Keith Update

Yesterday, Keith had his appointment with the Nurse Practitioner at Grand River Gastroenterology.  After reviewing Keith's history and most recent surgery status, she conferred with one of the physicians in their group to make sure she was on the right track.  She ordered more labs to be done, one yesterday before we came home and one on either Monday or Tuesday of next week.  He's also going to have an ultrasound on his right upper quadrant this afternoon to see if there may be any stones still in his bile duct.  His liver enzymes are slowly coming down, but still extremely high numbers, which is still a concern.

Please pray they would be able to find out what is going on, so the problem can be treated and that the liver enzymes would return to a normal level soon.

God promises He will not give us more than we can handle.  We must testify that God has given us amazing strength through the last months to be able to "handle" the things that have come our way.  He is our Strength.

Some Sweet Friends.......

Thanks to our wonderful friends, Paul and Patty, we have been blessed with 6 quarts of yummy Michigan strawberries.  This means we'll be able to make some freezer jam, as well as have some berries for strawberry shortcake.  

 Special thanks to Paul and Patty for their continued encouragement and prayer throughout our years of friendship.  We are so blessed to call you our friends.  May God continue to bless you both as you are a blessing to others.

Home and Recovering

Keith came home from the hospital on Sunday.  While he was happy to be going home, he felt so blessed to meet this young man, Paul, that was proactive in getting him on the track for his surgery to finally take place.  We would give him the Spectrum Butterworth Nurse of the Year Award, if possible!  Paul, was very interested in Keith and seemed to take special interest in every one of his patients.  After talking to him, we found out he is a Christian,  His ministry is to share the love of Jesus Christ through his work.  He has a wife and a 3 year old little boy.  He made sure he was around so that he could tell Keith good-bye.

Since being discharged, Keith has been feeling better and a little stronger each day.  He's had times where his stomach has felt the same as it did before the surgery.  Today, he said it has been feeling some better.  His doctor sent him home with 2 lab requests to keep an eye on his liver enzymes which were very elevated when he left Sunday.  Please pray for these levels to return to normal and for his energy to return, too.  He knows his body has been through a lot and that it will take time for him to heal.

Yesterday, he went for the first lab.  The results:  liver enzymes were still high.  He will be going in tomorrow for another lab. Then, Friday, he will see the Nurse Practitioner at Dr. Greydanus' (gastroenterologist) office.  Previous to his hospitalization, Keith had scheduled an appointment with her as he was unable to get into any physician in the office before the end of July.  This will actually work out quite good as he was recommended to see a gastroenterologist to do follow up for his elevated liver enzymes.

We really appreciate your continued prayers for us.

1. Liver enzyme numbers to return to normal
2. Strength to return
3. Possible answers as to why the enzymes are so high
4. For Keith to take care and get a lot of rest to he can heal (People tend to overdo when they begin to feel good.)
5. For his stomach to return to normal

Thanks so much for your love and encouragement.  God does not give us more than we can handle.  We continue to trust Him for all things.  God is so good.  He has provided me strength when I could have totally been exhausted.  He is my strength.

Praise the Lord!!! Keith's surgery really happened!

Tonight, we are giving thanks to the Lord for Keith's surgery actually happening.  We know that God's timing is perfect, for all things.  Sometimes when things are postponed, we just can't figure out all the whys.  Everything is for a purpose. 

After waiting for 2 hours, Jess and I were discussing the fact it seemed to be taking much longer than expected.  We then figured they must have had to do the incision, etc.  Just after we had discussed that, the surgeon came out and talked to us.  She said, "It certainly wasn't a 'happy' gall bladder'.  It was a difficult surgery, but we were able to do it laparoscopy." (Another praise!)  The gall bladder was attached to his liver, so they left the back wall of the gall bladder in.  It will be okay as the rest of it is gone.

Post Op:  Jess telling Keith good-bye

 

We were able to see Keith when he got back to his room; then Jess had to depart Butterworth Hospital for Gerald R. Ford International Airport for her return flight back home.  Even though it was a short visit, we soaked in every minute of it. 

 



Jess and Marsha leaving the hospital:  on the bridge to the parking ramp.

 

Thank you so much, Jess for taking the time to come, even though it was last minute.  We really were blessed by your visit.  We're sorry Andy couldn't have been here, too, but feel it was so thoughtful of him to sacrifice his time with you this weekend.  We are truly blessed!  The Lord knew we really needed that special blessing.  God bless you both!  We love you!

Monday, June 17: A Trip to the ER

Keith had not been feeling very well all the weekend we went to the Tiger's baseball game.  He had a lack of appetite, felt nauseous, itching all over, along with a few more symptoms, including jaundice. 

