Back home at Gilead Lake

Ron needed oxygen for a few hours Saturday afternoon, so we couldn't come home until Monday afternoon. After reviewing everything, the doc thought the IV antibiotics were the best treatment, so I am giving him cefapime IVs every 8 hours. I have done this several times before, and I use his central line.
A nurse has come to our home twice and a PT once. The PT thinks that I should write a book. We will be back in AA 3 days next week. Physical Medicine is going to evaluate him for more intensive rehab.
It is exhausting to be in the hospital 6 days. Then you are hyped up to be home and do too much the first day. I am catching up some with naps and into the routine of new care for Ron. He has improved some the last two days.
Niccole surprised us by arriving on Thursday for the long weekend. I have put her right to work!
I am working on making the arrangements for a moving company to transport some of our belongings to the condo in BG in mid June. The condo will give us more options for where we go from here. Lots of unknowns.
Love,
Jan

Getting answers, making progress

Ron's lab cultures have grown a viral and bacterial "issue". He had parainfluenza type 3 which contributed to the pneumonia developing. The sputum sample has pseudomonas which is an antibiotic resistant bacteria. To treat the respiratory flu, he had an infusion of antibodies-- the one from 1000 donors. Thank you blood donors!! There is not a specific antiviral med for this type of flu.
For the pseudomonas, they have put him back on IV cefapime which is an antibiotic that must be given in the hospital. The bacteria culture is now being tested to see which antibiotic in pill form will best treat it; that result should be back today, so now they are saying he can probably go home Sunday afternoon. His coughing and breathing are much improved. The rapid heart rate, croupy cough, pneumonia and low oxygen saturation were complications of the type 3 flu. He has not needed oxygen the last 2 days.
We will need to come back to AA for ECP light treatments next week. He can't have them when sick because they alter the immune system. The balancing act continues. I will feel okay about going home Sunday, especially since he will be checked next week. He does not complain of rib pain but does take an oxy at night to make sleeping easier. He has not had a fever at all during this illness. Very stoic as you might imagine. Me, too; I guess or maybe getting somewhat numb to all of this.

Quick Update from AA

On Tuesday afternoon we arrived in AA after the closing on our condo in Bowling Green, Ohio. Within a half an hour, a storm blew in with 65 mph winds. That night breathing difficulties which had been escalating worsened. Early in the morning Ron fell off the curb in a parking lot; two men helped me get him up to a picnic table. He refused to go to the hospital until his scheduled appointment at noon. He was admitted because of the fall and his need for oxygen.
Ron has been undergoing testing, and he has pneumonia again and broke four ribs in the fall, so he is taking IV antibiotics and has responded quickly to treatment. He really does not complain of pain from the rib fractures even though there is some displacement. He rarely mentions any discomfort except for skin itching.
So we will be at Mott Hospital where the bone marrow transplant clinics and in-patient hospital for BMT patients - adult and pediatric- are located. Ron will be a patient here for a few more days.

Change

We have been making some changes. Today we sold Ron's truck because for some time he has not been able to drive. He did some "country driving" last summer which was questionable due to his poor vision and reaction time. Also, I know that we will continue to need more assistance with Ron's care and will continue to make trips to Ann Arbor for treatments every other week. I have adjusted to just letting some things go. Ron gets frustrated with my over-mothering. Usually, I let him choose his clothes, decide when to shave, give less comments and direction concerning clutter around his chair, food on his clothes, etc.
On Tuesday we will be closing on a condo in Bowling Green. We will be able to make day trips to his appointments and stay at the condo. It will be wonderful to see Cale's family much more and lean on our Bowling Green friends. We are keeping our lake house in Michigan; we are closer to our siblings here and are in the area where we grew up. Time wise, we will probably be at the lake more days during the warmer months. We will stay in BG during AA weeks and in the winter.
I had my first physical therapy session today, and my recovery is going very well. I expect my knee to be "totally normal" by the end of May.
Put grape jelly out today because I had seen an oriole. Amazing! They love it and such a special sight to see! I finally put out my hummingbird feeder and am waiting patiently. We have numerous yellow finches coming to our feeders, too. Loving nature's surprises...the two deer I have seen frequently were behind our garage today. Very pleased that the pump and well I had drained and winterized on the garage side of the road is working again. I held my breath as I turned it on!

To Honor Ron...

a Relay for Life photo sent by Gregg and Darlene