-
Another UTI
We have had a quiet two months no hospitalization since Dec then Thursday night Dick started running a fever. I told him we are going to the ER and he didn’t fuss about it. After being at the ER all night they decided to admit him and the Medical Attending Resident came to see him. Dick told her that he was there because I overreacted. ??? I told her what his complaints had been and then the fever came up and she said I had done the right thing by bringing him in. By then they knew he had a UTI. Well Duh! They kept him in the ER until late Friday night as they had to wait for a single room to keep him in isolation because of the history of MRSA. We are waiting for the results of the blood and urine cultures. They could not do a CT scan because his creatinine level was too high on Friday but they hoped with hydration they could give him the contrast to do a CT to check the soft tissues. He is supposed to have that today.
The good news is the abscess behind his kidney has shrunk according to the ultrasound but they want more information. He is on Vancomycin and Cipro by IV and is sleeping alot because of the infection and the pain medication for his nerve pain in his chest. The nerve pain is the result of the lung surgery that removed the tumor in October. The Dr. told him that anesthesiology could do a nerve block and he is interested in that as he is taking pain meds all the time now. The fever is elevating the pain level and he now says it is at 7 or 8 most of the time and shoots up to 10 when he coughs.
I sure hope that this is not a return of the MRSA. He was going to be treated with medication for his MDS which would depress his bone marrow function for a few weeks until it took hold. The hope is he responds to that medication which will bring his red blood cell count up to normal as it runs about 10 now with weekly shots of epogen. My worry is that if his blood is back to normal that he might see more tumor growth. With his red blood cell count low he is not getting a lot of oxygen to all the cells like he would if his count was normal. There always seems to be a trade off. The oncologist tells us the Revlimid does have anti tumor properties so I hope it will keep the CIS in his kidneys and ureters in check. We are waiting and watching for any more mets. Julie
Volunteer Coordinator
ABLSC6 Replies-
Dick’s Urologist put in the stent yesterday. He said that there appeared to be scar tissue or it could be the CIS. I asked about a Mytomycin and he said the way to do that would be nephrostomy tubes. Which would mean placement and then waiting 8 weeks and making sure they are placed right before beginning treatment with the Mytomycin. I don’t think Dick’s wants anything more to do with nephrostomy tubes. Plus the Dr. said he was not sure how much sense it made to go after the Bladder Cancer intensely since we know it has metastasized. We will discuss this with the oncologist and urologist this month after Dick is released.
Dick had a return of his gout and is not able to stand. He spoke with the Dr. two days ago and she said they had not had him on the allopurinol to prevent gout as it might interfere with tests. They did not put him back on and now they will have to give him Indocin which will hurt his kidneys. So not sure when he will get out. They all assure me I did the right thing by bringing him in when he started running a fever but he has lost a lot of ground by being in the hospital. His blood sugars become elevated and he has a serious case of constipation due to the pain meds.
It will take him weeks to regain what strength he had before he went in.
Volunteer Coordinator
ABLSC
I’ll be glad to meet you and Gene, Ginger. I certainly hope we will be able to meet for a bite.
You are right there is always something going on. Dick had a nuclear medicine scan of his kidneys this morning and then we spent the rest of the day in his hospital room waiting for the results. Just after 5 three residents came into the room and said that the kidneys were functioning well but the right one was enlarged because there was some blockage. They want to put a stent in and since he is in the hospital they will do it Wednesday no nothing to eat or drink after midnight.
I asked if it might be the CIS and one fellow nodded his head yes while the other two equivocated. So they will take a scope and take a look and biopsy if necessary while placing the stent.
Perhaps it was fortunate that Dick had a UTI so this problem was detected while it is still a partial blockage. Julie
Volunteer Coordinator
ABLSCJulie,
Always alot going on with you and Dick, you always make it through, what a woman you are. Well we will be in Arizona March 27th to April 6. I will call you when we get there and pop in to see you, or meet for a bite to eat…take care of you!!
Ginger
So far nothing has shown up on the urine or blood cultures. The CT scan showed a narrowing of the right ureter. The urology resident was in to see Dick this morning and said usually it would be a kidney stone but Dick is not having pain in his kidneys. I am concerned it represents growth of the CIS we know is in his ureters. All the specialists are conferring today and will let us know what they recommend. I’m off to the hospital now.
Volunteer Coordinator
ABLSC
I wrote the update before I saw Dick today. He is doing better as in taking walks in the ward and staying awake. He is still having some problems with shortness of breath and nerve pain. They did the CT scan this afternoon. So we will see what tomorrow brings. Urology will consult.
What I did learn from Dick’s oncologist is that his anemic state may have slowed the growth of the lung tumor. Which is part of what fuels my concern that a normal red blood count could contribute to tumor growth. But no I have not asked yet about what a normal blood count might do to his TCC.
Dick wants to feel well enough to do some outdoor hiking and photography. The wildflowers are blooming in the desert right now and it is supposed to be the best year for 30 years. Julie
Volunteer Coordinator
ABLSC
Julie — Thank you for letting us know about Dick’s new UTI. I hope that
this resolves as well as possible and that improved blood count doesn’t lead to
tumor growth. Have your drs. confirmed this as plausible? Of course, there’s
much not known and our feelings and fears can lead to valuable insights. I just hope with you that there’s no new spreading — Be blessed — SusanSign In to reply.
