Another day just about through. Nothing exciting happened today. I just relaxed in bed all day. Didn't have much energy to do anything today. Usually I'm wanting to get out of the house and just do something whether or not I should be. Today though, I didn't have that urge. Just hung out here in my bedroom. Plus, our kitchen and dining area is being remodeled and so the ceiling and walls were being painted today. I didn't really want to be around all them fumes anyways even though they weren't that bad today.
Tomorrow the home health nurse is coming to do some blood work and an assessment. Shouldn't be too bad. The worst part of that will be them accessing my mediport. It doesn't really hurt it just gets sore from the needle going in and out every couple of days. It doesn't give it much time to heal in between sticks. I'm interested to see my blood work results though, but I doubt I will get to see them anyways. Maybe they will be able to get me copies if I beg.
Well, I'm soon calling it a day. Good night!
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Special Delivery!!!
I received a special delivery today. Thank you to Ann and Michelle - I also hope I can soon get my nursing shoes back on!!!
These beautiful flowers remind me that spring is on it's way!!!
Friday, February 18, 2011
2/18/2011 (evening update)
Today was an uneventful day, which is good. I just took it easy all day, not like I could do much if I wanted, and I enjoyed the weather and just being home. There something relaxing about being home even if you don't feel good. Something about laying in your own bed to sleep and relax, for some reason it's much more comfortable.
I did enjoy getting to sit outside for a little and watch my dog play. It was a beautiful day outside. I'm glad I wasn't stuck in the hospital on a day like today. I'm ready for spring and summer to get here. I think today was just a teaser though for spring. It sounds like its going to get pretty cold again in a couple of days.
I was able to see and talk to my sister and my nephews on skype a little tonight. That was fun. I really miss them being gone and not being able to see them. I was able to see Parker crawl for the first time. He is getting so big. It's hard to believe he will be 1 year old in April. It seems like he was just born and we were in Ohio seeing him for the first time at IHC.
Taking it one day at a time.
I did enjoy getting to sit outside for a little and watch my dog play. It was a beautiful day outside. I'm glad I wasn't stuck in the hospital on a day like today. I'm ready for spring and summer to get here. I think today was just a teaser though for spring. It sounds like its going to get pretty cold again in a couple of days.
I was able to see and talk to my sister and my nephews on skype a little tonight. That was fun. I really miss them being gone and not being able to see them. I was able to see Parker crawl for the first time. He is getting so big. It's hard to believe he will be 1 year old in April. It seems like he was just born and we were in Ohio seeing him for the first time at IHC.
Taking it one day at a time.
Lucky - 2/18/2011
I was able to get outside and enjoy the warm weather. I had missed Lucky and didn't get to see her last night when I got home, so I went outside today to see her. Of course I just had to take my camera and take some pictures of her.
2/18/2011
Slept fairly well last night and was only up a couple of times. At least the IV pump did alarm any and keep me up from that.
Home Health nurse was here around 10:00. She had some questions to ask and some paperwork for me to sign. Since I am a nurse it went quick and she was done within the hour. She told me I would be her easiest patient of the day as in independence but some were healthier than me and still required more care. The next visit is Sunday and they will be doing blood work then to make sure all my electrolytes are still normal.
Home Health nurse was here around 10:00. She had some questions to ask and some paperwork for me to sign. Since I am a nurse it went quick and she was done within the hour. She told me I would be her easiest patient of the day as in independence but some were healthier than me and still required more care. The next visit is Sunday and they will be doing blood work then to make sure all my electrolytes are still normal.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
2/17/2011 (8:30pm update)
Well, I finally made it home around 6:00pm. I guess the doctor got busy and had patients crashing so that is why I didn't get to go home before noon like they had said. I just got tired of waiting around though. The later it got the more I began to think I wasn't going to get to come home today. I was also worried that nobody would be home for when Vitaline delivered all my TPN and line supplies.
At 7:30 the home health nurse came and did my vitals and helped me get my TPN set up for the first night at home. Since I am a nurse it was easy and I did most of it by myself. I guess tomorrow a nurse will be coming and actually doing an admission, and from what I hear it takes about 2 hours. Sounds fun!!!
I have a primary care physician follow-up appointment on Monday and hopefully tomorrow my GI follow-up appointment will be scheduled for early next week. The biopsy results will go to my GI doctor. So I will either find out at an appointment or will be called with the results. I'm not sure how many days it will take to get the results.
Well, I think I'm soon heading to bed. It has been a long day.
