If it's not one thing, it's another ...

I updated the blog just Saturday, and two days later, I'm doing it again.

If this gets too graphic for you, I suggest you stop reading now. Otherwise, dive in.

Since the last time Jim had blood in the stool (that brought on the internal bleeding in October 2015), he has determined that if he ever had blood in the stool again, he would tell me.

So, this morning, guess what?! Blood in the stool. Lots of blood. He said there was a little Sunday morning, mostly on the tissue, but thought it could be because of straining. But this morning was a different story.

I called nurse friend, Lorraine (AKA Lori), who suggested we call our gastroenterologist (Dr. Gerke) in Iowa City, so I did. When the GI nurse returned the call, she suggested we go to the ER.
It was already late morning and I had appointments at 1:30 and 3, so we decided we'd go to St. Luke's after my last apointment.  Hence we became part of the sit and wait, go and do, and sit and wait some more crowd from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Jim's blood pressure was actually high. Of course, medical staff was concerned over how low his readings were. The first reading was 80 over ? with an adult cuff, second reading was 88 over ? with pediatric cuff, and when he got his own room, a recheck showed it was 96/46.  It has never been this high in the 9 months he has been taking midodrine to raise his blood pressure. At least not that I can remember. He has gained another pound to boot, coming in at 137 pounds fully clothed.

Jim had the pleasure (NOT!) of having a rectal exam, then he had blood work, then a CT scan of his rectum.

At 7:50 p.m., Tina, physician's assistant, came in with the findings ...

• CT scan showed no obstruction 
• He does have constipation 
• The bleeding could be a tear as a result of straining
• There appears to be area of pancreatic duct that is dilated
• Prostate is enlarged
• Bladder is distended
• Hemoglobin count is 9.6 

Other details going forward ...

• The blood pressure was 102/54 when last checked at 8:07 p.m., and it was thought it was because he was getting fluids. So he still needs to drink more water than he does. 
• The hemoglobin count is near the point where a blood transfusion might be necessary. 8.0 is the magic number he doesn't want to reach.
• He took a capful of Miralax (a more gentle stool softener/laxative) at 9:55 p.m.
• Make appointment with Dr. Hoxie, his urologist, to follow up on abnormal bladder findings
• Make appointment with Dr. Butler, his primary, to see if bleeding has subsided and do a repeat of CBCs
• Call Dr. Gerke's office and advice him of details
• Return to St. Luke's ER if he has worsening symptoms, which includes dizziness and shortness of breath
  
  That's all folks. 

Thank you Lord for getting the answers we needed quickly, even though it seemed so slow and we are not very patient.

Thank you Lord for enabling us to go home, not having to spend the night at St. Luke's or have to drive to University Hospitals in Iowa City.

Thank you Lord for all you do for us. We are so undeserving, but without you, we would be thankful for nothing. 

• 
  

Busy summer months; continued low blood pressure

The summer months were busy. Jim was often tired and short of breath, especially when taking care of yardwork, such as mowing, that others could have done.  Sometimes he would do the back yard one day and the front yard the next day, but usually he  mowed both yards all in the same day, with a breather inbetween.  It didn't do much good to lecture him about his health, when his mindset was if it needed to be done, he should take care of it.

He was short of breath at other times as well, making us think his blood pressure must be low.

On June 6, a visit to his primary doctor, Todd Butler, definitely indicated his BP was low - 66/40 when taken by the nurse and 70/42 when the doctor took it. Jim wanted to get off the midodrine (which is supposed to help raise his BP), but that was just not going to happen. Dr. Butler scheduled a CT scan with angiogram - contrast for July 6 to determine reason for continued low blood pressure. There were no answers.

From June 13-15, we attended the Southern Baptist Convention and annual meeting in St. Louis as messengers of Wilton Baptist Church. The congregation graciously paid for our lodging, mileage and food. It is the second time Jim has attended the convention - the first time was in the 1970s in Kansas City when Billy Graham was the keynote speaker. This was the first time I had attended the convention, and Billy Graham's daughter, Ann Graham Lotz, spoke at the Ladies conference.

On June 19, we began our two-week vacation through northwest United States to Prince Edward Island, Canada - the smallest of the Canadian provinces. The most troubling part of our trip, which we had so looked forward to, was the endless driving, which resulted in more friction than necessary between the two of us. The four days spent in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Canada, were relaxing and most enjoyable. All in all, we saw lots of interesting things, visited old friends and made new ones, and took over 600 photos.

When he wasn't short of breath and legs very tired, it was the ringing in his ears, which seemed to have gotten worse, especially at bedtime. He started taking a medicine, Inner Ear Plus, to improve it, but he's not sure it is working. Probably have to give it 3 months or so.

On Aug. 8, one month after the CT with angiogram, Jim went back to see Dr. Butler. His weight fully clothed was 136 pounds. Up 2 pounds! Blood pressure remains same - 70/42 on first reading and 76/44 on second reading.  He is to remain on current dose of midodrine - that is 3 pills, 3 times a day. He is to come back in December for physical and labs.

Also during August, Jim was to have a repeat CT scan of his chest per instructions from his surgeon, Dr. Parekh, during his May visit. So far it has not been scheduled.

Jim continued serving as interim pastor at Wilton Baptist through August 2016 - a full year. Tuesday, Aug. 30, was his last day, a bittersweet one for both of us, with gifts, a love offering, well-wishes, hugs and tears.

Aug. 30 reading from "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers:

"Jesus Christ says, in effect, Don't rejoice in successful service, but rejoice because you are rightly related to Me. The snare in Christian work is to rejoice in successful service, to rejoice in the fact that God has used you. You never can measure what God will do through you if you are rightly related to Jesus Christ. Keep your relationship right with Him, then whatever circumstances you are in, and whoever you meet day by day, He is pouring rivers of living water through you, and it is of His mercy that He does not let you know it. When once you are rightly related to God by salvation and sanctification, remember that wherever you are, you are put there by God; and by the reaction of your life on the circumstances around you, you will fulfill God's purpose, as long as you keep in the light as God is in the light.
   The tendency today is to put the emphasis on service. Beware of the people who make usefulness their ground of appeal. If you make usefulness the test, then Jesus Christ was the greatest failure that ever lived. The lodestar of the saint is God Himself, not estimated usefulness. It is the work that God does through us that counts, not what we do for Him. All that Our Lord heeds in a man's life is the relationship of worth to His Father. Jesus is bringing many sons to glory."