Well, it’s Friday, and as we had hoped to be out of here by this morning sometimes, now we’re not so sure. Kevin made it fine through the embolysm (sp?), where they go in through the groin to plug the artery that feeds blood to the stomach. This was done before at JH, but they used a gel which is only temporary. This embolism will be permanent. Afterwards, he couldn’t move that leg, or sit up more than 45 degrees for 6 hours. He was exhausted!
He is currently on a PCA Fentanyl pump, where he can hit the button for his pain. It’s nice so that it controls his pain, but raises concerns for us on when we’re going home and why they aren’t trying to get his pain under control through things we can put on/administer at home. However, due to the pain level of the procedure, this is what they felt best to control his pain at the time.
Early this morning, Kevin’s heart-rate went up again, and he went into the irregular heartbeat rhhythm he had at hopkins. At the same time, he discharged about 200 ML of bloody liquid from his gastric tube again, making us wonder if the embolism even worked! We tried to assure the nurses that the heart-rate and rhythm issues were NORMAL for Kevin, if they would just look at his record. Well, after giving us both near heart attacks from worry, they left us alone to finally find it WAS normal. That was definitely annoying.
He’s still draining again from his gastric tube, so we’re not sure what’s going to happen. He is due for chemotherapy today, so I highly suspect, they’ll keep him here at least until Saturday so that they can administer the chemotherapy as well as get his pain and nausea issues under control and see what’s going on with the bleeding.
As much as we both want to be out of the hospital, more needs to happen for that to happen, which is just plain frustrating! Thankfully this round around, we’re activists for ourselves and can push for what WE want because we know so much more about what’s happening.
We both decided as well that it would be in Kevin’s best medical interest to get a second expert opinion. We trust Dr. Thornton and her team, but it never hurts to have 2 sets of expert eyes evaluate such a rare and serious condition as Kevin’s. I am going to look into Doctors at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia to see if it’s covered under Kevin’s insurance. I have heard excellent things about this center, so we feel it’s worth it.
Please pray for guidance and peace. Pray that the doctors will get MOVING in the ways they need to control kevin’s pain and nausea, that relief will come from the stomach bleed, and that we can get home in a timely manner. Pray for easement of frustration and apprehension.
For those wanting to donate blood, IF Kevin and I are still here at the hospital through tomorrow, I plan to donate around noon on the 3rd floor here at LGH. Come on out!