I blog because I can't do anything
Nov. 22nd, 2009 12:16 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
geminigirlI got the morning update from my sister early this afternoon, and the afternoon update this evening.
My brother is fighting the sedation. They've put in a central line because his veins started collapsing with all the IVs-Mom said at one point he had 9 different ones in. He has these mini-seizure like episodes, but among the medications he's getting, one has some anti-seizure components to it.
His temperature was up this morning, but down in the evening. They had to turn up the ventilator quite a bit because he was having trouble breathing, but they were able to turn it back down a little bit tonight. His white blood cell count is down a little further.
A third surgeon was brought in to consult tonight, and they're probably going to do another CT scan tomorrow, to check and see if there's an abscess that's causing problems, in which case it means more surgery which everyone wants to avoid. His belly is still quite distended, and there's talk of trying to insert a drain to remove some of the fluid, in addition to whatever medications they're giving.
And if this weren't enough...my Dad's car is having issues and needs to go in for service-when I spoke to the family earlier tonight, they were on the way to go rent a car so that Dad can get around...and last night the refrigerator and freezer broke...so Mom and my sister were up until about 3 in the morning, pulling everything out, finding coolers and getting ice, all in the middle of the night. I think they found someone to come and repair it today-apparently GE has some kind of 24 hour hot line, my sister called them and arranged it.
My brother's boss has been very helpful (he's based down here near me) and his co-workers have been as well. My Mom's office has taken on the job of feeding the family. I'm very grateful that there are people who are doing that for them. I'd offer to write thank you notes for my Mom, but I don't think she's ready for that yet...she'll do that when this is over.
My family is physically and emotionally exhausted. It's been ten days on this ride. And all they tell me is "just grow a healthy baby." And well, I've been trying to do that, but I'm still feeling like my contribution is inadequate. I hate feeling this helplessness. Because being together would be better than being apart. And being together would be more stressful for them than being apart.
So we'll wait. Because that's the best thing we can do right now.
And I am still stuck here, unable to do anything.
My brother is fighting the sedation. They've put in a central line because his veins started collapsing with all the IVs-Mom said at one point he had 9 different ones in. He has these mini-seizure like episodes, but among the medications he's getting, one has some anti-seizure components to it.
His temperature was up this morning, but down in the evening. They had to turn up the ventilator quite a bit because he was having trouble breathing, but they were able to turn it back down a little bit tonight. His white blood cell count is down a little further.
A third surgeon was brought in to consult tonight, and they're probably going to do another CT scan tomorrow, to check and see if there's an abscess that's causing problems, in which case it means more surgery which everyone wants to avoid. His belly is still quite distended, and there's talk of trying to insert a drain to remove some of the fluid, in addition to whatever medications they're giving.
And if this weren't enough...my Dad's car is having issues and needs to go in for service-when I spoke to the family earlier tonight, they were on the way to go rent a car so that Dad can get around...and last night the refrigerator and freezer broke...so Mom and my sister were up until about 3 in the morning, pulling everything out, finding coolers and getting ice, all in the middle of the night. I think they found someone to come and repair it today-apparently GE has some kind of 24 hour hot line, my sister called them and arranged it.
My brother's boss has been very helpful (he's based down here near me) and his co-workers have been as well. My Mom's office has taken on the job of feeding the family. I'm very grateful that there are people who are doing that for them. I'd offer to write thank you notes for my Mom, but I don't think she's ready for that yet...she'll do that when this is over.
My family is physically and emotionally exhausted. It's been ten days on this ride. And all they tell me is "just grow a healthy baby." And well, I've been trying to do that, but I'm still feeling like my contribution is inadequate. I hate feeling this helplessness. Because being together would be better than being apart. And being together would be more stressful for them than being apart.
So we'll wait. Because that's the best thing we can do right now.
And I am still stuck here, unable to do anything.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-11-22 06:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-22 01:48 pm (UTC)I am sending the good thoughts, for whatever that's worth.
no subject
Date: 2009-11-22 06:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-22 07:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-22 09:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-23 09:18 am (UTC)