So she was discharged last night, Monday night, and got back to the Ronald McDonald House at 10:00 pm. It was quite a fiasco trying to get discharged because earlier in the day Dr. W said Jovee just needs to drink 150cc's of water and then she can go home, about 12:30. She completed that task around 4:00 pm. We waited and waited and waited and waited and then I just said, in a nice way, that if we don't get to leave here by 8:30 pm, I'm walking out of here with her. I got tired of waiting for 4 and a half hours (I thought she got done drinking at 3:00 pm so I told the nurses that we've been waiting for 5 and a half hours to get discharged.) Anyways, we got home around 10:00 pm. Won't go into other details.
Jovee took her first steps tonight since the surgery at about 8:30 pm at McDonalds. She's still a little wobbly, still have to hold her hand but she started walking again.
There was an outbreak of chicken pox here at the house, freaked a lot of parents out because some of these kids are at a low on their immune system and the chicken pox could kill them. Jovee might have to be quarantined for 21 days because she hasn't had the chicken pox and hasn't had the vaccine.
The kids have been missing school because they've all had yucky coughs. It's taking forever for them to stop coughing. At the Hutch School you can't be sick or contagious at all because the kids that go there are either patients or siblings so just have to be careful not to pass anything around.
Bought a 2003 Subaru WRX with 77k miles tonight. Killer deal but the man didn't tell me that it was a salvage title. Gonna cancel the cashiers check and then see what happens after that. He's going to be mad but he misrepresented the car...not disclosing to me that it was salvaged titled. Was trying to negotiate out of it, had Brooke and Bennet with me. Both had to go pee so bad that Brooke couldn't hold it anymore and peed in her jeans. I felt really, really bad but was stressed out about the WRX, since I already gave him the cashier's check and found out afterwards that it was a salvage. Steve Blasier and Jeannine said to go first thing in the morning to the bank and cancel that cashier's check, call Jordan up and say, where do you want your car?
I thought about writing a book today, called "In good hands, in God's hands"...just a thought. Probably will never do it but liked the title though. Not bad for a skinny little, bald Asian guy.
Tyson and Bennet spend a lot of time playing Playstation 2 or Super Nintendo. Got to get them more educational games. Sometimes there's not much to do here and that keeps them occupied. Brooke just colors or plays by herself. She's such a good girl, always wanting to do what's right. Like putting on her seatbelt. She always puts it on and if you don't have it on, she's the seatbelt cop. She'll let you know.
I'm tired.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Both Tubes Out
They pulled out the 2nd tube, which was the tube that's supposed to be used for any excess fluid leakage coming from her lungs. Now both tubes are gone and it's definitely made a difference in pain. Dr. W said that the 2 tubes probably will cause more pain than the cut.
They're weaning her morphine ever so slowly. She was at 25 micrograms every hour but now they're down to 15 mcgs every hour.
They're weaning her morphine ever so slowly. She was at 25 micrograms every hour but now they're down to 15 mcgs every hour.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Angels
Tuesday night, the 17th at around 8:00 pm, Bishop Shrever, our new Bishop came to the hospital to give Jovee a blessing and he opened up with the phrase, "You're in good hands...". In the blessing he also said that there are angels in the room, here to uplift her. Man, do you feel that! I believe there are angels among us. In her baby's blessing, Jeannine remembers me saying that Jovee will have the spirit with her in her infancy, childhood, teenage, and adulthood years.
I know that there's something special going on.
The nurse said tonight that Jovee shouldn't be scrunching her legs like that. Someone that's had such a major invasive surgery, especially having the incision where it's at and how long it is, she shouldn't be moving her legs like that. And to have her arms move and flow that way it is isn't normal either. Like we said in the beginning, Dr. W said she should be in ICU at least 10 to 14 days. Something special is going on.
I know that there's something special going on.
The nurse said tonight that Jovee shouldn't be scrunching her legs like that. Someone that's had such a major invasive surgery, especially having the incision where it's at and how long it is, she shouldn't be moving her legs like that. And to have her arms move and flow that way it is isn't normal either. Like we said in the beginning, Dr. W said she should be in ICU at least 10 to 14 days. Something special is going on.
Friday, April 20, 2007
4th full day after surgery
Today's been a tough day for Jovee. Everytime she gets up she's whimpering, "Owie, Owie". She hurts a lot today and the nurses have been giving her lots of different pain medication. Man, it's really tough to see and hear her been in pain.
