My Brother in law Bruce

a statement from an email I received a short while ago from my sister Nita about Bruces health - I thought I would share it here.

Thankyou all for your prayers and "positive vibes"....all have reached and helped us over these past two days. I will give an update, and FYI for those who may not have heard.

Bruce has been unwell for the past two weeks, and for the last week he got progressively more yellow, and finally with a scan it was revealed he had an inflamed and infected gallbladder. The doctor told us yesterday it was gangrenous (gangrene) and needed to come out. What had also happened was..we were told that stones had travelled from the gallbladder and lodged in the intestine causing an obstruction. Bruce was waiting to be admitted for surgery on Thursday morning, when he suffered a heart attack, they pulled him in quick, and he suffered another minor one approximately an hour later.

Lots of doctors working with and around him, best of specialist cares, and they said he would be operated on Thursday afternoon. They gave a couple of bags of blood plasma to thicken the blood in preparation for the operation, because he is on blood thinners. However, after a while, the apparent urgency to operate caused them to change their minds and put him on heperin(?) to thin the blood again, hoping to open the small veins around the heart to have the blood flow easily. However, after further tests and blood stuff, it showed that the heart was too weak to undergo an operation, so the operation was delayed, and he was put into CCU for observations, in the hope that he would be ok for the operation after a MRI this morning.

The MRI revealed that the gallbladder was not "gangrenous" but badly infected, and they have hit him hard with antibiotics. There are, however gallstones lodged in the gallbladder, and some have travelled and have formed an obstruction in the bile duct. Because his heart is "not good" (the doctors words) they cannot operate. He is being transferred to have a procedure with an Endoscopy, in the hope to (I think) break up the stones and hope they flush away???? it is planned for Monday afternoon...IF it doesn't get done then, it will be done Tuesday morning, and then he will be transferred back to CCU and monitored closely over the next few days.

Bruce is in good spirits, doesn't appear as yellow as he was yesterday, and he is not in any pain, there have been no more attacks, so I have no doubt it is through all the best wishes and prayers which are being sent on our behalf.

I apologize if I have not returned your phone calls personally, there have been just so many, of which I am most grateful for. It has been the support and love that has kept our loads light - physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

Jazmin and Ammon, have been here being secretary and shoppers; our son Craig ( as distinct from brother Craig ME) and family are here to take the load, and Carianne flies in from NZ and arrives in the morning (Saturday) giving that extra support.

I'm holding up really well, no problems or stresses, all you have taken the load and my load is a lot lighter because of your love.

Happy day to you all,
love Neets and family