Penthouse View

14th floor - Room 1 - the Million dollar view 

 Quick update this morning because I actually have to work today for the first time in months- My benefits will run out if I don’t.

Ruth made a quick trip to the ICU the other day because of bleeding ulcers. She was only on the ventilator briefly to protect her lungs from blood running from her food pipe into her windpipe.

Her reward was getting a Mountain View room when she transferred back to the Bone Marrow Transplant unit! She’s been asking for a room upgrade the last 2 months but they said the only chance she had was if she went to the ICU. Second ICU stay’s charm! 

I’d post a picture but it was foggy all yesterday. 

She had a more permanent dialysis catheter put back in for potential discharge this week, but of course decides to spike a fever again. I’m really hoping it’s not a fourth episode of fungal blood infection. The fever potentially could be related to the diarrhea she’s been having lately. Poor RN’s have had to change her linens/gown 6+ times a day :(

The gastroenterologist and infectious disease doctors have been consulted. She is at a peak timeframe for graft-versus-host disease where her new bone marrow could be attacking her gut, so it’s one of the possibilities besides infection, or other cause. So stay tuned. 

Gotta get ready for work. I’m ready to remove my caregiver hat and be on the other side of the bed and put in my doctor hat. Gotta go!