Dr. Waldhausen said that pathology examined the resected tumor and they gave word that it was dying and working it's way on becoming benign. Faith? Prayers? Mangosteen? Whatever it is, it was dying. Hopefully after the high dose chemotherapy all the cancer cells will go away forever. I really, really, really hope so.
The '93 Lexus broke down today in the middle of rush hour, around 9:00 am. I was telling Tyson that we're going to get to school on time then all of a sudden the car just dies on us. It's the alternator. We were stuck in traffic and the police officer stopped to direct traffic around us. Got towed to a auto repair shop called Walts Auto Care, got a ridiculous quote of $625.00 for a remanufactured alternator plus labor. What a ripoff. The manager, named Doug, quoted it on his screen and said to me, "Boy this thing must be made of gold". Whatever. I didn't know what the cost was going to be but thought because it was a Lexus that it would be that expensive. I authorized him to do the work but then called around. Got the alternator from an alternator shop from $167.00, bring back the core and get $20.00 off. So I'll just have them install it for $92.00 including tax because if I get it towedit would be about another $80.00. I hate it when people try to take people. Todd Munns is going to pick up the '96 Caravan in Cle Elum tomorrow. The social worker from Seattle Children's called Factotum and told them our situation and the owner of Factotum waived all of the $39.00 per day storage fee. That was really nice.
Our kids, Tyson, Brooke, and Bennet have adapted real well to all this change. When the Lexus died in traffic today, they didn't freak out or anything. They just do what they got to do and are very, very good. For all the change that's taken place since all this, they've done so well. I really appreciate them. We went swimming today at the Seattle Children's hospital on the 2nd floor. They all had a good time.
Dr. Waldhausen said that pathology examined the resected tumor and they gave word that it was dying and working it's way on becoming benign. Faith? Prayers? Mangosteen? Whatever it is, it was dying. Hopefully after the high dose chemotherapy all the cancer cells will go away forever. I really, really, really hope so.
The '93 Lexus broke down today in the middle of rush hour, around 9:00 am. I was telling Tyson that we're going to get to school on time then all of a sudden the car just dies on us. It's the alternator. We were stuck in traffic and the police officer stopped to direct traffic around us. Got towed to a auto repair shop called Walts Auto Care, got a ridiculous quote of $625.00 for a remanufactured alternator plus labor. What a ripoff. The manager, named Doug, quoted it on his screen and said to me, "Boy this thing must be made of gold". Whatever. I didn't know what the cost was going to be but thought because it was a Lexus that it would be that expensive. I authorized him to do the work but then called around. Got the alternator from an alternator shop from $167.00, bring back the core and get $20.00 off. So I'll just have them install it for $92.00 including tax because if I get it towedit would be about another $80.00. I hate it when people try to take people. Todd Munns is going to pick up the '96 Caravan in Cle Elum tomorrow. The social worker from Seattle Children's called Factotum and told them our situation and the owner of Factotum waived all of the $39.00 per day storage fee. That was really nice.
Our kids, Tyson, Brooke, and Bennet have adapted real well to all this change. When the Lexus died in traffic today, they didn't freak out or anything. They just do what they got to do and are very, very good. For all the change that's taken place since all this, they've done so well. I really appreciate them. We went swimming today at the Seattle Children's hospital on the 2nd floor. They all had a good time.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Doubting Thomas
Tried to go a different way to Tyson's school but got way, way lost. It's a busy city. We've been eating at the China Village, a decent not too overly priced Chinese Restaurant. Their 10 ingredients Lo Mein and House Fried Rice Special is good. Tyson, Brooke, and Bennet really like egg rolls but we seem to find that the egg rolls at Chinese restaurants don't taste that good at all. They're all vegetables and no meat. Got to have meat inside the egg rolls.Tyson and Bennet's new thing at McDonalds is the double cheeseburger. They were doing just regular cheeseburgers but for only 10 cents more you get another patty and they get full after that one burger. Richie told me about the poor man's Big Mac, that's order the double cheeseburger with Big Mac sauce; you miss the lettuce but for the money, that's pretty good.
Took the kids to the Mariners vs. Twins baseball game today. We got there at the top of the 7th inning. Three innings is pretty good for kids. It was a decent game. At the bottom of the 8th, I got a foul ball. I reached my hand out to try to catch it but I barely missed the ball but it landed in the seat right in front of me without bouncing at all. I swiftly grabbed the ball and raised my hand in the air and got lots of claps from the fans. The fans might have thought that I actually caught it. It was pretty cool.
