August 25, Bret's Surgery Day

Sherry visiting Bret

Bret after a shot of Morphine

We intended on being at the hospital before Bret's surgery, but the night before surgery we had a horrible night. Frank had heart burn and was in a lot of pain, both back and leg. So he ended up on the couch and of course I was worried about him so I didn't sleep either. So we didn't get to see Bret before he went into surgery. We just couldn't get up and get moving on time.

Frank, Sherry, and I got to the hospital around 10:30 AM and met the rest of the family in the waiting room.

Laura's parents, Dean and Verelene, Sierra, Merritt and Laura were all there. Dr. Scott came out a lot earlier than we expected and told us the good news that Bret had done really well, no bleeding, etc. He had taken the tumor out with a pie cut shape and sewed the kidney back up. Dr. Scott felt that the surgery was successful as far as getting the whole tumor out. I can't remember the correct medical term for it, but the tumor was encased and he was able to cut the whole thing out.

Since it was getting close to lunch time and Bret still was in recovery and would be in there for another hour or so, and they would allow only Laura to go into recovery, we left to go eat lunch and told them we would come back when they had Bret in his room.

When we got back we found out from Laura that Bret had some pain issues so they had to get that under control, and then they took him directly to his room and she didn't even go into the recovery room. I can't even imagine the pain involved with having your rib cut out and having your kidney cut on. I know Frank has had bone cut with both his complete knee and back surgeries, and he had to deal with a lot of pain.

I was glad to get back to the hospital and see Bret in his room and to see with my own eyes that he was doing as well as possible. He was hooked to a morphine pump and he was hitting it every ten minutes. It was strange as I thought it would knock him out as he has never used any kind of strong pain meds. We came back later that day and let Laura go over to the hotel so she could eat, and have a little break.

I rented an extended stay hotel right across the street from the hospital so Bret could be there Monday evening as he had to do a cleanse and had fasted all that day. He had to be at the hospital at 5:30 AM as he had to have blood work type and screen, and then an EKG before surgery. Also it was so much easier for Laura and family to have a place to go to and rest, eat. etc. I told them to keep the room as long as they needed it.

Frank and I came home yesterday after noon after we went to the hospital and visited Bret again. While we were there Dr. Scott came in and told us once again that Bret had done really well, and that he would more than likely release him Thursday. They were waiting for him to pass gas and have a BM before letting him go. Bret hasn't eaten much of anything and he had to take something to clean him out the night before so I was thinking how can he have a BM when there is nothing there? The nurse made us laugh when she said "Nurses are weird creatures as they love to hear the Fart sounds." We all had a good laugh and it had started when I had told Bret let them RIP it is OK in a hospital.

I talked to Laura this morning and she said Dr. Scott had been in and had checked Bret and they had changed his dressing. Dr. Scott said it would be better for Bret to leave the hospital as he would be more apt to move around and he needed to do that. They had Bret up yesterday sitting first and then later walking. While I was talking to Laura they were walking down the hall way. If they do get out today, they will stay in the hotel for another day or so as Dr. Scott doesn't want Bret to be too far away from the hospital. I have to call again to see what the status is on that. Oh, and one other thing, the pathology report on the tumor came back and it was cancerous. Which was no surprise as Dr. Scott said he was 99% sure that it was.

Just called Laura, and she said that they are keeping Bret another day. He is so weak, and still hasn't had a BM. He isn't eating anything and has lost too much weight. He is so skinny any way and to lose more weight is not good. In fact a dietitian came in to his room yesterday and Bret was down to 150 something. I had noticed that in his bed he just melted into the bed, and that kind of worried me. The dietitian wanted him to drink Ensure, and Bret made a face like "No Way.! Laura did get some insure today and it is chilling right now and I told her to tell Bret he had better drink it or Mommy would be there to make him drink it. :) I worry about his weight as being under weight isn't good either, and he was under weight to begin with. I will be so glad when he is home with a smile on his face and is out of pain.

I got a phone call from Kristen, my granddaughter and Clinton's, (her brother) youngest girl is having a brain type surgery tomorrow in Salt Lake City as a cyst she had almost from birth has moved from over her eye area to over her ear and it is bleeding in a large area affecting the brain. Gosh, WHEN WILL IT STOP.! So now I will hear from Kristen tomorrow after the surgery to know the outcome of that. When Kristen called I thought it was to find out more about Bret, which it was, but then she said "I have to tell you something." My heart fell to my stomach as I waited to hear more bad news as I knew from the tone of her voice that it was indeed that, bad news. Her family is up in Salt Lake to support Clinton and his family. Today my prayers and thoughts will be with them as well as Bret.