Good Evening, All;
HOORAY!!!!! Jack was released from the hospital today!!!! Sandra picked him up this afternoon, and took him to Manor Care, a physical therapy facility on Johnson Ferry Road in Marietta, GA. (This is excellent, since we have experience with the facility and with Walter, the therapist - this is the place Jack went after his hip surgery about five years ago). We don't know how long he will be here, but he is incredibly happy to be out of the hospital, and he's very optimistic about going home soon.
On behalf of Sandra, Darcus and our entire family, we want to thank you all for your cards, letters, telephone calls, prayers, balloons, and every thought you had about us during the past four weeks. I'm not sure we could have made it without each of you. Thank you!!!
With today's milestone, this will be the last post we make to the Tolliver Family Blog. Jack has his cell phone on the night stand, and he can talk most anytime (except when he and Walter are "working"). Thank you again, from the bottom of our hearts, and God bless you all.
Sincerely,
Chip & Sandra
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
Monday - Day 26
Good Morning, All!!
I'm back!!! For those of you who don't know, I have been out of town for the past week, but came back late yesterday, and spent a couple of hours with Jack at the hospital last night.
While I was there, the kidney doctor (renal specialist, for those of you who are not "medically challenged") came in the room with the wonderful news that Jack would probably not have to endure any more dialysis. The kidneys are slowly, but surely coming up to speed, but they are the last "link" in what has become a very long chain.
He has been spending some time each day with the physical therapist (after laying in bed for three weeks, it's almost like having to learn to walk all over again), and he seems to be getting stronger by the day.
Sandra and Darcus have continued to "rotate" nights at the hospital (it must be a Tolliver thing; they aren't going to allow him to spend the night at the hospital alone, and I am very proud of them both!), but the end is in sight.
The latest is that if things to continue to progress as they have been, we're looking at getting Jack "outta there" the middle of this week!!! YAAAAAYEEEEEE!!!!!
We'll let you know more as we move through the week.
Chip
I'm back!!! For those of you who don't know, I have been out of town for the past week, but came back late yesterday, and spent a couple of hours with Jack at the hospital last night.
While I was there, the kidney doctor (renal specialist, for those of you who are not "medically challenged") came in the room with the wonderful news that Jack would probably not have to endure any more dialysis. The kidneys are slowly, but surely coming up to speed, but they are the last "link" in what has become a very long chain.
He has been spending some time each day with the physical therapist (after laying in bed for three weeks, it's almost like having to learn to walk all over again), and he seems to be getting stronger by the day.
Sandra and Darcus have continued to "rotate" nights at the hospital (it must be a Tolliver thing; they aren't going to allow him to spend the night at the hospital alone, and I am very proud of them both!), but the end is in sight.
The latest is that if things to continue to progress as they have been, we're looking at getting Jack "outta there" the middle of this week!!! YAAAAAYEEEEEE!!!!!
We'll let you know more as we move through the week.
Chip
Monday, July 25, 2011
Monday- Day 20
Today has been a good day!! Jack (Poppa as we know him) started physical therapy and did 10 exercises at 10 reps each. The nurses had him sitting up again and he is getting his appetite back.
Everyone's continued prayers are greatly appreciated! Hopefully more good news to come tomorrow!!
Everyone's continued prayers are greatly appreciated! Hopefully more good news to come tomorrow!!
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Saturday - Day 18
It's been a good day! Jack is eating everything they put in front of him, and he's been out of the bed and sitting in his chair several times today. We feel confident that time will continue to heal him, and we pray for his recovery, and hope you will too. With any kind of luck at all, he may get out of the ICU early next week, and back into a room on the third floor. (We talk about the Third Floor like it is some kind of paradise, and to Jack, it probably will be).
This will be my last post on this blog for a week. I'll be leaving tomorrow morning (Sunday), heading for Oshkosh, WI and the annual "playground" for pilots. My daughter-in-law, Cathy, will be taking over the posts in my absence, and I'm sure she and Sandra will keep everyone aware of Jack's condition. If you want more information, please feel free to give Sandra a call on her cell phone.
It's been a wonderful end to a very long week, and we continue to thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.
Chip
This will be my last post on this blog for a week. I'll be leaving tomorrow morning (Sunday), heading for Oshkosh, WI and the annual "playground" for pilots. My daughter-in-law, Cathy, will be taking over the posts in my absence, and I'm sure she and Sandra will keep everyone aware of Jack's condition. If you want more information, please feel free to give Sandra a call on her cell phone.
