Up and down - Day 144

Jim called at 7:30 a.m. His phone kept cutting out, so we didn't have a very clear connection. He called 3 times to finish one call.

He said another blood draw was taken a couple hours after the transfusion was complete - that must have been around midnight. At that time it was 9.2. But when it was checked again a few hours later, it was back down to 7.  Based on those readings, there is internal bleeding somewhere - we need to figure out where and stop it.

He is waiting for doctors to come in.

My thoughts:

Do not do
the natural thing
Do not
let your feelings
define you

Trust in the Lord
He who will lift you up
up above
the difficulties
you fight to conquer

Be thankful
for what you have
for where you are

Follow His lead
Do not run ahead
He gives us
what we can handle - not more,
although we tend to disagree,
- and not less
He knows what we can do
with His guidance

It is His guidance
we need to rely on,
not our own
We will falter
every time
if we look
to ourselves
for the answer

"His blood will purify our consciences from useless rituals, so that we serve the living God." ~ Hebrews 9:14b

Is it perhaps uselessness
on our part
when we do
what we think we must

Perhaps God is trying to show us
something different
and we just don't see it

He gives us rest
He instructs us to rest

We think we have no time
We have much to accomplish

So He brings about
a situation

God wants us to recuperate
to rest
to look to Him
and not everywhere else

He gives us opportunities
to serve,
but not to go overboard

Look to Him
Seek Him
with your questions
and wait for His answers

Don't fall down
and fail to look up!
(c) Cathy Orrick Luders


It's 10 a.m. and Jim called. Hemoglobin just checked again and is now 8.8. A good sign. He is to be moved to a regular room and have something to eat. Hemoglobin will continue to be checked throughout the day. If it is stable, we are moving in the right direction.

1:05 p.m. - Jim has been moved to a regular room - he is on the 6th floor - Room 6058 - Bed 1. Phone number is (319) 353-9711. If you visit, take Elevator D.

Jim called at 4:15 p.m. He was having jello and lemon ice, which made him cold, so he had more blankets piled on. He's planning on having chicken broth for supper. He said the doctors want to see how he tolerates food - liquid, soft and regular diet, and of course, he has to have a regular bowel movement. There have been no further checks of hemoglobin throughout the day because there are no signs indicating it necessary. He has had no shortness of breath and for the first time since forever, was able to stand without dizziness.  He said they may do a hemoglobin re-check yet today or tomorrow and they may do another scope.  It appears the bleeding was a result of the ulcer and nowhere else. The doctors are looking at a likely Monday release date. Hallalujah!

I made it down to see him by 7:40 p.m. It was a busy day workwise and after work, had lots of calls on the landline and the cell phone from folks who wanted to know how things were going. His BP was checked shortly after 8 and it was 106/57. He continues to be able to get up without dizziness. The hemoglobin will be rechecked in the morning. He is looking forward to going home on Monday. Pray that is God's plan as well as ours.

Waiting Game - Day 143

Jim didn't sleep well. He couldn't receive anything to help him sleep, had a headache (was given a Tylenol suppository for that) and numerous folk coming in and out throughout the early morning hours.  He called me at 7. Of course I didn't sleep well either. Took 2 hours to update yesterday's blog post and then when I went to bed, woke intermittently. Even in sleep, we do better together.

His hemoglobin continues to go up. His blood pressure was down some - 88/40. Doctors came and went and discussed the endoscopy, but no exact time was given for the procedure to move forward.

At one point I called the unit and asked if the procedure was underway, but the unit clerk I talked with, wasn't very helpful. He couldn't answer my question, couldn't find a nurse and couldn't patch me through to Jim. Geeze!

At 11:15 a.m., Jim called. Procedure remains yet to happen.

At 2:05 p.m., Jim called again. If it wasn't for him calling me, I do believe I would know nothing. He had the procedure - around noon or therafter.  He was groggy. I called back to the unit desk and talked to a nurse (not his though), who said another endoscopy followed right after Jim's. She assured me the doctor would call me when they were done with the second patient.

The ICU Fellow (I have no clue as to what his name is, other than I can't pronounce it), who did the procedure, called at 2:30 p.m. He said the ulcer is not currently active, but it may rebleed. To help prevent rebleeding, they put 2 clips in. Jim will stay in the MICU today and possibly tomorrow - he will be monitored for signs of possible rebleeding - the symtoms he had earlier - low hemoglobin, black stool. Also will monitor his blood pressure. If he remains stable, he may be able to return home early part of next week. If his hemoglobin drops again, another endoscopy will be done and go from there.

We request prayers for the hemoglobin to continue to increase and no black stool or any other telltale sign of rebleeding going on. We pray there will be no more complications, that Jim be on the mend toward complete healing, strengthened in body and soul.

At 3:30 p.m., nurse practitioner Dana Fowler called and gave me more complete information re: the procedure. She said the doctor clamped the blood vessel with 2 clips to prevent the ulcer from rebleeding. Jim will be watched for 48 hours, will remain in MICU today, and probably will be moved out on Saturday. His hemoglobin at last check was 8.2 and normal for Jim is 10. She said he was doing well. The hemoglobin will be checked again at 4 p.m.

Learned at 5:15 p.m. Jim's hemoglobin had dropped to 6. He will be given another unit of blood and have hemoglobin redrawn. They are not sure the 6.0 figure is correct. If the second draw still shows low, it is possible he will go to interventional radiology to determine where else the bleed may be. When talking to his sister the nurse, she thought perhaps the scope didn't show enough detail.

I arrived at Jim's bedside at 6:45 p.m. He had just started receiving another pint (unit) of blood - it takes 3 hours, so around 10 (which is what it is now that I'm back home), the transfusion should be completed. Two different labs were actually taken of his hemoglobin around 6 p.m. - one was 6.8 and the other, 7.1. Lower than the 8.2 taken earlier, but certainly not as low as the 6.0 taken at 4 p.m. Around 11 p.m., his hemoglobin will be checked again. Jim called at 10:30 p.m. to tell me the hemoglobin was checked a little while ago in a different vein and numbers remain low - at 6.8. It should have been up, given he had just received new blood. Doctor was in, suggesting Jim may need more units of blood. Hemoglobin will be checked again at 4 a.m. Saturday, if not sooner. If still low or lower, he will be heading to interventional radiology to see where another bleed may be.

It would be good if there is no new bleed and that hemoglobin numbers go up and stay up. He may be able to start a liquid diet on Saturday. His blood pressure has remained stable, in the 90s.

I lucked out with free parking in the ramp tonight. The ATM was down and since I didn't have $3 in cash to pay, I got free parking. How nice.