I’m Not Dead Yet (I.N.D.Y.)

First, I wanted to give you some more photographic info about my room.  This first pic is taken on the balcony that is outside my room window (notice that my window is circled in light blue).  The Marburg pavillion buidling is surrounded by other Hopkins buildings.

Then, looking out from my room, you can see the dome of the original entrance to John’s Hopkins Hospital.

I spent much of today attached to my IV machine.  I had been loosing lots of fluids (the activity of my bladder is NOT in question), and the doctors prescribed electrolytes.  I drank a NASTY potassium “drink” (though, using the term ‘drink’ to describe this concoction is an affront to drinks around the world — not quite as bad as phosphosoda, but pretty darn close).  I was able, however, to barter an extra italian ice from my nurse as a reward for choking down the potassium.

In addition to potassium, the docs had ordered IV magnesium.  Unfortunately, magnesium has to be infused SLOWLY…They only had 100 CCs, but it had to be infused over a 4 hour period.  Once that was done, they had to infuse my eurthromycin (an antibiotic that helps promote bowel motility). After all was said and done, I spent the late morning and most of the afternoon on the machine.  I still strolled the halls of Johns Hopkins Hospital, but I was not a free to go as many places as I was when I didn’t have my IV machine with me.

We got some unwanted news late this afternoon, though.  Dr. Cameron’s chief resident (Dr. Winter) told me that the pathology reports were back: there were positive margins (extra cancer cells) left on the mesenteric arteries (we knew about this) and 2 lymph nodes that were infected (we didn’t know about this).  Dr. Winter has arranged for a medical oncologist and a radiation oncologist to come by for a consult tomorrow.  I will not begin any therapy while in Baltimore, but it’ll be good to get their read on the implications of these pathological results.

Not unsurprisingly, my appetite seems to have faltered some.  Perhaps this information is not as bad as it feels, but…

On the good side, Dr. Winter says he’s likely to discharge me on Wednesday.  Way back when, I claimed how in awe of my father I was that he was discharged from the hospital 6 days after his major lung surgery.  I said then that I hope I could live up to the example he set and, short of something untoward happening over the next couple of days, it looks like I’ll be following in his footsteps!

We’ll know more tomorrow after talking to the other docs.

Keep the positive thoughts / energy headed our way!

Merle

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