Diabetes-Pancreatitis Breakthrough - Given by Casey's Surgeons!

Start:	Nov 17, '11 7:00p
Location:	WEBINAR

This is quite possibly your ONLY chance to ask “Live” questions to one of the world’s leading TP/AIT (transplant) surgeon!



JAN 2nd, 2009 - CaseyAnne & Dr. David E. R. Sutherland


Diabetes-Pancreatitis Breakthrough!

Awareness Night  -  Webinar!
Thursday, November 17, 2011 @5pm PST

Presented by Dr. David Sutherland and Dr. Melena Bellin.

Live Q & A by the world renowned surgeon Dr.David Sutherland & Dr. Melina Bellin.

Casey has had them both, with Dr. Bellin removing her blood clot- the size of a  lemon- PLUS over 2 LITERS of blood and other fluid from her abdomen- (This was 10 days after her TP/AIT).  Please CLICK HERE to read that blog.
or do the click
www.flintville.multiply.com/journal/item/721/UPDATE_IN_COMMENTS_More_Surgery..._More_Prayers...


The Diabetes-Pancreatitis Breakthrough Awareness Night
"One of the world's leading transplant surgeons, Dr. David Sutherland who performed the first living donor partial pancreas transplant in the world in 1979, will be the feature guest speaker at the Diabetes-Pancreatitis Breakthrough Awareness Night.

This is an educational event for not only for adults & children who have pancreatitis, diabetes or low blood sugar; but also for medical professionals, caregivers, friends and families who are interested in learning more about the treatment options for pancreatitis and diabetes.
CLICK HERE to register.

Dr. David Sutherland, transplant surgeon and Dr. Melena Bellin, pediatric endocrinologist, will be explaining the latest and most innovative technologies to improve quality of life for patients affected by pancreatitis and diabetes.
They will explain the before and after process of an islet cell transplant via an online webinar and will answer questions "LIVE!"

Please click on my "Sutherland" tag to read more about him.

*Photo of CaseyAnne with Dr. Sutherland
taken only 4 days after her 2nd surgery (abscess)!!

Casey, and Our "Tick-Tock Morning", Friday.

Rodney and I.
Casey took the picture- (What's NOT to be smiling at, for us two)?

Good Morning Everyone.
Yesterday, and with 5 separate alarms to wake us...
 Oh OK, maybe just the first few thoughts.

I wake.
Stretch.
Time for only one smile, and a peek at the clock reminds me that we are leaving bright and early.
Stretch again-
Put glasses on.
Look at clock again. OMG!!! I have overslept by an hour!  WHAT?
Good god help me.

(Know that I had set two separate alarms)!!!
    They will be going off at those same points every afternoon; repeatedly, until we get home to shut them off. hehehe (AM/PM settings are bass~ackwards on that clock, - I had obviously forgotten that little fact).
AM? PM? What's the Diff?

Casey had also set two alarms on her phone. Knowing she has a tendency to hit snooze, she set her phone near her pillow before falling to sleep.
At least, those alarms went off. (Unbeknownst to her, the while she slept, that darn alarm clock/phone had fallen under the waterbed mattress).

Greg's alarm went off, he had shut it off a few times...
(Asleep, but in the back of his mind he knew that Casey had told him she would wake him).

Sooooooo... My morning consisted of the following-
Jump out of bed!
Hit the floor moving. (Bewilder dog by doing so).
Holler up the stairs...
Finish drying that last load of clothes.
Pack. (In a furious fashion).
Feed/water dog.
Let the poor thing outside.
(Promptly forget about her)
Be still for a minute, just to listen.
I hear no noise...
Holler up the stairs again.
Scramble to dress.
Run brush through hair.
Hurry to look non-frightening to small children and their parents.
Forget about putting on makeup- (Heck, it's pitch dark, and who cares anyway)?
Wildly throw bare essentials in car. (This includes sick child and confused dog).
Ask Greg to please lock up.
Pull out of driveway- Redefine the phrase "Bat out of hell"...
Tell Casey to start talking, (or I might go right back to sleep).
Chug some Pepsi.
Know that dark, fast, and rainy is no way to drive through life, or Wisconsin. And pray to the powers that be that there will be no kamikaze venison hanging out on highway.

