FRIDAY TO FRIDAY - ONE WEEK

For those of you who have seen the movie Ground Hog Day, you know what I'm talking about when I say I feel like I keep waking up to the same day. I am sitting in the same area at the hospital I have been in three other times this week. Hopefully it won't be too long until it's known how it's going behind closed doors.

When I arrived this morning to see Ken before he went to the O.R. there was a little concern in the room. The nurse had had to shock his heart about 5 times already and was still working with medications to correct the problem. He asked if I wanted to leave the room and of course I did not - I would much rather know what is going on. Ken had to be shocked two more times while I was in the room. The real, non-technical language of what was happening is - the heart was not firing on all cylinders in sync, which was causing the heart rate to spike and the blood pressure was still very low. I was able to talk with two of the surgeons and other medical staff before they took him to the O.R.

Dr M (it seems so impersonal to just keep saying "the surgeon") just came out - that was quick!
He was very encouraged that the heart looked even stronger than it did on Wednesday. The lungs are not yet healed and ready to be off the machines. The heart having to be shocked was a source of concern because that could mean the heart was not functioning as a transplanted organ. The chest cavity was once again cleaned out but remains open. The fact it is still open does present a stronger chance of infection but hopefully on Monday, when we do this again, that can be changed.

Ken's brother, David, has arrived so I hope that brings some relief to those who are worried about my being here alone - it will be nice to have a strong shoulder close. As always it is day by day and this day is Good - Thank you Father as always for having this all in Your Hands.

GOOD NIGHT

Thank you for the comments, e-mails and calls today. I spent some time outside of the hospital walking the streets of Baltimore again. It felt good to be out in the sun even though it was a little chilly. The plan is still to take Ken to the O.R. in the morning and see how his lungs are functioning. When I left the hospital tonight his blood pressure was up and seeming to hold steady. They were having to give him another unit of blood and they were still pulling fluid off of his body.

It is hard to believe this time last Thursday I was trying to get here - THE CALL CAME.

I will never be able to find the words to thank you all adequately for holding us up these past days through your prayers and words of encouragement. I look forward to sharing with you tomorrow of God's faithfulness.

THURSDAY

11:35 AM - For whatever reason today has been hard for me. I need an extra big dose of God's grace - please pray for me. Things are still - I'm not sure what to say - they are really not the same, things are always changing. They are trying to ween Ken off the oxygen running through the ventilator. They are coming in and lowering the amount on a regular basis and seeing how he tolerates it. They have brought it down quite a bit but as I understand it we still have a ways to go. His blood pressure has been low and they are working to get that raised. The heart has had some irregular beats and so that brings in another med. The goal is still to remove fluid; however, they are putting in about as much through all of the drips in an hour as they are trying to remove. Just like I said yesterday, everything seems to be such a balancing act and so there is constant change. He is still heavily sedated, still on the by-pass machine for the lungs, still on the ventilator, still receiving blood, and the HEART is still beating on its own. I truly do know that this is still and will always be in God's hands and on God's time-table -- I also know that my human body and mind will grow tired and weary at times and this is one of those times. I am okay and will continue to be okay I just need an extra hug from God today. (Mom & Dad, Josh and Hannah please do not worry and think you should be here - just pray for me) Ken's brother will be flying in tomorrow so please also pray for him and safe travel. GOD IS SO GOOD - ALL THE TIME!!!!!!!!!

WEDNESDAY

Once again we start with counting our blessings and there are many. Your faithfulness to pray for us is so amazing and God is answering them along the way. Out of the O.R. this morning came the news we were waiting to hear - THE HEART IS WORKING WITHOUT ASSIST. That is such awesome news. The doctors were able to take the heart off of the by-pass machine; however, the lungs are not able to stand alone yet. The plan is to continue and remove fluid from his body and then try again on Friday. As I continue to watch these different machines perform their functions - all of the data they can find out from the blood work they continuously do, allowing them to make adjustments in medications for a desired result - I am astounded at God's creation of the Human Body and how there is such a fine balance with everything. God's design is absolute perfection.

We will continue to pray for wisdom of those working to find that desired balance in Ken's body, so it will all come together and work according to God's plan. It has been a long day for some reason so I will let this be all for today. THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT.

