DNR Signed this week

This has been a busy week with lots of appointments. The one Thursday was the hardest of all having had to fill out papers for a do not resuscitate order for Paul. Because of numerus blockages in the heart and all the other health problems this is the only way to insure Paul never has to be on machines against his will. Signed by a Dr. this form with our living will protects Paul's medical wishes.

The weather has been hot and the fishing several weeks ago was bad so I haven't even tried to get out to try my luck.

We are to get our screen door up tomorrow by way of Paul's cousin Roy's son-in-law and I hope he remembers and gets here early while it is coolest.

Last week news

Last week was a busy one for me. Took care of my client in her home, took a lady friend to get fruit and veggies in the lower valley, had a 5 hour class for work and had friends from out of state stop by. During all this I transported Paul to Davita for his weekly check in and shot on Wednesday and to the heart center on Friday. Every two weeks on Saturday I set up Paul's medicine so this was the week for that too.
Not much else happens here except when I find time to fish. Don't catch much and they are small but it's nice to be outside and relax.

Mama and Babies

Surgery went well and both babies and their mom are doing great. Go here to read about them.
http://dtkmkihn.blogspot.com/

Twins and mama need your prayers

My niece has a blog and I'm adding her link so you can read for yourselves about these miracle babies. Please pray for our entire family and Doctors as we help support the parents through this rough time. The babies are at 18 weeks gestation and they need at least another 6 weeks before the Doctors would consider them deliverable and a full 11 weeks is what they hope for. Please take the time to read about twin to twin transfusion syndrome and pray.
Thank you, Linda and Paul
http://dtkmkihn.blogspot.com/

Diasysis Doctor Visit

Today Paul met with his medical team and got some good news on his last set of tests. His home peritoneal dialysis is being done correctly and his important numbers are better than ever. The Dr. has changed when Paul is to take several medications in order to help with his feeling tired all the time. Remember that End Stage Renal Disease is not curable and that the patient must follow strict dietary guidelines to prolong life.

Paul meets with the Dr.'s at the Heart Center on Jan. 27 for a consulation on surgery needed on the leg veins.

Happy New Year

Well the snow is gone for now and we haven't been flooded out. My garden is to wet to get into so it'll have to wait for dryer conditions for me to spend time on it.
We had a not so funny time here Friday night with Paul hooked up to his machine and some how bound to his recliner with the hose through the mechanism and no way to get out and to bed without help. Glad I was home and able to stop the machine and get the two different caps needed to close up the line to the machine and to Paul so I could turn the recliner over and thread the line back out and reconnect him without getting the lines dirty and having to start the procedure over with new product like we did on Tuesday night. Tuesday I had to break down the unit after it ruptured a bag because a line that should have been closed was open. My mistake for not double checking. Any way I had to call the company and get instructions on how to get it all programed, turned off, broken down and cleaned, reloaded with new equipment and restarted , programed, lines attached, primed and Paul hooked up. Then I had to reprogram and do a manual drain which then took one hour. All the time talking to the guide on the phone and relaying numbers to him about the amount we had draining. When we got almost 3 liters it was decided Paul was dry enough so I had to program the machine to finish the session. Wow I learned a lot that night and slept like I'd worked a full shift at a factory.
All for now, Linda
P.S. Spring is coming fast and I found something I thought I'd share with others who like to garden. See the links on the right side.

Paul :<{

Paul took a fall yesterday from a chair ( standing up to put cover back on after changing light bulb). Was stubbron and wouldn't go get an x-ray. So this morning after he told his personal care provider she informed her supervisor gave Paul his breakfast and informed him it was her job to see he got the x-ray. So off to the hospital they went while I was with my client. Paul has no external bruising but is swollen and sore. The Dr. chewed him out for not getting someone to change the bulb and for not getting checked out right after it happened. He said no excuses and it better not happen again given his condition.
......I was like YES!!!!

Spring Weather/ Better Health

The weather here today was warm and nary a breeze. Helped get most of the stuff moved from my nephew and his family's place into their newest rental. Took my great neice to recycle pop cans and at .40 a pound she made over $10.50. I then took her to the credit union where she made her deposit.
A week and a half ago the pic line Paul had worked it's way out of his arm and it never even had one drop of blood with it. I took him to the hospital to get him checked out and even talked to the Dr. who had it put in and then Paul had an appointment this last Wed. and the doc said no signs of infection and no reason at this time to replace the pic line.

All appears well

The weather is better than we can hope for being it is still winter. Paul is doing ok and has had part one of tests at the Heart Center. Part two is 7:45 A.M. on Monday. Feb.20 Paul sees the infectious disease Dr.
Sure glad he had an aide as some of his appointments are at the same time I take a client too.

Hope everyone had a great Valentine Day.

