Jeff's Journal

Hospital Update

Progress is determined in many ways, but lately my delineation has been as tubes and other restrictors are removed from my body. I have gone from 13 “things” inserted in me and on me to four. Hopefully, one more will be removed tonight around mid-night. My level of pain will be greatly reduced when they remove one of the tubes, the Foley catheter. (If you are unfamiliar with this devise, you can Google for it. I have come to the conclusion this device was developed in the Montrose area of Houston, probably at that Mary’s biker bar across from Half-price books at Westheimer and Montrose. I picture it as the result of some late night dare. I thought I knew pain when I sneezed with fresh stitches. I knew severe pain tonight when the nurse “straightened” the bed sheets with the catheter attached to the sheets.)

Last night around 10:00, I was moved from Intermediate care to “the floor.” I was in Renal ICU shortly after the surgery, then in Intermediate care for four days and now on the Renal Transplant floor. The move was made because things are getting better. The late at night move was because the staff was preparing for two transplants.

From the Intermediate care room, I had a view of the life flight helipad landing approach. Saturday there were several early morning red helicopters and then around late afternoon there were more red helicopters and then a couple of yellow helicopters. I learned the yellow helicopters were for donated organs.

Those two yellow helicopters brought in a couple of kidneys which brought in four possible recipients. The four were quarantined and tested to see who made the best matches. There was a delay as they were making final selections. One of the patients, who got a kidney the day before me, began to bleed. She was rushed into the operating room ahead of the other two transplant recipients. The sad story is, she lost her donated kidney and will be returning to dialysis. But, two more folks got transplanted last night. Their experience is a stark contrast to mine. I can only imagine the emotion of preparing and the elation of knowing they were about to receive a get-out-of-dialysis-soon card.

Yesterday was a day for learning meds and checking levels. Med requirements have been increased and now that I am on the floor, I and others are supposed to wear masks for protection. Tomorrow will be another day for testing meds. I am not sure at what hour I will be able to head home, but Monday is supposed to be the day to go home.

Jerry is doing very well. He is home, sore, and getting better.

My bloodwork reports my kidney functioning is almost that of a person without ESRD. I am curious what tomorrow’s test will hold. Every day has been better than the day before with kidney levels, but the side effects of the meds are beginning to kick in. The nurses will wake me up tonight around 3:00 am to take more blood so the test results will be back by the time the doctors assemble for their 7:30 rounds.

posted by Jeff Waldo @ 9:59 PM