UPDATE FOLLOWING PROCEDURE, FRIDAY AFTERNOON:The first words out of Dr. McBee's mouth were comforting: "He's doing fine." The next words weren't as comforting as the first: "The clot is very large." How large, I asked. "About a foot and a half long."
What?! I thought blood clots were relatively small, circular things- just like a little having a chunk of oreo stuck in your milkshake straw. He set me straight on my misconception and assured me that although it is a large clot, it is not extremely abnormal.
The catheter is in place and the blood thinning meds are being administered through it. Dr. McBee had hoped to install the catheter and dissolve the clot, but since the clot is so large, it is not going to be that easy to fix. Due to the possible risks involved with the catheter and meds, Michael was placed in ICU immediately following the procedure so that he could be carefully monitered. Dr. McBee told me that having him in ICU would make it easier and quicker to contact him if a complication would occur. He will remain in ICU until tomorrow morning.
Tomorrow morning Dr. McBee will re-evaluate his clot to see whether the blood thinner has been effective at all. If not, well, we are just taking one thing at a time. Dr. McBee told me that there are other options, but I just didn't have the nerve to question any farther. Worrying about all the what if's won't get us anywhere.
Michael was in a lot of pain today and the procedure caused the pain to increase even more. The nurses have kept him on morphine- which has allowed him to feel better and get some rest. He also was able to eat following the procedure. He won't be allowed to eat/drink tonight past midnight in preparation for tomorrow's procedure.
Two specific ways to pray tonight:
1. That the blood thinner will be effective.
2. That Michael will not get any viruses/infections etc. from being exposed to super germs in the ICU. His remicade treatment for Crohn's disease is an extreme auto-immune suppressant and therefore he is at much greater risk to get sick faster and worse than a normal healthy person.
Lord willing I will have an encouraging note of progress to post after his procedure in the morning. Continue to pray.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Nina - I have JUST read through your last several posts. I can only read your blog on my laptop b/c one of my little peoples pushed a button and made your blog really, really tiny on the desktop. I have no idea how to restore it. I'm not on the laptop often enough to remember to check your blog. I am sorry:(.
I will be praying for your husband, you and your family. God promises that He does everything for our good and for His glory. I pray that God will use this mightily. May His name be glorified and may you continue to rest in His sovereign will.
thank you for the encouraging note, rachel. i've thought of you several times over the past months and wondered how you are doing.
Post a Comment