Update from the Howard's

Feb 19

2009-02-19T10:27:00.000-08:00

Too finish my song
Now the whole darn Van is cheering and I can't believe I see
That beautiful state sign that says KEN TUCK EEEEEEEE.
We will be home fridAY night. Thank yall for everything.
xxxooo

Feb 17

2009-02-17T08:11:00.000-08:00

Nothing much going on today. Rehab at 12 to 3;30 then back here. it gets pretty boring. Tomorrow we do labs,xray and pft's (blowing in a big tube to see how much you can blow)then rehab then back to the dr. I sure hope and pray he gives us the go home signal and that he skips the last few days of rehab.

Happy Valentine Day

2009-02-14T07:25:00.000-08:00

Hello again. Everything is going well. Joe has gone to get the oil changed and brakes checked in Big Red (my bad a-- mini van)
I just thought I would share this with all my followers. I have been looking at Kelly a heck of a lot watching for signs and that child is so very very beautiful. The change is her is remarkable.She is just georgeous. I told her that she was so beautiful. She always was but now there is something else.She smiles all the time and is happy and very healthy looking. She is gaining weight (111) and ready to leave.You know it hit me the other day like a hammer that I have always known that the Lord knew us and has helped us but when I asked him to lay his big strong hands on kelly Howard and heal her he did. he knows her by name. That to me is remarkable. MARY,St. Anne,St.Faustina,St. Blaise,Divine Child of Prague,all the Angels that I have prayed too. They all know us by name now. That is so overwhelming to me. We have been blessed.

Thursday

2009-02-12T15:06:00.000-08:00

Joe,Kelly and myself are doing the count down 8 rehab days left.
We have missed all the holidays like halloween,Thanksgiving,Christmas,Ground Hogs day and Valentines day.
Everyone continue those prayers please.

God Blessed us with some beautiful days

2009-02-10T10:42:00.000-08:00

Well if my goes inta is correct (you know 5 goes in to 5)ha ha I still got it anywho if in it is correct then we have 10 more rehab days left.i am hopeing tomorrow if i ask then the Dr. may drop the last too because they are on a Mon and a Tues. I figure he may want to do some more testing first so I say quit scratching your butt and get the testing on the road.Schedule it NOW.
Then Tie a yellow ribbon around the Old Oak tree its been 4 long months since I've seen KEN TUCK E.xxxooo

2009-02-05T06:25:00.000-08:00

Well Kelly passes her swallow study and she can now eat and drink. A giant Dr. pepper was on hand. All her test are showing a remarkable improvement.10 days we have done of rehab with 13 to go.If things go right then we will be home early march.

Sharon

2009-01-30T11:45:00.000-08:00

Got your package and thank you so much. How kind of you.Kelly loves the word finds and Joe loves tout that. hat Suduko thingy. It makes me batty.
Kelly is doing well. We did not get to go to rehab today because she woke up really sick to her tummy. I called the coordinator and left a voice mail which my call is important to them(NOT) and they will return it in 2 to 3 hrs. Well i called back at 12 and now it is 3 and still nothing. Thay are starting to get on my nerves.See this is how they all do. Wed the Dr. said kelly is doing well and she can take the swallow study feb 4 but he may not let her drink even if she passes. Well we will see about that.No one else at rehab has had to wait this long. She may need thickened drinks but that would be ok also.

Tuesday in NC

2009-01-27T07:46:00.000-08:00

Things are going ok. Rehab everyday which is ok with all of us.Tomorrow we go to labs at 10 then x ray then blood gases then PFT's which is testing to see how much her lungs can blow. Then rehab at 12;30 then the Doc at 4. What a shame we cannot go out to eat afterward but since kelly cannot eat that would be cruel so Joe and I wait till she goes to rehab and we went out and got a good burger. We have not been sneaking out but thought of it yesterday. Joe felt too guilty but the guilts have not hit me yet. Since i am the caregiver I need to keep up my strength. In actuality I could life a happy life on the food that is already stored.xxxooo

Happy Obama day

2009-01-20T06:56:00.000-08:00

Snowing like crazy here. These people do NOT know how to drive on snow. There have been at least 30 wrecks on the Interstate this morning. Slow down IDIOTS.
Kelly is looking like 6 o'clock straight up and down. What a little toothpick. We shall fatten her up as soon as she can eat and drink which they say they will test her in 2 weeks but I have been throwing a fit but no one listens to me I guess I am not mean enough. I need Donna or Les they take NO crap from no one. Well I need Renae also because she takes NO crap from anyone either.We go at 8 tomorrow for lab work then to rehab. That will be 1 day out of 23 so the count down is on.

