Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

Back in the Hospital

Wednesday September 12, 2012
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

 

My last post was on Saturday past about my evening at First Friday’s.  We left Charlottesville on Monday for Gifford Pinchot State Park.  That was a comedy of errors which I intended to post yesterday after we got back from a trip with Carrie to Chocolate World in Hershey.  I thought today I would post about our visit to all that CANDY!  

But unfortunately David was not feeling well during our Chocolate World visit.  He had been unusually tired since the trip on Monday and had to go out to the car twice to rest while we were at the Hershey exhibits.  But then he began having chills and a fever. When the fever got to 100.5 which is the hot spot at which all stem cell transplant patient caregivers know they must call the BMT Clinic at Moffitt, we did.

 

DGB emergency

They said go to the emergency room. So we took David to the closest hospital which is in Harrisburg, 30 minutes from Gifford Pinchot.  They kept him in the emergency room for several hours and then  admitted him to the hospital.  His fever continued to go up and reached 101.7.  They did a battery of blood tests.  We have been in communication with his hematologist at Moffitt who is now working with the doctors at Harrisburg.

 

At this time they still aren’t positive what has caused the infection he apparently has but his White blood counts, red blood counts and hemoglobin have dropped drastically.  All are now below normal.  They have him on IV fluids and antibiotics awaiting the results of the blood cultures. 

Late this afternoon in the shower David found 2 ticks on him.  One on his hip and one on his leg.  This may be the cause of the problem so they have changed his antibiotics.   He remains in the hospital with extreme fatigue, recurring chills and his fever was 100 when we left him this evening.

We believe they will find the source of the infection but the assault on his weak immune system has set his recovery back substantially.

There are more fun things to post that went on before this happened and I hope to do that out of chronological order and after he is safe and discharged from the hospital.

37 comments:

  1. Oh my, Sherry! I'm so sorry for this setback. I hope that they caught this soon enough so that the right antibiotics will kill the infection that is causing his high temps and symptoms.

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  2. I hope the doctors can get to the cause of David's symptoms. I was never concerned about ticks all the years I lived in the east, but they seem to be getting worse, or maybe it's because of the changing weather patterns. At least they have the ticks for examination and can rule them either the cause of the infection, or rule them out.

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  3. As always, my thoughts and hope are with you and David. It's been a bad year for ticks all over. Hope it has nothing to do with them--maybe he was around someone with a cold. Hope David is up and about and out of the hospital pronto. Glad the doctors are working with Moffitt. As you have time, keep us posted. Glad you are with Carrie.

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  4. Ticks! ACK! When we boondocked in Virginia, I learned the names of all sorts of things I found on me. What kind were these bloodsucking parasites (I say that without judgement)?

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  5. We sure do hate this turn of events. Hope they quickly get to the root of the problem and David gets on the mend soon.
    Syl and Gin

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  6. Oh Sherry, I was thinking about you and wondering if all was ok. I HATE those %#&!! ticks!! I don't know what earthly use they are besides carrying disease. You will be in my prayers tonight.

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  7. oh Sherry. I'm glad you have Carrie with you.And 'ms o glad the Drs. at Moffitt who know all about him are working with the Drs. where he's at.

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  8. Oh Sherry...not a good day at all. Thinking of you and hoping for a quick turnaround and recovery for David. Ticks. ugh. Seems awfully late in the year to be worrying about such things. I too am glad Carrie is near.

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  9. I am so concerned by your latest news. I know that this was not the hand you were hoping for. Glad you sought assistance pronto! Hang in there my friend. Sending prayers and positive energy!!

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  10. Oh no! So sorry to hear about this setback. Hope the doctors can quickly remedy the infection and David is soon back on his feet.

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  11. I know you are worried now, (we all are), but the best place for David right now is the hospital. Any hurdles can be addressed and the right treatment can be administered quickly.

    Thank goodness the doctors at Moffit and Harrisburg are working together to help David get back on his feet. David is a remarkable man and he'll overcome this setback.

