Happy Sunday Nite!

Sunday, March 07, 2010

Hi All, just a quick note to let you know Donna and I are doing well out here with the wind & sunshine of Moss Landing. I wanted to touch-base to let you all know that today is the first day I really feel "close to pretty darn normal"...and that feels "Pretty Darn Good"!

Of course, it's all relative, but we head back to Stanford this coming Wed for my 7-day Post Opt Check-up...and if I keep feeling as well as I did today, I can't believe I wouldn't get a Pristine Bill of Health next week!

I Walked around the block today! (Whoa, a whole 15-min walk! ...Sometimes It's the Little-Things that count...)

When I have gone through large life-episodes similar to this one in the past, Friends and Family are clearly the cornerstones making Life Worth Living. Thank-You for all the great Comments and Emails. We appreciate them.

Thanks again, brent

Thank You All!

Friday, March 05, 2010

Hi All, Brent Here once again: It's Day 2 at home, and my energy level is pretty much tanked tonight.

This will be much more brief than I'd like...I wish I could return voice mails and emails, but that's taking a bit too much healing-energy just now...

First, thanks to my Sister Donna for the "Nothing Short of Fantastic" manner in which she ruled the Wildsprint website in my absence. I'm one lucky Bro! Everyone I've heard in voice-mails and such, have been very complementary and grateful of her wonderful narratives...and, of course, I am the most grateful of all!

Second, thanks so much to ALL of you who have helped me through this First, and Most Intense Chapter...We did it! There are no words to accurately describe the gratitude I have for you....all I can offer is my heart-felt thanks...

Third, please know, that even tho the Comments sections have been up and down on the site, I receive each and every one of the comments via email as well. I intend to get back to each and every one of you over my recovery-period. Thanks for being there for me over this past wild-ride of a week!...Whew, quite an adventure, but one I'm pleased and relieved to have taken!

Will Catch-up with you in a bit. Thanks Again, brent

Slow but sure

Thursday, March 04, 2010

Hi All,
Another great day living the dream folks!! The weather was fantastic today, which really helps to lift a persons spirits. Its going to be quite an adjustment for Brent to be so immobile so to speak.He is so used to getting right after it everyday that I think he's feeling frustrated, tired, and still in a fair amount of pain. Doesn't sound like any fun to me either....but he's doing the best with it that he can that's for sure. We've got things here on the island(Moss Landing) pretty well dialed in. Movies are going to be big for the entertainment piece of our nights' that's for sure....Nothing much to report except things are going really well and so is Brent's recovery for what I can tell....that being said, Have a great night Y'all....donna

Home Sweet Home

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Hi All,
We made it back to Moss Landing safe and sound. We were even lucky enough the get out of the hospital between all the showers and beat rush hour all together!! Which really made it alot less stressful.( Especially for me as I was driving, and there are no such things as "Rush Hours" or "Traffic Jams" where I live!!!) Brent is doing great! The discharge process was actually really fast. No hassles at all. We just walked right out, got in the car,and headed Home!! Yea!! We stopped at Eriks Deli for lunch and then home. By that time Brent was pretty tired. Its been a busy day and we're just now getting to relax together for the first time since this experience started. Its really been something else!! Blows my mind to think about where Brent was at in ICU, a hurting unit to say the least, 6 short days ago. Sure does confirm what an amazing machine the human body is if taken care of,and the advantages of preventative and proactive health and medical choices. I've been through alot of surgeries with my family, (fortunately they weren't on me!) and the difference in going into a surgery healthy and strong verses ambulatory is incredible. The correlation is, if you go in strong, you seem to come out strong....food for thought!! That's it for tonight folks. Thank you all again for hanging in there with us and keeping the energy going~~****~~~~***.....donna

Going Home

Hi All,
Today is the day....its a game of hurry and wait. There are lots of steps to discharge, and we are just glad to be making them. Brent is great and ready to go. I will let you know when we make it home and how the ride went. It might take awhile, so keep checking. Thank you again for all the great support.....

