Irv Update - September 2011 #15

Dear F&F; Irv's heart settled down overnight and he is mostly in a normal sinus rhythm. He was up for short walks that he managed successfully. Unfortunately, he is growing a new bacteria called enteroccus. Is is often a hard bug to treat so he has been put on a "big gun" antibiotic called Vancomycin. He is now on two IV antibiotics. Plus, I can't remember if I mentioned it before, but he is also growing yeast. Both of these are in that pleural fluid that surrounded his right lung. His electrolytes are low, probably because there isn't any bile going thru his digestive tract - it is all draining into a bag outside of him. So he has to take these huge potassium pills that even cut in half he has a hard time getting down. Surgery is still scheduled for Saturday. Dr. Biehl was in and said that he isn't completely sure what will be done: first, Irv still doesn't have a diagnosis, and second, he has no idea what he will find after he opens up Irv's abdomen. With the complete bile duct blockage and the previous small bowel obstruction surgery, plus pancreas abnormalities, it could be a right mess! The possibility of a modified Whipple will be listed on the consent form for surgery. Scary stuff. We have had several management types visiting us and "listening to our concerns." Sure they are, they are just putting on a big show since I pissed and moaned so much. One GI person stated that Dr. Siegel DID know that Irv has a bowel blockage. I don't believe it. Dr. S. apologized to me for perforating the pleural space, yet when I told him about the bowel blockage he didn't say "Oh, yes, I knew about that." He said not one thing referencing the blockage. The words never came out of his mouth. Makes me wonder if he really did. In other words, I have yet to suspend my disbelief. I have requested that one GI doctor we had only met for about a minute after he did a procedure on Irv in the spring, NEVER talk to us again. He came in to chat yesterday. I found him to be condescending, arrogant and his opinion of the nursing staff was insulting. He's the one that told us that "most doctors do not read the RN chart notes, but expect the nurses to verbally tell the MD's if they have a specific concern about a patient." So, 95% of the care of a patient, according to Dr. Gan, isn't important for the doctors to take the time to read about. ALL the medical records here are electronic so there isn't any handwriting difficulties, etc. What a bastard!!!! Where is a phaser set to 'stun' when you need it? If this is an example of "Team Medicine" it is obvious the team of Dr. Gan doesn't include the nursing staff. On we go. This is a hard journey Irv and I are taking. In 6 months I hope to look back after gazing fondly at my healthy husband and say: NEVER AGAIN! We have suffered enough. Penny