« December 2003 | Main | February 2004 »
January 18, 2004
Go Blue!
I hope the Colts win. I have to say it...I'm an Indiana boy at heart. They are about due.
Posted by Marc at 11:20 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 17, 2004
My trip for my mom's surgery, part 2
Gonna try to make this one as short as possible...
Mom has been pretty stable since Thursday...however, she is in an induced coma right now. She did have some brain swelling and possibly a minor stroke...the CT scan was inconclusive. They decide to keep her unconscious for a week or longer because she was responding to talk and discomfort. That was a very good sign except that here blood and brain pressure would spike and would stay elevated. She had a very good day Friday and today.
So other than that there isn't much of an update on her condition. She will most likely have a 6 month to a year of recover with physical and speech rehab. The good news is that she will be much healthier that she has been in several years.
Please continue to remember her in your thoughts and prayers...but remember me also as I will be leaving tomorrow (Sunday) for home. I will be flying back to Los Angeles around 8:58pm Indiana time and landing at 10:32pm Pacific Time. I was hoping to see her awake before then and it is hard to leave. I have to get back to my wife...we have a memorial to plan for our child and I start a new job Monday.
I'll have final details tomorrow or Monday.
Posted by Marc at 7:40 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 15, 2004
My trip for my mom's surgery, part 1
I left for LAX on Monday night about 9:15pm. We made pretty good time and the drop-off was successful. I checked in and had my luggage inspected...passed the TSA's scans. Made it up the elevator and to the security point. I was told I could either take my shoes off, as well as the normal procedures, or they would take me aside and give me a body search. Interesting options. Why would anyone choose to not take their shoes off?
My flight left on time at 11:41pm and we caught a good tail wind. The flight was about half full, which made me happy being a rather large man, and was smooth with barely any turbulance. We landed in Indianapolis 30 minutes early and I had time to grab a ham, egg and cheese bagel meal from McDonald's before catching my ride to the hotel.
We are staying at the Residence Inn by Marriott, mainly because Kristina earned a large amount of "Rewards Points" while we lived in Dayton, OH. I am also convinced that Residence Inn has the nicest staff of any hotels. When I called to confirm my room from L.A., I asked for early check-in. The inquired as to how I would be arriving. I was going to have to wait for a while for my dad to get my mom dropped off at the hospital before he came and picked me up. Scott from the hotel offered to have me picked up from a limo service. I agreed. So, that's how I got to the hotel.
I got checked-in and took a shower. Dad picked me up and we got to the hospital. Mom had already been "wired-up" and they did a quick procedure to reduce blood flow around the area of the surgery. She was in great mood...the best I've seen her in a long time. She was making jokes about them screwing off the top of her head like in Steve Martin's "The Man With Two Brains." Most of Tuesday we just hung out and talked. Betty and Becky showed up for a bit when we went to go have dinner. Not much more to share about that.
Wednesday started early. We got up about 4am had breakfast at the hotel and went to the hospital. We had a few more visitors...Pastor Terry and Sid, Verlon and Norma, Arlena, me, dad, Jason, Brandon and Lorye were all there. They took mom for her MRI around 8am and then straight to surgery.
They started her surgery around 9:15am and went for 7 hours. Rhonda and Rick showed up and hung out with most of us all day in the surgical waiting room. That was a long day.
The surgeon came out and talked to us. He said the tumor was about the size of a baseball and was a "bear" of a tumor. He guessed that it was about 20-30 years old. Wow. They got just about all of it. He said nothing was left that would ever effect her again. They also didn't have to cut into the brain at all.
Because of some stupid scheduling and not informing us of what was going on with her move to the ICU, we didn't get to see her last night (WED). We were going to go back after dinner, but they had given here medication for the pain and she was out. We didn't want to disturb her rest.
ICU visiting hours start at 10am. We were at the hotel getting ready to walk out the door, when my phone rang. There were some "changes" in mom's condition. We rushed right over.
At 2am, she started to wake up and they gave her some ice chips. She vomitted them up, but was waking up more. Around 5am, she started to swell up...mostly her upper body and head. This is a semi-normal side effect of the body reacting to brain surgery. She was having trouble breathing because of the swelling and was put on a respirator to help her breathe. 7am, they did a CT scan and everything was normal. She is "unconscious," but is having body movement that is characteristic of her...moving her foot left and right. She didn't open her eyes, but I did talk to her.
She is starting to stablize again and here blood pressure is getting better. Her EKG is normal and she is being carefully monitored.
That is about it for now...we are hanging out and trying to just be positive and prayerful. Keep the prayers coming...I'll keep the updates coming thanks to St. Vincent's internet kiosks.
Posted by Marc at 12:47 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
January 14, 2004
Mom is good
If you haven't figured out...I'm in Indiana right now.
My mom had her brain surgery today. Everything went very well. I'm way, way tired and will type in details tomorrow.
Posted by Marc at 8:36 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 7, 2004
They can't be serious
If you don't think Howard Dean and his supporters are a total joke...read the comments at the following blog post:
Note my comments...if they don't get deleted.
Posted by Marc at 10:26 AM | Comments (9) | TrackBack
Late Resolutions
I'm gonna try and stop harrassing the Dean supporters. It's fun, but I can find something better to do with my time.
Posted by Marc at 2:13 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 6, 2004
Long time coming...
Very good news today for me. Details to follow...
Posted by Marc at 2:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 5, 2004
Way too funny
To help the democRATS come up with something original to compare Bush to instead of Hitler, Michele came up with this:
courtesy of A Small Victory
Posted by Marc at 11:32 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Political Resolutions
I've been "discussing" my political beliefs with other bloggers at blogging.la, asmallvictory.net and votechange.net. It's pretty funny that most of those responding are just angry at Bush or others. They never state why their candidate should win or give FACTS as to why they think I am wrong.
I could list all the things that I could be mad at over the past couple of years, but I choose to look at all the positive things that are happening in my life. Bottom line is that I know and wholeheartedly believe I am better off than I was four years ago.
Posted by Marc at 11:03 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
She's baa-aack!
My friend Gretchen is back with her blog.
Posted by Marc at 10:13 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
January 1, 2004
Happy 2004
Last year had a huge list of personal ups and downs. Some very recent downs, but we are looking ahead for a very good new year.
I wish you a very prosperous and blessed new year.
Posted by Marc at 10:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack