Hi Everybody.
Cord and I spent another long day at the hospital. The sleep test last night was not very fun - he looked like he was all tied up in some freaky torture device. They came around 5am and took it off and then he finally slept. He was very tired this morning.
Our primary doc came early and answered questions again - and we started talking about when he can go home. My guess is the cardio doc will make the final call. They worked on getting oxygen ready to go for him today but then we were informed that they ordered the wrong sleep test last night and they have to do the right one tonight! Luckily this one is much simpler - a sensor taped to his finger - one line - much easier than last night. He's at the point where his IV itches, the electrodes poke, and rolling over is no fun at all. He got cleared to take some Melatonin to help him sleep tonight.
The cardio doc came and talked to us but I didn't have my super-long list ready - I will tomorrow morning. Questions always come right after he leaves. They're like unicorns - a sighting is rare and they disappear quickly. He is not sure when Cord will leave - he says we will see how he looks tomorrow.
The best thing he said for me though was about the pain Cord feels on the right side of his gut when he walks or moves too much. As I said last night - his gallbladder is perfectly healthy too - they just checked it again. So I asked about the liver again and he nonchalantly said, "Oh yes, the liver can swell up due to congestive heart failure!" THANK YOU! What does it mean? He said the liver is encased in a kind of sack and when it gets pissed off and swells up like it might due to the edema building up from the CHF, it pushes against that sack and can cause pain! So is it possible that as his heart improves this will settle down and stop happening? YES! So - maybe it isn't something else after all - everything else is suffering due to the CHF. Makes sense. Also - this would not show up in the blood or a liver test if it is conditional due to the CHF. As far as I am concerned, that pain and pressure he feels is going to fade away as the heart picks up speed and he will just get better and better - about everything. I also asked if the lungs would improve as his heart improves. Yes. It's all about that fluid backing up while his heart is down so low.
Which brings us to the Lasix again - the diuretic. He was only taking it in the morning and then it would wear off before bed and he would feel congested in his lungs and have a hard time sleeping - feels like he is drowning. Fluid in the lungs will do that so they shifted the dosages to twice a day - the second one around 1pm (so he doesn't have to pee all night), but it will let him go to bed with his lungs NOT full of fluid. Tonight is the first night to see if it will help - I have high hopes it will - even with the other sleep test. This is all to qualify him for oxygen which I am not leaving here without.
He walked 3 times around the floor today at a faster rate than before - multiple times. It seems like all we do is sleep and eat and get checked on so we stretch and walk.
Today Cord spent time on the phone with Max and Beau as they are attacking the remodeling project at home. He made a materials list and discussed options in real time as Max shopped. Our dear friend Mitch came for a visit at the perfect time I needed to run out to find Cord the perfect easy-chair. We will go home with a brand new chair for him to recline in and to be king of all things.
I actually left the hospital today - it was strange out in the world. Tomorrow it's a week and we are holding strong. Everyday people send us so much love and care - we are so blessed.
Cord will come back to health - all the way - I can't see it going any other way. Having our boys around us is heavenly - even when they are home and we are here - it makes us feel so good knowing they are taking care of us.
Our cup runneth over - we are sending love back on the wind.
Penn
Cord and I spent another long day at the hospital. The sleep test last night was not very fun - he looked like he was all tied up in some freaky torture device. They came around 5am and took it off and then he finally slept. He was very tired this morning.
Our primary doc came early and answered questions again - and we started talking about when he can go home. My guess is the cardio doc will make the final call. They worked on getting oxygen ready to go for him today but then we were informed that they ordered the wrong sleep test last night and they have to do the right one tonight! Luckily this one is much simpler - a sensor taped to his finger - one line - much easier than last night. He's at the point where his IV itches, the electrodes poke, and rolling over is no fun at all. He got cleared to take some Melatonin to help him sleep tonight.
The cardio doc came and talked to us but I didn't have my super-long list ready - I will tomorrow morning. Questions always come right after he leaves. They're like unicorns - a sighting is rare and they disappear quickly. He is not sure when Cord will leave - he says we will see how he looks tomorrow.
The best thing he said for me though was about the pain Cord feels on the right side of his gut when he walks or moves too much. As I said last night - his gallbladder is perfectly healthy too - they just checked it again. So I asked about the liver again and he nonchalantly said, "Oh yes, the liver can swell up due to congestive heart failure!" THANK YOU! What does it mean? He said the liver is encased in a kind of sack and when it gets pissed off and swells up like it might due to the edema building up from the CHF, it pushes against that sack and can cause pain! So is it possible that as his heart improves this will settle down and stop happening? YES! So - maybe it isn't something else after all - everything else is suffering due to the CHF. Makes sense. Also - this would not show up in the blood or a liver test if it is conditional due to the CHF. As far as I am concerned, that pain and pressure he feels is going to fade away as the heart picks up speed and he will just get better and better - about everything. I also asked if the lungs would improve as his heart improves. Yes. It's all about that fluid backing up while his heart is down so low.
Which brings us to the Lasix again - the diuretic. He was only taking it in the morning and then it would wear off before bed and he would feel congested in his lungs and have a hard time sleeping - feels like he is drowning. Fluid in the lungs will do that so they shifted the dosages to twice a day - the second one around 1pm (so he doesn't have to pee all night), but it will let him go to bed with his lungs NOT full of fluid. Tonight is the first night to see if it will help - I have high hopes it will - even with the other sleep test. This is all to qualify him for oxygen which I am not leaving here without.
He walked 3 times around the floor today at a faster rate than before - multiple times. It seems like all we do is sleep and eat and get checked on so we stretch and walk.
Today Cord spent time on the phone with Max and Beau as they are attacking the remodeling project at home. He made a materials list and discussed options in real time as Max shopped. Our dear friend Mitch came for a visit at the perfect time I needed to run out to find Cord the perfect easy-chair. We will go home with a brand new chair for him to recline in and to be king of all things.
I actually left the hospital today - it was strange out in the world. Tomorrow it's a week and we are holding strong. Everyday people send us so much love and care - we are so blessed.
Cord will come back to health - all the way - I can't see it going any other way. Having our boys around us is heavenly - even when they are home and we are here - it makes us feel so good knowing they are taking care of us.
Our cup runneth over - we are sending love back on the wind.
Penn
A Heartful of Wendy's - one of the sweetest tomatoes I carry - thank you Alison for this joyful picture for Cord.
Gorgeous Cord!
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