It seems like Dad has enough friends and family calling to keep Verizon in business! It finally dawned on me that technology has progressed further than i have and perhaps this is the most efficient way to keep everyone updated.

So...back to the beginning...

On Tuesday, December 14, Dad arrived at the hospital for his scheduled aortic valve replacement surgery. After about 8 hours, the surgeon let us know that even for a "re-do", the surgery went well, his heart was working great, and he was being moved to the ICU.

They got him settled and at about 6:00 pm, took away the sedatives and took the first steps to wean him off the ventilator. This did not go as quickly as planned and it became clear that he was not moving as expected. The docs figured this was simply because the paralytic drugs and sedatives were taking a while to work out of his system. They put the ventilator back on full strength and we all thought he would just rest for the night and try again in the morning.

By Wednesday morning, there was still no progress. Dr. Friedgood was concerned and ordered a CT scan of his head/brain (an MRI was out of the question because of his pacemaker.) The scan was normal. It was clear he had not had a stroke as both sides of his body were effected. The docs then all took the role of Dr. Gregory House to try to determine what was going on. Through this all, his heart was working perfectly.

Thursday morning Dr. Friedgood (or Dr. Feelgood as Dad says), not giving up, ordered another CT, this time scanning his spine as well. A large bulge was evident and, after clearance from the heart surgeon, Dad's brother from another mother, Dr. Igram took him in for spine surgery. They went in through the side of his neck/throat and discovered a ruptured disc at C 4/5 which was pressing on his spinal cord. After removing the disc and it's fragments (what the doc described as the double stuff of an oreo), the spinal cord was decompressed and went back into place.

The kicker, though, is that the cord was compressed for some time. This is the reason Dad could not move anything lower than his arms and why it was difficult for him to breath on his own.

So, where are we now? His heart is great (but we all knew that already, right!) and everything associated with the first surgery has been taken care of. All the chest tubes are out and this afternoon they took out the jumbo mainline IV in his neck. He still has an IV of the typical fluid solution everyone has and also a special one I hang, compliments of Rob Tully. (I'll try to get a picture of that one up.)

The pulmonologist is very optimistic but also very conservative in getting Dad off the ventilator. He wants to be certain that he can handle the breathing on his own so there is no chance of having to put it back in.

As far as his movement, he is getting stronger in lifting his arms and is getting more and more sensation in his hands. It is slow but forward progress....the forward progress is what is the most important. As soon as the ventilator is out, he will be the one to explain everything to the rest of us. He is in good spirits...when someone asks, "How are you?", he rolls his eyes and shrugs his shoulders a bit. I suppose it is fair to say he must be thinking, "Well, I've been better." When he can talk, I'll post his exact words!

Mom is scared but strong. As long as the progress is forward, we can take slow. As long as he can kiss her good night and good morning, she's good. Elana Schneider has been her angel but we think we need to get her a GPS so she can find a closer Starbucks.

So, that is what we know now. I'll keep up the posts and also work to teach Mom how to do this so she can fill you in when I go home. Or, perhaps it is just easier to have her call me everyday and dictate what the latest is. Until then, David Wiggins has me practicing my ice cream swirl for my summer job.

We Rosenfeld's are all firm believers in the power of prayer and positive thoughts...please keep us in yours.

xxxooo etc. Suzanne

P.S. Feel free to share this information and blog address with others who care.