Dad's Medical Story

This blog will be quick post about the events of his current hospitalization.

December 17-18 Dad was not feeling well, he thought his potassium was low.  Despite encouragement he did not want to got to a walk in clinic but wanted to wait and see his regular doctor on Monday.

December 19th after continued encouragement he went to the emergency room.  His bowels were grossly distended with resultant obstruction.   There was concern that his intestine had flipped and kinked on itself.  In addition he was also found to have an inflamed gallbladder with stones.

December 20th at 2045 he was taken to surgery with Dr. Juan.  He removed a gallbladder that was grossly infected ("near gangrenous") and untangled the bowels (cecal pexy).

December 21st.  Dad did great with the surgery and the next day, his birthday, was in great shape.  He continued to have a distended abdomen without much activity which is common after surgery.  He was coherent and cooperative, up and walking as requested and anxious to go home.    Happy 79th Birthday!

December 22nd much of the same.  Anxious to go home, anxious to eat.

December 23rd.  First time that Dad showed some signs of disorientation.  That is not an uncommon problem in people over 70 who have been hospitalized for a few days, days and nights start to jumble etc.  Around this time he pulled out his nasogatric tube (a tube placed from nose to stomach to drain fluid and gas to help relieve the obstruction).  His abdomen remained distended and not much gas or stool passing.  Around this time Dr Juan started him on IV feeding to help his nutrition status.

December 24th.  Nothing was really changing.  Increasing level of disorientation, not cooperative, may have pulled out another nasogastric tube.  Dr Juan elected to move him to the ICU so there could be closer observation of Dad to prevent removal of the tube.

December 25th.  Merry Frickin Christmas.  Dad is in the ICU.  He was sedated and I suspect restrained at that time.  First with Ativan then Haldol.  Around this time they also supported his breathing with BIPAP (just a mask with pressure, like CPAP).   Still not much bowel activity but otherwise by report he was doing well, no fever no elevation in white count.

December 26th.  Not improving, nothing really changing.  About this time a pneumonia was identified on his chest xray.

December 27th.  Dad was seen by a Pulmonologist Dr Garcia.  He suggested a bronchoscopy that afternoon to take a closer look and get a culture.  Report in the morning is that he was doing okay.  Not sure if it was at the time of the bronch or shortly after that he had a breathing tube placed and was put onto a ventilator to help him breath.

December 28th.  I arrived at 1645.  Dad still had the breathing tube in, good news is that his oxygen had been reduced from 100 percent down to 60 (room air is 20 percent).  The ventilator was assisting him not breathing for him.  Despite the fact that the intubation tube is very uncomfortable plus a nasogastric tube still Dad was not requiring or requesting any sedation.  In fact earlier he had been sitting up reading his kindle.  He got quite excited when I saw him, he tried very hard to write messages with modest success.

During the visit his heart rate was a little to fast for someone with a pacemaker.  One of the cardiologists stopped by and identified that the top part of his heart (the atrium) was beating to fast and inefficiently.  His name is Dr Schecter, nice guy.  Dad was started on a drip medication to slow things down.

Decmeber 29th.   Just got to the hospital.  Waiting to meet with his pulmonologist, Dr Garcia.  Dad had a great night heart rate is down to 60-80 and the drip medication is being slowed.

That is all that I know at this time.  I tried to make the words small and offer explanations.  If I failed just post a question and I will fix it up.