It's amazing what a week can do! Gary is feeling SO much better. He was released from the hospital on Monday. We needed to be sure that his fragmin shots were taken care of by insurance. We only had to cover $100+ as opposed to $1800- very thankful for that! He left the hospital with his INR at 1.2. It didn't change the entire time he was in the hospital. He rested both Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday he went to work in the morning and had a Dr. appt. in the afternoon. His INR was up to 1.4. He decided to work 1/2 days both Thursday and Friday as well. I think that was a good idea. The rest was definitely needed. I could definitely see a turnaround for him by Thursday night. He really seemed back to his "old" self, and that was wonderful to see. Friday afternoon he had an appointment with our family dr. and felt like he got a lot of questions answered. His INR was up to 1.6. We are hoping that at his appointment tomorrow his level will be within the 2 to 3 desired range. When it gets there, he will have to overlap the fragmin shots for 5 days. He will be glad to be done with the shots.
Life is settling down here (I hope : ). Bradley's last JV basketball game is tomorrow night. He has been gone so much with JV and varsity basketball, I feel like I never see him : ( ... I'll be glad to have him around a little more.
Brennan started his basketball season a couple of weeks ago. He is playing Upward basketball with a friend through Valley Church in West Des Moines. He plays on Saturday afternoons. He really likes his team- they're a fun bunch of boys. For school, we have been learning about Ancient Egypt, and he's not really enjoying it like I am. I always loved teaching that unit in 6th grade. We are planning to visit the Science Center next week to see 'Lost Egypt' - it's a traveling display there through April. He also goes to the homeschool program at the Blank Park Zoo once a month, and enjoys that a lot. He still loves homeschooling, and says he has no desire to go back to school.
Well, it's 10:00 PM on Sunday night... and it's time to start looking at the week ahead- here's to a calmer week than last : )
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Sick boy (again??) LONG POST
I noticed my last post was titled 'sick boy' So I suppose I could reuse that title again.. but this time I'd be talking about a different boy.
As I write, Gary and I are here
watching the Superbowl on a 19 inch fuzzy TV. We were supposed to be entertaining our small group in our home, and were excited about having everyone over. But God had different plans.
Wednesday evening before bed, Gary noticed his left shoulder and rib area being a little uncomfortable. It continued to bother him all day at work and into the evening Thursday. By Thursday bedtime, it was getting more bothersome, but he was able to finally fall asleep. He woke up early Friday morning feeling miserable and made a Dr. appointment for 7 AM Friday morning. Our Dr. ran an EKG, chest X ray, checked his oxygen and checked him over well. He was experiencing pain when he would breathe, and due to the fact that nothing had shown up on any of the tests, she felt perhaps it was pleurisy (an infection of the lining of the lung) and prescribed him steroids and an antibiotic. He came home, took his meds, and settled in. At this point he was uncomfortable and it hurt to take deeper breaths, but the pain was manageable. Brennan and I were busy cleaning (getting ready for our Superbowl party) when at about 11 AM, I saw Gary writhing in pain on the couch moaning and groaning. The pain was getting very intense and he was struggling to find a comfortable position. I was quite alarmed by this time, and called back down to the Dr. office. We were told to head into the emergency room. So we quickly got in the van and headed to Mercy Hospital. It seemed like I hit every red light on the way. Poor Gary was in the passenger seat clutching his chest, groaning in pain doing childbirth breathing because it hurt so bad to even take a breath. Brennan sat in the back seat crying at the sight of seeing his dad in such pain, and this usually very anxiety-ridden mamma was praying out loud in the driver's seat, trying to comfort my hurting husband, comfort my scared-to-death son, and stay on the road to get us to the hospital in one piece. Thankfully we arrived with no problems. Gary got into a room and they proceeded to run tests as the afternoon progressed. Poor Brennan was too scared to come back into the ER room with us, and I hated to leave him in the waiting room (that's just as scary) so I called Gary's parents to come. I went back and forth between Gary and Brennan until Gary's parents arrived. The doctors ordered a cat scan because a blood test had come back positive for possible clotting, and the cat scan revealed that he did have "clots in the lower lobes of his lungs." The scans also showed some pneumonia on his left lung. It's all a bit of a mystery. As far as the pneumonia he was not running a fever or coughing or showing any symptoms of any kind. And we have no idea what brought about the clot. He doesn't smoke, he hasn't traveled recently, he's been running 3.5 miles every morning before work, and nothing in the family history that we know of. It is likely that it started as one clot somewhere and perhaps it moved into his lungs and broke into pieces. That may have been what caused the excruciating pain that brought us to the ER. Gary's parents stayed here for awhile, but then took Brennan home- he'd had quite a traumatic day. Gary got moved up to the 7th floor- the cardiac floor- around suppertime.
