It is almost 9:00pm and Elizabeth just asked the nurse to call her doctor so that she can be discharged. I kid you not. She said that he (the doc) said she would be here 24-36 hours and that time is passing and she wants to go. I love this kid!
In about an hour, she will realize that she is not going home and she will have tears and anger and she will tell me what she's been telling me all day- that she is NOT sick. Never mind the fact that she has had bloody stool 12 times today and also had times of passing only blood alone. She is exhausted and her tummy hurts...but she is not sick!
She is correct, we were told that she would most likely be here only 24-36 hours in order to get her hydrated, watch her platelets, control her pain and get the antibiotics started in-house under the care of the physicians. We knew that she would go home not cured of the infection and have to finish the course of antibiotics at home. This morning when her GI doc saw her, she'd had a good night and had one episode of testing positive for blood, but then had had no more. An hour after he left, she started passing blood for the remainder of the day.
She will have labs drawn first thing in the morning and her stool is being sent to the lab again. There is talk of having a colonoscopy done and also a scan to see if fluid that was noted in her pelvis (on a Catscan) when we were here in April has cleared. I don't know if those things will be done now or be done as an outpatient. The Infectious Disease doctor wanted the colonoscopy and was going to speak to the Gastro. doc.
Liz is starting to remark about seeing blood every time she uses the bathroom and I have to admit it makes my stomach turn, too. I just keep reminding myself that it is the progression of the infection to now include Colitis and that she will be fine.
She has been asking me to promise that we will be home by Monday. I have told her over and over that I cannot promise that, but I am really thinking we will be home by then. Praying we will is more like it.
We are also very, very sad that tomorrow's plans have gone to crap- literally! The Gooch family is in town from Utah and tomorrow was our day to spend with them. I could cry just knowing how much my kids have been waiting for this day and how much I need to see my friend Holly. It has been a year since we saw each other and we have been counting the months and days to watch the kids just play together. The kids and I have also been so anxious to get to see Spencer, healthy and cancer-free! Elizabeth keeps saying "but what about the Gooches?!"
We are also scheduled to leave for Maine on Friday, but have decided to just play it by ear and not rush things. If it works out, great! But, we will go when Liz is feeling well enough to enjoy the trip; if that isn't Friday, then so be it.
Some moms (and grandmothers- hi Cindy!) I know use a term..."hospital time." Hospital time is it's own set of rules, schedules and loss of control. Nothing happens when it is scheduled; things get done whenever they get done, not when you think they will or should; and you have to practice patience. I am trying to just go with hospital time and focus on knowing we'll get out of here soon and will put this behind us.
Praying Elizabeth can get some sleep....and that I will have more than the hour I got last night. Thank you for caring about my Liz.
No comments:
Post a Comment