Randy: New Surgery

Hello Loved Ones,

Here is my latest Randy update and I am sorry to report that it isn't a good one. Randy went in for his needle procedure Friday, they inserted a scope thru his belly button to pinpoint the exact location for the treatment and found a new tumor the size of a grapefruit plus two smaller tumors. The large tumor was on his liver but had also adhesed to his colon. They immediately performed surgery to remove the tumors. Randy did well during the surgery but during his recovery period he began to expierence breathing problems. He was moved to the ICU unit yesterday and has remained there in stable but guarded condition. Sherrill, Trish & I spent this afternoon with him. He did not respond well to the morphine and had to be restrained and is still restrained at this time. They have changed his pain medication to Demerol & Darvocett + Ativan for anxiety. The less stimulation that he has at this point the better. He was resting when we left after having a terrible bout of the hiccups which they are not allowed to give him thorzine for at the time due to liver damage from it. I did speak with an RN while I was there asking if they had pinpointed the reason for his oxygen deprivation (they have not). They do have him on a full face oxygen mask at this time, as long as he is on the oxygen his level stays in the 90's, w/o his mask it drop into the critical zone almost immediately. His blood work has returned w/a few abnormals but none of them are critical. He is running a 101 fever but according to the doctor's notes this is due to the trauma of the surgery not due to any infection. He has once again been removed from the transplant list. His stomach is quite swollen but this again is due to the surgery. I asked a new mri or ct scan has been ordered but they have not at this time. Ray & Aunt Martha are returning to the hospital tomorrow & hopefully will be able to consult with all of the doc's. We are unsure at this time if they had to remove any of his colon, what his prognosis is, in other words we are in the dark & we don't like it a bit. I questioned the nurse if it was possible with his form of cancer for the tumor to have grown that fast in bascially 1 1/2 months, since it did not appear on his June 6th tests and she said yes. I have not told Aunt Martha this. She is basically handling herself well and can be expected but heartfelt calls would be appreciated tomorrow. She promised to call me tomorrow & let me know how he is doing and what if anything the docs have to say. I will then send you all and update asap. Oh & if any of you go to see him be very, very careful what you say around him b/c he might be laying there w/his eyes closed but he repeats everything he hears!! Trish & I found this out by talking over his bed about music or the TV or something and he repeated everything right back to us.

Mom & Kenneth go to see their cardiologist this week and I will also send you an update on them. Pop has felt really bad for the last couple of weeks, all he will say is not himself, he is very pale, short of breath & has a cough.

Love to you all,
Lisa