Friday 8/3

One can be told all the side effects but until it happens it is not know for sure.

Now we know for sure. 

Joe's BP has been all over the place not crazy high like 140 but going from 88 to 114 until the Dopamine is controlled. 

He is so beat. So tired and fatigued.

Think parent with a newborn, while being hung over with the flu then add in a marathon and you might be close.

We have been told to not count the doses but we do of course.

For the record here is what has taken place:

Monday 4pm, Mon/Tues midnight, Tues 8am, Tues/Wed midnight, Wed 8am, Wed/Thurs midnight, Thrsday 8am, Thurs/Fri midnight.

When a dose has been held it has been because of BP.

We don't know if today's 4pm will be held (but BP has been good). We don't know if he will be discharged today but his nurse says even those who get the 4pm dose some are still discharged that day.

I'm making tentative plans for us to stay at a hotel in Ann Arbor tonight so he can get some good sleep before going back home.

He is very very tired which is hard to beat when vitals are checked every 15 minutes when trying to regulate his BP but not much better when woken every hour for normal vital checks.

He is getting Tylenol around the clock as well as anti nauseous meds (maybe more than one kind), mouth rinse (mouth sores are common on this drug so they try to keep ahead of it with sodium chloride mouth rinse every two hours), and something for sleep/anxiety.

He has not showered or changed clothes since Tuesday but he has thought about it a few times just not the energy to do it.

He is still getting the Lovenox for the blood clot (at a higher dose than usually which I don't fully understand) and IV lines are flushed with Heprin at least once a day. He is due to have lines changed today if he is not discharged.

He misses the kids and has had moments when he just wants to go home. 

The staff is wonderful and I'm understand how to get around better.

They do have yummy chocolate chip cookies but not as good as the Cleveland Clinic.

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.