Sunfish Posted January 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 just checking in with a quick update...the blood cultures have thus far been clean, which means i have one set of officially clean cultures (clean for 3-days post blood draw) and another set that are clean thus far and will be "official" tomorrow morning. but while the second set isn't technically "official" yet, my problematic cultures (aka filled with bacteria) usually grow within 24 hours so at this point waiting on the three day mark is just a technicality. as such, my surgery to hopefully place a new port is scheduled for tomorrow morning @ 8. best case scenario i'll then be able to escape wednesday afternoon. if the port can't be placed in the more typical place (upper chest/ under collarbone) there will have to be more discussion/ testing before we'd decide what type of alternate site to try (i.e. back, leg, side...there are more technical names for these locations but i'm trying to create as little confusion in my explanations as possible!). in other words, it would be a separate/ later surgical event. we're obviously praying, hoping, keeping our fingers crossed, etc. that we don't have to embark on that second step, at least not this go around. i also have a whole-body PET scan scheduled for Wednesday morning. it was something that was "on the books" so to speak as an outpatient but since there's no way i can be discharged before wednesday (the only day they are done as it's a mobile unit) we might as well get it done while i'm here. in reality it's not expected to give a lot of info but my pulmonologist came up with it as a "it can't hurt" idea in regard to our neverending search for an infection source. i'm not one to want to overutilize medical resources but since my insurance has okayed it, my situation is SO out there, it's not invasive, and the stakes are pretty high i don't think it's unreasonable to give it a shot. when it was first mentioned insurance approval was doubtful so i decided that if it happened to get approved i'd see it as a green light but would by no means sweat it if they said no. without much effort they said "go" so if nothing else perhaps i'll donate a copy of the results to research (as PET scans are popular these days in neuro research).i know i have a lot to respond to and i'll try to get back to doing so sooner than later but that's the scoop for the here & now. melissa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan617 Posted January 28, 2008 Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 Well yippee ki yaa, will hope the port insertion goes as smoothly as can be hoped and you get your little fishy butt out of there soon! AS far as the PET scan goes, it can't hurt anything and you never know....good luck sweet stuff...mamamorgan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia3 Posted January 28, 2008 Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 Thanks for the report, Melissa.Look forward to the next one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctorguest Posted January 28, 2008 Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 Dear Melissa,Hope the procedures are successful and that you get to go home soon. You are in my thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEE Posted January 28, 2008 Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 melissa glad they are trying different routes to find the source..I HOPE things all go smoothly for the procedures.HUGS~Belinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Thanks for the update, Melissa. I'm glad to hear that the blood cultures are cleen thus far. I hope and pray that all goes well tomorrow. Good luck with the PET scan as well.Take care, little fish.Rachel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MightyMouse Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 It was good to see you post tonight fishy. Sounds like this trip to the pokey is better than prior trips. Are you still getting fevers even with the clean cultures? or are you feeling any better? I know that your energies are often limited, so feel free to not answer or to do so with yes/no when you do feel up to it.Nina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tearose Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 More good wishes Melissa!Take care, tearose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Burschman Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Same here! I hope everything goes smoothly for you today.Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaneEyre9 Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Hey Melissa-- glad the news is as good as possible so far-- i'm wondering the same as nina-- are the fevers gone?? still praying for you dear one!Kristen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corina Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 hi melissa, glad to hear things are going the right direction: home!!!! i know, i know, you're not yet there yet, but as we all are thinking about you and sending the best of thoughts and we want things to go well for you, we could almost carry you home!!!love,corina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LilySnick12 Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Sunfish,Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Asking our great Physician and healer to guide your earthly doctors. May you be surrounded and uplifted by love, hope and faith and feel HIS comfort.Thank you so much for your honesty and sharing your heart with us. You have touched many lives! Your courage and conviction is evident in all you do. Your love and compassion will leave a lasting legacy on many hearts.Again our best wishes for a speedy hospital stay and prays for a rapid recovery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaneEyre9 Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Update from Melissa:Our fishy got her gills put in today! Or in other words, the surgeons were able to place a new port in Melissa today. She is in a lot of pain and on a lot of pain medication due to the 3 