Happy New Year! John goes Home!

John has been released from the hospital to continue his rehab at home. This is the best news we've had yet.



Thank you to everyone who has kept John and Karen and the whole family in their thoughts and prayers over the past nine weeks. We couldn't have made it without you.

He's coming to Seaside!

Cal spoke with John Monday night and here's his report.

JC gets out of St. Vincent's in Beaverton and off dialysis as of TODAY.
Later in the day he'll be transfering to Seaside Providence for a period of rehabilitation- the length of which is unknown. BUT, he'll be a mile away from his home for Christmas.
Yesterday he talked with two of his ICU docs. A Resident at St. Vincent's said when John came in, he was the sickest patient he'd ever treated. The other doctor said JC was most certainly in the top 10% of the most ill he has ever treated. Today , JC comes back , closer to home turf, not bad for a patient that was at one time, "the sickest person in the entire hospital". Let's give JC and his family some privacy over the Holidays and then we'll update Blog readers when we see some light at the end of the tunnel for his Seaside-based rehab.

Medical Update and more...

We have good news. John's kidney's are starting to work again. This means that he may be removed from Dialysis by the first part of next week. Also, the doctors are talking about moving John out of St. Vincents. If they do move him, he'll either go to Providence East Side or come back to Seaside. This could happen as early as Tuesday, the 22nd.

Also, we'd like to wish John and Karen's daughter Erin a safe trip back to Thailand. As you may recall, she was in Thailand on a Rotary exchange when her dad became ill.

Seaside Signal Story

John and Karen gave an interview to the Seaside Signal this week. You can find the story in the Dec. 17-23rd issue.

E-mails

It's time to get caught up on e-mails that have been sent to chappysteam@yahoo.com

BIG FUNDRAISER...BIG SUCCESS

Deb here.. I haven't been on the BLOG much lately, as I've had my own two-week battle with H1N1. Couldn't make it to the big fundraiser tonight, but just got off the phone with Robin and he said it was great. Estimate at this time is 400-500 people attended...don't know about funds raised, etc. yet. I understand that the highlight was a "live feed" to John in his hospital room. The audience could see John and John could see all his supporters! How cool. It is reported that John gave a big "thumbs up" to the crowd. I'm sure there will be more posted on the blog about the fundraiser, but for now you will have to be satisfied with these pictures of TEAM CHAPPY - making preparations for the "big event" a couple of weeks ago. Stay warm and get your flu vaccine(s)! Deb

Dinner and Auction Friday

Don't forget to mark your calendars for the Dinner and Auction this Friday Dec. 11. The place will be the Seaside Civic and Convention Center 415 first Ave. at 5:30 pm. For a minimum donation of just $10 you will get a bar-b-que chicken dinner along with all the trimmings. We will also have a silent auction going on during dinner. After dinner at about 7:30 will be the live auction. Some of the items include a $750 pendant, fishing trips, and also week long stays at Worldmark by Wyndham condos, signed books, quilts and much more.

So, mark you calendars and plan on coming to the Seaside Civic and Convention Center on Friday for lots of fun.
See you there!

MEDIA ALERT!!

John was interviewed by both KOIN-TV and FOX KPTV today. They are planing to air on KOIN ch. 6 on the 5pm news and maybe again in the morning. And on FOX ch 12 at 10pm tonight.
Please pass this on.

John has started physical therapy

This week John has started his physical therapy. They have been working on having him sit up and they even had him standing. He is still to weak to take any steps, but this is still a big step to getting him out of the hospital and back home.

He Speaks!

On Friday the doctors took John's trach tube out. This is a giant step forward. With the tube out, he is able to talk a little. And the doctors are thinking about removing his feeding tube this weekend. All this means that JC is moving in the right direction. With him out of the ICU, the nurses are allowing a few visitors. But hospital regulations only allow for two at a time. We want JC back in Seaside as quickly as possible, but he does need lots of rest still. Please keep this in mind.
On a lighter note, Val Perry stopped in to see JC on his way to the games tonight. John was talking so much that Val asked a doctor if they could put the tube back in to shut him up.

Cal is making a trip up to see JC on Saturday. He will be giving us his observations after he returns.

OUT OF THE ICU!

Yesterday JC was moved to a regular hospital room. He is OUT OF THE ICU. He may be off the portable ventilator as well in a few days. We've been through several days of good news in a row. While a long recovery may lie ahead, things look very much better than they did 3 weeks ago or even 1 week ago. JC was in the ICU over 5 weeks. As he is now in a regular room, visitation may be far more practical. At Team Chappy we will wait to see the family's wishes in this regard and ask for your patience as well.