Monday Road Trip

Well, there are no complaints today! The morning went smoothly. Dr. Baade took Brian (I got to go too) back to x-ray to see what was up with the spinal catheter. They shot dye through the port and into the catheter, and it followed its nice little path to where it belonged and stayed there. There wasn't even any coming out toward the incision on his back (took a sideways picture too), which indicated that whatever this leaking fluid is, it is not spinal fluid. The doctor thought the catheter looked perfect. He did call the wound clinic and get him in to see a different doctor about how to care for the small incision on his back. It has gradually spread open, and could eventually affect the spinal, besides the fact that it is just an infection waiting to happen. Before we went over to that office, the nurse hooked up the pump again. Sure enough, the first time the medicine advanced, the alarms went off, saying "high pressure". I was actually glad so that they could figure out what to do about it. The doctor came back in and felt that everything inside and through the tubing was hooked up and set, and that it had to be a problem with the pump. I had wondered this some, and I'm thankful we got it figured out. Apria brought a new pump to the wound clinic so we could get it before we left. The hospice nurse hooked it up after we got home, and Brian is resting comfortably. He never really was in terrible pain.

The wound doc felt it is not infected and chose not to do any debreeding. The concern is obvious, this is so near the spine that we don't want to take any chances. He ordered a different antibiotic, and also a type of dressing called aquacel, which absorbs fluids and also has silver in it, which can stop infection. Hopefully this can be a way to get this healed quickly. That doctor wants to see Brian next Monday again, just to be cautious, so we will plan on another road trip.

Brian has been really thinking about getting out and doing some things. He is letting this awful disease keep him prisoner in our home, and he is ready for it to stop. I half think he thought he would die by now...I know that sounds bad, and maybe we all thought that. But God isn't ready for him, at least not today, and Brian is starting to realize there might be some things he would like to do. We'll see if he really does or not!

Thanks for your extra prayers. It was a relief not to go back in to surgery today. Brian was in a great mood.

Jenni