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To say that I have been busy for the last two days would be an accurate statement!

I was not able to take Charles to his dialysis on Tuesday so Jon did it for me. I get a call from the charge nurse there about 10 minutes after he left stating that one of his ports occluded and that they needed to arrange to get him into the hospital to have it cleared or replaced. She said that she would call early Wednesday morning to let me know what she was able to arrange and ask if I would be able to get Charles to the hospital. I said I could but I wasn’t ready for the 0530 call!

So we get to the hospital and get registered and into “pre-op” they draw blood and that comes back with his INR being too high. We get home and about two hours later, the hospital calls and said that they were wrong when they verified Charles’ insurance and told us that there would not be a co-pay .. his co-pay was going to be $750!

Notified the charge nurse at the dialysis center and told her we couldn’t handle a co-pay that high and that we needed to have the procedure done at Methodist. So she goes nuts trying to get it all arranged.

By the end of the day, it is set up for an 1100 time. We get there early (0930) so that they can fax a STAT request for the blood work from the other hospital. I should have just gone by the hospital and picked them up!

Charles was finally taken into the procedure room at 1330! Come to find out, it was just some minor clotting because “the dialysis center is not packing the line with enough heparin” according to the doctor and RN that did the procedure.

Needless to say, he missed his scheduled treatment today and is scheduled for tomorrow.

Stopped by Fry’s Electronics on the way home to get Charles a USB extension cable and end up with a few more things then we went in for. (Note to self: Never let an electronics junkie in Fry’s!)

Yesterday, Eric’s rep with the drug supplier for the antibiotics called to get an update on what current supplies were so he knew how much to send. I explained that there were 5 bags that were no good which is why I barely had enough to make it until the shipment arrived. Essentially, 3 bags were dead when they were sent. The seal between the saline and the antibiotic had been broken a long time ago, there was seepage and the antibiotics were viscus and orange when they should be a powder and white; 1 bag would not allow the saline into the antibiotic even after the seal was broken and 1 bag I accidentally punctured when I was spiking it.

So, 1 out of 45 bags was MY error and 4 out of the same 45 were not. The three orange ones arrived to me in that condition and should have never been sent in the first place. The one that would not mix was determined to be a manufacturing error.

Got home and tonight was Eric’s RN visit. She had called about 1700 to let us know she was on her way. Because I had had 5 bags of the antibiotics wasted, the drug supplier told her to reeducate me on how to give IV’s. Well, even after having explained to the rep WHY there were 5 bags wasted he said that I needed to be reeducated! I was pissed! I am glad I saved the damaged drugs!

Then as Eric was preparing the antibiotic for the 1800 infusion, he pulled a bag that had multiple pin holes in the saline bag. So that was also turned over to the RN when she arrived. Once she saw the bag she didn’t even ask me how I administered the IV’s because she saw for herself that none of the damage (except the one) was my fault.

After she left, I changed the dressing on Eric’s foot. After having done some additional research (his foot looked to be getting worse and not better) I found that the method the hospital had me using to clean and dress the wounds on his foot were ineffective. So I am changing the method for a couple of days and hopefully by Monday we will see an improvement again.

Now it is time to shut down for the night, so will update again later.

Shalom!
JT

Well, it has been a little while since I have updated ya’all on what is happening .. so here goes .. brief as it may be.

Alex is home and school has started!  Whoopeee!!!

Charles is acclimating to the routine of having to go to dialysis every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Since DaVita is well know and is also nationwide, we chose to go to one of the ones here close to the house.

His nephrologist (or one of the group actually) comes by just about every time he is there and says that we don’t have to actually go into his office for a visit so that is convenient.

He is getting used to the timing of his pills as some of them have to be timed just right to be most effective.

He is having trouble sleeping in bed so we got him a Lay-z-boy recliner. From what I have learned this is not an uncommon problem with dialysis patients at this stage of their disease.

SSD was filed last night online and got a call from SSA today stating that it was tentatively approved pending on getting them some paperwork. Should see the first check in October or November. Keep your fingers crossed for luck!

Eric is still on his IV antibiotics, will be for a total of 6 weeks. The foot is still healing, albeit slowly but healing.

His SSD has been filed so we are waiting on that response.

Jon lost his job. Something about exiting the building after dark. Hello! He has to go out to empty the trash, clean the restrooms and parking lot. He worked the overnight shift … arrived after dark and left before sun up .. what was he supposed to do? Anyway .. he is helping by playing chauffeur for Charles for me and looking for another job.

Me, well, I am just doing what has to be done.

We all got busy and finally did some serious spring cleaning on the living room, “office” and kitchen .. opened things up a bit. Bedrooms next!

Gotta go for now .. have to design and layout a deck with chair ramp for the front.

Shalom!
JT

My Great grandfathers watched as their friends died in the Civil War.

My grandfather watched as his friends died in WW II.

My father watched as his friends died in Vietnam.

And I watched as my friends died during the Kuwait Conflict and every battle since.

None of them died for the Mexican Flag.  Everyone of them died for the American flag.

Texas high school students raised a Mexican flag on a school flag pole, other students took it down.  Guess who was expelled…the students who took it down.

California high school students were sent home on Cinco de Mayo, because they wore T-shirts with the American flag printed on them.

Enough is enough.

This message needs to be viewed by every American; and every American needs to stand up for America.

We’ve bent over to appease the America-haters long enough.  I’m taking a stand.

I’m standing up because the hundreds of thousands who died fighting in wars for this country, and for the American flag.

