who practice socialized medicine) have a cut-off for major types of procedures. My dad isn't old by any means...he is only 73! My dad would have been treated with medication (that he was already taking and that wasn't working) and sent home. That makes me sad, angry and scared. To think that if we live in Canada by dad would have been sent home to die! I am so proud that we live here in America and pray that we don't ever have to deal with socialized medicine. I try not to get political b/c I know everyone is entitled to their own opinion but couldn't help but share this. I don't know how many of you knew much about socialized medicine but I didn't know much and I certainly didn't know that. Sorry if I offended anyone w/ that post but I like I said I just had to share that. Thanks for all the prayers for him. I appreciate them so much. I am truly blessed to have such wonderful friends :)

My dad

This afternoon my dad is having carotid artery surgery. My dad has had to have both the left and right carotid arteries cleaned out before. His surgeon is hoping to be able to place a stent in and not have to do the "major surgery" (they haven't been able to place stents before) b/c it is harder to do the surgery a second time due to scar tissue. If they are able to place a stent in he will only have to stay in the hospital overnight and if he has the "other" surgery he will be there 4 or 5 days and will be to go to ICU. This is not what we hope for.

Please pray that his surgeons are able to place a stent. Also pray that he doesn't have any issues after that would complicate his health (he tends to have issues with his blood pressure getting really high and his sugar, he is diabetic, tends to go all over the place because in the hospital they don't give him his insulin on a regular basis. They only give it to him when he lets them know it is high or low. I hate that b/c then once he gets home it takes about a week or so to get it back under control.

Nashville Trip Part 1

We went to Nashville a few weeks ago to celebrate our niece's 4th birthday and I am just now getting around to blogging about it. We have been pretty busy here with dr visits, hospital visits and then all the normal things like school, grocery shopping and church.

We had such a good time in Nashville. We love hanging out with Matt's brother, his wife and their kids! We always have lots of fun together.

While there we also got to see Riley play some basketball. It was quite interesting as it was for Upward. He did really good and almost made a basket! We are so proud of all of our nieces and nephews :)

Riley playing some b-ball


Shelby's bday cake (her daddy carved it and iced it..he is so talented)


The kids before singing "happy birthday" to Shelby


We celebrated Christmas for the last time, Madison got a Strawberry Shortcake coloring book


Caleb got new pj's...Hulk and Ironman (this boy loves new pj's!)


Taylor got a new sketch pad and another canvas!


We also went down to the "cave" and walked down the creek but that is for another post :)

Madison

I have been absent from my blog for almost 2 weeks now as there hasn't been much to blog about and I have been spending way too much of my "computer time" on Facebook (that place is addictive :)

Tonight though I have a prayer request....sweet Madison is going to have dental work done tomorrow and b/c of her fear of all things medical they are going to do the work at Children's Hospital while she is "knocked out".

I love Children's and am thrilled we are going there. I am also ok with them putting her to sleep as I believe it will be less traumatic that way but I hate the anesthesia part at least for her. She doesn't do well with being put to sleep...because she fights it so hard it takes a lot to knock her out and then she comes out from under pretty wild and sick (this is nothing that surprises me as Caleb and myself are the same way).

We have to be there at 8:30 in the morning and expect to spend the majority of the day there.

Please say a little prayer for my baby girl. I am more nervous about this than any other hospital stays we have had (and we have had plenty)! Specifically pray that she will do well with the anesthesia and that she will have little (or preferably none) swelling and pain afterwards. And pray that she will handle it with as little stress/trauma as possible.

Gracyn Emery Goodwin is here!

Gracyn Emery Goodwin made her debut Thursday evening January 29. She decided to come 2 weeks early :) She is the most precious and I got to enjoy some time with her on Saturday morning, unfortunately I forgot my camera :(

She has lots of dark hair and for those who read Melanie's blog I am sure she will post soon and have better pictures but in the meantime I had to share this picture!



My kids were thrilled to meet her as they are like family to us. They all fell in love w/ her and couldn't wait to get their hands on her :) Taylor told me she wants me to have another baby :) She says that every time she holds a new baby :) I told her maybe one day but not right now. There are no pictures of Carter b/c he was snoozing when we got there and we didn't think about getting the camera back out once he got up!