I'm a little nervous

Hi ya'll.  I just slipped away to do this entry.  And after this I am going to eat some lunch.  John is resting comfortably in his room thanks to a little help from some drugs.  Well, not totally comfortably, he has a lot of pain in his abdomen, but he is doing a lot better.  They are giving him an upper and lower GI tomorrow to find out if he has something in addition to the GVHD and the CMV.  He also is neutropenic.  Neutropenic means that his White Blood Count is very low (only 1.2) and his ANC is very low (only .9).  Since his ANC has gone below 1 he is considered neutropenic (a very immunosuppressed immune system) and he is in danger of catching all kinds of infections.  What this means is he has to watch what he eats, and wear a mask around others.  He also can't be around kids and crowds, or he can catch something.  He will have to be very careful for awhile.

So, I am doing OK I guess.  Except all of this has made me a little nervous.  I was reading about CMV on the net and I didn't think it sounded too good.  But there are so many conflicting reports on it that I don't know what to believe.  I know it is worse if a child or an immunosuppressed person (such as a person who has had a transplant) gets it.  I am trying to remain calm though.

Last night I found a room at a local motel.  They gave me a good rate because John was a BMT patient!  They also have shuttle service to and from the hospital, which is good, because there is no taxi service in this town, LOL.  This is good that I got this place.  I hate to leave John at night, but he wanted me to do this, because he didn't want me to sleep in the hospital chair every night.  The room is nice.  I am glad I have it.  Well, sort of.  I hate leaving him at night.

I just wanted to say that we will still show the results of the Photo Scavenger Hunt this week, and have one next week.  Go to Val's journal:  http://journals.aol.com/valphish/ThereisaSeason/ .  She will also host the Monday Morning Question This week.  I hope you all have a great week.  I hope to be on tomorrow to talk to you again.

Love, Krissy :)         

John is hospitalized

Hi from Hershey Medical Center.  We arrived here last night about 11 pm.  After John was admitted, they proceded to do numerous tests on him, including a chest X-Ray.  He was finally able to fall into bed at 3 am.  I fell into my chair in the corner of the room, where I slept till morning.

I found out in the morning that John has something called Cytomegalovirus (CMV) which they told me was a virus in the lungs.  They also told him they would treat him for Graft Verses Host Disease (GVHD), with Prednisone.  And because he has had such severe pain in his abdomen, just in case he has something in addition to CMV and GVHD, they are giving him a colonoscopy in the next few days.  That should cover all the bases.  

It looks like John will be here for awhile.  I will be staying with him in his hospital room because there is no room at Hope Lodge right now. 

Let's see, what else is new?  They are giving John Foscarnet, an IV antiviral, for the CMV.  They are also giving him insulin shots because his blood sugar is too high.  They said the diabetes will probably go away after he is off the Prednisone.  I sure hope so.  

Well, that's about it.  John is in OK spirits, I guess. 

I hope you all are doing well.  As for me, I am hanging in there.

Love, Krissy      

Good News/Bad News

First the Good News:  John didn't have to stay over last night at the hospital.  He was diagnosed with Graft Verses Host Disease (where the donor rejects the transplant patient) and was in pretty severe pain.  However, after his appointment at the Cancer Inst. at Hershey Medical Center, they took him into a back room and gave him lots of IVs, one containing methylprednisone.  The prednisone started clearing up the pain and the GVHD immediately.  And upon leaving, the doctor gave him a script to increase his dose of prednisone that he takes daily.  So today (Friday), he was making a significant improvement.

Now for the Bad News:  John called about an hour ago to tell Dr. Claxton's nurse (Mitzi) how he was doing, that he had had a significant improvement in how he was feeling.  She said she had been trying to reach him for about half an hour (I hate dialup!) and that he had to come into the hospital as soon as possible. 

He has some viral infection.  If I understand it, it is pretty dangerous.  John and I are going to leave for the hospital in about an hour, with my Dad.  I am going to look for a place to stay once I get there.  I have no idea when John and I will be back.  Oh, well, Jesus still has everything under control.  Krissy

John's running fevers

Hi ya'll.  It's been a little while since I've written.  That's because almost all my time has been taken up taking care of John.  He's been pretty sick lately.  All weekend and since he has run fevers.  So the home Critical Care nurse that comes in the morning called up Hershey (Dr. Claxton) and told him what was going on.  Dr. Claxton said to bring John up on Monday.  So John, my Dad and I went to Hershey on Monday.  John, besides having a fever, also had chest pain and severe pains in his abdomen.  And extreme exhaustion, trouble breathing, and a hard time even walking across the room.  So Hershey did an EKG and took a chest X-Ray as well.

