Opening Day

Today was opening day at VCAA the baseball league where Andrew plays. Andrew is on the Braves this year, managed by John Coulsell. They won their opening game thanks to some key defensive plays, it was a very exciting game.

Andrew will be working for the league again as a youth umpire for the lower division games and he's also going to work in the snack shack. He is starting to save toward hopefully getting his license next year. Between him working there, games and practices he'll be there 5 or 6 days a week all spring but I know he can handle it and frankly it's better for him if he's kept busy.

After the game Andrew had to umpire so Mel, Adam and I headed over to see Sam and give him a blow-by-blow account of the game. Andrew hasn't yet been able to see his Dad, he's had a bad head cold the past few days and until the cough is gone he can't get near Sam. Sometime next week hopefully.

Later today at 6pm I go get my first lesson with the nurse on how to handle the home IV's and breathing apparatus. I just hope there won't be a quiz :)

Horray!

I'm happy to say that Sam's starting to improve a lot. Yesterday he finally got a good solid sleep and woke up a lot less confused which was a big relief. He's been freaking me out the past few days. This morning when I arrived he knew where he was and what was happening.

He actually managed to sit up for about 40 minutes this morning and they took him off the oxygen shortly after that. Later today he's going to move out of ICU and into a regular ward. They were worried there might be some slight brain damage but the tests came back okay, nothing major just some minor stuff that some therapy will take care of with time.

They do want to do some tests on his heart tomorrow to make sure none of the valves was damaged. There's a long way to go to get him back on his feet but it's starting to look like that will happen.

Some Improvement

Great news--the doctors were able to take Sam off the ventilator this morning!

He's breathing on his own with the aid of oxygen. He was concious when I arrived, a bit confused and disoriented but that's to be expected right now. Mel (Sam's dad) and I decided to divide the day up into shifts over the weekend so I'm catching lots of naps.

Sam Update

I want to thank everyone who has called, emailed or offered prayers. I haven't been responding to emails or returning your kind messages but we are getting them and they are appreciated.

My father-in-law, Mel, has been a rock and all our neighbors have been wonderful dropping off meals and helping to keep the boys occupied. Stephanie is coming home on Friday after her last class.

The good news is that the bleeding in his lung has stopped. The bad news is that he's got double peunmonia and it's not yet responding to antibiotics. But they are throwing everything they can at it, he's on so many different meds I can't even begin to keep them all straight.

Since the bleeding stopped they tried to take him off the ventilator this morning, gradually turning it down but he went into distress so they're going to just leave him be and hope that his body will start to respond.

After that scare I suddenly felt like I just had to get out of there so I decided to just come home for a while but I'll go back later and sit with him for a while. He is unconcious but there are times I think he can tell I'm there, at least I'd like to think so.

It's Not Good

Sam is back in the hospital. He started going downhill over the weekend and then his lung started to bleed again yesterday. It's not good, he's in ICU on a ventilator.

My father-in-law Mel is here, he's going to hold down the fort here at home while I stay at the hospital.

Deans List

Stephanie made the Dean's List!

She called this morning to tell me and needless to say I'm very proud of her.

Feeling Pleased

I had one of the most productive weeks I've ever had this week. I got two columns written and sent off, plus an article and a book review all done by Wednesday. Neither column was due until the 15th so I'm well ahead of schedule for the month. I was feeling so pleased with myself I took the rest of the week off.

It's been a glorious week too, sunny and warm. It was a real pleasure to work outside so I got the front and back lawns fertilized and the flower beds weeded. The boys took care of the rest of the yard work for me. It's definitely been a warmer than usual winter this year, I just hope that doesn't mean we're going to have a cold spring.