Hi 4 dear readers

We are at the Kiwanis house in Sacramento. God help me this town blows chunks.
Obviously I have computer access here at the Family House.

First, yesterday when we were comming here we ended up on the wrong Interstate because I took a short cut which really was shorter, but I got nervous and got off of it before I should have and ended up in Vacaville, about 40 miles SOUTH of where I needed to be. Luckily the route back put me on I-80 which actually made my transition in Sac. much easier to find the hospital. About 2:00 my aunt called to tell me that Redding hadn't shipped our package yet (my dad) and he wasn't antisipated to leave until 4. It was 5 when we got to the Kiwanis house and we waited for work on my dads arrival. We got the call that he was in the air and where on the 144 acre campus we would find him. We arrived at the main hospital and found the tower, farthest from parking garage and main enterance, and floor, very top, that he was on. My aunt entertained me with stories of their trip to the Jack in the Box for lunch.
After about 30 minutes my dad arrived no worse for wear and we got him situated in his very private, ultra secure, pass through two door and scrub in the middle, room.
We left him last night knowing they were going to get a couple x-rays and put him back into traction on his neck antisipating surgery today or tomorrow.

This morning we got up at 6am. No really, I got up at 5:45. I just waited till the alarm went off to wake up Greg and to roll out of bed. We got up and went into the kitchen. (We went shopping last night {bad idea} and bought some groceries because we have a kitchen here) It was bagels for me and a mini pizza for Greg, plus SODA! We trudged across the parking lot to the shuttle pick up to head to the hospital by 7am, when we thought we'd meet the Drs. On the way my uncle called and wanted to see if I could call the shuttle they wern't answering their phone and were supposed to be running. The shuttle shelter has a direct line phone... no answer there either. But the little phone said to call police dispatch after hours. OK. So I did. Walla, shuttle. We made the trek 44 thousand miles to my dads room and found him sleeping. They had kept him up all night running tests, taking x-rays, putting him in traction.

Right now we are resting at the Kiwanas house. My uncle is with my dad. He feels pretty isolated and yesterday the severity of the surgery ahead started to set in. This AM when the BIG Dr came to see him it really hit him hard THIS IS NO JOKE. Serious. Bad. Could go HORRIBLY wrong. We are all hoping for the best, but you always plan and ready yourself for the worst. Well you try anyway.

The sad/sick part of it? It wouldn't have been as hard of a surgery if they had seen him sooner. It's an old break now. It's not healed by any means, but the tendons and muscles have hardened since this happened. If his attending in Redding hadn't decided to wait 6 weeks to follow up on him, even though we asked and asked it might have been different. As it is the DR here decided to x-ray his hip too. It's not his focus, but if it is in as bad of shape then it may need to be addressed too. I think my dad is feeling a little defeated. Like the last 8 weeks have been totally wasted. *Sigh*

I think we are all feeling a little defeated. Getting through this procedure tomorrow and knowing all this X's and O's function will make us all breath easier. But now that may be held up while they insert a blood filter in case the clots in his legs break loose, if they are still there. They will scan for those today and check his shoulder for a break!? The DR here does NOT think the pain in his shoulder is from the neck but from a possible rotator cuff (?) break. What the fuck? We've been asking about that shoulder since DAY ONE. And we were assured over and over and over.... no no no it's his neck, differed pain... blah blah blah. DR today says shoulder pain is not usually where neck injury pain is defered to. Grrrrrrrr.

So PLEASE pray to whoever you believe in that this surgery tomorrow goes well and that the DR and his team have a steady hand. (They should, most of them look 16!) They will go in from the back of his neck, then the front, then the back again to correct the whole problem, as long as my dad stands the surgery well.