Update #182

Well, things are getting a little better. Dr. Muskat had been "away" for a family emergency, so aside from a quick pop-in on Thursday when we got back to the hospital (when he quietly informed us that if anybody asked, we had never seen him), we hadn't heard from him at all. Finally, today he had a chance to check in. According to his reading of the CT, there are visible air bubbles coming from Dave's colon, a sign of a hole, but it is very possible that the hole is tiny, meaning more likely to close. The drainage has slowed quite a bit over the past three days (probably due in part to the fact that Dave hasn't been eating or drinking anything); if things continue that way over night, he may be able to start consuming things that are easily digested (Dr. Muskat suggested a milkshake) tomorrow. If the drainage doesn't increase from the addition of small amounts of food, it is a good sign that the hole is closing, and Dave may be off TPN soon!

If, on the other hand, the drainage increases over night or increases when Dave starts eating, the nurses will train us on operating the pump, administering TPN and cleaning Dave's PICC line, then we are headed home. From there, more watching, waiting and experimenting with small amounts of food for occasional checks on the progress of the hole.

Either way, our spirits are up, and we are finding substantial ways to amuse ourselves without thinking about snacks and meals. Dave's sister and brother-in-law were in town for the weekend - sans children - so we got to spend some quality time with them, and from the sounds of the texts and voicemails we have been getting, Dave will have many more visitors over the course of the week. Hopefully, we will be able to put in requests with our visitors by then for take-out...even if it is just a McD's milkshake. :-)

In other positive news, Dave is off antibiotics -meaning no infection at all from the new hole opening - and the PICC line is saving him from being stuck every day for blood draws and IVs. The nurses and doctors on the ninth floor have been wonderfully compassionate with regard to how disappointing it is to be back so soon, and aside from giving meds and checking in, they have left us on our own with few disturbances, a nice change from the constant in-and-out of the fifth floor last week.

Please keep praying - hopefully tomorrow I will be able to give you the news that the hole seems to be closing and Dave and I are sharing a milkshake and looking forward to going home.