2009-01-17T14:34:00.001-08:00

Kelly has left the hospital. We left Friday night at 6. It was suppose to have been 1 but foul ups but we made it.So many meds and tube feedings. This morning I was completely overwhelmed for awhile then we got our act together and now we are on tract. She still cannot eat or drink. We think they are being too cautious. kelly looks so weak even though they are doing tube feedings for all the nourishments they say she needs.We do not know how she is possibly (possibbly) exercise in this shape. We are going to try asking again this week. All the poor baby can think of is food. Joe and I are closet eaters now.

2009-01-14T13:40:00.000-08:00

Well today things look better than yesterday. Kellys co2 is down to 64 and they want it in the 60's to leave the hospital and her diaphragm is working. Things are looking wonderful for the time being.GO CATS.

Hello from Dukieville

2009-01-13T11:58:00.000-08:00

Well people the powers that B says we have to stay till Friday anyway because they want her co2 level down some more even though her surgeon told us she could leave with it high his partner over ruled him and said he wants it lower. The guy is a butt hole excuse my French. He really is a butt sometimes. He has the God attitude.

Kelly Update

2009-01-12T10:55:00.000-08:00

People we are out of here Wed. Can you believe it. 3 weeks and 1 day. Then we go to the center for Living (Rehab) for 23 sessions which is 1 month 1 week and 1 week of clinics then Homeward Bound.YEAH.

Sat

2009-01-10T07:17:00.000-08:00

The Docs say we should be out of here sometimes next week.Kels is doing great.We have been warned that things can change. She has to go for a ct this morning because of a lump in her tummy but they think that has to do with the feeding tube.
I shall return. P S Joe is not driving me crazy YET.

Thursday

2009-01-08T08:56:00.000-08:00

First of all I want to say Thank you so very much to Sharon my cuz for the special card and yes a hug does help.
Kelly got all but 2 small tubes out of her today the remaining tubes will stay in place till we leave.She is feeling well and walking a lot but still gets short of breath. That is so discourageing to still have to wear oxygen but they all assure me that it will get better.
I just heard that they may have our discharge day for the 12th. YEAH. That was a maybe and not written in stone.

Tuesday

2009-01-06T11:21:00.001-08:00

Nothing much happening today. Kelly is sleeping a lot. We are out of the ICU and now she is trying to catch up on sleep. She is no better than she was actually. Her diaphram(sp) still has not kicked in so she can take a deep breath. She is on 1/2 to 1 liter of o2.Her co2 is still high.They assure us that her body will realize that it can breath on its own but it has been 2 weeks and nothing positive.No drinking or eating yet.

Jan 2

2009-01-02T18:11:00.001-08:00

Good days and small glitch days. Last weekend my daughter Mischelle and 3 of my brothers came to NC. I enjoyed them so very much.Kelly had a good last weekend then she got to not feeling well. Her co2 stays high and they cannot get it down and one the the dr. said she may leave the hospital with a high co2 because that is the way her body is use to it. Her diaphram(sp) is not working at all so they say they hope it is the shock of the surgery and that it will recover.As of now she cannot take deep breaths so they still have her on 1 liter of o2.
She is walking but her legs are so weak. Wednesday she weighed 88 lbs.I sure pray these Docs know what they are doing.