tries it took to place the port. Even with the drugs, I could tell it was a rough procedure. She was also having lung pain to the point where she couldn't breathe well, but the chest x-ray came back ok. This is another relief, as there would have been crisis if she did not have port access for her vital daily fluids. So basically, she is not out of trouble by any means, but has some room to breathe right now. Thanks be to God,Kristen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Thanks for passing on the news, Kristen.Dear Melissa, I'm glad to hear that the port was able to be placed. I'm sorry it had to be such a long and painful procedure. I hope you can rest well tonight despite the pain. Good luck with the PET scan tomorrow. Here's to being back in your own fishbowl soon.Hugs and prayers,Rachel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DancingLight Posted January 30, 2008 Report Share Posted January 30, 2008 Kristen!Thank you so much for posting this update. I've been wondering ALL day if the port access was successful.It sounds like an awful ordeal and the pain will certainly be miserable was things heal up....but all I can say is that, as you said, thank G-d the port went in at all. I know Melissa will endure the pain in return for port access. Just wish everything didn't have to be so hard for her.Anyways, I just found my way over the computer wondering if an update had been posted....and am so glad you posted and kept us in the loop.I wanted to call but figured she'd be too uncomfortable...which it sounds like she is. Plus, those 8 am tests and procedures are no good for us!!!!! It's the middle of the night!!!! Thanks so much for the update and the clever 'she got her gills' analogy.Good news. Maybe I'll sleep tonight.Emily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia3 Posted January 30, 2008 Report Share Posted January 30, 2008 thanks for the update, though I hate hearing about all the lung pain and other stuff.prayers coming your way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxine Posted January 30, 2008 Report Share Posted January 30, 2008 Thanks for the update Kristen--- Melissa, You continue to be in my thoughts and prayers. I don't know what to say, other then keep the faith.HUGS,Maxine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roselover Posted January 30, 2008 Report Share Posted January 30, 2008 Both my husband and I have been praying for Melissa and we specifically prayed for this port surgery yesterday. So glad you posted an update Kristen. Thank You!Love you Melissa!~Melanie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MightyMouse Posted January 30, 2008 Report Share Posted January 30, 2008 Yo fishy! Glad that your gills are working again... here's to the rest of your stay being even more fruitful!!! Nina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flop Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 Hi Melissa,Thank you Kirsten for the update - it is good to hear the great news about the new port but I hate to think of how much pain our fishy must be in at the moment, but she needs her access to "water". I'm praying that the pain is controlled soon and that your wounds heal quickly Melissa.Hugs,Flop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wareagle Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 YaaaaYYYYY! I'm so glad they got a port in Melissa! Hoping everything else goes well and you're back home soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunfish Posted February 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 the quick update du jour is that i escaped the hospital late yesterday. sorry for the delay in posting but i'm just now feeling like computer-time b/c even though i was doing relatively okay i couldn't get my head/neck positioned comfortably after all the digging it took to get my new gills implanted (i LOVE the gill analogy! i can always count on you all for a grin ). port placement usually takes about 30 minutes. the three tries needed to get mine in took two hours and part of the port had to be threaded through my neck rather than through the more typical chest insertion. in other words the actual port is still in my chest but in addition to the incision just above the port i also have one on my neck.i'm still sore & somewhat lacking in range of motion in around my left head/ neck/ shoulder area but it's improving by the day (already LOADS better) & the pleural/ breathing pain is long gone (thought to be from some combo of small air pockets left over from the procedure and radiating pain from the amount of digging that went on). other than the scar the site where my old port was removed at the start of my hospital stay is all but healed up. heck...with that line on my right upper chest & one of the new incisions as a matching line on the left side it even looks like i have gills!so for now the fishbowl is crisis-free. still a lot of "big issues" in the undercurrents but nothing that can't be avoided for the moment (in a healthy-to-avoid-on-occasion sort of way of course .) melissa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia3 Posted February 2, 2008 Report Share Posted February 2, 2008 Dear Sweet Melissa,When reading about your ordeal, all I can think is,,,OUCH!!I hope the neck pain subsides ASAP.Thanks for the update,Prayers, purrs and good thoughts,Soph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted February 2, 2008 Report Share Posted February 2, 2008 Owie, owie, owie. You are one tough fish. I'm glad the port is placed, but I'm sorry it had to come with so much pain. Thanks for letting us know how you're doing. I hope the pain continues to subside. Good night, my friend. Rest well.Hugs,Rachel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg Tired Posted February 2, 2008 Report Share Posted February 2, 2008 Yaay!! I'm glad you escaped the hospital! So sorry about the difficulties with port placement, but glad it was finally a success.Get some good rest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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