Surgery Success

While there were multiple delays prior to surgery (emergency case before me), apparently all went well during surgery. They were able to go the simple route and I am resting in a comfy bed for the night before heading across the pass.
I was able to hold down dinner though I am still fairly nauseated.  When I woke up...from my dream, it took me a minute to remember that I was having surgery...and oh by the way, it was over.  Last thing I remember was the meds burning as they went in and the anesthesiologist saying that was ok...oxygen mask suffocation, and me realizing it was time to submit to the drugs.  As I woke up, all I wanted to do was go back into my nap...though the nausea and pain were starting to kick in...nothing three doses of dolotted and a few oxy couldn't handle. Super tired now a hoping for some goog sleep!

Another Adventure

We are once again in Seattle at Virginia Mason...and we hope this is our last visit to Seattle for a while (Lynnwood ok to visit). We have made over 20 trips here in the last 10 months...construction on the high rise was still a hole in the ground... 

Gall bladder surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning and we hope it is quick and uneventful.  Today's tests were a little rough...my blood was drawn by a phlebotimist in training and my blood didn't want to leave my arm...next stop was the CT scan where it took 3 tries to get an IV started and a 5th poke to get a little more blood...now the bruises are appearing. 

CT scans are not for the weak stomachs...you start with 32oz Barium Sulfate chalky, nasty drink and ends with contrast that makes you feel like you wet yourself and has recently caused nausea for about an hour.  It took so long to get the IV started that we were late to our next two appts. Poor Jacob had to sit and wait all afternoon, but then we went to a movie and a lovely dinner and now getting ready for bed.

Praying tomorrow's surgery is the culmination of this bout with Pancreatitis...10 months is long enough!! For those of you haven't seen me lately...I am feeling really good, ready to get back to the gym and golfing.  We made two trips downtown from the hospital today...and I could have done a few more.

FYI, I will blog tomorrow when I feel up to it...don't expect to hear anything until late afternoon.  Love you all!! Thanks for your prayers and support!

Tubeless

We had a good visit to VM today...got the last tube out, scheduled gall bladder surgery and a follow-up over a month away!! I didn't have to have anesthesia today...they just gave it a yank and the tube was gone...it has been a long time...I was excited and it was fun to see excitement in the Drs. and nurses...got hugs from lots of the ones I have seen week after week and even got the tubeless in Seattle certificate. I am waiting until after Aaron's birthday to have gall bladder surgery.
Another good thing this trip is that we found Rhodie's BBQ...it moved and I was missing the yummy pork sandwich...it is now off exit 22. I was starving...and now my belly is happy!

We are on our way home!

Home and dealing

We went into today's appointment with hope and optimism, but the doc had other news. He did take the lower drain out but talked to us for quite some time about other fluid formations...and that the internal drains are not fully functional. There are a few fluid formations in hard to reach places including around my spleen...he was going to try to route my last drain so it could drain that fluid...being that they medicate me to not remember the pain during the proceedure...I don't know where exactly the tube is located internally.  Jacob tells me about conversations that go on while I am in recovery and I have no recollection...get me off those drugs!!! I am feeling the pain now and took off the pain patch this week so hopefully the pain rollercoaster doesn't return...all in all, my body is making progress and I feel better overall. One good thing about today's appt is that it progressed relatively on schedule and we were home before 5pm!!

On the road again...

We are headed back to Seattle for a CT, tube check, blood work, and department follow-ups.  We are hoping and praying that they will take the two remaining tubes out. I am trying to not get my hopes up, but I have been feeling better and the drain output has decreased.
Pray that if it is the right time that these tubes come out, and if it is not the right time, pray that I can mentally take another week or two.

Fun note...we had a girls spa day last weekend and then some mother-daughter time and a friend BBQ...first, the 90min deluxe pedi was excellent and turned the rough morning around and at some point during the day I had a feeling of normalcy...it was Amazing! I was tired and sore on Sunday...but it is great that I am having more good days, more stamina, and feeling like I can be on my feet more without crashing!! I went grocery shopping today and hopefully will feel up to camping over the weekend!

