March 16 - Helen and I are having "issues"

"Helen" (the Hickman catheter)* and I were having issues with each other. Jan, a great nurse, has been doing a 'bang up' job of taking care of flushing the catheter and changing the dressing.  However, 2 days ago, one of the lumens decided not to flush well at all.  Yesterday, that lumen would not flush at all.  Calls to Johns Hopkins and they suggested we get to our local hospital.  Warren Memorial Hospital was great from registration to XRAY (to check the placement of the catheter - thanks Beth) to going to Same Day Surgery.  Our nurse, Matt got the orders for CATHFLO (he did a great JOB!).  The CATHFLO was injected into the catheter and was allowed to work over 30 minutes.  This drug is alteplase which is a protein that dissolves clots (used with acute stroke and heart attacks as well).  I kept thinking of PACMAN 'chomping' away at the clot in the tip of this catheter which was preventing flow.


After 30 minutes, reflow was established and flushed with saline and then heparin.  Had this not worked, it would've been a trip to Baltimore.  Prayers answered.

The pericarditis symptoms are better and I haven't had any more atrial fibrillation.  I saw Dr. Anne Kassira this week and she helped validate the treatment plan and get me on a long acting diltiazem (to control/prevent the atrial fibrillation). However, I am very deconditioned.  So, Kipper (our dog) and I wrap up and go on very short walks (but it wipes me out).

The doctors have started coming this week.  Mary Arenberg, MD is our good friend and our patients and staff have been very welcoming to Mary.  We are blessed to have her.

This coming Sunday, there will be a spaghetti dinner fundraiser at Riverton United Methodist Church at 12 noon on March 18th.  You are welcome to come.  This is such a nice thing being done by the adult Sunday School classes at Riverton.  THANK YOU!

The GoFundMe campaign is still active and, again, Jan and I are so thankful for all the support you have given us.

*Helen Hickman Bradd was my grandmother.  In honor of her, I've adopted her name for my Hickman catheter😊

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

January 28 - Just in - I am going to receive a bone marrow transplant

Image
In the last 2 weeks, we received much amazing news.  In quick succession, we found out: I am going to receive a bone marrow transplant (actually, it is a stem cell transplant) at Johns Hopkins on March 9. All four of our children were matches for the transplant. The one child I didn't expect to be the donor is..... ?  [Listen to the audioblog post below for who it is!] As previously mentioned, the IDHIFA oral chemotherpay worked miraculously on my MDS and the blast count in my bone marrow dropped below the 5% cut-off for consideration of a bone marrow (or stem cell) transplant. As exciting as this is, the reality of the details of getting the bone marrow transplant have set in: Getting all of the extensive testing (CT scans, Echocardiogram, EKG, PFT's, lab, repeat Bone Marrow Biopsy 😓etc) needs to be done prior to the transplant. Finding a place to live for the 2+ months Jan and I will be in Baltimore (so as to get treatments and checkups at Johns Hopkins on
Read more

February 16 - New Information

This past Monday I had a difficult bone marrow biopsy lasting 1 1/2 hours.  Jan and I have been waiting for the results and we got the results late yesterday afternoon My bone marrow revealed that... I AM IN REMISSION! This means that the biopsy found no evidence of cancer in the biopsy and the chimer test shows that there is only donor cells (and none of mine)! Praise and honor to GOD   (and the staff at Johns Hopkins).. If all goes well,  I should be discharged early next week and return home to finish recovery at home and then return to the office on a limited basis (at least at first).  Still a long way to go.... So... YOUR PRAYERS and support have worked.  Jan and my family is greatly relieved and also grateful. Bless you all!
Read more

May 29 - Out of the hospital

It is good to be out of hospital after being in 47 days!  Out of the hospital now 7 days and good to be back with my wife and not having to 'survive' each day in the hospital.  Now, each day I go to IPOP  (the unit called "Inpatient/outpatient").  Lab drawn and any needs addressed from tranfusions to getting IV electrolytes, etc.  Progressing each day.  I am very deconditioned.  I am regaining strength slowly each day.  Currently getting over Graft vs Host disease.  A frequent complication where the donor cell are still 'attacking me'.  It is fine line since there should some GvH disease which helps the donor's cells 'get rid' of my cancerous cells.  Taking high dose steroids but that's the price to pay to get over the GvH disease. Engraftment has occurred!  Effectively, this means that Erika's stem cells have established.  So...Erika's stem cells are currently producing the white blood cells.  The other cell lines (red blood cells
Read more