Waiting

     Since they ended up not doing the procedure need to start dialysis yesterday, we decided to wait out the weekend.   Thanks to the help of my aunt Roxann and our friend John, I was able to leave the hospital and spend some time on the outside.   It was a beautiful fall day and nice to feel a little bit of "normal" life even, if only for the day.

      With still the complex eye problem to fix, and all the difficult ones behind us, Chris and I talked and decided that finding opportunities for me to work when they are available is in our best interest.   FMLA can always be a safety net, but with Chris unable to work, losing both our paychecks would add even more stress to an already stressful situation.   Today I was able to go and put in a full day's work.  Going to work was a great break from life in the ICU.   My employee's were so excited to see me, and I them.   I even got to meet one of my new employee's who was hired while I've been gone.   Thanks to one of my co-workers/friends, coming to help my assistant manager out with hiring plans for next week, I was able to get an amazing hug from her and her kids.  There was a lot to do today, but I can tell how hard my employee's have been working.

     Chris also had a simple day with some different people to keep him company than me.   Several movies were watched and enjoyable conversations had.  John was even able to help rub Chris's back and help alleviate some of the pain.    Even though he's trapped here, today he was able to get some great medicine for the his spirits.

     As far as an update, all the levels that they were watching went up again today slightly.  The nephrology doctors updated today while I was gone, but he said that he can't believe that Chris is doing as well as he is with the levels that he has.  I can't recall the exact term Chris said he used, but I believe it was a "medical marvel".  People typically aren't able to have the high levels he does without it causing significant complications.  One of the tests he has Chris do is to hold out his hands out facing out and pointing upwards.   He calls it "stopping the bus".  Because he can hold them out straight and without shaking and moving all over it means he is doing OK.  I'm glad I asked what he was looking for when the test was done because it's something we can do on our own to have somewhat of an idea of if things are getting worse.

    One last development today is that they decided while I was gone to institute a new dress code.  Now when visiting we have to done plastic gowns and gloves before entering and wash our hands thoroughly before leaving.  They don't think he does, but as a precaution, the gowns are there to prevent the spread of a very contagious spore born illness.  Hopefully the test results come back soon, life in a plastic gown is rather warm.