It's been a wonderful end to a very long week, and we continue to thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.
Chip
Friday, July 22, 2011
Friday - Day 17
One week ago, there was serious concern about Jack's survival - if someone had told me then that tonight, Friday, a week later, I would be in his room, talking to him, watching him eat dinner (fish, green beans, peach cobbler, chocolate pudding, iced tea), no breathing machine, no feeding tube, no dialysis machine, etc., I would have questioned their sanity. It has truly been a wonderful and blessed day!!
Sandra is staying at the hospital tonight, and just watching her interact with her "daddy" has been a truly heart-warming experience. Sandra is very "tender-hearted", and she has had a tough time dealing with all of this over the past couple of weeks. Yesterday and today, she has cried tears of joy in seeing the almost miraculous improvement he has made in 48 hours. We are very happy!!!
Lest anyone think this is over, unfortunately, it's not. Jack is still very weak, and although the hospital staff has gotten him out of bed and into a chair a couple of times, he has a difficult time standing, and we suspect he will need some physical therapy to get everything "moving" again. Obviously, eating solid food, and being off of all the machinery is going to help, but these things take time, and we have plenty of it, now that he can eat, drink, talk, etc. The renal specialist is still concerned about his kidneys, and he will probably require dialysis for several hours every couple of days.
Stay tuned, and we'll see how things go tomorrow. Jack's two brothers from Virginia, Joe and Larry, will be arriving tomorrow morning, so we have plenty of family around to help. Thanks to everyone for your thought and prayers, and keep them coming!!
Chip
Sandra is staying at the hospital tonight, and just watching her interact with her "daddy" has been a truly heart-warming experience. Sandra is very "tender-hearted", and she has had a tough time dealing with all of this over the past couple of weeks. Yesterday and today, she has cried tears of joy in seeing the almost miraculous improvement he has made in 48 hours. We are very happy!!!
Lest anyone think this is over, unfortunately, it's not. Jack is still very weak, and although the hospital staff has gotten him out of bed and into a chair a couple of times, he has a difficult time standing, and we suspect he will need some physical therapy to get everything "moving" again. Obviously, eating solid food, and being off of all the machinery is going to help, but these things take time, and we have plenty of it, now that he can eat, drink, talk, etc. The renal specialist is still concerned about his kidneys, and he will probably require dialysis for several hours every couple of days.
Stay tuned, and we'll see how things go tomorrow. Jack's two brothers from Virginia, Joe and Larry, will be arriving tomorrow morning, so we have plenty of family around to help. Thanks to everyone for your thought and prayers, and keep them coming!!
Chip
Friday - Day 17
Things keep moving along! Jack had a restful night last night, and seems to be having no problem breathing on his own.
The nurse took him off of dialysis for the night, and the last word was that they are going to put him on the machine for a couple of hours a day, at a much higher rate, rather than having him on the dialysis machine at a lower rate - 24/7 - kidney dialysis is hard on your body, and they feel that putting him on for only a couple of hours a day might be easier for him.
The nurse got him out of bed this morning, and into his chair; he's very weak - a combination of the surgery, breathing and kidney issues, and a lack of nourishment. I'm hoping they get him off the feeding tube over the weekend and onto some solid food, but the nursing staff hasn't addressed that directly.
Again, we are pleased with Jack's progress, and hope that we can get him out of the ICU sometime next week (that's me talking, not the nurse!!) <Grin>
More to come tomorrow ..............
Chip
The nurse took him off of dialysis for the night, and the last word was that they are going to put him on the machine for a couple of hours a day, at a much higher rate, rather than having him on the dialysis machine at a lower rate - 24/7 - kidney dialysis is hard on your body, and they feel that putting him on for only a couple of hours a day might be easier for him.
The nurse got him out of bed this morning, and into his chair; he's very weak - a combination of the surgery, breathing and kidney issues, and a lack of nourishment. I'm hoping they get him off the feeding tube over the weekend and onto some solid food, but the nursing staff hasn't addressed that directly.
Again, we are pleased with Jack's progress, and hope that we can get him out of the ICU sometime next week (that's me talking, not the nurse!!) <Grin>
More to come tomorrow ..............
Chip
Thursday, July 21, 2011
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