Pit stop for us all about ½way here-

Top off gas tank.
Grab some more caffeine.
Shove sweet roll down my throat.
3 empty bladders later, (and a poo for the pup), we hit the road again.
Keep redefining the above "Bat out of hell" definition... we pass trucks we had already passed 75 miles earlier, and a little over an hour ago-

Pass cow on road.
  Wait.. What?  Check rearview mirrors.
Realize that Casey has mouth hanging open too- (An odd reflection of my own).

Yes, that was a cow. 
(Remind me to alter that prayer to include the kamikaze beef also).
But there she was- little brown jersey- just watching the traffic go past with those beautiful big brown eyes of hers...

KC calls hitchhiking cow in to 911.
(I thoroughly enjoy eavesdropping on the conversation that ensued).

Tick Tock...
Casey's appointment is for 10.

Keep on trucking, not even interested in watching the clock. It is passing minutes as we are passing other vehicles.

After all this, we arrive here at 9:06 anyway. hehehe
An extra hour early! (WOOT Baby, WOOHOO)!
There is time enough leftover to find a room and unpack a little!
Got a room, with the bare minimum of rooms available due to NFL game in town this weekend; but a room for us anyway.

Punk was so happy to see Trent at the front desk! (She is assured a room for an extra night)- Not us though. hehehe
We changed from travel clothes to something a bit more human. (Keeping in mind that poorly folded, and even wrinkled, is better- somehow).  And to remember not to wear purple in this town.

Finally to be here -
- and on our way to see Dr. S. for 10.
Leave Casey off in front of clinic.
Find parking ramp.
Find stall.
Hightail it back down to tunnel to clinic. 
Whew...

I borrowed a ride on the patient/visitor golf cart/transport- Nice to see Mr. George again - Such a nice man, (AND he even remembered me)!   hehehe


Caseys doctor visit?
I will borrow words I had left within yesterdays blog comments.

Dr. S. has ordered many tests-
We will have to return for a few of those, (to include an appointment for the hematological aspect of this all).

They drew about 12 vials of blood-
Casey is ordered OFF the lovenox for now. (He believes that most blood clots will resolve).
For follow up to go back to the hospital in town, or to her GP. Will keep an eye on it.

But he does want to investigate WHERE this is coming from? More accurately put, where her iron is going to.

He also said that she probably will not need the infusions-
A few Rx things to change, and to try those suggested measures first.
She is also to take Protonix every day.
Again, your thoughts and positive well wishes and prayers keep us going."

She write down everything! Her questions for, and replies from, all of her visits.
Too bad she doesn't blog about it all. (Hint hint Casey)!



The scale shows that between Thursday and Friday she has gained 13 pounds.
Granted her weights were taken at 2 different hospitals- (but 13 pounds)? Even if you allow a difference of 5 pounds- she has still gained 8 pounds.
That is still one heck of a difference!




One can see that she has begun retaining water, fluids, something...

Compare that one to her injection photo from Thursday. 
At the least, you can see that this same tummy was not swollen one bit Thursday.


There is no fluff anywhere on this child of mine. Just lots of skin and bone! hehehe




Casey, showing her Lovenox injection bruising.


Here she is, once again to be reminded of the hitchhiking cow.


(Ok- maybe it was something she couldn't understand ie: what the nurse just said).
hehehe


The very top photo here is of myself and my brother-in-law, Rodney- He is my sister Barbara's husband.
He came to the hotel to visit, and we had the very nicest chat! Nice to be able to be reminded to laugh at this whole ordeal too! 
We were so happy to see him- I haven't, in too many years. They recently lived in Alabama, now have moved to Florida.



Casey with her Uncle Rod!

Stealing from his own intellect, he had many great ideas for Casey!
First is to remind us that not everything that happens to her will be because of all the GI issues she has had.
After checking her a bit, he suggested that there is a possibility of a kidney infection. That if she keeps getting those- or has had the bloody kidney infection in the past, to get this angle checked out. (This would also account for her fever)!
Add to that the fact that no one recalls when she last even had a urinalysis.

Secondly he offered, her pain, given the location, might also be suggestive of an ovarian cyst, to make an appointment with an OB/GYN. (Due to a bad experience last month, she already had one set up)!

Sometimes it takes a little reminding that Casey might not be an abnormal young lady. And here we are always thinking that things are happening one way- and then forgetting the definition of comorbidity.
Such practical advice. (Thank you Rodney)!

Back to yesterdays doctor visit, we have not yet heard how any of her blood tests have turned out. Some will take a while to get the results from, but some had to have come back yesterday also. Will know more today, maybe.

