email from Mary Kappagoda

Hello Philip,

Our daughter Manel has created a website for friends to leave messages which we take in turns to read to him. I wonder if you could distribute it to your batch and they could leave messages if they wish. I hope I have the correct address. http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/kappagoda

Thank you,

Mary K

Update on Tissa

Thursday, April 14, 2011 12:53 PM, PDT

This is going to be another cautiously optimistic post. Dad continues to progress slowly. He has been off the ventilator for quite a few hours today and he's doing OK. He's very tired and spent much of the day sleeping (probably because the ventilator isn't helping him much any more). Thanks to all of you for the notes. He does love hearing them when he's awake. Shanthi is with him today and she'll read notes to him when he wakes up. He's still desperate for a cup of tea but he's not quite well enough for that! We continue to restrict visitors to minimize the risk of another infection. He himself told me on Tuesday that he feels too tired for visitors right now. Hopefully that will change soon. We're trying to brighten up his hospital room with photos and pictures. If you want to email photos to me, you can send them to mkappagoda@hotmail.com. (I may not be able to reply to each email individually so I apologize in advance for that.)

Update on Tissa 13/4/2011

We had some very good news today. Dad had a breathing test this morning and he did very well! He was off the ventilator for two hours and he tolerated it with almost no distress. In fact rather than worrying about his breathing, he started bugging the nurse for a cup of tea. He's still being fed by tube right now so he can't eat or drink anything as he well knows! But in the spirit of it never hurts to ask, he ask every nurse and doctor who came in. He's very alert right now so if people want to sent notes today, I will read them to him.

Update on Tissa

A little more good news this morning - Dad's white blood cell count continues to climb up slowly, slowly; the doctors have turned down the ventilator support a little bit (he's still a long way from getting off the ventilator but every little bit is good); and he hasn't had a fever for quite a few days. As we have learned over this past month and a half, things can go from better to worse at any time but right now, things are looking a little better.

email from Tissa's wife Mary

Hello,

I am not able to answer all the e-mails but would appreciate it if you could thank all your batch mates on my behalf for all their prayers, blessings and good wishes. We both got pneumonia ....Tissa's progressed but mine was almost cleared after 3 weeks. I spend all my time at the hospital or sleeping so prefer not to take phone messages....after 6weeks of day and/or night vigils I do not have any heart to talk or write to anyone....I am sure anyone who has had close contact with prolonged grave illness will understand. Thank you.

Mary Kappagoda

Update on Tissa Kappagoda

Saturday, April 9, 2011 11:34 AM, PDT

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It's been a bit of a challenging few days but this morning Dad is stable and the doctor said he's having a quiet uneventful day and that's a good day. The doctors have reduced the ventilator support so that does seem like forward progress. (I say that cautiously as it's been two steps forward, one step back with this illness.) His white blood cell count is rising slowly but it's still abnormally low so we continue to restrict all visitors.
He's been very alert for the past hour so I read all the messages and emails I've received since Tuesday. He particularly enjoys the funny messages but I think he generally just likes to know that people haven't forgotten him! He very much appreciated the breakdown of the SL/India cricket game.
It's very lovely that one of Dad's friends made a donation to this site as a tribute but please know there's absolutely NO expectation that anyone do that. We have no control over the design of the webpage so that pops up on the right-hand corner. (My preference would be that it didn't do that but there you go...)
Thanks to all of you for sending the cards and messages. They do bring a smile to his face.
Manel

Update on Tissa by Manel his daughter

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• Monday, April 4, 2011 8:49 PM, PDT

  Dad is about the same today according to my mother who spent the day with him. Although he is very weak, he did manage to muster up the strength to tell her that the doctors could order professionals to come and do physical therapy with him. I think that means he's getting tired to being told by me and Shanthi to do his physical therapy exercises.

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• Sunday, April 3, 2011 3:00 PM, PDT

  Shanthi and I spent the day with dad today. (Mum usually does nights.) he was very sleepy this morning but in the afternoon was more alert. He did a little physical therapy with me which involved him giving me high fives. I also read part of an email from our Aunty Mallika and that made him smile. Medically he's about the same.

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