Hey all, just thought I would pop in a quick update on Phil.
He is still in hospital, but on the third floor now (its a crazy maze up there!!) cause there are no free beds on the kids ward.
His nausea has been brought under control and he has just been resting....from the nausea and not drinking he doesn't have heaps of voice. We thought he was asleep today and then someone told a funny story and he smirked and then was grinning from ear to ear. So while he is sleepy/resting his eyes most of the time, it is nice to see him comfortable and not much pain.
He has been given a second syringe driver which is giving him a continuous dose of an anti-nausea drug that I have forgotten the name of.....
That's all I can think of for now.
Melinda got her grad applications in and had her last exam today. Jenny, Melinda and Dad are staying in the city tonight have just gone and seen Wicked for Jenny's birthday.
Thankyou for your prayers. I know for me personally and I'm sure it's the same for my other siblings to that it is rather hard to focus on the looming LARGE assessment tasks at the moment. Please don't pray for people to be generous with extensions, please pray for us to be able to focus to get them done and out of the way :)
Well I had better go sleep so I can actually study!
Love, Kris (took me three goes to type my name correctly!)
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Phil went back in to hospital again at about 11 this morning. They want to get him rehydrated and feeling well enough to be able to eat and drink.
Not sure how long he'll be in for at this stage-hopefully just a few days.
Please pray for wisdom for the staff on the best way to make him comfortable.
I did well in my first exam, and have my second one tomorrow. We are all doing ok, just very tired.
Thanks again all.
Mel
Not sure how long he'll be in for at this stage-hopefully just a few days.
Please pray for wisdom for the staff on the best way to make him comfortable.
I did well in my first exam, and have my second one tomorrow. We are all doing ok, just very tired.
Thanks again all.
Mel
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
The last couple of days haven't been great for Phil. After he perked up on sunday night, as Kris said, that was pretty much the best he's been this week. He's been really nauseous and feeling miserable.
One of Phil's doctors came to see him this morning, then went and called another doctor from the Royal Children's hospital. They discussed it, and decided to try another anti-nausea drug. He's just had that, and if he's not a bit better in a few hours, they are going to readmit him to hospital, where he can be better managed.
Will update again when more is known/decided.
mel
One of Phil's doctors came to see him this morning, then went and called another doctor from the Royal Children's hospital. They discussed it, and decided to try another anti-nausea drug. He's just had that, and if he's not a bit better in a few hours, they are going to readmit him to hospital, where he can be better managed.
Will update again when more is known/decided.
mel
Monday, July 27, 2009
another week
Hey all. Melinda had her exam today and reported that it went alright. Yay that is good news. Jenny's birthday tomorrow, she is missing the first part of school so she can have waffles (family tradition) with Phil when he wakes up.
The family party on Sunday was fun, the food was great. Phil wasn't great though. He slept most of the day and was pretty miserable.
They have upped his morphine which while helping with pain makes him feel sick and so in turn his anti-nausea drugs have to be adjusted. Poor kid.
It's hard for us kids to know how to care for him when he feels sick and just wants to be left alone. Feel a bit lost really. He did perk up a little bit on Sunday afternoon and that was nice. Got my first hug in quite a while.
Thanks for your prayers. Please pray for Phil that his morphine and other drugs will be effective.
Please pray for peace for us all.
Love Kris.
The family party on Sunday was fun, the food was great. Phil wasn't great though. He slept most of the day and was pretty miserable.
They have upped his morphine which while helping with pain makes him feel sick and so in turn his anti-nausea drugs have to be adjusted. Poor kid.
It's hard for us kids to know how to care for him when he feels sick and just wants to be left alone. Feel a bit lost really. He did perk up a little bit on Sunday afternoon and that was nice. Got my first hug in quite a while.
Thanks for your prayers. Please pray for Phil that his morphine and other drugs will be effective.
Please pray for peace for us all.
Love Kris.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
The first few days at home have gone fine, Phil is pretty comfortable and his pain is basically under control. Nothing new to report really.
