Day 23-my first post and a quick rundown of the past 23 days

Seems strange to start with Day 23, but I finally figured out I should start blogging about Deucer so everyone could connect with him electronically.

It has been a busy 23 days so I'm going to give you a brief history of why Deuce is in the hospital and what has happened so far.

This all started back in September-Deuce has a medical pump that gives him a synthetic form of Gaba. Gaba is the chemical that allows your muscles to relax. After his head injury 13 years ago, his body stopped making Gaba. We had this pump installed about 6 years ago and this September, it was time for the replacement.

All went well until the pump got infected. Evidently Deucer is a carrier for a Pennicillin resistant staph called MRSA. That is why in all the pictures you will notice we are wearing "yellow" gowns. We are in "isolation" trying to manage the infection.

December 18th: Deuce is admitted to Methodist Hospital in Omaha.

December 19th: The Baclofen pump is removed due to infection. Deucer starts going through Baclofen withdrawal. I believe there are not many worse experiences than to have to 1) go through this 2) watch someone you love go through this. Deuce's body shakes uncontrollably because he cannot make his muscles relax. Think about having a really bad muscle cramp-throughout your entire body-for 4-8 hours at a time-non-stop. Torture.

December 20-23 Started huge antibiotics. One called Vancomyacin, Deuce ended up being allergic to. Got a bad rash all over and basically turned beet red. We spent these days just trying to manage his pain and spasms. Working with the doctors to get the infection under control so we could put the pump back in. Oh, and in the meantime, he got Pnumonia. This made breathing difficult.

December 24th (Christmas Eve) It was a tough day but we had made it though. About 11pm Deuce got a bad spasm spell and the Nurse was not quick enough with his meds. This put him into severe respiratory distress. We got shipped up to ICU and put on a respirator. Deuce was not happy about having a tube shoved down his throat. But as usual, he dealt with it like a pro.

December 25-Had a quiet Christmas day. No presents. Just sleep. That was the best present of all. With the machine breathing for him, it made us all rest a little easier.

December 26th- Deuce went to Surgery to have pump put back in. The old pump was on his right side and this new pump was placed on his left side. It took about a day to get the medicine to take effect. There is a catheter that delivers the medicine straight to his spinal cord. We were hoping that he would come off the respirator after surgery but the Neurosurgeons wanted to keep him on "just in case" one more day. That night, Deuce bit down on the tube in his sleep when he was having a bad spasm and choked his air supply off for a short time. Pretty freakin' scary. Luckily I was awake and was able to get a bite stick between his teeth to give him some air. They changed his tube to a hard plastic tube for the rest of the night.

December 27th- Came off the respirator. Started having unexplainable stomach problems.

December 28th-January 2nd- Deuce started feeling much better. Kept a his food down and was just generally much better.

January 3rd- Deuce went back to QLI (Quality Living Inc-his home) and pretty much the best place in the world. (See link to the website if you are interested) He reveled in all the attention of being away and then being home again. All seemed fine.

January 4th- Deuce has an "episode" during lunch. He looses consciousness and is unresponsive to staff for a period of 30 seconds. Concerned that this is related to his recent pump surgery and that it could be a seizure, staff rush Deuce back to Methodist Hospital Emergency Room. Many tests are done including a CT of his stomach and everything is inconclusive. He is admitted for observation overnight.

January 5th-Deuce starts the day by getting really sick and emptying the contents of his stomach. Doctors are concerned and don't know what is causing his problems. Today, tests show something is effecting his liver. After another CT of his abdomen he is rushed into emergency surgery (again). The surgeon explains that they have concerns that there has been a loss of blood flow to his colon and that it could be perforated causing it to leak into his liver. This situation can become fatal very quickly.

Deuce makes it out of surgery and the surgeon reports that they removed a foot long piece of his colon. Luckily, it wasn't as bad as the CT showed. Deuce is sewn back together and now just needs to recover. He has a really pretty scar with 24 staples!

January 6-Doctors are puzzled by Deuce's Ischemic Bowel because of it's rarity in someone his age. Surgeon thinks we won't find out what caused it. We are waiting for the Pathology report to return with more information. Hopefully that will be back today-Tuesday.

January 7-9-Still in ICU. Deuce is getting all of his nutrition intravenously. Sunday was a great day, lots of visitors. See pictures posted below. Monday he wasn't feeling as well again.

So that's where it stands right now. Everyone is tired but holding up okay. Please post messages to Deuce here! He'd love to hear from you!

Mary