IT'S STILL TUESDAY

Not for much longer - but it still is. Hannah's flight back to Oregon was this afternoon. She spent some time with her dad this morning and then we left to go get her a bite to eat and grab a cab to the airport. As we were walking out of CSICU their stood an angel - our pastor from Franklin. He had flown into Baltimore to visit with me, see if there was anything we needed and pray over Ken. Those working in Ken 's room could not believe he had flown all that way just to visit with us. I know his being here kept me from crying the afternoon away.

This afternoon they added a machine that has blood running through it and pulls the water out. The goal is to pull about 1-1/2 to 2 liters out before they take Ken back to the O.R . tomorrow. I will update again after I talk to the surgeon.

THANK YOU GOD FOR THE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN PRAYER AND CONTINUE TO LIFT US UP IN THIS TIME OF NEED. YOUR FAITHFULNESS CONTINUES TO AMAZE US.

TUESDAY

Hannah and I are at the hospital and there is not much change. Josh flew back to Nashville last night. It was hard for him to leave and hard for me to let him leave but he needed to get back to work, there are people who need him there. Baby Jack also needed a big squeeze from his Pops and Bertie.

The plan had been earlier this morning to take Ken back to the O.R. but has been changed until tomorrow due to the amount of fluid still remaining. During the night he required more blood products but they continue to tell me that is due to his chest still being opened and the way they have to keep his blood thinned for the by-pass machine. He has had the hiccups off and on and it is definitely causing some discomfort. He is still sedated but he is opening his eyes and showing discomfort when he coughs. The physical therapist is here now moving his joints and checking for skin breakdowns. Looks to be another day of monitoring the overwhelming number of machines and IVs along with all the different data that comes from blood test.

We know you will be praying and that brings great comfort. Thank you!!!!

LAST UPDATE FOR MONDAY

This afternoon the nurse was needing to check Ken's neurological functions so they had to cut way back on the medications keeping him sedated. As the medication slowly wore off he was able to open his eyes. As hard as it was to see the pain and confusion in those brown eyes it was such a thrill to have another glimmer of hope. Ken was able to respond to most of the commands given and all three of us were in there to witness it and talk to him. His kidneys are still functioning and they definitely had a work out today with medications being given to remove fluids.

THANK YOU ALL FOR ONCE AGAIN PRAYING US THROUGH ANOTHER DAY.

UPDATE 2

The surgeon just came out!! The heart is actually functioning better than was thought. The concern at this moment is the Lungs - they have not had to work while on the by-pass machine and so they are full of fluid. The course of action will be to remove fluid from the body while still on the same machine. They will go back in tomorrow or the next day to try this again. The great news was the heart may not need the assist from another device. GOD HAS TOUCHED HIS HEART!

I will continue to update throughout the day as needed. KEEP PRAYING - I know you will!!!

REST STOP AND INFORMATION AHEAD

Monday Morning: Ken is back in surgery. The plan is to clean up the chest cavity and take a better look at the heart. Depending upon what they see, the heart-lung bypass machine will be replaced with a smaller assist device. If they are able to close his chest they will but it could remain open if there is too much fluid. With the smaller device they will in a sense be re-training the heart to operate as it should. It would allow for out of bed movement when the chest is closed. Updates will come as available.

A "HAIR-PIN CURVE" ON THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD

After a long night in the waiting room and a long morning in another waiting room I still did not know what was happening until much later in the afternoon. I was getting a little frantic - I knew it was a long surgery but we had gone past that. Finally the surgeon came and explained. The transplant had taken place - BUT- the new heart was not working!!!! That was never a point of interest on "our" road trip. Several people have reminded me that this was no surprise to God and that He is still in control. Ken is on a heart-lung bypass machine at this time with his chest still open and heavily sedated.

The doctor has re-listed Ken on the transplant registry and now we find ourselves in another waiting situation. Waiting for another donor heart or for this one to start functioning like it is suppose to. I told the surgeon at one point that this heart must have come from a very mild mannered person and was in SHOCK after being placed in Ken. Those of you who personally know Ken know what I'm talking about.

Josh flew in from Nashville on Saturday morning (his birthday) and Hannah arrived from Portland, OR that night. It is so good to have their support and hugs. We are keeping each other going -taking turns loving the one who is needing to cry. I cannot tell you how the support of family and friends, so many miles away, has encouraged and helped to calm our spirits. God has blessed all of us with such caring, PRAYING people. Josh and Hannah have such great support teams in their lives. As a mother I can't tell you what an awesome feeling to know your grown children are in a place that they are listening and following God's direction and surrounding themselves with friends who will call and e-mail them. They have shared prayers they received and what an awesome sense of peace they brought.