At 7:30 the home health nurse came and did my vitals and helped me get my TPN set up for the first night at home. Since I am a nurse it was easy and I did most of it by myself. I guess tomorrow a nurse will be coming and actually doing an admission, and from what I hear it takes about 2 hours. Sounds fun!!!
I have a primary care physician follow-up appointment on Monday and hopefully tomorrow my GI follow-up appointment will be scheduled for early next week. The biopsy results will go to my GI doctor. So I will either find out at an appointment or will be called with the results. I'm not sure how many days it will take to get the results.
Well, I think I'm soon heading to bed. It has been a long day.
2/17/2011 (4:00 update)
My main doctor was just in and said I can go home. So now I am just sitting here waiting on my paperwork to get done.
I will be having lots of follow-up appointments throughout the next couple of weeks and waiting for the results of the biopsy.
Home health should be at my house to see me yet tonight and also the pharmacy that is supplying everything. So will probably end up being a busy evening.
Hopefully I will be able to post another update this evening after all the home visits and teaching are done.
2/17/2011 (9:00 update)
Primary team PA was in to see me. She confirmed about what the nutrition doctor had said about the procedure yesterday. They found a nodule in my duodenum and biopsied and are studying it to see what it is. I have to follow up about it with my primary outpatient GI doctor in a couple days. They are also starting me on a proton pump inhibitor which reduces the production of acid.
I am able to go home today. Just waiting on the paperwork. Hopefully it doesn't turn into a fiasco like the other day.
Will post more updates as I can.
2/17/2011
GI nutrition doctor was in first this morning, He seems pleased with my lab work. They had increased the amount of TPN from 1500mls to 2000mls. Until the lab work is stable for a few days, they make adjustment of everything that is in it until they get the amounts of everything right for my individual body.
Per nutrition I can go home today, and also I know the primary team said yesterday that I should be able to go home this morning. So, we will see how everything turns out today.
I am a little nervous to hear what the GI doctors have to say about the procedure yesterday. Some have said a little bit and it has me a little worried.
Will post updates as I can.
Per nutrition I can go home today, and also I know the primary team said yesterday that I should be able to go home this morning. So, we will see how everything turns out today.
I am a little nervous to hear what the GI doctors have to say about the procedure yesterday. Some have said a little bit and it has me a little worried.
Will post updates as I can.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
2/16/2011
1:00 - Going for procedure right now. Please pray. I may not get to post an update on how it went tonight, but will definitely try to do so as soon as I can.
8:00 - Procedure is done and I am back in my room and awake after a couple hours of sleep. I haven't heard anything from the doctors yet about what they found if anything.
Will try and keep you posted as I find out.
8:00 - Procedure is done and I am back in my room and awake after a couple hours of sleep. I haven't heard anything from the doctors yet about what they found if anything.
Will try and keep you posted as I find out.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
2/15/2011
GI nutrition doctors were in. They were able to cycle my TPN last night which means instead of running for 24hrs they try running it over 14hrs. My potassium was a little off this morning but he still thought I could probably go home today, but that decision is up to my primary team of doctors and what they think. They will make adjustment according to the TPN for tonight based on my lab results from this morning.
Primary doctors were in and wanted to discharge me. The concerns that I have and also the nurses concerns were discussed with the doctors. They set up a plan and discharge papers were ordered. IV team came to de-access my mediport. Right at that time, GI doctor was in with the results of CT scan and stated that they had found something on the CT scan and wanted to do a procedure to remove/see what this was. They wanted to do it today, but then I told them I was being discharged and my discharge papers were already done. So then the GI doctor decided that I could come in tomorrow morning as an outpatient and have it done.
The problem with this by me and the nurses went along with some of the concerns we had earlier. My blood pressure started running lower last night and today and upon discharge I wouldn't be getting as much fluids as I was in the hospital. We were concerned then, that I would be right back in the hospital in a couple of days. Also with this procedure they wanted to do it under general anesthesia due to what all they wanted to do when they are down there. I don't do very well sometime with anesthesia and we were concerned that I would go home today, have the procedure tomorrow and be readmitted again to the hospital. So after many phone calls, the conclusion is that I will not be going home today and I will find out later exactly the details of when the procedure is.
Mediport was accessed again and fluids were once again started. TPN gets started around 6:00 and will be cycled again through the night and til 8:00 in the morning.
That will probably be all the excitement for the day. If anything else interesting happens will be sure to update if I can.
Tomorrow will be the procedure but I have no idea what time that will be. Prayers appreciated. It is a little concerning thinking about what it could be they saw. The way things go with me they won't even be able to find what they saw and we will be right back where we started.
