Things have gone pretty well today.
It has been busy with all the different teams stopping by (oncology, surgical oncology, nutrition, infectious disease, physical therapy, palliative care, wound care, …), some of them more than once.
And we have changed rooms twice. A mishap one floor up led to dirty water coming through the ceiling into Penny’s room, just missing her bed. We took temporary quarters in a small physical therapy room until another patient room became available. Several of our consults happened in the PT room. Everyone commented about never seeing anything quite like that before.
The result of all the consults is that everyone is in favor of discharge tomorrow if things go well over night. So thats our hope.
The main things that need to happen are a transition to oral antibiotics, some wound care training for me, and confirmation that we have or can get everything we need at home.
It’s unclear just what the cause of the current issue is. The two likely options are an infection or tumor necrosis. Apparently as tumors grow on the outside, the cells on the inside of a mass can die. The external symptoms of necrosis and infection are very similar.
In order to aid the “copious drainage” (language taken from her chart) an incision was made connecting the places where the skin had perforated. The hope is that the amount of drainage will subside and that this wound will heal “from the inside out” with proper care. If the issue is a bacterial infection that will likely be the case. Tumor necrosis can interfere with skin cells being able to heal, so if the wound doesn’t heal, that would be an indication that necrosis is the cause.
The blood culture won’t fully result for a few more days, and if there are signs of infection in the blood, we’ll have to return for iv antibiotics. But barring that, we should be able to deal with things at home.
We are hoping that starts tomorrow.
Comments
Teri Warners: Hoping and praying for the "deal with things at home" possibility, and no more water incidents!
Susan Norman: Following.…. praying.…
Patricia Boer Fischer : Sendin Hugg's Love ❤️ & Prayers 🙏 Ur Waaaaay ,, Sounds Like a Lot of Visits from Several Different Dept's .. busy 4Sure!! Hopefully 2marow when Penny goes Home 🏡 She'll b-able 2Get Some Rest 😴 !! Thank-U 4the Updates, God Bless Ya's 🙏🌷📖
Alisa Tigchelaar: I'm grateful with you for such a responsive group of teams, Randy and Penny, and for the immediately available temporary shelter from an unsuitable room. Praying now that discharge will happen according to schedule, for preparedness for that transition and for clarity on the cause of Penny's recent symptoms. And praying that the cause will be the one that is the least invasive and most quickly remedied. Much love. 💗
Mary Hulst: Wow, when it rains it pours.… Too soon? Hoping with you that you'll be safely home tomorrow.
Susan Langeland: We will hope with you, Friends! That you may go home tomorrow that wound healing will happen with Randy’s care, and that no infection is found in Penny’s blood. I read your update to Sylvia Talamantes as Bob is driving me to get a blood test to prepare for seeing my oncologist on Friday. She said to please tell you that she is thinking of you. She asked for updates several times a week. And we pray. Love to both of you.
Marie VanderLinde : Hope so too!!!