They were going to admit John to the hospital, but there were no beds available.  So then they were going to put him in Hope Lodge, to keep him up there to keep an eye on him, but there were no beds available there either.  So Mitzi, the nurse coordinator, called around the local hotels to try to find John and me a room to stay in, to no avail.  There was a convention in town!  So the doctor sent us back to State College and told us to come back on Thursday.  So we are going back to Hershey tomorrow.  Unless John feels so sick today that he doesn't make it till tomorrow.  Then I am just going to call the ambulance and get over there today.

I am telling you all this because I don't know if they will admit John on Thursday or send him home.  If they admit him, my entries should be sparser.  I plan to try to continue to post via the hospital computers, but I probably won't be able to keep up on alerts as much.  We shall see.

Well, I am tired now, so I must go, LOL.  Please pray for John.  He is surprised this is happening to him, as he sailed through the transplant.  Now he is wondering why he is having all these complications.  Pray for me also.  I'm a little tired.  Thanks!  :) 

Lots of love, Krissy  

Monday Morning Question

Monday Morning Question

If you were dropped off on an island for one year, and you couldn't get off, and you get to pick three (and only three) food items to eat all year, what would you choose?  Keep in mind that the items would be dropped in for you, so they would be fresh. 

My answer:  fish, rice, and oranges.  Fish for protein and I like how it tastes.  Rice to fill me up.  And oranges so I don't get scurvy.  Now John doesn't like my answer b/c he says I am not playing this right, that I should pick fun foods, not worry if I get scurvy, that I am misinterpreting the question.  He wants pizza, meatball subs, and chocolate milk shakes!  That's NO vegetables or fruits, folks!  

What do you want? 

photo scavenger hunt #72

The entries for photo scavenger hunt #72 will be due on

Sunday, April 30, 2006 at 11:00 PM EST

Category:  An object I wish my spouse or family member would throw away

Place the link to your entry in the comments section below.  Thanks for playing.

entries for photo scavenger hunt #71

Category:  Tree or Bush

Here are the journals that participated:

Photo Blog

Karen's On-line Diary

my spot

Confessions Of An Angel Waitress

Adventures From Florida

From Here to There

Lost in my own thoughts

Footprints in the Sand

Ye Olde English Posy

There is a Season

Nancyluvspix

JUST FOR FUN

Sassy's EYE

Wow!  You all did a great job this time!  I am excited to see all the new participants.  I hope everyone had fun!  And I hope you check each others entries out.  Krissy :)  

Tree or Bush - Photo Scav Hunt #71

Weeping Cherry Tree

Here's my entry for Photo Scavenger Hunt # 71.  This Weeping Cherry Tree is in my parents' front yard.  It is one of the most beautiful trees I have ever seen.  I just love weeping trees of any kind, and I love the blossoms on this one.  I wait every Spring to see it bloom.

      

CarnivAOL

I just wanted to let everyone know that CarnivAOL is back up and running.  In case you are not familiar with what CarnivAOL is, it's a blog where we are encouraged to submit our best journal entries.  Anybody who has an AOL journal can submit.  Paul calls for new submissions every two weeks, so this is a good chance to get your journals read. 

Read this week's CarnivAOL.  There are lots of good entries.  And don't forget to place the blog on your alerts, that way you can be sure to read each time it comes out, and you can participate by sending in an entry too. 

