Laura Update

[Robert Spradley]

Thanks for the prayers everyone. Laura is starting to show great signs of improvement. I think the remicade really help. They are now given her immune suppresant by pill. Earlier in the week, it seemed like the pill was coming out undigested. However she is doing better. They are letting her eat some chicken tonight to see what happens. I will let you know tomorrow. They are also administering her IV's differently by given her a 4 hour window each day with no IV's. This allows her an opportunity to get up and walk and play. We were informed that when she comes home, she will still have the central line in her chest. This way we can administer the medicine at home. My wife is learning how to clean the line and attach the medicine. However they have not said anything about when she may be coming home. I'm sure it will depend a lot on how her food will digest.



At this time, she is very weak, she can only stay up and play about 1 hour before she gets tried.



One other point. Although my wife does not work a 9 to 5 job, since she has not been home since last saturday, and I have had to do everything around the house, I will never say she is an unproductive overhead anymore. Man I tell you, she really works.



Thanks for all the cards and gifts. You people are special. Laura really enjoys getting things from all over this great country.



I have posted pictures with comments at the link below.



God bless everyone!!!



Robert
http://personal.jax.bellsouth.net/~resjr/Laura.htm

 

[John DeGeorge]

Great news, glad to see things looking up.

 

[Barry Loos]

Thanks for keeping us informed.



Bear

 

[Staci Matheis]

Worms????????? What worms?????????? I didn't send any worms! That's how rumors get started! Robert, did Mac put you up to that?



Everyone - I did NOT send Laura any worms. Period. :^)



Keep the updates and pictures coming!

And we'll all keep her in our prayers!



me!

 

[Gene McCarthy]

Thank God she has her mother's looks!!!lol. Seriously she is a cutie. She'll whip this stuff and you'll be a stronger family because of it. Glad you clarified the game room. I was wondering who sent the arcade games!! Have'nt forgot. Putting together something for her and her sis.Must be doubly hard to look out the window at all that primo water and be stuck inside.Also I seriously hope your wife does NOT see you refer to her as "overhead". Laura might not be the only one serving a hospital stay!lol

Gene

 

[Bill McElroy]

WORMS?!,.....nice touch Scott......I know,,..I know,..."It's the thought that counts!!"...right???

 

[Robert Spradley]

Ok everyone, Scott did not send any worms. I just thought I would play a joke on him. Scott, I like reading your post, and I'm sure I would like you in person if I ever got the chance to meet you. I knew if anyone here could take a joke, it would be you. Thanks for not getting mad and keep up the great spirit. Thanks everyone. Got more cards in the mail today. I will be leaving in a few minutes to go to the hospital, so Laura can open the cards. Anything that looks like a card, especially if it has her name on it, I let her open them. If anything positive has happened today I will let you know when I get back. Robert

 

[Staci Matheis]

Robert -



I hope we get the chance someday! Maybe take Laura and her sister fishin'!



But let me warn you..... The personality you see here is far different from that which you would encounter in real-life..... I am very much an introvert..... I once saw an interview with Charles Schultz that had been recorded just a few months before his death. In it, he confessed how shy and retiring he really was..... That "Peanuts" and, in particular, Charlie Brown served as an outlet for all the wanderings and mischief held in the back recesses of his mind..... And I thought, "That's me!"



me!

 

[Bill McElroy]

I can relate to that,....when "Scales and Tales" fans meet me for the 1st time at various shows and in-store promotions,..they always ask me,.."How do you come up with these ideas all the time?"..and "Which one of your characters is your favorite?"...etc..etc....Pretty simple actually,..."reading" and "experienceing" everyday things can always spark an idea,...I just turn it into a fishing scenario and add a twist to it if necessary. But Charles Schultz was in a league of his own...pure genius!! He may have been a lot of Charlie Brown's personality,...but the name "Charlie Brown" was an actual child hood friend of his. I need to come up with names for all of my characters too,...i never have. I always invisioned it as more along the lines of the "Far Side" and each panel was a single joke, with names rarely necessary to make a point. However,...in all honesty,..my crawfish is usally ME!! I will usually make them the ones with the most human expressions and personality, and the rest of the critters are just a notch below them in smarts and reasoning....the crawfish will usually be thinking "my thoughts".

But, what the heck,.....I can make the bass's just as smart as anybody else too....I'll just put them in with something a little further down the ladder,...like a frog!..LOL Cartooning RULES!!!!!!!!...anyway,..laughter is the BEST medicine,....keep Laura laughing and she'll be better in no time!! God bless her!!

Mac

 

[Bill McElroy]

BTW, Robert,...have the Dr's ever tested her for "Celiac Sprew",.....which is a disease/allergy to wheat, oats, barley, and rye?!......My wife is a "celiac", and it took MONTHS of testing and misdiagnosis before it was really determined. She can't eat ANYTHING with wheat, oats, barley or rye in it, or she gets very sick!! They say it's hereditary too, bit nobody on either side of our families has it other than her,...and it flared up after child birth.....all through college she could eat and drink with the best of us, but now she can't have anything with "gluten" in it,....she has to buy or make her own "gluten free" bread, pizza dough, cookies, etc..etc...using recipes with rice flour or some other stuff (some of it is fine,..other stuff is GROSS!!..LOL) ...absolutely NO BEER or anything that's been distilled with grain,..etc. either,......she's pretty much limited to rum!!

And the wierd part is,..she's not even considered a "severe" case,....some people can't even have flour in the house!!!!....anyway,...I was just curious, since "colitis" was often brought up in Kathy's case too, before they referred her to a "celiac" specialist and he nailed it!! Ask the Dr's...it wouldn't hurt!!

Mac

 

[Staci Matheis]

I've said it before..... And I'll say it again..... You're "Good People", Big Dog!



Thee Chihuahua!

 

[Mike Mann]

Robert, you don't need to cover for Scott. While he meant well, he just didn't know that the worm wouldn't make it alive! After reading that, I packed the worms in ice before I sent them today. Make sure to give your family a hug and hold them tight, times like this are so very tough on everyone.



Mike

 

[Bill McElroy]

LOL!!!...put'em in coffee grounds too....they're especially squirmy when they're cold AND wired!!!

Mac

 

[Staci Matheis]

You put the worms WHERE?



"Pi-Tui!" I though someone had just used "instant" this morning......

 

[Carli Drake]

Hey Robert!



Looks like the package could be delivered today...tomorrow for sure (according to the tracking number).



Hey Mac, you could name your characters from "Scales and Tales" from us characters on the board!! I'm partial to the worm with the snorkle!! ROTF!!!



Carli

 

[Robert Spradley]

Thanks Carli, I will be looking for it.



Thanks Mac, I will ask the Doctor about Celiac Sprew. Sounds very interesting.



Laura is able to stay up longer and play longer. She is now eating 3 times a day. She is down to 1 IV a day. However the bag takes 20 hours to empty. So that gives her 4 hours to play. She is taking over antibiotics, they are pills. Don't think she is having a boring time in bed though, They wheel a nintendo in there for her to play. She kicks my but at mario tennis.



She gets something everyday from people. She enjoys opening and reading them. Mom and I are also getting cards. Thanks everyone.



Robert