[Magdalen] Shunt Surgery Update

[Lynn Ronkainen]

Good news to hear this afternoon. Prayers steady healing progress for Lisa and peaceful moments for you. 
Lynn 

On Dec 8, 2017, at 1:56 PM, Christopher Hart <cervus51 at gmail.com> wrote:

Lisa came home from the hospital today. She's still a bit unsteady, but
that should pass soon. She's been through a pretty rough time this past
week, not to say that it's been easy on me, but I'd still rather be the
hospital visitor than the patient. Thanks to everyone for prayers.

On Fri, Dec 8, 2017 at 11:09 AM, Marion Thompson <marionwhitevale at gmail.com>
wrote:

> 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
>>> 
>>> 
> 


-- 

Christopher Hart

List Mail Address: cervus51 at gmail.com
Personal Mail: cervus at veritasliberat.net
Twitter: @cervus51