Thanks everyone for the prayer and support. We are not through it all, but I feel like we are climbing our way out of the valley!

What it is not...

After a long day in the ER, all the tests came back ok...not kidney stones, not pulmonary embolism, not a clot in the leg, lungs look ok, so they sent me home with muscle relaxers. The first couple haven't completely knocked out pain like I had hoped...though feeling good in general and sleeping more...very Thankful for the little improvements!!
Though setbacks are hard, I feel like I am am moving in the right direction...hopefully heading toward removal of more drains...

Two days, two hospitals...

My days of pain started Sunday night at the hotel at Virginia Mason...I felt pain in my lower right flank that we thought were muscle spasms...I couldn't lay flat or even get comfortable at any angle other than full sitting position...needless to say, I did not get much sleep.  We got up ans got down to the Ct scan and then we were sent to the other building for tube check. It is a long walk and I was tired when we got there...only to hear my proceedure would be done at the Buck Pavilion...exactly where we came from ...so we headed back over there...waited forever and then found out there was equipment that broke down and I would be heading back to Jones pavilion...this time they brought a wheelchair and a parking voucher for the inconvenience.  They were really behind and my 9am proceedure didn't get underway until almost 12:30...they switched where the two drains were positioned inside and sent me on my way...the whole day plagued by these spasms or whatever they are. I was in so much pain by the time we got home that I went straight to bed...it was another restless night with more pain and trouble breathing that I called the Doc and got right in this morning...after he poked around and listened to my lungs, he sent me for a Chest CT at ER...3.5 HRS later, I am still here...waiting...watching as cell battery dies. I will post again when I know something...

...and then there was 2

We were "fit" in this morning for a tube check and now we are on our way home.  We had gone to Seattle without an appt but I called as soon as I could and left a message that we had an urgent need to be seen today. They I'd get a call within two hours so we waited in our room...which is attached to hospital...I called the nurse at 8:15 to ask a few questions about clear liquids I could drink that morning.  She said she would talk to scheduler and they'd get back to me...got a call from nurse that they had opening and to head over. Within five minutes I get a call seeing if I wax going to check in today so I asked what time I had been scheduled...and she said 8:00...would have been nice for a callback since we were up and ready...waiting for the phone to ring.

We pack our stuff down and check into the correct area...no CT scan...just a thorough tube check.  After that the doc left for a bit to put together his plan...taking out front drain and reducing the size of the back two drains...may still have to deal with leakage since the new drains are smaller...a price to pay to be closer to having them out but not fun nonetheless. Now they will be easier to flush and we flush less each time and twice a day.  We will see how tomorrow goes...hopefully a step forward and not a lazy or painful day... 

Praise the Lord that Aunt Mickey and Uncle Jerry are flying home.  Please pray for safe travels and continued healing in his hip. Also pray that Aunt Mickey who is taking care of uncle Jer..may she rest on the plane and when they get home!!

Find Blessings this week...if you look enough, you will find them all around you!  Also, to the "moms" in my life...you are priceless and I can't put into words what you mean in Jacob, Aaron, and my lives!!! Happy Mother's day week!!!

Feeling good, but...

It has been a week and a half since the last drain check and feeling ok. I have been mobile a lot this week cleaning the shop...well for the most part I am sitting in the computer chair while Jacob does the dirty work...and thanks so much to the friends and family who helped with operation shop clean out!!

The doc switched the dose on my pain patch with the hopes that I can get off the oxycodone...don't know if that is what has been giving me more energy or if it has been the fresh air and a project?? I am beat at the end of the day but such a productive week.

