Saturday

Sunshine can sometimes be deceiving. It was a gorgeous sunny day that was rather chilly- chilled Vitamin D.
The "Mister" continues to improve - enough to even go back to church tomorrow. It seems like such a long time since we have seen our church family. We have really missed them, but have heard from many of them through cards, visits, and phone calls.
He had a meeting this afternoon for Emmaus and always comes away from there refreshed and glowing.
God has taken such good care of us through this ordeal. It is so nice to share His praises with whomever will listen or see.
Thinking of Spring........
Cathy

Windy Wednesday

Whew! That north wind is rather chilly.
Mr. G. is so much better. As he said, I am "700% better". Yesterday, he was able to check/add power steering fluid to my truck, get the mail, and cook chili and hotdogs for supper. He said that he spent some time on the phone catching up with his buddies (mostly UPS friends) and taking a nap.
Patricia and Sammy were nice enough to bring "fancy sandwiches" (as James called them) and a delicious cake. We were not in need of food last night nor tonight for that matter.
However, all of that "busy" has made him tired today. He didn't get his nap today and it shows.
I think that draining all of that fluid and getting 2 units of blood have really helped him regain a lot of his strength and energy, but he still is not back to normal.
Thank yous and prayers for all the small wonders at this time.
Blessings,
Cathy

Remember the Sabbath

Wahoo!!!! We are coming home! It may take them all day to get us ready, but we are coming home. They told us about 8:00 that we were being "sprung", but I have yet to see anything that resembles exit orders. However, it will be good when it happens.
He is so much better. It is just a marvelous miracle! He has energy, appetite, and attitude. HE'S BACK!
Enjoy this day that the Lord hath made! Be glad and rejoice in it.
Cathy

Sunny Saturday

Day 4 at lovely WTN Healthcare...He is so much better that there is talk about letting him go home on Monday. Wahoo!!! They did consent to letting him leave the hospital for a couple of hours this morning. He had a previous commitment for this morning at Aldersgate Methodist Church and he said that he would be keeping that commitment. Dr. Matthews could not argue with this "hard-headed German", so we left at 8:30 and returned at 12:00. I really think that God's fresh air and sunshine helped him more than any modern medicine. He is tired, hungry, , but so much better.
You wouldn't know that this was the same pitiful man that checked into this hospital on Wednesday. When we got here, he couldn't walk across the room unassisted and could not get his breath enough to even try. They found more fluid around his heart, unfortunately on the back side. This condition had his cardiac surgeon scratching his head wondering how he would correct this problem.
God, in His infinite wisdom as the "Ultimate Healer", took care of this problem. The fluid quickly diminished and he has just returned from having his chest tube removed. Praise the Lord. Most of his pain is gone and his appetite has returned. He had lasagna/corn/salad for lunch and an extra large barbque sandwich for dessert. He is now eating Snickers minis and wanting popcorn. Life is good!!!!!
Enjoy this beautiful day!
Cathy

Just Another Day at Vanderbilt

"Just another day in Paradise?!?!" February 16 was spent at our favorite Hospital, Vanderbilt. We had all types of tests, a CT, an echocardiagram, more tests, and an office visit with Dr. Keedy. Mr. G. is rather fragile at this time in his life. Possibly the recent chemo (January 26), the recent hospital stay (January 30-February 5), the recent cardiac window surgery (February 4), all the chemo/radiation (Spring and Summer 2009), his Betapace meds, or just old age has really started taking a toll on his health. He can't walk from the bedroom to the den without being very short of breath. He can't do much of anything without being short of breath.
Yesterday, he spent his time at Vanderbilt in a wheelchair. Yes of course, we went from one side of that hospital for lab work, to the other side for the scan, back to the other side for the doctor's visit, and back to the other side for the echo. Did I mention that I was rather short of breath myself, since I was the "pusher" of the "pushee".
We are now concentrating on the heart/lung issues. Therefore, we are stopping chemo/clinical trial and taking a six weeks break from other types of invasive treatment. (Chemo would only compromise his already fatigued body.)
We have an appointment today with the cardiologist to get the results of the echo at Vandy yesterday and to adjust his meds.
Pray God's healing hands with these skilled healers as they try to straighten out his medical problems.
God blessings on this lovely, sunny snowy day!
Cathy

