Author: doclu1

My friend Brittany

Hoping home before Christmas, please

Hello everyone, I am so happy to be able to communicate my latest status. As we move through the end of Advent and into the season of Christmas, I can’t help but think about the three Wisemen visiting and acknowledging God’s gift of eternal life to the world, our savior, Jesus Christ. In a way, I had my own three Wisemen in Dr’s Mansfield, Barone, and Halls announcing God’s gift for me of continued life in this world! I was also blessed when my nurse Brittany (pictured above) chose to share with me at the end of her shift that she was diagnosed with stage I cancer and scheduled for surgery. She had been feeling self pity until she cared for me and saw my positive attitude. She told me our interaction totally changed her outlook. It was wonderful knowing that I could impact others by just dealing with my illness!

It’s been almost one week, and but by the grace of God, my progress has been miraculous! My graft appears to be taking, continually having good Doppler readings and the majority of swelling is gone. My nutritional status is good as my bowels are functional and I continue to receive tube feedings. Pain has been managed and I am on a PCA (patient controlled anesthesia) slowly being weaned off of narcotics.  With my improved status, almost all of my IV lines have been taken out. Today Dr Mansfield removed my trach and replace it with my permanent prosthesis! WE ARE SHOOTING FOR AS DISCHARGE DATE OF SATURDAY!!! Our original expectation was three weeks in the hospital! I COULD BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS!!!  Nothing short of a miracle!

None of this could have been possible without the Grace of God, the excellent care of the doctors and clinicians involved in my care, and the love and support of family and friends! Your support has been like a never ending wind of love carrying us through this! Words cannot express our gratitude!

Hopefully, next time I communicate, it will be from Casa de Lu! God bless and Merry Christmas!

Love, Daryl and Charlotte

P.S. Pictures- Christmas 🎄 in SICU, Scoly down visiting from Oxnard, Dodgers gifts from Danny

Char Christmas 🎄 in SICU

Scoly visiting from Oxnard

Dodgers gifts from Danny Lawton

Well hello everyone! Happy Advent! We’re in the stretch run with the Big Surgery scheduled for Dec 14th. It’s been terrific being home the past few weeks, being able to rest up and get ready. On the flip side, it’s also been crazy with doctor’s appointments and other procedures. Today I am a day admit to the hospital for a blood transfusion. Oh Joy! 😊 My H&H (hemoglobin and hematocrit) was low. Normally 14 to 18, mine came in at a whopping 8! -meaning I’m anemic. Not enough red blood cells. Why anemic?  The Big C, and internal bleeding. Two units of blood should get me back on track and good to go!

As for the surgery next Thursday, we’re praying four surgeons can work their magic and turn me into the next Steve Austin, or the next $6M dollar man! Really $100M in adjusted dollars, so when successful, I’ll be the$100M Man! Technically I will be getting a laryngectomy, thyroidectomy, partial esophagectomy, and jejunal transplant. In essence, cutting everything bad out and reconstructing it with part of my stomach! That’s why it will be taking so many hands.!

The bad news- there is a chance that they may get in there and Mr C has spread to my spinal cord, which would cause the surgery to be aborted. There is nothing that can be gained with the surgery at that point. We would explore other options. But right now, we’re confident everything is going to be good to go and green light. In the end, like everything in life, it’s all in God’s hands. And we ask only that his will be done.

So, when everything goes as planned, I could be eating by Christmas! I can’t wait! Hospital Turkey will be wonderful! Looking forward to achieving that goal! 😊  It’s been months since I’ve had anything to eat. Should be in the hospital 🏥  hopefully 3 weeks. Then home to finish my recovery. Get ready, pretty soon you’ll be calling me the$100M Man!

Leaving you with a pic of our beautiful Christmas Tree. You should see our house, Charlotte has it impeccably decorated as always! And a “say hey!” with my brother Scoly when he came down to visit and take care of me! Thanks Scoly!

Thank you  again for all your well wishes, thoughts, and prayers! May God bless you and protect you this Christmas 🎄!

Love, Daryl

Greetings from the SICU at Sharp Memorial Hospital. Day 2 with the tracheostomy and things are as well as can be expected. Very happy to have Annointing of the Sick today when the Priest came by! ☺️

The only issue is right now no regular tube feedings! I am craving food, especially a Double-Double “animal style” from In-N-Out! There is one down the street, so I keep bugging Charlotte to go eat one! Vicariously is better than nothing 🍔😨!  I will just have to wait for my protein carb mix – YUM-O!!!

For now, I’ll have to be content with the Yankees game , my Lovely wife/private nurse, and the excellent staff of clinicians here in the SICU. Especially my nurse for the second time, Emilie pictured above.  She is the best! ❤️

As always, your prayers and support give me great strength. Thank you!  Praying for good biopsies, but mainly  praying for God’s will to be done! 🙏✝️❤️

Love,

Daryl