Shortly after I got to work this morning I got a call from mom telling me they were taking dad back to the hospital by ambulance. It's been one heck of a ride today. I'm not sure who signed us up for this roller coaster but I'd like to return my ticket and get my money back!
Dad's sugar bottomed out at 32 this morning. Efforts to bring it up were unsuccessful so mom and John called the squad. They had difficulty as well but did finally get it back up.
There are a host of problems at this point: low blood sugar, low blood pressure, fever, excruciating pain and they have been unable to keep him awake. He is in ICU and stable right now. Once they got pain meds on board he started to perk up and was more alert. We saw his doctor briefly and he believes we are again dealing with infection. They have taken oodles of blood and cultured anything that can be cultured. The doctor did tell my mom if they can't get this infection under control the prognosis is not good. Now we wait and pray.
We were all there today. John, Darlene, Steve and I are home now. Jamie is there with him for the night and we were able to get mom to go home to rest a short while ago. We'll all be back tomorrow and see how things are going. Today was very frightening, for dad especially. Please pray for peace for all of us and wisdom for his doctors.
Goodnight and God bless.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
HOME SWEET HOME!!!
Dad is home resting in his own bed tonight. He is very weak and not feeling nearly as well as he had been but he is home, sweet home and we are glad to have him there. I was banished from the hospital by my siblings a week ago because of the germs and such and look forward to actually getting to see him finally! He went home with a walker because he is so weak and unsteady but hopefully will not need it as his strength improves.
As they decrease his steroids his sugar is becoming a concern. It has 'bottomed out' several times now. This morning the nurses found him confused and with no idea where he was. It was very frightening for him but he was relieved afterward to know it was his sugar and not something else. I told my mom she needs to tie a bell around his neck so she can hear him if he gets up in the night with low blood sugar! Thankfully she is a very light sleeper. He has an appointment on Thursday with the family doctor to adjust his insulin and hopefully it will help. It will be several weeks before we see his oncologist to make any decisions. In the meantime we hope to get him back on his feet and stronger.
Thank you for your prayers!
I have 3 more days of school before a welcomed break. I am looking forward to celebrating our 1st anniversary on Easter Sunday and having a week to rest and take care of so many things I've neglected the last several months. I am also looking forward to being able to hug my dad. Between his staph infection and the germs I potentially could carry to him from school, it's been some time since I have been able to hug him - 10 days to be exact. A week away from school should find me (hopefully) not a carrier of too many nasty germs and able to safely give him a long overdue squeeze!
If I don't have need to update before Easter, may it be blessed for you and your family.
As they decrease his steroids his sugar is becoming a concern. It has 'bottomed out' several times now. This morning the nurses found him confused and with no idea where he was. It was very frightening for him but he was relieved afterward to know it was his sugar and not something else. I told my mom she needs to tie a bell around his neck so she can hear him if he gets up in the night with low blood sugar! Thankfully she is a very light sleeper. He has an appointment on Thursday with the family doctor to adjust his insulin and hopefully it will help. It will be several weeks before we see his oncologist to make any decisions. In the meantime we hope to get him back on his feet and stronger.
Thank you for your prayers!
I have 3 more days of school before a welcomed break. I am looking forward to celebrating our 1st anniversary on Easter Sunday and having a week to rest and take care of so many things I've neglected the last several months. I am also looking forward to being able to hug my dad. Between his staph infection and the germs I potentially could carry to him from school, it's been some time since I have been able to hug him - 10 days to be exact. A week away from school should find me (hopefully) not a carrier of too many nasty germs and able to safely give him a long overdue squeeze!
If I don't have need to update before Easter, may it be blessed for you and your family.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Prayers Answered!
Thank you for your prayers, they helped! Dad's blood pressure is back up to normal and his temperature is normal. He hopes to go home tomorrow if today goes well! He acutally sounded like he wanted to go home when we talked this morning so that's a good sign that he's feeling better than he has been the last few days.
