Stupid infection: An unplanned update from the hospital

Jenny’s Facebook post from the early morning hours this morning pretty much tells the story of this update:

FB-post

She started feeling more sore than she should have yesterday morning while doing last-minute shopping for Hayden’s birthday party at the house. By the afternoon, after the family festivities ended, she rested and began to run a fever.

By 4 p.m., we had spoken with doctors at MD Anderson, and had decided to follow their advice and get to the Emergency Room in Houston as soon as possible for IV antibiotics. She was there by 1 a.m. this morning.

Bill, Jenny’s superstar dad, drove her to Houston on short notice while I presided over Hayden’s long-anticipated Laser Tag game and sleep-over with friends.

The doctor who Jenny spoke with over the phone met her in the ER room and said …

“Good decision. You did the right thing in coming here tonight.”

Linda, Jenny’s superstar mother, drove to Edmond this morning. That’s when I began the trek to Houston to join Jenny.

It’s now Sunday evening. She feels puny — still with a slight headache and fever. The infected area is quite red now. I’m very happy she got on the antibiotics early this morning.

Since she’s been in her room at the hospital, Jenny’s been seen by doctors from the Infectious Disease department and had an ultrasound. They’ve switched one of the medicines in her antibiotics cocktail.

They are hoping — as are we — that the antibiotics kick in and start clearing up the infection quickly. We think they’ll put in a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC line) again and send us home with IV antibiotics, hopefully on Tuesday.

We had this PICC line when Jenny had an infection after surgery No. 1. It’s quite an ordeal to care for, so we have that to look forward to again.

This deal stinks. Everything is crazy busy at home and at work for both of us. There’s Christmas planning and all that (she does the bulk of that in our family). There’s just a lot going on.

Jenny’s FB post that calls this a ‘stupid infection‘ really sums up both our thoughts about this thing. I mean, she was already going full speed and just waiting for Monday to get her final drain pulled.

Ugh!

She was defiant that we would not cancel Hayden’s sleep-over for this infection, so we have Bill to thank for saving that for him. But she’s just ticked off that we have to miss Hayden’s winter band concert. That brings her to tears.

When she told him yesterday afternoon that she was going to have to leave and miss the concert, she started crying.

To his credit, Hayden uncomfortably said:

“Uh … it’s OK. I can just play it for you.”

Thankfully, my parents will join Jenny’s parents and go to the winter concert and take lots of photos. It will be a special day for the family.

Everything will be OK. It’s just frustrating. She’s tired of being the patient.

Next year, we’re confident that we can stop with these kinds of Facebook and blog posts.

And we’re confident that we can fill up your social media timeline and personal prayers with things other than trips to Houston.

8 thoughts on “Stupid infection: An unplanned update from the hospital

  1. This stupid infection makes me mad. My love language is helping. My Christmas shopping is done! I am ready and on call to wrap, shop, run errands, cook, whatever. Let me do something! I love you Jen Jen. Lots of love and prayers.

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