Monday Update

Today started off a headache but he was able to take some meds, get some rest and just lay around for several hours. He got up late this afternoon and felt much better, went for a short walk and even tolerated a two minute car ride! Now, I only drove 15 mph, but it worked!

Baby steps forward, but its in the right direction. We give thanks to our Lord and Saviour for continuing to heal Jim. We are so grateful to have him here with us and love watching his progress.

In the chaos, in confusion
I know You’re Sovereign still
In the moment of my weakness
You give me grace to do Your will......

Sunday Update

Another good day today visiting with family in the early part of the day, enjoying the cool breeze, went for a walk and enjoyed a fantastic dinner that was brought by good friends.

The family is getting spoiled rotten with all these dinners and treats that keep arriving. We appreciate it so very much and thank you all for the thoughtfulness.

I can feel your presence here with me
Suddenly I'm lost within your beauty
Caught up in the wonder of your touch
Here in this moment I surrender to your love

I surrender to your grace
I surrender to the one who took my place

Saturday Update

Another great day for Jim after an awesome night sleep. Enjoyed old favorite movies with his daughter, reading, sitting outside and enjoying the breeze, naps and chinese food.

We are so grateful for the progress he has made and continue to makes. We know God is still in charge and always will be.

You reign, Glory in the highest, you Reign.........

Friday Update

Jim slept thru the night with minor problems and was able to keep his breakfast down. He sat around for a while, relaxed, watched tv, and read and felt much better. He was able to eat some Chinese food tonight which surprised us all! He said today is a much better day than yesterday and some of the swelling has gone down also. I'm sure there's a correlation there somewhere.

Thanks for your prayers and well wishes, we truly appreciate them all.

I am yours regardless of the clouds that may loom above because you are much greater than my pain.

Thursday Update

Today has not been a great day for Jim. He woke up with a huge headache, took some meds, took a nap and still had it when he woke up this afternoon. He has only had a piece of toast all day since his tummy feels yucky too. Its been a day of drugs and ice packs to no avail.

We pray that as the evening wears on, he will get some relief and develop an appetite.

I can feel your presence here with me
Suddenly I'm lost within your beauty
Caught up in the wonder of your touch
Here in this moment I surrender to your love

Wednesday Update

Jim's latest lab work came back with all ranges Normal for the first time since surgery. Its amazing what trauma does to the body and how long it takes to recover. Its even more amazing to receive God's tremendous blessings and give him all the glory!

The family has enjoyed amazing quality time together, so this has been a wonderful blessing. As I type, he is cooking some bacon so we can have some delicious BLT's! Its hard to keep him down all day, so I figured cooking bacon was ok.

Tuesday Update

Well, Jim slept thru the night for the first time since July 18th. We are so excited about that because that means his bladder is back to its normal capacity and he's feeling more rested.

Still requesting his favorite meals and enjoying them which is good to see. Had to go buy him some jeans today that don't fall off of him when he stands.

He spends his days sleeping, reading, short walks, eating and watching tv. He's getting that wonderful hearty laugh back and its AWESOME to hear. God is good all the time!!!

Monday Update

Today was a good day. Jim took a few naps, ate good meals, took a short walk, and visited with some neighbors. Its awesome to see him get stronger every day and request his favorite meals. He wanted to go for a walk around the block, but since we've only walked four houses, I nixed it. I know, how mean am I!

Sunday Update

Jim had a rough night with tummy aches and headaches thru the night. He did not sleep well at all and then slept a majority of the day today. He perked up after the dinner hour after some delicious BLT's!

He is starting to get antsy, wanting to get out some, so please pray for patience for Jim. Our goal is to try and make it to church in a few weeks, so we'll see how things go between now and then.

Thanks for the continued prayers, meals, cards, calls and texts.

Col 1:11
We also pray that you will be strengthened with his glorious power so that you will have all the patience and endurance you need.

Saturday Update

Today Jim walked four houses, visited with neighbors while on his walk and ate a pretty good sized dinner. He requested his favorite chicken dinner and ate too much, of course.

