9 Weeks

Wow, what a difference an early bedtime and prayers make. I woke up this morning with a whole different perspective this morning. I had a plan for the day. I brought Archie a small lunchablew for breakfast this morning. When I got to the hospital I told Archie I had a plan and he told me sarcastically "for me to eat and walk right". I said " No my plan is for him to get his anti-nausea medication before he attempts to eat." He said that won't fix all of my issues and I told him that we can attempt to try to fix one issue and hopefully the other issues will workout.
Archie ate 2 pieces of ham and a square of cheese from the lunchable that I brought him for breakfast. I was thrilled (I know it is sad). We then went for a short walk. I then left to try to get the handicapped parking placards again. So I drove to Frisco and went to the Tax Assesor's office and home to grab a couple of things.

While I was gone the neurosurgeon came to check on Archie. He answered some questions and told Archie if he went on 5 long walks today that he will probably be able to go home tomorrow. What time? The neurosurgeon said it depends on what time he gets there tomorrow, a typical answer from a doctor. Also while I was gone Archie ate about 10 bites of beef stew.

This afternoon we were walking so we can get Archie out of this joint. I went and got Lennys for dinner and Archie ate a bunch of deli meat from a sandwich. The only question of the night is whether Archie is going to throw up at 9 pm again like he has the past few nights.
Good night everyone. Thnk you so much for all the prayers that were said!
Below is a picture of my second trip to Frisco:

Frustrated, Day 62

That is my life right now.  Last night we spent two and half hours trying to make him eat something off his dinner tray, without success.  This morning I stopped and got Poptarts and thought this would be better.  But no, two hours later with fifteen minute reminders to eat, and nothing.  After my mom showed up this morning, she coerced him to eat bites of Poptarts.  It is just so much work with no results.  I really just want to open his mouth and shove some food down, but it's not working out.
The doctor has told him and I both that he will not be released from the hospital until he is eating, walking, and off IV medications, meaning he is drinking liquids.  Today was the first day he walked with a bunch of moaning and groaning.  He did end up taking two short walks though.  He catnapped most of the day and overall feels like crap.  He still is complaining of a headache and nausea.
I left tonight to attend a family dinner and told him he must eat if he wants me to come back.  So far no success, but he did get a shot for nausea so we will see if that helps.
We are hoping that tomorrow will be full of walking, eating, and drinking.  Pray for us.

A Blah Day, Day 61

Archie got moved into a regular room last night around 9:30 pm. He said he slept ok, he woke up several times but got a chunk of sleep. He was not feeling well this morning again and he threw up. His head was hurting and he was a grouch. He did not eat anything for breakfast or lunch. He got a CT scan this afternoon, the doctor said if I didn't get a phone call then everything is the same. Well I didn't get a call so no news is good news. He took a bunch of catnaps today throughout the day. He was trying to sleep this evening but I am trying to keep him awake so he can maybe sleep tonight. Archie's behavior got a little better as the day went on. His dinner tray came and sat for two hours before he gave up on that. He threw up again just a few minutes ago. The nurse gave him some nausea medication and he is going to try to eat some crackers because he knows he needs to get something in his body but we will see what happens. Overall it was a blah day I am hoping he will eat something soon and feel like getting up to go on a walk. One word - pray! Thank you!

Interesting Day, day 60

This morning I got here and just missed Archie, he went for a CT scan so I waited 30 minutes to see him. I did find out that he had thrown up 3. Tmes- once overnight, once at 7 am and when he returned from the CT scan. I talked to me for a few minutes but he was grouchy and really sleepy. I did remind him about the need to eat and walk so we can go home, he didn't remember. He asked me why I didn't tell him this last night, a little frustrated and I told him I did but he has forgotten. He did apologize to his mother and I for being so grouchy but he just didn't feel well.

He went to sleep and I left at that point to try to get a temporary handicap parking sign for the car because Archie really doesn't have the endurance to walk very far. I drove to Frisco, got to the office and I missed the section where Archie was suppose to sign it. I just started crying because I had left the hospital to get this accomplished and got denied. Argh! I also went home to switch vehicles because Archie would rather ride in his truck than my car. I got back to the hospital and he was still sleeping. The nurse wanted me to wake him up since he had been sleeping for a couple of hours and she had to do vitals. At that point I was asking if he wanted any food and reminding him to take his pill. He got frustrated about me reminding him about the pill and I told him everything I say these days frustrated him. He really didn't have much of a response. He slept for most of the afternoon. The neurosurgeon came in and had Archie sit up and stand up. Archie did end up throwing up again so the neurologist said he would return later with a machine with a magnet that he can use to adjust the shunt because he was over draining. He came and adjusted the shunt around 4 pm, had Archie sit up and stand up. Afterwards, Archie stayed awake so I think the adjustment made a difference. For dinner Archie had 3 sips of broth, 2 snack size twixes, and some dr pepper. He wanted the twixes because he was worried about taking pills with only liquids in his stomach. Archie is on a waiting list for a room but I am hoping he just stays here for the night then tomorrow we can accomplish walks, eating and go straight home. Say some prayers for us, I sure will. I have already warned him that my priority tomorrow is walking.

