Monday

Hey Guys,

I hope everyone had a great weekend. DeAnn ended up making it to the wedding and had a great time. Dad came up and stayed with me and then stayed through today. We watch our NY Yankees beat the Mets Saturday and Sunday night. It always makes me feel better when the Bombers win.

I have a appointment with Vermillion in the morning. Hopefully we will get the drain out of my stomach and also pull some of the staples. I think this will make me feel better anyway. Things are improving everyday and it is just taking time.

Thank you one more time for all the thoughts and prayers through this last surgery. I'll never be able to thank you enough.

Fins Up,
Jr.

Lazy

Hey Guys,

Sorry I haven't posted it has been pretty boring. This has been probably the worst surgery for me that I have had. I guess its that I had gotten so independent before this and now I need help with everything. All I do is lay on my back and watch TV.

D and I are supposed to go to a friend's wedding in North Alabama this weekend. She is still going but I don't think I can make it. I'm just physically not ready. I hate it, but it is what it is.

I have also been working on my Itunes again. Uncle Daniel and my ipod's are almost perfect.

Anyway. Have a great weekend.

Fins Up,
Jr.

Home

Hey Guys,



Just wanted to let you now we have made it home. We got here about 4:00. We hope we have my pain under control. Dad and I went to The Pain Management Clinic today to make sure we have the correct doses. If I move at all, it is painful. This is probably the most painful of any of my other recoveries, but hope the pain will go away quickly. The good thing about it is I have a few weeks to hang out and rest. I really want to thank you all one more time for the support of the last 16 months. Also, to all our friends on the sixth floor, we couldn't have made it without you.

Fins Up,
Jr.

7:00 PM

Hey Guys,

I'm sorry I didn't post yesterday. I guess I thought mom did. Anyway, I have had a pretty good couple of days. Uncle John was up yesterday and Uncle Daniel was up today. We solved most of the world's problems. It appears that we will get out of here Thursday. I am still very sore, but it is getting better I think. D has been at work this week trying to keep us a float. Thank you for your continued prayers.

Funs Up,
Jr.

4:10 pm

Hello to all, Hope you all have had a good weekend. Neil continues to make progress. He is still very uncomfortable and that will take a while to be better. He is running some temp off and on. All in all this still is much better than any other surgery he has had. The doctor had said maybe he could be released Monday or Tuesday. There is now some speculation that he might stay another day or so. That is not alarming and none of us wants Neil to go home before he is ready. Another day or two here will be much better than having to return. We are so pleased with the way Neil is responding to this surgery. Neil and DeAnn are not getting much sleep but are able to take catnaps between nurse's visits. That probably will not improve until they get home. Your prayers, love and support have kept all of us going and we so appreciate each of you. Thanks so much. Take care

Friday 5:00pm

Good afternoon to all, Things are going well here at Baptist South. Neil and DeAnn do not get much sleep as you can imagine, but other than that there are no complaints. Neil sat in a chair for about an hour and a half. Neil is now on a regular diet. He is a bit more uncomfortable than yesterday and hopes today will be the worse day. The doctor came by and continues to be pleased with his progress. They removed one of the drainage tubes today and will remove another tomorrow. The third one will go home with Neil. My goodness, it is so wonderful to have a normal surgery with a healthy body. We are so blessed. We continue to appreciate each prayer and all of your kinds thoughts and words.

Neil was reminded what a small world we live in as Ashley Carnley, working as an intern here and is from Elba, was the nurse who took him back to surgery. We loved seeing a familiar face "driving" him down the hall.

Brother Stanley shared with us that Ms. Ginny will be home Monday. What grand news.

Please remember Mr. Bob Cannon in your prayers. He has had a difficult week. We sure want him to feel better.

Hope you all have a good weekend.

