Nothing is ever easy!
I found this email from Mom when I logged on to update the blog. She said it all better than I could:
We are still waiting to move Dick.
I was hoping Sarah would have updated the blog late today, but she hasn't yet. I got to the hospital today to find a message to call the GI doctor we have been seeing (one of a group--we never know who will turn up). He had a plan to surgically implant another J tube for feeding, after removing the G tube that is so problematic, and after feeding him IV (with a tube inserted into his neck). He said he had talked to Dr. Morad and she thought we might like that idea. I was annoyed she hadn't called me before I had to call Dr. Fleisher (the GI). I told him I would call Dr. Morad, and while I was waiting to hear from her, I went out to the nurses' station to find out when the swallow test was scheduled. The PA told me she had cancelled that because he had already had 3 unsuccessful tests! (Only one complete one--a barium swallow which he passed). I asked who had scheduled it in the first place and she didn't know!!! So she looked it up and told me it was the rehab department. Our good friend, Dr. Hiatt, arrived on the scene and checked other records and saw that Dr. Fleisher had indicated he wanted another swallow test. I was very annoyed at the PA for countermanding orders. Meanwhile Dr. Morad called, and I told her I definitely wanted to proceed with the move, so she called St. Joseph's and found out they didn't assign beds in the monitored area until they had taken care of their own emergency patients and the ones coming from their cath labs. They would have a meeting at four to decide. When I hadn't heard by six, I called Dr. Morad's service and she called back. She hadn't heard yet from St. Joseph's, so she called them and they still didn't know about a bed. I told her Dick didn't need that much monitoring any more if he got his beta blocker on time, so she said she would call them and tell them he could go into the medical area where they have a v-link (???) which is less intense monitoring. She told me to go home and get some sleep--that we would probably have to wait until tomorrow. Poor Dick! They stopped his tube feeding because it was leaking so badly and he is getting only glucose and saline by IV. Dick said, "Maybe I should have let Dr. Fleishman work on me."
We have been hassling with this feeding tube business for at least a month [the original GI tube surgery was on January 16] and he isn't any better than he was to begin with. He has overcome all his infections and his heart is stable, so if we could just solve this problem he could go to rehab. I hope moving to St. Joseph's (if and when it happens) will get some fresh insights into the problem.
I do appreciate all your prayers!
Mary
We are still waiting to move Dick.
I was hoping Sarah would have updated the blog late today, but she hasn't yet. I got to the hospital today to find a message to call the GI doctor we have been seeing (one of a group--we never know who will turn up). He had a plan to surgically implant another J tube for feeding, after removing the G tube that is so problematic, and after feeding him IV (with a tube inserted into his neck). He said he had talked to Dr. Morad and she thought we might like that idea. I was annoyed she hadn't called me before I had to call Dr. Fleisher (the GI). I told him I would call Dr. Morad, and while I was waiting to hear from her, I went out to the nurses' station to find out when the swallow test was scheduled. The PA told me she had cancelled that because he had already had 3 unsuccessful tests! (Only one complete one--a barium swallow which he passed). I asked who had scheduled it in the first place and she didn't know!!! So she looked it up and told me it was the rehab department. Our good friend, Dr. Hiatt, arrived on the scene and checked other records and saw that Dr. Fleisher had indicated he wanted another swallow test. I was very annoyed at the PA for countermanding orders. Meanwhile Dr. Morad called, and I told her I definitely wanted to proceed with the move, so she called St. Joseph's and found out they didn't assign beds in the monitored area until they had taken care of their own emergency patients and the ones coming from their cath labs. They would have a meeting at four to decide. When I hadn't heard by six, I called Dr. Morad's service and she called back. She hadn't heard yet from St. Joseph's, so she called them and they still didn't know about a bed. I told her Dick didn't need that much monitoring any more if he got his beta blocker on time, so she said she would call them and tell them he could go into the medical area where they have a v-link (???) which is less intense monitoring. She told me to go home and get some sleep--that we would probably have to wait until tomorrow. Poor Dick! They stopped his tube feeding because it was leaking so badly and he is getting only glucose and saline by IV. Dick said, "Maybe I should have let Dr. Fleishman work on me."
We have been hassling with this feeding tube business for at least a month [the original GI tube surgery was on January 16] and he isn't any better than he was to begin with. He has overcome all his infections and his heart is stable, so if we could just solve this problem he could go to rehab. I hope moving to St. Joseph's (if and when it happens) will get some fresh insights into the problem.
I do appreciate all your prayers!
Mary
posted by Sarah @ 12:02 AM
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