And Back Home Again

     Annie and I were able to drive home on Monday, after another spell at Duke, both in and out-patient.
Tests, Labs, and exams  showed infections of unknown origin. The treatment was antibiotics and anti fungals.
This stay at Duke was another great educational opportunity for us both, as we struggle to understand the terminology and conditons that our Medicos have spent years studying.  At least we now feel that we can pose relevant questions.

      This was a bit of a close call, with the high fever.  The lesson is to wear a mask, even if I am alone on the beach until my immune system has a chance to start acquiring a library of all the stuff out there that a normal immune system deals with every day.

    I am feeling lucid enough to trust posting some of the Blog entries I have been working on,
stay tuned.


C

Back at Duke

     Last Monday Anne and I were walking our mile on Radio Island Beach. At 11:00pm,  100.4 fever sent us to Carteret General  ER where we were kept until the fever broke, and sent home before we"caught something really bad in the ER".  0800 the following am found us at the Raab Clinic where they stashed us in a small exam room, ran labs and got a dialog going with Duke.    IV antibiotics were started for suspected possible pneumonia and staph infection on plastic catheter tubing.

     Admission to Carteret General was arranged, and I moved across the street and got settled in. After Hickman catheter was removed ( with the tip saved for biopsy ) and an  IV was started for meds and blood products.Chest x-ray showed fluid build up in and around lungs.

     And so on Friday the 8th of August I set off for Duke again, strapped down in the back of the Ambulance. Blew the inside left rear tire coming into Kinston.  The Medicos called around and there was a Dukemobile just up the road in Smithville, and I was trans-shipped right outside the McDonalds Drive-Thru there in Kinston.  No one laughed when I asked if Fries came with it.

     Got to Duke and the Night Doc said he had never see such complete and thorough documentation and set of medical records arrive with a transfer from "outside".  It gave me a chance to brag on the Raab Clinic, and CGH.

     So I have been here for 3 nights, and Anne has been up for two, staying with Robin and Willie. I have had  more Chest X-rays, a CT Scan, multiple labs,  tests, a new PIC line ( double Lumen )  installed ( very cool, got watch the positioning on ultrasound screen. The Guidance system also has a tiny gps in it, an works like the rigs for running underground lines, knowing where they will pop out it the ground!)

     I will be up here for a while, until we can get me balanced again and the risks of congestive heart failure and fluid filled lungs are sorted out.    Stay tuned.

Chris