I feel so much better this morning! I got up early and got to the hospital about 8:30. He was very grumpy again because they couldn't find the waiver he signed against being alarmed. But, they are looking for it and the tether has been taken off.

One of the nurse practitioners from cardiology came in first and when I asked why he was moved she said he should have been in this unit in the first place! That made me feel better. She said the other side doesn't monitor the meds as closely and don't seem to realize the tight schedule the transplant meds are on. 

We have seen the infectious disease dr. and the cardiologist. The CT did show pneumonia in one lung. The echo didn't show anything amiss so that's good. They have increased one of his transplant meds as his level was low. It had been a little high earlier and then they got it too low. So they are trying to level it out. All of the tests that have been done as far as the pneumonia goes have come back negative as to what kind it is.

Depending on how he continues to respond to the IV meds, and when they can be changed to mouth, he may get to come home in a couple of days. He still hasn't been able to give a sputum sample because he's not coughing as much so they may have to do a bronchoscopy. 

Physical and occupational therapy have just taken him for a little stroll down the hall. His O2 dropped from 98 to 82 when he was walking but it has come up to 94 now. OT isn't going to work with him anymore but physical is going to come and keep walking him.

So, a much better report today. Now maybe the hives will stay away!

I'm pretty tired tonight and confused, and a little apprehensive. Bill seems to feel better, but he is still congested and has a hard time going from laying down to sitting up without coughing. He also is still getting very short of breath on any exertion. It could be that he's been inactive for a few days now, and with the congestion it is harder to move.

The internal medicine dr. said that his white count has finally started to come down, so the meds are finally getting on top of the infection. It's still not clear what has caused the infection and I don't know if we ever will. He was going to have physical therapy start walking him to see if that helped to move the congestion around to get it out. He also said that his sugar is high but that could be because they were pumping him full of steroids. They have started him on some insulin in the interim.

They did an echo today, which didn't really surprise me, if  for no other reason to rule out any problems with the heart. The lung drs. are changing his inhalers again. We found out that we were told wrong on the new inhaler. She told us to stop the Advair and use the new one with the Turdoza when in fact it should have been the other way around. So, he was in effect overdosing on that med and not getting the steroid from the Advair. So they are going to fix that.

As soon as I left today they moved Bill to the transplant unit, but no-one knows why. They told him that they didn't have any tests results back that would warrant the move. Of course he doesn't process things very well so I don't know. He just called me while I was on my way home and told me the new room number. Bryan had stopped in just after they moved him and he didn't know anything either.

I called Bill to get the name of his nurse and to have her call me to tell me why he was moved. I would like to know if I need to go back to the hospital tonight. But, so far I haven't heard anything and I'm getting to the point that I'm too tired to drive the 1 1/2 hours to get there. I don't think this should be done ( and it was done before at this hospital ) without notifying the family. Bill said he told them they should have done it sooner before I left. They also didn't let food services know so they had to scrounge him up supper since his dinner went to the old room. 

You know, I hadn't realized until that I was hoping I would never have to do these daily posts again. Sometimes they did make me feel better and it did let me remember things. But tonight, this post is just making me sad.

With that being said, I'm going to the hospital website to see if I can find a phone number for the unit or some number that will get me there. When I know more, you'll know more.

If you read the last post, you know that there was something going on with Bill since he wasn't getting any better. Well, we ended up heading to Memphis to the emergency room yesterday (Saturday). I really had to talk him in to it and Connie had wanted him to go Friday night but he refused.

We were very impressed with the staff at the ER. Within 5 minutes he had been checked in and was heading to a room. Emily barely made it in the door from parking the car to follow along with us. Within 45 minutes he had been connected the monitor, had bloodwork done, a chest xray and they had called and consulted with Mayo. Then, aside from a breathing treatment, it was a very long wait for results. The things they were looking at were pneumonia, congestive heart failure, or a rare rejection with the heart. Rejection can happen at any time, but it's usually closer to early transplant.

When the hospitalist came in and said that it was pneumonia in both lungs, I told him I would take that over the other choices and he agreed that it was the best of the diagnoses.

So, he has been admitted to the hospital for a few days.

So far today (Sunday) we have seen the hospitalist, infectious disease practitioner, transplant cardiologist, respiratory for a breathing treatment and waiting for pulmonology. Dr. Burbeck doesn't have privileges here, but her group does so they have requested a consult with them.

