Blog 101 - To those of you who are new to blogs and blogging, I wanted to give a brief overview of how to use this site. There are authors and followers. Authors are Val and Connie. Followers are all of our wonderful support system that continue to follow Bru's journey through this battle. Authors create posts, followers can read posts and comment on posts that have been created. As a follower you don't have to log in in with an account or sign in to comment. If there is a post that you are interested in commenting on, just click the comment icon below the post itself. Once you have typed your post, you must choose an account just below the text box, choose anonymous! If you are looking for all of the posts to the blog, scroll down the page and look to the right of the screen, every post is listed there by month and day. It's listed chronologically starting newest to oldest. If you want to add pictures, please email me at emtp1124@yahoo.com with a description of the picture and the caption you would like underneath it. Blogging is very similar to Facebook and other social sites, but it doesn't have the ability to post things to the blog like you do people's walls in facebook. If you are having problems viewing the blog, it may be because of settings that you have on your internet browser . You can type the URL into your smart phone browser as well and see the blog pretty well. If you want updates sent to you anytime things are updated, subscribe to the blog by email. This option is at the top of the page on the right hand side of your screen just above the picture of Bruce. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at emtp1124@yahoo.com.

Monday, November 21, 2011

OUT OF THE ICU!!!!

All right, so I'm lying in the recliner next to Bruce this afternoon, holding his hand, and he is grimacing. So I ask him, Bru, what's wrong?? His response? Sphincter pain! Are you kiddin' me??? My husband's first words to me since surgery aren't "Honey, I'm fine", "Babe, I love you", or "I am so glad to see you"; it's "Sphincter pain"!! But you know what? I'LL TAKE IT :) Not speaking much but he IS speaking. The weirdest thing is that I KNEW what he meant. You don't live with someone for 27 years and not know them well.

Bruce was moved out of the ICU early evening and transferred to the surgical floor. He will stay there until the rehabilitation unit feels he is strong enough to be transferred there. Once in the rehab unit, in-patient, they will work on getting him as independently strong and mobile before radiation will be started, along with chemotherapy. He was up most of the day today, hardly took any pain medications, and was more alert. He was able to nod for yes, shake his head for no, most of the time. He does things repetitively, but apparently that is normal in these type of patients. His swelling continues to lessen and hopefully he will regain most, if not all, of his deficits as time progresses. Oh, and he hugged me too!!! Great to feel his arms around me :)
As far as I'm concerned, every day is a miracle for our family!

MANY thanks to all who have been at the hospital for support, the many cards, well wishes, offers to help, food, and prayers!! WE couldn't do this without YOU!! Our family is so blessed! And Thanksgiving will truly be thanks-giving for all of us :)
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7 comments:

  1. Rachael Vivian and FamilyNovember 21, 2011 at 10:01 PM

    Glad to hear of the progress - and I am glad you got some words - even if it was sphincter. Could have been much worse! lol Rach

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  2. Connie MaximNovember 21, 2011 at 10:35 PM

    We live him very much! We will take whatever crazy words he feels the need to say. Baby steps! You are the expert at that Mom! Will be up tomorrow. Love ya!

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  3. rankinlmNovember 22, 2011 at 6:04 PM

    Baby steps are always right on (as opposed to blind leaps). I am also conveying a message from the un-techsavvy GH Smiths that they are following the blog and love you and are thinking of you constantly. Keep up the good work, Bruce. We are proud of you and your family!

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  4. AnonymousNovember 22, 2011 at 7:06 PM

    Yup, Bruce's sense of humor hasn't left him. Love that man! I love seeing that every day he is getting stronger and healing. We'll be giving thanks on Thursday for our family, but also for Bruce's successful surgery and for your family. Hugs. Nadine and David.

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  5. Paul LicariNovember 22, 2011 at 9:23 PM

    Glad to hear he is doing better every day! We will be (as always) thinking about you, Bruce and the kids over the holiday.

    Tomorrow will be even better than today and Bruce may even tell you how glad he is to see you ;)

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  6. ~TriciaNovember 23, 2011 at 10:20 AM

    Bruce - Makes perfect sense to me that you are complaining about sphincter. I mean, if it is uncomfortable you gotta tell people!!

    I am soooo very happy to hear such great reports about you, Bruce. Keep up the good work and keep heading down that recovery path.

    You are in my thoughts everyday!!

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  7. AnonymousNovember 23, 2011 at 2:57 PM

    Sphincters are highly under rated but nothing to be jealous of, Val, as I am sure he loves you as he has always regardless of that damn bothersome sphincter...I would have loved to have been there to hear you say sphincter pain, Bruce, and to see your expression, Val... So extremely wonderful to hear of Bruce's progress. You are a tough dude BPR. We continue to think of and pray for you guys and look forward to visiting you guys on the shores of Duck Lake. Dave

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