June is here already...

I've been doing really well now for about a week. I'm eating and keeping food down okay. Gained 10 lbs back. I will have another CT scan in 2-3 weeks to see if they can find the source and or cause of the bleed I had on April 26th. My energy level is increasing every day. Thank you all for your kind thoughts and prayers. Love you all, Alan.

May 14

Hallelujah! Alan feels significantly better today!

We finally got a call back from a GI doc yesterday and he said he felt the reason Alan is having so much stomach trouble is because the pool of blood in his peritoneal area is constricting his duodenum. (Yes, we really have a body part called a duodenum. It's at the bottom of the stomach leading into the small intestines.) He also said everybody dissipates blood at their own rate and it's not unusual for it to be taking this long. We both felt better just knowing this information. The doctor also said it could take up to 2 weeks for the increased dose of acid reflux medicine to take full effect. Alan also quit taking the iron pills yesterday.

Whatever the reason(s), he is feeling much better today and kept down last night's yogurt. Actually he can have another one now. It's been an hour since he took an acid reflux pill. I think we may have finally turned the corner on this thing! He feels good enough today that he said he might want to go with Patti and I to the movies this afternoon, even though we are planning to see a chick flick. Maybe he's delirious. Patti and I are going to see "Bridesmaid". I consider it research for Bryce and Jess' upcoming big event.

Thank you all for the concern you have shown for Alan. Your prayers, cards and messages have meant a lot to both of us.

May 13

I haven't written anything for a few days because it seemed to be getting pretty repetitive. Unfortunately, not much has changed. We were in ER yesterday morning because Alan needed to be hydrated. He still can not keep much down, so got dehydrated. Last night was a little better. He kept down a scrambled egg and some jello. This morning he had an Ensure and although he has kept it down so far, he has that uncomfortable acid stomach again, in spite of doubling his dose of acid reflux medication and taking a anti-nausea Rx given to us by the ER doc. Anyway, I have left 3 different strongly worded messages at the Vancouver Clinic this morning. We need some answers! It seems hard to believe he should really be feeling this miserable almost 2 weeks after getting out of the hospital.

May 10

Well today has been a little disappointing. After doing well with Cream of Wheat last night, Alan had some again this morning and had a "sour stomach" all day. Friends from church (Marshall and Angie Pendleton) brought us a delicious chicken dinner complete with salad and dessert. Alan did eat a little of it. Eric and I really enjoyed it. I think the Pendleton's could open a restaurant. The back story is that Marshall was raised in Anchorage and his parents are close friends of Alan's brother, David, and sister-in-law, Marilyn. It was so sweet of them to do all this for us. They barely know us, but I think we both feel a connection because of our family in Anchorage. Sometimes it is really a small world!

May 9

Alan actually ate a little real food today! It was only Cream of Wheat, but that's a start. Really his only complaint now is lack of energy. He just plays out quickly. It will take time to build up some blood and get his stamina back.

May 8

Hi Again,

Alan is better today. He felt up to going to church this morning. The switch to liquids (and small quantities of those) has helped with the nausea. He also slept well last night which helps everything. We spent a lot of time yesterday cleaning our bedroom and raising the head end of the bed and he feels that helped him to sleep better. We probably should have done it years ago since he suffers from acid reflux. I am referring to raising the bed, not the cleaning. We have done that occasionally in the past!

At church I ran into Michelle Johnson. She lost her husband about 8 months ago. It turns out his cause of death was a retro peritoneal bleed. He had been sick for several months, and was on Coumadin, so there was a little more of an explanation for it, but I still was stunned to hear his death certificate lists that as the cause.
We are so fortunate Alan's bleeding stopped on it's own. He didn't even require a transfusion, although he was close to it. It is such a rare condition and yet it afflicted two people from the same congregation less that a year apart.

My mom is bringing us dinner today for Mother's Day. My dad is on soft foods after having a tooth extracted two days ago and Alan is eating nothing, so I think Mom and I should have just gone out to dinner! I'm just glad to have my mother and my husband. That is all the Mother's Day I need, but as a bonus, Eric did cook breakfast for me.

