Papa Lou Post-Op....Post Views.....12,614

      Today it is a week since Louie had his surgery.  The heart repair portion is healing well.  He has a secondary issue of aspirating food into his lungs.  It appears it is a condition he has had for several months if not years.  The breathing tube has aggravated it. He has a nasal feeding tube for about a week.  He is to "rest" his throat but also do exercises to strengthen his swallowing muscles.  He also needs to regain full body strength.  I have not talked to cardiac doctors about when he will be discharged to go to Burt and Jen's.  

      This is a good opportunity to flashback to our "dumpling feed" the Sunday before the surgery.


A family affair.....
   24 (& one friend) members out of 30

making dumplings....

how many?

36? 52? 71? 93?

                Photo BOMB....

Having a time of singing and prayer......Devin and Josh playing guitar..

Super Moon.....

Playing "Going out west"...favorite game of Papa Lou.  What will you take along when you go out west and what will you do with it?  Everyone else has to do the same thing with whatever they take along. 

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Grandma G Sat.evening out for smokehouse dinner with Al, trip to the laundromat,  and Walmart run....

 Watching Little League World Series and Brewers with Big Lou

Thumbs up for getting well and getting out of here!

This has been a good 3 "Papa Lou post-op" days in the life of Grandma G.

      "At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one,  He healed them."  (Luke 4:40)

Triple Bypass/Mitral Valve Replacement.....Post Views...12,546

Tuesday August 12,  5AM
St. Joseph's Hospital
Marshfield, WI

Lou being checked in for open heart
surgery.....   




    

12 hours of waiting in surgical waiting room.......
8 hours of surgery for Lou.....
On to post op waiting room....
We all left at 9:20PM
10 PM Lou back to surgery for another 4 hours to stop bleeding and clean out chest cavity....
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 Wed. Thurs. Fri. Sat.   Post Op Waiting Room and ICU.....


Working a 1000 piece puzzle...
Al, Deb, Gerry, Jen, 
Lou's brother, Joe







 Chuck winning Cribbage .....










                                      Debbie,Keys,Grandma G, Jake









Lou's brother,Ray, and Nancy...

Papa Lou giving the 
thumbs ups...Al,Tyler, Jen,Logan   


WI food!
Mashed potatoes, beef stew and GRAVY....(for me, not Lou)

Chuck, Lou, Louisa, Mimi             Signing Papa Lou's heart....














                                                               
  Ice cream in the hospital cafeteria....Louisa, Mimi, Olivia, and Bunny....                                           














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 Sunday morning.....Lou is being transferred from ICU to a regular room for at least another 5 days.   He had a rough time, which we all anticipated, but has fought his way through.   He is sitting up, joking with the nurses.  His major difficulty is eating and swallowing since his throat area is weak, probably even before the surgery.  

    We appreciate everyone's prayers, concern and love. Hopefully the most critical phase is past.

    This has been a good 4  "Lou's post surgery days" in the life of Grandma G.

     "The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness."  (Psalms 41:3)         

Medical Pause.....Post Views...12,467

I am taking a few days break while Louie is having open heart surgery.  

He had surgery Tuesday.....8 hours worth.  He had a bleed in one of the bypasses.  At 10 PM they had to take him back for another 4 hours of surgery.  He is in ICU now.  They will try to take him off the breathing tube later this morning.  

He had a triple bypass and a mitral valve replacement.

I have a motel room a few blocks away.  I am going back over now.  I will try to update this evening, maybe tomorrow.  

All our 7 children have been here....one the weekend before.  It is a blessing to me and to Louie to have loving, good humored children to help and to encourage.   It also helps to have 3 nurses in the family!

We had a dumpling dinner for 26 people on Sunday, visiting time, a prayer and singing time.  Wonderful time.

More later.

This has been a good 4 "medical pause" days in the life of Grandma G.  

"But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, 'You are my God'.  My [our] times are in your hands."  (Psalms 31:14 & 15)

Leisure and Visitng.....Post Views......12,419

     Coming to Milwaukee has given me the opportunity to bond with my family......my grand children. 

 Donuts for breakfast.....

Viewing Angie's new home.....

Meeting, Mondo, their pet painted turtle...

Hanging out at the Lake Michigan Lake front.....

 Picture Perfect.....SOLE....
S  Schmidt Chuck
O  Olivia
L  Louisa
E  Emilia

 Laying on a bed of....
      nails....

Three hamsters on a treadmill.......to produce energy to light the lights.....

 The Dennis Sullivan

Athletes practicing for the triathlon.....

                                                                   

Learning to fly a kite......

Little girl in lower right corner, big sky, high kite and Milwaukee skyline.....

A walk along the river path to the neighborhood swimming pool.....











         Visiting with family friends, eating kabobs and s'mores.  Oh, ya!

         Sunday we are driving to Wausau to meet with most of our family for a dumpling dinner (Grandma G gets to cook....) and talk about surgery plans with Papa Lou.    

     This has been a good 2 leisure and visiting days in the life of Grandma G.

    "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight." 
 (Proverbs 3:5 & 6)