I am tired

It has been a long two weeks and an even longer day today or so it seems. The nurse arrived as I was uploading the blog and she spent over two hours here. Then I had to go to the local V.A. and give them what I had in the way of hospital discharge papers along with new med slips so we can get Paul's statred on his oral antibiotic on Sunday. They said to call tomorrow and check with them. Then off the the drug store for Nepro. Nepro is the latest therapeutic nutrition available for people on dialysis. It is used to help manage blood sugar. Today I also had cat feeding detail (while other people are on vacation) to attend to, then stopped by the grocery and bought the rest of what I needed for supper. Home again jiggidy jog. Cooked, ate, cleaned and folded three batches of laundry I washed eariler. Heard Paul's med pump start working at 10P.M. so I know that it is going to be fine till morning when I'll have to disconnect the old and start a new bag. Off now for a nights rest!!! I'll try and post every few days as time permits. Oh yes tomorrow will be another full day part of which will be getting my great neice from school. Won't have her long as her mom is off 15 minutes later from work and then it takes about that long for her to get home. By that time Paul will be out of dialysis. REST!!!!!!!!ZZZZzzzzzz......

Paul is home

Yes it is true but now we wait for a health Nurse who was to be here at noon. She is to set up the IV.

We'll see!

As of 9 P.M. tonight Paul is to be home tomorrow. We'll see. ;-] Linda

Plans changed

Yes the plans have been changed again. The reason is that the dialysis cathater is plugged and Paul will wait in hospital till his kidney doctor and the surgeon get together on Monday and decide what to do. So for now you know as much as i do on this subject. I'll blog again as soon as I hear what is planned. Linda

The latest on Paul

On 1/30/2008 the doctor told Paul he would have to stay in the hospital 9 more days because he still needs antibiotics IV. This morning 2/1/2008 Paul was told he'd be going home sometime today. At 2:30 Paul called and said plans had changed again and he'd have to stay till Sunday.
This afternoon they put a PIC line in Paul's upper inner arm and we are to get trained Sunday on how to do IV at home without breaking sterile. :>] We both understand how but must demonstrate to the professionals so we can do so safely at home. Four times a day at six hour intervals and with dialysis twice during the week and having the health nurse here at least on Monday will not be so bad. Hopefully by Friday that procedure will be finished and Paul will start on oral antibiotics.
Yesterday the doctor ordered medicine be placed in the dialysis tube instead of the normal back flush of heparin to try and get more of the infection killed. This is the third infection since September and the worst.
All the doctors on the team treating Paul have said they are working to get him well and strong enough and ready for the heart doctor to release him to have the fistula surgery. This is done by nicking the atrety and vein and sewing the nicks together. The pressure of the artery increases that of the vein and helps the vein grow large enough to carry blood back into the body during dialysis. This growing takes about six weeks and when mature this area will be used for the dialysis making the tubes in the chest unneeded. Thus when the fistula is up and working Paul will face more surgery to remove the tubes that are causing most of the problems (according to the doctors) removed.
That's all for now folks but be assured it won't be the last. Please leave me a note in the comments that you visited and any messages for Paul will be given to him. ....... Thank you all for your prayers. Linda

Update on Papa Paul

Today is great cause Papa took a walk down the hall and around the corner to the dialysis room in the hospital but then it is more than he has been able or willing to do. On Saturday they started treating Paul every six hours with an antibiotic I.V. Thursday and Friday they were giving him what they thought he needed. Then they read the lab results and told him he'll have to stay in the hospital for a while. The way Dr. Karen Harrison put it, "You're here for the long haul." She said the infection is a bad one and she wants it gone before Paul gets to come home. We do know that infection in the tubing is the biggest thing to worry about and want you all to be praying with us that the infection clears and that the Heart Dr. will let us know soon when Paul is strong enough to have his fistula done. The Dr.'s really want to wait for a full six months from heart attack and stent procedure to do any surgery but with the infections occuring they might not be able to wait that long.

Papa's in the hospital

Papa went to hospital by ambulance at 1:30 A. M. Thursday and will be staying several days. There is another infection and the Dr.'s want to get it knocked out without having to change out the dialysis setup. Paul is on blood thinners and that makes surgery a real hazard. Hospital Dr. and the kidney specialist today also found out that the family Dr. had prescribed something they don't want a person on dialysis to have and promptly stopped that medication. Paul was to have a stress test Monday at the Heart Center but with him confined to the hospital that is on hold again.

Home

Our home is small (just under 1,000 sq. ft.) and comfortable enough for the two of us and our pets. We have two cats, one dog, six goldfish and uncounted feeder guppies.
We live in Washington on a high desert area and have to irrigate during the growing season if we want to see any color other than brown in our yard. In the spring there is plenty of color in the many flowers and one tree in the yard. Part of the back yard is a veggie garden and this year will be worked again since laying fallow. It was hard for me not to work in my own garden in 2007 but found comfort in spending time in my neighbors garden instead.
My hubby Paul is 69yrs. old and doing better since beginning dialysis in Sept. 2007. More on that subject in another post.
I will be 56 in Feb. and am interested in flower, fruit and veggie growing which I'll report on in another post. I'll also post photos soon.