Primary doctors were in and wanted to discharge me. The concerns that I have and also the nurses concerns were discussed with the doctors. They set up a plan and discharge papers were ordered. IV team came to de-access my mediport. Right at that time, GI doctor was in with the results of CT scan and stated that they had found something on the CT scan and wanted to do a procedure to remove/see what this was. They wanted to do it today, but then I told them I was being discharged and my discharge papers were already done. So then the GI doctor decided that I could come in tomorrow morning as an outpatient and have it done.
The problem with this by me and the nurses went along with some of the concerns we had earlier. My blood pressure started running lower last night and today and upon discharge I wouldn't be getting as much fluids as I was in the hospital. We were concerned then, that I would be right back in the hospital in a couple of days. Also with this procedure they wanted to do it under general anesthesia due to what all they wanted to do when they are down there. I don't do very well sometime with anesthesia and we were concerned that I would go home today, have the procedure tomorrow and be readmitted again to the hospital. So after many phone calls, the conclusion is that I will not be going home today and I will find out later exactly the details of when the procedure is.
Mediport was accessed again and fluids were once again started. TPN gets started around 6:00 and will be cycled again through the night and til 8:00 in the morning.
That will probably be all the excitement for the day. If anything else interesting happens will be sure to update if I can.
Tomorrow will be the procedure but I have no idea what time that will be. Prayers appreciated. It is a little concerning thinking about what it could be they saw. The way things go with me they won't even be able to find what they saw and we will be right back where we started.
Monday, February 14, 2011
CT Scan
CT scan is just now over. It was a horrible experience.
They give you 36 ounces of nasty tasting stuff to drink. Which for an average healthy person is not good but they are able to manage to drink it for the test. Well, now try giving that to a very sick person who vomits when she has been NPO (nothing by mouth) for 5 days. So I try and start drinking this contrast. I'm not a very big drinker to begin with so seeing a big bottle of contrast to drink is not appealing. I am nauseous before I ever start drinking and so I try and start sipping. They want you to drink 12 ounces over an hour. May not seem like a lot to an average person, but to a sick person it is A LOT. The nurses and I from the beginning figured I would just do the best I can to get as much down and not push it. We figure that keeping some down is better than trying to drink it all and vomiting it all back up. So I start drinking and by the time for the scan I only have a little over a cup down. I can't handle anymore due to the pain and the nausea. Well the doctors decide that I have to have all of it for the test. They wanted the nurse to put an NG tube down so they can give me the rest of the contrast. Well, that's stupid because I have a G-tube. So they order some morphine to try and control the pain even though they knew it would still be painful and uncomfortable and after the morphine is in they want me to put the rest of the contrast through the tube. So that is what we do. I'm so nauseous and uncomfortable it's ridiculous. I can't hardly talk because if I do I'm going to end up vomiting. I have a nursing student with me today, which I don't mind because I was in their shoes before. But, when you really don't feel good and then they start messing around and doing things that don't necessarily need done it gets annoying. So I manage to make it to the scan and get that done. Get back to the room and am then able to drain the contrast via the G-tube which was it's original purpose (to drain the stomach when nauseous).
So glad that is over with. I hope they may get some answers from it and that it wasn't all for nothing.
They give you 36 ounces of nasty tasting stuff to drink. Which for an average healthy person is not good but they are able to manage to drink it for the test. Well, now try giving that to a very sick person who vomits when she has been NPO (nothing by mouth) for 5 days. So I try and start drinking this contrast. I'm not a very big drinker to begin with so seeing a big bottle of contrast to drink is not appealing. I am nauseous before I ever start drinking and so I try and start sipping. They want you to drink 12 ounces over an hour. May not seem like a lot to an average person, but to a sick person it is A LOT. The nurses and I from the beginning figured I would just do the best I can to get as much down and not push it. We figure that keeping some down is better than trying to drink it all and vomiting it all back up. So I start drinking and by the time for the scan I only have a little over a cup down. I can't handle anymore due to the pain and the nausea. Well the doctors decide that I have to have all of it for the test. They wanted the nurse to put an NG tube down so they can give me the rest of the contrast. Well, that's stupid because I have a G-tube. So they order some morphine to try and control the pain even though they knew it would still be painful and uncomfortable and after the morphine is in they want me to put the rest of the contrast through the tube. So that is what we do. I'm so nauseous and uncomfortable it's ridiculous. I can't hardly talk because if I do I'm going to end up vomiting. I have a nursing student with me today, which I don't mind because I was in their shoes before. But, when you really don't feel good and then they start messing around and doing things that don't necessarily need done it gets annoying. So I manage to make it to the scan and get that done. Get back to the room and am then able to drain the contrast via the G-tube which was it's original purpose (to drain the stomach when nauseous).
