Bluniers

Today was great! It was nice to have Brent's siblings here for a good part of the day. We had a nice time! They went home this afternoon as did Rachel and Ryan. Later on Beth & Ty Sauder came up to see us! It's been a busy day but we enjoyed the company! My mom is still here for a few days. We have a met a few people while we have been here. One couple-NeeToo and Ben-they have two BEAUTIFUL premee babies! It's just amazing at how God makes everything great and small so PERFECT! They are going to be blessed kids with the wonderful parents that they have! We just appreciate there friendship dearly!!! We are praying for you girls!! We have also met two couples that there wives had since lung transplants where we met in the ICU waiting room. Please pray for Ed, his wife and family as she is still in the ICU. Also please pray for Hester as she recovers from her single lung transplant as well. It's just amazing the relationships that you make going through this experience...

Well we had a great evening with my family last night. We were glad to have Ryan up here with us. We went to Weber Grill for supper...we needed a break and Brent needed to rest so it worked out. Last night went ok. They came in to do a chest x-ray at 12 and they did an EKG...when the Dr came in this morning...they didn't know why those were done...HA! So we weren't the only ones confussed! He is up and feeling good this morning. Tired but his pain is under control for the most part. Yesterday he walked 6 laps around the halls...which is huge!!!! He didn't even use oxygen for the last 4! I am very proud of him!!! We are looking forward to his siblings coming up to see him along with Beth & Ty Sauder today! This is a picture of the front of the Ronald Mcdonald House. Can you tell I am low on sleep!!Oh Mercy!

Good morning! We were both able to sleep very well last night! His pain is still there but it's not a bad as it was yesterday. He is still uncomfortable though because the pain is there. We were glad to have Aaron Anliker come visit us last night-we had a nice time...learning about mezzining! ;) Thanks for the book and goodies! We were so glad to see you and appreciate you making the effort to come visit! My mom and Rachel came up last night and are here for the weekend and Ryan is coming up today and staying over night! We can't wait to see him and I think some of Brent's siblings are coming up tomorrow to see him as well! Dr. Alex was just in here. They are not going to pull any chest tubes at this time so yesterday they were shooting for getting out on Monday but it looks like it could be later than that...it's a day by day thing. He was able to get up and walk a couple laps around the halls up here which is good. He does use the oxygen just for comfort measures when...

So the joke is...that the surgery is done with LOVE or BY LOVE! The lead lung transplant surgeon is Dr. Robert Love. He is from WI origionally he came to chicago not to many years ago to lead the transplant team here. He has people coming here from all over the states. He is one of the top 5 in the states for a double lung transplant. He is a super nice guys! We are just so thankful to have a great lead sugeon! He even went to church before he did the surgery because it was sunday. It's good to see a Dr. not only dedicated to his job but dedicated to our awesome God! May he be blessed for his care for his patients and his care for his faith! Thanks Dr Love for being part of this Miracle in our lives! More Pics...taken 5 seconds ago!! Me and my love bug!! It's great to see him smiling!

The song Keep On the Sunny Side comes to mind as I sit here with brent his afternoon. (now watching duck hunting guys...somewhere in Iowa) Brent is now sitting up. He sat up about 1:30 because he was having pain/discomfort. Since the epidural is out they have to get him on a pain regimen for him. The pain is that his chest feels "tight" but the dr's say it's because the epidural is out and he is now having some kind of pain/discomfort where before he had non because the epidural numbs the nerves that go to his chest cavitiy so he doesn't feel the pain. At first it made us both a little nervous as to what was going on but then the transplant surgeon came in and said that this is totally normal to be feeling like this until they get the pain meds regulated and the incision heals(which takes 6 wks. approx) He said this is the biggest incision that is made out of any surgeries out there. So him coming in and talking to us gave us both peace of mind. His tubes won...

