As some of you may know my father-in-law, Ivan The Terrible, went in to the VA Hospital on November 13 for a routine outpatient biopsy to remove a small cancerous tumor and hasn’t yet been home. He had been unable to breathe properly, his kidneys stopped functioning for the most part, he couldn’t eat and he couldn’t walk. He was not himself at all. For a time, some of us quietly spoke of his possibly having had a minor stroke. Things were looking bleak and it was very, very sad.
Last week it got to the point that he wasn’t even really “there” when we went in for visitation. Then something happened. The School Girl’s brother, El Capitan, got to come home for a short break from his “Iraqi Vacation”. This was the boost that ITT needed. He started coming around. He was happy. The hospital moved him into an honest to goodness real room. Everything started coming up Milhouse.
Ivan started to level off. No progress and no real regression. Then the other night my mother-in-law, Oma, was sleeping in a chair in his room. She said that she didn’t really think anything of the fact that he was snoring quite loudly which has not been typical as of late. It was about that time when it stopped. His breathing stopped. Completely. No one knows why. At that moment his nurse was walking by and was able to get him intebated and then back into intensive care. Very scary and depressing.
The next morning he was due to have a feeding tube permanently put into his stomach. It seems like everyone had given up hope. It was discovered during this procedure that he had a pretty good build up of fluid in his abdomen. The doctors removed it and went on their merry way. When Ivan awoke, however, something had happened. He was acting normal! He was his old self pretty much.
Ivan was talking, carrying on conversations, he was back! We found out today that he passed the swallow test that shows whether he can eat food or if it chokes him. He will get to eat real food for the first time in a very long time.
Our initial hopes were that he could come home for Thanksgiving and that didn’t happen. Then it was for Christmas and it appears that this may not happen either. The good thing is that it appears it will happen eventually. We are still not completely out of the woods as of yet but all the signs are pointing to good things to happen. I appreciate all of the thoughts and prayers that have been directed our way. Thank you.
That is the BEST news I have heard all day. And some believe He does not answer prayers…shame on them. Lots of love to you guys.
Thanks for the love & support (as usual). We were pretty psyched about the whole thing, too.
I’ve very happy for you guys. That sounds like a wonderful Christmas.
May you and your entire family be blessed with a safe warm healthy happy holiday! -Care
[...] On The Tsar I haven’t updated in a while on my father-in-law, Ivan The Terrible. The last time I told ya’ll about him everything was coming up roses. Well it has been a roller coaster ride again. Let’s [...]