marvin's in the hospital

[willieandwinnie]

petey, How is Marvin??? Waiting on edge of seat for news. Praying all went well. 

[KT0930]

Marsha, I'm so sorry. Somehow I missed this thread. How is Marvin doing? How did his surgery go? Please let us know! I have both of you in my prayers. 

[petey]

They could not implant the new pacer on Thursday.  The doctors noticed something suspicious on a CT scan.  Marvin had to have emergency exploratory surgery Thursday night.  At the place where he had his transplant (and then it was later removed after it quit working), they found a large abcess-type mass about the size of a softball.  They are not sure what caused it.  They removed it, and it has tested positive for MRSA staph infection.  He has a wound vac on that incision.  The surgeon told me that if he had waited  just a few more hours to go in, the abcess would have ruptured and the MRSA would have spread quickly throughout Marvin's body.  They will not implant the new pacemaker until his cultures show no more infection (six - eight weeks minimum); we're hoping he won't have to stay in the hospital that entire time.

It's difficult to stay with the home hemo while he's hospitalized, but the doctors are allowing me to cannulate (Buttonhole access), so that helps.  Right now, we're hanging in there.

Please pray for my Marvin.

[kimcanada]

I just seen this post but as of right now prayers are coming your way.

I must comment that even in reading your posts you sound very positive, I firmly believe that if you have a positive outlook, that that is half the battle.

Thinking of you and your Marvin

Kim

[willieandwinnie]

Marsha, I am so sorry. I'm praying that they can get this infection under control and get his pacemaker place. God, you have been through hell, I wish there was someway I could help. How are Marvin's spirits? How are you doing? Please know that we are only a keyboard away and we will pray real hard that this gets better, fast. Take care.

[Cincygrandma]

I'm sending a prayer your way.

[Joe Paul]

Prayers for Marvins strength and for yours 

[NVRWKN]

Good luck. It will all work out. I don't know you but everybody on here seems like good people. I'm in right now for an infection myself. So I am pulling for him. Take Care! NEVER WEAKEN!!!!

[Sluff]

They could not implant the new pacer on Thursday.  The doctors noticed something suspicious on a CT scan.  Marvin had to have emergency exploratory surgery Thursday night.  At the place where he had his transplant (and then it was later removed after it quit working), they found a large abcess-type mass about the size of a softball.  They are not sure what caused it.  They removed it, and it has tested positive for MRSA staph infection.  He has a wound vac on that incision.  The surgeon told me that if he had waited  just a few more hours to go in, the abcess would have ruptured and the MRSA would have spread quickly throughout Marvin's body.  They will not implant the new pacemaker until his cultures show no more infection (six - eight weeks minimum); we're hoping he won't have to stay in the hospital that entire time.

It's difficult to stay with the home hemo while he's hospitalized, but the doctors are allowing me to cannulate (Buttonhole access), so that helps.  Right now, we're hanging in there.

Please pray for my Marvin.

Thank God you got him in when you did. Maybe now he will get stronger and able to install the new pace maker. It saddens me on all he and you have been going through. Sometimes I am so self centered on my problems and when I come to this site and read what some of you are going through, I feel guilty for being self centered at times. I don't really have it all that bad when you see the whole picture. I pray that you and Marvin see brighter days ahead.

[ODAT]

Hi Marsha, you and Marvin are going through so much. I pray for you both to maintain the strength needed to weather this storm. 

[MyssAnne]

Oh honey!!!  God was looking out for you two, to have Marvin at the hospital before the abscess broke!

That is wonderful news.  As for the wait, I can understand that. I just hope he can come home
for most if not part of it.

I'll defintely be praying and thinking of you and Marvin!!!  Hang in there girl, we're with you!!!

 

[Ohio Buckeye]

I'm sorry Marvin an you are going through a tough time
but am glad that they found the abcess before it ruptured.
Praying for a speedy recovery.
I have a pacemaker/defibulator and when my bood clot goes away
they need to tst it to see eif it will fire off.  I am certainly not looking
forward to that.  How long has Marvin had the pacemaker?

[okarol]

Thanks for the update. I am so relieved that they were able to find the infection. Please give Marvin my best wishes, and sending you lots of LOVE too.

[paris]

Petey, you and Marvin are certainly dealing with so much. I am glad he is in the hospital and the doctors are on top of everything. I'll keep you both in my prayers.