Last night (Sat) one of the sutures holding one of the back drains pulled loose and now there is only tape holding it in place...I was worried and called the doc on call and we agreed I should come in (to VM in Seattle) to get it fixed.  She wasn't worried that any damage had been done yet...that is good, but waiting a week for my next appt scared me...what if I moved wrong or Aaron grabbed and pulled...I'd rather make an urgent trip rather than emergency. Another reason we thought it was good to go sooner rather than later was that this was the drain that has leaked through two dressings a day since we got home from getting it put in...it is hard to flush because of the extension piece needed to make it work...it has caused me the most pain (the suture was really tender...shooting pain when Jacob would change the dressing)...and it isn't draining a super amount of fluid...basically our problem child right now...

We are headed to Seattle even though we don't have an appt...the Doc knows we are coming and said they will "fit us in" Monday. She is the one that differentiated urgent from emergency...I am hoping for morning since I have to fast before procedure...but peace of mind is the main goal. Last time I had a problem, we called for an appt Monday first thing and didn't get in until Tuesday afternoon because of the pass being closed and involving a third party to make the appt...the scheduler in my gastro Drs office and I played phone tag all day. This time we will be at the hospital ready and waiting for an opening and will call the IR dept directly.

I will post again tomorrow after the procedure. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers!

Another good appt!

We had another decent visit at VM today. I would say great or one of best, but I did still have to be put out...IV took two pokes... and I still have drains protruding out if my body...and rely on pain meds... We were excited to hear that one of the areas has shrunk to one-third or one-quarter its last size!!! They still switched out the drain because they hope to pull more sludge in the actual process. I still came home with three drains, but none of the drains had clogged or stop working. Actually the last drain still comes out of me at the same place but is reaching a new fluid collection on the inside... Hoping that I feel good tomorrow and continue to improve my nutrition, energy, and strength!!
It is not a good thing that everyone knows me on a first name basis...the CT scan gal, the IR nurse and techs, etc...and they ask what Aaron is doing this week...

Our little Superman is eating more varieties and textures, pulls himself up on everything and most recently started singing the "dadadadadada" song. Jacob is waiting for Aaron to look at him and just say, "Dada".

Happy Easter! He Is Risen!!

Happy Easter from the Worthingtons

 

 

 Aaron enjoying some relaxing time at Church!

 

 

Better day, in perspective...

Found this draft blog post from a few days back...sorry for delay.  Today I have felt much better! Last week was a really bad week...and hopefully the rest of this week is as good as today or better...actually looking forward to dinner tonight...appetite better than last week.
BTW...I am home...my Tues appts finished and we were sent home same day!!

Up, Up, let's get the show on the road..

We had a good talk with multiple doctors today and we are going to try a few different things.  First with the drains, we went bigger...going smaller last week didn't move us in the right direction...treading water... They seem ok but let's see how I do sleeping and how tomorrow goes when meds are back to normal. I had another iron infusion with another planned next week...antibiotics may get switched up a bit too.  Feeling ok as I head to bed. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers!!!

Back to VM

Quick update while I wait for Jacob to park the car and walk up the super steep hill at Inn @ VM. My drains have gone crazy the last few days and started leaking stinky greenish fluid at the drain sites...while the smell is enough to gag a medical professional, the wet on my clothes felt disgusting.  I have been using new burp cloths to soak up fluid... When I called this morning, they got me in first thing Tuesday...and now we are here. I will post after we see how things go.