Good afternoon! Sorry this didn't get done sooner. I went back over to the Ronald Mcdonald House at 7 this morning to do Laundry. While that was going I got an hour nap in. Last night went well he slept great. We were both awake at 4 this morning and he told me his is ready to walk out of here. I said what? So how does it feel then to have new lungs? (because he told me it wouldn't hit him until he was ready to walk out) He said well I am at least ready to get out of this bed and walk around a while. H e still has 2 chest tubes in. They pulled out his epidural this morning and by the time I got back he is in pain. They didn't get the pain meds started quite soon enough. He is now resting comfortably and sleeping right now. Pray that his pain can be barable. I am watching guys bow hunt water buffalo right now!! YEAH! It's not too bad...kinda interesting! Love to all! Trudy PS-To Pat & Owen(our neighbors) thank you both SO SO SO much for all you are doing for us and ...

Dr. Alex was just in. Nothing really new. Pretty much just waiting for those tubes to come out. He explained his meds and when we will need to come back for appt's with him etc. He is one of the nicest Dr's that we have...I say one of because we many that are nice! Here are a couple pics of him when he was in here with us not even 10 min ago! Enjoy! PS. I have to admit the Coyote movies weren't that bad...rachel!

Rachel stayed with us the last few days. She went on her merry way yesterday. Thanks sis for being here and helping! We both appreciate it! Glad you made it home safely! Say Hello to my little friend! These Turkey Vulturs fly right up to our window and look at us and strut around back and forth on the window ledge. Dr Alex tells us they have a roost somewhere close up here. This is Dr. Doolittle...if he don't make the orders we want him to do we just give him a little tugg tugg! Ain't that right Doc!! Clark and Bruce came up last night after work and headed home the same night! Thanks so much guys for making the effort to come up! We both appreciated your visit even though I had to watch coyote videos-We we enjoyed it! Glad you guys also made it home safely! See you soon! Remember I told you we have a room with a view. The tallest building is the sears tower...yesterday's pic wasn't that great! Thought we would share the view! This is my love bug this morning. He j...

Brent got his chest tubes out at 3:55 today. One on each side. We were told this would be the most painful part when then pull these. The nurse let me stay in with him and hold his hand and I got to watch the whole thing. I enjoyed seeing how they do it but if I wasn't into the medical field..I wouldn't have stayed in. So they told him to breath deep in and out and on the third breath blow out as forceful as you can and on that third one they pulled the tube. HE HAD NO...let me tell you again HE HAD NO NOOO PAIN-when they pulled these out! Praise the Lord! I am sure the newly placed epidural helped this pain as well! He is currently getting washed up and looking forward to Bruce and Clark coming up to visit! Love to all!! Trudy

Brent's first check up on the blog! Our view from Brent's room...if you look far out there you can see the Sears Tower! Well it's been a good day so far! Brent's mom and dad left for MN at 2:30 this afternoon. It was nice to have them here as much as they were. His epidural wasn't helping much and it was leacking the medication so at 1:30 they came in and replaced it and a different team put it in. He said he feels 10 times better and he wants to go for a walk...but then them meds hit him and now he is tired. They did come in and just tell us they are going to pull 2 chest tubes!! YEAH! Once all 4 of them are pulled we usually go home or leave here with in 24 hours. Everyone that comes in continues to be amazed at how well he has done. Looking back: 24 hrs after surgery he was awake and they had pulled his intubation tube, 24 hours after that they pulled the O2 off and moved him up here to the floor and 24 hrs after that they are pulling tubes...it's tr...

Brent had a restful night last night. He was in pain last night with the tubes just being uncomfortable they increased his epidural medications and that helped his pain quite a bit. This morning he said he felt good pain wise. I did stay overnight with him last night they have a couch that turns into a bed-it was a comfortable bed and we both rested well. They are discussing removing a couple of the chest tubes today if possible but that is not a for sure thing. He is able to walk around to the bathroom and back for now but he is up and moving. His lung transplant Dr should be in sometime this morning and like I said...I will try my hardest to get you guys posted when I know something new. It all depends on how much assistance Brent needs. Thanks for the understanding and patience! Here is a picture you guys have been wanting to see. Also if anyone is wanting send cards the address is: Loyola University Hospital 2160 South 1st Avenue 5 Tower,Room 5908 Maywood, IL 60153 Love to all! He...