Trent did find us a room for tonight also, we won't be needing it until we return for those tests and stuff.
I will close for now. Getting more punchy by the minute here.
I need to lie down a bit more, and maybe even sleep! I had taken Punk out earlier, and she has been snoozing ever since.
Now, it's my turn.   hehehe

Have a 'wunnaful' weekend!
My love to all!

XOXO
Me

You'd Look Hotter in a Helmet.

hehehe
What do you suppose those 2 turtles are doing in there?!?
MORE cute mutant animals... click

Good Evening Everyone;
Casey has had a pretty rough 24 hours, but is holding her own. She is hopefully sleeping right now as I haven't heard from her for a while.
She has posted a blog about her "Baaaaaad Day". Click
Perhaps a bit of overdoing it- That, and being cooped up (and unfed) for so long. Please leave her a comment.
While I was up there this afternoon she had told me that if she could have ordered a hug from room service she would have.

We did get outside for a bit...
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Even with the new snows.
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hehehe
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She was 'here' too!
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Rough day or not, she can still smile! ;-) ...attagirl!
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Looking around the campus, and all over town, one sees these...
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Literally, millions of bricks as far as the eye can see...
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One can even spy teeny tiny mop~heads growing out of the buildings.
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I have NO idea what they are (for).
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Back to the bricks...
... While Greg and I waited (endlessly) to be able to see Casey after her surgery, we wandered about the hospital. Poor guy was starving so we went up to the cafeteria (which was closed)...
I snapped this picture...
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And I posed the question:
How many bricks are there in Minneapolis?
Greg had NO idea!
wth?  
(Shhh.........  -me neither).
How does one go about finding the answer? I still need to know!!! (I'll give you a quarter if you answer that for me).
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The snow came the other day. Not enough to stop the mopeds, and motorcycles that are still running about down the roads.
And yes, these bike racks are used every day, every single shift too. I know, because I am there for every single shift, (just not for the duration of them).

This bicycle hadn't gone anywhere for 2 full shifts after the snow...
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Maybe the snow grips weren't working.

Maybe the brakes?
So we have all heard, ad-nauseum, about the Toyota recall. Then today came the warning NOT to drive the cars until they are repaired.
That makes no sense to me...
... I mean how the heck are you supposed to get your car to the dang dealer if you can't drive it?
I hear too they will be recalling the Prius' also. Hmmm...
My advice? Go buy a bike, a horse, or a Buick.

The next pictures bike owner clearly has his head on straight...
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I love this!
And this bike is in a different spot every day.

Wonder if he will take it to work tomorrow. Weather claims we are in for a storm. .
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I have pictures from today yet to get onto my little laptop... Will do that shortly, but wanted to keep you all up to date with Casey's "shtuff".
Please do go to her blog and leave her a note, (three notes would be even better)!
For those of you that get this by email, here is the link:
www.edbdkcn.multiply.com/journal/item/134
Should be clickable for you.

I'd better close for now
I hope all is well in your little corner of the world?
Have a "wunnaful" rest of the evening!
My love to all.

XOXO
Me

Happy February! (Better and Better)!

♫  ~Casey Face, You've got the cutest little Casey Face~  ♫
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Good Afternoon!
These were her stats yesterday...
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See what I mean about "Better and Better"?
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When I got to the hospital yesterday morning, Casey was sitting in her chair.
Lo and behold, her Foley (catheter) was removed too! (This only makes her move faster)!
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Holding fast to the pillow that keeps a bit of pressure on her healing tummy.
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My sister Barbara called, and we all had a very nice chat. Hard for Casey to talk with her NG tube down her throat.
My nephew Dixon was here last week for an interview at the University. He is in med school, and is interviewing for where he will do his internship. Barbara said he actually liked Minneapolis! Imagine that, a boy from Alabama. Good for him! Dixon is only a few months older than Casey.
After we hung up, CaseyAnne wanted to walk some more...
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So walk we did!
I swear she goes faster than I do!
(Note the cart and the window behind her; they might be important later). ;-)
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She got a peek out the window.
Bright and sunshiny skies!
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Then she wanted to race the lady with the janitorial cart... hehehe   j/k
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She got a bit tired so we went back to her room and just talked.
Greg came up about 11 or so. (This too improved her spirits immensely).
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So darn sweet together!.
Greg had to get back for work, and left for Green Bay about 3:30.

Casey loves her own pillows- She had asked would I bring them up for her?
Of course!
I brought them when I returned in the afternoon.



