Day 29 & 30

*UPDATES*

4/26 @ 3pm

Day #30

Although I will never ever accept the "time estimates" of surgeries that these (lying) doctors give me... going overtime in true Tony fashion, he came out of surgery #4 swimmingly. There were no bionic arms (or calves) placed in procedure like he'd hoped. However, he did come to asking for cooked potatoes. Specifically, "cooked potatoes in stew." And he referenced Dr. Sam as "Samwise-Gamgee." 

All that to say, I feel an upswing is on the horizon. How can there NOT be? Although we won't REALLY know for a few hours, I'm declaring it now! He's resting peacefully back in his Sterile B&B. 💜

 *UPDATES*

4/25 @ 4pm

Day 29

Hospital time is like the matrix. The days blur together. The hours can be PAINFULLY slow. Or delusionally quick. We've both been victims to the delirium. I often have to look back and check what day we're on. 

29, now. 29 straight hospital days!

Who's counting? Me. 

And what day IS it? Tuesday. 

Surprisingly, Tony slept ok last night. After coming out of sedation, he kept saying to me his left groin hurt. (The angio went in yesterday to place the stint on the RIGHT side) So, it was a head scratcher why he'd have pain on the other side. Well, fast forward to this morning. His pain was a nine, and there was concern of testicle torsion from the procedure. An ultrasound this morning confirmed that has NOT happened, but he's still very tender and sore. It was the worst level of pain I'd seen him in since Day 1. My heart absolutely breaks for him. Nothing has ever been harder for me to watch than him, and Ezrah, battle this medical circus they've been dealt.

Because of this groin/testicle issue needing to be further looked into, they have decided to hold off on the necrotic drain until midday tomorrow.

The good news: 

*GI believes they got a TON of the fluid out last Friday based on the most recent CT.

They think they may only have to go back in for draining ONE more time. (Not 4 like they had originally thought)

*He is FINALLY scheduled for a PICC line, so all 3 IVs will be able to come out, and lab draws will be pulled from the PICC. No more pokes!

His hands and arms are riddled with black bruising and puncture marks. He looks sickly.

I spoke with infectious disease today, and she assured me that ALLLLL of these "complications" are quite common for a severe case, such as this. She said it will often feel like one step forward, two steps back. (Listen, sis, this has been like one teeny tiny "crawl" forward and a slip-n-slide with Dawn dish soap backwards.)

I am convinced, however, that we are in the right hospital for him. It's been INSANELY discouraging to have one "baseball-bat-to-the-knee" after another.  But, apparently, that is not uncommon. We hold hope.

*He's had his lungs collapse, and 1 had to be drained. (1 liter pulled out so far)

*A drain implanted in his side, complete with a collection bag.

*A pseudoaneurysm. 

*3 stints placed. (2 on abdomen, 1 on spleen)

*3 "procedures" w/general or sedation. #4 tomorrow.

*COUNTLESS IVs and pokes. 

*SEVERAL of those being "missed" veins. 🥴

*A catheter (possibly attributed to the groin pain)

*Countless rounds of antibiotics, pain meds, stool softeners, blood thinners, anti nausea meds, potassium, fluids, sodium, mouth wash (for thrush), etc.

*A feeding tube. (that he hates)

*Endless pain. Endless nausea. And throwing up.

The list goes on.

The unresolved question, still? WHY DID THIS HAPPEN IN THE FIRST PLACE TO A SEEMINGLY FIT, ATHLETIC (handsome, I might add) 46 year old?

The answer: No one knows. It's "idiopathic."

Right now, it's all hands on deck to "stop the bleeding." A horrible but accurate metaphor. All these major things are triage protocol. Manage the big things, and then they can start digging a little more to the WHY thing. 

So, we wait. And we fight. For the last 5 days, Tony's been mostly asleep. And that is where he finds relief and solace. Perhaps, for him, it's mental protection, too, because the weariness when he's awake would break you like it has me.

We just need a turnaround. He needs to start trending upward. He needs mental peace, strength, and focus. He knows who he's fighting for. But he is, oh, so very tired. He needs relief from pain and nausea. We PLEAD in Jesus name.

He's the God of possible.

"I pray for your healing

That circumstances would change

I pray that the fear inside would flee in Jesus name

I pray that a breakthrough would happen today

I pray miracles over your life in Jesus name

In Jesus name." Katy Nichole Lyrics