He seems to be down to a nap in the late morning and a nap in mid afternoon. He is amazed as to how tired he is for doing nothing all the time. We have encouraged him to read more and play some computer games to see if that helps exercise the brain.

We are hoping in a few weeks to return to church services, but until then he listens to sermons online and worships to the music we were given while he was in the hospital.

Friday Update

Jim is doing very well. He is eating a few meals a day now which is helping him gain strength. Each day its awesome to watch him grow stronger and stay up longer.

He finally looked at all the pictures we took of his progress starting from all the dedicated people who stayed with us thru the night of surgery until the day he came home. He just sat back and said he can't believe what we went thru and was sorry for any pain or worry he caused. That is so Jim!!

Thursday Update

Jim had a good night sleep last night and was able to stay up for several hours today without a headache. He is taking shorter naps during the day and able to enjoy reading while awake.

The entire family is enjoying all the DELICIOUS meals that are arriving every day. We are getting spoiled but we are so grateful for all the hard work that is being put into preparing them.

Thanks again for all the continued prayers.

Wednesday Update

Jim is starting to stay up a little longer each time. He walked outside today using his walker without a major headache, so we are progressing! He only walked two houses, but its progress!

He ate a ham and cheese omelet for breakfast today and some chicken stew for dinner last night. I think the appetite is coming back. He did discover that the Double Stuf Oreo cookies that he LOVES tastes really bad now. Not sure if that is the meds he is still on or the operation itself. Time will tell, I suppose.

Thanks for the cards that continue to pour in each day. Its so nice to see how often he is thought of.

Tuesday Update

Not much new to report today. Jim is starting to figure out what he needs to do to minimize pain so this is a very good thing. He ate a really good dinner tonight and is getting braver by not using the walker all the time. He enjoyed some time outside catching up on some much needed reading. He is still sleeping about 18 hours a day so visits are still a ways off.

Thanks for your continued prayers, love, support, food, hugs, calls, and texts.

Monday Update

The Nurse came by this morning and took out his pic line which frees him from any foreign objects hanging on his body. It will be nice for him to take a shower tomorrow without being wrapped in plastic wrap! Press N Seal works pretty awesome!

He is still very tired but was able to visit with family from Shanghai for a short time to bid them farewell and a safe flight home.

Jim is averaging about 18 to 20 hours of sleep per day so its tricky to say when he is up and available for visits. Some of those hours are at wee hours of the morning too. The Dr told him to rest in a horizontal position as much as possible so we are trying to make sure that happens. His headaches come on like a freight train without warning so when they hit they are fierce.

Thanks for the continued prayers and patience. God is good all the time!

Jim is still very tired today. His level of exhaustion is excessive and the headaches are MONSTERS! He slept a majority of the day yesterday which is what the Dr. says is the best thing for him. Today will be the end of the IV Infusions since his Meningitis is cleared up. This will give all of us an opportunity to sleep thru the night and catch up on some much needed rest. PRAISE GOD!!!!

Jim is missing his church family and friends and says to tell everyone hello and he appreciates all the prayers, love and support. He's hoping soon that he'll be up for visits from everyone.

Thanks for your continued prayers! God is Awesome and his Glory continues to shine!

Good News it is!!

Jim is back home again! All the tests they did confirmed he is on the road to recovery regarding fluids and pressure in the brain. They are saying that his dinner upset his tummy and that we did the right thing to bring him in since the symptoms are the same for increased brain pressure. He is resting in bed with a pounding headache so we don't expect much activity from him today. They did confirm that the Meningitis is clear so that was more good news!

Thanks again for your continued prayers, love and support. We know that God is sustaining us all and that he sends his angels to check on us all the time and we love you all so much for that.

Day Three Update

Well, we had a small setback Friday evening. Jim started with a headache around 5:00 p.m. and nausea and vomiting after dinner. Since those are symptoms of increased brain pressure, we put him in the car and drove him back to Henry Ford ER.

God is so awesome!! The doctor that was on call tonight, was the same doctor who took care of him in ICU!

