[Magdalen] Shunt Surgery Update

[Marion Thompson]

Prayers continue.  How is Lisa doing today?

Marion, a pilgrim


On 12/6/2017 5:46 PM, Christopher Hart wrote:
> Lisa is now headed back into surgery to adjust the placement of the shunt.
> Earliest she might come home is Friday. Might even be Saturday. More
> prayers please.
>
>
> On Wed, Dec 6, 2017 at 12:13 AM Christopher Hart <cervus51 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Thanks, Bob, and very good to hear from you. I can report briefly that
>> Lisa's surgery went very well, at least that's what the surgeon said. I got
>> to see her for a short time this evening after she was awake. I will visit
>> longer tomorrow and/or bring her home if she's up to it. I think that's
>> optimistic, but I know she will want to come home if she thinks she can. We
>> shall see what the doctor says. Thanks to everyone for prayers. Feel free
>> to keep them up for continued healing.
>>
>> On Tue, Dec 5, 2017 at 5:04 PM, Robert Counselman <
>> bob.counselman at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Prays rising in West Texas for both of you!  Blessings, Bob
>>>
>>> On Mon, Dec 4, 2017 at 8:54 PM, Scott Knitter <scottknitter at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Christopher, I'm praying from here as well. All blessings...Scott
>>>>
>>>> On Mon, Dec 4, 2017 at 6:04 PM, Clarissa Canning <canplum at gmail.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I add my prayers for all to go well
>>>>>
>>>>> On Dec 4, 2017 3:26 PM, "Judy Fleener" <fleenerj at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Prayers for both of you are being offered at our house.
>>>>>> Judy
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Mon, Dec 4, 2017 at 4:07 PM, Marion Thompson <
>>>>> marionwhitevale at gmail.com
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Prayers and good wishes, indeed, as you both deal with the
>>> stresses
>>>> and
>>>>>>> strains of this situation, and more prayers for Lisa's quick and
>>>>> complete
>>>>>>> recovery from the procedure.  And a hearty bravo to you for your
>>>>>> continuing
>>>>>>> abstinence.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Marion, a pilgrim
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On 12/4/2017 9:01 AM, Christopher Hart wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Dear Pub Friends,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> My wife, Lisa, was born with hydrocephalus and has had since
>>>>> childhood a
>>>>>>>> shunt to relieve the excess fluid in her brain. Like many medical
>>>>>> devices
>>>>>>>> shunts can and do wear out and time also finds the medical
>>> community
>>>>>>>> making
>>>>>>>> improvements in treatment. About three weeks ago her neurosurgeon
>>>>>> placed a
>>>>>>>> new type of programmable valve into her existing shunt to enable
>>>>> better
>>>>>>>> control of her fluid which was draining too much. This sort of
>>> valve
>>>>> did
>>>>>>>> not exist when she had her last shunt implanted. The valve was
>>>> placed
>>>>>> into
>>>>>>>> her abdomen near a rib to avoid surgery at or near her head.
>>>>>>>> Unfortunately,
>>>>>>>> it became disconnected from the tubing and she was leaking
>>>>>> cerebro-spinal
>>>>>>>> fluid through the incision at an alarming rate. I took her to the
>>>>>>>> emergency
>>>>>>>> room yesterday when I suspected what was happening and the
>>>>> neurosurgeon
>>>>>>>> who
>>>>>>>> examined her (her surgeon's associate) confirmed my layman's
>>>>> suspicion.
>>>>>>>> ​The upshot of this is that she now has her shunt connected to an
>>>>>> external
>>>>>>>> ventricular device to control and monitor the flow and will be
>>>>> ​having a
>>>>>>>> whole new shunt installed tomorrow if all goes as planned. This
>>> is
>>>>>> pretty
>>>>>>>> major surgery, but she has a very good surgeon so we have high
>>> hopes
>>>>> for
>>>>>>>> the outcome. If all is well she may come home as soon as
>>> Wednesday,
>>>>> but
>>>>>>>> will no doubt have a significant period of recovery to follow.
>>> Your
>>>>>>>> prayers
>>>>>>>> and good wishes are, of course, welcome and desired, both for her
>>>> and
>>>>>> for
>>>>>>>> me as I deal with everything. After eleven hours in or around
>>> the ER
>>>>> and
>>>>>>>> then ICU (following transfer from one hospital to another) I'm
>>> happy
>>>>> to
>>>>>>>> say
>>>>>>>> that I did not reach for a drink which certainly would have been
>>> my
>>>>>>>> default
>>>>>>>> action in the past.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> Judy Fleener, ObJN,SSH
>>>>>> Western Michigan
>>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Scott R. Knitter
>>>> Edgewater, Chicago, Illinois USA
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Fr. Robert L Counselman
>>> Retired
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> Christopher Hart
>>
>> List Mail Address: cervus51 at gmail.com
>> Personal Mail: cervus at veritasliberat.net
>> Twitter: @cervus51
>>