Sunny Saturday

One week after our "cardiac week nightmare" and he was well enough to go to the Methodist Men breakfast at church this morning. There were about 26 men there that he said appeared to be happy that "he was back"! He was able to eat some of the delicious blueberry pancakes/breakfast food prepared by the men, but was not up to doing any of the chores around the church today. (He even drove himself there!) Wahoo!!!
He continues to improve in so many ways, but still has a few aches and pains. Hopefully these are "old age" pains and not related to any of his growing list of ailments.
We had our taxes done with Donnie this morning. Mr. G. was most pleased that we were not having to pay any more taxes and even managing to get some back. You know, there are blessings in all forms. Maybe one of our blessings from last year was that he didn't work as much as normal and we are getting a refund. Who knows!
Enjoy the warmer weather (36 degrees) until later in the day when the Arctic door opens again in the South.

Love and blessings to all,
Cathy

TGIF

Thank God that this is finally coming to an end. They successfully did the cardiac window procedure on him. He is resting/sleeping soundly. Even though he is still in pain, it is manageable. Most of the pain now is from the surgery, not from fluid around the heart and the collapsed lung.
We will be at JMCGHospital one week tomorrow and it has been a rather trying visit. The surgery should take care of the extra fluid that he has had collecting around his heart (which should help diminish the pain). We have seen two of the doctors, the surgical nurse, and Dr.Crenshaw's nurse this morning. We only have two more doctors to see today then we will have seen all those that are charged with his care (just in Jackson). The Vanderbilt folks are consulting with the Jackson doctors, and keeping in touch with me by phone, text messaging, or email. DON'T YOU JUST LOVE BEING CONNECTED!
Leave it to James Gravenmier to draw such a distinguished crowd! Prayers are appreciated and requeste
Love to all,
Cathy

We are still here!

We are still in the hospital. The big decision now is when to do the triangle that will allow the fluid to drain into the abdomen instead of collecting around the heart. They have him on antibiotics since he was running fever the night before last. (probably a sinus infection) They would like for him to have antibiotics a day or two before they do the procedure. So,that should mean that they will do surgery today and we should be able to go home on Friday. However, they are dragging their feet today. We haven't seen anyone except nurses taking vital signs and lab techs taking blood.
They need to get on with it. He is getting grouchier by the minute. The chest tube and collapsed lung are very painful, and Mr. G. is not being very nice about it. He has lost weight (13 pounds in a week), is hungry, is extremely restless/sore, and the cardiac diet is not what he wants. As I told someone yesterday, "Life is not good at West Tennessee Healthcare's Big House"!
Prayers are requested for anyone that has to give him bad news or news that he doesn't want to hear.
Love,
Cathy

Hospital

I realize that I have not been keeping this up on a regular basis, but there has been a lot of the "same" going on until last Saturday. Saturday, we went to Jackson General Hospital thinking that James was having or had had a heart attack. Luckily he had not, but fluid is collecting around his heart. If we had not gotten here when we did, he would probably have had "the big one". They have been able to draw about 480cc of fluid since Saturday. Hopefully they will not have to pull any more today and we might be able to go home. If it continues they might form a triangle to drain the fluid into his abdomen.
Yesterday his rhythms were again irregular and he developed a fever which miraculously went as quickly as it came. He continues to be in pain (from chest tube, we think).
He is on a cardiac diet which he says is like eating cardboard. He has lost about 12 pounds since last Tuesday when we were at Vandy.
Right now we fix one thing and something else goes haywire.
You know, "cancer is just a bad deal"!!!!
The snow continues to melt. School continues to be closed. So, I am not missing anything.
Please don't let the groundhog see his shadow. I am looking hard for 'SPRING'!
This is the day that the Lord hath made. Rejoice!
Cathy