Home and dealing

I went for a CT and drain check and things went awry after the Interventional Radiologist reviewed the CT.  After delays and procedure location change, I finally got called back and prepped for my drain check.  I asked the admit nurse what the plan was since things can change based on CT results. She read the screen and it said drain placement and tube check.  All I was expecting was tube check and was looking for an answer more like take out front drain and see what contrast does in back drain. After quite some time I finally saw the Radiologist doing the proceedure and we went over CT and drain checks from the last few months.  He saw a fluid collection heading toward my pelvic region that he wanted to drain. I had talked with Jacob and decided we did not three drains that two was enough to manage at one time. The Doc and I talked about taking out the front drain, downsizing the back drain and adding this other drain...while I did not 100% like this plan, it was my compromise.  I went to CT for drain placement and then they would take me across hall for drain check.  I told people helping get me ready about our plan and a while later I woke up in recovery.  Basically, they added a third tube, changed the front one and added a piece that hopefully helps when putting Aaron to sleep and downsized the back drain...what happened to only two drains? I was very tired and very disoriented and did not get answers to why they did what they did...or at least I don't remember...Jacob usually is there and gets all the answers, but Rodney took me this time and he dropped me in morning and picked me up at 9pm so he was not there to hear what they had to say...I had a bit of a fever so they kept me until my vitals looked ok...9pm...got home at 1am...did not get out of bed until afternoon today...pain was bad so I'd take pain meds and then accidently fall asleep during the time they were working so today has felt like one big ball of pain...hoping tomorrow is completely opposite and I feel half normal...I'd settle for 25%...
Thanks for your prayers and continue to pray for reduced pain and adequate drainage.  One good thing is that the garden hose in the back is much more flexible...but new drain 3 could interfere with wearing clothes out...give and take...praying for these drains to come out soon!!!

Visit not as expected...

Quick update to let you know a bigger one is coming when I have some lucid time...still at VM, waiting until 9pm to see if I am ok to go home...IF fever goes away and pain manageable...so far, it could literarlly either way.  Earlier had a fever of over102..._now 99...

Homeward bound

Drain check showed front drain working well and even flowing into the inner drains!  There was a partial blockage in the back drain.  They both have had drainage at the drain site so they replaced them both and slightly upsized the front drain.  While in recovery, the infectious disease doc stopped by and wanted to admit me for my fevers last week but she settled for cultures of what was coming out of drains and will let me know about antibiotics later this week. I have to go back in one week, but as of right now I am ok with that...just need to get a ride.  At this moment, I am in such incredible pain that I am having Jacob pull over until the pain meds kick in. Prayers and Blessings to those who are praying for me and those that need to be surrounded in prayer themselves.  Much love!

Deja vu...all over again.

My appointments this morning showed progress over the CT scan done on the 12th, but not enough to remove drains...and they upsized the front one...so at least two weeks of drains left.  It was good that the front tube contrast actually made its way to the stomach...so internal drain working!! I kept mentioning the pain management and it went in one eat ans out the other of multiple people...very frustrating...hoping for more good progress weeks and at least tube downsize or removal.

Aaron...Mr. fearless...

Aaron started crawling just before he turned 8 months and now he is fearlessly pulling himself up on everything...and that is all he wants to do...and grab things off the couch! He is teething like crazy...all that it entails...we can see 4 teeth on top and two on the bottom.  He chews his "melt in your mouth" snacks and is a champ at eating baby food! He brings us so much joy and some nights a full night of sleep too!

More of the same...

I have been home about 10 days and had to make a trip to the ER last Monday due to fever.  I still have low grade fevers, but not enough to go back to ER. I am scheduled back at VM on Monday for a drain check and follow-ups.  I am still on the pain meds and frustrated that the pain from the back drain is not going away...I am told that some pain may be with me as long as the drains are in.  I am balancing rest with getting out of the house...may be a busy weekend, but all fun stuff!! Pray that the sharp pain I have been experiencing that is not helped with pain meds goes away. Thanks to everyone praying, helping with Aaron, and sending well wishes our way!

Cuddling

I am home and still fighting lots of pain but enjoying snuggle naptime with Aaron. I am trying to balance gaining strength and resting. This is going to be a long haul but we can get through this and take each step one at a time...

PRAISE THE LORD

Our family is reunited! They let me go this afternoon and my Uncle Joe drove the first leg to Ellensburg and we met up with Jacob for the rest of the trip. 

Finishing last post

If my drains continue to work and I can get off the IV pain meds, I can come home....great news cause I am going crazy being so sedentary and not seeing my son...and living off hospital food. Jacob went home after my drain replacement...I was I'm such a condition that we had no thoughts of me going home on Monday. Goodnight everyone!

