Chicago Update

We are still in Chicago as of Saturday.The specialist was in to see Dan this morning to examine him and talk with all of us.His coming home date is on this coming Monday.We got there to find his assistant had already been in to see him and had told Dan he felt he should be able to go home today but needed to talk to Dr.McKinnon yet.My heart immediately went into my throat as I looked to Chuck with eyes saying please one more day before they release him.If we we're in Grand Rapids with him in a hospital bed it would be one thing,but he is in Chicago three hours away from us.As Dr.McKinnen came in he proceeded to ask Dan how he was feeling along with other much needed questions and began to unravel his head that was all wrapped up in gauge bandaids.I sat there trying to be brave and strong but the tears started coming and my heart started breaking at seeing him for the first time without his face being almost completely covered.I ended up going quietly out of his room,wavering down the hallway to a safe spot to break down in a much needed cry. As I stood there with tears rolling down my face almost unable to stop them another lady who we have gotten to know started walking by,realized who I was and immediately backupped to me and gave me a much needed hug for a couple of minutes.I told her I was sorry for feeling so weak at the moment and she said I shouldn't feel that way.I need the Lord's strength more then ever right now.Please,please continue those prayers.As I sit here at the Chicago library tears have begun to roll down again with people on each side of me.Dan left us to go into surgery at ten to nine am and 12 hours later we finally received the call that the surgery was done.The surgery was quite extinsive in which they also took bone from the back of his head to reconstruct his eyebrow area above the one eye.Last night as we we're about to leave for the hotel I realized he had developed a fever which they had realized so I alerted the nurse to it.They contacted his doctor and this morning his temp is down.He is not quite back to eating too much yet and has to get up and do some walking which we will be doing a good three times a day with him that is if he doesn't balk over it.The doctor says he should be able to shower today or tomorrow. During surgery he went through four pints of blood and they weren't sure if he would need more throughout the night but he didn't need anymore.
Alittle on the funny side: The first night as we checked into our hotel,in preparation for going to check Dan into the hospital and having cameras in our faces I decided I needed to brush my teeth.I took what I was thinking was my toothbrush out and proceeded to ask Chuck for his toothpaste.As I went into the bathroom to brush them,I went to put toothpaste on my toothbrush to proceed to brush and realized I was standing there with a tube of toothpaste in each hand.So much for good breath and getting our evening Wendy's dinner food particles out.
As we finally found our way to the right parking ramp we got out and walked into the stairwell to proceed to the skywalk that the camera crews we're supposed to be waiting for us at.We soon found for some reason the stairwell only went up and down to the different floors,it didn't seem to get us over to the skywalk.I soon discovered looking out the windows of the stairwell,the camers we're in acouple of different places recording us going up and down in the stairwell trying to figure out how to get to where we needed to go. Finally as Dan decided to call them on his cell phone to let them know what was happening they told us to come outside to them and they would show us where to go back and begin our entry again.As they came out they told us we needed to hang on a minute because the camera man didn't have the right video in the camera.
As we have been here we have discovered the driving in Chicago is very different to ours. Also their traffic lights are on the corner and they tend to have stop signs on every several corners.It was real interesting the first few days with Chuck sitting next to me suddenly screaming at me to stop or saying you just went through a stop sign and stop light.The Lord has been with us because we have not collided with any car and no policemen have been present as it has happened.We began our trip with doing going through three or four a day now we are down to one a day. The one a day is so much better to take.
I was just warned my time is up at the computer so I will adjourn for now.Love everyone.