Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Update # 144
Month 53
Good Morning,
Yesterday had record breaking temperatures here in Iowa. As some of you know, I drove up on Monday for Jeff's oral surgery scheduled for Tuesday. Jeff changed dentists back in March and a new dental plan was put into action. Removal of some teeth was going to be necessary for preparation for a few bridges.
Well, Jeff has again come up with something new in his life to add to his medical journey. We are currently sitting in Covenant Hospital in Waterloo trying to determine what actually is this "thing".
Last Thursday, the 5th, Jeff woke up with a fever. He stayed home from work and thought it was just a bug or maybe a cold. When the fever was again present on Friday, he went to convenient care, was told to take Tylenol (which he had been doing) and go home. Again the fever was present on Saturday and convenient care said wait another day. Jeff called his local oncologist, Dr. Masri and he called in an antibiotic. Sunday afternoon, a cough began. Monday Jeff said he was feeling worse as the day progressed. As soon as I got into Waterloo, Jeff, Meridith, and I went to Dr. Masri's office. He worked Jeff into his schedule and said he heard some "cracklings" on Jeff's left side. Since we all figured it was the start of pneumonia, a chest x-ray was done and Jeff received some IV fluids. Dr. Masri recommended Jeff cancel the oral surgery appointment.
First thing on Tuesday, Jeff called and rescheduled his oral surgery. Not long after that, Dr. Masri's office called and said Jeff was to come at 10:00 -- that the "x-ray does not look good". Those are words we don't like to hear! He explained to us at 10:00 that there were some enlarged nodes plus several areas that looked like possibly some infection but could be a malignancy. He said a CT Scan and scope of the lungs would be necessary and suggested Jeff head to Dr. DiPersio in StL. Jeff and Meridith decided to have the scan and scope done here in Waterloo and then determine about going to St. Louis.
Jeff had a CT Scan of the neck, chest and abdomen, finished before Noon on Tuesday and meet with a pulmonary doctor at 1:00. He showed us the scan and said there were lots of things in both lungs (and some pneumonia in the right lung) but feels it is an infection. He had Jeff immediately admitted to the hospital and asked an infectious doctor to come and meet with Jeff. She questioned Jeff and began different IV antibiotics -- some a broad spectrum and some for fungal infection. She gave pills for the continued cough but they did not help.
Last evening, Jeff coughed up a nasty looking sputum that is still in the process of being analyzed. Around midnight, I requested a sleeping pill for Jeff and it has given him the much needed sleep and also has quieted the cough. It's 11:00 AM now and Jeff can easily fall back asleep after being awakened for various things. The partner of the pulmonary doctor will perform a bronchioscopy at 4:15 this afternoon. The infectious doctor said it will take several days to get results but Jeff should be able to be released (guessing tomorrow morning due to late time of today's scope) with antibiotics that cover several things until they know exactly what is going on in his lungs.
Your prayers are again requested through this uncertain time of diagnosing Jeff's lungs. God leads us to the right doctors at the right time and we continue to give thanks. We appreciate all the love and support you send to Jeff's life. I will send another update tomorrow after we see where we are in this process and what the next step might entail. Thanks so much.
love,
Marcia