Complex day, restful outcome
Dear Friends and Family,
8 pm, going to blog now before I wake Nan for meds and up time. She has had a big day.
Last night I noticed she was shivering, sure enough headed for fever, all during the night it raged, from 101 to 102 and even this morning it was still there. So we started the day with more tylenol and after awhile it came back to normal. We noticed that the leg and foot began to respond to the antibiotics and the pain lessened. Nan was very sleepy during the evening, did not take her meds, just wanted to sleep and we discovered that the nephrostomy tube had started to leak again, this time from the actual insertion point, not the connection. So my first item of business this morning was to start calling the oncology office, then IR in Concord, they did the nephrostomy tube last week, then doctor office again and again, email Dr. Morgan in Boston to see if Nan could take Motrim as suggested by the oncologist, yes came back the answer within 5 minutes. Then the doctors office was on the phone, they had ordered the IR people to fix the nephrostomy and we should be there at 2:30, so a full day of work sort of went out the window but at least Nan was getting the help she needed. We decided to dress her in a Johnny (hospital gown) borrowed from UCSF and a robe. So we loaded her into the van, problem, her velour robe would not slide at all and to get her into the bed in the back she needs to slide, so off with the gown all the while holding her from falling out onto the garage floor, she gutted her way back to the proper place on the bed, covered with a blanket and we took off. On the way as we neared the hospital she threw up again, third time for the day. Then we were there, used the emergency doors which are much closer to the IR operating room, signed in and on time they wisked her away, once again I saw her form receeding down a hallway into misery. I used the waiting time to add many phone numbers to my phone that were in her phone, so look out folks, I have your number now. In about an hour here came Nan in her wheel chair. They could not find the leak at all but did several things to try to help it heal up. They tried a stitch but the skin was too weak to hold. So we have a nice heavy bandage over the site and another one over the connection point, new connections we can use when we go to bed so she can drain into a larger drain bag. Then we headed home and as we drove she got to talk to Sharon again filling her in on all the highpoints of the day, were there any? We stopped and got a cup of ice from Taco Bell and then again at Safeway, seems kitties want food. Then home to put a very tired precious lady to bed for a much deserved rest. Its now time to wake her and bring her down for a try at some food, any food will do at this point. The vomiting is triggered by almost anything right now. Either she is dehydrated a bit or the antibiotic is really causing her insides to be in an uproar, that is often the case with antibiotics and her GI. I tried and tried to persuade the doctors office to consider a transfusion but since the hemoglobin was good 10.2 on the cbc at their office they refused thinking she does not need one. Perhaps on friday we can persuade Dr. M to consider one over the weekend. At this point Nan has not given up on the cruise. She is fully aware that she may be too sick to go but we still have some time until the final decision has to be made.
I'm going to leave early in the morning to see properties, I cannot wait any longer and try to get back as early as I can to be with her. Loree has agreed to come help her make the move if she decides to come down from her bed. If anyone would have the time to come sit with Nan for a part of the day tomorrow it would be wonderful. If I find her to be weak or to have fever in the morning I won't go away to work at all.
We felt the warmth from hearing from Nikki and Jason today and from Mary and Pam. Dana too has called recently. These calls make a huge difference in nan's awareness and spirit. Well I hear her coughing so i think she is waking and its time for the next step in our drama.
Please continue to pray for God's guidance, healing, presence and will.
Love from our home to yours,
tim and nan
8 pm, going to blog now before I wake Nan for meds and up time. She has had a big day.