Phil is happy to have visitors, but he has requested that people call before they come, just to make sure it is an ok time.
My exam's have been changed, I know have one at 9 on monday, and the other at 9 next friday. Hopefully gives me a bit more time to study!
We have a family get together with all the extended rellies at our place on sunday, it will be really nice to see everyone. I think Phil will enjoy it, but hopefully won't get too exhausted from all the company.
That's about all for now, i'm quite pleased that I updated more regularly than usual!
Mel xx
Phil is happy to have visitors, but he has requested that people call before they come, just to make sure it is an ok time.
My exam's have been changed, I know have one at 9 on monday, and the other at 9 next friday. Hopefully gives me a bit more time to study!
We have a family get together with all the extended rellies at our place on sunday, it will be really nice to see everyone. I think Phil will enjoy it, but hopefully won't get too exhausted from all the company.
That's about all for now, i'm quite pleased that I updated more regularly than usual!
Mel xx
Monday, July 20, 2009
Hullo all, sorry for the delayed posts, especially to those who I've seen throughout the week who have been pestering for an update!
It was exactly 4 weeks ago yesterday that Phil went into hospital. What a crazy 4 weeks they have been. A great deal of stress and uncertainty, but we've all managed to get through alright.
And for the big news...Phil came home yesterday :) This is the next step in this rollercoaster journey, and we are all praying that Phil (and the rest of us!) can adjust well to being at home. So far so good, Phil has been doing well, a bit tired, but pain is under control. We are having a visit from one of the palliative care nurses once or twice a day to help out with a few things and see how we are doing, and one of the doctors will visit every couple of days.
We are so thankful to all the wonderful staff up on the ward at the Warragul Hospital who have taken such good care of Phil while he's been up there. They have done an amazing job, and we applaud them.
Another thankyou required is to our wonderful friend David Innes for contacting his Masterchef connection, who organised for Phil to be sent a Masterchef apron signed by some of the contestants! Phil was really excited about it, he has been an avid watcher of the show (as has the whole family) :) He was very excited to be able to be home to watch the final episode last night!!
Now that Phil is home, he is usually quite happy to have a few visitors, so feel free to drop round and say hello, he appreciates seeing a new face.
As for the rest of us...we are all doing alright. Jen went back to school last week, and so far it has been good. I start back at uni today. I have an exam on thursday (because I deferred them) which I would really appreciate prayer for, as I haven't really achieved any study these holidays. I also have to have job applications in for next year by the end of this month, which haven't gone far yet. Ben, Lovy, Kris and Sherryn are all in their respective homes, returned to study and work. They are all doing fine.
Mum and Dad are a bit tired, as would be expected during the adjustment, but otherwise they are alright, just adjusting like we all are.
Well I don't think there is any other news, we are just so thankful to be able to bring Phil home.
Thanks once again to all of you for your prayers and support, it is so greatly appreciated.
Blessings, Mel xx
It was exactly 4 weeks ago yesterday that Phil went into hospital. What a crazy 4 weeks they have been. A great deal of stress and uncertainty, but we've all managed to get through alright.
And for the big news...Phil came home yesterday :) This is the next step in this rollercoaster journey, and we are all praying that Phil (and the rest of us!) can adjust well to being at home. So far so good, Phil has been doing well, a bit tired, but pain is under control. We are having a visit from one of the palliative care nurses once or twice a day to help out with a few things and see how we are doing, and one of the doctors will visit every couple of days.
We are so thankful to all the wonderful staff up on the ward at the Warragul Hospital who have taken such good care of Phil while he's been up there. They have done an amazing job, and we applaud them.
Another thankyou required is to our wonderful friend David Innes for contacting his Masterchef connection, who organised for Phil to be sent a Masterchef apron signed by some of the contestants! Phil was really excited about it, he has been an avid watcher of the show (as has the whole family) :) He was very excited to be able to be home to watch the final episode last night!!
Now that Phil is home, he is usually quite happy to have a few visitors, so feel free to drop round and say hello, he appreciates seeing a new face.
