Well, we have been home for almost three weeks. It is hard to believe it has been that long already. Chris continues to improve each day. We went to the staff Christmas dinner for my school this past Wednesday at a restaurant in Lexington. It was great for Chris to get out and about, but it did wear him out. I am off for Christmas break now , so I imagine we will try to get out a littl each day-it will help him regain strength. Chris feels well most days-he does still have pain from the placement of the AICD and the sternotomy, but it is getting better. He comments that it is hard to believe that he had surgery before Halloween and now it is time for Christmas. He lost more than a month of time. We talk about how things were in the hospital-he remembers some of it, but there is a lot he does not remember. The important part is that he is gettng better!!! Thank you once again for the thoughts, kind words and prayers that were sent our way-they have really helped. Have a Blessed Christmas. Mary Jo

We have been home a week and it has been grand! I enjoy being back at school, but am having a hard time getting up and moving in the morning. Chris is doing well, he walked up our basement steps (a full flight) yesterday. Each day brings new challenges and he steps to meet them and does well. It is hard to believe that Christmas is almost here-I have done very little shopping or decorating. I guess we will try to put the tree up this weekend. The UK Basketball team won yesterday and the football team will play in the Music City Bowl-things are OK in our life. Take Care. Mary Jo

We have had a quiet week here in Georgetown. Chris and I have spent the time taking it easy and slowly getting back into our routines. Chris continues to improve daily. I am going back to work/school tomorrow, and can come home during the day if Chris needs anything. I have just about completed unpacking from our 38 days away from home and have begun some Christmas shopping. Over the weekend Chris and I went to a movie and caught up with all of our mail-we really get a lot of "junk" mail. I now have to get back into the habit of "early to bed, early to rise" I've really enjoyed my late night TV watching with Chris. I'll post again sometime during the week. Mary Jo

Home, Sweet, Home-one of the best places to be! Well, we are slowly settling back into being home. Chris is doing very well. I took him to see his primary care physician, Bob Culbertson, today. Bob was pleased to see how well Chris is doing. After the appointment, Chris, his mom and I went out for lunch. We have just gotten home and are both ready for a nap. Chris is doing well walking without help (walked to the car, into and out of dr's office, into and out of restaurant) and is getting up our front steps as well. The dogs like to be right there with him as he walks-so far Chris has not tripped over them. Slowly but surely things are getting back to "normal." Chris is talking to a few people on the phone-he still tires easily, and is catching up reading email-he was surprised how tiring it was to type replies. I think he has just about caught up will all of the TV programs recorded on our Tivo (Chris really missed this when we were in the hotel) Each day Chris gets a bit stronger and tries something he hasn't accomplished yet- today it was walking unaided-who knows what tomorrow will bring. We are thrilled to be home and really appreciate all of the kindness shown to us by everyone. Chris is truly blessed. He is a living miracle. Mary Jo

Home again, Home again, jiggity jig! It is 12:15 a.m. Chris and I have been in the house for about 30 minutes and it is wonderful!!! It was an long day of traveling but a good day. Chris did very well-he slept at the Rochester airport and on the flight from Rochester to Minneapolis. He did well at the Minneapolis airport and read the entire time on the flight to Cincinnati. Our flight to Cincinnati was over 45 minutes late taking off so that made our day even longer. Our friend Eddie, was waiting for us at the airport and drove us back to Georgetown. It was so nice not having to worry about driving home. Emily was here to greet us as were the dogs Clancy and Patches. We are settled in for the night-and will start to tackle the mail and "stuff" tomorrow. Let me tell you, it is true-There is no place like home. Mary Jo

Tomorrow's the day!!!! We were up early today because Chris had a blood test at the hospital. We also met with the Jamie, one of Puga's PA's and Dr. Wan to make sure all was well before we set off for Kentucky-it is. Chris will have to have regular blood tests at home because of one of the medications he is currently on, but that is nothing new for him. I already have a Dr. appointment set for him on Thursday in Georgetown. Now I face the task of getting everything packed for our trip. Chris looked around the hotel room and stated that he could not believe that we brought all of this stuff on an airplane. We did, but I sent a lot home with Carolyn, Lyland and Bill. It just looks like a lot of stuff when it is spread out. . . When we finished at the hospital Chris and I had a huge breakfast at the Rainbow Cafe-a small mom and pop restaurant across from the hospital-it was delicious-neither one of us were able to eat the everything. It was the first time since early October that Chris has eaten out at a restaurant-yeah! Tomorrow will be an exhausting day for both of us, our flight leaves Rochester around 3:30 pm. We have a brief layover in Minneapolis and then on to Cincinnati. I imagine it will be late-10:30-11:30 pm-before we are finally in our own home. I probably will not post again until sometime on Wednesday afternoon-last minute packing tomorrow morning and such. Take Care. Mary Jo

We have had a quiet Sunday here in Rochester. Chris and I slept in -9:30!-and then lounged around the hotel for the remainder of the day. We walked down to the lobby and sat outside for a bit-it is colder today, and have been reading and watching movies. A friend of ours here in Rochester, Georgia Kaufman, came to the hotel and drove me out to the Super Target to pick up a few things and then to Panera Bread-I brought soup and sandwiches back for us to have for dinner. Last night, Georgia and her husband, Kreg (He is a Delta Chi from University of Iowa) came to visit with us at the hotel. It was so nice to catch up with each other. Chris has known Kreg for over 20 years-we try to visit them each time we are in Rochester. We will see Georgia again-she offered to take us to the airport on Tuesday. Well, it is time to settle in for our Sunday night television shows and I need to get load of laundry started before they begin. Have a good Sunday night. I'll post again sometime on Monday-Chris has a blood test at 8am so it will be an early day. Take Care. Mary Jo

It has been great to relax and not be interrupted here at the hotel. Although we were both up and down during the night, we were together. We slept in-got up about 9am. I went downstairs and brought breakfast up for us and then we each slept some more. After cleaning up and reading some email, Chris and I took a walk down to the lobby and sat outside the hotel for about 10 minutes to get a bit of fresh air. the temperature is still comfortable-around 50 degrees. It has been interesting to watch the hospital decorate for Christmas. The main entrance lobby has a huge tree made of red poinsettias. Another entrance I've used has a smaller tree of white poinsettias, sprinkled with red ones here and there. There is a gigantic lit wreath over the one of the entrances and manger scene to the side of the entrance. It is hard to believe that Christmas is just around the corner. Have a good day. Mary Jo (and Chris too!)

Well it took some time but Chris is out of the hospital. He was finally discharged around 1pm. We had to wait on prescriptions to be filled at the pharmacy before we left the hospital. Because out hotel is just across the street, I wheeled Chris from the hospital to the hotel. It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon-about 50 degrees. He was thrilled to be in the fresh air. We are settled in the room, and talking about what to get for dinner (no more hospital food-yea!!!) The next few days will be quiet, restful days for us with no set times for anything-it will be wonderful. Have a good weekend-we plan on it! Mary Jo

What a nice quiet day we have had. Chris and I took naps, and watched TV/movies all day and evening. We have had several different education sessions the hospital requires in order for Chris to be discharged tomorrow-although we have been through them before, we listened intently nonetheless. I have returned to the hotel to get things ready to bring Chris back here-I have to mix his Flolan-only half of what it has been-, get the oxygen tank and wheelchair ready to go and put away the "stuff" I have stacked on the tables. We're not sure what time he will be able to leave-he has a chest x-ray and another blood test in the morning, plus we have to have all of his medications filled at the clinic pharmacy before we leave the hospital. I'll post tomorrow after Chris has been discharged. Have a good day. Mary Jo

Happy Thanksgiving from St. Mary's Hospital. What a wonderful Thanksgiving this is. There are so many things to be thankful for, most importantly Chris's continued recovery, and the steadfast love and support from our family and friends. Although we may not be in Kentucky or Illinois for Thanksgiving celebrations, know that we are with you in spirit, as you will be with us. We will spend a quiet day, reading, sleeping, watching TV and just basking in the delight that Chris will be released from the hospital tomorrow. We will spend a few days in the hotel before we fly home on Tuesday. Chris already has a blood test scheduled for Monday morning!
Chris and I wish each and everyone of you a wonderful Thanksgiving and thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your love and support through the difficult times we have had this past month. God bless you all. Mary Jo

