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Well, it's 5a on a Monday and I have a little time to check in.
John and I are on a journey nobody anticipates or desires.
Six weeks ago he was doing well, walking, doing the usual things he liked to do. Then it changed in an instant. He was walking around in the pasture one morning, and by nightfall, he had a temperature and his leg and foot were in agony. By morning, he couldn't walk at all, and I called 911.
We spent a week in the hospital. His foot was swollen and halfway up to his knee, it was covered in tiny red spots. One doc diagnosed gout, another infection. Steroids and antibiotics were infused around the clock.
We did not realize it, but lying on his back for a week created a coccy tear, a dreaded bed ulcer that is beyond painful. I certainly did not understand at the time the danger of this situation.
Anyway, they sent us home with a diagnosis of nutropenic sepsis, and for 3 consecutive weekends we went to emergency with pain around his tailbone and redness in his leg. By now the red spots in his leg had become one huge red area.
He can no longer walk with a walker, and he is tied to a catheter ( a huge blessing, when you can't walk).
So last Wednesday, out of desperation, I took photos of John and made an appointment with our primary care physician, who was unaware of any of this.
He took one look at the photos, and said he has Petechia and he was coming the next day to see John, and he did.
Petechia is a condition of low platelets. Antibiotics won't help. Only platelets can help, so we went by ambulance on Saturday morning to emergency ( again ) and they infused 2 units of platelets.
Never before have we had a physician make a house call, spend an hour an a half with us, drink punch and eat cake, and give us hope. He is the doctor who diagnosed John with bone marrow cancer 2 and a half years ago, but we see him rarely, since we are under the direction of the oncologist.
If we can eliminate the pain he is in, we can begin physical therapy to built his strength. Praying that can happen.
Anyway, with my normal duties around the house, coupled with doing the things he used to do, and now on top of that taking care of his every need, the world is a bit topsy turvey.
I want to thank Donna and Janet for calling and Lisa for the gift she sent. And Paula, for the shoutout on FB.
I know we are down to few people here, but I think of you all so often. I wish I could be more present, but my job now is taking care of my husband (who will be 90 in 10 days), and although it is tough and not fun, I will do everything in my power to make his final days more bearable, because he has been my rock and foundation for 40 years.
I love you all, and I hope I can pop in again sometime.
John and I are on a journey nobody anticipates or desires.
Six weeks ago he was doing well, walking, doing the usual things he liked to do. Then it changed in an instant. He was walking around in the pasture one morning, and by nightfall, he had a temperature and his leg and foot were in agony. By morning, he couldn't walk at all, and I called 911.
We spent a week in the hospital. His foot was swollen and halfway up to his knee, it was covered in tiny red spots. One doc diagnosed gout, another infection. Steroids and antibiotics were infused around the clock.
We did not realize it, but lying on his back for a week created a coccy tear, a dreaded bed ulcer that is beyond painful. I certainly did not understand at the time the danger of this situation.
Anyway, they sent us home with a diagnosis of nutropenic sepsis, and for 3 consecutive weekends we went to emergency with pain around his tailbone and redness in his leg. By now the red spots in his leg had become one huge red area.
He can no longer walk with a walker, and he is tied to a catheter ( a huge blessing, when you can't walk).
So last Wednesday, out of desperation, I took photos of John and made an appointment with our primary care physician, who was unaware of any of this.
He took one look at the photos, and said he has Petechia and he was coming the next day to see John, and he did.
Petechia is a condition of low platelets. Antibiotics won't help. Only platelets can help, so we went by ambulance on Saturday morning to emergency ( again ) and they infused 2 units of platelets.
Never before have we had a physician make a house call, spend an hour an a half with us, drink punch and eat cake, and give us hope. He is the doctor who diagnosed John with bone marrow cancer 2 and a half years ago, but we see him rarely, since we are under the direction of the oncologist.
If we can eliminate the pain he is in, we can begin physical therapy to built his strength. Praying that can happen.
Anyway, with my normal duties around the house, coupled with doing the things he used to do, and now on top of that taking care of his every need, the world is a bit topsy turvey.
I want to thank Donna and Janet for calling and Lisa for the gift she sent. And Paula, for the shoutout on FB.
I know we are down to few people here, but I think of you all so often. I wish I could be more present, but my job now is taking care of my husband (who will be 90 in 10 days), and although it is tough and not fun, I will do everything in my power to make his final days more bearable, because he has been my rock and foundation for 40 years.
I love you all, and I hope I can pop in again sometime.
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