Smooth Sailing

We're actually still in the hospital as I write this update!  Things have gone so well, we're ready to go home now at 9 in the morning, but we have to wait for Rick to have yet one more hospital meal!  Those of you who know Rick well know that he will not pass up on ANY food.

5:30am ready to get admitted.

Everything went extremely well yesterday.  We are so thankful for God's protection and his sovereign plan for our lives.  Having confidence in Him and not just the doctors truly provides a level of peace that makes facing something like brain surgery so much easier! 


We were really surprised in pre-op when his stimulator that was implanted back in October was shut off.  IMMEDIATELY his tremor started, and it actually was quite violent at the start.  It was a dramatic moment that made us both realize how much it had been helping.  Since the first stimulator was implanted and programmed it hasn't been as perfect as we'd like, so seeing this was a huge eye opener. 

Rick all smiles with his ice pack on his head!

The time flew by for me while Rick was in surgery, thanks to great friends who kept me company and distracted me!  By the time I got to see Rick we were on our way to his room.  He had ZERO pain, and other than the ice pack he really enjoyed on his head, he didn't need anything for his head!  He was quite alert this time for a few hours and was able to successful enjoy a meal without falling asleep mid bite! 

Everything has gone quick & easy this morning.  The staff has been terrific and everyone has made us feel so special.  I'm not sure that they get very many DBS patients as happy & easy as Rick!   We'll be going home this afternoon and then coming back tomorrow to have the stimulator implanted on his right side. 

Neither of us looking our best, but happy to be together!

I was able to capture a video this morning of Rick after his MRI.  The stimulator implanted in October had to be shut off before he could have his MRI.  This is about 2 minutes long and it's Rick trying to turn the stimulator back on.  He's never done it before, so it doesn't turn on until I walk over and actually turn it back on for him.  It's really remarkable.  His right side is most visible in this video.  He's also on medication when this was taken so it's not as dramatic as yesterday morning.  I think you'll enjoy this. 

Rick & I want to thank everyone for their love & support.  We continue to be blown away by the love that we fell from our friends near & far.  It's hard not to feel special when you have so many wonderful people in your corner.  We love and appreciate all of you so very, very much!

Here We Go Again

It's been an interesting 8 weeks since we started this journey for Rick.  Rick has recovered extremely well, and his hair is just about starting to curl up! 

Monday marks the beginning of the last step in this surgical process.  Rick will being undergoing the same exact surgery he had in October.  This time on his right brain for the left side of his body.  Feels a little different this time as we really know what to expect.  Instead of the two surgeries (one for inserting the probe & the other for the stimulator in his chest) being a week apart, this time they will be two days apart.  He'll stay overnight at CDH (Central Dupage Hospital) on Monday night, get discharged sometime on Tuesday, and then we'll be back on Wednesday for the final surgery.  Seems silly to do that, but Medicare has their rules, and without Medicare, its a $140,000 or so procedure!  We'll gladly go home and come back again!

On the plane to Salt Lake City

Sporting his Michigan beenie from Erik Deuel

Rick's been really doing great. Just a few weeks after surgery we traveled to Park City, Utah.  He really was able to enjoy the trip and being able to relax in an airplane was a big deal for him!   Almost 2 weeks ago he was cleared for completely normal activity.  You can bet the first thing he did was get back to his full workouts.  He only had a 2 week window to really workout again before the 6 week "sentence" of no rigorous activity got put back on him!  He's really noticing that his right side (the side with the stimulator) has gotten significantly stronger. 

Out on the deck in Park City, UT

It's not been smooth sailing these last few weeks.  The programming has been more complicated than we thought.  Mostly because he still has needed to be on medication to treat his left side.  The challenge is that his brain can't receive the medication just on one side...it goes to the entire brain.  One side needs it more than the other, and well, it it brain surgery after all! 

At our company HQ in SLC

We both are super excited about where this journey is leading.  We continue to fix our eyes not on what we see, but on what's to come.  I haven't written much mostly because I'm working on our business plan for 2012.  Rick wants to be a major contributor to what we are doing, so we've been focusing on our success rather than Parkinson's and brain surgery.  It's been nice for both of us, and this last surgery has almost snuck up on us! 

Day 2 of full activity clearance and he's out running interval sprints!

I'll be sure to update everyone on how Monday goes.  With God on our side, and Rick being such a rockstar, I'm completely confident that it will be smooth sailing once again!