I put doubting Thomas because I've lost faith at times, doubting the reality of God. Anyone would be mentally not there if they doubt God going through what we're going through with Jovee.
Dr. Waldhausen said Jovee would probably be in ICU for about 10 days because of the surgery. She got out of ICU yesterday at 3:00 pm, only 2 days after she got out of surgery at 4:00 pm on the 16th. Amazing. Also, the breathing tubes coming out of her mouth was pulled out because she was breathing well on her own.
Today, about 6:00 pm, the 19th of April, one of the tubes coming out of her chest area (used to drain excess fluid around her heart that is caused because of surgery) was pulled out of her. There was minimal fluid there so the doctors said she doesn't need it. The 2nd tube is going to probably be pulled out tomorrow or Saturday. I don't know exactly what that tube is for but I'll ask tomorrow.
Anyways, she still has lots of pain and is still heavily Morphined but still...over all she's doing so well. It hurts to see and hear her say, "Owie, owie". But we just try to love her, put our hands on her face, and just love her to death.
The picture of Jeannine and Jovee is the morning of the surgery, on Monday the 11th. The other two pictures of 2 days and 3 days after surgery.
Out of ICU already!
The surgeon said that she'd probably be in ICU for 10 to 14 days but she's miles ahead of recovery. They took her out of ICU yesterday at 3:00 pm and then the tubes coming out of her mouth were taken out about 6:00 pm. Her eyes are swollen but overall she's doing really, really good.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Recovery
So, reviewing yesterday's surgery...
The surgical team actually started at 9:30 am, even though they took Jovee out of Jeannine's hands at 8:25 am. We got the new's that they were done at 3:44 pm and Dr. Waldhausen came to speak to us about the surgery at around 4:15 pm. I actually didn't get to see Jovee until about 6:00 pm.
When Dr. W told us that the 4 major risks did not happen (still have to wait to see about the leakage with the thoracic duct - but most likely won't happen but if there is leakage it will be very minimal) and finished talking with us, I reached over to give him a hug after he shook my hands. He hugged back...not the weak, cheesy pity hug but it was a very tight, real hug. Haven't been hugged like that before. An excellent compassionate doctor / father hug. He's really good.
I went to see Jovee with Tyson today around 1:00 pm. Toughest thing I've ever done so far in my life. I cried and cried and cried. Nurse asked me if I was OK and I just simply said no. Here's why:
Even though Jovee's been sedated all this time, when I showed up, she was halfway awake but still with her eyes swollen shut. She heard my voice and tears started coming out of her eyes even though she couldn't open them. I cried. I gave her a kiss on her cheek and on her right hand and talked to her some more...you're going to be OK baby, I love you, I love you, I love you baby...a few more tears started to come down her eyes. Oh it was heartwrenching. I then asked her to sign language to me the colors of the rainbow, fish, ice cream, and I love you. She did it all with a wimper. She still was able to sign being in the condition that she was in as she responded to my request. The tears from her swollen, shut eyes was sooooooo difficult to see.
Then what made it harder was when I picked up Tyson to have him say hi to her, she heard his voice and felt his fingers touch hers. They're really good with each other and she tried so hard to open her eyes when she heard him. Oh that was sooooo hard to see.
Tyson did get emotional, almost cried and I said to him it's OK to cry. He was teary eyed when he asked me, "When is Jovee going to come home?". I explained to him everything, about recovery and all.
It was tough.
John L. Scott Real Estate team came and served a marvelous dinner for the people here at the Ronald McDonald House. Excellent mashed potatoes!
I met the Relief Society president today; she's the loving grandmotherly type. Bishop Shrever also came to the ICU and helped to give Jovee a blessing of healing. He's a good man. In the very beginning, opening of the blessing he said, "You're in good hands". That was very comforting because that's been said to her and us many, many times since the beginning of all this. It was very pleasant to hear those words again.
I tried to finish 2006 taxes today and tonight but just couldn't. I hope I don't get dinged too bad for filing one day late without sending the extension form in. I shouldn't owe anything so should be OK. Hope so.
The surgical team actually started at 9:30 am, even though they took Jovee out of Jeannine's hands at 8:25 am. We got the new's that they were done at 3:44 pm and Dr. Waldhausen came to speak to us about the surgery at around 4:15 pm. I actually didn't get to see Jovee until about 6:00 pm.
