I am in my cell/suite/hospital room, whatever you want to call it. Haha. I finally have a break in the revolving door with people in and out.  When you are first admitted and get to your room there are a lot of people in and out getting all of your orders in the computer, taking medical history, making sure your meds are all correct, doing vitals, squeezing in a breathing treatment and more random questions along the way.

I did lung functions in clinic today and they are unchanged (only .05 L and 1% “better”) from the 18th. My FEV1 was 1.02 L / 34%. As a reminder, the FEV1 measures the volume of air that is forced out in the first second after taking a deep breath. The percentage is my value divided by the predicted value for a “healthy” Shannon (same age, gender and body composition). FEV1 is the most looked at value when doing lung functions/spirometry so that is the number we pay attention to most. They also did a chest X-ray but the doctor didn’t look at it before I left clinic to go to my room.

The treatment plan (as of right now):  Stop the oral Cipro antibiotic. Continue the IV Zoysn every 6 hours. Start the IV Colistin every 8 hours. I already had a big ol bag of fluids over about an hour and a half to 2 hours. I lost track of time with all of the people in and out so I don’t know how long it took, all I know is I have to pee. Haha. I’m still having pretty bad lung pain so we are managing that as well. I’m doing the usual breathing treatments and vest every 4 hours while awake as well.  I’m in for the long haul and not going anywhere until I show improvement. There may be a chance of me going home on the IV Colistin before 2 weeks but that will only happen when I show improvement and my kidney show they are behaving on no IV fluids helping to keep them flushing.  As of right now, I’m planning on being in here for 2 weeks at the minimum. It usually takes me at least a week and a half to show improvement in general on IVs.  I usually get worse before getting better. I’m in no rush (at this point anyway) to go home because I am ready to feel better. I haven’t felt “better” in too long. It helps that we live close to the hospital so my husband is able to come see me more often.  When we were in MO we were about an hour and 15 minutes from the hospital so he rarely came to see me because it was too far.

If you are local and want to visit, please text me first to make sure I am up for visitors and won’t be busy. I will update when there is something to update.

Until next time…

My wonderful friend took me to my clinic appointment today so my car didn’t have to sit in the parking garage while I am in lock up. I brought the Sherpa I got my mom for Christmas 2 years ago that smells like her because I had my husband spray her perfume all over it. My room smells like my mama. She would want to be here anyway and hated that she was so far away when I was in lock up.  Well you’re here now mom.