The feeding tube got replaced a little after noon yesterday and took all of 10 minutes! No anesthesia, not even a Tylenol, or a ittle spray of something to numb the site. She just told Bill is was going to hurt and gave it a pull! I could tell watching his face that it indeed hurt. She popped the new one in and Richie, who was covering for Ella, connected his food and covered the site with some drain sponges and it was done! This one has a balloon on the inside that is inflated to keep it tight. She said if it needs to be replaced again, it can just be deflated and pulled out, much easier than the one he had. This was the kind he had at Mayo.

The rest of the afternoon was as quiet as the morning. He was awake and would respond to a direct question, but he would not try to get my attention by banging the call device on the bed rail like he had done in the past.

They are still waiting on results of the last blood cultures. They know that "something" grew, but don't know what yet. He's still on the antibiotics that they would generally use for most bacteria, and can add different ones if necessary. I'm seeing more of the infectious disease nurse practitioners than Dr. Threlkeld as he's kept busy at the "Covid Corral". Those are his words, not mine. I think I heard someone say that Memphis had the highest rate of infection in Tennessee. Not a comforting thought!

His left arm is still swollen and red and that was concerning to Ashley since that was the arm that had the infected midline in it. I noticed that his hand, that was very swollen at the time, was warm, while the rest of the arm was cool. But it was the same on his right arm, too. 

His urine has become much clearer. They are still flushing his bladder, but I could see mostly urine in the tubing, although the bag was still darker. But it looked more like very concentrated urine than blood. 

Dr. Morris is getting concerned about his kidneys more now. His creatinine level went the wrong way and went up again to 3.4. I could tell he is just mystified some and I think a little upset that Dr. Edwards waited so long to call him in to consult. He's still mulling things around. He mentioned that he could try a one time dose of Lasix to pull some of the fluid off that's making his feet and legs swell. He also mentioned that we may have to go to dialysis and that's where I need some input from you kind people. I'm just not sure if I want to put him through that. If it's only a one or two time deal, then maybe his body could handle it, but for something long term, I don't know that it would really benefit him, although I'm sure it would speed things up, as far as going to comfort care. Not that I want things to speed up, don't get me wrong on that. But, he is getting weaker by the day and I just don't know if his body could handle it. So, any suggestions you may have would be appreciated.

I also woke up with a thought, clear as a bell. He did throw up again yesteray afternoon, without making a sound. I walked over to his bed to wipe his nose which has started to do his normal spring drip, and he had thrown up. It had soaked into his gown and was on his pillow case and blanket, so I think he had pulled the blanket up to wipe up. It was all just bile, didn't look anything like his formula. My thought was that the ultrasound Dr. Edwards had done was of his gall bladder and kidney and there were cysts on both if you remember. I'm now thinking, and this was my waking thought, that it is his gall bladder. I remember with mine throwing up bile. I also don't think he could even tolerate laproscopic surgery to remove it. I don't know what kind of anesthesia they would use. And again, when is enough enough?

I know as a family we agreed to continue all treatments until he said enough, or became unresponsive, but there has to be a point where, even though it would benefit in the long run, how long is the long run going to be?

I'll talk to his nurse today and whatever Dr. I see about it. The dietician said she could change his formula to something a little gentler to see if that helped. But, he's been on this one for quite a while now.

He still hasn't had a bowel movement even though he started getting his stool softener again yesterday. That could also be a factor in the vomiting, there's no place for the food to go. They may have to go to harsher measures today to get things to move.

That's about it. Today may end up being a day of "why won't someone listen to me". And it still all comes back to "I'm just a wife, what do I know?", althought by now they are finding out that I DO know some things.

Just as an aside, early in this current journey I looked at the odometer on my car, for no reason and it was showing something over 78,000 miles. Sunday afternoon, I went over 100,000 on my way home. I figure I put a little over 1000 miles a week on, 150 miles/day times 7 days. That's a lot of miles! But, he's worth it, and I'm keeping up the maintenance on it as best I can right now.

With today being the first of the month I get to take my bill paying book with me and try to get the bills paid, or at least the ones that have to be done in the first few days. The internet at the hospital has been working much better lately, maybe since there aren't as may people using it. 

I'll let you know how the day goes, and please, if you have any ideas or suggestions, comment here, or on Facebook, or sent me a private message or text if you don't want everyone to see it. And now it's time to get ready. I don't have to leave quite as early now that there is less traffic and easier parking.