Still here

The good news is......  all of the chest tubes have been removed!  The bad news is we are still here.  It looks like tomorrow is the big day.  He will be released to go to Mercer Island.

I was talking to a lady tonight, Bonnie Bentz.  Her husband, Darrell was the transplant patient that had surgery just hours before Lonye.  He just came out of ICU yesterday.  He's here on the regular floor now.  I asked if he has been up and walking.  She said, he walked around his bed today.  They have to go back in tomorrow and have a "small procedure" done.  I guess I am talking about this here for two reasons, first every patient and circumstance is different (and we can thank God that Lonye is doing so well).  Second, please pray for Darrell & his family they live in Lewiston, Idaho and have been here in Seattle since August.  It's been a long rough road for them and there's more to come.

Before we can be discharged we have to receive instruction on the breathing exercises that Lonye has to do every day.  The medication that he is taking also has lots of side effects including diabetes, rapid heart beat, weight gain the list goes on and on.  We also have to keep daily records of his vital statics (weight, pulse rate, blood pressure, temp.) and pulmonary function tests.  It sounds like a lot of work, but I'm sure it will become old hat.

We are looking forward to leaving here so that we are one step closer to going HOME.