1:00 p.m. Chris and I just had our Thanksgiving meal together-turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, salad, rolls, pudding and a frosted Turkey cookie (given to us by the family of another patient) It was great, now we are ready to settle in for an afternoon nap. Have a great day! MJ

The cardioversion worked this morning! Chris's heart rate is back to normal sinus. We are on target to be discharged and then return to Kentucky on Tuesday. Margaret, a family friend in Illinois, is working on getting us return reservations to the Bluegrass. I tried, but it is mind boggling when you are doing it here and there and others are waiting for the computer station. Chris can walk around the room unaided, he took a shower and is now resting comfortably in his UK Wildcats flannel pants. His oxygen level is now down to 2 liters -we came her on 4 liters. Eventually he will probably not need the supplemental oxygen at all. It has been a big day so far and I am sure there is more to come. I'll post again this evening. Take Care. Mary Jo

Evening update: We had a quiet day, Chris rested and so did I. My hotel had a homemade Thanksgiving dinner for the residents this evening. It was wondrful-not as good as home, but very good. Tomorrow I will have turkey again with Chris. We will be back in Kentucky late Tuesday night-yea!

Life is grand in the new room. The heliport for the Mayo Lifeline helicopters is right above Chris's room (several floors above). We can watch the helicopters take off and land. Yesterday, Chris was trying to convince Julie, one of the flight nurses in the ICU, to work out a way to give him a ride in the helicopter. She suggested she have the pilot "hover" outside his window and then he could jump aboard-well, she did not get a call so no luck on the ride! We are getting ready to watch the UK Basketball game-Chris is awake enough tonight-he has already warned the nurse that his numbers may jump if is is an exciting game-we will see-it may need to be turned off if he doesn't behave himself! Chris has walked a bit today and has been up in the chair most of the day. Tomorrow he will have the cardioversion-hopefully early in the morning and hopefully it will be his last procedure-Dr. Wan told us it would be! We are looking forward to returning to the Bluegrass. Take Care. Mary Jo

Just a note: Chris behaved during the game but unfortunately the CATS couldn't pull out a win. An ICU nurse stopped by to watch a bit of the game with us-she is from Lexington, Ky (graduate of Lafayette H.S. )and a UK graduate. she is here to get work experience. It was fun talking to someone new from"home." MJ

Hip, Hip, Hooray! Chris is out of the ICU! He is in a large sunny room in the Mary Brigh "F" unit. I've hung the prayer quilt so he can see it and Chris is settled in watching a DVD. He has huge restroom and will be able to take a shower sometime tomorrow. This room also has two reclining chairs so we can both sit and be comfortable watching TV. Things are going well-he has a bit of atrial flutter-he has it before. They will do cardioversion (shock the heart into a normal rhythm) tomorrow but he is still on track to be discharged on the weekend. The nurses in the ICU took such good care of him, but we are happy to leave them behind. It is interesting-the nurse, Jody who "landed" Chris after surgery (settled him into the ICU) was his nurse this morning and moved him out of ICU. She was really glad to see him again (she's been on vacation) and to see him go. Take Care. Mary Jo

Everything went well with the AICD placement. It took forever-at least it seemed like it did. Dr. Wan (Puga's resident) decided to keep Chris in the ICU for tonight and will move him out in the morning. Chris felt it was a setback but Dr. Wan assured him it wasn't, it was just Dr. Wan being cautious. Chis has had to be flat for several hours so at 8:00 he can get up and is looking forward to eating again. He has requested a strawberry milkshake from McDonald's which I will go get ina few minutes. We watched a movie when he got back to the ICU, when I left him at 7:00 he was getting ready to watch his line-up of Monday night TVshows. I know he is ready to get back to Kentucky to watch UK basketball. Thanks for all of the comments and prayers. Take Care. Mary Jo

Chris is having his pacemaker put in today. He went down for it around 11:30 a.m. He will then be moved to the step down unit for the remainder of the week. He should be discharged this weekend (possibly Saturday) We will fly home on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, assuming I can get a flight. Chris is doing sooo well now. The step down unit will help him prepare for being out of the hospital-walking unaided, daily hygiene, going up steps, daily medications (hopefully the 50+ pills a day he took in the past will be drastically reduced). The picture of Chris was taken on Friday evening. I think he looks pretty good, but then I am a bit biased. Thank you to everyone for the encouraging words, thought and prayers. Take Care. MJ

Chris and I have had a quiet, peaceful Sunday. This afternoon he took a nap in his bed, I fell asleep in his chair. Carolyn, Lyland and Bill made it safely back to Kentucky early in the morning-they drove straight through. Chris talked to both of the girls and to Carolyn today, and watched the second Blue Collar Comedy Tour DVD. I am hooked on Sudoku puzzles right now. I can do the easy level quickly, but spend a lot more time on the medium level. I have not attempted the difficult level puzzles yet. Tomorrow Chris will have the AICD procedure-they hope to do early in the morning(we hope for that too) and then Chris will move from 5B-Cardiac ICU to 5C-Cardiac Step Down Unit-we are both excited about that change. Chris has done a lot of walking today-the last walk he took he made it all the way around the ICU-yea! Everyone in the ICU has been just wonderful, but we will be happy to move on. I'll post tomorrow after Chris's procedure. Take Care. Mary Jo

St. Ambrose College lost, Georgetown College lost ,UK won and Chris continues to improve-two out of 4-not bad! Chris has spent most of the day in the chair, he has walked several times-each walk longer than the one before. I brought his computer to him and he read all of his email. He has also been eating a bit better-The doctors want him getting calories from food not the IVs so, he has had a Subway sub, an apple, a candy bar, lemonade, a bagel-all things I have brought in for him. He eats some of the hospital food-especially breakfast, desserts and milk shakes. They say he can eat anything so he is getting stuff he likes! We watched part of The Blue Collar Comedy Tour tonight and decided it was probably not the best choice-Chris was laughing so much, the monitors were going wild. They have stopped lowering the Flolan for the time being-it may resume after the AICD procedure on Monday.
Bill Wundrum, a columnist for the Quad City Times out of Davenport, Ia. has been here at Mayo Clinic with his wife He has written two columns- Cape of Last Hope and Pages in a book on the night side of life. I think they are worth sharing. The second article is about Jordan, a 22 year old young man who is critically ill-he is two doors down from Chris. His mother and I have talked quite a bit and have encouraged each other with the small victories Jordan and Chris make each day. Jordan was very healthy until about a month ago and has been hit with one complication after another-he continues to be on the ventilator, but has just started to respond to commands. She had no idea this column was written(she is from Iowa but not near the Quad Cities)-another family showed it to her.
Chris and I have often commented on how wonderful everyone has been each time we come to Rochester. Today, Chris decided he could eat a subway sub-the closest Subway is over a mile away. I told him I would not mind walking to get it on Sunday, but it was too late today-it was getting pretty dark. Well, his nurse Joan heard us talking and said she would see what her husband was doing-he could probably come get me and take me to the Subway-which he did. (they live about 3 blocks from the hospital) This is just one example of the kindness we have received from others here at Mayo Clinic and St. Mary's Hospital. It is overwhelming at times. Take Care. MJ

Things keep getting better and better. Chris's Flolan is now half of what he has been getting and there have been no ill effects. They will continue the decrease the Flolan until told otherwise by Chris's reaction or Dr. McGoon. Carolyn, Lyland and Bill left around 11:30-only a half hour past their 'target" time. I have moved to a smaller studio room on the same floor- room 228. When we left Chris this morning-he had eaten a huge breakfast and had already walked more than he did yesterday. He is resting while I change rooms and catch up on laundry. I'll head over in an hour or two and we will watch one of the many DVDs we brought with us. The AICD will be put in on Monday and then Chris will move to the step down unit. He will probably be there a week before he is discharged. Take Care. Mary Jo