Isn't Sunday supposed to be a day of rest?

Written at 2pm:
Was doing great this morning and was excited they were doing a drain check cause they would do that day before going home...then I went to Interventional Radiology and they decided to upsize the back drain again...most of the loose fluid is gone, but there is a lot of chunky material.  This is bad news...in the fact that I will have drains for months since the thick stuff can take months to break down. These bigger drains are more rigid so from the time I woke up, I was in excruciating pain...back to mass pain reliever on schedule...hopefully just for today...and hopefully home Tuesday.

7pm:
Feeling much better and I am off the major painkillers already.  I was able to eat all of my dinner and walk a few laps up and down the hall. I got great results from my last spirometer exercise. I am chilling in bed for a quick nap and then I will go for another walk. If my drains continue to wot

Saturday morning

It is almost 11 am and already this morning I have already had a chest xray, three doctors visit, a drain tube removed (yeah!), took a walk down the hall without extraneous equipment, another xray proposed to make sure air didn't seep back into the space where the chest tube was, I got to see my husband, and a new video of my son! What a morning!

Another day closer to home

I don't know when I am coming home yet but the chest tube is the hold up...the CT scan earlier showed a reduction in fluid but also a pocket of trapped fluid.  They got on the ball and talked to the team that has put in my four other drains about aspirating the fluid using a tube that would be taken out at end of procedure...seemed successful and now I just need to keep breathing deeply to claim that pleural space between lungs and chest cavity...baby steps, baby steps...going to go for a walk tonight again...going on New antibiotic that can br given in pill form when I leave..woohoo!  Could still be deeply on meds so excuse my typos...

Love you all and want to see everyone sometime next week...

Michelle

Good Day

Today was a good day! I had a chest xray this morning and an ultrasound this afternoon.  The xray showed improvement in my lungs...I could have told them that just by my breathing.  The ultrasound showed that the clot in my leg had shrunk to a level such that no further Coumadin needed at this time...just the shots while I am cooped up in the hospital. I have been breathing deeply  and coughing like crazy to force the liquid out of the space around my lungs...with some success...hopefully enough!  I mentioned that I am not eating a tremendous amount because I can't stand the food...the Doc mentioned I could have outside food as long as it follows my diet plan...so if anyone comes around lunch or dinner...give me a call and we can plan...I can finally have spinach salad...but the dressing choices are limited....and I am dying for a Fuji or gala apple.  Or yoplait Greek yogurt.

Tomorrow is a big day...chest ct to see if my lungs are taking back the pleural space. The nurse said my left lung was still dim...not the best news but I know we have gotten tons of liquid out in the last 24 hours. Keep the prayers coming that the fluid is gone!!!

Goodnight! Enjoy the pic of me cruising the halls with my chest tube drain collector, super loud vacuum, and pancreatic drains...all carried by my wonderful bedside commode...

Hump -Day....hope we well over the hump

Wednesday started with a lovely 6am Chest xray and then a 3hr delayed tube check...luckily one of the Drs noticed that another Dr had a Chest CT scheduled next day and made the executive order to do them at once...thanks Doc! The tube check was interesting in that you are on the operating table fully awake watching them work and can see images of the tubes and they inject contrast into the drain sites like I would do when I flush the drain.  I got to see one good and not so good tube so then they sedated me and replaced one of the tubes...different than putting a whole new tube because they went down the same exact trail.  I went to recovery and got to visit with Mike & Melissa. Then we went back to my room...not knowing excruciating pain was waiting.  A couple docs came in who were dealing with the fluid on my lungs and asked if I was ready to add medicine to my chest tube that would help bring the fluid to the collection site sooner (sooner chest tube out, sooner home). They said it would not be painful...so figured it wouldn't interrupt my visit, so I signed the consent and they began. Holy crap it hurt more than my labor pains so we had to stop periodically to catch me breath...then I had to lay in four positions to spread the medicine around.  This tube had been hooked to a water-vacuum setup and they unhooked me from that for four hours...I was pretty much zonked and heavily sedated and M&M left to grab me some mio and when they got back, I was about to be moved to the 16th floor. 1662. They helped me get settled upstairs and headed home...and I was medicated...and could barely open eyes for Docs and nurses. Then it was time to hook me back up to water vacuum and take out the clamp...again shouldn't  hurt, right? WRONG...the fluid started flowing heavily and I couldn't breathe for a few seconds which felt like minutes...I asked nurse to stay a bit to make sure I was ok...at some point my breath came back to me, but I still needed to order dinner and keep my eyes open long enough to eat it.   I had to wait for my enzymes after dinner got here and I am sure that I joined the sitting asleep crowd...there seemed to be hours of this but it could have been less.  I managed to get some food and water down before nurse poking and prodding began and then the inevitable night of no long sleeps..and now I Will give in to sleep once again.

