Lara has laptop issues - computer that is!

Last we heard earlier this evening, Lara's laptop was not cooperating. If you need to get her a message until further notice, call or send text or put on Facebook which she can access thru phone.

Thursday update

After a few days at home the parents are back in Pittsburgh for visit/support/perhaps take Lara home!! She is unhooked from the IV tree and on other pain management methods and taking her sustenance in the good old fashioned way of eating food. Today was a solo shower and hair wash that she said was pleasant.
We will probablyknow tomorrow when the release date will be and depending on time of day will stay at least on night in the local Holiday Inn as a transition before the 6+ hour ride home. Baby Cakes told us this morning when we stopped to see to her food, etc, that she was waiting for her mistress to come home.
Al K.

More good progress---

Lara not only sat up in a chair but went for a short walk in the hall. Her Aunt Merry from MD was visiting today. The NG tube Lara had through her nose and down her throat came out this morning so she can talk once again somewhat normally.
Now she has to continue healing and getting stronger.

Up in a chair - few other good milestones

Lara is mending slowly and surely. She is working on keeping her lungs inflated. Because it hurts to breathe she has to apply effort to exercise them often. Her Aunt Robin and Uncle Harry from Cleveland visited today before her Dad and Mom left to go home to Souderton for a couple days. Robin did a dry shampoo that Lara said worked great. Tomorrow, Aunt Merry from Leitersburg will visit as well. Mom and Dad will be back either Wed late or Thursday mid-day.

Lara now in "regular room"

No more Transplant ICU with the most of the other patients having had a transplant of some sort. Very sophisticated techincal equipment and fairly obtrusive security, as expected.
We have an address and that will likely be valid for the next week or more. She was moved late in the day and was ready for a little rest after all the activity.
Her physical address:

Lara Kettell
10 N 73
UPMC Montefiore
200 Lothrop St
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

There is a link on the web page for UPMC Montefiore that leads to the means to send an e-card greeting. The address would be the same.

Cheers, Al Kettell

Day two

Lara continues to improve. When we first went to the hospital today she was having her trach tube removed. After that she was able to speak in reduced tones.
As we visited on and off today, she had her pain meds adjusted to provide better relief and by the end of the day she was feeling more comfortable.
The doctors had stopped by and provided the opinion that everything inside was "OK". There is a lot of healing to do and there seems to be a wealth of good resources to allow that at UPMC.
I will do another update tomorrow night and with luck Lara will resume her own blog in a day or two.
Cheers, Al K

Surgery complete

This is Lara's dad adding a late update. She started surgery at 7:30 AM and we were notified at approx 5:30 PM that she was now in TICU. The surgeon spoke with us about 6:30 and we finally got in to see her at about 9PM. She had a fairly rough time of it and was not too awake but knew we were there. She can reveal detail that she chooses when she feels up to it but the surgeon said she will have a good chance of being much better.

Round Two

This is pretty damn last minute, but its finally time for surgery.  Very soon headed over to the hospital for super early check-in then surgery scheduled for 7:30am  Had an exciting dinner out at the Pittsburgh Hofbrauhaus German restaurant last night.  They have a huge dining area and band with 2 accordians, a trumpet, tuba, and much more.  It was a great distraction from my worries.  Right now quite anxious but know will be under pre-op care soon, and will relax once people are taking care of me. 
My dad will be updating sometime tonight, and let everyone know how things went.  I will be in ICU the first few days, with an NG tube that will make it hard to talk.  After that I'll be ready for phone calls and e-mails.
Thanks so much to everyone for your support, prayers and good thoughts!