Back in a regular room

Dave was transfered to an orthopedic floor today for post-op.More tubes off.No air conditoning but we can bring table fans if we clean them regularly,and we do.We also bring fresh fruit witch are not often on the menu, and sometimes other treats...to enjoy.

Now talking

David is recuperating well from the operation.He was glad to have the intubation tube and the naso-gastric tube taken off.He expected to have a sore throat and hoarse voice for a while but it was OK by noon time.He ate and was reading and played twenty questions with Julie and me tonight.He will stay in the intensive care at least till tomorrow.Blood ,platelets etc..to be checked.
There are special beds in the IT unit and Dave really likes them.They nickname them" the transformers."The bed can become a chair and the mattress inflates and deflates in different places at different times so that the pressure on the body is not always in the same areas. How cool is that?

Post- op

David had his operation this afternoon.I did not see the surgeon to have all the details.
Around 7pm.,Dave was out of the operating area to intensive care for close monitoring (The surgeon had mentioned that probability).When I was able to see him, he was conscious , still intubated but breathing on his own. He could hear me and was trying to communicate.We finally had him write things on paper or white board and it all made sense . He even wrote me to" go to sleep".So I will do as I am told...
Liette

Tomorrow?

The results of some tests are in(good enough). Some platelets transfusions given.If they are high enough tomorrow,Dave should have surgery in the afternoon, positive note.He is weak though and has some pain in a new area.
Liette.

Delay

This morning Dave's platelets count was too low to do the operation for risk of bleeding.A test result still to come would point to the cause and best treatment. Maybe tomorrow ... So we wait. New things pop up. The unknown.
We have two plaques in our house, they help to keep our focus, one given at our wedding:"The will of God will never lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you" ,The second painted by Julie at a camp one or two years ago:"casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you" 1 Peter5:7

Another "Wave"

After 1) another MRI.
2)no improvement with radiotherapy, even some worsening
3)some more answers to our questions with various doctors
4)more prayers,
it was decided that David will be operated on tuesday august the 11th, to try to reverse the compression on the spinal cord at the level of the 4th dorsal vertebrae.
While we didn't know if the surgery would be today,our brother in law Jacques graciously drove Jeremy to his one week teen camp in the state of New-York,and Julie stayed with friends.
Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.
Thanks to so many who send us words of encouragements. It is greatly appreciated.Please understand if we don't reply to you individually.

To operate or not

Liette and I saw the spinal surgeon today.
After spending a while looking at the images of my spine,he surprised us by proposing to operate tomorrow.
Basically he had in mind a more straight-forward approach than before. While still a serious operation, it would be standard stuff for him.
The question for us is whether to simply rely on the radiotherapy treatments or not. If we just wait, will things turn out in time to reverse/stop the damage to the spinal cord?Should we have the operation right away and not take any chances even if it is more procedures?
We decided on a middle course: the surgeon will order another MRI to see if there are any sign that the compression is reducing.Then we'll make a decision about operating next week (unless there is a deterioration). This also gives Liette and I a chance to think and pray about it before giving an answer.