DAY PLUS 39 - AUGUST 25, 2008

A doctor finally came to see Mr. T yesterday at 4...........over 24 hrs after I asked for a doctor. He didn't seem too concerned because Mr. T had no fever or runny nose.
This morning when our primary doctor came back from vacation...I let him know my concerns. A cold can easily lead to pneumonia and ICU and much worse. This happened at Cheo when he got HAP (hospital acquired pneumonia).
Our doctor said I had every reason to be concerned and right away ordered a nasal swab test...and had him cough into a specimen jar and we are waiting on results from the lab. The doctor is also calling Cheo to find out if they have a bed for Mr. T. They don't want me to go straight home as I still live 1 1/2 hrs from the hospital....and Mr. T is still very high risk for infections. Better safe than sorry.
This afternoon they informed me...that Mr. T was one of the patients here who ate Maple Leaf products the very first week we came here...so he will also be carefully monitored for LISTERIA....which can lead to fevers, severe headaches and nausea.


Apparently many consumers got very sick and a number of them died from ingesting products made at the Maple Leaf plant here in North York, Toronto.


Patients contract listeriosis after consuming foods contaminated with listeria monocytogenes.
Public health officials have warned that food contaminated with listeria may not look or smell like it has spoiled.
Listeriosis can cause flu-like symptoms, such as a stiff neck, headache, nausea and fever.
Healthy individuals may remain symptom-free. However, pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are at greatest risk.

THE good news...is Mr. T's counts continue to rise. His WBC (white blood cells) are 8.9 from 7.9 and his Neutropolys are 5.89 from 2.78.
Today he had chicken noodle soup for breakfast, and the same for lunch and he's drinking a lot more. Because of his cold...he is not permitted to walk the halls, but at least he's watching television now and playing games. I should know by Wednesday if we are staying or going. Chances are we'll be leaving at the end of the week if there aren't anymore complications.

THAT'S IT...........

What do I have to do to get a doctor to check out Mr. T?? We are still waiting to see a bloody doctor.........agh!!

I think the nurse is getting frustrated with me. She keeps telling me the doctor is doing rounds....the doctor is with a patient....the doctor knows...the doctor will come by.........the doctor is on break!

All morning...Mr. T has been throwing up phlegm and coughing. I am positive that there is something on his chest. They keep telling me not to worry as he doesn't have a fever. This could have been prevented if someone would have listened to me early in the week. No wonder he doesn't want to eat or drink!

Now Mr. T is frustrated and crying....he just wants to go home and he knows this cough will hold him back.

DAY PLUS 37 - AUGUST 23, 2008

Today wasn't a good day! Mr. T threw up a few times....so breakfast was out! And because he didn't drink his quota today...they had to hook him back up to the saline......so no exercise either.


It seems like 1 step forward and 2 back.....but I'm not complaining. We're getting there slow but sure.
He did have 2 cans of diet ginger ale at 335 ml each.......but that's still not enough...they want him to drink at least 1,000 ml! I'm not going to push it....he cried from frustration....he thinks I'm pushing him too much to eat and drink...just because I want to get home soon.......and I assured him that's not the case. I'm just following the Dr's orders. But perhaps it is too much for Mr. T....maybe his body needs more time to recuperate, and he's extremely frustrated that he can't do what we demand..... and thats okay with me. Iknow we're on the last leg of our journey.....so I'm willing to let Mr. T go at his own pace. I think we are both frustrated & very homesick.

Today he also tried to eat....2 oz of chicken and a bite of a roasted potato...and a handful of chips.

4 days ago...I told his nurse that I thought Mr. T was coming down with a cold.....but unless he has a drippy nose or fever...they don't do anything. The next day...I told the nurse...I think his cough is worse....still....if he has no fever, no phlegm, well they don't bother.