We do know that the type of pneumonia he has is not airborne, like legionaires. So they took away 2 of the high powered antibiotics. He only has 2 antibiotics and they are both IV drips, but he doesn't have to continually connected to IVs. They initially had him as a fall risk and had his bed and chair alarmed but he signed a waiver after I got here refusing that. We tried telling him that it was just a precaution but he wasn't having it. We also tried to make a compromise that he would be alarmed if I wasn't here, but he wouldn't agree to that either. 

The transplant dr. is going to consult with Mayo tomorrow and he said that he wasn't planning to make any changes to anything. He did order a CT last night from head to chest and I told him that he would see a "nodule" on his left lung that is just a fold. I told him that after it was seen on the scan a year ago the PET scan had been done and that was when it was discovered that it was just a fold. He said that he was so glad I had told him so he wouldn't be alarmed when he got the results. He also said that he was just going to monitor his meds, especially the transplant meds. He also suggested that we start using them as a back-up transplant group, without giving up control to Mayo, and then he can be see yearly just for a regular check-up much closer to Mayo. I'm going to talk to Stephanie about that when we go next month, but as far as a regular cardiologist, we will be making an appointment for that.

So, that's where we are now and for the next few days. Usually when we are here I just stay with him all the time, but I'm not going to this time, and he is fine with that. It is a long drive, but it's not a bad drive until Memphis proper and, depending on the time of day. But I can work around that as far as heavy rush hour goes.

The cat was very glad to see me last night and followed me wherever I went. She slept on Bill's side of the bed most of the night and didn't wake me until 6, which is very unusual for her. She usually starts about 4!

I will update this more frequently until he's back home, so keep checking in. If not, you'll have lots of reading to do next weekend!

Posting early this week since we have a busy morning tomorrow. It's Kayden's 13th birthday and we have a tradition of going out for breakfast and then shopping. He wants to try a new restaurant (for him) and then shop for a winter coat. He's then going to come back to the house for a piano lesson. He got a keyboard from his mom and he's always liked messing around with beats and rhythms so he wants to add to that. I pulled out all of the old lesson books and there are a couple of things here that he can take with him.

Bill is not really any better, although he's having a good day and then a bad day. It's becoming quite a mystery. When we were at the dr. Monday he was still crackly so more Prednisone. He had lost 3 pounds so took some fluid off, but he stays so dry I think it did more harm than good. Since it has been about 6 weeks, she was going to contact Dr. Burbeck the pulmonologist instead of Mayo first. I haven't heard back so I don't know if she was able to get with her yet.

His blood sugar was a little high 2 hours after eating but I think that's due more to the Prednisone and the infection he's fighting. It can also be high if he isn't hydrated enough and since that is an ongoing problem, with the Lasix added in, it could also be that. They were going to check his A1C from the blood draw and I haven't heard anything on that front either so I'm assuming that it is OK.

Connie changed one of his inhalers and he's been coughing a lot more since starting it. I don't know if that's good or bad. McKenna has even noticed that he's coughing more. It is a wet cough so things are moving, but whether it's from whatever he's fighting or just from the COPD and emphysema, or from the new inhaler is unknown. He's only been on it since Tuesday so it may just be getting into his system and getting the Advair out. Another thing to ask Dr. Burbeck.

He's been cold all day today and has on a heavy flannel shirt and 2 blankets. He's also got a low grade fever and just looks like he doesn't feel good. It's been a cold, damp day here and I've turned the heat up twice. It still feels a little cool to me, but I've got on a short sleeve Tshirt. It's not supposed to be above 60 tomorrow and down to freezing tomorrow night. I wish now that I had called the chimney sweep last week like I was going to!

We got the new concentrator Monday. It seems fairly straightforward to operate and I've charged all the batteries. We have the little bag packed with the extra batteries and will give it a tryout tomorrow with Kayden. Hopefully Bill will feel well enough to go. He said a little while ago that I could go without him and that will depend on how he actually feels. I think Kayden will understand if it doesn't happen this week. There's always next week-end!

We got a new great-granddaughter today. She came 3 weeks early, but weighed 7 lbs and was nearly 20 inches long, so maybe the due date was just miscalculated. Her mom said that she's perfectly healthy and won't have to spend any extra time in the hospital. As far as I know, she's the last one coming for awhile, although with 2 grandsons recently married, it may not be long before there are more. 

That's about it for now. Hoping we have a better week next week. See you then!