Sunday

2008-12-28T18:42:00.000-08:00

kelly is doing OK. She is in no pain but her weight is now 100 lbs. They give her NO fluids and I mean no iv fluids either. She as in her body has to stay dry so the lungs stay dry. Yes she is so thirsty. We let her put a wet cloth in her mouth then she suctions it out. She was doing so wonderful yesterday then today her co2 went us and she is so short of breath that she could not walk and her heart rate is 140 when she tries to walk and that is making her dizzy. She is stuck betweet a rock and a hard place. Her co2 is up and without putting her on the bypap you have to walk to get rid of it and when she walks she panrs because she is sob and that builds up her co2. So they ended up putting her back on the bypap for awhile. Tomorrow she is getting a feeding tube into her tummy. That will be the first nourishment she has had since last Monday.Keep praying. Love to all.

Merry Christmas Eve

2008-12-24T09:59:00.000-08:00

Kelly had her transplant Tuesday morning for all those who or whom did not know. 11 hrs of surgery. They called us Monday night at 5pm and told us it was a go at midnight. They started at 3pm.She is doing GREAT. She is terribbly sore but they keep the pain under control.They have 12 tubes coming out of her chest and that is what hurts more than the incisions I am told. keep those prayersup. Merry Christmas. We have our present.

Friday

2008-12-19T16:09:00.000-08:00

Well this afternoon Joe and I where in a caregivers meeting when I get a phone call that they HAVE listed Kelly. Yes you read right. Now we wait and your jobs are to pray harder.xxxooo

Sad Wed

2008-12-17T16:01:00.000-08:00

No list this week. It is not for a medical reason but now they want Joe and I to go to some transplant classes. Why can't we go while she is in the hospital???The Dr. said that he was pretty sure that they will list her next week. That means there will just be 2 classes that we can go to. That make a lot od sense doesn't it???????????

Dec 17

2008-12-17T08:15:00.000-08:00

Well today may be the day. We go see a dietician at 1 then x rays then labs then the Doctor. He had better not want anymore test over again. We had an appt yesterday for 1 test he wanted over again and they forgot to put it on the books.They told us the time but forgot to put it down.So say a prayer and cross everything. I shall let yall know. xxxooo, V

Sat.

2008-12-13T09:21:00.000-08:00

haven't written lately becaue nothing is going on. Monday we shall be at the hospital all day running test and seeing Drs. Tuesday 1 Dr appt and Wed we see the Big Kahuna and prayfully he will put her on the list then.
Went to the Dollar tree because we decided we needed some decorations and it made me cry. I miss home especially at Christmas. Christmas music makes me so sad. Oh well there is always next year. Love to all, V

Tuesday Dec 9

2008-12-09T08:22:00.000-08:00

Went to the hospital yesterday at 8 and got home at 5. one test was 3 hrs then at the Doctors at 1 they called us at 2 and then we met with the transplant coordinator.
They may decide today if they will put her on the list or not. We met with the surgeon yesterday. He said that he is very good at wheat he does but he has NEVER done a transplant where someone had the problems kelly has so he could not tell us how it will come out. he said that her quality of living may not be as she knows it. She may not be able to talk very well or walk or understand very well and her memory may be effected. I said Or it may not right he says Yes it may not that they do not know. They do not know if the transplant will lat 2 days or 20 years. Kelly is quite upset but she is calmer now. I pray they decide to put her on the list and no more test.

Thursday Dec 4

2008-12-04T05:59:00.000-08:00

Went to see the Pulmonary Dr. yesterday. We were under the impression that he was going to list her yesterday. Instead he tell us that the surgeon wants to meet Kelly because he said on paper Kelly sounds too bad for a transplant but when you see her you see a whole different story. Now they also want to run more test.So it will be another 2 weeks before they list her. The Dr. told us that they have NEVER done this kind of a transplant before meaning someone with all the problems Kelly has and that they do not know what will happen. Of course kelly cried all the way home becsue he told us they did not know if she would make it through the operation or if she did what her life expectancy would be. Monday the surgeon we go see will be very blunt and tell it like it is. I expect more depression and Kelly would tell them no operation but she has already been told that if they do not do the operation then she dies so now if they decide to turn her down she knows what to expect.

