Blake's Health Update 2009/09/20

My Blakey's comin' home.

Doctor C will pay him a visit in his hospital room sometime around noon-ish tomorrow (Monday), and then he'll be heading home.

Today, all meds were administered orally. No Saline has been given since last night (Saturday). He only had painkillers twice today (once in the morning and once before bed) and the ones this morning were just Extra Strength Tylenol! That's good! Not sure if they gave him Extra Strength or #3's before bed, but I have a feeling it was just Extra Strength.

I found out a few things today. Some things are making sense, some aren't.

The two antibiotics that he has been taking (Cipro and Flagyl) are not being administered to fight an infection; apparently they are assisting to heal the ulcered intestines. I guess these drugs have been proven to help with the healing. That's good! That is under the "making sense" category.

Hemoglobin levels (red blood counts) are working their way back up to normal. (Makes sense).

White cell count has apparently been a little higher than normal this week (this was news to ME!), but Doctor C indicated that it's normal for that to happen while on Prednizone. (Makes sense).

Blake will remain on Flagyl & Cipro for another week to ten days. (Makes sense).


And here's what confusing me:

Uhhhh, let me start by saying....
-that it's very confusing to me,
-that I'm not going to give ALL the details yet
-that I don't understand a lot about this and therefore cannot express it properly to you.

We will be seeing another specialist in the near future... a rheumatologist. I touched on this lightly in one of the earlier posts, I think. Doctor C found something in Blake's bloodwork in the early-on stages of Blake's illness regarding rheumatoid. She thought it best to refer us to a specialist (whom we have not seen yet).

Tonight during our conversation, Doctor C indicated to me that she didn't want to say a lot to me about it because she does not want to give me any inaccurate information. What she HAS indicated to me is that it is very rare to be diagnosed with two chronic diseases at the same time. She wants to be sure that symptoms from one disease are not diagnosed in error when they actually could be tied in with ANOTHER disease. I'm sorry if that sentence is confusing.... I'm not sure how else to explain it.

We DO know that Doctor B (colonoscopy doctor) did some analyzing of some ulcers that he found in Blake's intestines. He confirmed that at least one ulcer is Crohn's. However...

[pausing here for a second while I try and get my tired head wrapped around this....]

...it appears to me that something else could possibly be going on. Doctor C has asked that we be patient with them as they really look into Blake's situation. They want to ensure that they are diagnosing him properly so that he can be treated properly. She is hesitant in saying too much to me until we can see the rheumatologist, Doctor T, who will be more familiar with what is actually going on.

It's all confusing to me right now because
(a) I'm very tired
(b) I'm not understanding all these medical terms and conditions
(c) I'm very tired
(d) We've been a relatively healthy family, so all this is so new and mind-boggling
(e) I'm very tired.

I need to go online and check out this rheumatoid stuff and I need to ensure that my husband doesn't flip his lid. He was a basket-case until we found out it was Crohn's; so... Jon, if you're reading this, just CHILL! Don't spaz out on me. Let the doctors do their job! Don't borrow trouble. God is still on the throne!

Things may turn out that it ends up being Crohn's and nothing else, but I just want y'all to be aware that something else is possibly being mixed into the brew here.

We ask for your prayers to give the doctors and specialists wisdom as they work to fine-tune their diagnosis.

Blake doesn't seem too alarmed.... he is only concerned with the fact that he's able to get to New Brunswick for the January semester.

Today he had a really good day. Of course he's tired, but he really felt good and had an amazing appetite. I'd say this has been his best day in the last four months or so.

And me? I'd say this day has been my most tiring day. I'm really zonked. And I'm going to sign off now and hit the hay, but I just wanted you all to be aware of what's happening. The only scheduled appointments are October 9th with Doctor B (colonsoscopy doctor). Doctor C is around this week and then she's off for two weeks; however, she'll be leaving me her cell phone and home number to call her anytime! Can you believe that???? I told her, "You don't have to give me your personal numbers!" And she quickly replied that she didn't mind at all. That just amazes me, folks. God love 'er. And hopefully Doctor T, the rheumatologist, will have an appointment for us soon.


And just before I close, no word from Wannett in Africa, so all must be well. Please pray for one of her children who had a fever yesterday. Also, Don, who is suffering from Jakob's Disease, continues to reach the end of his life here on earth. Today they needed to suction his lungs (he is getting full of fluid). Pray for Helen, that she leans on the Lord for the strength she'll need during this trial.

He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24

Pass me not, O gentle Saviour,
Hear my humble cry,
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.
Saviour, Saviour,
Hear my humble cry,
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.