Wednesday night we had a great nurse Debbie. She was attentive and sweet and did her best to let him sleep as much as possible. About 4 am she apologized for having to turn on the lights but said she'd noticed his drain bulb appeared to be collecting blood. She called in the floor nurse who agreed and they went ahead and cultured it. I think. It was early and remember, the recliner? Yeah, I was in it. :)
Wednesday morning we got another GREAT nurse David. So knowledgeable and smart and shared his knowledge and concern. A true above and beyond and definitely called to his profession. Got to share the "milk the tube" (as Doug now refers to it) procedure with him. He'd never seen it either. It's definitely getting shared now :) Dr Treptow came in on Thursday morning and said we were being transferred back upstairs. Also they thought the blood was from a small G.I. bleed as he'd not eaten at all Wednesday, just water and Sprite and had a LOT of stuff pumped in him. Praise the Lord. That happened about the time the lunch tray came so that just went up with us. We are now back at "home" on the 6th floor 2 doors down from our first stay. Which I like because it has a view to the north and west and I can at least see more than the roof. (That was my view in ICU) David had requested the wound care team to come and change the dressing on Doug's drain tube as there was a little drainage on the dressing. They never did come Thursday. (?) We had our sweet Logan as our aid Thursday as well as a nurse we've not had before, Rhonda. Of course we are going to like her :) We also had a visit from a case worker that said that we would be going home with IV antibiotics and did we think we can handle that? Doug is like "no way, that means I have to go home with a central line in my neck!" She said if we didn't think we could handle it she would give us a list of rehab facilities (and did.) Dr Treptow said we would have oral antibiotics so not sure which Dr put that in his chart. Doug is like 'NO WAY' is that going to happen. Think he may have gotten a little more motivated to walk after that?
Eric hung out with Eli Thursday. We are so thankful for Nick at Mosiac having a New Years Day movie time and friends that are keeping up with Eric. You guys rock. :)
We were also blessed BIG TIME with groceries from my friend and co-worker Dorothy and Melissa.
Thank you SOOOO MUCH, we won't have to buy groceries for a month! (Eric especially appreciates the pizza! :)
Thursday night was fairly uneventful thank God as we were both pooped. Just the normal hospital interruptions, vitals checked, tubes and foley emptied, iv drugs and lab draw out of his central line at 4am. And I had a "chair" bed. Better than the recliner but I think I'm going to ask for a loveseat hide a bed tonight. :)
Friday morning we were visited by an Infectious specialist requested by Dr Ayers. What the heck might as well throw them all in there huh? He told us how this was not uncommon after chemo/radiation/surgery and that it would probably take 4-6 weeks to clear the infection and whole bunch of other stuff. Talk about a depressing visit!
After he left we just kind of looked at each other and the song "Whose report will you believe? We shall believe the report of the LORD" came into my head. I told Doug the buck stops here and we are not accepting any more of this crap they are trying to say is wrong. Totally respect them but they practice medicine. A very good thing and obviously from my previous post I believe God uses man to help with the healing but sometimes I think they want to say more is wrong than it is? Totally just my opinion which with you don't have to agree. And I love all of you in the medical field :)
The only nutrition he is getting is what he eats (which isn't much) so mama is bringing in the supplements. I then proceeded to read him my research from last night (yep, doing that again.) Only this research is healing scriptures. God is in control and I am following the spirit of God telling me what I (we) can do to help the physical body to heal.
Gosh I'm on my soap box a lot this post aren't I?
Today wound care came in and changed his dressing on his (butt) drain. The only pain he is having is there and it is ok, as long as he doesn't move. Yeah, kind of hard to do! He was obviously in pain when she was taking the dressing off so she went out to "get him something." She came back with a syringe and I asked what it was and she said "morphine." I told her no, he's not getting that that his reaction to morphine is vomiting and that is what started this whole infection incident. She obviously didn't care for that but said "ok well he can have something but it will won't take effect until I am finished." So she got him hydrocodone. Doug said no to morphine to her as well and I asked Doug if he could take this other pain med, he might have to stick it out with the pain until she was done. He agreed. She is also the lady that has the ostomy supplies and since it was time for bag change she did that and the "thing" they stick to his leg to hold the foley tube was failing so she got him a new one of those! She was most helpful and we appreciated her so much as she had what he needed to make him as comfortable as he can be. :)
He had lunch, we've walked once more (albeit a literal pain in the butt) and now we are waiting for Dr Treptow. I called his office to cancel his Monday appointment, obviously don't need that now, and Donna said he is in the hospital in surgery so hopefully we will see him soon.
Thanks for keeping up with us, blessing us and most importantly for your continued prayers for wisdom, healing and strength.
We love you all!
Jan, Doug and Eric
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