The Bug Has Been Named

Waiting is over. We have a name for the pesky bacteria that has set up housekeeping in mom's bloodstream.

Streptococcus Viridans.

Not a pleasant sort of bacteria. Dr. P, the infectious disease specialist, suspects that the bacteria has lodged in one of three places. The medi-port, the lungs, or the heart. And I have listed them in the order in which we hope to find them. Obviously, the medi-port would be best. It can be easily removed with surgery, terminating the source of the bacteria problem. The lungs are a little more tricky. She already has a hazy patch in the right lung and fluid in both. Recovery would be slow, but doable. The heart is another story. And this is where mom's background (cardiac care nursing), comes in handy, sort of. I almost wish I were blissfully ignorant of the full import of having the heart involved. If the strep has set up in her heart, it will damage the heart valves, leading to weakness, fatigue, fluid build-up, shortness of breath, etc., etc., a very slippery slope downhill. In a normal, healthy person, the only option if the valves are damaged would be open-heart surgery to replace the valves. With mom's ongoing battle with cancer, we're not sure if she would be a candidate for surgery. Ok, so do you now wish you were blissfully ignorant too? Sometimes, it's just TMI (too much information). But, you've read this far, keep going.

So, that's the word from Dr. P. As he listened to her heart and lungs, he asked if she had a cardiologist she would like to use. Without skipping a beat, she said Dr.McElroy. Dr. P paused and said he didn't know him, and didn't think he practiced out of this Texas Hospital. So, mom said okay, and asked for his recommendation. Dr. P said that Dr. Jane was very good, and we both agreed with a name like that, he's the one for mom! Anyway, about 30 seconds after Dr. P left, mom started chuckling. I haven't heard her laugh in the last 5 days and it startled me, but I asked her what was so funny. And she looked at me and said, Dr. McElroy practices in Peoria, Illinois...(their old hometown.)  Oh, the funny things that happen to our minds in the midst of stress! So glad she can laugh about it. That's the mom we know and love!

So, where do we go from here? Yesterday, they pulled another blood culture from the medi-port. We are waiting on results to rule it in or out as the source of the bacteria. Tomorrow she goes in for another chest x-ray to check on her lungs. In the meantime, they are continuing to give her lasix (a diuretic) to help reduce the fluid build-up in her lungs. And then, on Monday they will be doing an echocardiogram on her heart. This is an ultrasound picture of her heart and will tell us a lot - praying that it tells us all is well, no strep live here!

For now, we are in a holding pattern. Resting, going to the potty, snoozing, going to the potty (the lasix really works!), talking, napping, and going to the potty, oh, and eating too. I have to say that this hospital has an outstanding chef - kudos to the kitchen. Mom has eaten more here than I've seen her eat in a while!

Pray with us as we enter this second week in the hospital. Mom's energy is gone, but her spirit is spunky. We pray for healing, we pray for wisdom, we pray for strength to endure what lies before us.
As I left the hospital this afternoon, a song was playing on the radio. This is what I heard:

Be still, there is a healer
His love is deeper than the sea
His mercy, it is unfailing
His arms are a fortress for the weak

Let faith arise
Let faith arise

I lift my hands to believe again
You are my refuge, You are my strength
As I pour out my heart, these things I remember
You are faithful, God, forever

 

So appropriate for me, for this moment. It's called "I lift my Hands" by Chris Tomlin. And it is a word for today. Be still. There is a healer.

Resting in Grace, Jane