As for the rest of us...we are all doing alright. Jen went back to school last week, and so far it has been good. I start back at uni today. I have an exam on thursday (because I deferred them) which I would really appreciate prayer for, as I haven't really achieved any study these holidays. I also have to have job applications in for next year by the end of this month, which haven't gone far yet. Ben, Lovy, Kris and Sherryn are all in their respective homes, returned to study and work. They are all doing fine.
Mum and Dad are a bit tired, as would be expected during the adjustment, but otherwise they are alright, just adjusting like we all are.
Well I don't think there is any other news, we are just so thankful to be able to bring Phil home.
Thanks once again to all of you for your prayers and support, it is so greatly appreciated.
Blessings, Mel xx
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Things are a little quieter around here with only the usual residents at home now, minus Phil. Home has been mentioned again, There's going to be a meeting tomorrow night to discuss it further.
Meanwhile, Phil has been started on a pain management device called a syringe driver. It is basically a small pump which you can fit a syringe into. The pump is programmed to push the fluid in the syringe over a certain amount of time. The pump is attached to Phil through a small needle which sits subcutaneously (just under the skin) in his tummy. The medication they are using in the syringe driver is morphine. The syringe driver takes a little bit of time to get right, they ahve to figure out just how much medication Phil needs to be having to control his pain, so it will take a few days to calibrate.
Nothing else new really, just trying to encourage Phil to sit out of bed for a few hours each day, which can be hard when he is tired.
Thanks all for everything.
Mel xx
Meanwhile, Phil has been started on a pain management device called a syringe driver. It is basically a small pump which you can fit a syringe into. The pump is programmed to push the fluid in the syringe over a certain amount of time. The pump is attached to Phil through a small needle which sits subcutaneously (just under the skin) in his tummy. The medication they are using in the syringe driver is morphine. The syringe driver takes a little bit of time to get right, they ahve to figure out just how much medication Phil needs to be having to control his pain, so it will take a few days to calibrate.
Nothing else new really, just trying to encourage Phil to sit out of bed for a few hours each day, which can be hard when he is tired.
Thanks all for everything.
Mel xx
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Kris (checking the blog)- "My goodness! We haven't written on the blog since Sunday!"
Melinda - "Are you serious?"
Sorry folks, we have no good excuse things have been pretty tame around here.
Phil is eating, still not drinking much.
He has had some more physio this week and has sat out of bed for a little while a few days running.
They have changed Phil's drugs, so that he is no longer on IV morphine, actually he is off the drip, (still has the PICC line though). So now he is on oral morphine and endone (which is also morphine, a quick acting one), along with a plethera (Mel just mumbled that word behind me) of other drugs.
The word 'home' and 'next week' have been mentioned a few times, but as usual we will believe it when we see it.
Phil recovering to this stage was not expected, the drs in Warragul have been talking to the palliative team at the Royal Childrens to get advice of Phil's situation. A stroke in a seventeen year old is very rare. Every now and then the doctors get all excited about what they are going to do next, then they remember (by seeing a scan or Phil feeling sick), the reality of Phil's situation.
Please pray for wisdom for the Doctors and Mum and Dad as they make decisions about the next steps in caring for Phil.
I'm back to college on Monday, Melinda and Jenny still have another week off school.
Please pray for Melinda as she needs to start applying for nursing jobs (her eyes are widening), and also as she had to defer her exams 3 weeks ago, so they are coming up soon!
Going back to college, school etc., "normal life" I spose the word would be but then again I spose this is "normal life" for us... anyway.... it is a bit stressful, a) because we aren't at home with family, and b) because it is kind of overwhelming being around people who may have no idea at all "how your holidays have been". Such a conversation killer. : )
Wow feels like I have written as essay, shows how long I've been on holidays for!
Kris xx
Melinda - "Are you serious?"
Sorry folks, we have no good excuse things have been pretty tame around here.
Phil is eating, still not drinking much.
He has had some more physio this week and has sat out of bed for a little while a few days running.
