Post #55 - So what happened during the doctor visit on Wednesday?

We made the two hour trip to Moffitt and went to the BMT clinic for blood work. Shortly after we met with the PA and the physician. We discussed all the issues that Bill has been dealing with and got many answers.

A culture of the sores in his mouth were done to determine if the Herpes (HSV) was back. We should have those results in a few days. A culture was also done of his tongue too, it looks like Bill may have a fungal infection there. The doctor was absolutely positive that the fevers that Bill has been having is a direct result of the sores in his mouth. Know that was a big relief, as I was concerned something more serious could have been brewing. Bill has not eaten anything since last Saturday, other than the feeding through the ng tube. On Wednesday his weight was 129, which is great and shows that he is maintaining and not losing.

The Dr. took one look at the ng tube that Bill had in from last Wednesday and said it was the wrong tube and need to be change. The nurse that does the procedure came to the clinic and put in a new ng tube, the original one he had.

The last issue to deal with was the swelling in his legs and feet. The blood work showed that Bills creatinine was 2.0, which is double what Bills base line is and should be. That is the reason for his swelling, his kidneys are not functioning properly. This is the biggest issue that needs to be dealt with. An ultra sound of the kidneys was done and a plan of action will be created from the results. Urine was also obtained. The Dr. thinks the issue may be the same one that we have been watching, which means the solution would be to have a stent put in the tube between his kidney and bladder. We will know early next week.

The visit on Wednesday lasted seven hours in all between tests and appointments, a long day and then a two hour ride back home to Titusville.

Now that we have answers we are both feeling a lot better. Alright, I am feeling a lot better. Being a caregiver and making sure the patient has everything they need to get better puts your guard up. When something changes or matches the symptoms that they tell you to watch for, the tendency is to worry. I did a lot of worrying. I feel much better and can now put my energy to working on what I can which is to help Bill get better.

Due to the issues that have popped up (another bump in the road as the Dr. puts it) we are back on weekly visits to Moffit BMT clinic, so our next appointment is on Wednesday.