Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Thanks to all of you for the prayers and good wishes, and kind emails.  I've been in a modified survival mode, but I read them all and will get around to answering you all --some day!

J-Man's kidneys are fully functioning again, and the diuretic is beginning to pull more fluid off of him--well, his extremities anyway. He has developed a urinary tract infection, though, and is on antibiotics for that. He is still on the blood thinner injections and will come home on those. Eventually, he'll be placed on Coumadin, which is given by mouth. His platelet count, though still well below low normal, is increasing, and that's a good thing.

His liver continues to be our main concern. He has become a little jaundiced, and has a lot of abdominal fluid on board. The lab results are still worse than when we came in, though they were a slight bit better today--the first time in a week. They have ruled out hepatitis A, B, and C, and some genetic disorders. Still being considered are some sort of congestion due to the right side of his heart, (which looks okay on the echocardiogram); an autoimmune disease; a toxin or medication reaction of some sort; a "sarcoid" liver, in which granulomas can form when the immune system goes into active mode and cause an organ to malfunction.  With the jaundice comes itching, so he spent a rather miserable night last night.  Today they started him on a medication that is helping a lot, and he asked for it again at bedtime so he can sleep better tonight.

So the next step is a liver biopsy. Because of the danger of bleeding, the specalist has chosen not to go through the skin, but rather through the jugular vein in the neck, down through the superior vena cava and a right turn at the liver. This way, if he has increased bleeding, he's bleeding into his own circulatory system. It's a procedure done in radiology, but it cannot be done at my little hospital, because, although some of our radiologists can perform it, we do not have the necessary equipment here. Instead it must be done at a nearby competitor which, though in a different hospital system, uses the same radiology group.


Don't ask me to explain the whys and wherefores of medical politics, but our hospital cannot just send him over to another hospital for treatment. He must be discharged from my hospital first. Our primary care physician's office is working on scheduling the biopsy, and the tentative plan is for Friday, but this isn't set in stone. I personally was hoping for Fri., as I have to work Wed. night and Thurs. night, and I don't know how long the procedure will take, nor when it can be scheduled. Barring any further complications, devils or the deep blue sea, he will be home tomorrow, and we will have more info then.

For now, he is happy to be coming home. DD has stayed with us, thanks to her understanding boss and co-workers, and has been such a help. I was able to leave him to come home and sleep last night, and that has made a world of difference. Apparently, according to sources who shall remain nameless, I was getting "a little cranky." Hmmph.

Please keep us in your thoughts over the next week.  He's not out of the woods yet, but it is good to finally have a plan.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

sending prayers and love your way

Cathi said...

At least having a plan means some progress is being made, I hope. I think about you all the time. Don't forget to take care of you. Lots of quilty hugs.

Julie Stiles Mills said...

Oh my goodness!!! I'm so sorry your family is going through this! Know that I've already prayed and will keep praying!

I just edited my blog post after I read your blog entries from the last few days. After I prayed for God to show me how to help someone get a vehicle and it turned out to be mine, FirstHusband had jokingly requested that I not pray for anyone who needs a kidney. I had referenced that joke and asked if I could pray for someone who needs a liver - because they regenerate. Then I click over to catch up with you and . . .

praying again.

MightyMom said...

here's to a happy biopsy.....

or something like that.

Libby said...

Wow - that's a lot of information for you to take in and understand. It does sound encouraging - which I'm sure makes everyone happy *s*

Take care of yourself - we don't need any crankiness!

Pat at Bell Creek Quilts said...

glad *things* are looking better and a plan is in place. sending hugs and good thoughts your way...

jacquie said...

oh stephanie, i'm so sorry to read this. it sounds like things are looking up just a bit. you and jman and surely in my prayers. take care.

cockermom said...

The most recent news is a bit of an improvement and that is good.
Hospital politics...All the years I worked as a locum tenen, it was the most wonderful thing to not have to be involved in the politics! I don't understand why they are like that, we are all supposed to be working for the same thing....Taylor

Lori in South Dakota said...

thinking of you every day!! Only good thoughts.

Shakerwood said...

The nerve of them calling you cranky! Thoughts and prayers are with you this week and always.

Karen said...

Stephanie,
I haven't been up on the blogs lately as we've had a lot of sickness and business, but I stopped here to ask you a movie question and found all this! I am SO sorry to hear your baby is sick and I know how that gives a mother heartache. I will definitely be praying for your son.
Karen

audreypawdrey said...

It has been a while since I have had time to stop by and I had no idea you were going through so much right now! I am thinking of you and your family and sending prayers your way. I really hope you are remembering to take care of you as you take care of J-man.