They first did a CT scan, which came back even better than the scan from the day he was discharged.
However after the CT scan, the assessment showed weakness on his left side. So they decided to do a CT Angiogram. The results haven't came back from the CTA yet, but we will post them once we find out the (GOOD) news!

Satan is finally realizing how BIG of a mistake he made, so he's going to do whatever he can to bring our hopes and faith down..... HAHAHA! Does he really know who he's messing with!?

We ask for your continued prayers as we wait for the CTA results, and for the rest of Jim's healing process.
God is SO good!! We know he'll be there to protect Jim every step of the way!

Day Three Home

We had our first stressful morning since Jim's been home due to IV's not cooperating and taking twice as long to infuse. A Nurse I am not! Jim's strength is slowly returning as we see him being "brave" and not using the walker all the time. His appetite is also becoming more normal and he is requesting foods. Yeah!

Jim asked to be taken to church to see the spot where he fell. He also was able to see a video of himself at the early church service to "prove" he was there. Pastor Ron and some friends were there with us and prayed over that spot and rejoiced that Jim was able to stand this time. We were wondering if this would spark any memory of being there at all, but of course it did not.

Nine infusions to go before he gets his pic line out on Monday; he can't wait!

Day Two Home

Jim's appetite is slowly coming back but he fills up very quickly. We are guessing he lost 15 - 20 pounds in the hospital and his stomach has definitely shrunk. He stayed up a majority of the day yesterday which resulted in the fluids around the brain to drain more than it has so we are encouraging him to start taking a few naps a day to stabilize those.

Its wonderful to see Jim reading the Word and his books again. We've had some awesome family discussions about what happened, how everyone felt and how incredibly grateful and blessed we are to have each other.

Jim spent a long time looking at all the cards and posters everyone has sent and shakes his head in awe of all the love and support and changed lives that has happened because of this. God is Awesome and Amazing and the Olson Family is on FIRE FOR HIM!!!

First day Home!

Jim was VERY happy to sleep in his own bed last night. He's only sleeping a few hours at a time trying to retrain the bladder so his level of exhaustion is still very high. He gets pills every 12 hours and IV meds every six hours so unfortunately we are waking him alot during the day to administer those.

He had an egg, bacon, hash browns, toast, coffee and juice this morning and seemed to enjoy it but we know that the antibiotics are altering his taste buds. After breakfast, he showered and that took alot out of him. The Home Care Nurse showed up this morning and approved how we are caring and administering meds thru the IV, so we were happy about that. We are hoping to get the stitches out of his head tomorrow when they draw blood to check all the levels and kidney function.

He's Home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We made it safely home with the precious cargo and he is exhausted and resting in his favorite spot with the remote control in hand. He developed quite a headache from the bumps, stopping and going on the ride home so we've given him some meds to knock him out for a bit.

I know everyone is anxious to see Jim, but we're asking that you give him some time to get acclimated to being home again and develop a sleep / relaxation routine. We will keep you posted as to when he's up for company, so we truly appreciate your patience and understanding on this.

We can't begin to express how grateful we are to have Jim back home. We are forever grateful for the prayers, food, gifts, money, hugs, kleenex, love and support that we continually received thru this ordeal from family and friends. Most of all we are grateful that this happened because so many lives have been affected and God's Glory has shined thru every step of the way. God heals according to his will and we are thankful and eternally grateful.

HE'S COMING HOME!!!!!!!

The results of the CT scan came back as stable, which clears him to GO HOME!!!!!!!!

A VERY SPECIAL Thank You goes out to Everyone for all the prayers, love, and support!!! It not only was a huge blessing for the family, but a tremendous blessing on Jim!!! We love you all so much & couldn't thank you enough for how much help we've received!!!!

Stay tuned for more updates later after he gets back HOME!!!!!!!

Tuesdays Tests

Jim had a conversation with the Dr this morning about being kept over one more night. He strongly encouraged the Dr that he MUST go home today so we need prayers that is CT Scan will come back perfect and he can come home! His test is at 10:00 a.m. and I'm not sure when we'll get results, but we'll keep you posted. Thanks for the prayers!! God is so AWESOME!

