Hi

When I went to visit with Sherman today I found out that he has been selected as resident of the month for Janurary at the Red Oak Health and Rehab. I don't think he understands yet but he will get his picture and a write up in the monthly newsletter. I had about 5 people tell me before I even got to his room. This is an honor because the resident is nominated by the residents themselves.

He is doing so much better since his surgery. He is smiling more and even picking at people. Still no words but everyone seems to understand him. He came home yesterday to celebrate Christmas with the kids. He enjoyed being here and seeing everyone but got tired in a hurry. He was ready to go back and go to bed. He did enjoy opening his gifts however. He is doing much more for himself but is still impatient with me because I want to do to much for him and when he does want me to do something I don't seem to do that fast enough. We will be bringing him here for Christmas Day with the family. We just won't make it last as long. It takes to long to recover from being overtired.

There is still no strength in the right side. When he is in therapy they put a leg brace on his right leg so it won't buckle on him. That helps. Please keep praying for his continued improvement and for my patience.

Merry Christmas to you all,
Dolores

Sherman Update

Well, we got him out of the hospital today. He is back at Red Oak and ruling the roost. After I had come home this afternoon and they called for me to come back. Since the kidney stone was on the right side and the small incision is on the right side he really doesn't have much sensation of pain so when they ask do you need pain meds he says no but he is squirmy and uncooperative and in general a pain. After he got some pain medication this afternoon he was fine and resting. We got his bandage changed and he promised to be sweet.

I ask the doctor about the stone today and he told me it was the size and shape of a pecan. (I didn't ask if that was native pecan or hybrid pecan.) I now understand why the surgery took over three hours. They did it all through the scope. I thought from the amount of bandage on his back that they had to open but after all the unwrapping there was only the hole with a tube (for drainage) in it. I hope and pray it won't take long before he is up and at it again. He is on antibiotics because of the piece of stent that had collected all sorts of "yucky stuff". Dr. description not mine. :)

I will keep you posted on his improvements. Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

Love,
Dolores

surgery update

Sherman had his surgery this morning. It lasted from 8:30 AM until around 12:30/12:45. All went well, the stone did not come out with the stent. The doctor said it was a really large kidney stone. No telling how long he had been growing it. When Sheryl and I left the hospital he was resting comfortably and sleeping. I gave him some sips of water and that helped his dry mouth.

He will be at Charlton hospital until Wednesday or Thursday. He has a drain at the incision site and may go back to the rehab hospital with it. I will keep you posted. I figure tomorrow he will be hurting and not resting as well so I wanted to spend more time there tomorrow. I still have to leave about 4:30 because of driving after dark. So far all is well with me. The cold is still lingering and the deep coughing is still there but better. I thank the Lord Sherman did not catch the cold or the 24 hour thing from me.

He really did enjoy Thanksgiving with the family. We will probally start bringing him for more short visits as he gets stronger.

More tomorrow.
Love to All,
Dolores

A prayer request

As some of you know this coming Monday (Dec. 8) Sherman is scheduled for surgery to remove the portion of the stent that is left and the kidney stone. As of the last X-Ray the stone was lodged in the end of the stent. Please pray that it is still stuck there and that the doctor can remove the stent and stone all in one motion. That would be the easiest on Sherman (and me). Otherwise they will have to blast the stone and all of that will take longer and he will be under anes. much longer. We have been practicing his breathing and coughing so when he wakes up it will be easier for him.

I have another cold and have had to stay away for the most part because I sure don't want him to catch it. I do have to pop in and check on him.

I covet all of your prayers and well wishes as I am concerned about the surgery. I have put it in God's hands and pray that his will will be done. At this point that is all I can do. Thank all of you for standing with us during this trial in our life. I don't know what is around the next corner but I know God does and he will take care of us.

Much love to all of you,
Dolores

A praise

Well, we did it. Sheryl and her family met me at Red Oak Health and Rehab to pick Sherman up to take him to Church for our Thanksgiving Feast. He had a ball. He laughed, he cried, he shook hands and hugged a lot. He even ask one of the men in our Sunday School Class to tell me he wanted fried chicken - white meat.

It was his first trip to our new church so I got to show off our new building and where our class was. I think it really did pick him up.

Please continue to pray for his return to health. I thank all of you and love you.

Dolores

a praise

We went to the ENT doctor today to see if Sherman's throat had any paralysis. Praise the Lord there is none. There is weakness on the left side but with lots of work he will probally be able to talk again someday.

His kidney stone surgery is scheduled for Dec. 8 @ 8:30 AM (there about). Please be in prayer for a speedy recovery, the doctor steady hand and anesthesia concentration.

