Wednesday Night--February 9,2011

Good evening to everyone.  Jacque and I have had a day filled with ups and downs.  Thank God there were a lot more ups than downs.  At the 9 a.m. visit Jacque was sleeping.  He had had a bad night and did not get to sleep much because he had stomach cramps.  The nurses had given him some medicine that made him loopy, so the 9 a.m. visit was not so good.  At the 1 p.m. visit he was hooked up to the blood cleaning machine again.  I was sure hoping he was finished with that.    I could tell he was not happy about that either.  During physical therapy he was sitting in a chair and had some low blood pressure problems.  That is all the "downs" for the day. 

Now for all the "ups".  My good friend Vivian Adams was at the hospital early with a bowl of fruit for my breakfast.  Staci Wiley came and sat with me in the waiting room.  She and Jamie took me to lunch.
Herman Castete came and spent time with me in the waiting room.  He came at just the right time.  I was having one of my moments.  Jacque got 20 more cards today and a goodie box from Diane and Cranford Jordan.    I read all the cards to him at his 5 p.m. visit.  He was great at that visit. Jamie came and washed his hair and shaved him.  Then after she left Jacque ate a little bit of fruit.  HE FED HIMSELF.  It was so great to see him use his hands again.  After he ate he brushed his teeth himself.  He had a great 5 pm visit.  When I went back at 9 pm, he even looked better. We watched his favorite show "Blue Blood"--I think that is the name of it.  I left at 10 p.m. after he took his night meds.  I pray he has a good night.  He deserves one. 

To everyone who sent cards--thanks so much.  He has me read each and every one to him.  To Harmon and Jean Drew--he laughed when he found out you couldn't write a comment on the blog--you wouldn't believe how many people have told us the same thing.  I sure can't give any advice on this.  Maybe my daughter Jean can blog some advice on this.  Jacque and I are so computer illiterate.

Thanks to everyone for your support and prayers.  Love Ya--Laure :) 

Tuesday--February 8, 2011

Well this is the second time I have typed this blog.  The first time it all disappeared.  I have ever told you all how much I hate computers!!!!

Jacque's day started off rough.  He had a reaction to some medicine and it made him loopy.  As the medicine wore off, his day got better and better.  We had a good 5 p.m. visit.  Jamie was there and he always gets so excited when his children are around.  At his 9 pm. visit he was tired and slept most of the time, which was good, since he was up all last night. He did not sleep well last night due to the itching.  It is part of the disease.  But the itching is a good sign.  It means the cells are starting to come back to life.  He did not have the blood cleaning today.  He has completed the 7 treatments, so now we will watch and wait and see how things go.  I would love to see him get in a real room. ICU is for the birds!!!

I had some nice surprises today.  Staci Wiley came to visit and brought a bag of goodies  Bobby Culpepper also came by.  It is always nice to see some friendly faces.  Vivian Adams also came by.  She has been here almost everyday.  She is such a great friend, always bringing food, magazines, etc.
God has blessed us with such a fantastic support system.  God is good!

I am tired and going to sleep.  I pray this blog prints, if not, no blog tonight!! Love, Laure :)

Monday--February 7, 2011

God is good.  Jacque is doing better.  He did not pass all of his swallow test , but can eat pureed food and ice.  He is taking his blood cleaning treatment as I type--- 2 p.m. He got 49 get well cards today.  Thanks to everyone who sent him a card.  It meant the world to him.  For those of you who do not know his address it is:  Jacque Derr, Lafayette General Hospital, ICU 7th floor, 1214 Coolidge Street, Lafayette, LA 70503. Thanks for all the emails, messages, and phone calls.  Everyone's support has been fantastic.  We really can't believe all the support--it brings tears to our eyes.  Now it is just sit and wait and pray the worst is over.  We believe we are on the road to recovery.  Just keep those prayers coming.  We love you all.  Laure :)

The Lord's Day--Sunday

Today was a great day for Jacque.  The doctors took out the bad picc and his arm looks great.  He had his blood cleaning today and they used plasma in it.  Jacque also took one unit of blood today. Both of these treatments made him feel so good.  He says he is breathing easier and is swallowing better too.  He will have his swallow test tomorrow.  Everyone pray that he passes. His hands were not so cold today.  He was not in much pain today.  We watched the Super Bowl together and his team won.  Go Packers!!  His white count went down and is taking enough antibiotics to kill a cow!!!! I am feeling so good about his progress.  God is so good.