The basketball Cats won twice this week, my nephew Andy Bures, who plays football for St. Ambrose College had an undefeated season and begins playoffs tomorrow, (they are #3 in the NAIA) UK plays football tomorrow-dare we hope for another win?, and Chris Johnson is doing very well. All must be right in our part of the world. Chris spent a good portion of the day sitting up in the chair. this afternoon he was able to get a computer and read all of the blog entries and comments. He was waiting for the Tonight Show to come on when I left his. He has talked to many of his doctors today and the news keeps getting better and better. The flolan keeps going down with Chris showing no ill effects. We asked about using oxygen when he returns home-he may need it for awhile, but not as much and probably not all of the time. When he walks he is tires but does not get short of breath-that has not happened in a long time. We have truly been blessed. Have a good , restful weekend. Mary Jo

Chris had breakfast twice today-I'd say he is feeling much better. He walked even further down the hall and was reading when I arrived this morning. It looks like he will be moved to the step down unit Monday or Tuesday-depends on how the placement of the AICD, He was sitting up in the chair for almost 2hrs so things are just great. Carolyn, Bill and Lyland will leave tomorrow to return to Kentucky, since Chris is sooooo much better. Well, Chris has called for us to come back and keep him company so I'll sign out for now. Take Care. MJ

Well, Chris handled the step back really well and is over that hump. He did well with the test, they got his lung clear and the chest x-ray looks much better. He is off of Bi-Pap and back on the nasal cannula. Dr. McGoon, from the Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic, was called in. He said Chris could come off of the Bi-Pap. He has also sent an order to begin weaning Chris from the Flolan-Chris is just thrilled and hope it works-he would so love to be rid of the infusion pump. When I left Chris a few moments ago he was getting ready to eat a bowl of cereal-he is no longer nauseous and very hungry. They will probably wait until Monday to put the AICD in. It was a rocky start for a day but it is headed for a smoothing ending. Take Care. MJ

Evening update-As I left Chris for the night-he was watching a DVD -the Best of Johnny Carson- and having many good laughs. He is sooo much better than yesterday and this morning (yesterday was a really good day) He is talking about getting home sometime soon and even talking about doing some fund raising for the Pulmonary Hypertension Association and for the Adult Congenital Heart Association. The reality that he is going to feel better when this is all said and done is finally setting in. What a wonderful day it has been. Mary Jo

Three steps forward and one step back is how progress often happens. Well, Chris is on that one step back. His left lung is having problems again. The doctors are doing a broncoscopy (sp?) to try to clear the lung and re-inflate it-they think it has a mucus plug again. Chris is much stronger and very stable this time, so they don't anticipate any problems. Needless to say they are waiting to put in the AICD. I'll post again when I have more information. Please keep the thoughts and prayers heading to Rochester. Take Care Mary Jo

Chris had another good day. He walked a few feet out into the hallway (Dr. Wan was cheering Chris on from the sidelines as were several of the nurses) and back to his chair. He is still fairly nauseous, but is trying to eat a little. He had another ultrasound to check out his gall bladder-there was no change from the last one-to see if that could be the cause of the nausea. They are going to leave it alone for now. Sometime tomorrow they will put the AICD in his chest. Hopefully it will be earlier rather than later-waiting is no fun. Chris is doing so well, I won't be surprised if he gets moved to the cardiac step- down unit by/on the weekend. His breathing is great-so right now now Bi-Pap unless he asks for it. I'll post tomorrow after he has the AICD procedure. Keep the thoughts and prayers heading this way. Take Care Mary Jo

Overcast skies, cold weather and a possibility of snow have not dampened the spirits here at St. Mary's Hospital. Chris continues to do well. He had another ultrasound of his gall bladder to see if that is what is causing his nausea-they may recommend removing the gall bladder-we will see. The doctors have decided to put in the ICD (it is actually and AICD-not sure of the difference) possibly tomorrow-have to see what the ultrasound says about his gall bladder. Chris's breathing is good-no Bi-pap unless he asks for it-and his heart is going strong. He has been up walking a bit in his room-Physical therapy commented on how strong his legs are. So. . . things are good, but we will wait and see about the gall bladder and the AICD. I'll post again later as I find out information. Keep the thoughts and prayers coming our way. Take Care. Mary Jo

Another good day today. Chris has been out of bed and in the chair numerous times today. He has eaten a little bit, but is still fairly nauseous-medication is helping with that. No decision has been made yet on whether to put in the ICD-they will wait a few days and see how Chris does and to give him time to get stronger. Both Emily and Allison were able to talk to Chris for a few minutes today-first time since October 24th-it was good for all of them. Carolyn, Lyland, Bill and I came back to the hotel to get a bite to eat and will return to the hospital at 8:00 to say good night to Chris. I will stay to read to him and the others will come to the hotel to do laundry-everyday day tasks still need to be done when you are away from home. Have a goodnight. Mary Jo

Things keep getting better and better. The kidney doctors just came in and said Chris's kidneys are improving so, no more dialysis and the line in his neck can be removed. Chris is sitting up in a chair and will walk some later on today. He has been nauseous, probably from the dye in the test yesterday, exerting himself, no sleep-just everything. That seems to be settling down, so we will see how he handles a regular lunch tray. Today will be day to focus on improving his strength and breathing. Keep sending the good thoughts and prayers-they are having a definite impact. Take Care. Mary Jo

Sleep, glorious sleep! - is what Chris has done today and was doing when I left him this evening. Chris had several "good" naps during the day and was sleeping soundly when I went it to read to him this evening. He has been up in the chair several times-he has to stand to transfer to the chair. He walked a few steps to transfer to a gurney to be transported for a test and he has been off of the Bi-pap machine for most of the afternoon and evening. His numbers remain stable-we will know if they need to do dialysis in the morning. Because Chris was asleep this afternoon, I returned to the hotel and took a good nap. Tomorrow I will be with Chris at the hospital in the morning. Carolyn, Lyland and Bill are planning to take the shuttle down to the Mayo Clinic and take the historical tour of the buildings and to view the beautiful art work both inside and outside of the Clinic. In the morning we will probably learn if an ICD (pacemaker/defibrillator) will be implanted in his chest, and hopefully when. Chris gets to eat a regular diet (they are not going to limit salt or calories right now!!) starting with breakfast, so hopefully he will feel well enough to start eating again.
All in all it has been a wonderful day. MJ

The skies are overcast here in Rochester, but things are bright and shining at St. Mary's hospital. Chris continues to improve, although sleep is still a problem. He had an echo cardiogram today-the left lung is looking much better. They have removed several IV lines. This afternoon, physical therapy will be by to help Chris get up out of the bed and transfer to a chair-yesterday it was a different type of chair. He will not get dialysis today even though his kidney numbers are slightly elevated-they will wait and see. All of the other numbers are holding steady. Brent-Chris's nurse will work with Chris on deep breathing and /coughing to help his lungs stay clear. Chris will be busy today which hopefully will tire him out enough but not too much. Have a good day and keep the thoughts and prayers coming. Take Care. MJ

We did have a peaceful Sunday, but unfortunately Chris is still having problems sleeping. He has been up in a chair several times today and is enjoying the few liquids he is allowed. He is still on the Bi-Pap machine, but it is turned down pretty low and he is doing all of the work. Hopefully tonight they will give Chris something to help him get some rest. Everything else is going really well. His numbers remain stable, his mood is great ,and he feels much better-he just can't sleep right now! Well, speaking of sleep-that is what I am going to do right now. I'll post again in the morning after I see Chris. Please keep the thoughts and prayers heading our way. Take Care. MJ

BTW-Snow is once again in the weather forecast. It is raining right now-it will be interesting to see how things are in the morning.

