Resting....

....comfortably?? I don't know about that.

After many hours in the ER today and many tests and xrays, they found John's pancreas to be suffering from the procedure with the stent yesterday. Like Martha wrote earlier, it's enlarged and enflamed and he now has pancreatitis.

One wants to be pissed off that this thing was even done, but in all honesty, they had to do it to open up that bile duct that was blocked off by the "mass" that's in his pancreas. They showed us pictures of the stent when it was all done, and you could actually see the little yellow cloud flowing, finally out of the blockage.

So now, John is resting in a hospital room at Kaiser in Walnut Creek. My good friend from the campaign, Mary Reinke is sitting with him and she just sent me a text message saying that they just gave him some morphine, which doesn't take the pain away so much as make John just not care about it, which is a beautiful thing.

For the next 2-3 days (they tell us), they are shutting down his digestive system, which means that nothing can be taken orally. All nourishment, hydration and medication with be administered intravaneously. This gives the pancreas time to rest and they hope the inflammation will subside in time to keep the Whipple appointment. They even gave him glycerine swabs to keep his mouth from drying out. No water, no nuttin. It's a little discouraging to think that he is going to lose the 2 lbs he gained in the last week, but that's what has to be done.

I walked to the Whipple surgeon's (CK Cheng) department today to make sure he knew that John was in ER. I had to leave to get some things for John and to just take a little break, but I hope that CK Cheng will come by and assure John that the surgery can be performed on schedule. We are both thinking that that's the critical thing right now. We want that "mass", whatever it is, to be OUT so John can get on to the healing part.

John's itching seems to be subsiding. We don't know if it really IS subsiding or if it's just been superseded by the pain in his belly, but he's not feeling crazy with it right now. They've promised that if it continues to be a problem, they will add a medication to his drip to make him more comfortable.

Everyone's outpouring of love remains a sustaining force for both John and me. People have been so wonderful and thoughtful and generous. We understand everyone's desire to help and we are still working on how to go about just LETTING it all happen. It's a difficult thing to do for 2 people who are helpers, but we are indeed the helpees now and we greatly appreciated everthing!

I'm on my way to gather up John's book and some things to make him more comfy, then back to the hospital. I will continue to keep you updated as possible and when I can't, I'm forcing Martha to learn how to do it!! HAHA! (Thank you so much Martha, you are a wonder woman too you know)

Peace and lots and lots of love and hope
Vicki