Sam’s Progress

Hi everybody!
Just a quick little update on Sam.  I know how much you all look forward to my well composed update emails (HA!) so I thought I’d pop in and let you know the latest.  :)

Sam continues to be very uncomfortable today.  The doctors had warned us that this was an extremely painful surgery since they had to go in through the back of the neck, dissecting the neck muscles to get to the part of the brain they needed to in order to remove the tumor.  We are trying to keep him as comfortable as we can with hourly doses of morphine.  This seems to be helping tremendously as he is getting a lot of rest and his heart rate is nice and low now.  We were trying to stretch it out, giving him morphine about every hour and a half, but that just wasn’t doing the trick.  But by the time that hour rolls around, he is definitely ready for the next dose.  The slightest movement of his neck, head, shoulder area is just unbearable for him…and I mean the SLIGHTEST movement.  Every couple hours they need to reposition him to prevent pressure point sores and it is not much fun.  Because of his extreme discomfort, we have rescheduled his MRI for tomorrow because we can’t imagine them trying to lift him from his bed to the MRI table.  (Moving him for his CAT scan was TERRIBLE for him and TERRIBLE for us to hear).   The throwing up continues now and then despite medicine to try to prevent it.  Unfortunately, the tumor and the place where the surgery took place is the place that triggers nausea/vomiting sensations.  I guess the location was also a blessing as it alerted us to the fact of the existence of his tumor.  Sam had been vomiting for 10 days before we discovered it.  A doctor shared with us this morning that one boy that was just admitted had headaches and vomiting on and off for two years before his was discovered.  I guess they were just attributing it to other things.

He is such a trooper and has such a great attitude.  The nurses laugh how he is still so polite despite the pain, remembering pleases and thank you’s.  Ah!  My sweet, sweet boy.  He really hates his catheter saying, “What’s this thing in my penis, anyway!?”  He!  He!  He saw me standing over his bed this morning with a white blanket wrapped around me (our room is freezing) and asked why I had a doctor suit on.  And just a minute ago he woke up and said, “I’m bored.”  Then went back to sleep.  :)  Thought you might enjoy hearing some of his Samisms and to hear that he does wake up from time to time and communicates with us.  His vitals are great, temp is going down and everything really is as good as can be expected at this point.  We tell him CONSTANTLY to think positive thoughts, to tell himself that he feels better, and to tell his brain and body to heal.  This really seems to comfort him and you can see him relax and focus and watch his heart rate go down.  See mom, I was really was listening all those years!  :)  (My mom was always a pioneer in the positive thinking revolution long before The Secret and Oprah got into it!!!! HA! You go Mom!)

Our nurses, doctor’s and staff have been wonderful.  We really have been pleased with each and every one of them.  Everyone who has heard of Dr. Boaz (who did Sam’s surgery) says he is simply the best, been around for years, and is just a super surgeon.  This comes from all over-it’s so funny how we all know someone, who knows someone…etc who has worked with or heard of Dr. Boaz.  We are happy he is on his case!

Once again, you all have been so, so wonderful.  Jere and I talk about it all the time how truly blessed we are to have each and every one of you in our lives.  That is what really gets us teary eyed (and you know it doesn’t take much for me as I even cry at commercials sometimes-I know- weird!)…all of your words of encouragement, love and prayers.  Thank you to those of you who have offered to chip in for our make-overs!  You make us chuckle with your emails.  And thank you to my CRHP sisters for the goodie bag of sweet treats (as Leslie said, never let the pregnant lady go shopping for the goodie bag…poptarts, chips, rice crispie treats-Jere will be in heaven) as well as the pamper bag for us.  Leslie, you are cracking me up with the rolls of toilet paper (she says Riley toilet paper is horrible) and the stress relief spray for my pillow case!!  Loved it and it so made me laugh!  We needed that!  You guys are great!

Again, we are just trying to take it one step at a time, day by day.  Little bites seem easier to swallow.  Thought I’d leave you with a little prayer that my sister sent to me this morning that I absolutely love.  The right prayer, at just the right time.

“Today I begin again, Lord by giving thanks to you.
Today I will remember, Lord that your with me in all I do.
Today I will deal with the present, Lord not the future, nor the past.
Today I will tackle one thing at a time, Lord one problem, one challenge, one task.
Today I will have faith, Lord let go of worry and just be.”

Love to all!
Ery & Jere