We truly can't tell you how much your prayers mean to us. Steve and I were talking to a friend last night who is going through a difficult time and when we told him to let us know if we could do anything he said our prayers were the best thing we can do. How true that is! We feel the blanket of prayers over us and it means more than you know. Thank you!
Have a very blessed Lord's day.
We truly can't tell you how much your prayers mean to us. Steve and I were talking to a friend last night who is going through a difficult time and when we told him to let us know if we could do anything he said our prayers were the best thing we can do. How true that is! We feel the blanket of prayers over us and it means more than you know. Thank you!
Have a very blessed Lord's day.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Prayers Needed
Some days are more like a roller coaster ride than others ...
My mom just called to tell me dad is carrying a fever over 100. And his blood pressure has dropped to 98/55. We are not sure what's going on. Please send up some extra prayers!
My mom just called to tell me dad is carrying a fever over 100. And his blood pressure has dropped to 98/55. We are not sure what's going on. Please send up some extra prayers!
Saturday
One of these days I will get to say dad is going home, but not today.
They only re-did the culture of his blood. At day #2 it was still showing negative which is a good sign. They will wait a full 5 days to declare it negative for sure though. Dad is able to go home when he's ready since it was negative so far on Friday, he just has to say the word. The word from him yesterday was "no", he's just not ready. He has felt a little worse each day the last few days. He's very weak and tired. They believe this is due to another step down in his steroids. He was on such a high dose for so long that as he comes off of them his body has to readjust each time. They started him on a vitamin packed IV for 3 days to try to give his system a little boost. His sugar is doing so much better and today was actually too low. As they decrease the steroids his sugar should stay down and hopefully he can be without insulin on a daily basis. He will finish one of his antibiotics next week and they will replace it with one he will stay on indefinitely. Things are coming together for him to be able to go home. We are hoping maybe by Sunday he'll be ready!
Thank you for your continued prayers!
Enjoy this beautiful spring day.
They only re-did the culture of his blood. At day #2 it was still showing negative which is a good sign. They will wait a full 5 days to declare it negative for sure though. Dad is able to go home when he's ready since it was negative so far on Friday, he just has to say the word. The word from him yesterday was "no", he's just not ready. He has felt a little worse each day the last few days. He's very weak and tired. They believe this is due to another step down in his steroids. He was on such a high dose for so long that as he comes off of them his body has to readjust each time. They started him on a vitamin packed IV for 3 days to try to give his system a little boost. His sugar is doing so much better and today was actually too low. As they decrease the steroids his sugar should stay down and hopefully he can be without insulin on a daily basis. He will finish one of his antibiotics next week and they will replace it with one he will stay on indefinitely. Things are coming together for him to be able to go home. We are hoping maybe by Sunday he'll be ready!
Thank you for your continued prayers!
Enjoy this beautiful spring day.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Update
The doctor did new cultures today to check the status of the staph in the blood (maybe lung too, I'm not sure). We will have that back on Friday. If it comes back negative dad should get to go home on Friday. If it comes back positive they will use a scope to go in and check to be sure the infection is not in his heart valves.
Please pray for my dad's roommate, Steve. He has a host of medical problems but does not appear to be an emotionally stable man either. He is in need on many levels.
I hope it's a beautiful day wherever you are. We had a beautiful spring day here!
Blessings. :)
Please pray for my dad's roommate, Steve. He has a host of medical problems but does not appear to be an emotionally stable man either. He is in need on many levels.
I hope it's a beautiful day wherever you are. We had a beautiful spring day here!
Blessings. :)
Results
They did the catscan yesterday and saw minimal, if any, improvement. The doctor said there could be improvement but if so, they aren't able to see it. He could be on antibiotics for a VERY long time. They hope to send him home over the weekend with antibiotics to be taken orally and administered through his port. Dad has been more tired and doesn't look as good as he has been. He is still feeling better though and his sugar is still much improved and he was fever-free all day yesterday.
Thank you for the prayers!
Thank you for the prayers!
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