Gary's pain by this time was back to tolerable. They gave him Toradol in the ER and gave him a declotting shot as soon as they discovered the problem. I ran home in the evening, took a shower, gathered some things together, and came back for the night. Gary's parents stayed at the house with the boys. Bradley had a basketball game so he hadn't even gotten to see his dad yet.
He was given his first dose of Coumadin Friday evening before bed. Friday night was a little rough. He got Vicoden, but it didn't seem to take care of his pain. It was hard for him to get comfortable, so he didn't sleep very well. Saturday morning he took Toradol again, and that seemed to be what was helping with the pain the best. Bradley had a basketball game on Saturday morning in Carlisle that I was planning to go to, but it had started snowing that morning. I left the hospital around 8:45, stopped to get gas across the street, and had a change of heart. I just didn't feel right about leaving the hospital. Gary's parents were going to the basketball game, so they would just have to cheer loudly for me.
Saturday was a pretty good day. The pain meds were helping. His PT/INR level was 1.2 We were told that the level they were looking for was between 2 and 3. Doyle and Carolyn and the boys came in the afternoon for awhile. They were neeing to get home to be at their church in the morning, so we decided that Brennan would go home with them. We passed the rest of the day and evening at the hospital with our laptops, Nook, phones, and the TV. We took walks down the hall several times and realized Gary was the youngest, hottest thing on the cardiac floor! I imagine everyone else would be jealous as his meals have consisted of biscuits and gravy, cheeseburgers, french fries, chocolate brownie cake, and Mt. Dew! By the way, he has enjoyed the hospital food! I hate to say it, but he's probably eating better here than he would be at home!
Saturday night was a much better night of sleep. He was taking the Toradol every 6 hours and that seemed to be making a big difference. We only woke up at 3 when the hospital phone rang (no one there) and at 5 when they came in to take blood. Bradley got himself to church in the morning and then had a Superbowl party with youth group friends in the evening. I know Gary was really hoping to be able to be home to watch the game in the comfort of his living room, but due to the insurance company not being open on Sundays to cover his shots he will have to do for the next several days, we couldn't risk leaving and having trouble with the insurance. If he was discharged the hospital couldn't help us with those issues. So we decided to play it safe and stay another night. Medically he could have gone home, but facing paying $85 per shot for 14 days just isn't in the budget if insurance doesn't cover it. So that brings us to now... watching the Superbowl from room 790 of Mercy Hospital. After he is dismissed, he will have to do these shots for the next several days until the Coumadin takes over. Then he will have to be on Coumadin for at least the next 3 months until they can be sure the clot has been absorbed into the body. He will have to have his blood tested regularly to be sure his PT/INR levels are where they need to be. If he experiences another clot, he will have to be on Coumadin for life.
I wanted to get the story down now so I don't forget it... because I have come to realize even when I think I will remember something, I don't.
The staff here has been wonderful. As we walk down these halls, we feel grateful with the good health we have, even in light of these past couple of days. I just watched a family tearfully gather in a gentleman's room down the hall cherishing last moments together and saying goodbyes as he is being transferred to hospice care this evening. I am so thankful for those who patiently and lovingly work in the medical profession. It is definitely not a glamorous job, but one that is so important, and one I know I could never do.
We have both been overwhelmed by all of the prayers, thoughts, phone calls, and concern expressed towards us. We feel blessed. I feel blessed to have my husband still with me. This story could definitely have had a different ending. I truly experienced God's peace during the events of Friday. And anyone who knows my history knows that anxiety has gripped me much of my life to the point of not being able to function in times of trial. God was my rock. I praise Him for his faithfulness now and as this story continues...
As I write, Gary and I are here
Wednesday evening before bed, Gary noticed his left shoulder and rib area being a little uncomfortable. It continued to bother him all day at work and into the evening Thursday. By Thursday bedtime, it was getting more bothersome, but he was able to finally fall asleep. He woke up early Friday morning feeling miserable and made a Dr. appointment for 7 AM Friday morning. Our Dr. ran an EKG, chest X ray, checked his oxygen and checked him over well. He was experiencing pain when he would breathe, and due to the fact that nothing had shown up on any of the tests, she felt perhaps it was pleurisy (an infection of the lining of the lung) and prescribed him steroids and an antibiotic. He came home, took his meds, and settled in. At this point he was uncomfortable and it hurt to take deeper breaths, but the pain was manageable. Brennan and I were busy cleaning (getting ready for our Superbowl party) when at about 11 AM, I saw Gary writhing in pain on the couch moaning and groaning. The pain was getting very intense and he was struggling to find a comfortable position. I was quite alarmed by this time, and called back down to the Dr. office. We were told to head into the emergency room. So we quickly got in the van and headed to Mercy Hospital. It seemed like I hit every red light on the way. Poor Gary was in the passenger seat clutching his chest, groaning in pain doing childbirth breathing because it hurt so bad to even take a breath. Brennan sat in the back seat crying at the sight of seeing his dad in such pain, and this usually very anxiety-ridden mamma was praying out loud in the driver's seat, trying to comfort my hurting husband, comfort my scared-to-death son, and stay on the road to get us to the hospital in one piece. Thankfully we arrived with no problems. Gary got into a room and they proceeded to run tests as the afternoon progressed. Poor Brennan was too scared to come back into the ER room with us, and I hated to leave him in the waiting room (that's just as scary) so I called Gary's parents to come. I went back and forth between Gary and Brennan until Gary's parents arrived. The doctors ordered a cat scan because a blood test had come back positive for possible clotting, and the cat scan revealed that he did have "clots in the lower lobes of his lungs." The scans also showed some pneumonia on his left lung. It's all a bit of a mystery. As far as the pneumonia he was not running a fever or coughing or showing any symptoms of any kind. And we have no idea what brought about the clot. He doesn't smoke, he hasn't traveled recently, he's been running 3.5 miles every morning before work, and nothing in the family history that we know of. It is likely that it started as one clot somewhere and perhaps it moved into his lungs and broke into pieces. That may have been what caused the excruciating pain that brought us to the ER. Gary's parents stayed here for awhile, but then took Brennan home- he'd had quite a traumatic day. Gary got moved up to the 7th floor- the cardiac floor- around suppertime.
