Posts Tagged ‘medical

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30
Jul
13

this is a bad day

By thissideofgaudy Leave a Comment
Categories: Children, Family and Medical
Tags: , , , ,

Once more, one of RTA’s brothers-in-arms has killed himself. I often joke about “RTA’s ‘little friends'”, but in reality, their association with my child has made them my sons. And now, another of my children is dead. I often hear of programs designed to prevent such things, but they don’t seem to be helping much from my point of view. I can no longer count (although I am sure RTA can remind me) how many he and I have lost. RTA and one of my other sons have an idea that I think will probably be more effective since they have been there. My prayer is now that they will find the funds, the will and the help to succeed. I am willing to do anything to help them. Anything to save my boys. If I hurt this much at this remove, I cannot imagine how RTA and AVB (Andrew of the Volleyball), his business partner, feel.

At the same time, IRP is in the hospital with the doctors trying one more thing to clear the blockage in her intestines before they must operate. She is barely speaking to me because I lost it and yelled at her because she was not following instructions or doing anything to help herself. Since scar tissue is the main cause of her on-going problems, every surgery seems like just a set-up for more trouble. I am praying fervently that it doesn’t come to that.

I thought about starting this post with a question as to how one can sleep all night and wake up feeling as if they hadn’t been to bed at all. I think, though, that I have answered my own question.

All prayers and good thoughts gratefully received,

TSG

26
Jul
13

down and then up

By thissideofgaudy Leave a Comment
Categories: Children, Family and Medical
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Yesterday, the doctors took another set of scans of IRP’s abdomen to see how things were progressing. There is still some distension of the area of intestine where the blockage was. They were also concerned that she had not passed anything but gas into the temporary colostomy bag. So, they had the tube put six inches further down so that it is now draining from the small intestine instead of the stomach.

For a bit, this made things worse for IRP. The new position of the tube puts pressure on her right eye socket. It was rather painful. Also, her abdomen began to swell again and was very tender to the touch. Finally, we were having trouble controlling her pain in general.

The nurse brought an ice pack for IRP’s eye. Then, she put IRP’s pain medication on an every-four-hour schedule. The result of these two actions is that IRP is now so comfortable that she is sleeping and moving about in her sleep normally. The tube has also done its work and her abdomen is flat once more. Now, we just need her to pass something and we can begin to look forward to her discharge.

Thanks for all your prayers and well-wishes!

TSG

04
Jun
13

A Sad Necessity

By thissideofgaudy 1 Comment
Categories: Children, Family and Medical
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As I mentioned in my last post, IRP began to show signs of severe depression again Thursday. She even posted a letter on her bedroom door that she had written the day before. The letter talked about her urges to cut and otherwise harm herself. She said that she had given up. These and other things obviously alarmed us.

When IRP would not accept our help and moved in with a “friend”, we had to do something. We were afraid she would either actively harm herself or neglect herself until she was once again critically ill. Reluctantly, FMP spent most of Friday filling out a mental health warrant on IRP.

Yesterday, the warrant was served and IRP has been taken to a mental health facility involuntarily to be given help. As expected, she is very angry with us. In fact, she is currently refusing to see or speak to us.

Obviously, this is not something we did lightly. In fact, we feel horrible about it. But, we would rather have a live daughter who hates us than a dead one who does not. Please pray for IRP and for us. We believe we did the right thing, but it is still so very hard.

Thank you!
TSG

14
May
13

A Slight Delay

By thissideofgaudy Leave a Comment
Categories: Children, Family and Medical
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IRP will not be coming home until Wednesday. The extended-care facility received a 7-day prescription for one of her IV antibiotics instead of a 5-day one. The infection specialist said that we could bring her home today. But, when I asked what would be best for IRP, he said the extra 2 days would be very helpful to her considering the magnitude and location of the infection. We really want her home, but feel we have to do what is best for IRP. This was a near thing and I have no desire to repeat the experience.

I have always told my children, “My job is to keep you safe and happy, in that order. It is possible to be safe and not happy. But, you cannot be truly happy unless you are also safe”. Now, I find myself in the unenviable position of standing by my statement.

We love you, sweetie, but we can wait a bit for you to come home if it will make you safer.