Brent is doing good. He was sitting up when we came in this morning in a chair. He ate his liquid breakfast...yummy! He said he seen the clock about every hour but he rested well. They took him off of the oxygen at 3 this afternoon....how amazing! It's just amazing...words don't come to me! It's just an awesome thing! He has been off ever since and he is doing good. It was kind of wierd for him not to have a canulla on him. They pulled his IV out of his neck artery and we are now moved to another floor and out of ICU so the visiting hours are wide open now! The last couple days the visiting hours were very strict. He is pretty uncomfortable with the 4 chest tubes that he has in him right now. They keep telling us that as soon as those chest tubes come out he will "realize and feel" right now he knows that he has new lungs but he doesn't truly have the "feel" of the new lungs. His chest feels thight to him because one he has those chest tubes and two ...

I want you all to listen to this song. I haven't been able to get this song out of my head since Brent's been out of surgery. It says it all! Right now I am waiting for visiting hours to start at 10 this morning. Thanks so so so much for all the posts that has helped all of us so much more than we can say! Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UODpfuRvNNk (highlight this link and paste it into the website area) Love to all!-Trudy

Brent got his tube pulled out this afternoon about 4. I was able to go in right after to see him. He says he can't really tell the difference yet because he still kinda has it that he has his CF lungs still and that the skin is all pretty tight yet and he is taped up pretty good. I appreciate all the notes through this-I have read them often and I still go back over them and read them. It's been an emotional day...and draining. My mom and dad went up this evening. Rachel stayed up here with me for a couple days and Roger & Wendy are still here with us. We are thankful for our strong support of our families...it's a blessing! Brent was sitting up in a chair when we went to visit him at 8 this evening. They do have him on an epidural that is keeping his pain down where his chest was cut open-so that helps. He is is ornry self again. He was blowing into the FEV1 thing that the hospitals give you and the nurse commented on how well he was doing and he goes "Ok I got t...

I called the nurse this morning to get a report. He had a great night they took an x-ray this morning and everything still looks great. I got here at 10 to see him because they have very stricht visiting hours. When I got in there I held his hand and right away he sweezed it. Of course then the tears started flowing. I told him how perfect the lungs were that he got and how much a miracle this is and he teared up with joy. He still have the tube in him but they are working on weening him off today. I told him that I love him and he took my hand a drew a heart on it and pointed to me...It's just amazing how much he can respond...not that he will remeember but it means a lot to all of us! I told him that I needed to go so the rest of the family could come in and see him and he moved his head no and not an upset look on his face...he didn't want me to leave...i can't even express how joyful,overwhelming and how much a miracle this is for him! This is truly a memorial day for a...

He is out of surgery and everything went GREAT!!! It's awesome!!! We are so truly thankful for all that has come over the past hours! He should be extubated by the end of today. I will let you know more when I know!

They just called and they are closing him up so the Dr will hopefully be down in the next hour or so...again not sure on a time! Everything went well...I just know that God had His hand in all of this and still does!!! Thanks for the cointinued prayers! It's amazing to think that we are on this side of all of this!! Trudy

Jenn was just in here. They started surgery a little early before the lungs were here...they had him cut but nothing with the lungs was touched until the new lungs were here. Right now they have one lung out and they are putting the first new one in. Right now they are thinking that he should be out around 12-but we don't hold them too that....things can change. He will be a sleep until at least tomorrow or until they take his tube out. They just called...they have the R lung in and he is doing good!!!! Praise God! Trudy

H Here are the lungs!!! Coming in this suburban!! Sirens going and all! Jenn called to tell me they were almost here so we ran outside to watch them come by!! It was amazing!!!! Jenn put the window down and waved to us...it's awesome!!!

