Little Rock Stay Extended

We were unable to control Carla's pain with the meds prescribed on her hospital dismissal.  We called the surgeon's office and talked to one of his residents.  Basically they said they weren't responsible now that she was out of the hospital.  They wanted us to contact her primary care physician back in Springfield.

We saw Dr. Barlogie this afternoon.  Once he saw Carla's condition, he wouldn't talk to us about myeloma maintenance.  He said she should not have been dismissed from the hospital.  He told her to take oxycodone for break-through pain and he got her an appointment with the pain doctor in the Cancer Center tomorrow morning.  He is trying to get her an appointment with an infectious disease doctor as he was concerned about her CRP being so high and her blood counts so low.  He wants her to have blood drawn daily so they can monitor her better.  He doesn't want us to leave Little Rock until after we see him on December 10th.  If she is better then, he will talk about maintenance.

Now we have to wait and see how this week progresses and see about where to stay once our sub-lease expires this Sunday.

Dismissed from the hospital

Carla was dismissed from the hospital this afternoon.  She is now settled into the bed in our apartment.  She still has a lot of pain but seems to be doing OK.  Hopefully she will be able to make her 2:00 appointment with Dr. Barlogie.  I am going to attempt to get it cleared at the clinic ahead of time so she can be wheeled directly to the top doc and not have to spent time in the waiting room.  Dr. Barlogie told us to do that this time.

Carla was coughing up some mucus tonight and I feel like I am coming down with a cold.  Hopefully a good night's sleep in the quiet apartment will help both of us.

Happy Thanksgiving

As we reflect back on this year, there are so many things for which we are thankful.
a.  For our many family and friends who have support us as Carla has gone through this myeloma experience.  Your thoughts, prayers, friendly phone calls and uplifting words have meant a lot to us.
b.  For the great doctors and researchers who have persevered in their hunt for a cure for this terrible disease called multiple myeloma.  Dr. Barlogie is leading this charge.  We are thankful that the Myeloma Institute is within driving distance from Springfield.  Many of the myeloma patients and their caregivers have to fly to Little Rock for each of their sessions of therapy and for their many checkups during maintenance.
c.  For Home Away From Home apartments for which we have been able to use for all of the chemo treatments but one and during this stay for Carla's surgery.  It makes me wonder what needs are in our community back home that need to be addressed by us.
d.  For God's sustaining strength as Carla "walked in the shadow of death" during each of her six chemo therapies and stem cell transplants. 
e.  For good medical insurance that has spent upwards of a million dollars on Carla's treatment.

Update on Carla's condition:
Early in the week it seemed like they could not control Carla's pain.  Tuesday evening they installed a morphine drip and a couple pain pills besides her oxycotin she has been on since her August 2009 back surgery.  Once the pain subsided, Carla was able to get her badly needed rest.

Wednesday she was able to get up and sit in a chair a couple times.  This was a good break from the bed.

Tuesday night her temperature went up to about 100.5 and stayed there for about 24 hours.  It is only slightly elevated now.

If they can get her off the morphine today there is a good chance she can be discharged to our apartment tomorrow.  If not Friday at least by Saturday.  She has an appointment to see Dr. Barlogie at 2:00 on Monday.  We plan to head home whenever we determine Carla is up to the four-hour trip.  We have the apartment rented until December 5.

I thought I would share a couple pictures with you.  Carla lost her hair during Induction 1 the first of December 2009.  Since the completion of her chemo the first of September, her hair has returned.  The myeloma patients are always concerned about what color their hair will be when it returns.  You can see a red tint to Carla's hair.  The scab on her scalp was where a needle sensor was inserted during her surgery to monitor her brain signals. 

Carla is on the eighth floor of the "new" hospital.  Her large east window looks down Capitol Street.  The tall tower on the left is the new Rockefeller Cancer Institute.  This is building houses the Infusion Center.  During each chemo sessions Carla would go to the Infusion Center each day for her blood draws and any necessary IV's or blood transfusions.

The tall building on the immediate right is the Eye Institute.  The next building on the right is the Spine Institute.  This building houses the Myeloma Institute.  Dr. Barlogie's office is in this building as are all of the MIRT physicians.

Far down the street that runs by the Spine Institute is the Arkansas Capitol building.  It is near the two tall buildings in the background.  This is a nice view at night.  I thought I would get a picture of the lighted Capitol but the last two evenings have been too stormy and foggy for a good picture.

Here's wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Surgery

We reported to the UAMS Hospital at 5 a.m. only to be told Carla was an "add-on."  Nobody could tell us what that meant only that she was not scheduled for surgery.  About 7:30, the surgeon's nurse came and told us that in preparing for the surgery the surgeon had deemed the June CT scans to be outdated for a myeloma patients whose bones grow and change rapidly.  So Carla was rushed for a CT scan and then went to the OR about 11:00.  She was in recovery shortly after 2:00 and in a private room shortly after 5:00.

The surgeon said he removed the rod from her back and replaced it with a longer one.  The rod extends from vertebrae T5 down to T11.  He also attached bones to the existing vertebrae. 

Carla is resting comfortable now that she has her does of pain meds.  I probably will leave if she seems settled for the night.

Surgery Update

Carla's surgery is scheduled for 7:00 a.m. Monday at the UAMS Hospital in Little Rock.  She is to check in at 5:00 a.m.  We plan to drive down on Sunday and take the westerly route through Centerton, Arkansas.  We will have lunch with my son John, his wife Lauren and their soon-to-be year old daughter Olivia.  It is longer to go this way rather than highway 65 but it is four-land all the way and it is less hilly.

Praise the Lord!  We received a call yesterday from Home Away From Home.  We have an apartment that that we can get this Sunday and cane stay as late as December 5th.  Another myeloma patient has it rented but is going home on break and wanted the apartment when they returned so they are subleasing it to us!

Spine Surgery Scheduled for Monday, November 22

Carla's back surgery is scheduled for Monday, November 22.  We plan to drive down on Sunday.  This surgery is to repair the loose screw holding the bottom of the rod used to fuse the two vertebrae above T7 with the two vertebrae below T7.  The T7 vertebrae is the one that was partially removed in her August '09 surgery.  Likely the surgeon will remove the rod and insert a longer rod thereby fusing more vertebrae together. 

The loose screw is dangerously near Carla's spinal cord.  This surgery will remedy that problem and hopefully it will make her back be more comfortable with less pain.  Hopefully the pain meds can be reduced.

The surgeon thinks Carla will be in the hospital about five days and he wants her to stay in Little Rock for a week after surgery.  We may be able to sub-rent one of the Home Away from Home apartments or stay in a motel.  Hopefully her hospital stay will not be extended due to Thanksgiving.