It is good to be home from the hospital, my fifth hospitalization since January 25 when we got the diagnosis. I did come home this time with a probable staph infection in my right forearm. The danger here is that my ports might become infected. Please pray this will not transpire, that God would protect both ports. We visit the cancer center tomorrow for a possible bag of IV Vancomycin although I am on daily doses of oral Keflex. It seems to be doing the trick, but the arm is somewhat red and inflamed even now. Pray I may be deemed healthy enough to resume chemotherapy tomorrow. It has been two weeks since the last infusion, and we don't want the cancer to gain the upper hand. We know that a sovereign God is able to work His will either with means, without means or even against means, so may His great power be made manifest in this situation for His great glory!
I'm learning that God is faithful to suffering saints even in the deepest pits of sorrow and suffering. How true He will never leave us or forsake us (Heb. 13:5). He is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18; 147:3). These things I once knew only intellectually, but now by experience. This is why our sufferings are not to be shunned, but welcomed as friends. After all, they help loosen our grip on this physical world and fit us for our eternal inheritance (I Peter 5:10). I close this post with this great benediction from Jude 24-25 "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority before all time and now and forever. Amen.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Friday Night
The infection in Bryan's arm is slowly responding to the antibiotics, but it is responding! His diet is progressing slowly, too. He hasn't had the opportunity to see just how well his duodenal stent works until yesterday and today when he ate a fairly normal quantity of soft food. Sarah and I are getting creative in concocting soft foods. A great discovery we made today is So Delicious yogurt--it is made with coconut milk and active cultures! This will help get some probiotics in his system without having to take another pill and it is dairy free; a real plus when trying to heal the gut.
He is still recovering from time in the hospital--regaining strength, fatigue and weight. I am looking forward to chemo on Tuesday when we can see how much progress he makes on the TPN.
Short post--I'm struggling to keep my eyes open. Please pray for rest, strength, weight, and that the cancer doesn't take advantage of two weeks off chemo. THANKS!!
Good-night and God bless, Susan
He is still recovering from time in the hospital--regaining strength, fatigue and weight. I am looking forward to chemo on Tuesday when we can see how much progress he makes on the TPN.
Short post--I'm struggling to keep my eyes open. Please pray for rest, strength, weight, and that the cancer doesn't take advantage of two weeks off chemo. THANKS!!
Good-night and God bless, Susan
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Home At Last--Bringing Gifts
Bryan is home!
When I got to the hospital he was, as I reported earlier, just waiting for me to pick him up. I noticed a red area on his arm and inquired. He said he wasn't sure what it was. It was swollen, red and painful, although not hot. One nurse said to just watch it--(I wondered if she thought it would do tricks?) another said it was not a blood clot because she could feel pulse on either side of it (that was reassuring). She suggested it was "most likely the end of a bruise, but usually they go from purple to green so I am not sure if it would be a bruise because they don't end by turning red, but treat it as a bruise." I thought it looked like cellulitis.
We left the hospital and headed south. As we approached I-405, Bryan called the Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center to see if Dr. Chen or Cunningham would be able to take a look at his arm. Not a problem---Dr. Cunningham said right away it was a staph infection which developed under the skin--typical hospital stay side effect (this is the gift). Seven to ten more days of antibiotics! The silver lining in it all, Bryan has an immune response to this infection. He has enough neutrophils (a type of white blood cell) in his blood stream to actually attack something on his own!
We had a great time of prayer together as a family at home this evening! Thank you for the prayers, fasting, cards, calls, meals, encouragement, etc. It would have been very difficult without the support of family and friends!
I would especially like to thank my dad for giving up Mom for the week. Sarah and I were very thankful to have her here. It allowed me to stay in Seattle when things were rough for Bryan and to know things were okay in Tacoma. Thanks, Dad!
When I got to the hospital he was, as I reported earlier, just waiting for me to pick him up. I noticed a red area on his arm and inquired. He said he wasn't sure what it was. It was swollen, red and painful, although not hot. One nurse said to just watch it--(I wondered if she thought it would do tricks?) another said it was not a blood clot because she could feel pulse on either side of it (that was reassuring). She suggested it was "most likely the end of a bruise, but usually they go from purple to green so I am not sure if it would be a bruise because they don't end by turning red, but treat it as a bruise." I thought it looked like cellulitis.
We left the hospital and headed south. As we approached I-405, Bryan called the Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center to see if Dr. Chen or Cunningham would be able to take a look at his arm. Not a problem---Dr. Cunningham said right away it was a staph infection which developed under the skin--typical hospital stay side effect (this is the gift). Seven to ten more days of antibiotics! The silver lining in it all, Bryan has an immune response to this infection. He has enough neutrophils (a type of white blood cell) in his blood stream to actually attack something on his own!
We had a great time of prayer together as a family at home this evening! Thank you for the prayers, fasting, cards, calls, meals, encouragement, etc. It would have been very difficult without the support of family and friends!