 
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This morning as I got my things together to go visit her again, I caught sight of this poor little beastie~dog...
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Punk wanted to go too. So hard to ignore those eyes, but she will wait until Casey's central line is gone. (I am not taking any chances).

I found Casey sitting, freshly cleaned, NG tube removed, say YAY!, and BUG~BITTEN!
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Bug bit? wth? 
See the welt on her lower jawline? Not sure where it came from, (but I do know that nobody but Casey would have a bug bite her on the 1st of February either).
Still giggling.

Her nurse came in and gave her some benadryl.

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Nurse Brooke, with Casey.
(Miss Brooke giggled when I turned the camera on). hehehe


Now NO FREAKING OUT with the next picture. It is Casey's tummy.
I don't know why it looks so dark in the photo.
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The dark makes it look worse than it really is, though it is quite bruised. (At least I don't think it was that dark)...
The shiny skin is only the glue. Her wound is not weeping or leaking.
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Again, she wanted to walk- (and had already been down to the gift shop to get herself a book, a bookmark, and a bracelet).

So off we went.

Now remember that window that had beckoned to her on Sunday?

Poor kid couldn't take it any more and was off... .
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...and running (away).
There was NO stopping her! hehehe  (Still laughing at her wheels)!
I dragged her back inside... (Not an easy task, mind you).

On Friday when I had gone up to see Casey, I used the valet parking services both times.
Saturday and Sunday the valet is closed, so I just parked in that turnabout on those days, thankful for the disabled permission I have.

Anyway, when they returned my car to me on Friday, the radio was on to some weird station, the windows were up/open (not how I left them in +4° temps), and the heat was shut off and turned to the A/C, blasting with the climate control set to 60°.
wth?  Dirty little rat bastards...
* Having had a problem or two last December/January with these same yahoos, I was quite miffed about that, and wanted their boss to know.  But first I needed them to park my car today.
As I readied to hand over my keys today, I got in the kids face and I said, "you tell your boys to leave my damned car alone, or next time I will call the police."
This I might add, was stated in my very best Harley~Bitch voice.
The valet dude dutifully apologized, and took my keys.

Still peeved about it, Casey and I took a little walk down by Deb. (Deb is the nice receptionist that I always get a nice smile from, and a bit of conversation too, when I walk in. She has always asked about Casey and how she is doing).
She was quite happy to see Casey up and about too!

When I told her about what had happened, she went right to work trying to find out who the parking superintendent is, and how I could get hold of him.

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Casey hamming it up for the camera!
Don'tcha just love those dimples?
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I'd better close for now. I did laundry upstairs today, and think I am caught up.  AND, I have a very hungry dog.

Hope all is well with everyone! Know that I try to get around to your pages, but I do get interrupted every now and then. (Mostly by my back and necessary posture adjustments). 
My mouth is fine. My head is still buggie.
(On 2nd thought, maybe I shouldn't use the word "bug" right now). hehehe

XOXO
Me

A Sniff and a Whiff

Good Morning Everyone;
I have been up for a few hours already- Just reading, and a few notes in my inbox too.

I was up to the hospital yesterday by 6AM.
Casey was asleep after a very restless night...


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  Not wanting to use the flash...
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After checking her stats, I sat in the chair, read in my book, and rested a while.
Just watching her breathe too-  Times like this, the rise and fall of her body is nothing short of a miracle to me.
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These are good readings, especially given the fact that she just had her 5th major surgery in little over a year.
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I even napped a bit after sneaking in so early.
Then heard this little sound... "Mom?"

Yes. She was awake. YAY!
She'd had a tough night, but was happier and made more comfortable with the adjusted pain meds on her machine.

Unlike last year, her kidneys seem to be working better.
Her red blood count was a bit low yesterday- Will reserve comment on that until after I see todays counts.
Her WBC was high- Still only 1/3rd of what it was following her TP/AIT though, so that is good.

Her blood sugars were off the chart high (for her)- They had given her insulin on Friday night, and again yesterday morning...

Dr. Sutherland had previously mentioned that he wanted to give her islet cells a break after this surgery. Yet when I asked the nurse about giving her insulin in her IV, the nurse said they "didn't want it to drop too fast, or Casey would really be sick!"

I asked Dr. Sutherland about it all, repeating what the nurse had told me. He wants it in her IV, and left the room saying "that nurse is wrong"...
Guess his notes were misread and not understood.
* Casey's islet cells are very important to him. (Not to mention how very important they are to Casey).
Maybe today her blood sugars will be better managed.