Although he did not sleep much, Chris did have a good night. His numbers remain stable. He is still on Bi-Pap but I can tell he is stronger-his voice is stronger and it is easier to understand what he is saying. Today he is being allowed liquids-ice chips, drinks of ice water, and he just had some orange sherbet. Hopefully, he will doze during the day. They have had another specialist come in to talk to Chris and to evaluate what medications if any could be hindering his sleep. He will recommend to give Chris something tonight to help him relax and get sleepy. Carolyn, Lyland Bill and I will will be here in the hospital waiting room, but will go back and check on Chris every 2-3 hours in hopes he will dozing in between-we'll see how it goes. It is supposed to be warmer today and then the beginning of the work week will bring a mixture of rain and snow-I'm glad we only have to walk across the street to get to and fro. Have a peaceful Sunday-that is what we are planning. Mary Jo

What a wonderful day it has been. Chris has done well off of the ventilator. He is on the Bi-Pap machine but they are slowly turning it down. Chris handles each change without a problem. He is very, very tired. As often happens with hospital patients, he is not getting good sleep. It seems like someone is coming each hour to draw blood for this or to deliver that. Hopefully now that he is off of the vent and has done well during the day he will get a better night's rest. I am hopeful that tomorrow will bring even more improvement for Chris. Have a good night. Keep the thoughts and prayers heading this way. Take Care. Mary Jo

Chris has just come off of the ventilator!!!!! He is on the Bi-Pap machine for the next 24 hours, but they will give him breaks from it during the day. He looks great. His numbers today have been fine and as long as they continue in that direction tubes and lines will be removed. It is still cold here and there is lots of of snow. I'll keep you posted on how things go. Take Care. Mary Jo

Keep the thoughts and prayers coming-Chris still has a quite a bit of the road to recovery to conquer. MJ

The snow has stopped here in Rochester, but Chris's improvement keeps on going. The last chest tube was removed this afternoon, the vent will probably be removed tomorrow. It is turned down really low-Chris is basically doing most of the breathing on his own. The dialysis will be stopped soon and and new labs will be run 6 hrs after it is stopped to see how his kidneys are doing. There was some discussion about removing his gall bladder-it is sluggish, but no stones. The general surgeons decided to just watch it for now, since Chris is not having an pain associated with the gall bladder (Chris decided he liked the guy even if he was a fan of Indiana University basketball). Yesterday,while in the hospital gift shop I bought the 10 piece puzzle game-Tantrix. We have had a grand time with it. Today I went back to the shop to purchase another one, and discovered the entire 56 tile set. Bill is working on it right now. All is well, we are looking forward to a quiet restful night. Tomorrow will be a big day, if the vent is removed. Have a good evening, and keep the thoughts and prayers heading this way. Take Care. MJ

The view out of the atrium waiting room window is just breathtaking today-Snow is falling and everything is covered in a thick blanket of white-over six inches worth! Chris continues to improve. The external pacemaker wires have been removed and, they will be removing the last chest tube sometime this morning. The goal for today will be to wean him off of the vent-not exactly sure when it will happen but the plan is for today because Chris is doing so well. I told Chris about Louisville's loss to Rutgers-I am sure it is not easy to grin with a breathing tube in your mouth, but grin he did! His spirits are very good this morning as are his numbers. I do believe he is in the bend of the corner he needed to turn for recovery. Have a great day today-we plan on it. Please keep the thoughts and prayers heading north-they are definitely being heard. MJ
Update-Chris continues to do well-the vent has been turned down, we are watching a movie and it is still snowing. It was supposed to be 2-4 inches of snow. Right now Rochester has 9 inches and it is still coming down. I am glad we do not have to get out in it. MJ

Chris continues to steadily improve. The dialysis has really helped-the numbers the doctors were concerned about have dropped considerably. Dr. Wan (Puga's associate) said if Chris continues on this route the vent may be removed in 24-48 hours. Chris gave a thumbs up on that. Chris has listened to music and watched TV today. When we left this evening, he was getting ready to watch Desperate Housewives. We found out today that Dr. Puga fell down some steps and broke both of his wrists at the end of last week or over the weekend, so he is doing his own recuperating. Chris's sense of humor is back-he is pantomiming his wants and needs-I am still not very good at understanding what he is trying to tell me, but we make do. Hopefully tomorrow will not only bring snow (which I love) but continued improvement in Chris's recovery. As always, keep the thoughts and prayers heading our way. Take Care. Mary Jo

It is another beautiful day here in Rochester-there is a possibility of snow tomorrow. Chris is feeling much better and is ready to have the vent removed! The dialysis, as expected, has help with his overall well-being. All of the numbers look good. The vent has been turned down again and they will continue to turn it down as long as Chris can tolerate it. He continues with baby steps but they are all in the right direction. Carolyn, Lyland Bill and I will stay here in the hospital atrium waiting room going back to see Chris each hour. I'm not sure where we will go for lunch, but dinner tonight is homemade soup at our hotel-yum! All of the prayers seem to be working-so keep them heading this way. Have a good day. Mary Jo

As I explained to Emily today, Chris has hit a bump in the road but it is not really a "bad" bump. Chris's kidney function has dropped quite a bit so the nephrologists have decided it would be prudent to start Chris on light dialysis to filter the toxins that have build up in his body. Both the kidney doctor and the surgeon feel this will be a temporary thing and that Chris will feel much better because of it. They continue to wean him from the nitric oxide and other meds and he is tolerating that well. Chris is awake while we are in his room, and will respond to questions I ask him. Hopefully they will be able to remove the vent before the weekend-that would be wonderful. Keep the thoughts and prayers heading to St. Mary's-they are helping!

Evening update: They should have Chris off of the nitric oxide sometime tonight which is great. Once that is off and he tolerates it they can then begin to turn down the ventilator. He started dialysis around 9pm tonight. Hopefully tomorrow he will just generally feel better. He has been very alert-gave a thumbs up for the UK basketball victory and for some of the election results. All in all things are going well. MJ

What a beautiful day it is here in Rochester. It is bright and sunny outside-it will probably be in the 60's. Chris had a good night and continues to move in the right direction. He is not as sedated this morning-in fact when Lyland and Bill went back to see Chris he opened eyes and smiled at Lyland-what a wonderful surprise. The doctors and nurses continue to adjust medications all in hopes of getting him off of the ventilator. His kidney function is a bit messed up now, but they have called in a nephrologist to look into that, otherwise his numbers look great and are holding steady. Keep the thoughts and prayers coming-they are working! Take Care. Mary Jo

Today has been a good day. Chris continues with baby steps of improvement. Dr.McCully from the Pulmonary Hypertension clinic came to check on Chris this afternoon. He was called in to help decided how to go about things with all of the "pulmonary hypertension medications" Chris has been on since Friday. One of the inhaled medications was removed, they changed another medication and they are beginning to turn down the nitric oxide again-this has to be done in order to take him off of the ventilator. It will take time to get to that point, but at least they are moving in that direction. Carolyn, Lyland, Bill and I drove to Minneapolis to return our rental car at the airport. We stopped at a Land's End store and did a bit of shopping. As we were leaving the store, I decided to call the hospital to check on Chris only to discover that I did not have my cell phone-I had left it in the rental car! Fortunately, we were only about 10 minutes away from the airport and were able to retrieve the phone. We stopped at the Super Target In Rochester so I could get a wallet to hold all of my "stuff". I was talking to Emily and commented that it was a bit sad - I had a new wallet and only had one credit card to put in it right now-no Kroger Card, CVS cards or ID. She suggested I draw a stick figure for my picture ID and to design my own cards-I may have to consider that. Both of the girls are hanging in there-I know it has to be difficult on them-not seeing or talking to Chris. Hopefully they will soon be able to talk to him. Well, it is late and we will have an early day. After we visit Chris in the morning we may travel (1 mile) to Mayo Clinic to take the historical tour of the clinic and to view all of the art work on display. Both Carolyn and I have said that Lyland and Bill really need to see the clinic and the pedestrian subways connecting all of the buildings as long as they are here. Keep sending your thoughts and prayers up our way-they are helping! Take Care. Mary Jo

