The day +44 has a nice palindrome ring to it. It also has been quite a day for testing.
When I left off last evening I was taken down for a sinus CT scan. No surprise to me that my sinuses are all full up as are my eustation tubes and middle ears.
The day today began with consultations from Pulmonary who went over the chest CT scans and showed me the area of pneumonia. No specific cause, however. They have recommended that I have a bronchoscopy exam to look down my bronchial tubes and take washes and samples for the lab to perhaps zero in on what is the bacteria that may be giving me trouble. This is scheduled for this coming Monday.
The Infectious Disease team followed and decided until we have a definitive answer they started more powerful broad spectrum antibiotics. In doing this the Augmentin I have been taking for the last 6-days is stopped.
The bone marrow transplant team also paid me a visit and is managing my ship by coordinating all these consultations. They also reiterated that I am quite vulnerable and what I am going through is nothing to take lightly
Putting all of these groups together, it has been a day of more blood testing and many cultures from my nose looking for viruses and other bacteria. So far, I am pretty clear of viruses except the Rhinovirus which as still positive.
At the end of the day, I had thought all consults were done, and in walks the ENT team. They agreed my ears are clogged as well as using a small camera to look up my nose and of course I am quite congested. They have some ideas to help me with nasal washes that includes a steroid component.
Lastly the respiratory therapy consult came in to drop off a device to help loosen whatever mucous might be hanging in my lungs.
Sharon and I were amazed at the end of the day the attention I am receiving within 24-hours of our arrival here and how the nurses and doctors are so focused and motivated to figure this out. There were times during the day when I was falling into my – oh woe is me – thinking as it is very stressful to understand how I am going to recover from all of this. And I will.
For the scorecard, my O2 Sats continue to be a challenge. I am on constant oxygen and was up to a 6-liter flow at one point to keep my numbers in an acceptable range. For the record, of course most people do not need any supplemental oxygen. For those who do a flow of 2-liters is common. 5-liters is very high flow, and in my years of medical practice I can’t recall anybody requiring a higher flow which is where I was at for much of the day. As I write this I am getting a 4-liter flow. We hope as time goes on here to be able to wean me off. I must admit with the oxygen supplement I do feel less short of breath. I suppose this is why the oxygen bars in the Las Vegas airport are so busy.
It is not ideal living in a hospital room especially given my condition I can’t leave the room. Sharon is by my side whether I am napping or dining and we are trying to make the best of it. She is definitely part of my hospital care team. More to come as all the test results roll in.
Larry and Sharon