We are still in the hospital...
They ( the pulmonary doctors) could not determine the cause of her breathing difficulties, so they decided to do a bronchoscopy to observe what was causing her breathing problems. In addition they wanted to get a sample of the tissue in her lungs.
The procedure was scheduled for first thing Saturday morning. It was risky, but the doctors felt it was the only way to determine what was going on in her lungs. Earlier CT scans had eliminated blood clots in her lungs and there was no apparent pneumonia.
During Thursday night she suffered a severe nose bleed as well as Friday morning just prior to her brocnhoscopy. Her prothrombin time (PT) test, which gives us her international normalized ratio (INR) had risen to over 5.0 (this is a measure of her blood's ability to clot). A person's normal INR is 2.0 to 2.5. The doctors had stopped her comuadin, which was being used to thin her blood and disolve her blood clot in her leg, but her INR had not dropped significantly. By late Friday the doctors decided to proceed with the bronchoscopy. During the procedure they nicked her throat causing her to cough up blood. She was admitted to ICU (Intensive Care Unit).
I was determined to spend the night, but the nurses insisted I go home and rest. Thank goodness Linda was in town to help.
During her recovery in ICU the doctors felt it was best to insert a VC-Filter. A VC-Filter (vena cava filter) is inserted typically through your carotid artery in your neck and placed in your inferior vena cava, which is a large vein that carries blood from your lower extremities to your heart and lungs. This filter is like a umbrella, which is closed when inserted and when it is released it opens up to catch any clot moving through the vein. It will need to be removed later when the blood clot is considered to be safe or fully dissolved. By Sunday (Mother's day) she had improved enough to allow them proceed with inserting the filter. We had several scary days in ICU and by Monday, May 10 (our second wedding anniversary) she had improved enough to be moved to ACU (advanced care unit).
It was beautiful to see her standing as I came into the room! We both hugged, cried and made general fools of ourselves explaining to the nurses that it was our second anniversary. Thanks to everyone who sent cards and flowers. That evening we had our anniversary dinner, she had lemon ice and I had pot roast with mashed potatoes. Both of us thought it was better than any steak dinner at the finest restaurant. (My friends know how I like to eat!)
By Wednesday, she was ready to be released by the doctors. Linda had left for home earlier that morning and I raced to the hospital to pick her up. Jody's brother Kurt, along with his wife Shawn and their youngest son Scot were coming for a visit on Friday. Jody tried to stand and walk in preparation for our departure, but she was in such excruciating pain she could not move. The doctors became concerned that something from her disease was causing the pain, they decided to keep her for a couple days and start her on morphine for the pain.
It was determined they (the treating physicians) needed to do a MRI to see what was causing the pain in her hip (see week four and five). The MRI was scheduled early Thursday morning. Her pain had increased from the night before and things were delayed, when finally by 8:00 that evening she was able to travel to the radiology room for the MRI. The results of the MRI would be read the next morning.
Friday, Kurt and his family arrived, we picked up Joe (Jody and Kurt's father) at the nursing home and we all went to the hospital. Jody was feeling better, sitting up in a chair as we entered the room. During our visit the physical therapist arrived to evaluate her condition. She struggled to walk around the room. The therapist said she was moving better and felt that getting up out of bed and moving around would help her to improve. Joe (who is 94 years old) felt differently and decided she should stay another week. Jody would hear nothing of it.
Latter that evening the Orthopedic Doctor who read her MRI came in to tell us he saw nothing wrong with her hip and felt she had a muscle pulling on her nerve causing the pain. He ordered a deep heat therapy for her on Saturday morning and saw no reason for her not to be released.
The hospital doctors rel
eased her from the hospital that afternoon and by 2:00 we were home again. Once we settled Jody in Kurt, Shawn, Scott and I planted the garden along with flowers in all of Jody's pots. It is a very special garden, a gift of love from her brother. It means so much to her and me, we had thought we might not have a garden this year, but thanks to Kurt (who insisted we plant the garden), Shawn and Scot they made it happen. Kurt said it best, when he said "your blog site is called Jody's garden, so why shouldn't she have her garden. Thanks Kurt she is really enjoying her garden.
