Lori--Wednesday Evening

Boy! It has been a long day for Lori. Little by little, she is being prepped to be discharged from the hospital in Hays. One of her doctors was in late this afternoon to go into greater detail with her about what lays ahead for all concerned. As you know, she is hooked up to all kinds of tubes. None of them can be shut off abruptly. It will take time as the amounts of the substances must be reduced slowly so that no damage is done to various organs.

She has been surviving on IV nutrients for almost 2 weeks now. Yesterday, she began receiving liquid foods. Little by little and lot by lot, those IV nutrients will be minimized and the liquid to soft foods to regular foods will be maximized until all IV nutrients are gone and she has proven that she can handle regular food normally once again. The doctor thinks that that will take at least one more week.

A repeat CT Scan is scheduled for tomorrow to see how well all of the infection has reacted to the antibiotics. If the abscesses are still not healed completely, arrangements will be made to have a radiologist drain them.

She may need to be transferred to a hospital in Topeka next week.

It is quite easy to see why Lori's morale has practically bottomed out for her. She is halfway across the state from all of her family who she normally gets to see on a daily basis. She realizes that life will not go back to normal as soon as she is released from the hospital. A lengthy recovery process will be necessary after she has at least one operation. Right now, she is scheduled to meet with 3 or 4 other specialists in the Wichita and Topeka areas.

Honestly, I don't know how she is handling everything as well as she is. In early April of 2002, I was lifewatched from Scott City to Denver in very serious condition that involved a heart condition. On the 17th of April, our Angel, Abigayle, was delivered there in the same hospital. A week later, I was discharged to come home. We anticipated that I would return to Denver in 3 months to have my heart surgery. Instead, my heart went downhill much quicker than anticipated and I had to be lifewatched back to Denver on May 15th and surgery was on the 23rd after I had been stabilized. Two and a half weeks later, I was released to go home. That was it. It was very tough at the time but it was nothing in comparison of what all Lori has staring her in the eyes. I am required to meet with my cardiologist, neurologist often. I have yearly CT Scans and monthly blood tests that are necessary. That's no big deal really. In Lori's case, she will be vacating one hospital and going to the next one immediately.

All said, Lori arrived in Hays with only a few days worth of life left. Thanks to the Almighty Lord, she was given a new lease on life. It is ignorant to think that she would be well and strong in just a couple of weeks. Situations like this just do not happen that way. In the meantime, Lori needs all of the prayers and support that we all can give to her. Once she is home, she will still be weak. Again, she will need prayers and daily support.

Lori and her entire family want me to relay to you that without you and your prayers, Lori would not still be here today. So, you can see why a simple Thank You seems too very minute at this point but it is the best that we can do at this time.

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lori and Leif, their 5 children, Lori, Vicky, Marlene, Leif Henri and Lars, and grandchildren
Donna Lou
Lona Sue and Hunter
Stan, me, our children, Adam, Mel, Leighlyn and Abigayle