Updates on Tom

 I'm sorry I'm just now updating. Dad was doing well at first being home, but then he developed an infection and slight pneumonia and wasn't doing well so had to go to the ICU last week, but has been doing SO much better since getting on antibiotics. We also got an awesome hospital bed at home for him that is much more comfortable and turns into a chair so hopefully that will help a lot also. Thank you for your continued prayers. We're hoping he can come home this coming week.

To be able to facetime my dad this morning At. Their. House. with mom sitting next to him and the connection actually working Was. Amazing. I asked him how it felt to be sitting right next to mom at home and he said, "Wonderful." Yesterday morning before my dad came home, his iPhone stopped working. So, once he arrived at home and they opened the ambulance doors, the first thing he said after Brett said, "Welcome home, dad", was, "Brett, did you get my iPhone working?" while throwing his hands up in the air. Haha! So my dad with getting right to the point.  The second he got out of the ambulance and saw his waterfall, the trees, and his flowers, a breeze washed over his face after 8.5 months of being in the hospital. He closed his eyes, took it in, and said, "Incredible." The simple things. As they wheeled him by his roses and his waterfall, in typical dad fashion, he wanted to make sure the transporters saw the waterfall and liked it. (:  Gettin...

 The plan is for dad to come home Monday, August 30th. I'm so thankful to the Lord that he is able to come home. This is a huge deal for all of us- exciting and scary with all that goes into it but there is no other place we want my dad than home. He has been on the trach collar during the day doing great and on the ventilator at night for about 6 hours to ventilate CO2 to help him get stronger with the hope to eventually have him get off the ventilator completely and be able to get the trach removed.  Please be praying that the transition home goes smoothly. That everything works out well with nurses, OT, PT, Speech, and that this helps my dad recover. Also for strength and endurance for mom as well as I know it is a lot. Even so, she is so happy to have him come home. Her love for dad is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. Here's a post I wrote about it on my Blog:  https://linseydriskill.com/ 2021/08/22/a-love-like-this/ I'll continue updating here also....

 We're continuing to work details out to bring dad home. please be praying for those details to work out- coverage of nurses, greta nurses to help dad recover, OT, ST, PT, and that all would go smoothly and well. Dad has been doing pressure support at might for 6 hours and trach collar during the day. Thanks so much for praying!

Lately, we have been seeing how dad does resting on pressure support at night and doing trach collar during the day. Other times, he would do trach collar for several days in a row but then would tire out, so we're hoping that trying this way will build up his strength better.  We're also trying to get him home!!!! We didn't even know this was an option at this point, but someone said to us the other day that she thought the best thing for dad could be to bring him home with a ventilator box. That way if he needs it at night, he can use it, but that would be a great way to try to wean off the vent for good.  To be at home would be incredible and give him the best chance of thriving so we are hoping to make this happen. With that being said, there are a TON of logistics to make this happen. From figuring out what insurance finding the best pulmonary doctor once he's home, to equipment, to finding the best companies that service the Sandy Springs area, to many more things...

Since I last wrote, about a week ago, Dad's CO2 went up so they had to ventilate it with the vent. But he's now been doing trach collar for several days and doing great on it. He's been resting on pressure support at night and doing trach collar during the day to get him stronger. Thank you for continuing to pray for dad!

 My dad has been on trach collar since I last wrote! He's been doing great. Yesterday he was on 40% with the PMV in (the speaking valve). Many times, he would desatt with the PMV, but he did great with it yesterday. And, then last night, they lowered the percent he's on to 35%. After having so many visits of my dad mouthing words and both of us being frustrated in me not being able to read lips, when I went to see my dad yesterday, it was SO awesome to actually be able to hear his voice. To know exactly what he's saying. To have a conversation with him. To hear him talking to the nurses about his work at JP Morgan and the passion he has for helping people because he cares about them. To hear him talk about their vision and also the importance of long term growth in investments and not quick fixes- wisdom he has shared with me my entire life. To hear him talk about when he first saw my mom and how her beauty drew him to her. But, how his love for her goes far deeper than tha...