If you agree, stand up with me.  If you disagree, please let me know.  I will gladly remove you from my e-mail list.

And shame on anyone who tries to make this message racist.

AMERICANS, stop giving away Your RIGHTS!

Let me make this clear!  THIS IS MY COUNTRY!

This statement DOES NOT mean I’m against immigration!

YOU ARE WELCOME HERE, IN MY COUNTRY, welcome to come legally:

1.  Get a sponsor!

2.  Learn the ENGLISH LANGUAGE, as immigrants have in the past!

3.  Live by OUR rules!

4.  Get a job!

5.  Pay YOUR Taxes!

6.  No Social Security until you have earned it and paid for it !

7.  NOW find a place to lay your head!

If you don’t want to forward this for fear of offending someone, then YOU’RE PART OF THE PROBLEM!

We’ve gone so far the other way . . . bent over backwards so we don’t offend anyone.

Only AMERICANS seem to care when American Citizens are being offended!

WAKE UP America!!!

If you do not pass this on, may your fingers cramp!

Ok, I received this in an email from someone, and since I don’t trust everything that I read, I did a little research .. this is in fact a TRUE posting by Michael Connelly. I have decided NOT to post the version that I received, but I am reposting directly from Michael Connelly’s blog. There have been updates to this, check out his blog!

Shalom,
JT

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The Truth About the Health Care Bills

Posted August 12, 2009

Well, I have done it! I have read the entire text of proposed House Bill 3200: The Affordable Health Care Choices Act of 2009. I studied it with particular emphasis from my area of expertise, constitutional law. I was frankly concerned that parts of the proposed law that were being discussed might be unconstitutional. What I found was far worse than what I had heard or expected. (continue reading…)

No rest for the weary here!

Eric is home and for the most part take care of him self. However, I do have to get up every 6 hours to run IV antibiotics and change the dressing on his foot daily. I started by taking vitals every time I ran the IV, but have since moved to just twice a day unless there is an indicator to check them sooner.

Charles has started to stable out. He is watching what he eats and how much he drinks and has been doing pretty good the last few days.

I spent most of Friday being domestic and yesterday being lazy. Today has been a mix of lazy, sleepy and hot!

More later …

Shalom,
JT

This is a long one .. so click the “MORE” link to read the whole thing!

Where the heck do I start?!

This morning went fine. Got up and made breakfast for Charles and Jon. That was easy because they both wanted a small omelet and I had a hamburger.

Took Charles to his dialysis treatment with the expectation that Eric was supposed to be ready to come home soon. That didn’t happen until late so when Charles and I left DaVita, we headed straight to St. Lukes and picked up Eric. (continue reading…)

Well, Charles has had two scheduled dialysis treatments and seems to be handling the treatments ok. Had some issues Saturday night that I am following up on today. He is scheduled for an additional treatment today .. about to head out for that.

Eric is going to have “exploratory” surgery on his foot tomorrow. Doc is going to clean out the infection pockets that are in the foot and hopefully that will save the foot. Will let you know more about that tomorrow.

Alex is still at his Mom’s. He calls every other day so I am cool with that. I miss him alot.

Jon and I are just trudging through.

More later.

Shalom,
JT

Had a busy day today.

Just got back from doing some grocery shopping with Charles. Took him over to Wal-mart, put him in the wheelchair and let he wheel himself around while I was pushing the cart. Not to bad .. but he is tuckered out now!

Charles had his first in facility (out-of-hospital) dialysis treatment today. A total of 7 hours to do this. Left the house about 1030 and got back at about 1730. Had the initial paperwork to get signed and then his 1200 chair time. Saturday they have some early cancellations, so he has an earlier chair time for Saturday.

While he was doing that, I went around the corner to St. Lukes and visited with Eric. Well, I should say that I napped in Eric’s room!

Eric was out getting an MRI done on his foot. Looked at his toes yesterday and they were not looking good so the doc ordered the MRI for today. They are going to have to call in the podiatrist back because it appears there is an abscess and if t is not taken care of, it could cost the foot. I’ll learn more on this tomorrow when the doc comes through.

Looks like I am going to have to more forward the front porch/ramp project.  Charles is having problems getting up and down the stairs and if Eric does have more problems with the foot, then he is going to need the ramp also. Time to get the drawings out and get it in process of getting funded and installed.

Well, it is midnight, so I need to get the dishes done and get to bed.

Shalom,
JT

Charles is home. He continues dialysis up here close to home on Thursday. So far so good, we’ll keep an eye on things and go from there.

Eric, however, is still in the hospital. Apparently there is nothing wrong with his cardiac functions as there has been nothing mentioned since the tests on Sunday. I’ll find out more about that tomorrow I hope.

His foot, though it is infected, the infection has not crossed into the bone so the foot is safe from amputation.

However, he is still throwing fevers indicating there is an infection somewhere. Most likely from the wound on his foot.

He said he was told he will be discharged tomorrow .. but I am concerned about the fevers and infection.

More tomorrow!

Shalom,
JT

Well, Charles’ new nephrologist is on board and his first “in-facility” treatment will be this Thursday. With that in the works, I should be bringing him home tomorrow or Wednesday.

Eric is “stable” for now. It doesn’t appear that the foot is infected to the point of needed to be removed. So some good wood care should clear that issue up. They are working on bringing his blood sugars down .. and getting his diabetes under control. his eyes are no longer light sensitive and they are treating the retinal infection. So front is being dealt with.

The other fronts are also being worked on .. so hopefully all will work out favorably there.

That’s all for now …

Shalom,
JT