No Visitors Please!

Jim's spinal went well!! The brain pressure is in the perfect range, so now we're waiting for the results on the meningitis which may not be until tomorrow. The test happened later than expected, and due to a later procedure, he must now lay flat until 10pm. Because of this, we are asking for no visitors tonight so he doesn't feel tempted to raise his head!

Physical Therapy also came in this morning before his procedure and did their assessment, and released him to go home as is since he is doing so well getting up & down on his own! The pic line is back in his arm, so the only thing holding us up now is the result from the spinal!

THANKS AGAIN! for the prayers, love, and support!

Tomorrow should be the BIG DAY!!!!!

The Final Test

A spinal tap is scheduled for 9am tomorrow (Monday) to check the pressures on the brain, and to make sure the antibiotics are fighting the meningitis properly. After the procedure is finished, Jim will have to lay flat on his back for 8 hours. The doctors will watch him for an additional 8 hours (after laying flat) to see if his brain can handle the new pressure being put on it once the fluids start to reproduce.

This will be a challenge for Jim to lay flat for 8 hours, and we all know Jim loves to interact with everyone; so we please ask for no visitors until after 6:00 p.m. so he will not be disturbed or tempted to raise his head during this time. This is the final test for Jim's return home! So if all goes well, then the doctors should then give the "all clear" for him be discharged Tuesday morning!

We ask for your continued prayers, and we of course are confident that God will be with Jim and the doctors throughout his procedure.

So.......Stay Tuned For Good News!!!!!

He's Almost There!

Today was yet another relaxing day for Jim, with lots of visits from family & friends! His blood pressure is slowly coming down, sodium levels are finally back to normal, and potassium is still low, but progressing. He is getting up & down much easier now, all on his own! He is scheduled for a Spinal Tap on Monday morning, and as long as it comes back normal, then the target day to come home is Monday night!!! Talk about an AWESOME GOD!!!!!!

One Step Closer to Home!

Exciting news!!! Jim is now in a regular room! He's had clean cultures for 72 hours, and we are entering the last step of his recovery which is Physical Therapy. If he progresses as well as he has with everything else, then he should be home Monday or Tuesday!!!!! He is really enjoying all the visits from everyone, which has helped keep his spirits up & encouraged!
A Special thanks goes out to everyone for all the outpouring of love, support, and prayers throughout Jim's recovery process!

Jim is still doing well. The cultures from his blood work are due to come back tomorrow and hopefully the doctors will come back with good news. Jim still tires very easily and around 8 pm he is settled in bed for the night to sleep. He is enjoying visits from friends again. Char & Jim want to thank everyone so much for all the "angels" that have visited each day and have brought such wonderful gifts, goodies and awesome food!! The blog is going to be mostly updated now by Char and the girls. My sister and I are so glad this blog became such a great success. We can't wait for when Uncle Jim is able to read this and see what an impact he has left on each of our lives. We are so thankful to God that our Uncle Jim is here with us. He is one of the best uncles anyone could ever ask for! We love you!!

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. Romans 1:8

A Step in the right direction

Jim is in a step down unit! He was moved there around 5 am this morning. It is a private room and Char said it is about 90% quieter than the ICU.He will stay there through the weekend and then be moved to a regular room. He tires very easily and the doctors said he will be this way for at least 6-8 weeks. The doctors found another bacteria which they believe came in through his PIC line. The line will be taken out for about 72 hours so in the mean time he will receive his medication through a regular IV. Keep on Praying!

"The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. The LORD is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one. Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever."Psalm 28:7-9

Happy News

Today Jim did not seem to be in any pain. He had a CT scan about 930 this evening and it came back normal! The doctor said if all goes well in the night he will be moving to a step down room on Wednesday. He will be in step down for about a week and Physical Therapy will work with him to make sure he is able to walk and get out of bed on his own. He still has no appetite and the meningitis is really taking a toll on him. He stood up for the first time since Sunday and he became very dizzy and nauseous. He is very exhausted and sleeps for most of the day. Thank you all so much for your prayers and well wishes. Please continue to pray for his full recovery.