Thanks again for the calls and cards and emails. Alan really does appreciate them.

May 7

Alan had a lot of nausea yesterday. We ended up calling the after hours GI doctor on call. He said to stop all solid food, and that seems to have helped. He is drinking Ensure and had been feeling quite a bit better, but just had another round of nausea. He thinks maybe he should not have drunk an entire bottle of Ensure at once. Keep those prayers coming. It appears this is going to be a long recovery.

May 5

I forgot to write anything yesterday, but there really isn't much to report. Alan is making slow and steady progress, feeling a little better each day. He was glad to have only minor night sweats last night. I may not post anything for awhile now. There probably won't be much to report until we see Dr. Meitz.

Thanks again for all the support with cards, emails, texts and visits. It really did (does) lift Alan's spirits. I know it is hard for him to still be so weak, but as I said, I see improvement each day!

May 3

We saw Alan's primary care doctor, Greg Hallas, at 4:00 today. He is not too concerned about the fever. Alan is better today, so we agreed he should just take Tylenol regularly to try to control the fever and pain. Alan doesn't think he needs the vicodin anymore, but we have it if he does. Alan also stopped at the lab to leave blood and urine deposits. Dr. Hallas told us Alan lost 1/3 of his blood. It will take at least 4 weeks for the body to regenerate that much blood. In the meantime, he will probably feel a little stronger and have a little less pain each day as the blood dissipates from the cavity and regenerates in his vascular system. Dr. Hallas suggested Alan not work this week, and try to return half days next week. I see definite improvement. He is still very weak, but the fevers are lower today and he is able to get up and down a little easier, walk around a bit, etc. We will call tomorrow to make an appointment with Dr. Meitz for the ultrasonic endoscopy. It will be a few weeks out after the blood dissipates. Dr. Hallas says it should give us a very good look at that area around Alan's pancreas.  
I'm glad Alan has a Dr. Hallas as his primary care doctor. He likes Dr. Hallas a lot and has a lot of confidence in him. We are also grateful for all the top notch specialists who saw Alan in the hospital. We may never know what caused this bleeding, but they are not giving up yet. The good news is Alan's heart seems to be in great shape. Dr. Hallas said he just had the equivalent of a stress test and came through it with flying colors!

10:30am

I just had a snickerdoodle cookie :-)

05/03 8:30

Woke up several times during the night drenched in sweat. Temperature is down at 99. I am anemic from blood lost and was directed to take iron pills. My urine has a brownish red look to it. I'll ask my primary doctor Gregory Hallas about it today when I see him at 4pm. Pain is dull and spikes with most movement. Love you all.

Good Night

Currently; No fever. No vicodin. Better mobility. See ya in the morning.

05/02 6:50pm

Still running a temperature.
This may be a normal part of the  healing process. Current temperature is 99.3

May 2

Alan is feeling pretty good right now (1:00 pm) after 2 vicodin. He is a little surprised he isn't getting better very fast. He is still unable to do much of anything without pain. I think it will just take time for all that blood to dissipate. He is still running a fever. It was up to 102.3 during the night and was at 101.6 before he took the vicodin. We called his doctor to see if we should be going back to the hospital. They said not unless the fever gets to 104 or higher. If that happens, we will go to Legacy Salmon Creek. I am optimistic that will not be necessary. Since he has a fever, we will see his doctor tomorrow rather than waiting until the end of the week.

We plan to ask him if we should consider getting the ultrasound endoscopy at the OHSU or UW med center. 

3:30pm

I'm home and it feels great. Thanks everyone for all your prayers. I am truly blessed.

May 1

Dr Chang was just here. She does not believe the fever is anything significant and is discharging Alan! We are just waiting for paperwork and a vicodin prescription. Alan is going to have take it easy for awhile. but at least he will be home and sleeping in his own bed. Thanks evteryone for your prayers, kind words and support.

May 1

We are still waiting for the doctor. Alan is pretty cranky because he is worried he wont be discharged since he has a fever. Meanwhile the kids are home doing some of the outside projects Alan would like to be doing himself and Jess helped me by vacuuming. Bless them.