Thank you Stanford Hospital Staff. The staff here are stellar!! We have had the best experience imaginable in such a critical time in our lives, especially Brents. The care and expertise are impeccable. The nursing staff is awesome. Thank you once again......donna

Leaving tomorrow

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Hi All,
Its a great day at Stanford. Brent is going to be discharged tomorrow AM. We saw both the surgeons today. They said " both the tests look Pristine" and "the repair is tight as a drum". So....cant beat that! Its really been a long day for Brent, and we've met with alot of professionals, OT, PT, Cardiac Rehab, and Nutritionist's, who gave us alot of information to absorb....but were confident and ready to go. Not much else to say except Thank you all again for your kindnesses and have a peaceful night...donna

Its Getting Close

Hi All,
Brent is ready to go home.....we're waiting for the test results to confirm that, and hopefully tomorrow we will be out of here. Its been a really busy day, nutritionists, cardiac rehab specialists, etc....everyone has to do there part of the discharge requirement so its been really busy. Brent looks great, and seems to be getting back to himself really fast. I'll keep you posted on the progress, but that's it for now.

I'm not sure when Brent will want visitors, but I will post that as soon as he lets me know, or maybe he will be doing it himself ....

Once again, we are all so appreciative of your constant concern and love and well wishes....thank you very much.....donna

More progress

Monday, March 01, 2010

Hi All,
More progress inching Brent closer and closer to the exit door!! YEA!! The chest drainage tubes have been removed. The pacing wires into his heart have been removed as well. He only has 1 pic line left in his hand for his pain meds. They have removed the bandage which was covering his incision, which looks great! No redness or swelling visible.He looks really great. He's tired for sure. He has a low grade fever which is pretty normal due to the reopening of the lungs which caused inflammation,and seems to subside with walking and breathing exercises. He is eating well and is in good spirits for the night, so that's all I have to report until tomorrow. Sleep well, and Good Night! .....donna

Good Day

Hi All,
Its a much better day today. Brent had a pretty good night last night, they seem to have found a working combo to manage his pain and nausea. They are going to step him down to Toroidal which is a super strong tylenol every 6 hrs., which he has used with other surgeries and has liked alot better than the narcotics. All he has left in are the chest drainage tubes. They hope to remove them today and tomorrow he will have the ECO and CT tests that will really be the determining factor of his release which looks like Wed. at the soonest. I know he is really focused on being really low key and centered around doing whatever it takes to get out on Wed. He looks really great and is good spirits.....so lets all keep our fingers crossed and energy flowing with the Wed. release.

I know everyone is really anxious to see and talk to Brent. That's fantastic and I know he wishes he has the energy to do so...but the truth is, he simply does not and the added stress of "letting people down" by not being able to visit is a real concern of HIS! and ours of course, but he especially is concerned about it. I think for his benefit it would be great if folks could keep that in mind when he gets home. Perhaps it would be best to call me or his home phone to schedule visits so he wont get too tired too quick. Thank you again for all your concern and support.....donna

Feeling a little better

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Hi All,
Its really been a long day for Brent. He is still somewhat nausious and uncomfortable. He's been walking around quite a bit trying to get all systems going and it seems to be getting better for him. He no longer has any fever so thats really great. His chest is starting to get sore and it's painful to cough, but his lungs are still pretty clear. YEA!!! He's eating Salmon tonight and is doing better. I think he may be somewhat disappointed that he isnt feeling as well as he would like to be, but thats pretty normal for someone who holds such high expectations of himself....thats Brent right!! Were hoping tomorrow will be a gentler day for him and he will feel better. Thats it for now, talk to you all in the morning.....donna