Writing under  sedation so please excuse errors.
Goodnight,
Michelle

Tuesday.. I Think

Last night I sweat through my sheets three times...almost like when a fever breaks but I didn't have a fever...but it was marking the end of days of fevers. I was scheduled for a drain check at 1pm, but that got pushed back and finally rescheduled for Wednesday at 8am. I was quite bummed at that because drain 2 is showing similar stages as drain 1 that failed. I will have questions for them at the proceedure. In the afternoon I had some energy and finally got enough pain relief that the chest tube didn't dominate my thoughts. Had a nice visit with Aunt Debbie and Uncle Joe then tried to relax more. I picked up my water consumption which means more bedside commode assistance needed...because the chest tube has light suction and a wanky measure device (pic attached) I can't get far from bed unless it is a scheduled walk which I will do tomorrow...

I am supposed to get another chest xray to see how much fluid is left. I pray that the chest tube drains well today and then dries up.

Looking forward to seeing Mike & Melissa tomorrow morning. Thank you to all of you that sent encouragement cards!!

Going to get some rest, I will post more tomorrow.

Love and prayers going out to Chris & Kristen, Ramez & Heather, and Dylan & Carolyn. Praying for healing in your families.

Chest tube recovery

Today has been one heck of a whirlwind.  First I had to call my parents to get the medicine rundown of when I had Stevens Johnsons as an infant. The allergist wanted to evaluate as to see if they would give me an antibiotic that was a shorttail cousin of penicillin.  Just from the few notes she saw, she decided they shouldn't challenge the meds. 

Tube placement-it is somewhere near my armpit and maybe a little smaller than a nickel...way bigger than a dime...draining lots of fluid...but it weighs me down. 

Day in general...a blur of pain, not feeling human, and in and out sleep.

Please continue to pray!!

Prayer

I could really use some prayer this week...and especially that tomorrow will be the turning point! I am having a chest tube put in Monday morning and will have to stay in the hospital until that drain can come out. This is for fluid around my lungs.  Please pray that insertion is not complicated and that fluid begins to steadily drain out.  I also have two pancreatic drains...please pray that these continue to drain and stay functional.
Third is to pray that the fevers continue to decrease in frequency and level of severity. 

Thanks,
Michelle

Crazy Saturday

The pain trying to breathe never really subsided but was helped by meds. I had a chest x-ray this morning to see what was causing the pressure on my lungs and they noticed some fluid that they hoped could be drained off with a needle. My floor closes on the weekend so I was transferred to 9...this is the floor that keeps a consistent eye on vitals and the first place I came back in Sept. After I got settled, I was sent to Ultrasound guided thoracentesis??? Needle to suck out fluid...The radiologist was not sure from the ultrasound if her procedure would be successful so she wanted a chest CT...not long after I got back to my room, they called me for the CT....so x-ray, ultrasound, and a CT all in one day...oh, and a room change.  Fevers have been better but still low grade fevers...New antibiotics today and the thoracentesis tomorrow since the CT showed the fluid was not inside lung. I am in a single room again so that is nice! And hopefully I can transfer out of this floor tomorrow....hopefully coming home soon...but they keep saying once we figure out what is causing fever. 