Thursday 4:30 pm

Sorry about the delay in posting. Neil planned to post last night but nodded off to sleep. Neil is in a regular room on the floor. That says a lot about how well he is doing. He is uncomfortable but that is to be expected. They are really managing the pain quite well. The doctor came by and was still smiling. He said the surgery could not have gone any better. Neil has some temp this morning and some this afternoon. The doctor said that is not unusual for this type of surgery. He expects Neil might go home Monday or Tuesday and that is sooner than he had earlier anticpated. Neil was able to sit on the side of the bed today for several minutes. Tomorrow he will sit in a chair. The doctor changed his diet from clear liquid to full liquid, so that means Neil can go from sprite to a milkshake. Tomorrow he will be on a regular diet. Everyone here at Baptist South has been so kind to all of us. We have been able to renew many friendships from Neil's previous visits. Thanks to each of you for your love and support.

Please keep Ms. Ginny Howard in your prayers. She is making progress everyday and we are so excited for her and all of her family.

Record Time

The doctor just came into the waiting room....and he was SMILING!

This went quicker than we thought and Neil came through the surgery well. He is in recovery. They fixed the hernia and the doc was able to take out the old mesh and put in some new that will hold better and is permanent! The skin graft is gone and in it's place are 42 stitches, but not to fear we have been told that Neil will come out of this looking better than we do!! HA!

The tentative plan by the Doc is that Neil will be sitting up tomorrow and possibly doing a little walking on Friday!

We are still waiting on the final decision as to if he is going to the SICU unit or if he will go on to the regular floor. The fact that they are considering the floor shows just how well the surgery went. We are so grateful, excited and of course we are ready to see Neil.

Thank you all so much for your prayers and we will update you again after we see him!

In Surgery

Hey guys and gals....

Neil came to Troy yesterday to speak to the delegates of the Youth Leadership Forum (YLF). He did a great job!! Many of the delegates were sad Neil couldn't stay and eat lunch with the group so they could talk to him more. Just wanted to let you know before I get to the information that you really want.

Mom, Dad and D have been at good ole Baptist South since around 7 this morning. They got Neil checked in for what we hope is the last time. Neil was in the holding room for around an hour and a half.

He JUST went into surgery. We have been told to expect 5-8 hours of surgery. As we get news we will be sure to update you on how things are going. We appreciate all of your on-going support and prayers.

Also please keep Ollie DuBose and her family in your prayers as they travel to Birmingham today.

Couldn't leave this off....

Fins Up
VRG

Tuesday

Hey Guys,

Everything is going well. Just wanted to thank you all one more time for the prayers and to let you all know how things are going.

Fins Up,

Jr.

Monday

Hey Guys,

I hope everybody had a great weekend. Friday morning I went to Elba. Grandmama cooked an awesome breakfast and then Dad and I went to Defuniak for the "Luau". Dad, Wynn, and I normally play in this tournament, but since I am on the DL they called in Mrs. Lynn Weeks as a ringer.

Friday night a group of us went to Ruths' Chris. It is always a great meal and even better fellowship. Dad, Wynn, and Mrs. Weeks had a decent day on Saturday and then gave it away yesterday when 3 costly pars. I had a great time riding with Wynn and Lynn yesterday though.

Today I am just hanging out. Tomorrow I am going to Troy to speak to group of teenagers at the university. It is an honor and one I am not sure I deserve.

After that it is all about Baptist South. We have to be there at 7 on Wed. Morning. I am sure Mom or DeAnn will be blogging so maybe I can take over next week.

Fins Up,
Jr.

Happy Birthday Mom

I know she will scold me about this, but today is Mom's birthday. As most of you know she is a wonderful woman and an even better mother. Long before we knew anything about the inner workings of Baptist South, Mom and I spent many days on the road and in hospitals trying to do new things with my CP. She is absolutely one of my best friends and don't know what I would do without her. She is also one of the most self-less people I know. Our early morning grudge matches on the basketball court and the golf course are some of my favorite memories.

Mom, I had a great time this weekend with you and I hope today was a great day for you.

Neil