Update on My Father's Surgery

Hello! I wanted to give my followers an update on my father's leg aneurysm bypass surgery. Monday was a very long day as his surgery wasn't scheduled until 1:30 pm. His surgery lasted approximately 2 hours and then he was in recovery for about 90 minutes. The surgeon met with us and said that the surgery was a "success", however there is a huge danger of blood clots which would not bring about a good prognosis for the future of his leg. Since my father lost his other leg in 1978 and extra arteries were used from his "good leg" in hope of successful natural artery bypass on the lost leg, there were no available arteries left on his good leg to use for this surgery. So, an artificial artery was grafted in, and his aneurysm was clamped closed to prevent bursting and blood flow through the original artery. With leg aneurysm bypasses (called popliteal bypass), using a natural artery is more beneficial with a better prognosis. Since Daddy had an artificial artery bypass, he is not out of the woods for some time. But the medical staff has gotten him out of bed yesterday and today, he took several steps with the walker.

He will be released from the hospital tomorrow and then he is going to a rehabiliation center for awhile, so that he can gain his independence back. We don't know how long he will be in the rehabilitation center, as it depends on the "goals" that he and his doctor set. But we are hopeful that he will be in there, at most, a week. The blood clotting prevention is being done with a blood thinner Rx, compression stockings and he will need to keep moving his leg through exercise and/or regular use.

I want to thank everyone who has been faithfully praying for him, and my family. We so appreciate your heartfelt prayers and we ask that you continue to hold him in prayer until he is out of the woods. It humbles me to know that so many people whom I have never met has prayed and is continuing to pray. Thank you again!!

A Need for Prayer

Hi Everyone! I wanted to update my faithful blog readers with information regarding my father's leg anuerysm surgery. By the way, his name is Roy Unger and he saw his vascular surgeon this afternoon and has scheduled his leg bypass surgery next Monday, 10/19 at 1:30 pm. It looks like they will be using a synthetic artery to do the bypass surgery since no natural arteries are available (from being stripped from both legs for his 1978 bypass surgeries). I'm told that the synthetic artery bypass has improved much since then, however, it is more beneficial to have a natural artery to use for the bypass. My sister, Dianne, is flying up from Georgia on Sunday to help Daddy out when he comes home from the hospital and I'm so glad she's coming for emotional support, as well! Please keep her in prayer for travel mercies and please pray for Daddy's surgery on Monday: that his leg would not reject the artificial artery or that infection would not set in and that the surgery would be successful.

Thank you for your faithful prayers and I'll will update sometime Monday evening or Tuesday morning. I so appreciate my followers!

When it Rains...

Good Morning! I have no idea who may be reading this after the long absence of postings here lately, but should you be reading this, I have yet more disappointing news to share.

I had decided to return to the CDS design team in time to produce November sneak peeks, but there has been a family medical concern that is taking my focus away from anything else. My father who has been living independently (my mother passed away in 2000), as a leg amputee (he does wear a prosthesis and can walk), has developed an aneurysm behind the knee of his "good leg". It is rather large and will require surgery either with a stent or bypass surgery. My father has arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and lost his leg to an aneurysm in 1978, after several bypass attempts were made, that failed. So, you can imagine the fear that he has of losing this other leg should this new aneursym surgery should fail. That would render him a double amputee and would certainly change the dynamic of his independent living. Us children (my sister, my brother and myself), may be facing some decisions regarding our father's care should the surgery not succeed. So, because of this, I have decided that returning to CDS as a design team member is not in the best interest of CDS, as my focus is foremost on my father. We do not have a surgery date at this time, as he is still in the midst of more testing and needs to see a cardiologist for cardiac clearance, as well (he has had 3 heart attacks). My focus and my time will be directed toward my family and although I regret that I am not able to return to CDS at this time, I feel that it is the right decision.

That doesn't mean that I won't be posting card-related posts. I hope that at some point after my father's surgery, I'll be able to stamp and relax for therapy and I will share those creations when I do. On a positive note, I have some news to share...I have, for some time, not been happy with my blog photo of my little yellow cottage. So, I have asked my sister, Dianne Dashler, who is an artist, if she would "sketch" my little yellow cottage. She has just finished her final rendering and as soon as I receive it in the mail, I will be anxious to colorize it and hope to upload it to my blog in 2-3 weeks. It is a big difference in artwork and hope that you come back to see it.