Got to Skype again with Aaron...but it was bedtime and he was out shortly thereafter. Jacob just left to go back to Inn at Virginia Mason....connects right to the hospital!

I am praying that they find the correct meds for me and that the Thoracentesis relieves the pressure. I pray that these fevers stop! I am praying that my drains continue to be productive!!

Thankful for everyone that is praying for me..Keep them coming!

Friday

I am still fighting the battle with the fever...it is winning.  This means they are pumping me full of fluid...not quite the 30lbs I gained at Kadlec, but we are closing in on 10 lbs. They have me on 5 different antibiotics, some of which need to go into large veins. My veins are tiny and quickly being rendered useless as the IVs fail...I was on my fourth IV in just over three say.  The have been drawing blood from two locations any time I have a fever then another blood draw after the liter of saline and then there is the morning blood draw....they have used every possible areas on my hands and arms.  A doctor finally approved a PICC line that can reach the large vein that leads heart...I haven't been stuck one time since then...such a relief!!!  My Thursday night CT showed a body of fluid that will not be drained by Drain Tube 2 so they scheduled another proceedure to put in Drain Tube 3 (they took out Drain Tube 1 on Tues since it failed).  When I got to pre-op the doc mentioned that she'd be going through the diaphragm...eek! I came out of the surgery on quite a bit more pain and breathing difficulties...and then I was in and out the rest of the afternoon and evening.  It was another rough feverish night...more fluids, more pressure on lungs. Praying for a complete turn-around today.  We should have the cultures to a state that they can tell us which antibiotics can take out the infection. Gonna try to sleep now.

Who sleeps at night anyway??

For the third time this visit, an antibiotic destroyed my IV...so they had to pull it and then my skin was hot and irritated so IV therapy came and put in a new tiny IV and recommended a central line.  They also did a chest xray and gave me 12-15 shots around the prior IV site...was up most of night...finally put on some music and got a few minutes of sleep...then woke up in a cold sweat. I had another fever last night so that meant more blood draws. Just saw Dr...kinda argued with her because she is telling me things that is contrary to what Interventional Radiology has told me for the last two times I have come in...this is really frustrating different doctors, different understanding...and they don't sit and talk together.

Day 3 recap

Had a ct this evening and will have a procedure tomorrow to get a drain in a second fluid mass in hopes that it helps break the fever...hopefully the cultures that have been growing since Tuesday show them which antibiotics will zap the infection since the multitude of generals are doing the job...the Stevens Johnson allergies are limiting their options.

Got to Skype with Jacob and Aaron this evening...miss them so much! Aaron's 4th tooth is pushing through...so cute...can't wait for cheesy smiles! This weekend was supposed to be his first camping trip...disappointed but there will be plenty of trips later.

An episode of House

What is going on??  I feel like I am in an episode of House...I have a team of Hospitalists (intern, resident, attending), Gastro Docs, waiting for a consultation with an Infectious Disease doc.  I have blood draws from two different sites whenever I spike a fever, and depending on results, the I get two large bags of fluid and/or two or three bags of antibiotics. Then I have the daily wake up blood draw...literally I do not know how many more sites they can find. Feel ok...but they are worried because they are pumping me full of antibiotics and still getting fevers...they see a body of fluid that the current drain won't get to so they may put in a second drain...I laugh at what it will look like.. but whatever causes the fevers to subside and the infection to get under control. I have been so cold in my room...even without a fever...I asked where the thermostat was set and I was told it was off...yikes! I have been freezing for no reason for three days...

I am going to try to get some rest.

Extended stay

The docs came in this morning and let me know that they are keeping me until they get results from cultures....earliest release would be Friday.  I was up walking with my friend Lauren a bit ago and now settling down for lunch.  I feel pretty good right now but I am also on meds...amazing how I feel when I don't feel pain...we will see what I feel like in an hour or two. Glad I get to see blue sky today!  Please pray the infection has not spread into my blood. As of right now, all the cultures are negative but they will continue to monitor them. 