Chris had a good, quiet night. The nurses continue to turn down his medications. He is not receiving any diuretics, but the nurses still"chase" his potassium level. His chest x-ray has looked the same for the past several days-much improved from the ones (they did 7) on Friday.
Carolyn ,Lyland and I went into Hobby Lobby yesterday and all purchased some needlepoint to do-it is not as nice as the needlepoint we get at home, but it will do. Today, as long as Chris is stable, we will drive to the Minneapolis Airport to return our rental car. It has been nice having one, but the cost increased dramatically when I had to add another week to the contract. Bill is happy to drive us where we need to go, when they leave, most everything we need is just a short walk from the hospital, we can take the shuttles or if need be get a cab. Rochester truly caters to the visitors of the clinic. I was able to contact all needed parties concerning my backpack which is a great relief. The staff here at the hospital are still just sick about it. We talked to several families in the waiting room-they wanted to see the needle work we were doing-they too could not believe that someone stooped so low to steal from a hospital waiting room. I have gotten past being upset-I made a mistake and have to deal with it, but support from others is always nice. Well, have a good election day. Keep the thoughts and prayers coming north, I know they are working! Mary Jo

Things are looking good here in Minnesota. Dr. Wan removed the atrial balloon pump this morning because Chris had such a stable weekend. Next they will start to turn down some of the medications in order to take him off of the vent in a few days. Chris was awake and aware that I was with him earlier. With the balloon pump gone, he should not have to be so heavily sedated. I spent the morning on the phone calling our insurance company, bank and what not, trying to get things rolling from my backpack being stolen. I talked to Lost and Found here at the hospital-they are just sick about something like this happening-it has not happened much here at all. They said everyone is on the look out for it here at the hospital and would love to be able to bring it to me-I am not holding my breath. It is so nice to have Lyland and Bill here. although we talked with them on the phone before, them physically being here is really a treat. Again, thank you for the thoughts and prayers, please keep them heading our way. Take Care. Mary Jo

It is Sunday evening and all is well. Chris has been very quiet and still today-he is heavily sedated. All of his "numbers" seem to be staying constant. A little up and down but no major changes. Lyland, Bill, Carolyn and I left the hospital for lunch-soup and sandwiches at Panera. A little after 8pm we will say good night to Chris and then go to Baker's Square for dinner. Lyland and Bill have never been there-they have heard us talk about the good pie!) and then back to the hotel to crash. Tomorrow will hopefully see some changes for Chris. I have several phone calls to make in the morning concerning my stolen backpack (insurance, bank, school) so it will be busy all around. Please keep your thoughts and prayers heading this way. Take Care. Mary Jo

What a beautiful warm sunny day we have here in Rochester. Chris had a good night and continues to hold steady with his numbers. Lyland and Bill arrived about 1:30 am-it was/is great to see them. We had breakfast together and then walked over to see Chris. Today all of us will rest-tomorrow will probably bring some changes for Chris-removing the balloon pump, adjusting the vent-and I sure it will be hard on all of us. I hope everyone has a quiet restful Sunday. Take Care. MJ

Chris is stable, UK basketball has begun and the UK football team won another game, it was a fine day all around! We saw Chis several different times today-each time the nurses talked about how well he has done since his troubles yesterday. He is still very sedated, they want his heart and lungs to get a good rest. There were no major changes in any of his medications-that may begin late tomorrow, but probably on Monday. Carolyn's sister Lyland and her husband, Bill Gray have decided to take a road trip! They are on the way to Minnesota. They left Lexington this afternoon. It was a nice surprise when Lyland called and told us of their plans. I know Chris will be thrilled to see them as well when he wakes up. I talk to Allison and Emily daily, they are concerned about Chris, but it is a good feeling to know that they are continuing with their day to day life. Since Chris had such a rough time yesterday, we did not get a chance to explain to his nurse about the prayer quilt. We talked with her about it today and she suggested that we hung it on the curtain in his room for all to see. she put a sign on it explaining what it was and inviting those who come into his room to say a prayer and tie a knot.. Because of all of the machines and wires, we couldn't leave it at the foot of the bed. Now when he looks to the right he will be able to see the quilt and all of the prayers that have been tied into it for him. Please continue with the good thoughts and prayers for us. Take Care. MJ

Today is a new day. Chris had a good night. Dr. Wan stopped to see him this morning and was very pleased with how well Chris is doing. Things will be left alone for today, he will rest and get stronger. He was awake when I called this morning, his nurse Janet and I talked about what music he'd probably like to listen to-we both decided on the Messiah. When Carolyn and I got to his room, he opened his eyes and reached out his hand. He is still sedated so I am not sure if he realized it was me at the time-When I called this morning, the nurse told him I was on the phone, he nodded that he understood. My backpack has not shown up-many around here seem to think it will-I'd really like my belt back to finish! Today I will work on the needlepoint Nativity figures I have-they are small pieces, and a very small gauge on the canvas. My aging eyes may not be happy. Keep the thoughts and prayers heading northward. Take Care. Mary Jo

When it rains it pours. Chris is stable, although he does have a bit of a fever-probably due to all of the "stuff" they did to him today. Carolyn and I went back to see him for about 10 minutes at 6pm. We left our stuff in the waiting room(never again!!) when we returned from our visit I discovered my backpack had been stolen-we had gotten too complacent-it was too bulky to take into Chris's room with all of the machines and whatnot, so we left in in our chairs in the empty waiting room. Well, security was called as were the local police. I've cancelled all of our credit cards, will contact our Credit Union on Monday and learned a lesson. I am most upset that my needlepoint belt (almost finished) is gone. The police are hopeful that they will find the backpack with some of the stuff still intact-we will see. Now, we'll haul everything back and forth into the ICU. To top off the evening-After Carolyn and I left Chris at 8pm-he was still doing well and the nurse was planning on an uneventful, restful evening for Chris-we went to eat at Applebee's. Well, the kitchen messed up my order completely. Our waitress was not happy. A manager came out and told us that our meal was "on the house," because it was their mistake. It was a nice surprise. I am off to bed-it has been a very loooong stress filled day. We will be looking for an easier tomorrow. Take care and keep your good thoughts and prayers heading to St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, MN. Good Night. MJ

We have had a roller coaster of day! Dr. Wan (from Dr. Puga's service) has spent the day in Chris's room. Chris's numbers have been all over the board, but are stable now. They removed a lot of blood and fluid from his chest- about 2 liters . His nose was still bleeding even after they put him back on the vent-they finally stopped the blood thinner so that bleeding should be under control. We saw Chris first thing this morning and not again until almost 3pm. It was good to see him. After we saw him this afternoon, Carolyn and I went to get a bite to eat-while we were gone he awakened-the nurse explained all that had gone on during the day, had Chris move his arms and legs and then asked if wanted to go back to sleep (yes!) So. . .he is being kept sedated and comfortable. Much of the machines and drips he is on are the same as when he came out of surgery so it is like we are back to square one, except he has had some time for his incisions to heal and such. Thank you for your Thoughts and Prayers-please keep sending them this way. Mary Jo

Chris had a rough night. This morning when I called, his nurse said he was struggling with his breathing so they put him back on Bi-Pap during the night. When Carolyn and I go to the hospital at 9am his room was full of personnel. Dr. Wan (Puga's associate) stepped out to explain to us that Chris had a mucus plug in his left lung which caused the lung to collapse. To help with the collapsed lung, they had to put him back on the ventilator and start some of the IV medications. Because they were still working on him, (chest x-rays and such) Carolyn and I returned to the waiting room. I'll go back in a little bit and talk to the nurse to see what the plan is now. Three steps forward and one step back-We will get over this bump in the road just as we have the others. Please keep Chris in you thoughts and prayers today. Thanks. Mary Jo

BTW-Carolyn and I did go out to lunch and shopping yesterday afternoon for several hours-There is a little strip mall close to the hospital-two really neat stores.

