"Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made and forgot to put a soul into".  Harry Ward Beecher

I thought the above quote was just lovely.    I needed something lovely to brighten up these past couple of days.

This will be a summary of the past two days so that everybody is updated.   Some of you know what has transpired.  

Dick and I arrived at Sheboygan Memorial at 11:00AM on Friday.  Richard and Brenda were there waiting and they stayed with us until this afternoon, when they headed back home to Madison.   What a blessing that was.

The surgery was pretty much on time.  They took him up at 1PM.    We did not hear anything until almost 4PM.  He was in recovery and ended up staying there until after 6:30PM.  He lost a lot of blood during the surgery and this required transfusions.   His blood pressure was also way way down.   Dr. Fehrman came down after the surgery to update us on all of this.   He said that the surgery itself went well.   But, of course, we are still dependent on there being suffiecient circulation to heal the wound.    If all goes as it did last time, we should be OK.

 Finally they opted to move him from recovery to intensive care where they have the 24 hour nurses and a doctor on duty ALL the time.  Then we got to see him and spend time with him.   Richard and Brenda went back to our house for the night a bit after 9.   They did the contacting of the family for us.  And took care of Roxie   I was given some bedding and a pillow to use while I tried to sleep on a fold down chair bed in the visitor lounge.   I helped settle Dick down once, answered some questions and just checked  on him throughout the night.   I got up a bit after 6 so as to be there when the doctors came in the morning.   We now know that he will be at Sheboygan Memorial  until at least Monday.   It will depend on how soon he is stable enough to go to a regular room and then on therapy evaluation and the physician's release.   So we aren't home yet.   I just hope he sleeps tonight. 

After Dr. Fehrman left at 8:30AM this morning, I left to pick up SHARE, go home to take a shower and change.  Then Richard and Brenda took me out to breakfast to Field to Fork on 8th Street.   I had not been there before and it was really good.   They have a little market attached with local and specialty items and fresh bakery.   How fun is that.    I couldn't get much, of course, because there is just me for a bit.   But I did pick up some Rosemary Crackers, mustard and tea.   Those will be easy for snacking or will last til Dick comes home.  

Finally, we went back to Memorial and spent the day with Dick.     Richard and Brenda headed home at about 1:30PM and Bobbie came, fresh from their vacation, at about 2:30 or 3PM.   We had a nice visit and heard about her trip.   She left at about 5 and we ordered supper.    He ate a good meal of pasta and meatballs with Mariana sauce and I had a chicken fajita. 

Then as he was getting more and more uncomfortable, the nurses called respiration therapy to set him up with his CPAP machine as he wanted to try to sleep.   So, I left a bit before 7PM to try to get a good night's sleep myself.   I am exhausted.

Thank all you you for all your prayers and good thoughts.   We know they are lifting us up and helping SO much.   I will update again tomorrow night.

God love you all

Mary