Good morning

Hi All,

Just saw Brent....he's not so chipper today sad to say. He has been moved to a step-down ICU unit, which is alot less chaotic, and a lot more quiet. He is fighting the nausea from the pain meds and is really uncomfortable, tired, and worried. He has a low grade fever, but the nurse explained it as a natural occurrence that tells them he needs to get up and walk. He has all the lines, except for his pic lines, out of him. The catheter is out too. Yea!!. He went for his first walk this am. It was tough/weird he said, but afterward he felt better and his fever subsided. He isn't very social today, but who is when they are sick to their stomach, let alone after heart surgery!!! None the less, he is really doing well and is still the Star Student....and the brightest star in our lives. He needed to rest after a short visit, we hope he's up to watching the hockey game this afternoon with us.....but its all about whatever it takes to keep him comfortable and on a smooth recovery. Thanks again for all the support and well wishes....donna

Looking good

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Hi All,

Brent is doing exceptionally well. He is the "Star Student"....thats what his nurse calls him, so its all good with me. He is off most of his pain meds, so he is getting some sorness of the chest now. His respritory system is really clear and his breathing is getting stronger. He is very tired and we can only visit for ~15 min. and then he lets us know thats enough. His body has gone through quite a trama, rest is the best medicine right now. I really dont have alot to report as we really cant see him that much and not untill atleast 10 am so thanks for the patience waiting for the updates. Thats it for the night, I will talk to you all in the AM. Rest well everything is really great here. donna

What a wonderful day

Hi All,

Sorry this took so long to get up this am, but visiting hours arent until 10 am. When we arrived Brent was sleeping. His nurse, Elvi, told us he had been sitting in his chair and walking at bedside for the past 3 HOURS!!! Holy cow!!! can you believe it....fact, not fiction folks. He has already gotten a full meal of soup broth, jello, and orange sherbert (his all time favorite ice cream), and water. He looks great!! No noticable swelling or redness. The Dr's and nurses say he is doing incredibly well and are really satisfied with the procedure and his attitude and recovery so far. When he is unhooked from the drips, which may be today, he will be able to go for a walk around ICU. Hard to believe a person can be walking etc so soon after such a major surgery isnt it...He is in really great spirts and is doing really well with all of his breathing exercises. I think the biggest issue he will have is overdoing it.

Thank you all again for all of your concern and love, we all really appreciate it more that words can express. So....keep checking in. Every 2 hours we can go see Brent. We try to stick to the regular hours as we feel they are set up very specifically for a reason, and we certainly dont want to interfer with that purpose. Talk to you all soon,,,,,,donna

Vents out/lights out!!

Friday, February 26, 2010

Hi All,

We just got to visit with Brent. He is ready to go home he SAYS!!! He said" Whats a few tubes?!". Can you believe that!! Joking just a few hours after open heart surgery. He looks great....I cant even begin to describe the emotions running around my brain and body! Sheer elation is a good one, but most of all Gratitude!! He was doing rowing type exercise movements when we walked in the door of his ICU room. His eyes are really pretty clear and bright. He squeezed our hands with his normal strength and just smiled that beautiful sorta crooked smile of his.....gotta love it!! I'm sure the "happy" meds are talking some too, but I don't care whats doing it....its great!! Well folks, that's it for the night. We are exhausted too. Talk to you all in the AM!! Ciao..donna

A long Day

Hi All,
It certainly has been a long day...especially for Brent. He is in ICU and recovering really well. He is still ventalated and he is not liking that at all, but he is really alert. He recognized and understood us,
whether he will remember it, is another story. We will visit one more time at 8 PM, they should have the vent out by then and thats the way we want to see him before we leave. I can hardly believe how great he looks....he's totally blowing us away...incredible. All the Drs were in the room when we last saw him and they were all very happy with the surgery and really happy how alert he is already.! We are so relieved as I hope all of you will be too. Rest well and check in tomorrow. Im not sure if I will have the energy to blog anymore today....but feel free to check. Visiting hours are not untill 10 am. tomorrow so I wont have anything until after that.....thank you all for your support and love! donna