8:20pm

Pastor Kathy stopped by and prayed with me before dinner. Dinner was some unidentifiable gray chucks of meat. I might have over done it bit today. Standing, sitting in a chair, taking shower, moving to a new room and eating 3 full meals today. The pain is back and I just took some vicodin. This is the first night without any monitoring devices hooked to me. Don't know if that's good or bad. The current description is retroperitoneal bleed.

4:30 pm

Visitors have left. Got a shower after 5 days. Way overdue. Even Bob wouldn't get close to me. Looks like I can go home tomorrow. After I get and  the 3 pints of blood that hemorrhaged into me desolves in me (2-6 weeks ) they'll start looking again for the source/  cause. Let's just pray it doesn't happen again.

My Posse

New room

2:50 pm

Out of ICU. Moved to room 311.

4:30 am

Woke up soaked in sweat. Temp 98.8. More blood drawn. Urine sample taken. Sponge bath. New undies and gown and sheets. No pain. I feel good.

2:15 am

Took blood cultures. Took 2 tylenol. will look for bugs in next urine sample. Back on oxygen.

1:36am

Temp 101.5 nurse is calling dr.

4/30 1:00am

slept for two and hours. temp was 101.1. I've lost eight lbs. took sleeping pill as i am wide awhake. see you in a couple of hrs.

4/29 at 8:22pm

pain undercontrol.vitals good. should move out of icu tomorrow. still looking for cause.

no food order lifted

they are letting me eat six small meals a day now. never been so happy to see a half a turkey sandwich.

sick guy speaks

eric and bryce just left. i am feeling better but not out woods. next step yet to be determined. am pretty much shackled down to this bed. am planning escape but hospital is too confussing. must be the morphine. love you all.

April 29

There is improvement today. Alan's hemoglobin count came up just a little and he hasn't needed pain meds this morning. Some of the doctors still want to do further investigations, but our surgeon, Dr. Sunshine (real name, by the way), thinks it's best to just keep watching him in ICU. It could resolve on it's own if it was a cyst or vein that ruptured. The blood where it doesn't belong caused the pain and will gradually absorb into the body. Let's hope Dr. Sunshine is right. It's starting to look like he might be!

Back Story

On Tuesday evening Alan was sent to the hospital in crippling abdominal pain.  First responders were concerned of heart attack and he was rushed to SW Medical Center.  After thorough testing, a CAT scan, and an MRI doctors determined he has blood around his pancreas.  The source of this blood is still not known.  He has been placed in ICU pending further investigations.

April 28

Thank you all for your prayers and good wishes. Alan actually seemed to feel a little better today, but his hemoglobin count was continuing to go down which indicated he still had a bleed going. The endoscopy did not reveal the cause of the problem nor did the vascular study, so a surgeon, Dr. Sunshine, came in tonight for a consultation. He does not want to rush into surgery. He wants Alan in ICU where he can be carefully monitored and just wait to see if the bleeding clears up. He may bring in a hematologist.  Unfortunately, it is much less comfortable for visitors in ICU. In fact, we are not allowed in from 6:30 to 8:00 (AM and PM) when there is a shift change, and technically only 2 visitors at a time can be in the room. ICU is on the 5th floor of the Firstenburg tower at SWWMC. It's still OK to visit, just not as easy.

The good news is that Alan is not critically ill or terribly uncomfortable. Therefore, the doctors have been trying to avoid rushing into any type of surgery. We both feel Alan is in good hands. The hospital personnel have all been very caring, thorough and responsive. 

Bryce and Jessica are on their way down tonight and my folks are back from Arizona, so that helps our spirits. We are very optimistic Alan will be well soon. We are feeling really blessed to have so many good friends. Thank you again for the visits, phone calls and prayers.