So glad that is over with. I hope they may get some answers from it and that it wasn't all for nothing.
2/14/11 Update
Just found out they were able to schedule me a Temple appointment. Hopefully it is a big step in getting some answers, treatments and getting better.
Also I'm having a CT scan tonight at 6:30.
Also I'm having a CT scan tonight at 6:30.
2/14/2011
Well, yesterday after I posted things began to change. The nurse informed me that I would be moving to a different floor so that they could monitor my heart. I had developed what is called refeeding syndrome which happens to some people when starting TPN. Basically it is that my body was really malnourished and when it started receiving the TPN it started pushing the electrolytes into the cells and out of the blood. It can be very dangerous and cause heart rhythm trouble so they wanted to be able to watch me for that. The electrolytes that were dangerously low were replaced through the IV and monitored through my labs.
After replacement, my labs looked much better. Still on the low side but much better to normal. So they made some corrections to the TPN that started last night and are hoping my labs are still normal when they check them again in the morning.
They are hoping to be able to start cycling the TPN tonight. So that I just receive the TPN for 14hrs out of the day. It would run then from 6pm to 8am. If they are able to do that they are talking about sending me home shortly thereafter.
They did consult the GI doctors again to check on some things. I woke up last night at 4am with severe abdominal pain, nausea, and diarrhea. They had been wanting a CT scan but it had not been done yet, so I was asking about it today and GI was just in here and did an extensive history from when this sickness started. They are going to discuss it with the whole GI team and see what conclusions they can come up with and see what tests they want run. So I figure if they are wanting some more tests run I still may be in here a couple days yet.
I find it kind of comical though. Sometimes a nurse or aid will come hurrying into the room and just say "I need to get your blood pressure." They take the blood pressure and then they leave. That has happen only a handful of times, but I found out they are doing that because of what they are seeing on the heart monitor. My primary doctors told me that I had an episode of VTACH last night. The other times I found out my heart rate would go into the 140's.
Will try and post an update once the doctor are back in and have discussed and thought of a plan,
After replacement, my labs looked much better. Still on the low side but much better to normal. So they made some corrections to the TPN that started last night and are hoping my labs are still normal when they check them again in the morning.
They are hoping to be able to start cycling the TPN tonight. So that I just receive the TPN for 14hrs out of the day. It would run then from 6pm to 8am. If they are able to do that they are talking about sending me home shortly thereafter.
They did consult the GI doctors again to check on some things. I woke up last night at 4am with severe abdominal pain, nausea, and diarrhea. They had been wanting a CT scan but it had not been done yet, so I was asking about it today and GI was just in here and did an extensive history from when this sickness started. They are going to discuss it with the whole GI team and see what conclusions they can come up with and see what tests they want run. So I figure if they are wanting some more tests run I still may be in here a couple days yet.
I find it kind of comical though. Sometimes a nurse or aid will come hurrying into the room and just say "I need to get your blood pressure." They take the blood pressure and then they leave. That has happen only a handful of times, but I found out they are doing that because of what they are seeing on the heart monitor. My primary doctors told me that I had an episode of VTACH last night. The other times I found out my heart rate would go into the 140's.
Will try and post an update once the doctor are back in and have discussed and thought of a plan,
Sunday, February 13, 2011
2/13/2011
If all goes well today and overnight, it looks like I should be getting out of here tomorrow.
The plan is to go home with TPN and just wait to get into Temple. They have specialized testing and programs and surgeries they can do that may help me. This hospital basically told there is nothing more they can do for me here, so we just have to wait to go to Temple. Hopefully that could be soon. The sooner the better in my book.
I missed Lucky's 1st birthday this week. I was sad about that. Hopefully I can see her tomorrow.
Will try and keep you all posted. (Not sure if I have any readers anymore, LOL) I just checked my traffic report and have had 0 visits in the past week.
Pray that I can go home soon and be able to get into Temple fairly quickly, Thanks so much!!!
The plan is to go home with TPN and just wait to get into Temple. They have specialized testing and programs and surgeries they can do that may help me. This hospital basically told there is nothing more they can do for me here, so we just have to wait to go to Temple. Hopefully that could be soon. The sooner the better in my book.
I missed Lucky's 1st birthday this week. I was sad about that. Hopefully I can see her tomorrow.
Will try and keep you all posted. (Not sure if I have any readers anymore, LOL) I just checked my traffic report and have had 0 visits in the past week.
Pray that I can go home soon and be able to get into Temple fairly quickly, Thanks so much!!!
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