Right now, Paul is doing a special CarnivAOL edition full of tributes to our beloved Pam.  If you have made one, and want to submit it, send the link to plittle@aol.com  

~~~Krissy~         

John's been discharged

Gee, I'm grateful.  John is home now.  They discharged him yesterday from Hershey.  I am surprised he was released this soon.  They weren't going to let him go, because after finding all of the problems he had, they also found an infected chest port.  They were going to keep him for awhile, to give him IV antibiotics, but they released him, and told me that I had to give him the IVs at home.

Here is what he was diagnosed with at the hospital:

1.  Low platelets (which causes anemia - severe fatigue)
2.  Low sodium (which causes full body muscle spasms)
3.  High potassium (which can cause heart failure)
4.  Acute renal (kidney) failure - due to Tachro medicine
5.  Heart rhythm abnormality
6.  Kidney stone about an inch in diameter
7.  An infected chest port

They sent him home on Sunday telling him that we have to come back for an appointment on Thursday.  Gee, that is day after tomorrow.  And it is a two and a half hour drive.  But it is okay.  He is under excellent medical care at Hershey Medical Center.  I love that hospital.  The appointment is at the Cancer Institute next door. 

They also sent him home telling me I will have to do administer antibiotics through an IV twice a day for at least the next fourteen days at home.  I was so nervous when they told me this.  I have not been confident when asked to do certain nursing duties in the past.  I learned to flush the lines real easily, and have become a pro at it.  But when I was asked by the Critical Care nurses (the home health nurses) to change his bandage for his chest port, and to change the caps on his lumens, I was unable to do it alone.  When I called back Critical Care, and told them I was uncomfortable (this was a week ago), and told them they would have to come back and help me, they acted pretty upset. 

So I was pretty anxious this morning before the nurse came.  I didn't want her to rush through the procedure of showing me how to administer the IV, and have to call her back the next time when Icouldn't remember how to do it.  But she was pretty good, she went slowly and explained things well.  I think giving John the IV is not going to be TOO hard.  I Think, lol.

So I have to give John an IV twice a day for at least 14 days.  Every twelve hours.  And the medicine has to be taken out of the fridge six hours before you use it, to administer it.  I am going to be up around the clock, lol.

There is one nice thing, however. Some of the nursing duties I was uncomfortable with, the nurse is going to do herself!  She is coming daily to check on John, and to draw blood.  So at least there will be someone besides me to keep an eye on John!  Thank God for that.  It makes things less daunting.

So mostly, I am just glad John is home.  He is allowed a normal diet, so today we had our Easter dinner.  We had corned beef and cabbage, potatoes, four grain and two seed bread, strawberry shortcake, bread pudding with vanilla sauce (John's favorite, but I refuse to eat it), and some chocolate.  I even dyed some eggs.  My sissy Val and her friend John came over and ate with us. 

Well, that's about it.  Except I wanted to thank everybody for their support and prayers during this time.  I was very nervous while the hospital was diagnosing and correcting John's problems.  Maybe because I know how precious life is with him, after just coming through the transplant with him.  And you all were here for me, in the form of comments, emails, IMs, and mail.  For that, I cannot tell you how grateful I am.  It even helped me get through Easter when I was alone.  Thank you, thank you!  :)

Bye for now, Krissy  :)

Monday Morning Question

Monday Morning Question

Which item do you find most interesting in your purse or wallet right now?

My answer:  Hmmm.  Rummaging through.  I would have to say these sleeping pills.  I should have taken one last night, lol. 

What's your answer?

photo scavenger hunt #71

The entries for photo scavenger hunt #71 will be due on

Sunday, April 23, 2006 at 11:00 PM EST

Category:  Tree or Bush

Place the link to your entry in the comments section below.  Thanks for playing. 

entries for photo scavenger hunt #70

Category:  Something somebody gave me, and why it is special to me

Here are the journals that participated:

Lost in my own thoughts

Treasure Chest Full of Life

Ye Olde English Posy

Please check these out, they're great!  :)

How John's Doing

Well, here it is Easter Sunday, and John is still in the hospital.  I was kind of freakin' out a little bit on Friday when he told me some things that were wrong with him, but now I have calmed down a lot, because I know he is in really good hands at Hershey Medical Center.  It is hands down one of the best hospitals in the country.  The doctors and nurses there are talking to me by phone and keeping me updated.  How nice to be taken seriously by the medical profession!  

