[Dixielandjazz] Gary Church update 6/7/2012

[CHERYL THURSTON]

Good morning Dear Friends,
 
Thank you for all your kind support, love and generous donations.  Gary would not make without you!!!
 
Diagnosis: crainiotomy of left temporal lesion (performed 5/16/2012)
 
Gary has been home for one week now and each day gets better!  His kidneys are back to normal. (The viral infection medicine that he was given was the main cause of his poor kidney function....no more of that!  He eats healthy...even a salad every day! He still has head pain.  The outside where they pulled the staples out hurts and the inside where the mass or lesion was taken out is less painful.
His medication makes him so tired... (Norvasc, lisinopril, coreg, plavix, klonopin, nexium, diflucan, hydralazine, lantus, novalog, imdur,kepprea, crestor, and aspirin...sometimes oxycodone.)  I give him multi-vitamins and minerals in a liquid formula.) A lot of his pills are temporary and for stroke prevention, high blood pressure and blood clots.  He is taking pills for Valley Fever and we shall find out more this Friday with Dr. Moran at 3:15 p.m.  
 
I had gotten him a walker and chair for the shower but he won't use them.  (I tried!)
 
We saw Dr. Ahmed (the brain surgeon) yesterday, he said that Gary did not have a brain tumor or cancer. Yea!  It (the mass or leission) is  still being worked on in pathology and sent to a different lab.  The hardest healing from the surgery is where the surgeon cut a muscle. Dr Ahmed said that was the biggest he had seen and compaired it to a major league football player he did surgery on.  He said that big muscle is from playing his horn!  Soon as that part feels better, he will start blowing his horn again. He sat down at the piano yesterday for a while and sounded good!  Dr. Ahmed said "you WILL feel better, it's just going to take a little more time".  He goes back for a CT scan in 3 months and if clear, he will stop the seizure pills.  (Dr. Ahmed is leaving Barrows next month and will be working in Madision, Wisconsin)
 
All the Doctors have cleared Gary to go to New Orleans with me this Sunday for week at New OrleansTraditional Jazz Band Camp.  Everthing, (classes, jam sessions and dining during the day) are contained in the Bourbon Orleans Hotel.  It is O. K. for Gary to fly and they said it won't hurt his head. I will watch him and when he gets tired I will make sure he makes it back to the room safely.  (I will have a performance at the Palm Court, Preservations Hall, Funky Pirate, Fritzels, and play my horn in the second line parade...Gary really wants to be there for my performances and cheer me on...He is so sweet!)
 
Lots of love, thanks and God Bless YOU!   You are so "special"!
 
Cheryl Thurston & Gary Church
25238 S. Rosebud Dr.
Sun Lakes, AZ 85248
 
p.s.  I lost my mobile phone.  If you want to call, the home number is (480) 895-2765.  If I don't answer, please leave a message and I'll call you back.