Keep Emma in your thoughts today

[A Fish Named Wallyum]

Jay "Centuri Guy" Goemmer e-mailed me last night. His youngest daughter may be going in for surgery today. I'm a firm believer that surgery should be reserved for old farts like us, not for kids.
Jay can explain it better, so his message is below.

"Hi! I thought I should let you all know that my daughter Emma had a CAT scan on Tuesday. About 4 p.m., her pediatrician called me to let me know that one of her shunts (which drains the excess “cerebro-spinal fluid” that her brain produces into her abdomen, where her body re-absorbs it) had gradually quit working.

Her doctor called Primary Children’s in Salt Lake, and made an appointment with her neurosurgeon for 1:30 Thursday afternoon. It’s entirely possible that she’ll have to have surgery to replace that shunt, but apparently it’s been coming on slowly enough that immediate (emergency) surgery isn’t needed… so we didn’t need to leave for Salt Lake this afternoon (Tuesday). Emma never seems to show the typical symptoms of shunt failure, and she's been acting like a normal 7-year-old kid lately, so... (shrug).

It was two years ago in June that we had a similar situation, so we'd appreciate your thoughts and prayers on this go-around. I'll probably be off of work for at least both Thursday and Friday of this week while we take care of this situation. (I'll be able to actually use some of those "comp days" I've been piling up.) So Kathryn, Emma, and I will head out Thursday morning, while Colette stays with Grandma (Beulah) Lang. Emma could possibly have surgery on Friday, and if all goes well, we might be home as soon as Sunday, or before, if things go as well as last time."

[Ltvscout]

Jay "Centuri Guy" Goemmer e-mailed me last night. His youngest daughter may be going in for surgery today. I'm a firm believer that surgery should be reserved for old farts like us, not for kids.
We'll keep Emma in our prayers. I hope all goes well for her, Jay.

[dtomko]

Am sending thoughts and prayers. I hope all goes well, too, Jay. My oldest is also named Emma so there's a special place in my heart for the name.
Drew Tomko

[JRThro]

Jay, Emma will be in my thoughts and prayers.

[Tau Zero]

We'll keep Emma in our prayers. I hope all goes well for her, Jay.

Thanks, everybody. We made the trip to and from Salt Lake City from Twin Falls today. We'll head back down in a few days, since Emma's surgery will be scheduled for Monday. (It's nice *not* to have an "emergency" medical situation... *if* you know what I mean. ;) :D :eek: )

I e-mailed Bill E. a more detailed update, so Bill, if you want to post that here, please feel free to do so.


Cheers,

--Jay

[A Fish Named Wallyum]

This is Jay's update, just as he sent it. I swear I didn't touch it, no matter what you think.

"To market, to market, to fly a fat pig (that Craig will design) ;)
Home again, home again, jiggety jig..."


Hi! We left for Salt Lake City (just under 4 hours by car from Twin
Falls) just before 8:30 this morning. We saw Emma's neurosurgeon at 1:30,
Emma had a head X-ray, the doctor looked at it, said, "Yes, she needs
surgery, and while it's not an emergency, we don't have any openings in the
operating room (or medical staff available) until Monday." (That's not
bad, it just that things weren't set up logistically yet.)

So after talking with the doctor about what he wants to do differently
with the shunt at the base of Emma's skull, it looks like she'll be having
surgery either Monday morning or Monday afternoon. (We did everything we
needed to do and were out of the hospital in an hour. That's big-city
medicine for you!) We're expecting a call early tomorrow (Friday) to see if
we need to leave either Sunday or Monday.

I'm heading back to work on Friday, but I'm expecting to be off Monday
and Tuesday of next week at the very least. So while it's nice not to have
an emergency medical situation, the travel's just a bit much
(chuckling), especially since we got back from vacationing at the Oregon
Coast just last Saturday.

Thanks to everyone for your positive thoughts and prayers! I sincerely
believe that they help a lot. Stay tuned for further developments!"

[CPMcGraw]

This is Jay's update, just as he sent it. I swear I didn't touch it, no matter what you think.

"To market, to market, to fly a fat pig (that Craig will design) ;)
Home again, home again, jiggety jig..."