Here's the scoop.  On Friday they told him his potassium and sodium levels were off.  His sodium is too low, which makes his body go into painful muscle spasms.  His potassium is too high.  They told him that could make him have heart failure.  They are very concerned about that.  They are taking him off a medication (Tachro) to make the potassium level come down.  They are giving him saline to make his sodium level raise.  They think they know the reason the sodium is to low, and how to correct it.

On Saturday they did a renal ultrasound and found a one inch kidney stone!  He will have to have an operation (lithotripsy) to get that blasted.  They will do that at a later date.

Today after Dr. Claxton and Dr. Dougherty saw John, Dr. Dougherty talked to me on the phone.  He told me that John's renal (kidney) function is not stable.  Gee, just one more thing.  He said his kidneys were not working propersly, and that they knew this because of his creatinin level.  He said this was due to the Tachrolimous (an immunosuppressant medication that John has been taking since his transplant), and that Dr. Claxton is going to wean John off the Tachro.

Well, that's about it.  That's my understanding of it, anyway.  So how am I doing?  First I feel terribly bad that John is alone on Easter.  I didn't go up there because I thought he would be home quickly.  And I can't just jump in the car and go now.  You see, I can't drive long distances.  Okay, don't laugh at me, I have something that someone referred to once as "road hypnosis".  When I drive long distances, I become kind of entranced, and have a hard time keeping my eyes open.  I could even fall asleep for a few seconds.  When I am a passenger in the car, I DO fall asleep.  It is just something that happens to me, it is the motion of the car.  That is why I only drive short distances around my home.  Short distances don't bother me at all.  Long distances do.

So anyway, he's alone.  I feel dreadful about that.  But I talked to him on the phone, and he says he is fine. 

I am alone too.  It is hard.  I had a nice day planned.  We were going to go to the Easter Vigil Mass last night, and today we were going to eat a nice Easter dinner and invite my sister Val and her friend John2 over.  It would have been a nice celebration!  I am not going to cancel it entirely though, we are just going to do it on another day after John gets home.

I am feeling kind of weepy today.  But one thing I can be sure of, John is in a great place.  Better to be there and getting good medical care, then to be at home and ill.  

Well, thank you all for listening.  I think I will go do some things.  And I want to thank you all for all the support you have been giving me.  I love you all.  :)  Krissy 

Happy Easter!

                        

Mark 16:1-7

When the sabbath was over,
Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome
bought spices so that they might go and anoint him.
Very early when the sun had risen,
on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb.
They were saying to one another,
“Who will roll back the stone for us
from the entrance to the tomb?”
When they looked up,
they saw that the stone had been rolled back;
it was very large.
On entering the tomb they saw a young man
sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe,
and they were utterly amazed.
He said to them, “Do not be amazed!
You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified.
He has been raised; he is not here.
Behold the place where they laid him.
But go and tell his disciples and Peter,
‘He is going before you to Galilee;
there you will see him, as he told you.’”

John was taken to Hershey

John was just taken to Hershey Medical Center by ambulance.  He hasn't felt well for about three days.  Today (Thursday) when the Critical Care nurse came over she noticed he had a fever, and also had redness around his chest port.  She had us call Hershey, who had us go to our local hospital.  While there, our local hospital found additional problems with John, and called Hershey Medical Center.  HMC decided that John should be admitted immediately, and asked that he be sent up by ambulance. 

So here I sit, at about half past midnight, alone.  I didn't go with him in the ambulance because I just couldn't arrange it.  For one thing, I didn't have all of my medications with me.  I take 18 of them, lol.  I need to order four of them tomorrow.  I didn't have them on hand today, and I didn't hurry to get them, because I had no idea this would happen.  Yes, I knew he was a little under the weather the past few days, but it never occurred to me he was this sick. I guess I thought he had a little cold or something, or was just really tired.

I'm really sad.  I wonder how he feels being alone.  It makes me sad he has to be that way.  I know I don't like being without him.  Especially when he is not feeling well.  Oh, well, there is nothing I can do about it tonight.  If they are going to keep him for awhile, I will see about going up and being with him.  

