Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Tues, March 24

Hey All!
Just a quick note to say all is well. I talked to Ape tonight and she sounded the strongest I've heard in ages. She has a biopsy tomorrow, which is the first in a month (the longest she's gone thus far and the start of a series of 1 biopsy a month for three months, and then it goes to one every three months!). Pray for a big, fat ZERO rejection rate!
I also talked to Ms. Grace, who is hilarious! She was wide open as Darrell's parents had just arrived at their house, and she asked me how "Sampson" and "Rudy" were. I heard "Watson" and "Peanut" and told her they were great. She screamed in the phone "He's a good dog!" and then handed it back to Ape. HILARIOUS!! She's always called Watson "Sampson" but has never forgotten Peanut's name.
We're trying to find a week we can all hit the beach for our annual trip. Can't wait!!!!!!
Jeanie

Monday, March 2, 2009

Wow- it's been awhile!

Hey Everyone!
Sorry for the lapse in communication, but no news really IS GREAT news! Ape continues to thrive, and I have no good stories to report. I talked to her tonight, and she's now driving some around the neighborhood, and Darrell is going back to work tomorrow. Ape is blessed with wonderful people in her daily life, and a friend is going to pick Grace up and take her to daycare so Darrell can go back to work. April is doing well, and is doing more now, changing Grace's diapers, cleaning up after dinner, etc. Still no heavy lifting (can't lift Grace, for instance) but feels good and is healing well.
But I remind you. We must pray. For total healing. For total peace. For total trust. For all of us.
God is faithful and just. Perhaps we just don't understand the 'just' part.
Jeanie

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Wow- it's been awhile!

Hey Everyone,
I just talked to April, and she continues to do well overall. She's had a few scares but is doing great. During a cath last week, her artery collapsed and she said it felt like the night of her heart attack, but she was surrounded by the medical team at Duke and they were able to treat her immediately and she had no lasting effects, except a funky thumping heartbeat for a few days. Tonight I spoke with her and they went to the ER at Duke again last night, but all is well. She has an irregular heartbeat, and said she could feel it beating in her throat, and it was a very fast heartbeat. They did labs, and her magnesium levels are low, so they've adjusted her meds.
Of course, all this is concerning to us, but the medical team has yet to really get excited, which makes me think this is all part of the process. I think it's made April and Darrell more reserved with things, but they continue to make progress and heal.
I hope you are still praying. On the bright side, the last few biopsy reports have all came back with zero rejection rates, which means the body is continuing to accept the new heart!! :)
So continue to pray for healing, and please pray against fear. I don't want April to live in fear of something happening, and while there's a fine line between respecting the need for healing and resting, and the need to start to re-enter daily life, I'm worried it will be hard to get back to the day to day. Pray on, good people!
Hope you are having a great 2009 thus far!
Jeanie

Friday, January 23, 2009

YIPPEE!!

Darrell just called me at work (Scared the beejeezus out of me initially!) to say they just got this week's biospy results back. April scored a big, fat goose egg! Zero! Zilch! Nada!!! No rejection noted this week! :) WHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Apey made a zero for the first time in her life!!!

Pray on, good people!
JB

Monday, January 19, 2009

Monday, Jan 19

Hey All,
I figured it was time for an update. April continues to be amazing and healing well!!!!! I talked to Darrell and April this morning, and they had just finished a walk. She made it 45 minutes straight with no resting!!!! :) Go Apey GO!!!!
The results from last week's biopsy were really good too. There's still a slight rejection factor, but nothing of any concern to Dr. Milano. Praise the Lord!
Jean (Ape's mom) went home Friday morning, so they are getting used to being home with just the three of them. I think D is a very, very busy man these days! Grace is in day care during the week, and I'll head down either Sat or Sunday to hang out and help some. Their church is coordinating meals still. I may go do some housecleaning for them. We'll see.
So with that, I know nothing else. :) I'll more than likely be updating this blog less frequently as long as April continues to do so well, but please trust that should anything change for the good or the bad, I'll be sure to update this and let you know. Just work off the 'no news is good news' mentality and all will be well!
So do your snow dance, hug your kids/family/dogs (in my case!) and PRAY PRAY PRAY!
J

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Sunday, Jan 18

Hey All,
Just a note to say that no news is good news. I haven't spoken with April or Darrell, as they just need to rest and recover from the last 6 weeks. I'll call tomorrow. But for now, we're praying for great results from Thursday's work up, including the biopsy to check her body's acceptance of the heart.
So, guess what? We have to pray, pray, pray for total acceptance of the heart and no other illnesses to set up.
Thanks!
Jeanie

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Weds with April

I got to go hang out with April today and folks, the girl is doing SUPER DOOPER INCREDIBLY AWESOMELY GREAT!! She's up and around, and had gone on a 30 minute walk in the gym at her church this morning. They were eating lunch when I got there, and she ate a serving of rice, a chicken breast with mango salsa and a pile of snap peas. We hung out all afternoon and she talked really well without getting too winded. She's not allowed to do much with her arms because of the pressure on the sternum til it grows back together, but other than that, she's pretty much on her own, with pain/tiredness as her guide (if it hurts/makes you tired, stop doing it!). Her daily blood pressure and pulse rate checks have been right on target too.

She talked alot about the whole experience and was in really good spirits about it. She said numerous times that God was at work and has some crazy reason for this that we none understand yet. I told her she was to become a tent-preacher or televangelist to share her story! She was in good spirits! AND her neighbors got a bassett puppy for Christmas! It was all I could do to keep myself from stealing it!!! CUTE!!!

Tomorrow's another full workup. Tests, x-rays, biopsy and office visit with Dr. Milano. Pray for great results. She's a little concerned about weight. On Dec 11, she was at 107lbs, and today's weigh in at home was 94lbs. But she's eating well so we'll see what the Doc thinks.

GO APEY GO!!! And pray all of you pray!!!! Pray for a good day of exams and test results tomorrow.

J