Update: Archie got a room and was being moved tonight so I will see him tomorrow in the new room.  Good night!

Shunt Surgery #2, Day 59

Today when I got there I found out that the surgery was pushed back to 1 pm and he was already hungry so it would be a LONG day for him. He did volunteer to go on a walk pretty early this morning. Archie was pretty grouchy and anxious this morning. The nurse got him a pill to calm his nerves. He then got a bath with the soap that is used be fore surgery that sanitizes the skin. Afterwards he napped until surgery thankfully so he could calm himself down.

The surgery went well. The doctor said that if he eats and walks that he might be able to go home tomorrow or the next day. He recovered for an hour in the ICU and then we were able to see him. He was ready to walk an hour after surgery but the nurse said that was not a good idea. He was able to sit in a chair for about 5-10 minutes and then he got back into bed. The doctor did say he could have some IV morphine so he got some of that and slept. I left for shift change and FINALLY donated blood. At that point Archie sent me text asking me to tell everyone "to please not touch him because he is sore in a bunch of places". I then asked him if he wanted me to come back up to the hospital and he said yes. Of course when I got there he was sleeping. I stayed for about 30 minutes and bailed because I think with that IV morphine will be used and he will be sleeping.

My hope is that Archie is really motivated to go home tomorrow and will be eating and walking so we can get the freak out of the hospital. Please say some prayers for us because we definitely need them.

Surgery Tomorrow! Day 58

Yes, you read correctly, Archie is having surgery tomorrow morning at 11 am.  I know you are thinking didn't you post earlier this week that the doctor said it was going to be Tuesday?  I know I was a little confused as well.  The doctor came in today and said that the brain fluid is as good as it is going to be so we are going to do it tomorrow.  I was not going to fight him on that at all. So say a prayer for Archie tomorrow morning.  I know it is going to be difficult afterwards because they are going to cut his belly again on the other side of his stomach just below and to the left of his belly button.  So any movement he makes will bother him.  I just pray that this recovery goes a little better than the last one.  The last one was scary for me because he was so slow moving and delayed with any instructions he was given.

Today was an okay day.  Archie volunteered to go on a walk this morning because he knew my mother was coming this afternoon (he just thought it would get him out of walking when she was there, it didn't work).  My mom got to the hospital with some Babes chicken for lunch for Archie. Then his mom got back into town right when my mother and I were headed to the waiting room to eat some lunch that my mom's friend Michelle brought us some Corner Bakery for lunch.  We knew Corner Bakery was something that Archie would not be interested in so mom stopped especially for him on the way.  After lunch my mom bugged Archie about a walk and a bath.  We did both task accordingly, mom even got Archie to shave because he had not done that in a week and a half.  He did most of his face but left a Derek Holland mustache because the facial hair was so long that shaving was painful.  Then I left for a haircut and sushi with my sister.  We stopped at Lenny for some dinner for Archie.  I am going to go on the record and say that Archie is officially done with the hospital food.  It is the same menu each week and after 7 weeks he is not interested in anything from the hospital at this point.  After dinner my sister Emily asked Archie about going on another walk.  He made a smart remark like "what is the deal with the Gruninger girls and walking" but still went for a walk anyways.  I find it interesting that he will go on a walk if someone else suggests it but if I suggest it I get labeled as a nag, go figure. Whatever, as long as he is walking I really don't care what he is calling me.  Let me say this - I definitely have thicker skin now than I did before this ordeal. The good news is that Archie did admit to me today that he is harsh on his mother and I, a little progress.  Sorry for the little rant.

Please pray for Archie, the doctor, nurses and staff that the surgery goes well and that Archie has a speedy recovery.  Please pray for our families that God gives us the strength, patience and understanding to work through this.

Law & Order Marathon, Day 57

Yes, Archie watched the Law and Order marathon most of the day.  One of his concerns throughout the hospital stay is he did not want to watch daytime tv so he has been watching the news in the morning and that is about it.  Needless to say he found a Law and Order marathon and watched a bunch of episodes today.

Today began with me walking in to there being a pill on his table and the nurse was bringing his next pill.  The pill is called Flagell (spelling could be wrong) which is the pill he takes for his c-diff.  He has choked on the pill previously and so the nurses started splitting the pills in half.  The halves seem to be a challenge as well.  After choking a couple of times on the halves he is not interested in taking any.  Which really does not work really well because by the end of the day there were 5 halves of pills on his table.  I told him that when I left to pick up dinner that he needed to finish his pills and brush his teeth otherwise i would leave after we ate dinner instead of waiting until 9 pm like i normally do.  Thankfully he got one whole pill down which seemed to work with the nurse.  The nurse made a note to talk to the doctors to see if there is an IV version since he is having such issues.
He went for a walk this morning and a walk this afternoon, a lap each.  His appetite is getting better with each day.  Besides that it was a boring day. Good night everyone!