Sunday, July 25, 2010— Back to the roller coaster

I was called late last night by Skip's night nurse. She said I needed to sign a release early the next morning for the surgical team to do a procedure that would create a new shunt for the dialysis tubes. Steve and I arrived just before 8:00, I signed and Skip was prepared for the trip down to surgery on the first floor. We waited while they took him downstair. He wasn't in the operating room more than a few minutes before an emergency heart attack victim was brought in and it was necessary to postpone the job and send Skip back up to his third floor ICU room. Of course we understood the need for the reprioritizing but Steve and I felt badly for Skip and wondered when they would be on track again. At 12:00 noon they came to fetch us and announced that he was on his way down again. We were to meet them at the elevator then walk down the stairs to meet them and follow to the same operating room he had been in earlier. I held his hand and told him what was about to happen. His eyes tried to open, I think he squeezed my hand slightly and off he went. Chuck, Leah and Mike arrived shortly before the job was completed and we all met his gurney as it was wheeled out of the room. Everything had gone well and we gathered for lunch while he was taken back upstairs. All the tubes were reconnected and he was settled in with one more hurdle behind him.

We ate lunch and returned to the third floor to say goodbye because I planned to drive this afternoon to Fort Bragg so I could take care of some essential business Monday morning. While checking out the new shunt I noticed that Skip had developed a rash on his arms and legs.

It appeared to be a reaction to one of the antibiotics and there were evidently discussions as to whether or not to discontinue the suspected offender. We had to leave before any of this was resolved and I must admit to being worried about how serious this might be. Mike joined me for the trip to Fort Bragg and just after we arrived we received a phone call from Leah saying that the disease specialist said not to worry about the rash and that they would be able to deal with it. Another Whew! I will be so relieved when they take all the tubes out and Skip will be able to open his eyes and speak. That's all I can think about.

But before I sign off, here are the good parts of the day's ride. His blood pressure is excellent, the white cell count fell to 14,000, platelets didn't fall much (but a little), lung exray continued to show a little less fluid and he shows that he can breath by himself. Probably next week they will take him off of the continuous dialysis and put him on intermittent dialysis thanks to the successful noon hour procedure and his continued improvement. The kidney doctor says he has an eighty percent chance of the kidneys returning to normal. They'll also take the tubes out of his throat and nose. He should be one much improved man by the end of next week. I was also thrilled to be united with our dogs who had been staying in Richmond while I've been at the motel. Kathy brought them up and Mike and I drove them to Fort Bragg where they nearly went crazy with joy at being home in their yard. Sandra will be spending evenings with them for the next two weeks so they 'll be happy.

Thanks for all your wonderful wishes and prayers and particular thanks to Lotus for the special potions she is creating to help heal Papa Skip.