Sarahs log. Day 28

Sarah underwent another CT scan last night. This time, (her kidney function restored to near new condition) Sarah was able to tolerate both an IV contrast as well as oral. Specifically the doctors were looking at her lymph nodes (to rule out cancers, and her GI tract to ensure its proper functionality), but were also anxious to get the clear images that they needed to rule out/double check the tests that Salem hospital had performed.

 

Once again. Her Scans show nothing abnormal. 

It would appear that Sarah is the by far the healthiest, sick person I know.

Sarah was given a medication last night  called http://bit.ly/1xtUUto Alendronate. 

It is a drug commonly used in Osteoporosis patients to slow bone loss, but not inhibit bone creation. 

Today, they'll be slowing her IV fluids and checking her blood frequently to verify that the drug is working with her body to regulate her levels properly. 

One of the research doctors found some cases of the auto-immune disease lupus presenting itself in this same hypercalcemic, anemic fashion

http://www.lupus.org/answers/entry/what-is-lupus

When they checked her labwork they found that Salem hospital had not run that test. 

So, while there's still more questions than answers. 

At least there's something......

Docs say, that if the test comes back positive and her calcium self corrects with the meds. She'll be home Wednesday. 

Fingers crossed. 

She has been moved to room 15

Floor K9 and may move again, to be closer to her team. 

Cell service sucks

Imessage or email is best. 

503-449-2840

Garybishopisnow@icloud.com

Or leave comments here. 

Sarah's log. Day 25

OHSU beginning of Day 2 here. 

Just saw the Endocrinologist, and an internist. 

The internist has her charts and is researching ALL of her history (from the time we moved to oregon anyway), taking notes from past and present and compiling it for easy translation between the specialties.

Everyone has praised Salem hospital for an EXTENSIVE workup.

They're asking tons of questions, re-ordering many of the labs and imaging, looking for errors or discrepancies. 

When asked point blank. 

"Any ideas?" 

The internist and endocrinologist fellow, both shook their heads. 

"No, unfortunately not, this is an interesting case, and no one wants to be the interesting case"

Fortunately though, through fluids and medications we can manage it here until we figure it out. 

It's noon. And we're still in the Emergency room. That's a full 24 hours now for Sarah. 

Ugh. 

(Mom, Dad, Bonny, Mike)

Is there any family history, of anything?

(Sarah's Co-Workers)

Has sarah had any contact, with anyone?

Message me directly at 503-449-2840

Sarah's log. Day14

Last nights gall bladder surgery went well. She came back from he PACU feeling like a million bucks. 

By this morning however after the anesthesia had worn off, still without an appetite, and with added heartburn and abdominal pain. She was back to feeling somewhere around $1.09. 

Tomorrow's schedule calls for a consult with the G.I team, and possible throatscope to get to the bottom of the nausea and heartburn. 

Her labs are looking good and improving daily. 

Still some unanswered questions. 

But immediate dangers seem to have abated. 

Sarah got Conner with the ol' you can sit here if you like. "OH.... Ouch, not there" joke. 

lols 

Sarah's log. Day 13

It's 8:30 PM Sunday night, I'm in  the parking lot of the hospital. Sarah should be out of the post anesthesia care unit now and hopefully tucked into her new room. Sarah just underwent laparoscopic gallbladder removal surgery that was performed based on the ultrasound that was performed yesterday showing that her gall bladder was swollen and unhappy. 

I can't find her wedding ring.

 

She's had wonderful doctors, all three of them are hospitalists. All three, calm, sensible, understanding, and thorough. 

We're both impressed. 

Anyway. 

It's 8:45 and I just realized I started this's blog, and friends and family who are concerned may be relying on it. 

Ita been a busy day. Sorry

And a great day. 

Her doctors have eluded to the idea that this situation. The whole thing, might, just maybe stem from two factors. 

1) dehydration

2) defective gall bladder (how do you verbalized that?) hm?

I mean, water pumps are easy. 

Noisy, or leaky. 

Someone email me that. 

I don't have time to google it. 

Back to the sitch. 

You live a busy life. You don't drink enough water. 

You're constantly dehydrated. You get nauseous from a warped gall bladder. 

You stop eating and drinking. 

You start vomiting. 

You get more nauseous. 

Repeat

The term kidney failure is a motherfucker. 

What does that mean?

Better yet, what WILL that mean?

Anyway, bone scan was clear

CT scan was clear

Ultrasound shows gall bladder

We're hopeful. 

I'm hopeful I'll find her ring, it was literally in my possession 90 minutes. 

Sarah's log. Day 12

After picking Maddie up from school a little early, locking their keys in the car, and being rescued by a slim-Jim wielding  Russian mob boss named Yuri. Conner and Brittany brought Maddie down to see Sarah. Afterwards, the three of them headed back to the house, ate supper together and were all hanging out, keeping each other company until I got home. 

Talking to the kids went better than I had hoped. Even though there wasn't really anything positive to share, the kids took it for what it was, and were understanding, hopeful and communicative. 

0600 this morning Maddie and I rolled into Sarahs room to find her comfortably(?)  curled up and snoring. 

Her lab work from last night showed her calcium at 11.7 

Down from a high of 14.2

*Nominal is 9-10

While Madison kept out a vigilant watch

I made sure she didn't get cold, or lonely. 

Sarahs morning blood draws showed another improvement in her calcium levels. 

She was now at a 10.5

Only .3 above "normal range" 😄

Though not as drastic, her Kidney function has also improved. 

The best news of all, is that the CT scans came back clear. 

The CT images could have been better if her kidneys would tolerate the contrast they wanted her to drink, however the doc said everything looked real good. 

And at this point, the cancer risk looks like it is behind us. 

So, what's going on?

That's the big question!

Obviously she had a dangerous buildup of calcium in her blood, and thankfully, that risk is being abated through hydration and medicines. 

However, the root cause is still a mystery. 

As we speak, she is in radiology for an ultrasound, as well as a bone scan. 

http://youtu.be/p-s4F-Xsa5k

She is expected to remain hospitalized for at least several more days. 

Currently, she is not feeling well enough for visitors. 

~Gary

Sarahs log. Days 1-11

Sarah told me she wasn't feeling well the night of Monday October 27th. She was nauseous and achy and complained of a headache that had been persisting for several days prior. 

Friday, October 31st she visited her primary doctor. 

Monday November 3rd she visited her doctor again. This time, an ultrasound was ordered for Thursday Nov. 6th to rule out a gall bladder problem. 

As things worked out, we didn't make it to the 3pm ultrasound appointment. 

Instead, we went to the Emergency Room at Silverton Hospital. 

Badly dehydrated, and with high levels of calcium and creatinine in her blood, Sarah was admitted and spent the night in the Intensive care unit to receive IV fluids, to monitor her cardiovascular system, and for testing to rule out a parathyroid gland problem.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperparathyroidism

Friday morning, the parathyroid test results were back, and were not favorable. Sarahs hormone levels showed that her para thyroid was not the source of the dangerous buildup of calcium in her blood and now the doctors were looking for an alternative cause of the wonky lab work and the oncology dept at Salem hospital was where we were headed.

After transferring to Salem hospital, Sarah's new doctor, a hospitalist (who's name escapes me at the moment) ordered a CT scan of her chest and belly looking for the known malignancies that can lead to this high calcium situation. 

The CT scan was performed Friday evening and we expect results early Saturday.