Thank you all for your prayers and concerns,
Love to all,
Dolores

Sherman surgery update

Hi all,

Well we finally have a date for Sherman's surgery to remove the stone. We are scheduled for Dec. 8 at 8:30 AM. He will spend at least one night in the hospital. The surgery could take anywhere from 30 minutes to at least an hour and a half. Since the stone is at the end of the stent the natural thing to do is to try to remove stent and stone (30 min.) otherwise it is a lot more involved.

Please be in prayer for Sherman, the surgeon and the anestologist.

I am just looking forward to all of this being over with. We also have an appointment with an ENT doctor next week to find out if the vocal cords are paralyzed and if so to what degree. The speech therapist told me today that he is beginning to feel (with his fingers on his throat) his speech. She also gave me permission to bring him pizza. :)

We seem to get to the top of one hill only to find there is another to climb. I know that God is with me, helping me make decisions and guiding me through all of these paths. I don't even want to think where I would be without Him. Thank all of you who have been so faithful to pray for Sherman and send him well wishes. He is looking forward to being at Church for the Thanksgiving Feast. I do so hope we can make it happen.

Bless all of you,
Love,
Dolores

Sherman Update

Sorry I haven't kept you up to date. I have been trying to get rid of a cold. Sherman went to his Dr. last Monday and got clearance for his surgery. I called the Urologist on Thursday and he wants to see him again but right now his surgery is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 1. The did have an opening the day before Thanksgiving but Sherman is so looking forward to spending time with the family on Thanksgiving Day that I said no. I hope that decision won't come back to haunt me. We also have an appointment with an ENT Dr. for Nov. 17 to determine what is going on with his vocal cords. To see just how much damage the stroke did. I am not normally a pessimist but the way things have been going don't cast any of this in concrete.

We are going to try to bring Sherman to the Thanksgiving Feast at the church. It will be very emotional for him but I know he will enjoy everything - seeing everyone, the new church and out class room.

Please continue to pray for him and that I can get the insurance on the right track. My latest stress factor.

May God bless all of you,
Dolores

Praise

At least I think it is a praise. Sheryl and Kevin met in Red Oak this morning, loaded Sherman into their car and he got to come home for a visit. He wanted to make sure I hadn't changed anything or sold anything or otherwise messed up his world. We had fried chicken for lunch and he ate three pieces plus mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, gravy and a biscuit with maple syrup.

This trip gave me an idea of what has to be done before he comes home. If he is still in a wheel chair (which he most likely will be) I will need to rip up the carpet and make the bathroom doors wider. Just kidding. I will have to move furniture - well maybe not me.

It was fun having him here. He got to throw the Frisbee for Katie and check up on me. He was ready to get back. We have an appointment with the doctor Monday to get clearance for his surgery and then we will know when the surgery is going to happen. I'll keep you posted.

Thanks for all of your prayers and concerns,
Love,
Dolores

More Info

Looks like Sherman is going to have to have surgery to remove the stone and the stent. For some reason the stone didn't show up in the C-scan but it is there. It is stuck in the end of the stent that the dr. tried to remove in his office. Now we know why it did not all come out.

I don't know yet when the surgery will be - have to get clearance from his Red Oak dr. and do the chest x-ray, etc. The surgery will be at Charlton Methodist in Dallas (Duncanville). He will have to spend at least one night.

This is all I know right now. More later.

Dolores

Sherman Update

Hi again,

I finally have something to report. I have been waiting until we found out something from the urologist. We had the appt. today and he said the c-scan we did last week did not show a kidney stone in the right kidney. We had the option of taking the stent out (which has been in to long) in the office or scheduling day surgery with anes. I was trying to avoid having him put to sleep so we all talked about it and decided to remove the stent in the office. That did not work out as well as planned. He had about 80% of it out and it broke. If was very painful for Sherman. We have to go Monday to Charlton and get another abdominal x-ray to see where the remainder of the stent is and then take the x-ray and go to the urologist office and decide what we will do next. I see it as day surgery with anes in out future.

Please pray that Sherman will be able to endure being put to sleep and it will be easy to get the remainder of the stent and that the x-ray is right and there is no kidney stone. I am not looking forward to any of this. Sherman is on pain medication and anti-botics now. When I left he had had a shower and was in bed asleep.

Thank you for your prayers and concerns,
Love,
Dolores

Chandler Family Reunion

This post goes out to all the Capellos that are also Chandlers (Joseph E. Capello Jr./Clodia Chandler's family)....

In case you didn't hear about it, there is a Chandler Family Reunion next Saturday, October 18, 2008 in Breaux Bridge, LA.