Another good day with improvements. Chris is stronger today-he sat in the chair for about 2hrs at lunch time and another hour at dinner. His echo cardiogram was this morning-the doctors said the pressures were good in his lungs-the medications he is taking are doing their job. He ate a little bit more today than yesterday and will probably eat more tomorrow. We were finally able to watch the entire Chronicles of Narnia movie with Chris today-the movie service was messed us yesterday. He has been awake most of the day, so hopefully he will sleep well tonight. He 's not having pain-at least he is not asking for pain medication. He had Tylenol last night and again before we left tonight-nothing during the day. Small improvements in the right direction. Have a good night. Mary Jo

Chris did not sleep real well last night-his body system are all coming to life and kept him "going" all evening. A PICC line was put in his right arm around 8pm-the neck lines came out after that. He is eating just a little of his meals, but not enough to satisfy the nurses, so his fluids are being restricted until he starts getting calories from the solid food-he would eat sherbet and frozen yogurt all day given the chance, but they are considered liquids. The oxygen mask is gone and he is on just the nasal cannula for oxygen-much easier on him. PT will come sometime this morning. He has already had the echo cardiogram (don't know results). There is some discussion about putting an ICD/Pacemaker back in. It would not be as involved as the last one, more like how pacemakers are put in most people. Dr. Puga wants him to work on recovery so the won't even consider implanting the device until early next week. Chris's voice is stronger, and he is getting a little bit cranky (!!!) Each day brings improvements, small thought the be, we are thankful for them nonetheless. Have a good day-we plan on it. Mary Jo

Chris has done well today. He has been up in the chair twice so far-the nurse wants him up again-Chris says no-we will see who wins. Physical Therapy came and had Chris standing up for a little bit. Sitting up, standing and just every day activity has really worn him out. He has had a little bit to eat-he tried Boost pudding and some Ensure-neither one appealed to him. When I left him at 5:00 he was asking for orange sherbet-it is on order. Hopefully he will eat some of his dinner. We talked to Dr. Puga, surgeon, he is pleased with Chris's progress. Tomorrow they will do an echo cardiogram to check the pressures in his lungs-then they will make decisions about the Flolan-if they are going make any changes. Each day is a little better than the day before-Chris is improving step by step. I'll post again tomorrow. Mary Jo

We walked in to see Chris at 9 am and he was sitting up in a chair. He had been up in the chair for about 1.5 hrs. He has been drinking the fluids they will allow him (he is being restricted somewhat) and tried some toast and eggs this morning. His nurse, Joan, said the doctors want to take the neck lines out today-Hooray! Sitting up in the chair wore Chris out-we stopped in just a few minutes ago-he was sound asleep. We will see him at lunch time. Have a good day-we plan on having one. Mary Jo

Chris has made great strides today. After coming off of the vent, he was struggling a bit to breathe so instead of putting him back on the vent, they tried a Bi-PaP machine-it is one of the machines used for sleep apnea. With this machine, he did not have to work so hard to get a breath. Well, when Carolyn and saw Chris at 8:00 tonight he was off of the Bi-PaP machine and on a regular oxygen mask. He was talking quite a bit with me-asking lots of questions. I told him it was good to hear his voice-he said it was good to be heard. He did not make it in to a chair yet-they had him dangle his feet, though. He is sitting fairly upright in bed, able to take sips of water with out help and is just doing really well. The nurses are still having to "chase" his potassium but I keep saying it is nothing new for us. Two of the medications he has been getting through the NG tube (it is gone!) he took orally tonight. His "numbers" are all good and steady-especially his heart rate and his temperature. So. . .all in all it has been a WONDERFUL DAY! I am anxious to see what surprises tomorrow will bring. Take Care. MJ

Carolyn & Reid-I'll buy your "e" and use it in Treats-because that is what we are getting today. Chris came off of the ventilator at 9am this morning. He looks great and is coughing well. Jody, his nurse said she was getting a recliner for Chris because she wants him out of bed. His breathing is sooo much easier than the last time they removed the vent. They are taking out some of the different lines-the ones in his groin so he can move about better. Dr. Puga was in to see Chris and gave a big thumbs up on his progress. He also said they would talk about turning down the Flolan (the medicine in the pump Chris wears) Chris gave a big thumbs up on that. Today will be day of Treats and surprises and hopefully no tricks. Happy Halloween everyone! MJ

We have had a wonderful day. Chris's heart rate is down and in normal sinus. He is in good spirits and they plan on removing the ventilator tomorrow morning as long as things continue to go so well. Chris is very ready to have it out. I must say he has done well communicating-he and Jody, his nurse, talked about the Duvalls and Demarees-the bit of French in his heritage. There is no telling how that come up in conversation but it did. I told Jody that Chris will talk nonstop, (when he feels well) about anything especially if it is history related. It is great to see him in such good spirits. Assuming the vent comes out tomorrow he will be happy about that but then he will have to start working-which I don't think he will like. Keep the good thoughts and prayers coming our way, Chris is over a big hurdle-making it through surgery but now he will have to work to speed his recovery. Take Care. MJ

Greetings from Minnesota!! Chris is ready to have the vent taken out. He keeps trying to get his nurse to give him some water, but he only gets the water soaked swabs with maybe a tiny ice chip on it. He is feeling much better-he wanted me to bring him Sprite or frozen yogurt from McDonald's where Carolyn and I went for lunch. He was a bit disappointed when I didn't. Jody,his nurse, told Chris that when the vent is gone and things sound good he will start on on clear liquids He had some good expressions for that. He is doing very well with his pantomime-I am getting better about understanding him too. He watched two Batman movies this afternoon and has already asked about the TV lineup for tonight. His heart remains in normal sinus rhythm without the external pacemaker so the nurses are pleased. His temperature and his other numbers remain constant. There is a possibility they may try turning down the vent tonight, but it will probably be tomorrow-they don't want to do too many things in one day. Hopefully his heart rate will stay down and in normal sinus. Well Carolyn and I may sneak down to the cafeteria to have frozen yogurt for Chris-it is much better than McDonald's. I do want to say that everyone who has been in Chris's room has commented on the Prayer Quilt-how wonderful it is. It is at the foot of his bed where he can see it. The nurses have all taken time to tie a knot and say a prayer and are very interested in exactly what it is. I take time to explain-some of them have seen prayer shawls and blankets but not a quilt. I'll post again tonight if there are any changes. Take Care. MJ

Things are ever changing here in Rochester. The weather is beautiful-near 60, tomorrow the wind chill will be in the teens! Chris is doing well. He was wide awake when we got here about 8:45-in fact he asked his nurse-Jody- where we were. He's high fever broke during the night, but he still has a bit of one today but not as high. He was still in atrial flutter when we got here so it was decide to see how things were at 10 am. At that time they would make the decision to do cardioversion or not (cardioversion is giving the heart a little shock to get it to convert to normal sinus rhythm) They sedated Chris and did the cardioversion a little after 10. They actually did two shocks. They have the external pacemaker pacing his heart for a little while to try and get it to stay in normal sinus. The nurse said she thought he was in normal sinus on his own without the pacemaker. He is still pretty sedated although he did open his eyes when he heard my voice. Hopefully this will do the trick and then they can start to turn down the vent. Time will tell. I'll post more when I know more. Take Care. MJ

What a great day we have had communicating with Chris. His heart rate remains about 115 and he is still in atrial flutter, but he's awake , moving about and is in good spirits. Chris manages to get me to soak the swabs in cold water for him-on one swab I forgot to test the water before I soaked it-when I put it in his mouth he spit the swab back at me-it was warm water. He has had the TV on -of course since college basketball isn't on he settled for football and even watched the end of a NASCAR race with Tammy, his nurse. They continue to lower one medication, very slowly-he needs to be off of it in order to take him off of the vent again. The vent has been turned down a bit, Chris is taking some breaths on his own. I know it is frustrating for Chris having to "mouth" what he wants to say-I am not the best at reading lips, but we seem to be managing. I have relayed stories I read online from the newspapers at home, shared all of the comments and emails that have been received and we have had some laughs. Today has just been a much better day all around. I don't anticipate any other changes tonight. Hopefully tomorrow he will continue to improve and come off of the vent. I'll post again after I see him in the morning. Take Care MJ
Evening Update-When we left Chris this evening he had a bit more fever-they are hoping Tylenol will take of it. He had been awake most of the evening, we left him watching Desperate Housewives. MJ