Tuesday following the ballgame, Keith had a physical.  His lab work showed that his liver enzymes were elevated.  By Friday, his symptoms had increased and he called the doctor to see what he should do.  He sent him for lab work on Monday to test to see if he had Hepatitis.  His liver enzymes were really elevated, and the doctor wanted him to go directly to the Emergency Room.

A CAT scan showed he had an obstructed bile duct.   The ER doctor admitted him, then we had to wait for a room to become available. While he was in the ER, they had no examining rooms and they had so many people to take care of, they had them lined up in the hallways.

You can see there is another person right behind Keith.  Crazy!  After the decision was made to admit him, they asked us if we wanted something to eat.  Since it was late, the only thing they could offer us was a turkey sandwich with Miracle Whip and water.  (It actually tasted great.)  I titled this photo:  "Dinner for two in the ER."  Little did Keith know it would be his last solid food until Friday evening.

Tuesday, he had an ERCP and found that he had several stones in the bile duct.  It took quite a time to get them out of there as they were lodged in there pretty tight.  They decided they were going to take his gall bladder out the next day. 

Wednesday, we thought they were going to have surgery; then it was cancelled because his bilirubin was too high.  It was postponed until Thursday. 

 Wednesday, around noon, we took a walk to the DeVos Children's Hospital to this sweet courtyard.  We sat outdoors.  It was such a beautiful day.  Even though Keith could only have ice chips, he was a good sport to walk through all the eating places there.  He really enjoyed the fresh air and sunshine.

Thursday, they finally scheduled surgery around noon.  So, Marsha came up and took off work for the afternoon.  They waited until 1:00 p.m. and didn't hear from anyone, so Marsha checked with the nurse to see what is going on.  The nurse told her that she should go back to the room because she said Marsha wouldn't want to know what she just heard.  The nurse arrived in the room and told them the surgery had been postponed once again. (Sigh....) 

Thursday afternoon, after Keith's surgery was cancelled I went home so I could work the afternoon.    While at home, I received a phone call from Jess.  She asked me how I was doing and what I was going to do that evening.  Then, she asked me if I'd like to have dinner with her!  I was SO surprised!  What a blessing that was for both of us!  We totally kept it a surprise for Keith.  The look on his face when she walked into his room was priceless!

SURPRISE!!!!!!

 



Friday, once again surgery was cancelled.  Jess went up to the hospital around 1:00 and stayed most of the afternoon.  She was able to meet up with her friend, Karley.  Keith was scheduled for an MRI for the surgeon to see what exactly he'll be dealing with when he does the surgery.  So far, the surgery is suppose to take place tomorrow (Saturday).  However, we don't know exactly what time as he will be worked in (again). 

Thank you all so very much for your thoughts and prayers.  It's been quite a week.  God has certainly given the doctors wisdom, even though things haven't progressed as fast as we would have hoped.  God's timing is the best...always. 

A quick update on my dad: 

Wednesday, Mom brought Dad home from the nursing home for good. His first night at home was really good.  Mom said he slept like a rock.  We would really appreciate your prayers for Mom as she is Dad's primary caregiver now.  She's got her hands full between going for lab tests, taking him for blood, taking him for doctor appointments etc. plus the everyday goings on of life.  She'll appreciate your prayers as well.   

Family, Friends, and Deeeetroit Tigers Baseball

The Parentals:  Ned, Sally, Keith, Marsha

 Keith and Marsha

 Andy, Jess, Mark (Jessica's friend and Taylor Alum)

Andy and Jess (Look!  Andy's even wearing a Tiger's baseball cap!)

 



On Saturday, June 8, Keith and Marsha drove to Dearborn and met Jessica and Andy to attend a Tiger ballgame.  Mark, a Taylor Alum and good friend of Jessica's also met us there along with his parents, Ned and Sally.  We met at the hotel where we also ended up staying and then drove into the city for lunch before the game.  After lunch, we walked over to Comerica Park for the ballgame.  It was a gorgeous day for the game; not too hot and not too cold.  We had great fun at the ballgame and for the icing on the cake, the Tigers beat the Cleveland Indians.  GO TIGERS!  After the game, the Heydlauff's departed for home and Jess and Andy and us went to get something to eat before going to our hotel for the night.  What a fun day it was!

On Sunday, we drove to Sterling Heights and met some of Keith's family at Logan's for lunch.  Following lunch, Judy asked us to come over for dessert.  It was a nice day of catching up with some family.
We stayed until Jess and Andy had to drive back to the airport to catch their return flight back to Washington, D.C.  It was so great to see them, after not seeing them since they were home for Christmas.  God is so good!