Blessings

Mike wasn't great today. He slept most of the day, but that could be for a number of reasons. He's on an antiobiotic for an "infection", which they don't know where it originated from. They keep saying he has "possible aspiration pneumonia", but the suspicious spot is in the lower left lung - the same area they have questionsed EVERYTIME he has been in the hospital. He DOES have a cough I don't like, but when they check his lungs, they say it sounds clear. One culture came back to show some kind of infection in his urine, but it will be another day or two for the culture to be verified. He had a hard time eating/drinking today, but I think he's a bit dehydrated. His urine is dark, which is always an indication. I have been afraid of dehydration since he was admitted, but no one would listen to me. He had gone a few days without anything to eat or drink WITHOUT being on an IV. I'm confident that once he is hydrated, he will get stronger and do OK with drinking and therefor gaining more energy.

As Brandon and I were leaving to get Courtney from a school trip, we met up with the pastor of our church (he had been there at the request of another parishoner to say prayers for a relative). Divine intervention - I think so. He offered to come into Mike's room and say a prayer. He did a beautiful job and it brought my mom and me to tears. Even he said that it was "meant to be" that we saw him when we did. This was a gift from God and something we all needed.

Tomorrow will be a CRAZY day. Courtney is being commissioned by Bishop Murphy to begin her 3 year term as a member of his diocesan counsel. They are having a special mass, then the members have a special luncheon and their first meeting. She also has to make up a driver's ed class in the morning before mass. My brother and Walter will be spending the morning with Mike so that we can attend Courtney's special ceremony. Afterward I will go straight to the hospital. This weekend has been EXTREMELY busy and I haven't even thought about grocery shopping. I have no idea when I am going to do that. There really is NO REST FOR THE WEARY.

Major Setback

Yesterday was NOT a good day.

I got to the hospital around 3:30. Nathan indicated that Mike had a good day. He ate all his breakfast and lunch and was awake most of the day. Around 4pm, he started coughing/burping. He was doing the same thing he did at home and the doctors finally saw what I had been talking about. This "episode" lasted until about 9pm. During this time the doctor told me that they had diagnosed Mike with GERD. He explained that the coughing and discomfort was from this. Not long after this, Mike started having problems breathing from coughing for so long and so hard. His vitals shot up and he had a fever. The nurses got the doctor and they ordered a chest x-ray and blood tests. The IV team tried again to find veins. After 4 unsuccessful attempts in his arms, they finally found a vein on his foot. He didn't even flinch when they put it in. His fever was now 101.7.

At 10:20pm, they finally got the tylenol suppository from pharmacy and they gave it to him. His x-ray showed "some congestion in his mid right lung". Not good.

I spoke with his regular doctor at 7am this morning and he explained that Mike may have aspirated from the GERD. When he last saw Mike yesterday, he had been doing so well, he wanted to send him home today. He was SHOCKED when he heard what happened last night. This morning he said that Mike was resting comfortably and breathing fine. Had he not been told about last night, he wouldn't have known anything was wrong.

My main concern now is this GERD. If this happens each time that Mike eats, the chances of him aspirating the reflux are high. Today they are not giving him any food, after all his body went through last night. He is now on antibiotics and they are testing his blood and urine. I requested that his catheter be removed. His brother passed away from becomming septic after his catheter became clogged. I am covering all basis and if he doesn't need it in, why add another concern.

As always, please pray for Mike's recovery and our strength in getting through this setback.

Thank You

I would first like to thank all of you that sent well wishes and prayers for Mike. I've been so busy running back and forth AND going to work, my time has been so limited. I have a few minutes now before work so I thought I would update, but it would be hard to write everyone back.

I believe they will be doing an endoscopy today to try to determine the cause of Mike's stomach upset. He seems to do well until his stomach gets full, and then the gas and discomfrt starts.

