We finally have internet again. I’m so sorry the blog has been down and I couldn’t let you know what is going on. Phillip is doing fine and we are ready to come home. I just hope the plane can get off the ground with all we have bought.
He is to have the stitches taken out of his neck tomorrow morning. We leave here Saturday at 11:25 a.m. and arrive in Memphis at 10:45 p.m. Remember we are 13 hrs. ahead of home. Thanks once again for all your comments, prayers and thoughts for our family.
March 13th, 2008
Our internet is down in our room, so I am using the neighbor’s computer. It’s hard not to communicate. We are doing fine. Phillip is still in pain, but not too bad. He came out of ICU Wednesday morning. I will write when we get our internet going.
March 6th, 2008
Phillip made it through surgery ok. The dr. said he cleaned up the bones around the spinal cord and removed a cyst and injected stem cells at the break line. He wasn’t impressed with Phillip’s 1st surgery at The Med. He believes Phillip will see improvement in the next 3 months. He says very few don’t get better after stem cell. I keep thinking about when we were in Atlanta, the Lord dropped the words, “Have faith in God” in my heart at the airport when I was so stressed. God is able!! We have to keep on keeping on.
We did not get to see Phillip today, but the reps checked on him at various times. They were going to give him pencillin, but did some kind of test and determined he is allergic to it. They then gave him something else. I think he is in quite a bit of pain; he has a morphine pump. Thanks again for all your prayers and the love shown to our family.
March 3rd, 2008
Today is Monday, March 3, 2008. It is 9:48 a.m. here and Phillip is in surgery. His surgery is supposed to be 4 hrs. They told us we might be able to see him today, but we might not. He can’t eat at all today and is supposed to have soft food in the morning (such as rice or soup). Can’t those of you who know Phillip very well see him eating rice in the morning? He would starve first. Friday, they told us that he would have to shave before surgery and cut his hair. We didn’t realize until Sunday morning that they meant all his hair. They called a barber in who would shave his face and his head. Apparently, some will not do both. I had promised him I would shave his face, so I did that with the razor he brought from home. Well, that wasn’t good enough. She used a straight razor on his face after I had used his razor. On his hair, she used manual clippers and then used a straight razor on his head. She charged us 20 yuans (almost $3). Needless to say, he looks like a peeled apple. We’re not sure why they needed his head shaved when they are doing surgery on his neck. None of us slept very well. I’m sure we are all anxious, trying not to worry, but still apprehensive. We went to the surgery floor with him. It was very, very clean.
Yesterday, we had plans to go to the zoo, but they wouldn’t let Phillip out of the hospital, so I went with a group. Phil and Chicken Little stayed with Phillip. We rode in a bus through the zoo. The tigers, lions, and bears would come up to the bus and the driver would feed them chicken legs on a stick. The animals would get on their hind legs to grab the chicken. I sure was hoping the bus didn’t break down, I would have looked a lot better than a chicken leg. We then went to the Temple where some people were burning incense and bowing down to that statute. When we came back to the hospital, all of us ordered from a European restaurant. Phil and Phillip had sirloin steak and I had pizza. Not quite what we have at home, but better than some things.
Phil is getting a foot massage from a reflexologist right now. I am next. It feels so good. It seems to help Phil’s gout. I will update when we know more about Phillip. Thanks once again for all your prayers.
March 3rd, 2008
Today has been pretty uneventful. While Phillip had therapy, Phil and I rode a city bus ($.16) for what seemed like forever. We went to a different Wal-Mart (3 stories high). Some things we just can’t get away from. I have major sinus issues. The rep wants me to go to the emergency room. I said I didn’t want to spend the money. She responded that it wouldn’t be much, maybe 10-20 yuan ($1.30-$3.00). I said, maybe tomorrow if I’m not feeling better. I’m not sure what is in the air, but it is really getting to me the last two days. We have been spending quite a lot of time with the Hutterites. They are from a different culture than we are also, but very smart and interesting to talk with.
Phillip is doing fine. He has had some headaches the last two days.
He fakes having a temperature so he can get a nurse to come down and take it. She just giggles and says it is fine. Phillip has to shave before he has surgery Monday. He definitely needs to.
Phil rode in the 3-wheel car today. He wasn’t too impressed. I think we will stick with taxi from here on.
