Hospital Update

After being told that there was no tumor in his spine (it was actually a hemangiona, which is essentially a birthmark, not a bruise) last week the doctor explained that he was going to get Rod admitted to the hospital for some more testing.

After not hearing from any doctors again for the remainder of the week, we called on Monday morning and when the doc called back Rod was admitted to the hospital on Monday evening. They did a blood draw late on Monday night for some tests. Early tuesday morning he had to drink an iodine solution (metallic lemonade with a splash of banana that made him gag while he drank it) to prepare for a CT scan of his abdomen and pelvis.

 
 

Around 9 am on Tuesday morning an ultrasound was brought into his room for an echo cardio gram. At around 1030 he was picked up for his CT Scan. At around 12 noon he was given some IV pain meds and he was in heaven from then on! ;)

The doctor came in mid afternoon to report that the CT showed a slightly enlarge spleen and lymph nodes in his belly. Both of those things are indicators of either infection or cancer so we really are no closer to an answer than we were before. We are still waiting on the results of the heart ultrasound (where they are looking for an infection in the heart valves that may potentially be the result of a dental infection.

He's had diarrhea since he had to drink the iodine solution, and then threw up last night after getting more IV narcotics. All this is "normal" and is associated more with the hospital stay than whatever was plagueing him before he got here... it just makes him more uncomfortable.

We have had lots of visitors and Rod is doing a good job of being patient and maintaining high spirits.

Today (Wednesday) they have taken more blood and we are supposed to hear from the doctor again later for more updates (if there are any).

There are many people I haven't called back... sorry! I am spending my days in Rod's room with my work laptop working while he sleeps and gets tests. Once Angus is home from school he is pretty demanding and once we get home and get into bed I take advantage of a teeny bit of alone time and then go to bed myself. There hasn't been much time or energy left for phone calls (which you know I detest anyway, hardee har).

Anyhow, keep thinking about us, and I will update as much as I can.

xoxo