This completes week number six.
They ( the pulmonary doctors) could not determine the cause of her breathing difficulties, so they decided to do a bronchoscopy to observe what was causing her breathing problems. In addition they wanted to get a sample of the tissue in her lungs.
The procedure was scheduled for first thing Saturday morning. It was risky, but the doctors felt it was the only way to determine what was going on in her lungs. Earlier CT scans had eliminated blood clots in her lungs and there was no apparent pneumonia.
During Thursday night she suffered a severe nose bleed as well as Friday morning just prior to her brocnhoscopy. Her prothrombin time (PT) test, which gives us her international normalized ratio (INR) had risen to over 5.0 (this is a measure of her blood's ability to clot). A person's normal INR is 2.0 to 2.5. The doctors had stopped her comuadin, which was being used to thin her blood and disolve her blood clot in her leg, but her INR had not dropped significantly. By late Friday the doctors decided to proceed with the bronchoscopy. During the procedure they nicked her throat causing her to cough up blood. She was admitted to ICU (Intensive Care Unit).
I was determined to spend the night, but the nurses insisted I go home and rest. Thank goodness Linda was in town to help.
During her recovery in ICU the doctors felt it was best to insert a VC-Filter. A VC-Filter (vena cava filter) is inserted typically through your carotid artery in your neck and placed in your inferior vena cava, which is a large vein that carries blood from your lower extremities to your heart and lungs. This filter is like a umbrella, which is closed when inserted and when it is released it opens up to catch any clot moving through the vein. It will need to be removed later when the blood clot is considered to be safe or fully dissolved. By Sunday (Mother's day) she had improved enough to allow them proceed with inserting the filter. We had several scary days in ICU and by Monday, May 10 (our second wedding anniversary) she had improved enough to be moved to ACU (advanced care unit).
It was beautiful to see her standing as I came into the room! We both hugged, cried and made general fools of ourselves explaining to the nurses that it was our second anniversary. Thanks to everyone who sent cards and flowers. That evening we had our anniversary dinner, she had lemon ice and I had pot roast with mashed potatoes. Both of us thought it was better than any steak dinner at the finest restaurant. (My friends know how I like to eat!)
By Wednesday, she was ready to be released by the doctors. Linda had left for home earlier that morning and I raced to the hospital to pick her up. Jody's brother Kurt, along with his wife Shawn and their youngest son Scot were coming for a visit on Friday. Jody tried to stand and walk in preparation for our departure, but she was in such excruciating pain she could not move. The doctors became concerned that something from her disease was causing the pain, they decided to keep her for a couple days and start her on morphine for the pain.
It was determined they (the treating physicians) needed to do a MRI to see what was causing the pain in her hip (see week four and five). The MRI was scheduled early Thursday morning. Her pain had increased from the night before and things were delayed, when finally by 8:00 that evening she was able to travel to the radiology room for the MRI. The results of the MRI would be read the next morning.
Friday, Kurt and his family arrived, we picked up Joe (Jody and Kurt's father) at the nursing home and we all went to the hospital. Jody was feeling better, sitting up in a chair as we entered the room. During our visit the physical therapist arrived to evaluate her condition. She struggled to walk around the room. The therapist said she was moving better and felt that getting up out of bed and moving around would help her to improve. Joe (who is 94 years old) felt differently and decided she should stay another week. Jody would hear nothing of it.
Latter that evening the Orthopedic Doctor who read her MRI came in to tell us he saw nothing wrong with her hip and felt she had a muscle pulling on her nerve causing the pain. He ordered a deep heat therapy for her on Saturday morning and saw no reason for her not to be released.
The hospital doctors rel
eased her from the hospital that afternoon and by 2:00 we were home again. Once we settled Jody in Kurt, Shawn, Scott and I planted the garden along with flowers in all of Jody's pots. It is a very special garden, a gift of love from her brother. It means so much to her and me, we had thought we might not have a garden this year, but thanks to Kurt (who insisted we plant the garden), Shawn and Scot they made it happen. Kurt said it best, when he said "your blog site is called Jody's garden, so why shouldn't she have her garden. Thanks Kurt she is really enjoying her garden.
This completes week number six.
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