The morning has gotten away from me today. Took the cat to the vet for her shot. The area on her neck that we've been treating has dramatically improved this week, so maybe only a couple more shots and she'll have cleared up. She's feeling a lot better and starting to play with her toys. Then, after bringing her home, decided to go to Walmart for a few things. Bill decided to stay home and I got more than I had planned. But, as I was driving I remembered we were out of this and almost out of that so I got those things too.

My voice came back Sunday somewhat. It was a little hoarse for most of the week but it's fine now. I also haven't had any hives for most of the week and all the meds have been added back. It's still quite the mystery and could have all been just a combination of stress and being sick and maybe the antibiotic. But, I'm basically well now. I got my flu shot while we were there Wednesday so we're both good to go.

Bill is still fighting it. He's had a 3 day round of Rocephin shots and some Lasix and Prednisone. I think she's thinking that there is some fluid build-up around his heart. He went back to the dr. Wednesday and she said his heart sounded good but he was still a little crackly. Some days he coughs a lot and other days he hardly coughs at all. He's to go back Monday to see what his chest xray looks like and if it hasn't cleared she's going to call Stephanie at Mayo to see what they recommend.

I worked on tracking the progress of the order for the battery powered oxygen concentrator and it should be here Monday. If I had done it earlier in the week we would have it already, but I waited until late afternoon Thursday so it didn't get shipped until yesterday. Hopefully this will give Bill a little more freedom.

We're to get some storms sometime after midnight. The weatherman doesn't think they will be severe, but there will be some heavy rain. Another reason to get the running done today. It sprinkled on me a little on the way to Walmart, but the sky is clear now. We may take a ride this afternoon, or maybe we'll wait until next week-end and try out the new concentrator!

That's about it for this week. Hopefully things are now looking up as far as health goes. See you next week!

It's a good thing that this blog is actually typed and not spoken into life. I woke up this morning with no voice above a whisper, and not a very loud whisper at that. So it will be pretty quiet in the house today, at least on my part. It's not going to bode well for the ballgame tonight if I can't yell at the TV, but I'm sure Bill will like it!

Our week has been so-so. I think Bill's trying to get sick again. He's coughing more and a couple of times seemed to be winded when he's walking. I did turn his O2 up yesterday, but somehow it had gotten turned down to 1 1/2 instead of 2 so it needed turned up anyway. I don't know if the cat did it jumping on top of it (she likes to lay there and watch the bathroom/bedroom doors, and there's a shield on the filter to keep the hair out) or if Bill did it when he got up in the night thinking it wasn't working.

I don't seem to have any hives this morning. They still haven't gone away completely but they are tolerable now. We're eliminating medications now before doing further testing and so far it seems that the culprit might be Lipitor, my med for cholesterol. I've been on it for about 20 years with no problems, but I guess an allergy can develop at any time, not just when it is first started. At first we thought it was Aleve and I haven't added it back yet. I really hope I can because I really hurt. It's true when they say getting old isn't for wimps! 

Kenna finished her testing for school. There are no results yet, and they may go to Emily and not me since she's the parent. The first 9 weeks has ended so it will be interesting to see her final grades. She's also caught this same crud that we've had. But, the weather has been so erratic. Started the week in the upper 80s/low 90s, middle of the week down into the low 60s and only in the low 70s in the day, but today will be back into the 90s. We did have a little rain, but I don't think it did much to clear the air. I've heard a crop duster a couple of times this week so they are still defoliating the cotton, and then picking it along with other crops and then burning the fields. The local weatherman showed some satellite pictures and you can see the smoke from space...and this is just from farmers burning fields, not the wildfires in California.

Our grandson is getting married this week-end in South Carolina. We haven't talked to his mother since we told her that we would not be able to go. But, since Bill made the decision himself, she couldn't say much. We have talked about travel, and prioritized which trips/visits are the ones that need to be made. Others will just have to come and see us!

So, that's our week. Our month of October hasn't been good so far with all of the sinus infections, hives, colds and whatever else we've suffered with. I have a feeling it will be back to the dr. this week for both of us. Other than that we have no plans to go anywhere or do anything. As for today, warm drinks for my throat and maybe some knitting. After all it's love yarn day! Oh yeah, and the Cubs game tonight!

If all good things must come to an end, why can't all bad things do the same?

Bill is greatly improved and finally started using his treadmill again this week. He only went out and walked once, but at least he did. We had a little discussion about him needing to take a small oxygen tank out with him when he's walking from the house to the apartment and back. He doesn't think he needs it but I told him when he walks without it his oxygen drops too low and he could pass out. He got really testy after that until I told him to stop because he was just ticked at me. After that he was fine.

