To send Caleb a free favorite Bible verse or word of
encouragement: https://sentaraecards.com/
Norfolk General Hospital Room 446
Caleb woke up this morning in pain. He calmly told me that his lung was partially collapsed again. He had some pain but was breathing fine. Pain level was a 5. I called for Clint who was finishing up his shower and recommended they leave for the hospital early. They did. The pain decreased some en route, so we believe it recovered a little on the way. He said it is still partially collapsed, but the pain level is at 1.
We are thankful God allowed Caleb to come home, visit with family and friends, eat some hearty meals, and get some decent rest.
They arrived early and explained Caleb was having symptoms of pneumothorax again. The hospital checked him in and prepped him for the aggressive pleurodesis surgery early. Caleb is watching tv and waiting for surgery as I type. I will update here on what happens. Caleb will not be up for visitors for the next 3-5 days unless it is family. As of now, we only plan to have a couple of us visit because he will be hurting so much. Please read the post further below to understand his surgery and how he will feel afterwards. This is a hard journey with months of pain.
prepped for surgery
He has requested I make him "Mama Asbell's Lasagna" for when he comes home, so I am making the online order for the ingredients today.
12:11 p.m. The OR nurse just saw Caleb. He said the surgery will be two hours from when they knock him out until he wakes up in the recovery room. Surgery should be at 12:30 p.m. They are x-raying his lung to see what has happened this morning.
12:46 p.m. Caleb is on his way to the OR. His surgeon met with him shortly before they took him. His lung is collapsed 20mm. We know it was worse than that this morning because his pain was a lot worse and later improved.
12:11 p.m. The OR nurse just saw Caleb. He said the surgery will be two hours from when they knock him out until he wakes up in the recovery room. Surgery should be at 12:30 p.m. They are x-raying his lung to see what has happened this morning.
12:46 p.m. Caleb is on his way to the OR. His surgeon met with him shortly before they took him. His lung is collapsed 20mm. We know it was worse than that this morning because his pain was a lot worse and later improved.
doc tattooed him
off to surgery
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity,
but of power, love, and self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7
2:11 p.m. A nurse just called from the OR room. Surgery went great! He did great! They are removing the breathing tube and closing one of the holes. (He has two drain tubes.) Within a few hours, he will need to get up and walk. (Correction: He will not need to walk until tomorrow.)
3:14 p.m. Thank you EVERYONE for all of the prayers. Clint just spoke with the doctor. Caleb's lung is very healthy. They did not see any blebs (air sacs) causing the collapses, but one could have been hidden. If there is one, the pleurodesis will take care of it. Clint will be with Caleb in about 20-30 minutes. Visiting: I know a group of his friends and his "baby mama" want to see him. If you want to visit, please wait 3-5 days. Talking, laughing, coughing, sneezing, moving, etc will be excruciating for him. Sleep is the best thing for him right now. His own family is holding off from seeing him because we would rather he rested for his own well-being than interact with us. C-Dawg won't compromise on the visiting, and I agree. Please ask one of his family members by phone or text before you make the trip.
4:13 p.m. Clint is with him now. Caleb told him he's hurting. The nurses knew and are trying to help him. They had to get him to wake up before they could address the pain.
5:00 p.m. We were told a pain pump would be added during surgery so he'd have it when he woke up. For some reason, it was not done. Nurses do not know why. It's in his charts, but he came out of surgery without it. They are trying to get on top of his pain and get the pump. His lung/chest cavity have been scraped to the point they are bleeding/draining into boxes sitting on the floor by his bed. The max dose of morphine did very little. They've added percocet. He tried to doze, but the pain wakes him up. Please pray for Caleb.
5:45 p.m. Clint said he can see the prayers working. Caleb has some relief. He's even been able to drink and eat a few bites in the last few minutes. The drink really helped his throat from the intubation. The thoughtful nurse brought him two meals so Caleb can eat what he wants from both. (Clint will get some food that way too, if he wants it.) THANK YOU for the prayers you lifted for Caleb. There is no word on why the pain pump was not installed and if he will get it.
Caleb ate a few bites and fell asleep. Then they came in five minutes later, woke him up, and made him stand. The picture Clint sent me of Caleb clearly shows the pain is back and worse from the moving around. Please pray for our boy.
3:14 p.m. Thank you EVERYONE for all of the prayers. Clint just spoke with the doctor. Caleb's lung is very healthy. They did not see any blebs (air sacs) causing the collapses, but one could have been hidden. If there is one, the pleurodesis will take care of it. Clint will be with Caleb in about 20-30 minutes. Visiting: I know a group of his friends and his "baby mama" want to see him. If you want to visit, please wait 3-5 days. Talking, laughing, coughing, sneezing, moving, etc will be excruciating for him. Sleep is the best thing for him right now. His own family is holding off from seeing him because we would rather he rested for his own well-being than interact with us. C-Dawg won't compromise on the visiting, and I agree. Please ask one of his family members by phone or text before you make the trip.
4:13 p.m. Clint is with him now. Caleb told him he's hurting. The nurses knew and are trying to help him. They had to get him to wake up before they could address the pain.
5:00 p.m. We were told a pain pump would be added during surgery so he'd have it when he woke up. For some reason, it was not done. Nurses do not know why. It's in his charts, but he came out of surgery without it. They are trying to get on top of his pain and get the pump. His lung/chest cavity have been scraped to the point they are bleeding/draining into boxes sitting on the floor by his bed. The max dose of morphine did very little. They've added percocet. He tried to doze, but the pain wakes him up. Please pray for Caleb.
5:45 p.m. Clint said he can see the prayers working. Caleb has some relief. He's even been able to drink and eat a few bites in the last few minutes. The drink really helped his throat from the intubation. The thoughtful nurse brought him two meals so Caleb can eat what he wants from both. (Clint will get some food that way too, if he wants it.) THANK YOU for the prayers you lifted for Caleb. There is no word on why the pain pump was not installed and if he will get it.
Caleb ate a few bites and fell asleep. Then they came in five minutes later, woke him up, and made him stand. The picture Clint sent me of Caleb clearly shows the pain is back and worse from the moving around. Please pray for our boy.
To send Caleb a free favorite Bible verse or word of
encouragement: https://sentaraecards.com/
Norfolk General Hospital Room 446
