Wednesday, August 22, 2007

YES !!! IT'S A GO.

Dan's phrenic nerves are still intact, AND working so well that all systems are a go to proceed with surgery to implant his Diaphragmatic Pacer System [DPS].

I was at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in the imaging room, with 10 other medical personal for Dan's fluoroscopic test. Some are watching the imaging monitors, others are looking at technical data on a laptop screen. All of us are wearing lead smocks except for Dan, who is lying on the imaging table. They put this small hand held electrical tester looking device which has 2 metal , points sticking out, up to his neck by his right phrenic nerve. BINGO. His diaphragm jumped. I watched it again, this time looking at his abdomen and saw it jump again.
My eyes welled up with tears ... tears of joy, of course.

For those of you have been around Dan or any other ventilator person, and heard them say "watch my tubes", only you can know full well of how restricting, confining, challenging, and irritating those tubes and trach are, let alone the many medical problems that vent patients experience.

Dan will be the 38th person to be fitted with the DPS by Dr. Onders, [inventor of this procedure] and the 49th in North America. More to say why the low numbers for this special life saving, freeing procedure, at a later time.

There is almost a comedy of errors that had gone on during the last 24 hours.
  • 3 hour non-stop packing and action from the 3 people that helped get Dan and me on the road. [thanks Mom & Dad, Mikey P]
  • Dealing with construction & bumpy roads. Hour long expressway delays getting around Chicago, & much of downtown Cleveland being under road construction.
  • Deep Suctioning at a rest stop, as the extra minivan movements shake up his lungs.
  • Eating in the car takes on new meaning with a disabled person.
  • Vent alarms going off while you are driving.
  • Being booked at a downtown hotel with almost too small of an elevator, and in a "handicap" room that required you climb 4 steps. Hotel #2 was a bit better.
  • Trying to care for Dan out of the usual environment of home.
Thankfully nurse Dan was able to accompany us on this trip.

Friday, 8 AM is Dan's actual implant surgery. "Non-evasive" as they say, "just like getting your gall bladder out". He will be under general anesthesia about 90 minutes and will stay overnight in ICU. This hospital, like most in the USA, deals with vent patients in their ICU units.

Many times today we have heard that Dan has the highest, most severe, of spinal cord injuries. Once again we are grateful that God spared his life.

We will be released Saturday morning, and drive back home.

Dan, Deb, and I will return to Cleveland on August 31 when the DPS will be turned on and activated for the first time.

Thanks for your prayers today, and that you did checkinondan.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

wow...that is GREAT news!
praying surgery goes well friday...
wammer

Anonymous said...

Dan & Family,

We rejoice with you regarding Dan's phrenic nerves being intact and being able to proceed with surgery for his DPS!!! That's such sweet news for sure.

We will be praying the surgery goes well and that your new life will be a little smoother without all the tubes.

YOU ARE LOVED!!!!!

Julie Vercouteren

Anonymous said...

This is so exciting!!!

Hey, welcome back to Ohio, even if it's only Cleveland - for now!

Blessed Mommy said...

i was praying all morning, and am so glad we were able to get the positive results we wanted! can't wait to see you soon, back home!

Anonymous said...

Dan, your blog is one of the very first things I check when I come in to work! Even though I never really got to know you at Cedarville, i had learned a lot about your character through mutual friends. Oh, and there was this one time when you and your brother schooled my team in ultimate :) I'm overjoyed that you're getting this DPS...what a blessing!!
I came across this quote the other day...the meaning hasn't fully impacted me yet.
"In the process of me making my free will decisions, responding to the circumstances that were in front of me, God fulfills His sovereign will" -Greg Koukl

Much love,
Mike Halsmith

Anonymous said...

Go Dan Go! We will be praying. I'll ask my students at the college where I teach to pray too.

By the way, one time we found a handicap room on the second floor of a motel with no elevator!! I guess they thought...nevermind, I have no idea what they were thinking!! We are learning to ask very specific questions; still, sometimes there is some silly little thing we would have never even thought to ask about. It's a new world, the world of wheels! I know it will be much easier for you to navigate without those tubes. We are excited for you.

Love,
Ladwigs

Anonymous said...

Praise the Lord!!!!!!!!!
We are praying for you daily!!
Keep up the good work Dan, you never cease to amaze us!
You will never know why this happened to you while you are here on this earth, but just know that you have touched so many lives. We look to you for strength, just like you look to us for strength. We will never stop praying for you.
much love,
your friends

Anonymous said...

Continuing to pray for you all that you see God's goodness each day in the big and little things. Prayed for you at Wed PM group. Your names are constantly before us, to pray for you. A post-it note hangs by my computer at work, to remember to pray.

He is faithful!

El Roi (EL raw-EE)="The God who sees me" (Genesis 16:1-16; The only occurrence of this phrase in the Bible)

A quote from "Praying the Names of God. A Daily guide" by Ann Spangler, page 29

"Lord, I praise you for you know the whole story. From beginning to end you see it all. Give me the humility to admit my limitations. For I don't always see the past accurately, my vision of the present is often blurred, and I am blind when it comes to the future. Help me fasten my eyes on you, trusting in your vision for my life and in your watchful care."

love, char & co.

Your big sister said...

That text with nothing besides the title of this post made my heart jump as I ran to call and get the details - I am SOOO excited; wow - next time I see you no more tubes!

Anonymous said...

Dear Dan and Family,
How exciting and how awesome that the Lord is taking care of you in the answer to this prayer!! He knows your every need and to hear of this news, just shows how much He cares for you, Dan!! Keeping you in prayer for the surgery and for always!! God is sovereign in our lives and is in control! Be encouraged! God bless you all!! P.S.Dan-may you know and feel the love and presence of our Lord in your life! Many are praying for you! ~A Cedarville mom.

Anonymous said...

Oh Dan, I am so grateful that you will be able to have this surgery and that you will be breathing on your own again. Oh, God is so good. Keep up the good spirit. God is using you so much around this world. Love you Gramma

Anonymous said...

Debbie & Bill, Thursday's twice a month will work for me if it's okay with Dan. You name the thursday's and I'll be available to do whatever. Patti Wolf

sorry, I should have left this

psalm73@comcast.net