An
incentive spirometer is a blue plastic hollow column with a white ball inside,
attached at the bottom to a flexible hose with a mouthpiece at the far end The
object of the game is to make the ball hover, halfway up the column, for an
extended period, which requires sustained, supported exhalation and deep
inhalation. This moves the air from the bottom of the lungs, where it’s dark
and moist and infection-prone.
David has
an assignment to do 10 breathes every hour. However, with setbacks and
procedures, this has never happened consistently. But from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. he
has been doing it, in his words, “A lot.” It’s hard work for a leukemia patient
with a major abdominal incision, but David’s a soldier, and a tough one.
The lumbar
puncture was successful, thanks to CT imaging that let the neurologist watch the
needle placement. Cerebrospinal fluid is being analyzed for bacteria and viruses
here at Wrenmimic, and some is winging its way to San Diego for cytogenetic
testing of the fluid for leukemia cells.
Doctors’
rounds today:
·
Surgery will probably remove the wound vac and
staple the incision closed for complete healing in a day or two. Right now the vacuum sponge has clear tape over it, which makes the incision very impressive to see.
·
Neurology continues testing and still can’t find
a cause of the slurred speech and hyper-reflexes.
·
“Hem/Onc (hematology/oncology): We saw all five current
“hem/onc” doctors: the resident, fellow, and three of the attendings, through
the day. The results of the cytogenetic testing will determine the next step.
Meanwhile, David is charged with getting stronger. He’s taking his assignment very
seriously. The two lumbar punctures in two days slowed him down, since he had
to lie still in bed to prevent a post-puncture headache, besides the subsequent
exhaustion. But this evening he stood up with assistance and even got on his tiptoes.
He’s still
having trouble keeping his liquid diet down. The intestines are still
waking up, so the vomiting is a mechanical reaction. He’s slowly eating
milkshakes and finds them delicious. He vetoed Boost and a frozen nutrition cup.
I tried it and it is awful. I couldn’t get it down, and I’m a charter member of
the Clean Plate Club.
Posts
Dear David and Mary,
ReplyDeleteDavid, you really are a soldier and a tough one. You are showing much courage. I carry memories of that from my visit. I hope you both have a good night's sleep. Love, Meemaw Charlotte
Speaking of building blocks, on my facebook page there is a photo of building block soup. This is a "corn pot". The contents on slow simmer include a 3 pound bone in shank slice, 4 pounds of sliced beef marrow bones, 3 1/2 pounds sliced femurs, 4 pounds sliced shin bones, pepper corns - 5 varieties, sea salt, celery tops, carrots, onions & lots of parsley. This is bone marrow construction material and serious beef broth. It will also make world class by onion soup. All the the beef soup bones were certified hormone free [no growth or other hormones used], grass fed, and organic.
ReplyDeleteTomorrow it gets chilled and skimmed and later frozen in pints. There is no equivalent commercial product.
There are no coincidences. Some will go to my friend's son David as I am now certain the bone marrow transplant will be forthcoming. When a body has healing to do, that healing is more likely to be complete and successful with all the necessary building materials. You could think of this broth as a bone marrow transport support food, but it should also make amazing onion soup. And gel.
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