Love, Mom

11
May
13

no pain, hurrah

By thissideofgaudy Leave a Comment
Categories: Family and Medical
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IRP is much more content now. Her medication is arriving before she is in pain and someone now comes in periodically just to make sure she is okay. IRP has been to physical therapy twice now, once yesterday and again today. The goal is to keep the scar tissue that caused the current crises from having a chance to build up again. We definitely don’t need another round of hospitalization and peritonitis.

I spent a good deal of the day asleep trying to feel human again. I have spent much of the last three weeks either on a couch or in a reclining chair. I am not complaining, but I also spent most of those nights getting up to comfort or aid IRP. I am grateful that I got everything settled to such an extent that I had the luxury of sleeping so late.

Monday, I return to work. If all goes to plan, IRP will also be coming home that day. We are making sure that everything is clean and easy to get to for her. FMP works from home on Mondays and Tuesdays, so she will have help if she needs it. I do not anticipate her needing much as the only reason she is here is the IV antibiotics. Those will be stopped Monday.

TSG

11
May
13

in which Mom gets dangerous

By thissideofgaudy Leave a Comment
Categories: Family and Medical
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I rarely get angry because of the amount of energy it takes. I would rather use what I have elsewhere. I am not talking mad; wherein I generally curse (as little as possible), throw (minor, unbreakable) things and generally stomp about. I am talking about major anger in which I become very quiet and very controlled. FMP informs me that this is one of the scariest things he has ever seen. The last time it happened, we were in possession of only two children, RTA and IRP. To put this is perspective, CPI just turned 18.

Anyway, we noticed today that IRP’s pain patches, which had been used in the hospital, had not been put on at the new place. We asked about them at about 1:15. By 5:30, the rest of the family had left for the night. At 6:15, IRP called in tears to say that she had just been told that the patch prescription had not been sent over and the doctor at the extended-care facility could not prescribe them without seeing, in writing, what strength the original patches had been. Why did it take five hours to come to this conclusion?

In addition, IRP would frequently have to call two or three times to get her pain medication and then wait up to thirty minutes to receive it after someone finally responded. She asked to have her PICC (permanent IV port) dressing changed before we left and it had not been. IRP does not call for her medicine until she is at least a four on the ten-point pain scale. The length of time it was taking her to get it meant that she was at a ten by the time it arrived. IRP has spent her entire life in some form of pain or the other. This was NOT acceptable. In addition, every time the pain gets that bad, IRP starts crying. Every bit of energy she spends fighting pain is not available to fight the infection. I can’t have this and I won’t.

IRP’s pain medications are now to be given to her on schedule whether she asks for them or not. The PICC line has been cleaned and the dressing changed. The doctor has been given the strength of the patch straight from the hospital report and IRP is happy once more. I hope I made my position perfectly clear. If not, I will just have to do it all again with someone a bit higher.

TSG

05
May
13

Up With(out) the Chickens

By thissideofgaudy Leave a Comment
Categories: Family and Medical
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At about 2:00 this morning, the respiratory therapist came in with IRP’s breathing treatment. She was sleeping soundly up until that time. After he left, she began to complain of intense pain. Her pain medication was not due for another hour and a half. Next thing we know, they are rolling IRP down to have a CAT scan. There was no running around drawing blood, etc., so we were not alarmed.

At about 6:30, a nurse came in and sorrowfully removed IRP’s bag of chips in mid-nibble, telling her that the attending doctor had said that she was not to have anything by mouth.. In addition, IRP was to go back on the intravenous nutrition. Fortunately, the nurse soon returned to say that the surgeon had restored liquids to IRP, so that was little better. I asked the nurse what the results were, but she could not tell me until a doctor arrived.

About thirty minutes ago, the infection specialist was in. He said that there is a 2.5 inch pocket of infection in IRP’s side. It is not serious and the surgeon will decide shortly whether to reposition the stent in IRP’s abdomen or leave it where it is to finish draining the area.

IRP and we were upset about this for a bit, as is natural, but now we are just going to get through it like everything else. I do wish, however, that we could quit doing things in the middle of the night. Seriously, even the chickens were still in bed!

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