What a wonderful morning here in Rochester. We just left Chris and he looks great. He is wide awake and wanting to know what is going on. He asked about the girls, and I updated him on their activities. I told him UK beat Mississippi State in football-he raised his hand in cheer (sorry Don and Kim). He is very animated with his facial expressions and his sense of humor is coming through. He is not in pain, but is tired. He was fine with us returning to the waiting room, knowing that we would see him in about an hour. His numbers are still good, but he no longer has the good p-waves. He is in Atrial Flutter. Pediatric cardiologists have been consulted and they have decided to ease up on some of the pulmonary hypertension medications to see if that will help. I think they will probably wait until tomorrow to turn down the vent. Chris seems much stronger which is what they were hoping for when he was put back on the ventilator. Tammy, his nurse, asked if there was anything specific Chris would like to see on TV. I said probably not during the day but tonight he had a lineup shows he liked to watch-Chris nodded in agreement. Hopefully things will continue to improve throughout today. This is truly a day the Lord has made-Let us rejoice in it!! Take Care. Mary Jo

We just left Chris for the evening. He seemed comfortable and was quiet. The great thing is that although his heart rate is still high, about 114-he is in a normal sinus rhythm. His p-waves were regular. (whatever that means) The nurse showed me on the monitor what she was talking about-I knew it was good because the nurses clapped when they saw it! Chris really likes the swabs soaked in cold water. I told the nurse he would have me soaking swabs and putting them in his mouth all night if he could. I told Carolyn I probably needed to change my name to "Swabbie." Seriously, Chris is stable, his heart rate and blood pressure are good. Tomorrow may bring a few small changes, but for right now he is comfortable and doing well. Thanks for all of the prayers and words of encouragemant. Take Care. Mary Jo (a.k.a -Swabbie)

It has been a quiet, uneventful day. So far all the cultures done on Chris have been negative. The doctors are adjusting medications and Chris seems to be holding his own. He is awake when we visit. Carolyn and I left the hospital to get lunch (Baker's Square-gotta love the pie!) and we had some of our prescriptions refilled at Target. Apparently, while we were gone, Chris let the nurse know he was tired of it all-the vent, IVs and such-she calmed him down and explained what was going on and she said he seemed better and I am sure he was. When Carolyn and I got back to see him he looked good. Knowing how dry his mouth gets normally, I asked the nurse about giving him one of the "swabs" soaked in water-she had just done it but, said if he wants more to go for it. They are getting ready for a shift change, so the ICU will be closed for visitors-I guess we will hit the cafeteria for frozen yogurt before it closes. I don't anticipate any changes during the night with Chris we will see what tomorrow brings. Mary Jo

Chris had a quiet night. His heart rate is still high but the nurses are keeping on top of that. When we first saw him this morning, he opened his eyes and recognized me, and was able to respond to my questions. So far he has no infection-they are still waiting to read some cultures this afternoon. The anesthesiologist will be in shortly and will decide what needs to be done to help keep Chris's numbers in the right range. I won't be surprised if they wait another day before trying to take him off of the vent-he getting good rest right now. It is a wait and see day. The sun is trying to peek through the cloud cover. It is cold - in the 40's (I love the temp-Carolyn is cold). Carolyn and I will go out this afternoon to get lunch and run some errands-it really makes a difference. Take care I'll update later. MJ

Although it has been a good day we have hit a bump in the road. Around 7pm the drs. and nurses decided that Chris needed to go back on the ventilator. Chris was doing the deep breathing and trying to cough, but it was really zapping his strength, so they decided to give him at least another night to rest. He still has a bit of a fever so cultures have been taken and infectious diseases will check on him tomorrow-they want to be sure to have the right antibiotics on board if he does have an infection. He heart rhythm has come back down and his blood pressure is back up. He is getting fluids and they will probably give him a unit of blood to help things along. Chris was not happy going back on the vent, but was struggling so much to breathe that I am glad he will have more time to gain strength. His nurse, Diane, assured us that things are stable with Chris-he just needs more time. Tomorrow is another day and hopefully Chris's road to recovery will continue on the straight and narrow. Thanks for all the prayers and words of encouragement-they really help. Mary Jo

As I said it would be, it has been a difficult day. Chris was taken off of the ventilator about 1:30 this afternoon. It was wonderful to walk into his room and not see the breathing tube. Now he has to work on coughing and deep breathing to help keep his lungs clear and to get them back to doing their own work. Chris has said a few things to me-it is hard for him to talk-and I have reassured him that he made it through the surgery and he is working on recovering. As expected, the steady numbers we have been seeing are a bit erratic right now, but as time goes on and medication adjustments are made they too will settle down. Carolyn and I have been visiting for about 10 minutes each hour-Chris does not seem as anxious if he knows we are just in the waiting room. I am working on a needlepoint belt I started ages ago and Carolyn is reading to help pass the time. We talk to the other families as they wait to hear about their loved one's surgery. This morning one family was going through a scrapbook their daughter had made-I recognized some of the materials she had so we talked about this and that related to scrapbook. We met a nurse today who saw Georgetown, Ky on Chris's door tag-she asked if it was close to Lexington--it turns out she had a patient last year from Lexington who has kept in contact with her-it really is a small world sometimes. Take Care I'll let you know how things go this evening. Mary Jo

Good Morning-Another beautiful day here in Rochester. Chris had a good, restful night. Today will be a difficult day all around. The "care" team will start to turn down the vent and some of the meds that have been keeping Chris sedated. We just saw Chris-he was awake and and nodded in answer to questions. He reached for my had and gave it a great squeeze. I told him that his mom and I would be in the waiting room and would come back to see him-he nodded and was not agitated like he has been in the past. With removing medications and turning down the vent the numbers that have been so steady are starting to jump all around. His heart rate is high (144-they like it to be 90-100-it has been about 105) so a different med was added-the rate was dropping slowly as we were leaving. He continues to have great urine output, but that also depletes his potassium so it is a vicious cycle. I forgot to check on his temp-it did not feel like he had a fever. Cara, the nurse who has been taking care of Chris the past two days is back again today which really makes it easier on Carolyn and me.
I'll keep you posted as I learn things. Mary Jo

Survivor has just come on TV-and it brings to mind what a survivor Chris is. He has had a good day. The nitric oxide (sp?) has been turned off-it s the med they have been slowly turning down. Chris has had no ill effects from removing it. The next step will be to ease up on some of the other meds and to start turning down the vent. Chris has been pretty quiet today thanks to the different meds. As they work on weaning him from the vent he will be more awake and I am sure he will try to fight the breathing tube. I am so looking forward to hearing his voice! Chris's care team continues to talk about how well he is doing. Chris has about 2 degrees of fever, but Tylenol seems tbe keeping that at bay. Tonight the remaining chest tubes will be removed. Wendy, his "evening" nurse, moved the IVs from his hands to another site (in his leg I think)so it is now much easier for me to hold Chris's hand during our visit. Cara his day nurse brought in some cd's to play for Chris during her shift-it was great to hear the music instead of just the machines.. Tomorrow I will go to the hospital library to check out some of Chris's favorite classical music to play as well. (all of the rooms in the ICU have a Bose CD player) Carolyn and I spent the morning and early afternoon at the hospital-the waiting room has such a beautiful view out its wall of windows. We returned to the room and slept for about an hour and walked back to the hospital to visit Chris. Our hotel had homemade Vegetable Beef soup for everyone which both Carolyn and I enjoyed. We will return to the hospital for our last visit of the evening and then back to the hotel-I'll probably do laundry and watch TV. Allison and Emily are both doing well-I know it has been difficult for them to be so far away, but we keep in touch with long phone calls in the evening and text messages during the day. Again thank you to everyone for the encouraging words-they help -a lot. Take Care. Mary Jo

If you would like to send a card to Chris it can be sent to either the hospital or our hotel the addresses are below. Unfortunately fresh flowers are not allowed in the ICU and probably won't be allowed when he transitions to the step down unit because of his lungs.

