I've got some potential good news to share!
Myra's medical files are being presented to the transplant team at Abbot Northwestern today. Both of her primary doctor's agree that she's 'stable' now and all of the instability was caused by the liver abscess.
I'll keep you posted!
Edited to add: Myra's name was removed from the list when her health declined earlier this year. The meeting today is for the transplant team to agree that she is a viable candidate and should haver her name put back on the list to receive a kidney.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Friday, May 2, 2008
5/2
I noticed its been over a month since my last post so I thought I'd check in and update you on Myra's status.
Myra is doing well! She's getting stronger and becoming familiar with the layout of the house again and feeling more comfortable with being home, and loving every minute of it!
She was fitted for a prosthesis this week. If you recall, she had a mastectomy in November.
She did have some blood work done today because she's having hot flashes and they can't quite figure out the problem. Let's just say she's beyond the point in her life that she should be having hot flashes. She didn't enjoy them the first time around and she certainly isn't enjoying them this time either.
She'll be going in for another MRI later this month to make sure the liver abscess is still healing.
That's about all. She is reading (books on tape) like crazy and would love a book recommendation if you have anything you think she'd enjoy. She's well read and likes everything from mystery to documentaries.
Myra is doing well! She's getting stronger and becoming familiar with the layout of the house again and feeling more comfortable with being home, and loving every minute of it!
She was fitted for a prosthesis this week. If you recall, she had a mastectomy in November.
She did have some blood work done today because she's having hot flashes and they can't quite figure out the problem. Let's just say she's beyond the point in her life that she should be having hot flashes. She didn't enjoy them the first time around and she certainly isn't enjoying them this time either.
She'll be going in for another MRI later this month to make sure the liver abscess is still healing.
That's about all. She is reading (books on tape) like crazy and would love a book recommendation if you have anything you think she'd enjoy. She's well read and likes everything from mystery to documentaries.
Monday, March 31, 2008
3/31
Mrya continues to be at home and is doing fairly well. She is not as strong as she wants or needs to be. She has 8 stairs to climb up and down and she can do 6 pretty easily but the 7th & 8th are really tough.
She also likes the home comfort foods that Curt makes her. Even though she enjoyed the food at Bethesda, its nothing like a home cooked meal.
She's been enjoying some books on tape lately.
She also likes the home comfort foods that Curt makes her. Even though she enjoyed the food at Bethesda, its nothing like a home cooked meal.
She's been enjoying some books on tape lately.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
3/26
Myra is home!
She went home late afternoon on Saturday, marking 4 months and one day in the hospital.
She was very excited today to be home. She checked in with her doctors and she is officially discharged from the hospital.
She's feeling a bit weak but is so happy to be home again!
She went home late afternoon on Saturday, marking 4 months and one day in the hospital.
She was very excited today to be home. She checked in with her doctors and she is officially discharged from the hospital.
She's feeling a bit weak but is so happy to be home again!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
3/19
Looks like Myra is still on track to go home this weekend! She will have a 'trial run' on Saturday night. If she and Curt feel like this is going to be something that they will be able to handle, then she will return to Bethesda Sunday to be officially discharged.
She will have a nurse visit her 3 days a week for in-home therapy.
She is absolutely thrilled and is trying to mentally prepare for living at home again. She is nervous about re-learning the floor plan. She has lost almost 100% of her vision since she's been hospitalized so she'll have to figure out where all the walls and door ways are again.
She can't wait to sleep in her own bed again!
Keep your fingers crossed and say your prayers that everything goes well for Myra's sleep over at home on Saturday!
She will have a nurse visit her 3 days a week for in-home therapy.
She is absolutely thrilled and is trying to mentally prepare for living at home again. She is nervous about re-learning the floor plan. She has lost almost 100% of her vision since she's been hospitalized so she'll have to figure out where all the walls and door ways are again.
She can't wait to sleep in her own bed again!
Keep your fingers crossed and say your prayers that everything goes well for Myra's sleep over at home on Saturday!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
3/16
Well, it looks like Myra will be going HOME on Friday, March 20, which also marks her 4 month anniversary of hospitalization.
She is obviously looking forward to going home but is also a little frightened of falling both physically and figuratively. She has high expectations for herself and doesn't want to fall short of those.
She had a CT scan Thursday and the liver abscess is shrinking, but still present. It's reduced from 7 mm x 4 mm to 6 x 2.5 mm. She remains on antibiotics to treat this until it is completely gone.
She does still have the drain from the mastectomy and the doctor wants that removed before she goes home. Its a little unexplained why it is still draining. Some days there is a decent amount of draining and the next day there is nothing. They are hoping for that to clear up soon!
She will be having a nurse come in and check up on her when she is at home and will be an outpatient for dialysis.
Let's pray for a great week for Myra so that this time next week, she's sitting in her chair at home instead of the hospital!
She is obviously looking forward to going home but is also a little frightened of falling both physically and figuratively. She has high expectations for herself and doesn't want to fall short of those.
She had a CT scan Thursday and the liver abscess is shrinking, but still present. It's reduced from 7 mm x 4 mm to 6 x 2.5 mm. She remains on antibiotics to treat this until it is completely gone.
She does still have the drain from the mastectomy and the doctor wants that removed before she goes home. Its a little unexplained why it is still draining. Some days there is a decent amount of draining and the next day there is nothing. They are hoping for that to clear up soon!
She will be having a nurse come in and check up on her when she is at home and will be an outpatient for dialysis.
Let's pray for a great week for Myra so that this time next week, she's sitting in her chair at home instead of the hospital!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
3/13
I have great news to report! Myra's therapy is going very well. Well enough that doctors are speaking with Myra about the possibility of transitioning into either a nursing home or HOME within the next couple of weeks!