Last night I noticed she was shivering, sure enough headed for fever, all during the night it raged, from 101 to 102 and even this morning it was still there. So we started the day with more tylenol and after awhile it came back to normal. We noticed that the leg and foot began to respond to the antibiotics and the pain lessened. Nan was very sleepy during the evening, did not take her meds, just wanted to sleep and we discovered that the nephrostomy tube had started to leak again, this time from the actual insertion point, not the connection. So my first item of business this morning was to start calling the oncology office, then IR in Concord, they did the nephrostomy tube last week, then doctor office again and again, email Dr. Morgan in Boston to see if Nan could take Motrim as suggested by the oncologist, yes came back the answer within 5 minutes. Then the doctors office was on the phone, they had ordered the IR people to fix the nephrostomy and we should be there at 2:30, so a full day of work sort of went out the window but at least Nan was getting the help she needed. We decided to dress her in a Johnny (hospital gown) borrowed from UCSF and a robe. So we loaded her into the van, problem, her velour robe would not slide at all and to get her into the bed in the back she needs to slide, so off with the gown all the while holding her from falling out onto the garage floor, she gutted her way back to the proper place on the bed, covered with a blanket and we took off. On the way as we neared the hospital she threw up again, third time for the day. Then we were there, used the emergency doors which are much closer to the IR operating room, signed in and on time they wisked her away, once again I saw her form receeding down a hallway into misery. I used the waiting time to add many phone numbers to my phone that were in her phone, so look out folks, I have your number now. In about an hour here came Nan in her wheel chair. They could not find the leak at all but did several things to try to help it heal up. They tried a stitch but the skin was too weak to hold. So we have a nice heavy bandage over the site and another one over the connection point, new connections we can use when we go to bed so she can drain into a larger drain bag. Then we headed home and as we drove she got to talk to Sharon again filling her in on all the highpoints of the day, were there any? We stopped and got a cup of ice from Taco Bell and then again at Safeway, seems kitties want food. Then home to put a very tired precious lady to bed for a much deserved rest. Its now time to wake her and bring her down for a try at some food, any food will do at this point. The vomiting is triggered by almost anything right now. Either she is dehydrated a bit or the antibiotic is really causing her insides to be in an uproar, that is often the case with antibiotics and her GI. I tried and tried to persuade the doctors office to consider a transfusion but since the hemoglobin was good 10.2 on the cbc at their office they refused thinking she does not need one. Perhaps on friday we can persuade Dr. M to consider one over the weekend. At this point Nan has not given up on the cruise. She is fully aware that she may be too sick to go but we still have some time until the final decision has to be made.
I'm going to leave early in the morning to see properties, I cannot wait any longer and try to get back as early as I can to be with her. Loree has agreed to come help her make the move if she decides to come down from her bed. If anyone would have the time to come sit with Nan for a part of the day tomorrow it would be wonderful. If I find her to be weak or to have fever in the morning I won't go away to work at all.
We felt the warmth from hearing from Nikki and Jason today and from Mary and Pam. Dana too has called recently. These calls make a huge difference in nan's awareness and spirit. Well I hear her coughing so i think she is waking and its time for the next step in our drama.
Please continue to pray for God's guidance, healing, presence and will.
Love from our home to yours,
tim and nan
posted by Tim Mustard @ 7:55 PM
3 Comments:
At 10:14 PM,
Anonymous said…
Tim,
I don't have a cell phone which means that I have no idea what you are talking about when you say, "used the waiting time to add her phone numbers to my phone numbers". I was wondering if that means that Nan's number 8360234 and your number 8301697 is now 16661931 after you added them? I wish I could do these really interesting things that seem to happen to you on a regular basis. Maybe someone will give me a free cell phone for my birthday so I can do cool stuff too!
Slip sliding away, slip sliding away, You know your gonna cruise if for God you choose, slip sliding away!
Heads up more prayers coming your way!
Wes
At 3:34 PM,
Anonymous said…
Hey Mustards!
The wind finally stopped blowing here! For 2 full days we had very strong winds with trees down and power outages. We never lost power though we did lose a couple of very large pines. One hit the edge of the shop and did a fair amount of damage. Insurance has already given us a check for a whole new roof! It sounds like Lodi is also getting wind. Now that's a long way away from NC. How can you be having the same strong winds? We are having very strange weather patterns the last few years.
Nan, you must be a bit frustrated about now. I'm sure you wonder at times if it even pays to go to the doctor. They aren't sure what to do with you. Maybe they will get the leak stopped, the infection stopped, blood pumped back in and you will feel better before the cruise date. I know you are looking forward to that cruise.
Hang in there. We're all still praying for you!
Love and prayers ~ Carol
At 3:44 PM,
Anonymous said…
Hi Mustards,
What a Day You have had,We are hoping that things began to rapidly improve for Nan. It is so good to have competent Medical Help so close at hand. That is the one thing that I fear the most about Traveling too far from Our Medical Home Base. I know that the Lord will watch over Us but I still get pretty nervous, guess it's just My Pesimestic Nature.
Have a good day and We will be looking for good things in the next Blog.
Love Ya,
Bob & Carrol.
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