Christopher W. Johnson

Staybridge Suites, Rm 238

Second Street SW

Rochester, MN 55902

Or

Christopher W. Johnson

Saint Mary's Hospital

1216 Second Street SW

Rochester, Minnesota 55902

Today is a new day and a beautiful one at that! Although the skies are cloudy here in Rochester, the lights are shining brightly at St. Mary's Hopital. Chris had a good night! He is right on schedule with the decrease of his meds. Hopefully late afternoon they will start weaning him from the ventilator. Chris is only lightly sedated so he is more aware of us when we visit. I placed his prayer quilt at the foot of his bed so he can see it and draw strength from the prayers tied into it for the days to come. Carolyn and I had a quiet evening yesterday, a good night's sleep and a wonderful breakfast and are ready for any challenges today may bring. Mary Jo

What a wonderful day! When Carolyn and I saw Chris this morning he opened his eyes and smiled at me. Each time we visit he opens his eyes for us and is aware that we are with him. Each visit to the ICU brings small changes. They removed two chest tubes and the external pacemaker sometime this afternoon. The dressing on the chest incision is gone, the incision looks great. The nurses continue to verrrry slowly wean him from medications. They anticipate trying to remove the vent sometime tomorrow evening-that would probably be the earliest to expect the tube to be out. Everyone we talk to who has been part of Chris's "care" team or the surgical team has been very impressed with how good Chis looks and how well he is doing. I think he looks good and is doing well, but it is great to hear others agree with you. Carolyn and I try to go in to see him for a few minutes every 2 hrs or so. We did take time to leave the hospital this afternoon and get a good lunch-the hospital cafeteria is OK but gets old very quickly. This afternoon we returned to our room-I am not sure who fell asleep first me or Carolyn, but we both had a wonderful and very needed rest. We will go back to the hospital in the next hour or so to say good night to Chris and then return to the hotel and vegitate in front of the tv-good mindless entertainment. The comments and words of encouragement from family and friends are great to read and as I have said before they make home seem that much nearer. Thank you. Mary Jo

Chris had an uneventful night. Carolyn and I have just visited with him. The ventilator has been turned down just a bit, they have taken him off of one medication as well. Today they will work on getting him off of an inhaled medication and then they will be able to work on weaning him from the ventilator. Dr. Puga was very pleased with Chris's progress. The ICU nurse said they might also try to take out the chest tubes today as well. Each little change is a step ahead in his recovery. Carolyn and I will be able to pop in and check on him throughout the day. I'll post as changes happen. It is a beautiful sunny day here in Rochester-God has surely sent his blessings to us. Mary Jo

We went to see Chris at 8:00 pm figuring we would get an general update from the nurse and just "visit." What a wonderful suprise we had when Chris opened his eyes and realized that we were in the room with him. The nurse said he has been able to respond to commands-to move arms and legs. He got a bit agitated when I said we were going to leave-I asked him if he wanted us to stay a little longer and he nodded yes! He is still on the ventilator and will probably continue to be on it most if not all of tomorrow, but he is holding steady with everything at this point. Carolyn and I are going to call it a night-4:30 am is way too early to be up and about. I am sure we will sleep much better tonight knowing that Chris is being taken care by such a wonderful team of professionals. Thank you again for all of your thoughts, prayers, and comments. Mary Jo

Carolyn and I have just returned to our hotel from the hospital. Chris is being well taken care of in the ICU. We got to see him for a bit and he looks great. His color is good and so are all of his"numbers." I asked a stream of questions which the nurses answered one by one. The ICD that was put in 2 years ago was removed during surgery-Dr. Puga was unsure about what he was going to do about it yesterday. Chris will be happy-he always referred to it as his 'beer belly." They will keep Chris well sedated for the remainder of today/tonight and see how things are in the morning, before they start taking him off of the ventilator or make any major changes. Thank you for all of your thoughts, prayers and comments. Mary Jo

Mom asked me (Allison) to write an update for her, so here we go. Dad got out of surgery a few minutes ago, and they were able to fix everything that they were planning on fixing. Everything went really, really well and the surgeons are all very pleased. The pressure in his right ventricle pre-surgery was around 90; it has dropped into the 40s and the doctors are expecting it to drop some more, so that is amazingly good. Mom and Grandmother will be able to see him in a little while, though the doctors are planning on keeping him asleep for a bit. Mom will update with more information as she gets it. Thanks for all of the well wishes and prayers!

Well they took Chris back for his surgery at 7:52. He was in great spirits during pre-op, cracking his usual corny jokes. As they were getting Chris situated on the gurney, he said he wante HBO tuned in on the heart monitor-he did not like the channel they had it on(the monitor was blank!!!) he was not hooked up yet. Always the comedian. The computer here in the waiting room was free so I took a chance to do an update. MJ

It is 5:00 am here, and very quiet around the hotel. We are getting ready to leave for the hospital. I know once we cross the street to the hospital the tranquility we have now will be gone. It will be a long and very emotional day for the Johnson family. Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers , for today will be difficult on all of us. Thanks. Mary Jo

PS. I have added an email address for Carolyn at the top of the page

Well, we have had a long day of tests-starting at 6:30 this morning. Chris had the usual pre-op stuff and they did a heart catheterization. All of the tests and the cath results were fine and everything is set for tomorrow. Needless to say we are all very tired. Tomorrow will be earlier and longer. We have to be at the hospital at 5:45 am. His surgery should begin around 7:45 and could take over 6 hrs. We met with both the cardiologist and the surgeon. I think we all felt somewhat better after meeting with the doctors. Yes, this surgery is very high risk, but Chris should be much better when it is all over. We were told several times that many doctors and surgeons have talked about Chris's case and they all agree that doing this surgery is the best and only option for Chris. There is a possibility that he will eventually be able to get rid of the infusion pump-no more flolan! They are going to use a pig valve to replace the pulmonary valve and are very hopeful about repairing the rest of his heart. They will monitor the pulmonary hypertension during the surgery to decide how they will go about with the repairs and closing of the shunt. We appreciate all of the prayers and comments and will continue to keep you updated. Mary Jo, Chris and Carolyn

We are busy getting ready to head north. We fly out very early on Sunday,and should be in Rochester by early afternoon. Monday, Chris starts his appointments at 6:30 a.m and ends around 5pm. Tuesday he is supposed to be at the hospital by 5:45 a.m Luckily our hotel is just across the street from the hospital. It is mind boggling trying to pack for a two week stay-I know the weather will be colder than here-do we need our parkas or not? How cool will it be in the hospital? What "entertainment" do I need to pack? Fortunately we will have laundry facilities and a car so if I forget to pack something I can go buy it somewhere!

This is picture of the prayer quilt Chris received today from Faith Baptist Church, Georgetown, Ky. Chris's mom is a member of the church and many of our friend are also members. This quilt came from the Faith Baptist chapter of Prayers & Squares, The Prayer Quilt Ministry. Each knot on the quilt represents a prayer that was said especially for Chris, his family, doctors and staff at Mayo Clinic. There are strings that are not tied that can be tied while we are at Mayo, by us or anyone who wishes to say a prayer for Chris. This is a lovely gift from the congregation and one that will bring Chris comfort in both spirit and warmth in the cold of Minnesota.

Being new to the whole weblog thing I did not realize that you had to set the blog to receive comments. Well, I have it set now to receive comments. If you would like to leave a message just click on the word comment and type what you want to say. Your comment will be on the blog for others to see. If you would rather email me, just click on the envelope. MJ

I just realized that some of you may not know why Chris is having surgery. The pulmonary valve on Chris's heart needs to be replaced. The Doctors at Mayo Clinic have also decided that they will close the shunt Chris has and they will repair the original heart defect during surgery as well. This should help him feel better, but it will not cure the pulmonary hypertension he has. Chris will still need the 24 hr infusion pump for the Flolan medication and will continue to use oxygen 24/7. MJ

This blog will be a daily update on Chris's surgery. Chris, Carolyn and I will leave for Minnesota on Sunday, October 22, 2006. Surgery is scheduled for Tuesday, October 24th at St. Mary's Hospital, part of the Mayo Clinic.

We will be staying at:
Staybridge Suites
SECOND ST. SW ROCHESTER, MN 55902
Hotel Front Desk: 1-507-2896600 Hotel Fax: 1-507-2896540

Saint Mary's Hospital
1216 Second Street SW
Rochester, Minnesota 55902
(507) 255-5123


I will update this blog eachday (hopefully) and let everyone know how things are going.
Thanks for reading! MJ