I'm touched, Jay...

...Course, folks have long been saying as much to me, but it was strange how they were always pointing to their hair at the time... :rolleyes:

Hospitals and children. They seem to go together far too often... :(

Hold her hand, Jay, and stay close. She may not say anything, but she appreciates it nonetheless. :)

[Tau Zero]

This is Jay's update, just as he sent it. I swear I didn't touch it, no matter what you think.

"To market, to market, to fly a fat pig (that Craig will design) ;)
Home again, home again, jiggety jig...!"

I've highlighted Bill's "editorial license" :D , just because it's so stinkin' funny to know exactly which part came from him. :p :D :cool:

BILL and JAY: (innocent looks) ;)


Cheers,

--Jay

[Tau Zero]

I'm touched, Jay...

...Course, folks have long been saying as much to me, but it was strange how they were always pointing to their hair at the time... :rolleyes:(Oldtimer's voice) "Yeah, some of us are a jest little more 'tetched' then others..." :D :eek:


Hospitals and children. They seem to go together far too often... :(
Long story short: Emma came 3 months early, so I've had all the real-life hospital experience I need... to the point that whenever some medical show (melo-)"dramatizes" a child in medical crisis (or even worse, so-called "parents" that caused said crisis), I practically *run* from the room because I'm literally overwhelmed by feelings from that time.


Hold her hand, Jay, and stay close. She may not say anything, but she appreciates it nonetheless. :)(chuckling) She already knows that Daddy loves her and is watching out for her, but thanks for the reminder, nonetheless.

My sister-in-law from Schenectady says I'm definitely not a handyman, but I'm a very good dad for my girls. :D (I'll let what she says stand, without any additional comment.)


Cheers,

--Jay

[A Fish Named Wallyum]

I've highlighted Bill's "editorial license" :D , just because it's so stinkin' funny to know exactly which part came from him. :p :D :cool:

BILL and JAY: (innocent looks) ;)


I have no idea what you're talking about. My editorial license was suspended YEARS ago when I was caught writing under the influence.
Okay, so it was more like coloring under the influence, but that restaurant never should have brought me that kids menu if they didn't expect me to use it. (The good news is that my picture of Big Boy won first place and I got a root beer flavored lollipop. :cool: )
And on a completely different medical front, I may have broken my ankle last night, so I may get to visit my old pals at the hospital today, also. :eek: :mad:

[Tau Zero]

And on a completely different medical front, I may have broken my ankle last night, so I may get to visit my old pals at the hospital today, also. :eek: :mad:(holding head in hands) Argh! :mad: Sorry to hear that. Go with my extreme empathy.

--Jay

[Nuke Rocketeer]

I have no idea what you're talking about. My editorial license was suspended YEARS ago when I was caught writing under the influence.
Okay, so it was more like coloring under the influence, but that restaurant never should have brought me that kids menu if they didn't expect me to use it. (The good news is that my picture of Big Boy won first place and I got a root beer flavored lollipop. :cool: )
And on a completely different medical front, I may have broken my ankle last night, so I may get to visit my old pals at the hospital today, also. :eek: :mad:

Were you "under the influence" and trying to act like a 25 yr old again when it happened? Happened to me 5 years ago. At a great party, had a few brews and then got into a volleyball game. Really wrenched my knee. Had to self prescribe more brews for emergency treatment, which led to a massive hangover and "kneesles" the next day!

Joe W

[A Fish Named Wallyum]

Were you "under the influence" and trying to act like a 25 yr old again when it happened? Happened to me 5 years ago. At a great party, had a few brews and then got into a volleyball game. Really wrenched my knee. Had to self prescribe more brews for emergency treatment, which led to a massive hangover and "kneesles" the next day!

Joe W

Nope. Played two games of cards before I decided I'd had enough of one of the other players, then sat on the deck talking to some seldom seen friends for the rest of the night. When I got home two beers later, there was a police car diverting traffic out in front of my house. I went out to ask the officer if I should be alarmed, but there had been a wreck up the road a ways and not the "mad bomber" we had previously. As I was walking back across the street, I turned the ankle. It happens frequently, but this time was the worst since February of 1980 when I last broke it.