Joshua Update #2

We're just sitting here watching him sleep. He was able to eat lunch and use the bathroom (all while lying flat mind you), and he's back asleep now. He had to lay flat for 4 hours after the cath. We brought his CPAP machine so he could have it during surgery and recovery.

We had a planned visit with his pulmonologist while in recovery. I was so happy she was able to be here to witness for herself what he does while he sleeps. It looks like he's gasping for air, or choking, even while wearing the CPAP. So, she ordered a new sleep study to be done saying the CPAP is not set high enough for him and maybe that will help him want to wear it more. (He hasn't been good about wearing it every night.) We also have to have the medical supply company come out and adjust his machine.

So while we've been waiting here, we have already scheduled the sleep study (Monday night), and the respiratory therapist will be at the house tonight to adjust the machine.

We also have a follow up appt in two weeks with our regular cardiologist at the pulmonary hypertension clinic here at UF to discuss where we go from here.

Joshua Update

Dr. Joe just left. He told us Joshua did okay with the procedural sedation. They did not give him general anesthesia because he is too high risk.

He told us the pressures look the same as they did last year but he is going to get the numbers finalized and give to us later. It's not a bad thing. At least they aren't worse, right?

We will see his heart doc in two weeks to decide where to go from here. We may be adding another drug.

Joshua was upset before he went in because he didn't want to do this today or ever. He's a little tired of the whole thing actually.

We're very thankful for Dr. Joe and his patience and the time he spends with us answering our millions of questions.

Thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray for Joshua and his ability to deal with all of this without losing his wonderful, peaceful personality and faith.

More to come.

Blessings!!!

Josh's PFT's

Joshua has finished doing his PFT tests and we're back at the hotel now.

Good news is he seems better this time and not so worn out!! A lot better actually. I wish I knew how to read the reports more and what all the little acronyms mean. We'll find out tomorrow when we meet with the pulmonologist.

They wouldn't let me go back with him this time. I hate that. I like to know exactly what is going on with him! While waiting in the waiting room, I was able to visit with some other people, of course. Surprised aren't you? Please be in prayer for Dennis and Mary. Dennis is an older gentleman with pulmonary hypertension and sarcoidosis. His first visit is tomorrow with the PFT's and then to meet the doctor to see if he's a transplant candidate. They were very sweet and I hope he will be able to get fantastic, healing treatment at UF!

So... we will be at the hospital first thing in the morning for the heart cath. Please keep Joshua in your prayers for no complications! I am also praying for good news and no progression!

I'll try to update as soon as I can.

Thank you for your prayers!!!!!

Busy Week With Doctors

This week is a busy week for us. Tomorrow we see John's doctor to find out how he's doing with his shoulder. It's been a L O N G recovery process with lots of pain. I hope I never have to have shoulder surgery.

Also this week, we will be in Gainseville for Joshua's FULL PFT's (which wear him out)and his heart cath. We are hoping to hear good news or at least news that there is no progression. I'm curious to find out what his pulmonary pressures are for sure. The cath is the only way to know exactly.

Please keep them in your prayers. We do appreciate them immensely!

Consider yourselves hugged!

History Fair

We just finished a six week project we've been working on for school. The kids were in a history fair last weekend with our homeschool group. It was called a wax museum really. They were to choose who they would like to be, from any time period, and then research, memorize a brief monologue, dress the part, have props and a backdrop. It was a lot of fun and turned out to be a great evening for everyone there. It was fun for me to get to make their costumes! I haven't sewn in a while so it was rather interesting to do it without a pattern! We had a box of hotel sheets in the garage my mom used to make curtains so it was the perfect costume and backdrop material... free! Thank God John was home to help with the backdrops! He has a much better eye than I do for art work! They also wore a button on them and when someone came to them, they pushed the button to "bring them to life."

Each child also made a donation box for "visitors" to drop change or bills in to raise money for Haiti Relief through World Vision. We raised over $500 as a group! It was very exciting!!!

Here are a few pics!

Alex making his backdrop:



Can you guess???



It makes me want to sing the song... "D a v y, D a v y C r o c k e t t, king of the wild frontier!!"



He loved having his Dad's REAL powder rifle and big knife! We didn't tell the other mom's it was a real gun!

Micayla chose...







At her Missions of Charity...



She did a great job "coming to life" each time. She said the only thing missing for her was the wrinkles!

Can't wait for next year!!!

Whew... long day!

Well... today was a rather long day. The block for John wore off around 11pm last night. We were up every two hours either changing his position, taking meds, or putting him on his machine for pain. He eventually ended up in the recliner. He was really hoping he would be able to sleep in our bed but it was too uncomfortable to lay down.