[Psim]

What a scary experience. I'm cheering for the timely discovery of the abcess -- that was so great. Hope all goes forward smoothly now -- and Marvin gets to come home soon. How are *you* doing? Do you have a lot of support on the ground there?

[KT0930]

Petey, you and Marvin have been through so much. I'm glad they found the abscess before it ruptured and were able to take care of it. Hopefully he will not need to be in the hospital for the entire 6-8 weeks. We're all here for you. Take care of yourself, too...you're no good to Marvin if you don't. 

[rose1999]

Sending love and prayers for you and your Marvin, please let all be well.
 

[kitkatz]

I am sending many good wishes to you and Marvin.  I hope things go better quickly.

[petey]

Thank you all so much for the words of encouragement and support!  You have NO IDEA how that boosts my spirits.

Marvin's spirits are good -- always have been.  He hates being in the hospital, but he said he was glad his pacemaker wasn't working right because that took him to the hospital.  If he hadn't been in the hospital, this abcess could have ruptured and we wouldn't have known it until it was too late.  He says God was looking out for him.  It's really true -- sometimes that which we think is bad turns out to be a good thing.

His white blood count isn't coming down as quickly as the doctors would like.  He got up to 26, then down to 14.  Last night, his WBC was 17.  Hopefully, this will be down today.

When the doctors noticed the abcess/mass, they called in his vascular surgeon (the one who has operated on Marvin 25 or so times in the last ten years).  This surgeon, Dr. McCann, is the one who insisted that he have the emergency exploratory surgery.  At the time, I thought Dr. McCann was over-reacting, but, as it turns out, he saved Marvin's life -- again (he has several times in the past).  He is an extremely smart man and an excellent surgeon, but the best thing about him is that he seems to really like Marvin and he cares!!!  I believe that Dr. McCann is a gift from God.

In the recovery room, Dr. McCann told me and Marvin that the mass was so large that we should "name" it.  That made Marvin's crazy side come out.  Marvin asked him if it was a boy or girl, and Dr. McCann said it had to be a boy because it was so ugly.  Marvin asked him if we could name it after him!!!  The abcess's official name (according to Marvin) is Kadean Lucas (-- Lucas is Dr. McCann's middle name -- he picked "Kadean" because it sounds like kidney and the mass was in the site where his former kidney was)!  Friday morning, I carried Marvin a big blue "It's a boy" balloon    I wrote the "baby's" name on the balloon with a marker, and it's now clipped on the side of his bed.  Marvin loves to laugh, and he's gotten lots of laughs out of this.  Lots of people (nurses, other doctors, the lunch lady, etc.) ask about the balloon, and Marvin tells them that he had a C-section.  He's a nut!!  When I get to the hospital today, I hope we have something else to laugh about.

[kimcanada]

a what a way to handle stuff!  I know one thing , the next time I am dealing with "stuff" I am going to try my hardest to handle it like Marvin

Kim




EDITED:Fixed smiley tag error- kitkatz,moderator

[2_DallasCowboys]

Petey,
God bless you and Marvin-for having
a sense of humor, and being able to
laugh at all of this.
I hope today will find your Marvin feeling
OK!

Anne

[KT0930]

Petey, it's absolutely wonderful that the two of you can laugh through this, I know it makes things a lot easier to handle. Keep up the great attitude, you both are an inspiration!

[cris]

This only proves that God is always on your side. Inspite of all the difficulties your strong faith carries you on. You are amazing and really one of a kind. God sees that. All my prayers for Marvin's quick recovery and for your strength.
love,

[petey]

Marvin had a very good day today.  His white blood count is down to 14.6    His spirits are good, and he told me this afternoon before I left the hospital, "God has not brought us this far and through this much to abandon us now ... now, get out of here so I can watch the Super Bowl without having to explain the game of football to you AGAIN."

I am so envious of his attitude, and I am so lucky that he picked me to be his wife.

The doctors (surgeon, nephs, cardiologists, etc.) are meeting in the morning as a group to discuss his case and decide when the new pacemaker can be implanted.  Keep your fingers crossed that it will be soon, but also pray that if it's not soon that Marvin and I will have the strength and spirit to last until it can be implanted.

My love for Marvin and the love and support from all of you have seen me through another day.

[paris]

Petey, you and Marvin are both inspirations to all of us.  I hope you get some rest. I know the doctors will come up with a good plan.