I would especially like to thank my dad for giving up Mom for the week. Sarah and I were very thankful to have her here. It allowed me to stay in Seattle when things were rough for Bryan and to know things were okay in Tacoma. Thanks, Dad!
He's Coming Home!!
Bryan just called and he has discharge orders. He passed his physical therapy with flying colors, is disconnected from all IVs and is waiting for me to bring civilian clothing so he can come home! Thanks be to God!!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Free Parking!
A week ago today, Bryan was admitted to Swedish Hospital in Seattle. This means we no longer have to pay the $10 per day parking fee for patients. What a savings, considering he has been in ICU all these days. I am so thankful for good insurance!
God graciously has seen fit to move Bryan from ICU to the oncology floor. The issue of low blood pressure continues, but with the aid of an oral medication he is able to remain stable at an acceptable level and no longer dependent on the IV blood pressure med which was keeping him in the ICU. His only complaint at this time is nausea caused by an undetermined source. He had some physical therapy this afternoon to help him regain strength in his legs since he has been laying in bed for seven days. The therapist, who will come again tomorrow, was surprised at how well he did considering how little muscle mass he has. This hospital stay has cost him 14 pounds. We are now three pounds in the hole from where we started after leaving St. Joe's earlier this month. The stent is working fine, and I can't wait to get him home and start feeding him well.
Thank you for your continual prayers!
God graciously has seen fit to move Bryan from ICU to the oncology floor. The issue of low blood pressure continues, but with the aid of an oral medication he is able to remain stable at an acceptable level and no longer dependent on the IV blood pressure med which was keeping him in the ICU. His only complaint at this time is nausea caused by an undetermined source. He had some physical therapy this afternoon to help him regain strength in his legs since he has been laying in bed for seven days. The therapist, who will come again tomorrow, was surprised at how well he did considering how little muscle mass he has. This hospital stay has cost him 14 pounds. We are now three pounds in the hole from where we started after leaving St. Joe's earlier this month. The stent is working fine, and I can't wait to get him home and start feeding him well.
Thank you for your continual prayers!
Monday, June 22, 2009
A Step in the Right Direction
After a grim and discouraging morning, the day has ended on a high point! The blood pressure IV has been turned off!!!!! Dad was slowly weaned off it this afternoon and is now completely off and holding steady on his own! He is taking a oral blood pressure medication which is also helping. If he does well through the night and stays steady, he will (hopefully) leave the ICU tomorrow. If everything goes as planned, we hope he will be home in a couple days.
Overall, it has turned into a very encouraging day! Mom was quite blessed by the food and knitting supplies that Evelyn Raymond brought to her today. I know it has been a challenge to find good and inexpensive food at the hospital. So the delivery of home cooked food was such a blessing! Thank you, Mrs. Raymond!
Please pray the blood pressure will remain steady through the night and Dad will be able to move to a regular floor tomorrow, and rejoice with us in this encouraging news!
Overall, it has turned into a very encouraging day! Mom was quite blessed by the food and knitting supplies that Evelyn Raymond brought to her today. I know it has been a challenge to find good and inexpensive food at the hospital. So the delivery of home cooked food was such a blessing! Thank you, Mrs. Raymond!
Please pray the blood pressure will remain steady through the night and Dad will be able to move to a regular floor tomorrow, and rejoice with us in this encouraging news!
Hospitalization Day 7
The hospitalization continues.... We all visited Dad last night to celebrate Fathers Day with him. It was a short stay due to his weakness, but he was glad to see everybody! We chatted for a bit and then prayed before leaving. Our friends, the McKinleys, came up there with us and drove us kids back home so Mom could stay.
I talked with Mom this morning and she was quite discouraged. The blood pressure medication doesn't seem to be working. They keep having to raise it instead of weaning him off of it. His blood pressure remains pretty low, but with no symptoms. Yesterday, the nurse let him sit up and put his feet off the side of the bed. But, his blood pressure dropped due to the movement and the nurse quickly put him back in bed. He won't be able to leave the ICU until he is weaned off the blood pressure medication, so pray that his blood pressure will stabilize. Dad is not discouraged in the least bit. He is resting in God's grace and sovereignty.
Tomorrow will mark the one week point of this stay in the ICU, which means that parking will be free, a blessing that mom can enjoy!
I talked with Mom this morning and she was quite discouraged. The blood pressure medication doesn't seem to be working. They keep having to raise it instead of weaning him off of it. His blood pressure remains pretty low, but with no symptoms. Yesterday, the nurse let him sit up and put his feet off the side of the bed. But, his blood pressure dropped due to the movement and the nurse quickly put him back in bed. He won't be able to leave the ICU until he is weaned off the blood pressure medication, so pray that his blood pressure will stabilize. Dad is not discouraged in the least bit. He is resting in God's grace and sovereignty.
Tomorrow will mark the one week point of this stay in the ICU, which means that parking will be free, a blessing that mom can enjoy!
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