They have changed Phil's drugs, so that he is no longer on IV morphine, actually he is off the drip, (still has the PICC line though). So now he is on oral morphine and endone (which is also morphine, a quick acting one), along with a plethera (Mel just mumbled that word behind me) of other drugs.
The word 'home' and 'next week' have been mentioned a few times, but as usual we will believe it when we see it.
Phil recovering to this stage was not expected, the drs in Warragul have been talking to the palliative team at the Royal Childrens to get advice of Phil's situation. A stroke in a seventeen year old is very rare. Every now and then the doctors get all excited about what they are going to do next, then they remember (by seeing a scan or Phil feeling sick), the reality of Phil's situation.
Please pray for wisdom for the Doctors and Mum and Dad as they make decisions about the next steps in caring for Phil.
I'm back to college on Monday, Melinda and Jenny still have another week off school.
Please pray for Melinda as she needs to start applying for nursing jobs (her eyes are widening), and also as she had to defer her exams 3 weeks ago, so they are coming up soon!
Going back to college, school etc., "normal life" I spose the word would be but then again I spose this is "normal life" for us... anyway.... it is a bit stressful, a) because we aren't at home with family, and b) because it is kind of overwhelming being around people who may have no idea at all "how your holidays have been". Such a conversation killer. : )
Wow feels like I have written as essay, shows how long I've been on holidays for!
Kris xx
Monday, July 6, 2009
should have written this the other day....
for those who don't know a nasogastric tube is a feeding tube that goes up the nose and down the throat into your stomach...it is for people who are having trouble eating or aren't eating.....they put the food through the tube...anyway as you know Phil hated the tube with an undying passion and since having it taken out he has been more motivated to eat than i have ever seen before. So that is an answer to prayer. He has also been given some drugs to stimulate his appetite and they seem to be working he ate his dinner last night plus half of mum's.
Last night he also had his first night by himself in hospital (first night alone in this last two weeks in that is), Dad came home and slept on the condition that Phil's pain meds would be in ready supply if he needed them, apparently Phil slept well, and if Dad hadn't had super rich chocolately pudding cake right before he went to bed I'm sure he would have too!....
Kris xx
for those who don't know a nasogastric tube is a feeding tube that goes up the nose and down the throat into your stomach...it is for people who are having trouble eating or aren't eating.....they put the food through the tube...anyway as you know Phil hated the tube with an undying passion and since having it taken out he has been more motivated to eat than i have ever seen before. So that is an answer to prayer. He has also been given some drugs to stimulate his appetite and they seem to be working he ate his dinner last night plus half of mum's.
Last night he also had his first night by himself in hospital (first night alone in this last two weeks in that is), Dad came home and slept on the condition that Phil's pain meds would be in ready supply if he needed them, apparently Phil slept well, and if Dad hadn't had super rich chocolately pudding cake right before he went to bed I'm sure he would have too!....
Kris xx
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Sunday again again....
Hey everyone, its Sunday again again. Wow, says Melinda (genuinely surprised sitting next to me)...
Phil is going ok as long as the pain meds are kept in ready supply...the minute a headache comes on morphine and panadol are given ASAP...otherwise it is not fun for anyone involved.
So phil doesn't have a normal drip in his arm anymore, he has the PICC line that Mel talked about...it should be able to stay in a long time, even if it isn't connected to an IV machine, so it's nice and flexible.
Dad shared Phil's testimony when he preached at church this morning, it was a bit emotional for everyone..... meanwhile other than occassional expected emotional ups and downs we are all holding together ok. Another week left of holidays for me, not sure about the others, think they have a bit longer.
We are collecting photos of Phil and are wondering if people have any particularly good ones they would like to pass on to us. (We don't really have many pics of Phil with his mates....probably because he has been sick for so long).... so if you have any, and have time to find them (seriously no stress), could you please email them to phillingyouin@gmail.com or pass them onto us in person...(we can scan them and give them back or whatever)....
right now i am loving the sound of rain on the roof and my bed is calling my name (hopefully someone has just put on the kettle of my hot water bottle, best friends are good for such things).