February 29th, 2008
Today is Thursday. Things are pretty much the same over here. Phillip is having acupuncture and getting therapy twice a day. They are also putting medicine in his bladder. They hang a bottle of medicine on an iv pole and let the medicine fill his bladder, clamp off the tubing (and I mean they use a clamp we use to hold papers together) leave the medicine in and then let it run out. They do this until the bottle is empty. Maybe this will kill all the bugs in this urinary tract. Phillip has been feeling better. He has been getting up each day. Sunday, we are going somewhere with the Hutterites. They are really nice and we have enjoyed meeting them and learning about their colony. There’s something to be said to have someone else take care of your bills, cook a week every 22 weeks, and never having to decide what to wear. They are very literate and computer savvy. They have helped us with our computer.
I stayed at the hotel last night. I had been here the last 3 so I was ready to get out for awhile. Lucy, our rep and I went to the wholesale market. It is huge and I could stay there all day long. I am looking for China dolls for the girls, but all the dolls look like what we have at home. Lucy said the reason is that all Chinese girls want to look like American girls because they think American girls are the most beautiful in the world. The wholesale market has a floor of shoes, floor of purses, beddding, and etc. Each floor just goes on and on. Chinese people dress just like we do in the Western world. Is that because they make our clothes???? Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Speaking of eggs, I went by McDonald’s and got Phillip an Egg McMuffin this morning. The egg and ham?? is on a bun.
I rode back from the hotel in another 3-wheel car. It was a rough ride, I don’t believe it had shocks and we hit every pot hole in the road, but it was cheap. (5 yuan, taxi is 8).
Phillip will have surgery Monday. They will put his bone marrow and his stem cells back in his spinal column. The surgery should be in the morning. He will then have to be in ICU for two days where we can’t see him but once or twice a day. After he comes back to the room, he will have to stay in bed for ten days. Please keep us in your prayers. This would be scary in America, but in China it is more terrifying, even though I have confidence in the drs. Catch you later.
February 28th, 2008
I am so crazy, I didn’t know there were comments out there until someone asked if I could read them. There were 35 of them. I loved it, so keep them coming. Phillip has gone down to have bone marrow removed from his hip. It is supposed to be a 20 min. procedure. I have opened the window. He won’t allow it when he is in the room, so I am enjoying the fresh air. It is 9:08 a.m. here and 7:08 p.m. in Arkansas. There is 14 hrs. difference. We did buy a translator before we came, but the first time I used it in a restaurant, the waiter all but laughed in my face. I’m not sure what it translated, but it must have been funny. All I was asking for was chicken. Chicken is not as popular here as in America. Pork, beef, fish, bugs and things I can identify seem to be at the top of the menu items. Apparently our translator is not the right dialect they use here.
I can’t get Phil to ride in a three-wheel car. They say they are dangerous, but seem ok to me. If you could see the way they all drive, getting into any vehicle is taking a chance. The good thing is, there is so much traffic they can’t go very fast. We almost were in an accident yesterday. A brand new Toyota either pulled out in front of us or we went down the middle of the street one, I’m not sure, but if he hadn’t speeded up and went into an alley, his brand new Toyota would have had a big dent in it. That is the closest we have come to having an accident.
Phillip came back from the procedure. He was supposed to lay flat for 4-6 hrs., but couldn’t wait that long to eat. (He is very much kin to his mother). Anyway, he has just turned on the internet radio, put his microphones on his head and given a concert to the physical therapist and the caregiver, Chicken Little. It’s 3:50 p.m. and Phillip is already interested in what he is going to eat for supper. I’ve got to go order his supper.
February 26th, 2008
It snowed all day here in Shenyang. There was about 1/2 inch of soot and snow mixed together on the roads and sidewalks. The soot had to have come out of the air. We had to go to the bank, then went to an electronic store to try to find an adapter for my camera battery charger and Phillip’s wheelchair charger. We ended up buying a battery charger for 10 yuan ($1.30) for the camera, but did not find an adapter for Phillip’s battery. It seems to be an impossibility to find that particular adapter. The store has booth after booth of electronic items. I am amazed at the shopping that is available here. We see lots of shopping areas, but there doesn’t seem to be much buying. We then went and ate at a restaurant and pointed our way through pictures posted as to what we wanted. We went to one restaurant and they didn’t have pictures so we had to leave.
