It's Friday and she is in for her Greenfield Clot Filter. It goes in the vena cava via a catheter and collects clots before they reach the heart and lungs. Here's a picture of it.
Friday, January 30, 2009
The Thursday / Friday Update
On Thursday, Judith doctors had a look at her heart to determine if there are things going on that we haven't previously thought about. They didn't find anything further. Her arteries looked free of obstructions. So, good news, but it means that there is something going on that we don't have a finger on yet.
Random Rant
This morning we are observing the medical professional it its natural environment by sitting quietly in a hospital atrium. The herds of wild doctors gather at the coffee oasis, murmuring "doctor, doctor, doctor" to one another. They are quite striking in their white ceremonial garments that serve to differentiate them from the more common occupants of the area. Occasionally a single doctor will cut itself from the herd and, on first impression, seem to go mad, standing alone and talking loudly into empty space. But we soon realize that the individual is communicating via an electronic device. Nowadays many people are actually born with this type of device embedded in their heads. If they also present a predilection for bad handwriting, we know that they will become doctors. Most, however, simply become generally annoying people in grocery stores and air ports, alternately arguing with the air and shouting at children that are running amok and terrorizing innocent bystanders. Regardless of the particular type of mad shouter, we should resist the urge to club these individuals as the local constabulary tends to frown on this particular brand of community service.
In a "duh" moment, I just realized why there are flashlights hanging everywhere in this hospital. Earthquakes.
I suppose it is human nature to assume that wherever you live is backward. My example: I was sure that Southern California would be absolutely cutting edge when it came to technology. It ain't. Yes, I said "ain't". This particular hospital, while it is truly world class in its specialties, has NO wifi. None. Nada. Zero. Zilch. The Bannister Family House is the same way. NO connectivity. In a related aggravation, the Bannister House has a policy of no food of any kind in the rooms. Nothing but water. At first it seems trivial, but it turns out that this is a HUGE pain. Don't get me wrong. The Bannister House is great in many, many ways. It's a financial lifesaver, and I am very grateful that we are able to stay there. Back to the subject of So Cal being cutting edge. Either everyone here has mobile broadband, or they just naturally want to gather at the "Starbucks" type of establishment. That's probably it. Not me. I find it hard to type with Cold Play assaulting me. So, I park out front. Ha! What civilized piracy.
I have noticed that in Dallas you will find the attitudes of medical professionals to be very detached. The ones we have had dealings with are quite good but they tend not to talk very much. They certainly do not volunteer information of any kind and will be happy to sit and stare at you while all the questions that you had flee from your mind and your eyes slowly begin to cross. It's as if they are highly evolved, intelligent lizards that haven't quite decided if you are consumable or not. Most of the receptionists in these sorts of offices seem to exist on this plane only partially, and make every effort not to dip further into this reality by communicating with you in any way. We simply wander around following vague directions and hoping for the best.
San Diego, or at least Thornton Hospital, is very different. Everyone is engaged and very pleasant. However... You do tend to run into the Hollow Sympathetic Statement (HSS). You know, the “Oh, I wish I could do something for you”, with the same tonal quality and passion as “I think I lost my pen”. It is very much the exception and not the rule, but I haven't decided which I prefer, the being totally ignored or the HSS.
In a "duh" moment, I just realized why there are flashlights hanging everywhere in this hospital. Earthquakes.
I suppose it is human nature to assume that wherever you live is backward. My example: I was sure that Southern California would be absolutely cutting edge when it came to technology. It ain't. Yes, I said "ain't". This particular hospital, while it is truly world class in its specialties, has NO wifi. None. Nada. Zero. Zilch. The Bannister Family House is the same way. NO connectivity. In a related aggravation, the Bannister House has a policy of no food of any kind in the rooms. Nothing but water. At first it seems trivial, but it turns out that this is a HUGE pain. Don't get me wrong. The Bannister House is great in many, many ways. It's a financial lifesaver, and I am very grateful that we are able to stay there. Back to the subject of So Cal being cutting edge. Either everyone here has mobile broadband, or they just naturally want to gather at the "Starbucks" type of establishment. That's probably it. Not me. I find it hard to type with Cold Play assaulting me. So, I park out front. Ha! What civilized piracy.
