Sending good wishes to Epofriend

[aharris2]

Forgive me for not posting until now. Rolando got out of the hospital on Thursday, 5/5, day 29. I haven't had time to post since then, until today (we're back in the hospital, but only briefly.)

The Friday and Saturday after release were days from hell. The painkiller Rolando had on that last day accumulated in his system and turned him into 200 lbs of "Rolando Jello". He had no muscle tone making it very difficult and dangerous to transfer him - wheelchair-car-dialysis chair-wheelchair-car-wheelchair-home. But we somehow pulled it off and got him the dialysis he needed. On Sunday Rolando began to recover, thank God! He has no memory of that Friday and Saturday.

We started the post hospitalization round of doctor's appointments - Monday - home health drained the effusion, Tuesday - lung doctor, Wednesday - wound care - everything was fine. Thursday - fluid started to pour out of one of the post surgical wounds. I was scared it was infected, so Friday we went to the primary care doctor. He cultured it but did nothing more. Saturday (yesterday) morning I was still worried so I called the nephrologist and asked what he thought about some vancomycin. He ordered the vanco for the last hour of dialysis. Cool. We got home from dialysis and after multiple dressing changes I realized there was fluid pouring out of a second surgical would. That was too much for us so it was off to the ER. Saturday night in Tampa - barroom brawls, gunfights, stabbings, DUI accidents, ODs, we expected a nightmare and a nightmarish wait. But, no, we somehow avoided the rush and got in quickly. Rolando was admitted last night.

Turns out that the fluid is simply from the pleural effusion. A one-week interval between drainings is insufficient so the excess fluid is finding its own way out through the unhealed incisions. They are taking precautions against infection but we will be released tonight (or tomorrow morning if there usual inefficiency prevails.)

Things are good!

[galvo]

A rough time, but a satisfactory conclusion. I hope things continue to improve.

[CHeatherS]

Oh my goodness, I can hardly imagine what you all have been though, and I am so very very sorry.  I pray that there will be a turn around, and that there will be a healing..... and relief very soon.  Thanks so much for updating us. Blessings to you all.

Heather in Alaska

[okarol]

Wow what an ordeal - I had no idea fluid would come out that way. Just goes to show you that we're always learning here. Thanks for keeping us in the loop - big HUGS and love to you both! 

[aharris2]

Wow what an ordeal - I had no idea fluid would come out that way. Just goes to show you that we're always learning here. Thanks for keeping us in the loop - big HUGS and love to you both! 

Me neither. I told him I was going to put him out in the yard with a birdbath under him as a more appropriate setting for this fountain effect.
 

[monrein]

Thinking of you both and really hoping that this awful time goes away soon.   

[rsudock]

Sending you love and prayers that Rolando continues to heal and no more bumps in the road!!!

xo,
R

[natnnnat]

This story is just mindblowing, aharris and so worrying to think of what on earth might happen next.  I second what rsudock and monrien just said:  here's to a smooth and rapid recovery from here on in.  And more hugs, in case they help. 
I love the fountain crack.  Wierd, but cute.

[kristina]

I send you my best wishes,

a rapid recovery & good luck

from Kristina. 

[aharris2]

...Turns out that the fluid is simply from the pleural effusion. A one-week interval between drainings is insufficient so the excess fluid is finding its own way out through the unhealed incisions. They are taking precautions against infection but we will be released tonight (or tomorrow morning if there usual inefficiency prevails.)

Things are good!

The usual inefficiency was indeed at work only worse (thank God!). they drained the effusion on Sunday and sent the fluid (cloudy suggesting infection) off to check for infectionThe "tomorrow morning" mentioned above was Monday morning, May 16th. They had a chest x-ray ordered up for that morning as a prerequisite for leaving. Morning turned into late afternoon, but I was okay with that because there were medication issues to work out (possible infection but no antibiotic ordered, continue the vanco (or perhaps just let the bacteria grow unabated in Rolando's chest until they get things sorted out...grrr...)) The x-ray guy showed up at about 4pm and did his thing. The x-ray was fine so we packed to leave. We had been watching for culture results all day... nothing, until we were loading up the wheelchair for the first trip out to the car - INFECTION! Release cancelled, IV antibiotics ordered up. I unloaded the wheelchair.

Poor Rolando! He was happy to be getting out, then it was snatched away from him. Vanco and Zyvox ordered IV. But, through a series of fortunate misadventures, they had never established an IV site...
...and, the good doctor had ordered up a dose of Vanco at dialysis on Saturday before our trip to the ER that evening,
...and, Vanco could be administered at dialysis for the net several sessions,
...and, if for some reason Zyvox was necessary it could be orally administered,
so, the release was on again.

Happily, everything fell into place given the existence of the infection. With the Saturday dose of Vanco on board, there was no need to put Rolando through the pain of establishing an IV site. With dialysis there was a means to continue that treatment. We ran for the door before anyone could change their mind!

We have been home since Monday. Things are a little shaky and scary, but I'm hopeful that this homecoming will stick. There was a bit of a hiccup Tues/Wed, but that's for a future post. I won't be secure until I am sure the infection is gone (and how does this pleural catheter affect that, going into the area of infection with infected fluid being drawn off through it? Questions for the docs later this week.)

Thanks yet again for all the good wishes and the hugs. Yes, they help a bunch!

[jbeany]

There's no place like home, Dorothy!  Glad you and Toto finally made it there!   

 

[okarol]

Wow what a time you guys have had!
Those infections can be frightening.
Best wishes that each day shows improvement.
Love you both! 

[kitkatz]

Oh boy, the run through the mill has been rough  for you all! Here is hoping it is all getting better.