Kris xx
Phil is going ok as long as the pain meds are kept in ready supply...the minute a headache comes on morphine and panadol are given ASAP...otherwise it is not fun for anyone involved.
So phil doesn't have a normal drip in his arm anymore, he has the PICC line that Mel talked about...it should be able to stay in a long time, even if it isn't connected to an IV machine, so it's nice and flexible.
Dad shared Phil's testimony when he preached at church this morning, it was a bit emotional for everyone..... meanwhile other than occassional expected emotional ups and downs we are all holding together ok. Another week left of holidays for me, not sure about the others, think they have a bit longer.
We are collecting photos of Phil and are wondering if people have any particularly good ones they would like to pass on to us. (We don't really have many pics of Phil with his mates....probably because he has been sick for so long).... so if you have any, and have time to find them (seriously no stress), could you please email them to phillingyouin@gmail.com or pass them onto us in person...(we can scan them and give them back or whatever)....
right now i am loving the sound of rain on the roof and my bed is calling my name (hopefully someone has just put on the kettle of my hot water bottle, best friends are good for such things).
Kris xx
Friday, July 3, 2009
laughs
Phil had a good day today. He was pretty tired, but Jen and I were telling him hilarious stories and he was laughing so hard he cried! A great site to see :)
Yesterday Phil had a PICC line inserted. A PICC line (Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter) is essentially a permanent IV which goes in your arm and goes in to major blood vessels. Phil has had a few issues with his IV line...I think he's had about 5 in the time he's been in, so hopefully this will make things much easier.
Phil's still been tired and getting headaches, but overall he's in good spirits.
Wow, nearly been two weeks! Crazy eh...
Thanks all.
Mel x
Yesterday Phil had a PICC line inserted. A PICC line (Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter) is essentially a permanent IV which goes in your arm and goes in to major blood vessels. Phil has had a few issues with his IV line...I think he's had about 5 in the time he's been in, so hopefully this will make things much easier.
Phil's still been tired and getting headaches, but overall he's in good spirits.
Wow, nearly been two weeks! Crazy eh...
Thanks all.
Mel x
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Good news.....
No more nasogastric tube! Melinda just spoke to Dad, Phil is grinning from ear to ear. No more tube!
NG tubes aren't so bad for little kids, they seem to get used to them very quickly, but in teenagers and adults they aren't fun at all, they can be felt in your throat every time you swallow...yuck.
NG tubes aren't so bad for little kids, they seem to get used to them very quickly, but in teenagers and adults they aren't fun at all, they can be felt in your throat every time you swallow...yuck.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Wednesday already!
I just looked on the blog and was surprised that nothing has been written for three whole days.....
Today is a bad day. Phil was apparently in a really good mood this morning and asking to play monopoly, then, he had a nasogastric tube put in..... he didn't enjoy that at all. In fact he hates it, a lot. So much so that he has even threatened to refuse to swallow his tablets....(the nurse said they will crush them up and put the through the tube....)
He has been having quite bad headaches and vomiting which isn't much fun for the poor lad. We have been keeping clear of the hospital unless specially requested cause he doesn't really want company. Poor kid.
Melinda is currently knitting two woolen turtles, one for me and one for Renay....(maybe I should introduce her....she is my roommate from college and came to keep me company...all the way from QLD).... Everyone else is fine really, nothing much to report.
Thanks for prayers and support.
Kris x
Today is a bad day. Phil was apparently in a really good mood this morning and asking to play monopoly, then, he had a nasogastric tube put in..... he didn't enjoy that at all. In fact he hates it, a lot. So much so that he has even threatened to refuse to swallow his tablets....(the nurse said they will crush them up and put the through the tube....)
He has been having quite bad headaches and vomiting which isn't much fun for the poor lad. We have been keeping clear of the hospital unless specially requested cause he doesn't really want company. Poor kid.
Melinda is currently knitting two woolen turtles, one for me and one for Renay....(maybe I should introduce her....she is my roommate from college and came to keep me company...all the way from QLD).... Everyone else is fine really, nothing much to report.
Thanks for prayers and support.
Kris x
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