I know this blog is supposed to be about Phillip, so I will tell you about him. At 9:00 p.m. tonight they are going to give him some type of shots and then tomorrow they will remove bone marrow from his hip. This will go to the lab and they will then do surgery next week putting the bone marrow in his spinal column. Sounds scary, huh! Phillip has been very fortunate. Margo, next door has had terrible headaches. Phillip has had no side effects from either stem cell treatment. His appetite is as good as mine and he has been trying to get a Chinese girl to kiss him. He hasn’t accomplished this yet, but feels very confident that he will. They all think he is very handsome and very tall.
The Hutterites (who I referred to as Amish) checked into the hospital today. The father came over and stayed two weeks about a month ago to check out the hospital, was impressed with what he saw and now he, his wife, daughter, brother and sister-in-law are here. Very nice people! Next door is a retired Royal Canadian policeman (Mark) and Custom agent wife (Margo) and next door to them is another Canadian and his mother. There is a multitude of nationalities.
February 25th, 2008
Today is Sunday. Friday, Phil was standing at a counter asking a question and two Chinese women (Lucy and Julie) came up to him and one began to speak with him in English. She was raised here, but is now married to an American and lives in Philadelphia. Her friend, Julie is very limited in her English. Anyway, very professional acting people. They wanted to meet me and take us to lunch, so we did that Saturday. They came by taxi with a huge lovely bouquet. We went to a really nice restaurant and ordered many different dishes. My favorite was green eggplant. It was very good. We then went to a huge Chinese grocery store where I bought Skippy peanut butter and bread. After going to the store, we were walking and came upon four Amish people. They asked if we could speak English and we responded positively. They then asked if we could speak Chinese, but I said “no, no, but Lucy can.” Anyway, long story short they are from Canada and have brought their daughter (approximately 12-13) for stem cells for blindness. It broke my heart to see her. They are checking in here tomorrow on the 12th floor. I want to go see them when they get settled.
Phil walks each morning from the hotel. It is about a 25 min.walk. When Carolyn stays there, she takes a taxi. I wouldn’t have a clue how to walk it.
Today, we rented a van and took Phillip to the electronics store, which has 6 floors of nothing but electronics. We only went to the 4th floor where I picked out some dvd’s for the kids and Phillip ordered sets of 3 different series. They will deliver to the hospital tomorrow. I want to buy more movies. They were 6 yuans apiece. They were more like .90 than .80. We then went to Pizza Hut and had lunch. That is one place that is not cheap. It is very comparable to American price. Really not worth it at all, but it will probably be the only time Phillip will want to get out. He is not in the bed freezing. It is 30 degrees which to me is not too bad, but very cold for Phillip. Hopefully, they will begin tomorrow to harvest bone marrow. I will write later.
February 24th, 2008
Today is another day here in China. It is Friday, Feb 22 and it is 28 degrees but feels warmer. The day temperatures are not bad, the nighttime gets down to 6. Phillip isn’t feeling well today. He is sweating and then freezing. I’m not sure what’s going on with him. He has stem cells at 4:00 p.m. We have hired the caregiver the people from Gentry, AR had. They call him Chicken Little. They left this morning leaving us with a fan (which we definitely need), plates, towels, soap and etc. When we leave we will pass this stuff on. They will pick up your laundry three times a week. It comes back perfectly folded and ironed. They do not use fabric softner, but get things very clean. I wish I had known all this stuff and I wouldn’t have brought so many clothes and I would have brought cooler clothes. He doesn’t speak English, but we are definitely learning how to point. It is amazing that communicating can be done if you will just work at it. Phil and I left for awhile and went to a fancy restaurant to eat. We had this huge bowl (washbowl size) of liquid, full of hot peppers which they remove before eating and fish swimming around in the liquid. That is not literal, the fish was actually cooked. The fish was a white fish. It was ok. We also ate bamboo and fried rice. All this plus tea and two drinks came to 76 yuan (equivalent of $11). The restaurant is in a huge mall. There are huge malls just down the street from each other. They are at least six stories high and each floor is huge. You can’t believe how many new cars there are here. It’s either a taxi, bicycle, truck, moped or a brand new vehicle. The acupuncturist should be here soon. Have a great day.
February 22nd, 2008
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