[Dialogue] Abe Ulangca's hospitalization

[Dorcas Rose]

Our prayers and thoughts are with you.   Be sure to say hi to Abe and tell
him we are thinking of him.   Dorcas and Ken

-----Original Message-----
From: Dialogue-bounces at wedgeblade.net
[mailto:Dialogue-bounces at wedgeblade.net]On Behalf Of Janice & Abe
Ulangca
Sent: Sunday, August 15, 2004 3:01 PM
To: Colleague Dialogue
Cc: Nelson & Elaine Stover
Subject: [Dialogue] Abe Ulangca's hospitalization


Dear colleagues,

Many of you are very much like our extended family, so we wanted you to
know.  Forgive the medical detail; this is copied from an e-mail to Abe's
far-flung family, which includes several nurses.

Abe is in intensive care in Binghamton General Hospital.  Tuesday he
experienced very severe abdominal pain, getting worse constantly.  It was
good to get to the hospital & get pain relief -- but it took 24 hours &
several tests to chase down the pain cause, a large gall stone blocking
things.  Thursday he had an ERCP procedure; this is a flexible tube about
diameter of a pencil with a tiny camera attached  that is inserted down the
throat and down into the digestive system.  The camera takes pictures, and
the doctor can also do a number of procedures through the tube.  Thursday's
procedure showed three bleeding ulcers in the colon, one of which had broken
through the colon and overlapped with the sphincter muscle which the doctor
needed to enlarge in order to bring the gall stone out. So the doctor had to
install tiny tubes to drain the bleeding, and schedule another ERCP for
Friday, the next day.  During Friday's ERCP the doctor was able to remove
the gall stone (and remove the tubes inserted Thursday), and the ulcers are
being medicated.  However, Friday night Abe had what the cardiologist calls
a "substantial" heart attack - his third - probably caused by stress related
to the procedures.  There was no choice about doing the ERCP procedures --
and Abe and I are both very happy with the care he is getting and very, very
thankful for the skills (and even good humor) of the doctors and nurses.
The ERCP process is amazing, and the young doctor who did it is terrific.

We have 2 goals:  to get him stabilized long enough to move from intensive
care to the cardiac floor at General, and then if possible to be able to
care for him at home, perhaps with help of Hospice.  He's comfortable,
dozing a lot, with his usual spark when he is awake.  How great that is!
He's not up to visiting much; we hope he will be later.

Janice


**************************
Abe & Janice Ulangca
3413 Stratford Drive
Vestal, NY  13850
607-797-4595
aulangca at stny.rr.com
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