We ordered him a portable, battery powered concentrator this week. Dr. Burbeck had said that she would pursue us renting one for our trips to Florida, but we want to be freer than just those 2 trips. We want to be able to pick-up and go somewhere all day or week-end without worrying about how long we can be gone before we have to change tanks and all the other stuff that you've read about here. So, after some research for the one that would give him the flow he needs, we ordered it. We also ordered extra batteries and an external charger and the total was less than $3000, including shipping. The rentals are minimum $500/week so it wouldn't take much to get to the cost and beyond. They have to get the prescription from the dr. before shipping it so hopefully it won't take that long. I can plug him into the car and off we can go. Maybe he'll use it walking outside then too. We're still going to keep the tanks as back-ups for the back-ups, and having the little ones for a quick meal out will be better since the battery one is bigger than the ones advertised on tv.

My finger looked horrible for most of the week. The swelling didn't last much past dinner (I think it was keeping it cold that helped) but by Monday it was almost black in places. It looked like the skin of someone on blood thinners who have hit their arm on something. That has finally all gone away. Just another reason not to keep using the tanks!

I'm still dealing with the hives! I had my thyroid tested this week as a nurse friend had sent me an article on hives being a sign of thyroid problems. It came back within the normal range. Normal is .4-4.0 and mine was .67. I talked to that same friend this week and she said she's been on thyroid medication for years and sometimes her test will show wacky numbers and the dr. will ask if she's taking her medicine. I remembered, or seemed to remember, that I had an under-active thyroid when I was a teenager and had to take meds for a while. I confirmed it with mom and she reminded me that I went from a size 7 junior petite to a misses 14 then! Why did that have to be the result of kick-starting it! Anyway, that's when I had the test done. Thursday evening I looked like I had the measles, little red spots (they weren't even bumps) over my entire body!

Yesterday morning I woke up at 4 and got up and had no hives and felt wonderful and rested and had energy all day. I did buy groceries and while I was at Walmart the hives came back on my arms, but after coming home and sitting for a bit they went away. I still wasn't tired during the day and only got sleepy about 9:30. Didn't sleep as well last night and woke up to welts on my arms and a rash on my neck! The Zyrtek and Prednisone are working again and they are fading, but I can still see them under my skin.

I read a blog this morning that I follow and this writer detailed that she had been to her semi-annual check-up and her thyroid numbers were out of whack again so they were tweeking her meds. She then said that she has suffered from hives caused by thyroid problems since she was a baby and can have outbreaks that last for 5-6 months! She did say there is a new treatment, an infusion of some kind, that will stop the outbreak almost immediately, but she said insurance sometimes balks at paying it and some drs. don't want to give it. But, after reading that, I think I'm going to pursue the thyroid angle. I don't think it is dermatological, I think it is all internal. And, depending on the cost, what price sanity? It's only money!!! If it means that I'm not itching and grumpy (Kenna said yesterday was the only day I haven't been crabby) it's worth it.!

I'm taking the kids to see the baby this afternoon. Bill is staying home so we won't stay long. We also have to take the cat in for her allergy shot. Hopefully her new skin treatment will be in so that we don't have to keep taking her. 

I know I've told you about the neighbors across the street that have borrowed so much money. We had finally just quit giving it to them. The father came over at some point in the last 2 weeks and need 150 for the dr. for his son. He said he needed to be in the hospital but wouldn't admit him without the money up front. We didn't give him any (mainly because we didn't have the cash on us) and I noticed over the next few days that their car was gone, even though there were lights on in the house. I read early this week that the son passed away Sunday. He was only 57. The dad has only been back to the house a couple of times. I think he's staying with a daughter in Jonesboro. I feel kind of bad for not giving them the money, but I know it's not our fault. He had some major medical problems, including a leaking aortic valve that he wasn't getting treated. His mother passed away from the same condition at about the same age, if I'm remembering right.

OK, enough bad stuff! The Cubs made it to the playoffs and won their first game last night, defying all of the pundits, including the game announcers who were singing the praises of the opposing team and pitcher...until the Cubs scored the first run. Then it was how brilliant the Cubs pitcher had been and yada, yada, yada. Game 2 starts late this afternoon...hope the kids want to listen to it on the radio!

See you next week, I'll keep you posted on the hives!