"Please update the blog!"

After receiving a text on my phone that there are requests for an update on the blog I have to say I apologize that it has not been made current. I am his sister Susan I work a full time job, marriage and two young children with the responsibility of assisting my brother in his daily activities, dialysis 3 times weekly a 20 minute drive from home, dr. visits and lately added lab visits to monitor his coumadin therapy, new Rx's and pharmacy runs. I guess I could've just said we are really busy and when we are not for a few minutes, I just sit and breathe. Nothing else. I was keeping family updated via email until it was getting everyone excited for a surgery that would be scheduled and cancelled 3 times in a row. So I decided I would wait until he was not only in the O.R. but that he was actually having surgery before I would tell everyone and get them excited and praying for his surgery recovery, however the prayers are needed surgery or not and I thank you all for your thoughts and prayers I know Cam appreciates them. So when the time came I found that I was even more busier at that time and that the drives 35min. over to the hospital can take up a lot of extra time, too. And so I've explained myself and I hope you can all forgive me. I know Chantal has kept his co-workers informed and I have contacted our mom to keep the family informed. So to all of you close friends anxious to know how our most loved Cameron is doing..... Cameron is feeling really good and looks great. Dr. Worrall performed open heart surgery in the end of April and with all your prayers and God's hand he successfully patched the aortic wall surrounding the valve, replaced the aortic and mitral valves. Cameron looked bright and fantastic in the ICU a couple days after surgery. He was discharged one week after the surgery and looks like he never had an open heart surgery. May 9th he followed up with Dr. Worrall and he said Cam was cleared to go home to California under the condition that he follows up with a new cardiologist in California. He checked his sternum and heart and they are well healed and much faster than he expected. Praise God and black eye for the devil and his doubters. Cameron has been spending his days going for walks around the neighborhood and going on outings with his nieces and I. Unfortunately after his craniotomy last Sept. he had seizures and is unable to drive because of this. He has not had any seizures since last fall and an EEG ruled out any problems causing the seizures other than status post cranial surgery. He was off his seizure medication Keppra the entire time hospitalized for this second open heart surgery and had no problems and even seemed less tired and more energetic. Dr. Obermiller wants to try and get him off of the seizure med. with the consultation of a neurologist and see how he does without it and just pray that he does not experience anymore seizures. His left side weakness has improved greatly in these last few months. Able to do more and more for himself without needing assistance. Its really hard to open things and put things on without the full strength of your left hand. Its like those winter play days and coming in from the cold your hands are so cold and numb that you can't even unbotton your wet snowpants. But he has alot of his strength back and is now able to do so much more with his left hand. He can type using one of his left hand digits and before he couldn't even use it to type with and had to use his right hand completely. He wants to go back to work in California and is very close. Dr. Obermiller is the last to release Cam and clear him for home. His plan is to keep Cam on the Coumadin another week and then stop it for 4 days and try to access his graft. If he is unable to access it he will have Cam go through a day surgery to place a catheter in the graft and use a balloon to open it up to allow more flow through it due to the stenosis or narrowing of the graft. Cam has to be off Coumadin in order to do this so we are praying that the Coumadin therapy goes well this next week and he can go off of it. However the hematologist recommends Cameron stay on the Coumadin therapy at least through this next week due to the fact he has a clotting condition related to his Lupus and the reasoning for the clots that formed throughout both of his arms and neck after his last open heart surgery. We are trying to prevent that from happening and yet get the graft started so he can head home per his request ASAP. This next week Cameron is in Lewiston staying at his brother Pete's and his sister Debra is transporting him to and from Dialysis and taking him to the lab twice a week for his coumadin therapy. She will be keeping up on Cam's meds. and changes to them. This will give Cam a chance to visit with friends he has mentioned missing and not seeing for a very long time. He will be staying there until he is ready for the graft procedure and will head up back to Spokane. When his phone is on and charged you can usually reach him on it or just text him. Keep in mind that Mon., Wed., and Fri.'s he goes to dialysis and is usually tired after that time. His dialysis is from 11am to 3pm at the Fresenius center on 21st where Cindy the nurse manager is ensuring he receives the best of care. Your thoughts and prayers for Cameron are much needed and just praise God for answering them and getting Cameron where he is today. Please keep his sister Debra in your thoughts and prayers while she is working full time and being there for Cam. Unfortunately, Pete usually works out of town and his wife has the busy responsibilities that I have with the addition of a sweet toddler. Debra is much needed in Cameron's transportation and care. So pray God blesses her and gives her strength as well as blessing Pete and Rene for opening up their home for Cam. Much love and gratitude to the Continentals for loving and caring for Cameron throughout these trials he has faced. He loves you and cannot wait to return and work for you doing what he loves. He'll be returning home as soon as he can get his body there. 'The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.' Job 33:4

Thank you for your patience, thoughts and prayers! God Bless, Susan