I want to start today's posting with a big THANK YOU to everyone that commented after yesterday's post. Those words went a long way towards inspiring Mom today as you'll see below. I know it seems very habitual to read my postings, catch up on what's been going on, and really not see any change. But I can assure you that inspirational comments have an impact every time. Please keep it up.
She slept pretty decent overnight including keeping her temperature down. That's always a good sign that we are monitoring closely.
Her lungs were about 5% clearer than yesterday. They were still about 66% blocked this morning according to Ganguly. I was able to resolve this clearing (which he would not attribute the improvement to actual pneumonia leaving) is due to the steroid. It's intended to clear out the lungs. However it does compromise the immune system further, making her more suceptible to infections. That's one main reason we're watching the fever. I believe I posted earlier this is a good indication of how she's handling any infections. He also said the steroid should clear up her speutum a bit.
Mom's sporting a Harley-Davidson doo rag today, and did get out of bed to sit in the chair for a while. We like the movement any time we can get it to work her lungs. So hopefully there's more to come tomorrow. She's also began to request everyone that comes into the room wear a mask to prevent any potential germ spreading. It's something she's been resistant to at times since it can make her feel sicker than she is. But for now, that's how we'll visit since that's what she wants. What Momma wants, Momma gets. :)
I asked Ganguly when we can expect to see results from the Neupogen, and he said it's hard to say for her. He would not commit to it with her myelodysplasia. He did let me know it requires healthy stem cells in order to work correctly though. Ordinarily it's pretty quick so let's pray there's more of an uptick tomorrow than there was today.
Ok, that's it. Keep up the great work each of you is doing with the positive comments (and jokes), prayers, and overall continued support. We're all in this together. Together we'll beat this.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
12 comments:
OMG I GOT POLE POSITION!
Glad to know there is clearing of the lungs, no matter if it is the steroids or not, improvement is where it's at. I don't know about you Cathi, but this damn pnuemonia makes me down right mad! If you need some one to come in and kick some A$$, just let me know, I'm your girl.
Love and junk,
Sara
Congrats on the pole position Sara! Well deserved!
Cathi this is from Les...I apologize to all if you've heard it before:
Killer Biscuits wanted for attempted murder
(the actual AP headline)
Lisa Burnett, 23, a resident of San Diego, was visiting her in-laws, and while there went to a nearby supermarket to pick up some groceries. Several people noticed her sitting in her car with the windows rolled up and with her eyes closed, with both hands behind the back of her head. One customer who had been at the store for a while became concerned and walked over to the car. He notices that Lisa’s eyes were now open, and she looked very strange. He asked her if she was okay, and Lisa replied that she’d been shot in the back of the head, and had been holding her brains for over an hour. The man called the paramedics, who broke into the car because the doors were locked and Lisa refused to remove her hands from her head. When they finally got in, they found that Lisa had a wad of dough on the back of her head… A Pillsbury biscuit canister had exploded from the heat, making a loud noise that sounded like a gunshot, and the wad of dough hit her in the back of her head. When she reached back to find out what it was, she felt the dough and thought it was her brains. She initially passed out, but quickly recovered and tried to hold her brains in for over an hour until someone noticed and came to her aid. Lisa is blonde.
Much love and keep pounding at the pneumonia brothers and catching the good fireflies!!
Mags
Steroids & neupogen. Hmm. At first I thought they had a new medication for treating hemorrhoids, but after reading Conor's post I figured out my mistake. yuck yuck.
I am so glad that things were better today (Monday). We are all breathing a sigh of relief in your honor as we cheer you on for more successes.
Thought you'd like to know that Ben, aka "Mr. I'll Never Work in Food Service", is now assigned to the dishwashing detail at the Kibbutz. He is incredibly happy with his kibbutz assignment, which he did not know where he was ultimately going until yesterday (Sunday). Of course, he had to call me 15 times in 2 hours Sunday between 2 and 4 a.m. my time to give me the news. I didn't hear my cell phone ring from 3 rooms away. We did figure out that I have call-blocking on our home phone line though.
The kibbutz is near Haifa in the northern part of the country. Far away from the Gaza Strip & the West Bank.
Recycled Joke Time:
Did you hear there is a new pirate movie coming out soon?
It's rated ARRRRRRRR.
Sending lots of good karma and extra love.
-gail
Great day, Sis!! Small steps forward are the best! We beat the PB on every wave today in Newport!
They must have drowned a million times! So many prayers are being said out here for you...I know you can feel them. It has to feel better than this joke will...
"What is a werewolf's favorite Cub Scout event? "A Pack Meeting!!""
Love to you, Us and our praying Friends. (Beat Pneumonia Brothers!)
Hey Cathi -
Glad to hear we have progressed a bit today. Remember the story of the turtle and the hare. Although I'm sure you would like for this to progress and the hare's pace, slow and steady wins every time.