Gary's pain by this time was back to tolerable. They gave him Toradol in the ER and gave him a declotting shot as soon as they discovered the problem. I ran home in the evening, took a shower, gathered some things together, and came back for the night. Gary's parents stayed at the house with the boys. Bradley had a basketball game so he hadn't even gotten to see his dad yet.
He was given his first dose of Coumadin Friday evening before bed. Friday night was a little rough. He got Vicoden, but it didn't seem to take care of his pain. It was hard for him to get comfortable, so he didn't sleep very well. Saturday morning he took Toradol again, and that seemed to be what was helping with the pain the best. Bradley had a basketball game on Saturday morning in Carlisle that I was planning to go to, but it had started snowing that morning. I left the hospital around 8:45, stopped to get gas across the street, and had a change of heart. I just didn't feel right about leaving the hospital. Gary's parents were going to the basketball game, so they would just have to cheer loudly for me.
Saturday was a pretty good day. The pain meds were helping. His PT/INR level was 1.2 We were told that the level they were looking for was between 2 and 3. Doyle and Carolyn and the boys came in the afternoon for awhile. They were neeing to get home to be at their church in the morning, so we decided that Brennan would go home with them. We passed the rest of the day and evening at the hospital with our laptops, Nook, phones, and the TV. We took walks down the hall several times and realized Gary was the youngest, hottest thing on the cardiac floor! I imagine everyone else would be jealous as his meals have consisted of biscuits and gravy, cheeseburgers, french fries, chocolate brownie cake, and Mt. Dew! By the way, he has enjoyed the hospital food! I hate to say it, but he's probably eating better here than he would be at home!
Saturday night was a much better night of sleep. He was taking the Toradol every 6 hours and that seemed to be making a big difference. We only woke up at 3 when the hospital phone rang (no one there) and at 5 when they came in to take blood. Bradley got himself to church in the morning and then had a Superbowl party with youth group friends in the evening. I know Gary was really hoping to be able to be home to watch the game in the comfort of his living room, but due to the insurance company not being open on Sundays to cover his shots he will have to do for the next several days, we couldn't risk leaving and having trouble with the insurance. If he was discharged the hospital couldn't help us with those issues. So we decided to play it safe and stay another night. Medically he could have gone home, but facing paying $85 per shot for 14 days just isn't in the budget if insurance doesn't cover it. So that brings us to now... watching the Superbowl from room 790 of Mercy Hospital. After he is dismissed, he will have to do these shots for the next several days until the Coumadin takes over. Then he will have to be on Coumadin for at least the next 3 months until they can be sure the clot has been absorbed into the body. He will have to have his blood tested regularly to be sure his PT/INR levels are where they need to be. If he experiences another clot, he will have to be on Coumadin for life.
I wanted to get the story down now so I don't forget it... because I have come to realize even when I think I will remember something, I don't.
The staff here has been wonderful. As we walk down these halls, we feel grateful with the good health we have, even in light of these past couple of days. I just watched a family tearfully gather in a gentleman's room down the hall cherishing last moments together and saying goodbyes as he is being transferred to hospice care this evening. I am so thankful for those who patiently and lovingly work in the medical profession. It is definitely not a glamorous job, but one that is so important, and one I know I could never do.
We have both been overwhelmed by all of the prayers, thoughts, phone calls, and concern expressed towards us. We feel blessed. I feel blessed to have my husband still with me. This story could definitely have had a different ending. I truly experienced God's peace during the events of Friday. And anyone who knows my history knows that anxiety has gripped me much of my life to the point of not being able to function in times of trial. God was my rock. I praise Him for his faithfulness now and as this story continues...
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