If you didn't know & want to come, get in touch w/ your parents (haha) or post a comment here & I will get you in touch w/ the right person. ;-)

Sherman Update

Hi Everyone,

I have been waiting to write this because I have been waiting for info from the Urologist. Well, there is still no word from him (probally tomorrow) and new stuff has been happening. Sherman is getting stronger and more able to take care of himself. He is eating much better now that he doesn't have to have pureed food and can drink regular water.

Way back when we watched a demo of a computer that would talk for Sherman. Really wonderful. The speech therapist and someone else that evaluated him submitted their reports to the company to see if we could get the computer for Sherman. We finally heard today that the company doesn't even have a medicare number. We all know what that means and of course I don't have $12,000 in an old purse in my closet. Never fear we have not given up. The speech therapist at Red Oak is going to explore other avenues and try to get some help from somewhere else (another company that sells computer for people that cant speak). It looks like it may still be a while before he can talk. She wants to get an ENT evaluation. Hopefully we can get the kidney stone taken care of and the ENT eval all at the same time.

Other than the let down about the computer things are going good. I went the other morning to watch therapy and Sherman walked with the help of the therapist for quite a distance. They also play a game where he stands with his hand on the walker and the therapist will throw a balloon to him and he has to turn loose and hit it back. Not to worry, he is braced on his bad side. There was a time not to long ago when he could barely sit on the platform and throw a ball to Katie and now he has been able to sit for up to 30 minutes. He is making progress by leaps and bounds. Our short term goal is to get him to Shirley's for Thanksgiving. He has to learn to get in and out of the car. He says he can do it now.

Once I find out when he will go take care of the kidney stone I'll let you know. In the mean time please continue to pray for his strength as well as mine. He has agreed to let me have one day off "to sing". That means I can go to Church on Sunday morning and choir practice on Sunday afternoon. Then he grins.

Be Blessed,
Dolores

Now for the Real News!

With all the commotion about the hurricane, the real news got overshadowed...

And that is that there is a new little Capello on the block! Well, his last name isn't actually Capello, but Ronald Cooper (my brother, Diana Capello's son) just had a baby boy last Friday! ...you know, not him...his girlfriend.

Layne Michael was born Friday, September 12, 2008 at 1:26am!

He was 6 pounds 8.8 ounces and 20 inches long.

We Got the Power!

Hehe

Electricity came back on tonight. Not in time to save any of the food. But all is well!

Electricity Still Out

I'm at work this morning but the electricity at the house is still out. Longview School District is closed, but Alexandra's school is open. It's really nice weather here, only like 66F right now, so even without electricity, it's quite comfortable. Big contrast to what I heard from the family in South Louisiana last week with temps. in the 90s.

Anyway, it's actually been kinda fun. I guess fond memories of hurricanes during my childhood predispose me to a good hurricane attitude. When we came up to the office Saturday night, we told Alexandra we were going on "an adventure" and we have been doing a lot of things like reading, blowing bubbles and playing board games. Alexandra has been having fun holding the flashlights.

I'm grateful that it wasn't very bad. I never did finish my "emergency kit" before we lost power (and I lost the Internet & hadn't printed out everything I needed in it. haha). It's all still strewn on the dining room table. But I'll be ready for any type of emergency next time! ;-) I fear that the food in the standup freezer may be lost though we have not opened it the whole time. ;-/

Our Turn Now

Electricity has been out since Noon today. Lots of wind and some rain but not really too bad. A few limbs (biggest probably 6" diameter) down in the front yard but that's about all.

Coworkers called & invited us to meet them at my work (which has electricity) to watch the USC-Ohio State Game so we took showers & gave Alexandra a bath by candlelight, grabbed what we could out of the frig, and headed up. Once we got a few blocks from the house, most of the businesses on the "main drag" had electricity though my coworkers said that coming from their house, most everything was out.

So now we have that game going on one TV & the Fresno State-Wisconsin game going on one of the projector screens in the conference room. Like a big adult slumber party up here and Alexandra has her little friend Aiden (my coworkers' son) so they are having fun being up past their bedtimes. ;-)

Guess we'll see if the electricity is back on again when we go home.

Sweet! I just see that LSU beat North Texas 41-3! ;-) (You can see we're all fine. haha)

Love,
April

Sherman Update

Dear Folks,

The speech therapist called from Red Oak and told me that Sherman has passed his swallow test. That means he no longer has to drink thickened water, juice or coffee and his food will be chopped instead of pureed. This is wonderful news and I am so excited for him. Now maybe he will drink more and get rid of the bladder infection and eat more and gain weight. He is down to 138.

Thank you all for praying for both of us. I would never make it without all of you.