Good night. 

The Birthday Meme

There's a cool meme I found over at By The Way that journalers have been participating in.  Here's how it works.  Go to Wikipedia and enter your birthdate (but not your birth year) into the search box on the left hand side of the page.  My birthday is March 13, so that is what I typed in.  Then post (at least) three interesting historical events, two births, and one death that happened on your birthdate.  Here's mine.  

On March 13 here's what happened. :

~ William Herschel discovers the plant Uranus.  (1781)

~ Great Depression: Banks in the US began to re-open after the Presidentially mandated "bank holiday".  (1933)  

~ India's Missionaries Of Charity choose Sister Nirmala to succeed Mother Teresa as its leader.  (1997) 

These people were born.:

~ Earl Grey, Prime Minister of the UK., person Earl Grey Tea was named after   (1764) 

~  Neil Sedaka, American singer and songwriter  (1939)

She died.:

~  Susan B. Anthony, American women's suffrage activist  (1820)

Also, this is the Feast Day of: 

~  St. Euphrasia

What is interesting that happened on your birthdate?

photo scavenger hunt #70

Woops!  I forgot to list the Photo Scavenger Hunt category for this week! 

The entries for photo scavenger hunt #70 will be due on

Sunday, April 16, 2006 at 11:00 PM EST

Category:  Something somebody gave me, and why it is special to me

Place the link to your entry in the comments section below.  Thanks for playing.  

Monday Morning Question

Monday Morning Question

Do you have a traditional Easter dinner?  What is it?

My answer:  I make something different every year.  This year I am making corned beef and cabbage with some trimmings.  I have already bought the brisket.  I know, i know, some of you are saying, what are you doing that for, that is not traditional Easter fare.  I am doing it because I want to, lol.  So what are YOU having?

entries for photo scavenger hunt #69

Category:  Spring Thing

Here are the journals that participated:

Dribble by Chuck Ferris

JUST FOR FUN

Nancyluvspix 

Nancyluvspix (another entry)

Shes Quiet Place

Linda's World

Ye Olde English Posy

Sassy's EYE

Footprints in the Sand

Confessions Of An Angel Waitress

Also see my entry below. 

Thank you all for participating!  Please check these out, they are great!  Krissy :)   

Spring Thing

Daffodils

Here's my entry for Photo Scavenger Hunt #69, Spring Thing.  These daffodils are in my front yard.  I just love Springtime, and watching all the different bulbs come up. 

      

Peeps

              PEEPS Recipes and Crafts!

I found a few Easter crafts from PEEPS that we can do just in time for Easter!  

PEEPS Gingerbread House

Ingredients:
Marshmallow PEEPS

Directions:
~ Cover the milk carton with icing.
~ Place graham crackers on carton to form walls and roof.
~ Decorate with colorful JUST BORN PEEPS.

                                

PEEPS Sombrero (can be worn as Easter bonnet)

Ingredients: 
Marshmallow PEEPS

Directions:
~ Use the hot glue gun to fasten PEEPS to a real sombrero.

                            

For more fun and easy PEEPS recipes and crafts visit:

the official PEEPS website  

Monday morning question

Monday Morning Question

First I want to thank Betty for hosting the Monday Morning Question for the past three months while I was away.  And also for hosting the Photo Scavenger Hunt.  Thanks from the bottom of my heart.  You did a fantastic job!!! 

Now for the Monday Morning Question:

Where did you meet your spouse?  If you are not married, where would you like to meet your spouse?

Answer below in the comments section, or answer in your journal and leave a link in the comments section below.

My answer:  John and I met at the Barnes & Noble coffee shop.  We had both just shopped for books.  You can't beat an intellectual. ;)

photo scavenger hunt #69

The entries for photo scavenger hunt #69 will be due on

Sunday, April 9, 2006 at 11:00 PM EST

Category:  Spring thing

Place the link to your entry in the comments section below.  Thanks for playing.

I'm feeling silly!

               A Little Silliness

Can a storm be officially designated a tornado without touching down at a trailer park?

Can I yell MOVIE in a crowded firehouse?

Do Amish people get one phone call when arrested?

Do you realize how many holes there could be if people would just take the time to take the dirt out of them?

Does Mr. Rogers really want us to be his neighbor?

How can there be a limited lifetime warranty?

How come in Scooby Doo Fred and Daphne were always on the same team and Velma, Scooby, and Shaggy were always on the same team?  Doesn't seem quite right now that you think about it, does it?

How come wrong numbers are never busy?

If a stealth bomber crashes in a forest, will it make a sound?

If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is around to see it, do the other trees make fun of it?

If a tree falls on a mime in the forest, does anyone care?

If Mike Brady was supposed to be this groovy architect, why did he force SIX kids into TWO bedrooms?