This is Jenn...she flew out to get his lungs! Brent Doing his last treatment This cooler is the one that will hold his new lungs!! ...LORD WILLING!! The Gangs all here!...except me..I am taking the pic! Us right before he went into the OR! Waiting!!!!..even little miss Katie is here to be with us..she adds joy and entertainment! Brent went into the OR at 3:30 surrounded by everyone of our family members,except Ryan because he had to work today-We miss you buddy and Love you!!! We got the call at 5:30 that the transplant is a GO...wait...did you hear me...IT'S A GO!!!!! Lots of excitment and emotion! Now we just wait for....6-8 hours to see how it goes and how he takes it! We are just so overwhelmed and it's been nothing but a miracle for us! We are just so thankful to have all of his family here for him-it's a blessing to both of us...but especially him! T...

Well we got word this morning that a couple lungs came available from 1 donor. They said that the donor is young, athletic and there was no trama to the patient. Please pray for the donors family as well...because they have lost someone that they love dearling. Also pray for the Dr's and nurses that will be helping through out all of this! We just pray that this is the miracle we have all been waiting for. He is due to go in to surgery at about 2-3 and the surgery will last approx. 10 hours or so. If I get the chances I will update on here as much as I can! We love you all and we appreciate all the prayers! Love you! Trudy(& Brent)

Good afternoon...sorry this post is later than what it usually is for the day. Brent had a restful night last night. He woke and felt pretty good. I got over here to the hospital around 8 or so then at 8:30 he started coughing up blood...pure. Kinda scary/nerve wrecking since we thought he was feeling so well. The Dr's aren't concerned because it's typical CF symptoms him coughing up blood. Once he got it out he was tired but it didn't last long-the coughing up blood-thankfully! They did draw labs and they took an x-ray of his chest to double check everything is OK. Rachel got here about 10 this morning. Brent was glad to see her come and liven the place up some. His Mom and dad should be here anytime now. They are staying at the Ronald McDonald house as well for the night. We can not say enough how thankful we are to have the Ronald McDonald house to stay it-it's the comfort of our own home...truly! I will update you all if anything changes otherwise I will catch ...

These are new pics we took today! Fun times! Brent was able to get up and go for a walk for some fresh air this afternoon . When we were heading back up to his room in walked Teresa and Bruce to see Brent! Other than that...nothing new going on. They took him off of the non rebreather and on the canula. He can still use the non rebreather when he gets really short of breath. So it's still hooked up but they don't want him to depend on it. The resp. therapist told us that too much O2 can make his lungs "stiff". So we don't want that! Here are the pics.... Our Outing Our lovely visitors! Thanks for coming up!!! We enjoyed the visit! Brent & Brother Bruce! Bruce & Teresa visiting

Welp here we sit still in Brents itty bitty teeny tinny room-but it's cozy! The Dr was in at 10:30 or so. His number has jumped from 43.8 to 52!!! WOW!!! It's great because that makes him higher on the nation wide list. He came up forth on the nation wide list for a lung that was available last night but the first pt that got called for it didn't take it because they were bad lungs. So if the first three pt would have turned them down then Brent would have had the oportunity to take them!! So the Dr's are fairly confident that he will be transplanted soon...in the near future. It's exciting to think he could get his lungs soon! But we don't want to be let down either if we go home with no lungs. People have been asking what the highest number is that Brent can be on the transplant list-it is 100...when you get that high though the pt is usually on a ventilator and in the ICU. His number went up from yesterday because he is on the non rebreather machine...he do...

This is my dad-I made him this cake for his 50th! We surprised them with some of his friends at Tobins...it worked! This is our view from our room....nice to see some green life out there! Brent thought this name was funn...because of Trudy...Tutti Fruiti...HA HA BABE!! This is us hanging out in Brent's room...you can see it's not that spacious...I am writing here on the blog! This Jennifer-she is one of the nurse coordinators for Lung transplants...she is a ball! This is me and my best friend the first day in the hospital! Dawn and Becky (Brent's cousins...& mine!) drove up to see us and spend time with us! It was so great to have them here...they added laughter to his room! He really enjoyed them coming! Thanks girls...we love you! The transplant nurses came in and Brent's Score is 43.8 now-it jumped up quite a few numbers-last we knew it was 38. Because his health is declined so much it has raised his score-the transplant "community" uses this sco...