HAPPY NEW YEAR

Getting packed to head for Utah. Since Jack is driving, we are sending everything with him and Margo and I are going with a purse and meds. Harve is taking us to the airport so Jack can get an earlier start. Brynn cut Margo's hair last evening and it looks great. She really looks good so she can impress the staff at the hospital as Dr. Yerman's beautiful mom!
Delta does not have us sitting together and has not assigned us seats because reservations were made too late. I am going as Margo's NURSE and caregiver, and if they do not do what we want, she will start screaming, "Help! Help! Nurse, nurse where are you?" We think that will get their attention. I also decided if someone were rude enough to ask if she were my mother, I would say she is my grandmother. Help, what if they ask if she is my daughter? I never thought of that! I guess I will say she is my granddaughter. Margo is less drugged and feeling a lot better. We laugh a lot! I think she will be accepting limited visitors this Friday and Saturday and maybe Sunday at Bruce's place. I cannot promise, but it looks good. Please call first and bring some good laughs with you and lots of See's candy! (That was a joke. We neither want nor need candy, try carrotts! :-) Bruce's phone number is 801-302-8456-kp

Surgery is Planned

Sure do hope this information is correct! Margo is scheduled on this coming Monday for surgery. The plans are she will be in the hospital 2 days. The MDs are pleased with the news from the stint maker.
The hospital is Ogden Regional Medical Center
5475 S 500 E
Ogden, Utah 84405
(801-499 2111)

A Bruce Yerman family member will pick Margo and me up at the airport this Thursday, and we will head for their home in Riverton and stay until surgery. We are not sure if we will go to Ogden on Sunday night or Monday AM.
We will return to Bruce's for recovery because Bruce has a room Margo can get to without going up or down stairs.
Bruce's Address
12299 Laurel Chase Dr
Riverton UT 84065-4398
Keep posted to this blog for more 1/2 truths and guesses! :-) My cell phone is 530-228-1134, and do not bother to leave me a voice message or a text. kp

Sunday Dec. 28, 2008
Margo wants you to know she is NOT responsible for anything I enter in this BLOG!
Margo’s message to everyone is the following:
“Thank you for your cards, prayers, food, kind deeds and thoughts.”
“Loose that extra weight you need to NOW before you cannot do anything about it!”
As you can tell she still is funny-and she is SERIOUS!-kp

December 28 Sunday

Margo and I have our reservations to fly to SLC on Jan. 1 arriving 12:37. We will be flying Delta because it is a direct flight. Jack will take us to the airport then drive to Utah. At this time, surgery is scheduled for Monday, January 5 in Ogden. Brook flies out today returning to Washington; so the care giving will be up to Jack and the Parrotts. Brook will be missed. She has been amzaing! KP

Dec. 27

Appears KP is the only one entering info here. I have had SO MANY positive comments that I will continue this info realizing it can change at any minute.
Excerpts from a message written by Margo yesterday.

Brook and Matt and Dad worked over me (nice to have people care!); Brook hung up on Bruce & called 911. Granddad (Bruce Brown kp) would have been happy....no sirens!! from fire or ambulance!! I guess Dad gave me a blessing before anyone got there. Blair ran thru the stroke symptoms...fine.

Long story short and more than you want t o know: ambulance to Chico, where ER was very crowded. EKG, x-rays, drip to get blood pressure down...again. Solution: I had put a bit of nitroglycerin under my tongue while talking to Bruce. Trying to get BP below about 137. Guess I did! then waited 2 hours for ER doc to get cardiologist confirmation that I could go home ...home about 2::30 AM. It was comforting to have Brook and Matt there for a while It was comforting to have Parrotts come over before the emergency equipment.

Solution: nitro only if I am lying down and something different instead. Sorry I scared everybody. Glad I have so many who care. This tells me I MUST go to Utah to get the stint put in.