I had a good day too.  My sister Terri and my nieces Tommie and Leigh came to visit.  I am so tired though, so I am going to bed early tonight.  It is amazing how tired you get just sitting and worrying.  Have a blessed night and thanks again for your love and concern.  Love--Laure :)

Early--early--Sunday Morning--12:09 a.m.

Well Saturday was a busy day!! Jacque had a great morning--Stronger voice, easier breathing.  His blood cleaning treatment went easier with no real problem.  We did hit a little bump in the road when Jamie noticed his picc line was getting red and infected.  So bless his heart that meant more medicine and more blood work.  But all and all, he is doing great--just may have to put in a new picc line--we will find out in the morning when we see him at 9 a.m.

I had a good day filled with lots of visitors and love.  First of all, my rock--my daughter Jamie-spent the day with me.  Then some Winnfield friends--Chris and Bo Walker and Vickie and Vernon Weeks--came to visit and check and make sure my car was working again.  Then Jacque's sister Elinor and her husband Dennis came to visit too.  My brother Bob and his wife Lisa came to visit and take Jamie and me out to eat.  Unfortunately, we couldn't go eat because that is when we found out Jacque had an infected picc. Then I had another great surprise --- Jacque Jr. came to visit and brought a poster that his wife Kristen made.  It was a poster filled with pictures of our grandchildren--Cole, Sean, Lainey, and Mia.  I cried when I saw it.  Needless to say--Pawpaw loved it.

Jr. and I stayed in Jacque's room and visited until 11 pm.  Hopefully he is getting  a good nights sleep.

Many thanks to everyone writing on the blog--It has been great hearing from all our friends--both new and old. 

God bless everyone and keep the prayers coming.

Love, Laure :)

Friday Night--February 4

Came in early, time is 10:28 p.m.--Jacque was sleeping at the 9 p.m. visit.  He was very tired from all the day's activities.

Got my car running again. Nice young man from the hotel helped me jump my car off.  Seems to be keeping the charge.  I left the hospital at 10 p.m. just in case I had to find someone at the hospital to jump me off again.  God is good, car started right away. Am in the hotel room, snug as a bug.  Going to bed. I am so tired.

Everyone is still upbeat about Jacque's recovery.  My thinking is one more week of icu, then 3 weeks of rehab, then home. No one has talked to me about this--just my own timeline.  Only God's knows what lies ahead. We are on HIS timeline, not ours.  Please continue to pray for us.  Our strength comes from knowing that all things work out for those who know the Lord.  My daddy used to say, "In all my 85 years, I never knew anything that didn't work out."  I know this too shall pass.  I am so thankful for the Lord's great care.  Good night to all and God bless. 

Love in Christ--Laure :)
  

Friday--2p.m.

I just left Jacque's ICU room.  He is doing great.  He is having his blood cleaning. I do not stay in the room during the treatment because his blood pressure goes up and down real bad during the 2 1/2 hour process.  I talked to the lung doctor this morning at the 9 a.m. visit  and he is very pleased with Jacque's progress. The doctor believes that the blood cleaning is really helping . He has his oxygen back on but all his numbers are great. The weather here is terrible.  When I went to leave for the hospital this morning my car would not start.  Jamie's father in law is coming by the hotel today to check on it.  The Hilton has a shuttle service so I got a ride to the hospital.The good news makes everything else just a little bump in the road. We have so much to be thankful for. Jacque can lift his arms and his legs. His voice is very weak but gets stronger and stronger every day. God is so good. Love to all. Laure :)