Recovering in ICU

Ian's surgery yesterday took much longer than planned. The surgeon commented that it was complicated but went well. Last night Ian began his recovery in ICU, where he will remain for 2 days. Zach was able to speak with him for a couple of minutes, but Ian was still pretty weak from the operation.

Prostate Surgery Tomorrow

Ian will be going in for prostate surgery tomorrow, Thursday, at 6:00 am. The surgery should last between 3 and 4 hours. They will perform the prostate removal laproscopically to minimize blood loss and other risks. Please pray for a steady hand for the surgeon and for Ian's heart to remain strong through the anesthesia.

Resting after filter procedure

Ian had a filter successfully placed today, to prevent any blood clots from travelling. He tolerated the procedure well and has been resting since. His team of doctors is now debating whether to surgically clear out his bladder tomorrow, to help prepare his urinary system for prostate surgery on Thursday.

We were able to share your emails and blog comments with Ian this morning. He was very touched by your words. Though he was in some pain at the time, his comment was, "Life is Wonderful!" Your friendship has given him a source of happiness in a trying time. Thank you :)

Zach and Katie Smith

Relief but sketchy next 24 hours

Hi everyone; Dad (Ian) is in much relief after undergoing catheterization. He had been in pain due to a blood clot in his urinary tract system. This was caused by the presence of blood thinners fallowing the prostate surgery of last week. Throughout today the increasing pain was putting strain on his heart resulting in chest pain and an irregular heart beat. As you can tell, Dad's overall condition is a constant balancing act. Even so, Ian was optimistic on the phone tonight and was more concerened about how Katie's pregnancy was going than his own condition.

Please Pray:
1. For God to sustain in Ian the faith and bravery needed to overcome fear.
2. That no clots form in Ian's veins due to the reduction of blood thinning medication.
3. That God give an abundance of wisdom to Ian's team of Doctors.

Zach Smith

Synopsis

A brief synopsis of Ian's hospital saga up to this point:

• Ian has been hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles since October 21
• He is in need of a heart transplant
• The fact that Ian is on a drug called Dobutamine, which is being pumped directly into his heart, puts him in the most "urgent" category on the transplant list
• During prostate surgery, a cell biopsy revealed that Ian has prostate Cancer. Thankfully, subsequent scans showed no cancer present elsewhere in his body.
• Ian's prostate must be removed before he can undergo a heart transplant. Prostate surgery is scheduled for Thursday morning, November 16
• A procedure will also be performed on Tuesday, November 14, to place a filter that will prevent a blood clot from moving from the surgery site.

Thank you for visiting

If you are visiting this site, you are most likely a part of Ian's family. After all, friends are the family that we choose, right? We created this blog as a resource for you, because the daily hospital visits often make it difficult for Ian and Vickie to answer their phone messages. Thank you so much for your love and support as Ian undergoes this hospital stay and all of the procedures, surgeries, and physician lingo that goes with it.

Above all else, we thank you all for your prayers. We know that prayer is the most powerful tool we have been given, and we so appreciate you including Ian's health in yours. We intend to post all relevant updates pertaining to Ian's condition so that you will know what is happening and what specifically you can pray for.

We love you all and will be posting our first health update within a day or so. You are welcome to leave comments; we will make sure Ian receives them.

Katie and Zachary Smith