I came back to the hotel and rested a bit; going back up then about noon.

Casey was awake, and showed me her new (old) scar.

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No Velcro yet. hehehe
They used glue this time too.
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She was allowed to eat...
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Ok, so it's only ice chips, but better than nothing at all ...
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Since you can not keep this girl down for long, she was up and moseying about.
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The bed fairies came in and changed her linens while she was out.
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Her nurse, Michelle, (a real sweetie), was 'spotting' her while she walked.
They stopped to be weighed.
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Casey weighed in at 116.5

This is the most she has ever weighed, with the exception of before they removed her megacolon.
So I am a bit concerned that this might be more water weight/retention- She is receiving 150ml/hour of potassium chloride. Will have to check her output when I get up there this morning.
Perhaps her kidneys do need a bit more time after all.

I ordered a pizza for supper last night. (Nothing like homemade, but yummy just the same). Made even better with real tomatoes on it.
Oh, and I'd had a garden salad too!

I'd just taken a pill for my back (and my mouth) before this arrived, and I'd wanted that to work before I chowed down.

So, Punk had to wait and be content with a sniff and a whiff or two.
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As she peeks over the bed toward the table...
hehehe

Hope everyone is having a grand weekend.
More later, I'm sure.

XOXO
Anne

CaseyAnne 1-29-2010 Surgery Update

Hi Everyone...
Up since one. And I need another nap, but will do that at the hospital.
Casey came through her surgeries 'good', is well, and is "resting comfortably". (Oh, I've grown to hate those two words together)! Grrr...

It was a very long day-
The surgery did not last as long as was planned. Her nurse called me at noon! But then she was in PACU for an eternity.
Having arrived to the hospital at 5:30AM, and with Casey not being to her own room until after 6PM.

I could not get on to Multiply last night when I finally got back to the hotel; so an update will be coming later today.




"For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul."
J. Garland


I thank you again for all of your positive thoughts, prayers and energies.

My apologies too, for not being able to call anyone that was expecting my call...
...Some yahoo forgot to charge the darn thing.   
hehehe

Heading back to the hospital shortly...
Punk must eat first, then get outside for a bit.

XOXO,
Me

PS
Although Casey feels worse, my back is killing me, my head is rough, (thankfully it is not a migraine), and now I have an added toothache as well.
What the hey?!?
Methinks it is going to be one of those "Morton Salt" days...
 

Gritter, could you please call Beth and let her know that Casey is OK?

One Ticket. Wrong purse. No Valium.

ZZZZZZTPH!   Static! Picture and quote from here:  CLICK
"That static discharge was really no big deal to you or the door knob but WHOA it was a big deal to the small bacteria on that door knob!"


Thus far I have zapped the dog, the daughter, and myself- Countless times!
Happily I have also killed millions of bacteria doing so!
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Good Morning Everyone;
My two little charges are asleep... once more. (Casey brought Punk out about an hour ago, and they both came in more than a bit chilled).
Not sure what the temp is- (I miss my indoor/outdoor thermometer).  I just know it is cold enough.

Back to our westbound trip- the on again off again bad roads, and a few near misses with respect to the ice on the roads.

This is Hudson, WI- It is just before you cross over into Minnesota.

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If I remember correctly it was 23° at that point. The roads were clearly frozen over.
Traffic heading west was slowed to a crawl; the oncoming lights traveling a bit faster as those lanes had been salted.
We saw 3 salt trucks/road plows heading east. (With not a trace of salt on our lanes).

Storms like this, and at the sundown part of the day, can bring a few photo ops...

This taken off I-94 as the sun breaks through the cloud cover...

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Casey took this picture.  And I would have enjoyed it more if my hands would not have been gripping the wheel so hard. hehehe
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Again, we are here, and that is what counts!

Casey has been a godsend caring for Punk and taking her out for me.
She also loves Punks toys...
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And teases the poor dog mercilessly.

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She also brushes Punk and plays with her...

But one should never brush a dog in jogging attire...
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One seems to grow hair on their chest by doing so!
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Not to mention what it does to the legs!
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Methinks a razor is called for?!  hehehe
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Perpetually shedding or not, there is always love.
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 Sealed with a smooch!
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...and a hug!!
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(I was playing around with the edit feature at Picnik.com)
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Casey had her presurgical appointment yesterday. All went well for her.
(Unfortunately the same cannot be said for me).

