Dan, Dan The Surgery Man Update #1

Tuesday Night, May 29th

Please forward this Blog address for those
interested in continued updates!

http://dandanthesurgeryman.blogspot.com
Hi all!  Please forward this!

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers for Dan and all of us. 
We arrived here at the hospital this morning @ 5:30am and Dan
finally got taken into the pre-op area at 7:30am.  The
anesthesiologist told us the surgery would take 6-8 hours
not the 4 hours that we expected) and it did turn out to be
at least 6 hours.

My Mom and dad are here and insisted on staying at a local
Howard Johnson's down the road from the hospital.  They didn't
want to be a bother and they are happily ensconced in the hotel
and will stay for two nights.  It is nice to have them here. 
Dan's brother Bob(Doctor Bob)arrived here Monday and is staying
with his sister Nancy.  They all showed up here at the hospital
along with Dannika and Jesse this morning to wait with us.

Dan finally was released from surgery and moved up to the ICU
around 3:30pm. They told us to take off and get some food while
they got him settled. We sat in Red Robin restaurant and called
were able to update as many of you as we could.  I was not able
to reach anyone at Sunrise Elementary(Dan's Elementary family)
so I am hoping to reach them later.

It is now 6:30 and he is still struggling with waking up and the
anesthesia. The nurse has called his surgeon and he will see Dan
soon. I will continue this email after I talk to him.  His head is
wrapped in a heavy white bandage and he is having some pain but is
starting to respond finally.

-----------------
Well, I just saw Dan and the surgeon said he is coming along.  He is
really starting to wake up more now--unfortunately that means he hurts
big time. The nurse keeps asking him how many fingers am I holding up??? 
His mouth was so dry from the oxygen mask that she could not understand
when he said "Two."  So he finally held up two fingers and wiggled them
and made them hop like bunnies across the bed.  I was trying hard not to
giggle.  Now his neck and head are really hurting and they are pumping
him full of morphine to help ease the pain.  It isn't helping yet but he
does doze off every once and a while.  Dan was totally right when he
predicted that he wouldn't really be conscious until Wednesday.  When
David Wells our church Worship and Arts pastor came and prayed with him
before the surgery he said he wouldn't wake up until Wednesday and it
turns out he is probably right.  But sleep seems to be the best medicine
right now (with a side of Morphine.)

Bob will spend the night in the hospital tonight and Danna and Jess will
stay late.  I will go home pretty soon tonight and come back early.  If
all goes well, Dan will be out of ICU in the surgical floor by tomorrow
and then continue the road to "normal".

Will continue with the updates each day.  Thanks for your thoughts,
prayers, emails and calls!