I don't have a joke to share, but will share some funny Bob stories. To get the full effect, you'll have to visualize. Bob is my "brother" from Cub WB in Iowa many years ago. Was from Minnesota then and now lives in the Boston area. Bob is in his late 60's, about 6'4 or 5" tall, weighed in the upper 200's, wears size 15 shoes and walks in a lumbering fashion like a big bear, even tho he's a bobwhite. Got the picture?
Bob has a myriad of medical issues including sleep apnea, congestive heart failure, diabetes, foot problems, neck and shoulder pain left over from falling 40' out of a tree a few years back and cancer. In other words, he has no right to still be alive, but has a knack of keeping you laughing all the time.
As long as I've known him, he will doze off anytime and anywhere. He can doze in the middle of a sentence and 4-5 minutes later will open his eyes and pick up right where he left off.
A few months ago, he stopped at a grocery store to get ice on his way home from wherever, got out of his van and a few steps away, remembered he had a coupon he wanted to use. He returned to the van, looked in the front passenger seat where he thought he had left it and discovered it had fallen in the floor. He stood at the van door and leaned over the seat so he could reach it without having to get back in the van, effectively laying across the seat. He retrieved the coupon and looked back over his shoulder to find two policemen standing behind him. They asked him all the questions - name, address, look at the license, etc. and then asked if he had been drinking. He replied to the negative and invited them to inspect the contents of the cooler in the van (soda and health drinks.) To make a long story short, seems that he had been laying across that car seat for 30-45 minutes, sound asleep! And I do mean sound asleep. A store employee had gone to the parking lot to retrieve shopping carts, discovered this person hanging out of a van and tried to awaken him with no luck. He assumed the man was either in a coma or dead, so he returned to the store, talked with his manager, and they called the police! Needless to say, Bob was a little embarrassed! But even in his embarrassment, he can make you laugh about his antics.
Then there was the time. . .
Oh well, I'll save that one for another time.
Remember, slow and steady WINS!
Judy
Good morning Cathi
So pleased to hear you had a better day yesterday. Those Pneumonia Brothers are on their way out. Drowned in the Pacific by Winston and David!
Okay, here's a silly one for you:-
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Lettuce.
Lettuce who?
Lettuce in and we'll tell you.
There's more where that one came from :) Keep on smiling - laughter really does work wonders!
lots of love
#2 GOT
Good Morning,
Going to be a quick comeent this morning, I have a demo for a guy in Germany that I have to get ready for. We finally got some much needed rain last night and spectacular thunder and lightning storm. Are those steroids going to give you big muscles to fight the PBs, it seems to work for baseball and football players. Since you have a more important mission of fighting the PBs it should work even better for you. The jokes just keep getting better, thank goodness for the internet or I would be waving the white flag.
A motorist had a flat tire in front of an insane asylum. He took the wheel off, but when he stood up he tipped over the hubcap containing the bolts, spilling them all down a sewer drain.
A patient, looking through the fence, suggested that the man take one bolt from
the remaining three wheels to hold the fourth wheel in place until he could get to a service station.
The motorist thanked him profusely and said, "I don't know why you are in that place."
The patient said, "I'm in here for being crazy, not for being stupid."
Okay I got to get busy and prepare for my demo, keep laughing and keep your chin up I just know you can beat those PBs.
Love Ya
GOT #4
Cathi - Since you probably haven't been watching/reading as much news as usual, and I know we are both news-hounds...I wanted to keep you up to date on current, important events: today is NATIONAL UNDERWEAR DAY. Just thought you'd want to know. Celebrate however you want. DEB
Well obviously you won't be able to compete in the Olympics now since you are on steriods, but it is probably still a good tradeoff. Ha. I am in Alton having delivered the last of the items from KC to the new house and I am having Hicholas help me figure out this blog thing, although on my own there is no guarantee of a repeat performance. Ha. We are thinking of you as always and send you our love and best wishes. Nan and Nick
Good morning to a rested Cathi!! The Bob story is hilarious. Thanks for the great laugh!
Winston sends along a joke today...Where are the biggest diamonds in the US?
In the baseball stadiums! Remember the boys ran the diamond in Royals stadium this summer? Cathi has the pictures to prove it.
We are off to see the Angels play tonight. We will see them beating the Pneumonia Brothers in the outfield.Angels in the outfield? Get it?? AIRXO, Rho, Win and David
Ned's Joke of the Day (His blonde sister did not get it....)
Doctor, Doctor, I think I'm a goat!
How long have you felt this way?
Ever since I was a kid....
Philmont Men are home - Mark looks like George Carlin with his beard....
I'm checking late today, having just returned from a two-day visit to a friend in New Hampshire. Great jokes, and I loved the killer biscuits story. How was your day, Cathi? I'm hoping for a good night for you tonight and continued good news in Conor's update tomorrow.
Thinking of you,
Robbie
Post a Comment