Something that has already made this stay better is my bed...it has adjustments that change the settings periodically and my back is not causing me problems.

I keep getting Aaron pics so I thought I would share! Aaron with his new buddy Caden. They are having so much fun together!!!

Hotel Hospital

I am done with procedures for the day...the old drain had come out of its prime location inside even though the outside was fine. They put in a whole new bigger tube in a complete different location. I am a little sore but it is managable.  Bad news...since it was late in the day, they didn't have enough hours left to watch me for sepsis so I got admitted to a room...luckily a single room!!!  I should be released tomorrow morning unless there are complicationa during the night.

Drain drain...

I have appts tomorrow afternoon at VM to check/change the drain...been experiencing pain and now the drain won't flush...the saline comes out the hole and I have periodic fevers. It could go a few different ways but hopefully they can replace the drain and send me on my way!! Hopefully there is no infection or problem in the fluid...drain checks are part of the normal process but this one came a week early...the drain pain is draining my energy...luckily I still have Joy and great family and friends.

Aaron

Thought I would post about our little guy! He brings so much joy to our lives and his  smile is so great...3 teeth and another starting to show!

He is on the verge of crawling...doing a few movements then diving for his toys. He has also started pulling himself up and can take quite a few steps if we hold his arms...he hauls around the house in his walking car.

He is such a great eater! We are feeding solid foods and bite size melt in your mouth snacks and MumMums

Headed home

By the time I saw nurse in ER, my fever had broke and pain was managed with meds. I got a bag of saline in me at warp speed and will follow up with VM Docs on Monday. Blood looked fine...pancreatic enzymes were normal yeah! I was definitely dehydrated. I am already taking an antibiotic so I just need to continue with that...and stay ahead of pain...thank you for the prayers!!

Back at ER

This week I have been getting used to the drain...localized pain, but the drain not having much output. This morning I woke up in extreme pain and then this afternoon I had a fever...so we went back to ER...hopefully bloodwork will show something easy and we can go home tonight...praying I don't have a medstar flight tonight...

Free

We are on our way home!!! Thanks for all your prayers...keep them coming because movement is really slow and when pain hits, it is really painful. Praying that the incision continues to heal and that twisting motion becomes easier!  ...cause golf season is coming soon and I want to be able to roll around and chase Aaron. We have learned so much more about the drains and the docs are hopeful that the drains will work great...but the fluid is more like sludge so it may take longer to go through the tube and we may have to have a different tube put in a few weeks from now...not abnormal for the dual drain setup.

Resting in my room

Things went well this evening. I am chilling on the 15th floor now....eating my clear liquids.  The outer drain is painful when I move and other than the sore throat, I don't think I am feeling the inside drain.  I am able to walk on my own...I feel the drain bag on my leg...it is big....cleaning it seems much easier than I was anticipating but we'll  see what tomorrow brings. Goodnight all.

Delay of game...

We checked in, got the ID bracelets, the lovely gown and socks, the monitors on the iv stuff ready to go...then we hit the first roadblock...trouble getting it in...so now two holes in hand that burn...met the anesthesiologist...and things almost stopped...first they are worried about my lungs so I got a neb treatment...then got the wonderful news that one of my procedures did not get scheduled...and they could get me in this afternoon, tomorrow, or reschedule....long story short...outer drain goes in at 12:30 and inside drain at 4pm...so the fasting I did this morning...continues...and Jacob got free breakfast for the inconvenience...oh and free parking today...I was as patient as possible and now I get to walk around the hospital for another 3 hours...will post again later...

Getting this process started

We made it over the pass...15mph though we didn't know why we were going so slow...now we are headed into Seattle for my ERCP/dual drain...I will post later about how it went.  Lots of prayer please!!