I have noticed that in Dallas you will find the attitudes of medical professionals to be very detached. The ones we have had dealings with are quite good but they tend not to talk very much. They certainly do not volunteer information of any kind and will be happy to sit and stare at you while all the questions that you had flee from your mind and your eyes slowly begin to cross. It's as if they are highly evolved, intelligent lizards that haven't quite decided if you are consumable or not. Most of the receptionists in these sorts of offices seem to exist on this plane only partially, and make every effort not to dip further into this reality by communicating with you in any way. We simply wander around following vague directions and hoping for the best.
San Diego, or at least Thornton Hospital, is very different. Everyone is engaged and very pleasant. However... You do tend to run into the Hollow Sympathetic Statement (HSS). You know, the “Oh, I wish I could do something for you”, with the same tonal quality and passion as “I think I lost my pen”. It is very much the exception and not the rule, but I haven't decided which I prefer, the being totally ignored or the HSS.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
New News is Good News - I Think
We were at Thornton Hospital at 8 this morning for a heart cath and some other stuff. The big news is that we are a go for surgery, but it will be Tuesday the 3rd instead of Monday. They bumped everything forward a day in order to do some more cardiac tests. They feel that Judith is more ill than she should be based on the lung issues alone. They suspect that there are clogged arteries that need to be delt with as well. These new tests will explore that theory. If they find more heart issues they may end up doing a bypass at the same time as the lung surgery. The point is to do everything that needs to be done while they're in there. So, as always, we'll know more tomorrow!
This change in schedule will free up the weekend for a little break from the hospital. Judith can't do much, but we may go ride the train around at the zoo or drive up the coast again.
While Judith was in dialysis this evening, I went to Racine & Laramie, the original San Diego Cigar Shoppe and smoked my first San Diego cigar. More on that later.
This change in schedule will free up the weekend for a little break from the hospital. Judith can't do much, but we may go ride the train around at the zoo or drive up the coast again.
While Judith was in dialysis this evening, I went to Racine & Laramie, the original San Diego Cigar Shoppe and smoked my first San Diego cigar. More on that later.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Tuesday Was Almost a Free Day
We were at Thornton Hospital at about 9:45 this morning for an EKG/Echo. A quick bite to eat in the cafeteria and then to the consultation with the managing doctor. No surprises. Tomorrow is the big day. Go or no go. Everything depends on what they see in during the catheterizing.
P.S. - Judith takes her oxygen off for pictures. I told her I wouldn't tell anyone...
In the afternoon we took a little driving trip up 101. We stopped at Torrey Pines and then drove north. I will look into putting up a gallery that everyone can look at soon, but for now here are a few pictures.
P.S. - Judith takes her oxygen off for pictures. I told her I wouldn't tell anyone...
Monday, January 26, 2009
A Day at the Hospital
Dialisys first today at UCSD Medical Center at Hillcrest. It is right up the mountain from our hotel. Then some good news. We got into the Bannister House. Click here to learn more. Bannister Family House provides a home away from home for families of patients undergoing long-term care at UCSD Medical Center in Hillcrest and Thornton Hospital in La Jolla. It's only $40 a night and is as nice or nicer than the hotel we're in for much less that half the price.
At 3pm we went to Thornton Hospital to have some labs and xrays. The ventilation/perfusion scan showed that Judith's right lung is getting no bloodflow, so we're at the right place at the right time (I hope).
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Arrival in San Diego
Well, we got here without too much trouble. Judith did well on the flight, although we timed the O2 about to the minute - the batteries on her oxidizer ran out as we got to the hotel. We are staying on hotel circle just off of Hwy 8, and everything is close. We have to be at the dialysis clinic at 7:30am and then more appointments later in the day.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
The Culprit
Today we found out the core issue behind Judith's thrombosis. She has a lupus anticoagulant. Click HERE for more info. This is NOT the lupus autoimune disease, and after the PTE proceedure that we are about to have done in San Diego, the issue will be treated with blood thinners like coumadin.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)