Rich's Idea of Fun

We've had some hard times over the last few days. If you didn't already know Rich has been in the hospital in ICU. It all started last saturday when he was complaining of his eye being blurry. We just passed it on thinking it could have been from the camping trip he was just on with lack of sleep and all the dirt and stuff and the camp fire. Monday he was still complaining about it so I told him to call the optometrist. Wednesday he went to the optometrist to find out that his Retna wasn't getting enough blood flow to it. So he immediatley took his blood pressure and found that it was extremley high. He then got a F.P. doctor from next door to check him out and they told him he had to go straight to the E.R. He called me and told me so we started trying to find someone to sit with the kids. Fortunately for us our optometrist is a good friend and he had called his wife and she called me and said she was on her way. So off the the E.R. When we got there the doctor had called ahead for us. They took Rich to triage and check his pressure. They came and got me and took him right back. They immediatley started to do tests and gave him some medicine. They diagnosed him with a stroke of the Retna. Unfortunately the medicine didn't do anything for him. Even after I.V. meds and 4 doses of another drug that he had to put under his tounge. So the next step ICU. Are you kidding me I couldn't believe that they were really admitting my husband to ICU. I was very scared. So at 2 in the morning they put him up there and I had to go home because no one is allowed to stay in the ICU at night. So I went home and slept for a couple hours and back to the hospital I went. Still no progress with the pressures coming down. The opthomologist came in the first day in ICU and confirmed that it was a stroke and that the loss of vision he had sustained would not come back. They had him on a I.V. drip of nitroglycerin, which we were told would lower his pressures. Well hour after hour and day after day no change. All the test were coming back normal. One of the doctors said he was stumped. Not exactly what you want to hear from the doctor taking care of your husband. So for 2 days we basically sat there with no change. Until today we were fortunate enough to get a wonderful nurse who knew what she was doing. She noticed that some test hadn't been run that are normally ran for patient that have had a stroke so she called the doctor and asked for orders to order the tests. They will be running those in the morning. She also got him off the drip of nitro and are trying some different approaches to the situation. Thank goodness. Obviously the dripline wasn't working. You would think that 3 1/2 days in ICU might have been a hint to someone that it wasn't working. Thank you Meg, and Dr.Kouk.The cardiologist came in tonight and said that he also was going to run some more blood tests. So here we go again. But that's okay. They finally transferred him out of ICU. So at least we know we on the right track now. Rich's dad flew in on Thursday night to help out. The kids were so excited when they heard he was coming. Here's some questions the kids have asked.
Abby: They're going to give my daddy medicine, right? Because I don't want to get sick. Are you sure they'll give him medicine? I don't want to get sick like him. Paige: Why is my daddy in the hospital, If he doesn't have a baby in his tummy.

Maybe that's what's wrong with him. You think? They make me laugh. Anyways, they are anxious to see him. They haven't been able to understand why they couldn't come and see him in the hospital. But ICU has strict rules no one under the age of 12. But tomorrow they'll finally be able to see him. So that'll be a good thing. They miss him so much. I just can't wait until he gets to come home. Sorry for such a long post. I'm sure I left something out but I'll post again as soon as I know anything else. Right now it is just a waiting game. Thank you to everyone who has already helped and offered to help. We are so grateful to all of you. I'm so grateful for the church and all the friends it blesses you with. Without it I don't know what we'd do. Especially since we don't have family close by. Please keep Rich in your prayers, we aren't completely out of the woods yet. So everyone out there especially the husbands (since you don't like to go to doctors) please go get a physical and make sure you get one every year. I don't want anyone else to have to go through what we've gone through. Please, Please, Please!