As we waited for the nurses and such, I was treated to a royal attack of anxiety. Fighting with this for a while, I finally told Casey to call me, that I was going back to the hotel. It was that unrelenting and terrible.

I would pick her up when she was done.

After commandeering a seat in the ladies room for what seemed like an eternity, I hailed George... (George is the man with the electric golf cart that speeds happily on his way to collect those of us who prefer not to be walking a mile or two each way).
Ok. It's not a mile or two. It just feels like it.

Having gotten all the way back to the car, I felt a bit better. Punk had stayed behind at the hotel, due to the freezing weather; and I was not going to let her freeze to death while she waited patiently for us to return to the car.

I started the car and gave it a moment to warm up...
It was at that point that I remembered handing the parking ramp ticket to Casey when we'd pulled in.

*sigh*

Now I had a choice of paying $30.00 for not having a ticket, or going all the way back to the Transplant Clinic to retrieve said ticket.
I chose neither.
Instead choosing to do a few relaxation therapies while I waited in the car.
Don't think for one minute that I will again forget to take my diazepam (Valium), before heading out of here tomorrow. That was most awful...

We have to be at the hospital by 5:30 tomorrow morning. Happy that Greg will be here by then to get her there in case the anxiety becomes another real issue for me at that point.

Her surgery is scheduled to begin at 7:30. It will take approximately 11 or 12 hours.

Special thanks for everyone that is keeping Casey in your thoughts and prayers. Your love, and these actions, mean the world to us all.

As we wait...

Love to all

XOXO
Me

Antrectomy; Plus roux-en-Y Gastrojejunostomy

Start:	Jan 29, '10 07:30a
End:	Jan 29, '10 8:00p
Location:	UofM

Casey. More surgeries. Combined in one day
Another LONG day ahead. But [only?] an 11 hour surgery this time.

She has finally posted this info for everyone, so I might share too.
Please go here to read her entry about it.
http://edbdkcn.multiply.com/journal/item/131

Prayers required.

XOXO
Mama D.



I will also post this separately.
On a related (kind of anyway) note, and for anyone near enough...
Know that we will be celebrating Casey's 23rd birthday on January 23 at 1:00PM at the Olive Garden in Ashwaubenon.
Dutch treat.
(This, pending any adverse weather developments that might get blown our way).

A 'Casey Update' From Minnesota

Good Morning All;
We are yet in Minnesota- I have just brought Punk outside- A quiet walk for us both.

Before we left, and ready to get in the car. Casey had begun to laugh.
I had no idea why til she pointed; and told me I had to get my camera...

Flipped the trap right over.  (Either that, or it's Hide~n~Seek)!

Since I have not been catching the meeces in the house, I leave the trap in the attached garage.
Sure enough that little guy tried to have his last meal.


Aside from my back, and Casey's tummy, we had an uneventful drive here.


Punk, (in Ringle of course).


Casey brought all of her homework...



...and a snack or two.

I prayed to 'the god of the back' to take me away. (It didn't work). ;-)

And Punk was bored...



... even with the big town scenery.

 
My "Multiply" friend Beths daughter Melanie has been awful sick since her own TP/AIT.
One of the matters put to her was that Melanie has gastroparesis. When I had brought that term up to Dr. Sutherland, it was then he ordered that test.
...So thanks to Beth, Casey has had a gastric emptying test!
(Thank you "Little Voice"). Beth and I have learned that not only do the two doctors compare notes, so do us two mothers!

*  Casey's own test came back as "severely delayed"

Meeting with Dr, Sutherland twice now, he will probably be doing Casey's surgery after the 1st of the year.
She will be having a roux en y gastrojejunostomy. (Click to read a few articles if you wish).
Not sure if there is a short way to say that, but for those familiar it is also the surgery that is done to counter obesity. Save for the fact that Casey's stomach should remain at almost 50% of its whole size.



 
Photo from here:
http://www.cancersupportivecare.com/esophagojejunostomy1.jpg

And a much better picture to show the "Y" part of it.

The bile from her liver will not be able to get anywhere near her stomach as the cut will be 28 cm beneath the duodenum (Tail end of stomach).
This promises to be yet another long surgery- They will use the same scar as she is to be filleted open during it all.
Should have had that darned zipper put in a long time ago...
She will be hospitalized at least a week too.

She has yet another prescription to hopefully hold her over until 2010.

And in the meantime...



... a few prayers won't ever hurt.

Hope all is well with you?
Love to all.

XOXO
Me