Recovering

As indicated by the long lapse of posts here, it has been a pretty quiet week. Glenn is slowly recovering from his surgery. He's tired of being tired and feeling sick. That should change soon when he can get out and about more. The oncologist called Saturday with some positive news. He is pleased with the numbers that the bone marrow biopsy showed. He's says there shouldn't be a need for a second stem cell transplant. He will start Glenn on chemo by mouth every other day when we go back to see him next Wednesday. We have a week off from driving to G'ville, although we probably will go this week anyway to get some prescriptions filled/refilled. The trip there is worth the savings we get from the prescriptions. Friday Glenn has an appointment  for instructions on care of the peritoneal catheter. We don't know when he will start dialysis but we go to the nephrologist next week as well, so we should know more then. I, for one, am thankful for a quiet week after the past two weeks of activity.

The deed is done.

Glenn finally had his surgery for the fistula and peritoneal dialysis catheter placement today. He's home now and is  pretty sore. It was a little rougher than we expected, but he's on the healing side of it now. This really is becoming reality now, that he will be on dialysis from now on, once it is all healed. I'm so sorry that he has to go through this. I never imagined he'd have a serious illness and have to go through all that he has so far, and will in the future. That aspect, (the future), will be determined by the results of the bone marrow biopsy.We will know how that is by the end of the week, I'm pretty sure. The oncologist said he would call us in a couple days when he gets a preliminary report back.
My brain is pretty much fried again so I'll say ttfn.

A new week, a new phase in life

Glenn was able to get his bone marrow biopsy done today, after having to cancel twice. We should find out how the Light Chain Deposition Disease is doing from the biopsy. The Dr. said he would call in a couple days to let us know. He got his drug of choice: Ativan. Funny side effect happened today after we got home. While he was sleeping off the Ativan, his toe nails turned different colors, as if they had been painted!  Strange.                                                             Tomorrow he has surgery to have the fistula and peritoneal dialysis catheter placed. He's moving on to a new phase in his life: peritoneal dialysis. That should start soon after the catheter is healed. The fistula is a back up if there is any trouble with the catheter. I'll fill you in on how the dialysis works at a later date when we learn how to do it. He has come to fully accept having to have dialysis and has a good attitude about it. He has come a loooonnnnngggg way with all this medical stuff being done to him. He was terrified of needles in the beginning. And now he can accept something that he absolutely did not want to have to do when this all began. He's a changed man, in many ways: retired, has much less hair, definitely unstressed, not so many ideas for new businesses but much more contemplative about life, definitely has greatly grown in his dependence on, and trust in, God. Many other ways as well. You all may think this is a terrible thing that's happening to him, but he and I see it as a great blessing because it has made him a better man and has brought much glory to God, which is the goal in whatever we do.
   "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2Cor. 12:9-10

P.S........

Glenn was discharged from the hospital this evening. There was no reason for him to stay since the fever appears to be resolved and the surgeon won't be able to do the surgery (for the fistula) until at least Wednesday. We will call on Monday to schedule it. He is feeling fine, all things considered,and is now catching up on lost sleep. I plan to do the same.

day 4

We're still here in the hospital on day 4. I hesitate to give any info on what will be done next, because as sure as I say something it will change. The vascular surgeon saw Glenn this morning, the one who will place the fistula, and he said he couldn't do the surgery Monday because the schedule is packed, and he is off Tuesday so we're hoping for Wednesday. Which means that if the other 3 Dr.s have no reason to keep him, he MIGHT go home today. But don't quote me on that. We'll know when we are home if he is going home. And we'll know when he actually has the fistula in his arm when it's going to happen. And even which hospital he has it done at, for that matter.
The Dr.s are assuming that the temp that Glenn had Thursday night was what we thought it was from: the blood transfusion. He's been ok since then. He feels ok, and we went for a short walk around the unit, today. He looks pretty scruffy, though, since he hasn't shaved for several days, and his hair has thinned out a lot since he's been on the chemo. He says he looks like a sick old man. That's a pretty accurate description. If it didn't take me 8 hours to figure out how to get pictures on this site, I'd show you.
We're going to try to take a nap while it's quiet, so shhhhh. Thanks.

Day 2

Day 2 of hospitalization has been busy  for Glenn. He's had several tests and is getting his second unit of blood right now.
His labs in the ER showed some possible heart involvement, but all the tests done since then haven't revealed any problems and the cardiologist doesn't see any reason to follow Glenn any more. There still has been no source found for the fever, everything has been clear. The infectious disease Dr. said that if his temp remained in the normal range she would stop the IV antibiotics and could release him from her care tomorrow. But this evening  his temp has started going up. We're hoping it is just a mild reaction to the blood transfusions.  The nephrologist says Glenn's kidney function is the same, so after discussion , we agreed for him to set up the surgery for the fistula here while Glenn is in the hospital, but it can only be done after the fever has been resolved. So I don't see him being released tomorrow.
The night nurse tonight said Glenn's color looks better from last night, since he has gotten the blood. I hadn't noticed his color being pale, I guess since I've been with him constantly and wouldn't notice a change. He is feeling ok, other than understandably being tired. Besides his health problems, he did lose two nights' sleep being in 2 ERs. As usual, if you talk to him on the phone you wouldn't notice any signs of him being sick from his voice. It's not that he's putting up a front, it's really how he feels and how he talks on the phone.
My brains are a little mushy and I don't know what else you all would like to know. So send me any questions you have on the comment section or e-mail me and I can fill you in.

...continuing....

Yesterday after we got home from the G'ville ER and  I got everything unpacked, Glenn took his temp and it was higher than it had been the previous day. So I called G'ville to find out  what we should do and we were told to go to our local ER. So guess what we did! We did what we were told this time. It was still crazy busy in the ER, but I had asked the PA in G'ville to call ahead and tell them that he needed to be seen right away. So we did have to wait a while but they understood the situation and got us into a  room as soon as they could.  We spent a second night in the ER and we were told early on that he would definitely be admitted. They ran several tests and started the IV antibiotics while we were there before we got to a room upstairs. So they are continuing to do many different tests to try to determine where there is infection. So far, no source has been found. His temp has gone down and he is feeling better but they will continue the IV antibiotics, though we don't know for how long. Unfortunately, for the second time we had to cancel the surgery for the fistula that was to take place tomorrow, and he really needs to get that done because his kidney function is at dialysis level now. He may end up having to have a "central line" placed to do the dialysis before the fistula can be placed and healed. The concern there is that those can easily be introduced to infection which can quickly lead to sepsis. But it may have to be the route we use until a fistula can be placed and matured. This is where God shines: where we have our backs against the wall. So, with your prayers, we will be able to put off the dialysis. until the fistula is ready to be used.  Already Glenn has stayed off dialysis months longer than was expected And that is a result of all your prayers for him. So there is your new prayer request challenge.
Glenn's sister is doing much better and is off the ventilator, although still in ICU. His mother hasn't had any more problems arise from her fall. His sister says Martha has a pretty bad black eye and bruising on one side of her face. But she seems to be back to her normal self.
Thank you all so much for your concern and for faithfully keeping up with Glenn through this blog and your prayers. That has made this experience so much easier than it could have been. I'll be back again soon to keep you all up to date.