Irv Update - January 2011 #7

Dear F&F;

Not the progress we are waiting for, as in farts, passing gas etc. BUT at least Irv is looking more like himself. Finally, today, he had a really good "bath" and was able to shave himself. He in so encumbered with paraphernalia that he can't go anywhere except to a chair from the bed, but he did it today. Yaaah! Since walking would help his digestive system "wake up" the nurse was going to help the nurse assistant follow Irv around his room a little, dragging/pushing all the stuff, to see if his tummy would start functioning again. (He has 2 IV poles running 4-5 different things and a heart telemetry monitor thing. Plus the suction apparatus for the NG tube in his nose and a blood pressure cuff on all the time, plus those squeeze things on both legs. Those last three could be left off for a while.)

Irv was much more "himself" by joking and taunting all of us as well. Roger and Marilyn, Irv's brother and sister-in-law, arrived yesterday afternoon for a surprise visit from Newberg, OR. I had already gone home for the day, but they visited with Irv, stayed in a motel for the night, and then came back this morning. It was so wonderful to have someone give me big hugs! Irv seemed to appreciate the visit almost as much as I did. Irv's biggest complaint is that the TV in the room is only a 19" one, and up on the wall! How was he to see the football games on that? (See, he really must be getting well.)

I was finally able to catch all the doctors who checked up on Irv today. Before, no matter how early I got to his room they had already been in! So today I managed to get there by 6:45 am, and of course, it being Sunday, they didn't start showing up until almost 10:00. No one is concerned that the bowel hasn't started functioning again, today would have been the earliest anyway. The complete pathology wasn't available yet, but again, no one expect there to be any cancer. I am hoping that a more definitive diagnosis can be made from the pancreatic biopsies. Autoimmune pancreatitis has a specific look and Irv had sort of that look last May when the last biopsy was done, but not definite.

I'll be in his room again very early tomorrow in order to catch the doctors, I hope.

For those of you who asked, we live 42 miles from the Bend hospital, St. Charles Medical Center. No flowers are allowed in the IMCU. There isn't a phone in his room so no one can call him. The nurses have been WONDERFUL. I have heard this about the staff for years, and it is true.

I'll keep you updated as thing progress. Gross as it may be, we are praying for farts, or whatever name your family has for them. You do the same!!

Penny