November 10, 2024
We slept much better last night because the nurse and tech didn’t have to come in as much and because we basically passed out from extreme exhaustion. We got up every two hours for David to pee but we both went right back to sleep after. I alternated “sleeping” between the little narrow park bench couch bed and the rack torture hospital chair. It was so hard to wake up this morning but wake up you do, like it or not, at shift change and when breakfast is served before the roosters even roll over to hit the snooze button. We both felt better this morning even after having incremental sleeps. When David was up though, it was obvious he was more swollen than the day before. His night nurse stopped by before she left, and I showed her because he happened to be up walking to the bathroom. She said it was noticeable for sure. We both thought his feet and legs were more swollen. The hospital doctor stopped by mid-morning and we discussed meds he had not been given the day before as well as the fluid retention. He gave David a good exam, feeling of his midsection and legs and feet. He agreed the swelling was worse. I asked about the fluid he was continuing to get and if that could be helping to contributing to the retention. He has never had an issue with feet or legs swelling before now. He said it was possible, and he would back off the fluid. He has been receiving fluid constantly since the ER on Friday. I kept reading that a damaged liver or kidneys for that matter, can only keep up and process so much fluid. We were hoping this is what is happening coupled with not receiving his BP meds. I think it was overlooked and just another reason why you need someone with you in a hospital situation. He was very attentive and listened closely and considered everything I asked. He said he was ordering an ultrasound to check for blood clots due to the fluid retention. His visit was followed by another visit from the infectious disease doctor we saw yesterday. Both discussed the scan and are leaning toward this being fever brought on by the cancer itself. (Cancer fever) I feel cancer is just a diabolical monster made up of your own cells that go rouge and attack your other cells before they know what is happening. Cancer just decides things about your body and your life at will. If you are lucky, you get treatment and it helps turn things around for a while. If you are unlucky, as we seem to be, these monster cells are masters of disguise. Some move quickly, disguising themselves as your regular everyday cell so they are unrecognizable by your normal cells. They can then replicate into more little monsters. But, I digress. I asked about going home and hospital doctor said possibly tomorrow. He wanted to wait the full 48 hours for the cultures to develop and also wanted to reach out to Dr. B on Monday. After they left, the nurse told David he could shower so he happily jumped in the bathroom for that. After all of that and getting reconnected to all the lines and such, it was 11:20 and time for lunch. Does food come early in hospital land or does everyone else in society just eat later? Anyway, we may be in the hospital but it is still football Sunday so after he ate and got comfy, he settled in to nap and watch the Falcons (lose to the Saints and not be dem birds or dat bird this week) I left for food and a shower. I took the longest shower of my life but didn’t catch a nap today. Felt too guilty being away in a hotel room while he was stuck two buildings over. While I was gone, David texted that he went for the ultrasound. I pulled up the scan on his MyChart and saw there were no blood clots and shared the news with him. Being able to see results so quickly in his charts is a blessing and a curse. For the most part, it works best for us. When it is bad news, we can process it how we need before talking with a doctor. When it is good news, I can move on from there with working on my next untrained medical doctor theory to discuss with the already actually trained medical doctor. I guess it is just my self-appointed job. I don’t know how annoying I am, but it is all I know to do. I got back to a slightly happier untethered David who was free from lines and beeping machines. He even got one IV removed from one of his arms. He was freely walking around the room stacking up his dinner dishes. It didn’t last long because after shift change, here came another two bags of antibiotics along with another blood thinner injection in the belly. I asked why he needed that again and nurse said just standard while in the hospital. No more fluid so that was good. Legs and feet still swollen this evening, and I am hoping we can pee some of that out. One bag of antibiotics is already done and I am waiting on the second one to finish. That should be all for the night. He has been sleeping off and on watching the last game of the night. Now time for vitals and his temp is 99.2. It has been holding there for a few hours. Hoping no spike tonight and he can sleep. Tech said she will be back at 3am. Antibiotic will run out before that but maybe we can get some rest and hope beyond hope, go home tomorrow. As of now, his WBC is up to 1500 (1.5) and hemoglobin holding at 8.3. Cultures are negative as of now. I am just anxious about how to manage “cancer fever” with a low WBC. I will have even more questions by morning. I dream in questions.
Note: We have a pretty large room, almost suite like, and a huge window with a view of the parking lot so we are grateful to have room to move around and a few choices of places to not sleep. There was this dresser cabinet and it always looked like it was smiling.
