Personal news

Hi Everyone,   It is 6:45 am and I want to get this blog on and be on my way to the hospital.
   Yep, Ernie is spending some time there. 

I will go back two years ago when he had a routine chest x-ray when he was in ER for chest pains.
The chest pains were indigestion.  On the way home the ER Doc called and  and told us to see our family Doc  as there was a spot on his right lung.  Several tests later and an attempted
biopsy they (3 doctors) sent us on to Florida. and get a cat scan while there.  When the biopsy was attempted the spot hid behind a rib.  So for the last two years every 3  months Ernie has gotten a cat scan and it stayed the same.
This spring there was change. A second cat scan 3 month later revealed more change.  A biopsy was done going down the esophagus and it came back that there were cancer cells in the lower lobe of his right lung.   Then came more tests, a Pet scan, and a brain scan  (yeah, we heard plenty of comments, even our children.  Our son Alan said, I knew there were rocks up there and our daughter Nancy asked, Does that mean his brain is empty?)  this after I sent a text that the brain scan was clean.  The heart Doctor had ordered the annual stress test and echo cardiogram and gave the ok for surgery.  

Thursday the 20th, Ernie had the right lower lobe of his lung removed.  The surgeon was pleased?
the  cancer was in place as they had thought from the films and the lymph nodes looked clean and clear.  Biopsy was done on several lymph nodes.  We were told that when these nodes look clean they
usually are. 

Ernie will be in ICU until Saturday, unless he perks up a lot today,  and then be in the hospital until Tues or Wednesday.   We were talking about placing bets as to when he would be moved and when he would come home.  He bounces back so quickly from all the surgeries he has had, so why should this one be any different.  The anesthesiologist stated Ernie kept saying he did not need anything for pain.  But the monitors told him differently and he put on a patch for pain medication.  Plus he may have either oral or IV pain medication.  The procedure was done from the side.  The Doctors nurse told us last week to get some sharks teeth while we were in Florida (I have some old ones) and make a necklace.  Then tell people that he got bit by a shark.  good story.

He is in St. Vincent, St. John's Hospital in Anderson, Indiana.  A local hospital.  All the hospital staff tell us we have the best surgeon, lung specialaist,  and the anesthesiologist we have had before and think he is one of the best also.  So----There we are.It is after 7 and I need to get busy.
Have a good day.  Will write a progress report in the next few days.  Sorry aboaut some spelling.

Jane