Nov 24

2008-11-24T14:55:00.001-08:00

Kels did her swallow study again and they said it looked loke some liquid could but has not go into the lungs so she has to remain on thick liquids. She has to put this thick up stuff in everything she drinks and make it thick.She started rehab today and I was there when this gentleman walks up and tells us he remember us and that he had a lung transplant Oct.28 He waited 1 month and he looks fantastic I mean I was shocked.I hope we do not have to wait that long.

2008-11-20T12:12:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to Micah

Happy Birthday to Micah
Happy Birthday to Micah
Happy Birthday to you. We all Love you. Stay sweet. And give that beautiful Amber a big o hug.

Happy Thursday

2008-11-20T12:06:00.000-08:00

Kels is back at the apt and loving it. it was so hetci getting everything set up. The hospital gave out the wrong apt number and everything was delivered to the wrong place. But in the end it was straightened out. We have an appt at 5 today at the rehab center. i am telling you with out our TomTom we would be lost.

2008-11-17T05:45:00.000-08:00

hello from not home. Kels is doing so much better. They told us yesterday she may be released later on this week and go back to our apartment then start rehab to get stronger and then be listed. We hate it here. HATE and I hate nothing but hate is my choice of words.

2008-11-14T03:44:00.000-08:00

Good morning.Kelly is in her private room. She gets depressed so easily. They tried to walk her and no matter what her heart says her legs say differently. She was very eager but too wooblely. Is that a word??Then her heart rate would go up way too high.I am telling you people that we do not like it here at all. The people (most not all) are cold. The Drs. are almighty and now 1 dr. says that kels may not get on the list because of this illness then the coordinator says that is bull. That is what makes her and us depressed. She did get to talk to people yesterday on the phone. It was my baby brothers birthday. Happy B day Jerry and marty. Not twins marty was jerrys birthday present one yr.

2008-11-12T03:45:00.000-08:00

Kelly is doing so much better . She did start having some seizures and she was thinking things that where not happening but more meds helped that. Today they may move her to a regular room and then start more rehab. We have not heard from the transplant yet today.xxxooo

2008-11-09T12:12:00.000-08:00

Kelly is looking so much better. The nurse said that being on a vent she is in the 1% range for people doing so well. Tomorrow we may know more.

2008-11-08T04:38:00.000-08:00

well Kelly is finally on the right road. they plan and hope to take the vent out this weekend or Mon and hopefully she can breath on her own. The Transplant coordinator came to see us yesterday and she was shocked that kelly was fully awake and playing games. They hope to get her in a room rehab her then list her that is probably going to happen over a 1 month period. that is the plan for now. yesterday they sit her up on the side of the bed for the first rime in 10 days and they hope to walk her some today. They tell us 99% of the people who they have on vents are asleep this whole time. Pray that vent comes out soon.xxxooo

2008-11-07T03:54:00.000-08:00

they tell us kelly is not getting much better.we feel they are wrong. they are as of right now going to leave the vent in till tues then i do not know. she is watching tv sching tv and doing word find books. they tell us she is highly malnourished. Joe said feed her more or get that thingout of her throat so she can eat. not to many friendly people.

2008-11-05T12:11:00.000-08:00

Kelly is not feeling well today. threw up 2 times this morn man that is hard with tubes in your mouth.The Dr told us it would be awhile before she was well enough for a transplant if she ever was or if she ever left this room. I personally feel he is wrong. I know her better than he does and she is a fighter and I feel she could get up now if they would unhook everything.

hello from the V

2008-11-05T04:21:00.000-08:00

i do not have a lot of time to write. i guess by now everyone knows what happened on the way here. kelly still has all the tubes in her nose and mouth. day by day is what the dr. says.she is getting better but they have to have her the ststus she was before she got sick. that may take a while. this place is expensive. $10 a day to park. you have no choice because there is no street parking. Cafeteria is expensive as is ours at home. well Joe is ready to leave but I shall return when possible. Love to all, V

Hello Everyone

2008-10-19T10:31:00.000-07:00

I need to know if this is right or not???