My sister called today. She got the results back from the MRI on dad's brain. The meningioma is the same. No growth in the last year. Oh, and I've just been informed that I'm going to be an aunt again! My sister's son and his g/f are expecting their first child next summer. That's the good news.

Now the bad news. Dad has a hernia in his groin. It's the size of a freaking baseball! All this time dad's been complaining of his hip hurting, I think it must have been this hernia. His bowels are backed up again and I think they're going to have to go in and clean it out (sorry to be so gross!). I don't know if he'll be able to tolerate any type of surgery due to his heart problems. 8 or 9 years ago, he had an angiogram and the anesthesia nearly killed him. His bp dropped to <40. It was then that the doctor told me that under no circumstances can dad ever do general anesthesia again.

I hope they can fix the hernia and bowel problems without causing too much distress for him. I hate to think that he'll have to live with the pain for the rest of his life.

Love, Barb

Congratulation on being an Aunt again!! There is nothing like new life to put a smile on a face. The fact that your Dad's memingioma has not grown is also wonderful news. I am sorry to hear of the hernia and the potential complications. I hope they can find a successful solution that will relieve his pain. Know my thoughts and prayers are with you and your Dad.

Love, Deb

I think they can do both procedures using a spinal block, which should not affect his heart at all.

Congratulations - a new baby in the family is a cause for celebration.

I hope you are well again.

Love,

Martha

Yeah. I'm happy for my nephew and his g/f. The kid has got his head on straight which says a LOT in our family. :) He'll be 21 in a couple of months but he already has more than most people twice his age. He bought a nice little home in the country a few months ago. He works full time at a trucking company and owns a small landscaping company. Last summer, he had 6 guys working for him. He's a real go getter.

When I spoke with my sister last night, she said she and dad were out at the VA hospital all day so dad was sleeping when she called. She said he got very upset when the doctor told him he weighed 167 lbs. Several years ago, dad got down below 200 lbs and was very ill. That's when we found out he had congestive heart failure. So ever since then, he's convinced that the doctor told him to never get under 200 lbs. He says he feels better when he's at 200 lbs. He remembers that doctor visit (the way he remembers it) to this day word for word. Every time he talks about it, he reveals the same exact conversation. Of course the conversation didn't go that way but he remembers it the same every time.

In reality, he's been below 200 lbs for about 4 years.

Love, Barb