So... the day was spent taking 10 minute naps here and there, cooking, taking meds, hooking him up to his machine and keeping track of the kids. Thank you Grandpa John for being the taxi driver today! It started this morning taking Joshua and Alex to the church for them to go to a competition with several youth groups downtown called Teens Involved. They were both in different drama's and Joshua did puppets as well. They came home very excited since they were chosen to move on to regionals now!! Way to go guys!!

The Abel's took Micayla so she wouldn't be stuck home with the tired, worn out parents. Thanks guys!

Our friends made us dinner tonight. It was something I knew I was going to have to do.... eat FRESH meat, that he killed himself! UGH!

John couldn't wait for Marcus to cook some of his wild hog for him. He made us stroganoff, salad and bread. I will have to admit... it was good! Thank you Marcus and Devon for dinner!!

Did I tell you we have such wonderful friends?! We are very well loved. Thank you all for continuing to check in on John and keeping us in your prayers.

We've been told tomorrow is going to be the worst day. Fun times here in the Gentges' house!

Blessings~~~

UPDATE on John

Surgery went well!!! Hallelujah!! I'm so thankful he's okay. I woke up at 3:15am with all kinds of crazy thoughts in my head. I was worried and couldn't sleep so needless to say... I need a nap.

The days events went like this...

3:15am... woke up... got a drink, checked the doors/locks, checked on the kids, went to see if Josh was wearing his CPAP... he wasn't (aaarrrggghhh!!!), fed the fish, went back to bed!

4:00am... listening to John breathe, hoping I would hear it again tonight and for a bazillion more nights! Crazy thoughts still. Snuggled up close and thought of everything I had already packed, wondering what I was forgetting.

4:30am... Micayla crawled in our bed... she does this every now and then. I don't usually mind, she's my last baby to do this.

4:45am... The bed was crowded now so I got up and updated the blog. Then shower, got the rest of the family up and off to drop the kids off.

6:00am... Dropped the kids off with wonderful friends, the Myers. Bless their hearts for having our kids all day starting at o'dark thirty. Side note... Happy Birthday Cailey!!

6:18am... Arrived at the surgery center. Gave paperwork to them (already filled out of course), checked in. Sat down to wait.

6:30am... John was called back to get him prepped. Then they called me back. Anesthesiologist explained his part... then I had to leave while they administered the block. I went with the pain management guy, Adam, to get an education on the unit they sent him home with to help stimulate the muscles and help with swelling/pain/etc.

Then I went back to sit with John. He was out of it. I would post the pic I took of him but I don't think he'd appreciate it. It was fun trying to get him to talk to me but he was so out of it, it wasn't as much fun as I was hoping for!! hee hee

Anyway... back to the schedule...

8:30am... Dr. Murphy showed up and off they went... I said "have fun" and "do a good job!"

Then I went to the freezing cold waiting room. Sent out a million texts and then my wonderful friend Julie showed up with a Starbucks Chi Tea Latte and a blanket for me!!!! Did I tell you she is wonderful!!

Around 10:00am they called me back to just go over how it went and letting me know he was out. They gave me two pages of some really cool pictures of everything they did, with before and after shots. It's just amazing what we are capable of doing these days medically. His shoulder was a mess. The labral tear was quite large. They repaired it along with the rotator cuff tear and also shaved off some bone spurs. YUCK!

10:30am... got to go see my honey again. Oh boy, he was really out of it this time. He asked me 100 times what the ice pack was and what the sling was. And to get him some water. Okay... maybe 10 times. Since he has the block he can't keep his right eye open. Of course, being the wonderful wife I am.... I took his picture! Again... he'll kill me if I put it out here but it gives me a great laugh each time I look at it! This is all just payback for all the times I've had surgery in our married life. It always comes full circle doesn't it?? It was much more fun to be on this side of the bed!

Once he was able to get his scruples together, we were discharged and sent on our merry way.

I stopped by the store and picked up some things and came home.

1:00pm... arrived home... gave meds... made lunch... ate. Showed John the pictures and explained what they told me. He was quite tired at this time, we both were so he went to lay down while I put everything away.

2:00pm... went to close the garage door ONLY TO REALIZE... the cat knocked over the hamster cage and spilled the ENTIRE cage on the floor. Of course, the hamster is now missing. So...

I cleaned up the mess. Fixed the cage, refilled it, and set it down hoping he'll return... again.

2:50pm... laid down with my honey hoping to catch some zzzz's.

3:10pm... woke up to John messing with the sling.

3:15pm... got up. Swept the front porch.

Now I am waiting for Josh to get home from school, thank you Rena!!

At 4pm, his respiratory therapist arrives to fit him with a new CPAP mask. Hopefully this one will be more comfortable so he'll wear the darn thing!

Thank you for all your prayers for my family. God is so good! Please pray for a quick smooth, event-free recovery!

And...let's hope that stinkin' hamster is found!

Love ya!!!