11:30am

Have temperature of 100.3

10:00am

Dr Shawn He, hematologist, said my hemoglobin is increasing. That is great. But no golf for awhile. Still waiting for primary doctor to released.

9:30am

I feel much better. No doctor visits yet. Still have discomfort when sitting up or bending at waist. And other obvious daily activities. Am in wait mode. Texts and emails are welcome to pass the time.
601-9257

4:20am

Slept good. Feel good. Ready to go home.

8:20pm

Pastor Kathy stopped by and prayed with me before dinner. Dinner was some unidentifiable gray chucks of meat. I might have over done it bit today. Standing, sitting in a chair, taking shower, moving to a new room and eating 3 full meals today. The pain is back and I just took some vicodin. This is the first night without any monitoring devices hooked to me. Don't know if that's good or bad. The current description is retroperitoneal bleed.

4:30 pm

Visitors have left. Got a shower after 5 days. Way overdue. Even Bob wouldn't get close to me. Looks like I can go home tomorrow. After I get and  the 3 pints of blood that hemorrhaged into me desolves in me (2-6 weeks ) they'll start looking again for the source/  cause. Let's just pray it doesn't happen again.

My Posse

New room

2:50 pm

Out of ICU. Moved to room 311.

4:30 am

Woke up soaked in sweat. Temp 98.8. More blood drawn. Urine sample taken. Sponge bath. New undies and gown and sheets. No pain. I feel good.

2:15 am

Took blood cultures. Took 2 tylenol. will look for bugs in next urine sample. Back on oxygen.

1:36am

Temp 101.5 nurse is calling dr.

4/30 1:00am

slept for two and hours. temp was 101.1. I've lost eight lbs. took sleeping pill as i am wide awhake. see you in a couple of hrs.

4/29 at 8:22pm

pain undercontrol.vitals good. should move out of icu tomorrow. still looking for cause.

no food order lifted

they are letting me eat six small meals a day now. never been so happy to see a half a turkey sandwich.

sick guy speaks

eric and bryce just left. i am feeling better but not out woods. next step yet to be determined. am pretty much shackled down to this bed. am planning escape but hospital is too confussing. must be the morphine. love you all.

April 29

There is improvement today. Alan's hemoglobin count came up just a little and he hasn't needed pain meds this morning. Some of the doctors still want to do further investigations, but our surgeon, Dr. Sunshine (real name, by the way), thinks it's best to just keep watching him in ICU. It could resolve on it's own if it was a cyst or vein that ruptured. The blood where it doesn't belong caused the pain and will gradually absorb into the body. Let's hope Dr. Sunshine is right. It's starting to look like he might be!

Back Story

On Tuesday evening Alan was sent to the hospital in crippling abdominal pain.  First responders were concerned of heart attack and he was rushed to SW Medical Center.  After thorough testing, a CAT scan, and an MRI doctors determined he has blood around his pancreas.  The source of this blood is still not known.  He has been placed in ICU pending further investigations.

April 28

Thank you all for your prayers and good wishes. Alan actually seemed to feel a little better today, but his hemoglobin count was continuing to go down which indicated he still had a bleed going. The endoscopy did not reveal the cause of the problem nor did the vascular study, so a surgeon, Dr. Sunshine, came in tonight for a consultation. He does not want to rush into surgery. He wants Alan in ICU where he can be carefully monitored and just wait to see if the bleeding clears up. He may bring in a hematologist.  Unfortunately, it is much less comfortable for visitors in ICU. In fact, we are not allowed in from 6:30 to 8:00 (AM and PM) when there is a shift change, and technically only 2 visitors at a time can be in the room. ICU is on the 5th floor of the Firstenburg tower at SWWMC. It's still OK to visit, just not as easy.

The good news is that Alan is not critically ill or terribly uncomfortable. Therefore, the doctors have been trying to avoid rushing into any type of surgery. We both feel Alan is in good hands. The hospital personnel have all been very caring, thorough and responsive. 

Bryce and Jessica are on their way down tonight and my folks are back from Arizona, so that helps our spirits. We are very optimistic Alan will be well soon. We are feeling really blessed to have so many good friends. Thank you again for the visits, phone calls and prayers.