    We'll keep you both is our thoughts and prayers.

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  12. Oh, geez, he does have a bug!! Thinking of you and him, wish him well. Take Care & God Bless!!

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  13. Hi Sherry, so sorry to hear about this setback. I am praying that things get better fast for both of you.

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  14. So sorry to hear about David's setback. Glad the doctors are checking with Moffit. They don't always do that. Praying he feels better soon. Ticks-- yuck! But glad he found them!

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  15. Omigosh...hoping for strength and healing for David ASAP. You both were having such fun and I hope you can get back on that track real soon

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  16. Disturbing news - I will be praying for David's recovery.

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  17. Really sorry to hear David is not feeling well. However, very glad you got help immediately and they find the cause and get David back on track. Glad to hear you had some time with Carrie. We'll keep you all in our thoughts everyday!!

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  18. Not what I wanted to read when I opened your blog today. Hope they have by now figured out whether the ticks were the source of the infection and that treatmment is in place to get David feeling better.

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  19. Oh, Sherry and David. We were so sorry to hear about Davids setback. It's good the Moffit doctors are working with the doctors up there, and that they took the fever seriously.

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  20. Distressing, Sherry, to hear this. I was so excited to know that all 3 of you were at Hershey Park and having fun. I hope by the time I am writing this that things are going in a better direction for David. He is a great man - who has fought this entire battle with grace and dignity. We ALL want him to walk out of that hospital with no temp and kicking up his heels. You are all in my thoughts and prayers... every day.

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  21. We are so very sad to hear about this setback...when I checked your blog this morning I was looking for the 'continuance of fun"...so so sorry to hear this..thankfully you were on top of things and hopefully caught this early and it will be just a minor setback...but a setback none the less...praying hard for you and David that treatment is minimal and works quickly so you can be out of there and on your way to some more fun times...

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  22. Oh dear, not liking this post. You two will sure be in my thoughts and prayers to gain back strength, loose the infection, and get back on the road. The tick situation is horrible...we need a winter with a good freeze! xo

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  23. Sherry and David - so sorry to hear about this setback. Glad that David is in the hospital so that they can monitor him closely and get him up and running soon! Good thoughts are being sent your way.

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  24. Please tell David I am thinking of him.- Hope they get him up and going soon.

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  25. What a let down tonight's post is. So sorry you are once again facing the unknown. I hope David has a speedy recovery.

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  26. Oh, gosh...so sorry to hear of this...Hope it's a minor setback and not a major one. Wonder where David picked up the ticks? Hope the infection clears up quickly...Prayers and hugs to the both of you...

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  27. Good that you got him to the hospital so quickly. Hopefully they will get his infection under control-soon. Take care and let him know our thoughts are with him.

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  28. I was wondering what was up when I hadn't seen a post in a day or two. I sure hate to hear this but am glad David is getting care. Please know I am keeping both of you close to my heart and sending prayers and healing energy.

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  29. Sounds like David is getting good care. Stay strong. Sending good thoughts to you and sending prayers upward.

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  30. I woke up this morning thinking that I haven't seen a post from you in a few days. So sorry to hear about David's hospitalization and hope they can find out what caused the infection. Ticks, yuk!

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  31. I hate hearing this. Hopefully they have it under control at this point, sounds like he is in good hands. Hoping for a quick recovery and that you two are back to new adventures very soon. Please keep us posted...

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  32. Sure hope he bounces back real soon! Sounds like he is getting the best possible care.

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  33. Oh no!!! Hopefully this too shall pass and quickly. Hang in!!

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  34. Sherry and David,
    So very sorry to hear this news but glad to know he's in the hospital where they will take good care of him.
    Please know we'll be thinking of you both.

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  35. So sorry to hear this... I hope they are able to figure out the problem quickly and get uncle dave feeling better soon. I will keep you both in my thoughts...

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  36. So sorry to read this ... Thinking of you

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