Mike's weekend aid came up to see him last night. She brought flowers and took over. She was very upset when she saw the way Mike's bed was made and took it upon herself to re-do it correctly so that Mike would be more comfortable. We've been so blessed with the people we have caring for Mike. There is no doubt in my mind that they are part of the reason he is doing so well.

Time to "Relax"

Today I decided to take the "day off". Courtney and I were at the hospital Sat and Sun from 9-9. I ALWAYS tell Courtney she should stay home and do other things, but she refuses, so I've given up the fight. After two back-to-back 12 hour days, I decided to ask Nathan to spend the day with Mike so that I could unwind and spend some time with Courtney and Brandon. In my heart, I KNOW that Mike would agree with my decision.

Yesterday the GI doctor came in and saw Mike eat for himself. Previously, the resident had ordered a swallow test, but the GI doctor cancelled it based on what I had told him. Yesterday he was able to see for himself that Mike takes the food, "chews" it and then swallows without incident. It's always after the fact that Mike gets gassy and then it becomes a problem. He indicated that they will most likely do an endoscopy, this way they can see for sure what, if anything, is going on down there. We love this doctor, he "gets it".

While it is ALWAYS heartbreaking to leave Mike at night, it has gotten a little easier. I guess this is what happens after the 6th hospital stay in a few years. Once I get to meet the nurses and they know our situation, for the most part, they seem to be very understanding and caring. This hospital stay, they also arranged for Mike to have a "one to one" from 9pm-9am when we're not there. That ALONE makes me rest easy. The fact that he has someone with him at ALL TIMES is comforting.

I look forward to "relaxing" today with the kids. We're going to the movies and then we're going to BBQ. I'm also going to plant some flowers I got about 2 weeks ago. After all is finished, we will go the hospital and see Mike.

Happy Memorial Day and God Bless Our Troops.

Four Days in Hospital

Mike seems to be doing OK, although I'm concerned. The doctor reduced Mike's medicine that he needs for his seizures, which was the exact reason he's in the hospital in the first place. I'm not quite sure what that's all about.

It's the same nonsense though. When Mike is at home, he's usually in bed by 8pm. At the hospital, he doesn't get his last medication until 9pm and it's REALLY difficult to get it down. His body is so tired by then. Each time in the hospital, I address this issue with his doctor and try to change the time he gets it, but apparantly the time patients get their medicine is written in stone and cannot be changed. And God forbid you need anything around 7pm when the shift changes. Anywhere from 6:30 to 8:30 is useless. Mike is supposed to have a "one to one" from 9pm-9am. Tonight we left around 9:10 and the person wasn't there yet. Mike's room is all the way in the back of the floor away from everyone. He can't speak for himself. It's so difficult to leave him not knowing if and when the PCA will show up.

As usual, I get so frustrated by the OBVIOUS mistakes and carelessness of the staff at the hospital. The sad part is that the hospital he's in is one of the better hospitals in our area. Can you imagine being in a bad hospital????

Update

You would think after all the hospitalizations Mike has endured, I would be used to the nonsense that goes on in the hospital with procedures and staff, but I'm not. I won't bore anyone with specifics. I was able to track down the resident yesterday and he agreed to let Mike start to eat. They had held off giving him food because they thought he was still "post-dictal". This happens after an "S" when the pateint becomes disoriented and VERY tired. I advised the resident that Mike may appear even more lethargic because he has NOT eaten.

The GI specialists will hopefully be in today to address the stomach issues Mike has been dealing with the last few weeks. I wonder if this could be playing a part.

Mike in Hospital...again

This morning I had to take Mike to the ER. He had 2 grand mal seizures within a few hours of each other. His neurologist wanted to check his medicine levels to make sure they were at therapeutic levels. Since he's also had some stomach issues, we thought we would check them out, since physical issues can often cause distress which can lead to "S's". I got to the hospital at 10:30 am and came home at 11:15 pm. It's been a long and exhausting day. I pray that tomorrow will be better.