Reality Check

     Ruth is now awake and talking.  She is coherent enough to now realize the gravity of the events that unfolded over the past week.  She is having me type because she is too both mentally and physically fatigued to do so.  Waking up to find out her kidney gave out it was frustrating to learn, though she knew up front there was high probability she would end up on dialysis.  We're still hopeful for some recovery.  Reality is, her kidney (which was a transplant from 22 yrs ago) was already down to it's last leg.  But we do continue to pray for a comeback.  

    Her liver numbers continue to fluctuate, and so she will get a liver biopsy tomorrow.  

   Ruth also grew bacteria and yeast during surveillance cultures from the blood drawn through her central lines, so they removed her central line and dialysis catheter yesterday, and put in 3 new peripheral IV's.  This is on top of glucose check, insulin injections, and stimulating factor injections.   Yesterday was no fun at all.  She felt like a pin-cushion all day and by the end of the day, she felt numb to it all.  Until she engrafts, she is like a human petri-dish until she gets her new immune system online.  

Being bed bound, ill, without eating all all week, she is profoundly weak and has difficulty even moving in bed now.  Because of this, she feels helpless and hopeless.  A physical therapist did come in today, and was a blessing to her.  He gave her a real plan to hang on to at the time of discharge whenever that may be.  She may need assisted living, but it was a boost to her morale just to even think about home.  She misses Naomi.  She misses Scout.  She's tired of me being here all the time...ha, just kidding.  She says I need to bulk up if I am to be her caregiver at home.  Gotta start doing my push ups and squats.  She says I need get "strong legs" and "strong back."  :)

Thank goodness she has her sense of humor back.  

Thanks to the friends who came to cheer her up, who brought cookies, and for all the prayers.  

We're nearing the finish line.  Come on bone marrow!