Tuesday was her first bad day of therapy. Up until Tuesday she's been superwoman at therapy. Tuesday she had a bit of a problem walking and was running into the walls . Other than that she's been doing great with therapy. Myra's therapists are very enthusiastic about her progress. They did not plan on her to be walking this soon.
She is really working on gaining her strength and has been working her arm muscles. She started out with 2 pound weights and has graduated to 3, 4 and 6 pound hand weights. The point is to build endurance and to not hurt herself.
She is finding that her core stomach muscles are the weakest and she is doing special exercise to help strengthen the area.
She is hardly in bed at all, except to nap between therapy sessions. She spend a lot of time sitting in her chair.
The next 2 weeks will be CRUCIAL for Myra. It will be important that she stave's off infections as well as continues to progress nicely with her therapy. Her doctors will then decide if she needs to transition to a nursing home, or has enough strength to go right home.
Of course, she wants to go home but understands and accepts that she may need to transition to a nursing home first. She's 'fine' with that as long as the nursing home stay is therapy oriented.
Tuesday was her first bad day of therapy. Up until Tuesday she's been superwoman at therapy. Tuesday she had a bit of a problem walking and was running into the walls . Other than that she's been doing great with therapy. Myra's therapists are very enthusiastic about her progress. They did not plan on her to be walking this soon.
She is really working on gaining her strength and has been working her arm muscles. She started out with 2 pound weights and has graduated to 3, 4 and 6 pound hand weights. The point is to build endurance and to not hurt herself.
She is finding that her core stomach muscles are the weakest and she is doing special exercise to help strengthen the area.
She is hardly in bed at all, except to nap between therapy sessions. She spend a lot of time sitting in her chair.
The next 2 weeks will be CRUCIAL for Myra. It will be important that she stave's off infections as well as continues to progress nicely with her therapy. Her doctors will then decide if she needs to transition to a nursing home, or has enough strength to go right home.
Of course, she wants to go home but understands and accepts that she may need to transition to a nursing home first. She's 'fine' with that as long as the nursing home stay is therapy oriented.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
3/6 Update
I am SO sorry I've not updated the blog for a couple of weeks. Our laptop needed a repair and we were without it for 2 weeks. It's tough to be so disconnected from the world wide web! I'm back online and ready to report some GREAT news!
Myra successfully fought the infection and is back at Bethesda and gaining lots of strength! She is walking during PT- yesterday she walked 1900 feet!
Today her test was to climb three stairs and she was able to climb TWO! Slowly but surely, she's gaining strength!
Yesterday she had a small procedure with a scope down her throat (this s considered small if you're explaining the procedure and not the one actually going through it :) to find out about the ulcer in her stomach and in a few weeks she will have a colonoscopy o check on the ulcer in the colon. She's not so excited about that one, as you can imagine.
That's about all for now. I'll be in touch and continue to report the wonderful progress Myra is making!
Myra successfully fought the infection and is back at Bethesda and gaining lots of strength! She is walking during PT- yesterday she walked 1900 feet!
Today her test was to climb three stairs and she was able to climb TWO! Slowly but surely, she's gaining strength!
Yesterday she had a small procedure with a scope down her throat (this s considered small if you're explaining the procedure and not the one actually going through it :) to find out about the ulcer in her stomach and in a few weeks she will have a colonoscopy o check on the ulcer in the colon. She's not so excited about that one, as you can imagine.
That's about all for now. I'll be in touch and continue to report the wonderful progress Myra is making!
Saturday, February 23, 2008
2/23 Saturday
Myra will be going back to Bethesda on Sunday afternoon. She will get to make the transfer in a wheelchair, rather than the usual stretcher. She's super excited about this!
Little by little, she's getting stronger. This is very good news that she has the strength to sit up long enough to make the trip!
Friday (which ,marked 3 months in the hospital) she was able to stand up and sit down 3 times, with the help of nurses. This has really given her some confidence and she looks forward to getting back to some PT at Bethesda.
They have inserted a drain into the the area where the breast was removed because of a recent fluid build up.
The infection that she's had is being treated with IV antibiotics. They used to give it to her in large doses for a half hour at a time and they figured that is what was causing her hallucinations. They are now stretching this out over a 24 hour period and tomorrow she will start oral medication.
She's really excited to get back on the healing path at Bethesda!
Little by little, she's getting stronger. This is very good news that she has the strength to sit up long enough to make the trip!
Friday (which ,marked 3 months in the hospital) she was able to stand up and sit down 3 times, with the help of nurses. This has really given her some confidence and she looks forward to getting back to some PT at Bethesda.
They have inserted a drain into the the area where the breast was removed because of a recent fluid build up.
The infection that she's had is being treated with IV antibiotics. They used to give it to her in large doses for a half hour at a time and they figured that is what was causing her hallucinations. They are now stretching this out over a 24 hour period and tomorrow she will start oral medication.
She's really excited to get back on the healing path at Bethesda!
Sunday, February 17, 2008
2/17 Sunday
Myra's not as confused as she was yesterday and her thoughts are more clear today.
Now the Disease doctor isn't sure she has MRSA, so we're not exactly sure what is going on and we don't know what's causing the confusion. I guess we just put our seat belts on and see where this episode takes us.
She did have some scans of her head to rule out anything more serious that could be causing the confusion but the results were negative, so we're happy about that. Except we don't really have any other answers at this point.
Now the Disease doctor isn't sure she has MRSA, so we're not exactly sure what is going on and we don't know what's causing the confusion. I guess we just put our seat belts on and see where this episode takes us.
She did have some scans of her head to rule out anything more serious that could be causing the confusion but the results were negative, so we're happy about that. Except we don't really have any other answers at this point.
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