Monday, February 22, 2010

Case of the Mondays...

We've had another eventful day here in the Bixler household. Mondays are homecare-nurse-visit days, blood-draw days, hold-your-breath days. We spent another weekend trying to decide if we needed to call the doctor or take Maggie in to the hospital. It was becoming clear that Maggie had taken a step backwards with her breathing and we assumed that pneumonia was making a comeback. As soon as we would decide to call the on-call doctor, Maggie would seem to improve, so it never happened. We were monitoring her breathing rate throughout the weekend and it was approaching where it was during our inpatient stay, then it would drop to a closer-to-normal level. We knew a nurse would be here today anyways.

The nurse assessed Maggie and gave an update to Dr. French, who decided to have her come in to be checked out. Her oxygen saturation numbers were at the level that is on the verge of needing oxygen and hospitalization. So they gave her some breathing treatments, looked her over, and took another chest x-ray. Ultimately, her x-ray suggested that pneumonia wasn't coming back. However, something is causing her to have difficulty breathing. The hypotheses are 1) that it is fluid related; maybe her TPN rate is too high and her chest is assuming some extra fluid. In case this is the cause, she got an IV diuretic today. Or, it could be lingering effects of her cold and recovery from pneumonia. What is clear is that the cause of it all is unclear. Ultimately, we got a surprise at the end of a long day--Dr. French let us go home today. We'll check her oxygen saturation on Wednesday and continue the breathing treatments from home.

It's getting to be routine for Whitney and Maggie to have long days on Mondays (in the clinic or getting admitted to the hospital). The uncertainty, disruption of routine, the stress of watching Maggie scream through x-rays and breathing treatments....they're no fun. So, in reality, we're worn out, right from the beginning of the week. At the same time, we know that it is better to be struggling with these issues than with worries about her cancer.

This is how it goes and we have to deal with it.

3 comments:

~Tina Miller~ said...

Dear Andy and Whitney, My continued prayers for all this to go away and to have no more disruptions with Maggie's health or in your lives! May Maggie start to move forward again real soon. I understand how difficult it is to hear her scream through her x-rays and breathing treatments...but at least hearing her scream lets you know how strong she really is. She is a little fighter with a strong personality! Don't worry, just take one day at a time and keep believing! :) I pray everyday for Maggie to be 100% healed! May the rest of your week be wonderful and never forget God is always on your side! Take great care...much love and prayers, Tina
P.S. SENDING YOU ALL THREE WISHES FOR LOTS OF FUN, GOOD TIMES AND LOTS OF SMILES FROM MAGGIE TO YOU BOTH THIS WEEK AND FOREVER! :)))

E said...

Praying for you three--that a complete recovery would be made for Maggie and that you'd be able to continue to deal with the "Monday's" of life. Hugs!

Anonymous said...

Hang in there guys! Hopefully this days are numbered and Maggie will be healthy for the rest of her life. I'm praying for you. Text me next time you are at the hospital for so long, I'll come and sit with you. Hugs, jess