We here in Paradise are anticipating a great day today. Brook and Matt and "kids" leave tomorrow. We will head for Utah for the surgery that is scheduled for the 5th. Margo's challenge is to take good care of herself and follow the MD instructions so she will be as healthy as possible for the surgery.
Thanks for your prayers and caring! KP

Christmas Day Night

Margo was taken to Enloe Hospital in Chico last evening and spent the night for tests. Last news I heard was the task of keeping her blood pressure low was accomplished, only it got a little too low, and she passed out. The family thought it might have been a stroke, but Blair (my CHP) was here and assured them it was not a stroke. The next thought was an internal bleed. Thankfully it was just a blood pressure problem, relatively minor but still scary for the lay person.
Brook and Jack are taking such good care of Margo. We anticipate Margo's return home today!
Thanks for your prayers and caring.
The surgery will be in Ogden, Utah. Blake lives in Kaysville and commutes to Ogden to work. kp

CHRISTMAS

All is well in Paradise. Margo came over to Parrotts for the traditional Christmas Eve Family Night. (Jack went home early because he was falling asleep on my couch.) We all LAUGHED a lot, and Margo joined in everything including looking for the hidden whole almond in the rice pudding. They stayed up late because Brook's husband Matt arrived late at night just like Santa and had some getting ready for the big morning. Christmas AM Margo and Jack even came over to snack with our family enjoying Christmas AM breakfast and more laughing with the full time missionaries and checking out the gifts exchanged.
Margo's blood pressure is under control, and it might be helped that she is taking some anti-anxiety meds. Her "stress" is now caused by wondering about, deciding on, and anticipating surgery. I told Margo and Jack that when they go to Utah I will go to help take care of Margo. I can stay in the hospital with her or take turns with Jack. That way we can both be rested. Maybe we will even get a hotel near the hospital and stay there. I understand Blake is only 1/2 hour away but in the snow and late at night, that is not as convenient as it sounds. We will see!
The news is, Margo is holding her own and still doing as well as can be expected. She has good care, and we feel prayers are being answered!
Keep those cards and letters coming! KP

Christmas Eve Day

Brynn created this Blog as my Christmas Present so you can keep up on Margo's condition. I wrote a masterpiece for you all to read and LOST IT! Makes me want to swear. Several family memeber can make entries so I will sign mine-kp for Karen Parrott.
Margo's condition is so rare that treatment changes or is modified often. Blake is her "attending physician" and we are THANKFUL FOR HIM! The medical decions are left to Blake. Brook has been here from Washington since the first event with her two daughters. BROOK IS AMAZING and her children impressive. (That means Margo and Jack must be good parents.) Brook's husband and son were to arrive Sunday but flights were cancelled. He might be here tonight.
Since Margo is a VERY private person this is hard for her. As any human, it is nice to know we are loved; so we all appreciate your caring. Phone calls can be frustrating for her since she does not like to cry. If you call, please let whoever answers know you would like to speak to her, but that it is fine if she does not feel like talking.
Last night sitting at the kitchen counter it appeared as if ALL IS WELL! This is not like being sick because she really is not. Her body has had a major malfunction.
Margo is having her hair cut today and that will make her feel better
She has chest pains and sensitive skin that is frustrating because they cannot find a reason.
We are doing our best to keep her home environment peaceful-All is calm, all is bright.
Please send FUNNY cards. I have heard laughter lowers blood pressure and heals.
If you have any specific questions, my e-mail address is kpslk@aol.com. If I do not know the answer, I will make up one or ask the person who does know. KP

Margo has returned home from the hospital. The goal is to use medication to keep her blood pressure down. The other goal is to keep her from getting frusterated and working on things around the house.

There is a tentative date to have surgery in January. They are still discussing options.

Margo had High Blood pressure today and was taken to Enloe. They lowered it with an IV. She is not a very good patient since she is to have BED rest and walk ONLY to the bathroom from the bedroom.

Margo

This is set up to keep you up to date with the happenings of Margo's aorta.

December 15, 2008
Dear Friends, Mom, Margo, is in the hospital. She went in on Friday with chest pains. We learned it is not her heart but a rare dissection in the Aorta that runs the length of her torso. It is virtually untreatable, and quite dangerous, although we are looking into options. She is in Enloe hospital in Chico and depending on test, she may be home in a day or two. This is the "best case scenario." What does this mean? She must change her lifestyle completely with no physical exertion beyond leveled walking -- and she needs to reduce stress, which as you know, will likely increases stress in her! Although scared, she is in fair spirits and enjoys good humor and is hopeful. I thought you should know and I thank you for your prayers with us.
Bruce