1 Chronicles 16:8 Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.

Jim had a much needed restful day. His brain is handling the increased pressure which is great news! His blood pressure and heart rate are back to normal and his fever broke around 6pm. He has a stiff neck but that's from the meningitis & his appetite is not quite back to normal. His pain is being managed with medication and he is on 3 different antibiotics to fight the infection. His doctor would like to get him into a step down room soon but for now they are watching closely to make sure the meningitis does not irritate his brain and cause seizures.
Char wanted to share a conversation she and Trisha had with Jim's doctor on Monday. He pulled up 3 different brain scans and asked them to look at them and see if they could find any difference between them. He told them to look at the darkness in each picture. Char and Trisha could not find anything different as they all looked the same. The doctor said the person in the first scan died 4 days ago, the second person died 2 days ago and the third person is Jim!! The doctor said Jim had the largest most massive bleed anyone could have. It was in the most strangest place of his brain that it took them 3 hours to find the aneurysm so they could repair it! It is medically impossible that Jim is alive. All three patients had the same aneurysm & the same treatment yet Jim is the only one who survived. The neurology team at Henry Ford is amazed. The doctor remarked he had heard that this must be some "divine intervention". The doctor also said he always has at least 14 cases a night and he only had 2 cases that night so he is able to literally watch Jim breathe on the monitors and if anything happens he will be right there to assess the situation. The doctor thinks Jim has some "guardian angel" watching over him. Char said it was divine intervention, GOD performed a miracle.

Psalm 121:1 & 2 I lift up my eyes to the hills- where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth

A Quick Monday Update

Jim's heart rate and blood pressure are back to normal. The EVD was removed to close the opening in his head to prevent more bacteria to enter and help the meningitis heal more quickly. If Jim can't handle the increased pressure to his brain the doctors will have to put the EVD back in. He will be watched very closely today and checked every hour for any signs of head aches, confusion & strange behavior. He has a low grade temperature and the doctors are managing his pain with medication. Thankfully, his pain is nearly gone. He drank a whole Vernors and ate a few bites of a sandwich for lunch. His doctor was very surprised he was able to eat as they thought he would be out of it today. Char said "Jim looks 100% better compared to late last night." Thank you Lord for listening to our prayers!!

Psalm 75:1 We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds.

Sunday's Setback

Jim had 50+ staples removed earlier today and his incision has healed well. But as the day continued he developed a headache and a 101 fever. Jim also started to have very high blood pressure and a high heart rate. Eventually he was over come with tremendous pain and the doctors immediately moved into action and started running tests. He had a CT angiogram test which showed some fluid has collected on the brain. The fluid was drained which helped to alleviate some pain. Jim has been diagnosed with Meningitis. The high blood pressure, high heart rate and pain are all caused by this. Please note that this type of meningitis Jim has is NOT CONTAGIOUS! It is very common for patients to get the kind of meningitis he has after the type of surgery Jim had. The doctors still plan to pull the EVD (drain in head) tomorrow so they can treat the infection. Please note that because of this situation ONLY IMMEDIATE FAMILY will be allowed to see Jim until further notice. The doctors will be checking Jim every hour tonight to ensure he does not have any vasospasms. They alerted us that at anytime he could have an emergency Angiogram during the night or day. He is already being treated with antibiotics.

We so appreciate all the prayers, love and support. Please continue to pray for Jim to overcome this.

Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Saturday's Update

Man can not live on bread alone and in Jim's case it's hospital food!! Jim dined on his favorite dish from his favorite Chinese restaurant this evening. He is doing very well and continues to eat and grow stronger each day. He had several stitches removed today but all of his staples are still in. Jim is very tired during the day. He is not resting well at night because the ICU is not a quiet place and he is now very aware of his surroundings. His hips are sore as well from lying down for such a long time.
We are remaining hopeful Jim will continue to heal as quickly as he has. He is looking forward to being able to go home to sleep in his own bed! Thank you for your prayers!

Matthew 4:4 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"