We are making some progress with the bowel obstruction, but I feel that there will be a few more days that I will need to stay here. It appears that with each new admittance to the hospital, the longer they seem to keep me. I mean, it makes sense. We’ve experienced on multiple occasions the false security of showing improvement only to be readmitted just 24 hours later. Slow and steady has been the approach with this stay in order to best avoid the hospitalization revolving door.

(Clearly not a true representation of said revolving door)^

The time I have spent here this visit has been a bit more daunting than I anticipated. It’s not as if I thought it would be a cake walk but there were a few things that had to be tended to that I wasn’t expecting.

A quick recap of events:

• NG tube placed (nose hose)
  • Throat is beyond raw, often hard to speak
  • Cepacol cough drops have been mega helpful
• TPN
  • Back on IV liquid nutrition since I can’t eat or drink by mouth (yes I am torturing myself with pictures of pizza and junk on Instagram)
• Thoracentesis
  • Drained one full liter of fluid from my right side that was compressing my lungs  (3rd lung lap in 3 weeks).
  • My blood oxygen is still on the lower end so I have opted to sleep with oxygen the past few nights (as if I don’t have enough crap shoved up my nose right now).
• Blood transfusion
  • Hemoglobin was low yesterday so they gave me two units of blood through a peripheral line
  • My veins are the worst and the peripheral line was very difficult to place. Through lots of patience, tears, and one determined AMS nurse we got there.
• New chemo began
  • Doxil infusion lasted 2 1/2 hours
  • No adverse reaction
  • Thumbs up so far

I’m honestly too exhausted to really go into detail with everything that has transpired this week. All I can say is that I’ve had excellent care, great support from loved ones, and am optimistic that the next few days will show a bit more promise. There is a little light starting to shine toward the end of the tunnel. A doctor, just minutes ago, told me that we were in a good place to do a clamp trial and take the NG tube off of suction. So basically the tube is still in but it’s not doing anything. If I can go 24 hours without nausea, vomiting, issues, we may get closer to getting the tube out and perhaps even going home.

On that joyous note…

Thanks to those that have reached out and visited. You know how much it means to me.

Even with this exciting news I am asking for no visitors except for immediate family and Cory at this time. As mentioned before it is very hard on my throat to talk extensively so texts and messages are welcome instead (at least for now) 🙂

Let’s think positive thoughts for the next 24 hours!