When we started this journey "to see the wizard about a heart" we knew that just like in the movie, the wizard was powerless. PRAISE GOD, HE IS THE ONE WHO CAN TRULY CHANGE AND HEAL HEARTS!! Thank you ALL for praying.

THE CALL CAME

February 21, 2007, a date of celebration for our household. Ken saw the doctor in the morning and the two of them made a bet. She is pregnant and due in several weeks and of course as we all know Ken is waiting for a heart. The bet was on which would come first the baby or the heart. When he got the call the first words she said was, "You Lost The Bet". That was certainly a bet worth losing. Ken called me back in Franklin to tell me to grab my bag and come on. Of course I was not at home, I was out running an errand, which meant I had even less time to physically get my things. I had people trying to get me on the last flight out of Nashville and a neighbor waiting anxiously to drive me to the airport. Wouldn't you know it - no available seats on that flight. That was the answer on the phone continuously; however, I was told to come on and perhaps I could fly standby. Ken was calling family and friends from the hospital as I was from the car.

At the airport: My neighbor asked me if she should stay and see if I got on the flight but I sent her on home, I was going to be on that flight! An employee with her window closed sign up said "Can I help you" - I told her I knew there was a flight at 9:40 for Baltimore and the reason I had to be on it. Without hesitation she said "I have a seat for you". THANK YOU GOD! It's a good thing I had been doing all that walking in Baltimore -I was primed for the longest walk in the airport -next to the last gate in that terminal. Once at the gate I sat down, still making calls to Ken and others. I was talking to my mother telling her I had my ticket and that God is so Good and had once again taken care of the details when I noticed the lady next to me seemed to be listening. When I hung up she introduced herself as a Methodist minister - she had heard "Baltimore, hospital and God is so Good" and asked if she could pray. Once again God providing what I needed - a calmness for the flight. Once on the plane I told Ken I would see him later - the Tin Man with his new heart. Ken was still making calls from the hospital up until they came to take him away. He had called a friend in Texas and woke her up and the conversation was The call came - oh here they are to take me - bye. (Sing along if you know it - "They're coming to take me away ha ha hee heeeeeee)

As we had both thought would be the case, they had already taken him to the surgical unit before I could get to the hospital. I spent the night in the waiting room - WHAT A NIGHT THE CALL CAME!

THE REUNION IN BALTIMORE

Pops and Baby Jack..."Reunited" (sing if you know the words).

If you would like to see more pictures from the trip go to www.maggie-and-family.blogspot.com. There are five segements beginning with "Breakfast in Baltimore with Pops and Bertie".

NOT SURE ABOUT KANSAS BUT TENNESSEE HAD TORNADOES

Tuesday night of the 5th I thought I might be blown back to Baltimore on the wings of a tornado. What a night - Mo (our dog) and I spent part of it in the hall bathroom's tub. I not only survived the storm but Ken and I have survived two whole weeks apart! Hasn't been easy but do-able. Thank you for continuing not only to pray but encouraging us through calls, cards and e-mails.

Thankfully the weather in Baltimore has been where Ken could get out of the apartment. He started the cardiac rehab Monday and found some muscles he had not seen (or should I say FELT) in quite awhile. The rehab staff informed him that coming now would help him a great deal with recovey after the transplant. I'm sure if those quads are stronger he will be able to get up and down with less difficulty and strain on the chest.

He has had two appointments with the doctor since I left but thanks to the "SPEAKER PHONE", I was able to be there. (No, I did not trust him to tell me all the details) They have adjusted some medications to take care of a few issues; however, he is still doing amazingly well. As it stood on Thursday afternoon he is first on the list, in that region, to receive a transplant based on heart size and blood type. That could still be subject to change but it was so encouraging to know he was that high on the list.

If the call does not come before Friday evening - Josh, Melanie, Jack and myself will be flying out to spend a long weekend with Ken. We all know Jack is the focus of the trip - the rest of us are going so we can feed and change diapers - Pops will be doing the SPOILING. What a lift in spirits that will be.

We have known since day one that God is in control of this journey and His grace and mercy have been given in abundance. He has used all sorts of means by which to meet our needs, and we continue to be amazed and ever so grateful. The travel for this weekends trip has been provided by members of our church who had reward points - ( 3 adult round trip tickets) - THANK YOU !!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Valentine's Day - Remember to always let those you love--KNOW IT!
We love you -- and thank God for you daily.