Thanks,
Dolores

Sherman Update

Hi Everyone,

Things looked really good today. Yesterday Sherman didn't feel to good but today he is 1,000% better - his words. I am also 1,000% better. I never realized how much I needed to get away. Sherman did fine while I was gone. His sister looked in on him daily and even took him some bread pudding.

I watched some of his therapy today and he walked quite a distance with the help of his therapist and a one handed walker. He was really proud of himself. I am so pleased with his progress. He has an appointment with a urologist on the 19th of this month to deal with the kidney stone. Right now everything else looks good. Please continue to pray that this will continue. He is doing more and more for himself and lets me know when I have done more than I should. He will have another "swallow test" either this Friday or Monday to see if he can start drinking regular water and not thickened water. I believe the water is the reason he is having the problems he is having. He is not drinking enough so things don't work right. We offer but it just doesn't go down right or something.

Thank everyone for your prayers for both of us. I don't even want to think where I would be or where he would be without them.

Be Blessed,
Dolores

Report from La

Dear All,

Jerry just talked to Harold Capello a while ago.

He reported that they are all fine. The roof of the house will have to be replaced, they have some shingles gone. They had several minor leaks in the house, the west fence is leaning and he lost a crape myrtle and propped up another one. He is running the generator now and they will probably be without electricity for almost 2 weeks.

Jerry also talked to Buddy and Wayne LeBlanc and they are fine, but will probably lose their big tree in the back, it is torn up badly. They have lots of debris around the house, but they are safe. Cheri’s house lost at least 5 trees and she said her yard is just torn completely up out there on the River Road.

The good news is that everyone is safe and well.

Tammy’s daughter Carla came home from hospital with the baby. She still has a slight temperature, but they are keeping a watch on it and glad to have her back home. The huge tree by Tammy’s house is okay.

We were very relieved to hear the news and hope others and their families are the same.

Love, Gail and Jerry Lee

Update on Family in Dutchtown

Just got the latest update from my mom, Diana, in Dutchtown (Geismar), LA. She said that the electricity was still out since about 11am but that they were running a few things like the frig/freezer, TV, & a few lights with the generator from their RV. The whole area is without electricity including Aunt Betty & Uncle Louis (& my in-laws) down the street and all the stores have been shut down since yesterday. They lost the fence on one side of the house. It blew against the side of the RV and Barry tried to move it, but that was during all the wind so he didn't have much luck. She said as far as they can see right now there isn't any damage to the RV. Everyone is fine that we know of.

Aunt Betty & Uncle Louis moved their new car to their daughter Heidi's house, but a pine tree in their yard came down on one or two of the vehicles still parked in their driveway. I am not sure where all their children stayed, but Aunt Betty & Uncle Louis stayed hunkered down at their house. I know their daughter Heather lives in a trailer so I am hoping they did not stay there.

That's all I have right now on any of the Capello Family down there.

Shelter from the Hurricane

Our house in Longview is open to anyone that needs or wants to evacuate! ;-)

Hi,

This might be a faster way to update you on Sherman. He is still at the Health and Rehab and right now no date for discharge. He is getting stronger every day and more anxious to be home. We may be able to get a short pass for him to come home for a quick visit soon. He is still unable to speak or walk. He still has the kidney stone but it isn't causing a problem right now. Of course, that could change any minute.

I am planning to go out of town for a couple days over the Labor Day holiday. I'm not going that far, just a couple hours away. I feel I need this time to relax my mind. Sherman and I talked it over and he was all for it. I think he needs the break from me too. I still try to do everything for him and now he wants to do for himself.

I always prided myself on being able to "run the household". Boy, have I found out what I didn't know. Bills have to be paid on time, oil has to be changed in cars, filters have to be changed in a/c units and cars have to be inspected and plated every year.

I will try to find my way back here so I can let you know how he is doing. You all take care and please pray for both Sherman and I.

Love,
Dolores

Introducing the Capello Family Blog

Hi Capello Family! I wanted to start this blog so that we could better disseminate updates on the family and keep in touch with each other. If you know of any family email addresses, please send to me at ACCSanchez@aol.com.

About the blog
This blog is in its infancy, so please let me know your ideas on how to improve it & what you would like to see. It's basically just where everyone can post, nothing fancy. I just picked a plain jane style template but that can be changed at anytime based on a family consensus.

Contributing
I'm going to set everyone up as authors and I am the administrator, so any of you whose email address I have can post. If you send me any other family email addresses, I can add them as contributors also. If you know of any family websites or blogs, please email those to me so that I can add them to the list at the left.

Also, for the extended family addresses that I was given or those in the Capello Family that might not know me, I am Diana Capello's daughter. She is the 7th of Joseph E. Capello Jr.'s nine children. ;-)

Once again, my email address is ACCSanchez@aol.com.

Thanks,
April