Today...Mr. T was coughing a lot more....so this time I insisted that I want the Doctor to check him out.....his cough sounds phlegmy to me!
She told the doctor on call at 4 p.m.......and we waited & waited......and waited.
Everytime she came into the room...I asked her if the doctor was coming as I don't like the sound of his cough....a harsh, dry hacking cough.........and yes, she said...he was coming any time now.
My constant fear is that a simple cough can turn into pneumonia.......and we don't want or need any complications right now.........and still we waited. It is now 9 p.m.....and still no doctor.

Yes it is a Saturday.....so there is less staff.......I understand that...and this is a large hospital...so we have to be patient.

DAY PLUS 36 - AUGUST 22, 2008

Today's counts are very confusing. White blood cells are 4.8...down from 6.5 & Neutropolys are 2.78...down from 3.54. They say its normal for the numbers to fluctuate....then why have they not been fluctuating in the past 2 weeks...they were just going one way and that was up?? I really think the lab can make mistakes or the blood test wasn't a good one. Our nurse today tells me they look for consistency and patterns...to look for a trend. If the numbers keep going down...then they want to know why! I will be closely watching the numbers in the next few days....and they'd better be going up!

I understand this could also happen if you have a viral infection. Hmmm!
Yesterday Mr. T did have breakfast but threw it up. Later he ate one pierogi and kept that down. He is trying.

Today he ate one bite of waffles and said they had a metallic taste. The 3 cookies he ate were fine...and so was the Oh Henry! He is drinking a lot more fluid as well.. If he keeps this up...we are sure to go home by Tuesday or Wednesday.

The physiotherapist came to see us today. She gave Mr. T some homework to do till Monday. He is to go for a 10 min. walk (in the halls) twice a day....as well as some calf stretches and one flight of stairs a day.

Today we walked the hallways.....he wasn't attached to the machine.....he wore a mask....he did some stretching exercises with the therapist....he was on the computer for a few hours as well. I'm very happy with his attempts at walking and eating.

Finally.....we are getting ready to go home!

DAY PLUS 34 - AUGUST 20, 2008

So far...so good! The numbers are amazing...his counts keep going up. Mr. T's white blood cells are 5.2 from 4.1.
Neutropolys were 2.53 and now they are a whopping 3.54!
Dr. Sam told us T does not have GVH (graft versus host)...but he does have a viral infection from the stool sample and there is nothing to do for that. We can even go home with a viral infection.
We are still waiting for the opthamologist to come and see him as his eye is very red and caused him pain...but he hasn't come yet.
His doctor told me that Mr. T can now eat and drink whatever he wants...but he doesn't want to.
They advise not to have dairy foods right now with diarrhea. I'm trying to encourage him to have soup or crackers or even toast...he says he might tomorrow.
This afternoon we went for a pantamidine test....this is a treatment to discourage pneumonia on his lungs.
He asked me to buy him peanuts...so I bought 3 different kinds...and he's eating cashews. It's a start!

DAY PLUS 33 - AUGUST 19, 2008

We are still waiting on results from the lab. Mr. T is still not eating or drinking and they advise me not to push it. He was sick this morning...throwing up bile. I hope tomorrow he feels like drinking. He will see the physiotherapist tomorrow as well as the eye doctor. His right eye is still red and sore from the shingles.

He watched television all morning, played a game on his PS3 and beat me at Crazy Eight's!

KIND OF CONFUSED.............

I really don't know what to think. This morning when Dr. Doyle did his rounds....he would not talk about discharge...not until we get results back from the lab. When a doctor says...you have to be patient...these things take time......that means you will definitely stay awhile.

This afternoon...Dr. Samira came to see us........and she said...because his stool is not runny...there is no reason why we won't be discharged this weekend. Just for today to remain in isolation and either today or tomorrow a physiotherapist will come see us to prepare Mr. T for going home this weekend.

So who do I believe? and what do I believe??

I don't know if we're coming or going....and I wish the doctors were a little more sure of themselves. You really don't have much confidence in someone who's always sitting on the fence. How can they be on the same team...with such drastically different opinions? Makes you wonder..........

I really want to believe that WE ARE GOING HOME! So...I will believe Dr. Samira...even though she does look like Janet Jackson! If she looked like Michael.......forget it!