When Dr. W told us that the 4 major risks did not happen (still have to wait to see about the leakage with the thoracic duct - but most likely won't happen but if there is leakage it will be very minimal) and finished talking with us, I reached over to give him a hug after he shook my hands. He hugged back...not the weak, cheesy pity hug but it was a very tight, real hug. Haven't been hugged like that before. An excellent compassionate doctor / father hug. He's really good.
I went to see Jovee with Tyson today around 1:00 pm. Toughest thing I've ever done so far in my life. I cried and cried and cried. Nurse asked me if I was OK and I just simply said no. Here's why:
Even though Jovee's been sedated all this time, when I showed up, she was halfway awake but still with her eyes swollen shut. She heard my voice and tears started coming out of her eyes even though she couldn't open them. I cried. I gave her a kiss on her cheek and on her right hand and talked to her some more...you're going to be OK baby, I love you, I love you, I love you baby...a few more tears started to come down her eyes. Oh it was heartwrenching. I then asked her to sign language to me the colors of the rainbow, fish, ice cream, and I love you. She did it all with a wimper. She still was able to sign being in the condition that she was in as she responded to my request. The tears from her swollen, shut eyes was sooooooo difficult to see.
Then what made it harder was when I picked up Tyson to have him say hi to her, she heard his voice and felt his fingers touch hers. They're really good with each other and she tried so hard to open her eyes when she heard him. Oh that was sooooo hard to see.
Tyson did get emotional, almost cried and I said to him it's OK to cry. He was teary eyed when he asked me, "When is Jovee going to come home?". I explained to him everything, about recovery and all.
It was tough.
John L. Scott Real Estate team came and served a marvelous dinner for the people here at the Ronald McDonald House. Excellent mashed potatoes!
I met the Relief Society president today; she's the loving grandmotherly type. Bishop Shrever also came to the ICU and helped to give Jovee a blessing of healing. He's a good man. In the very beginning, opening of the blessing he said, "You're in good hands". That was very comforting because that's been said to her and us many, many times since the beginning of all this. It was very pleasant to hear those words again.
I tried to finish 2006 taxes today and tonight but just couldn't. I hope I don't get dinged too bad for filing one day late without sending the extension form in. I shouldn't owe anything so should be OK. Hope so.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Miracles
The 1st picture above of me kissing Jovee says 4/15/2007 but it was actually the morning of the surgery right before she went in at about 7:45 am.I still can't believe all the risks were averted. I can because the Lord is omnipotent...but I just still am bedazzled.
The surgery was started at 9:30 am and was done about 4:00 pm. I didn't actually get to see Jovee until about 6:00 pm. She's hooked up to so many tubes and wires and all, as seen from the pictures. She's beautiful. Her eyes swelled up pretty bad but she's beautiful. What an amazing, powerful little girl!
We kept busy all day while the surgery was taking place, just didn't want to sit and sulk at the hospital. That helped out a lot. The pager had an 80 mile radius so they called and updated us often.
Have to go for now but I'm just still in awe. And humbled.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Day of Surgery Continued again
Just got paged again at 1:44 pm from the Surgery Desk. She's still doing great, everything still going well.
We just picked up Tyson, Brooke, and Bennet from the Hutch School, their new school here in Seattle. They liked the teacher a lot and she said they should do just fine. Tyson likes it because it's half days (from 9-12:30) and they get recess everyday, 2 blocks away from the school.
We've tried to keep ourselves busy today. We thought we had to stay at the hospital all day but the pager has an 80 mile radius. We took off to register the kids, came back here to heat, went back to pick up the kids, go grocery shopping, and now preparing lunch. Rich and I have been looking for cars to buy to get them home since they dropped off the Lexus for us. It's just an old 93 Lexus ES300 with 190k on the body and 151k on the engine. Cheap $1500 car so don't think because it's a "Lexus" that it's anything super special.
We just picked up Tyson, Brooke, and Bennet from the Hutch School, their new school here in Seattle. They liked the teacher a lot and she said they should do just fine. Tyson likes it because it's half days (from 9-12:30) and they get recess everyday, 2 blocks away from the school.
We've tried to keep ourselves busy today. We thought we had to stay at the hospital all day but the pager has an 80 mile radius. We took off to register the kids, came back here to heat, went back to pick up the kids, go grocery shopping, and now preparing lunch. Rich and I have been looking for cars to buy to get them home since they dropped off the Lexus for us. It's just an old 93 Lexus ES300 with 190k on the body and 151k on the engine. Cheap $1500 car so don't think because it's a "Lexus" that it's anything super special.
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