October 19 – “Patient Number Two”

I walked two miles with Chris yesterday.  I even did my back exercises before we ventured out.  I know.  I haven’t really mentioned them lately.  Sadly, that would be because I haven’t been doing them lately.  And it caught up with me.  My back has been pretty sore, especially since we have begun our career as housekeepers.

 

Yesterday was a step backwards for Christina.  She officially slipped back into ICU status.  She is very weak.  They returned her to the high flow oxygen.  They started steroids back to reduce inflammation, and antibiotics to make sure they got all of the bacteria part of the pneumonia.  But the biggest concern right now is that she might have a blood clot in her lungs.  Last I heard yesterday they were trying to get her into a position where they could do a CT scan with contrast to verify the presence of blood clots.  They think all this is a lingering effect of the whole Covid experience.  Oh, but on the positive side … her arm doesn’t hurt any more.

 

Now, on the home front (at least I think this is the home front.  We haven’t been around here very much the last few days), to Patient Number Two (who was actually patient number one, but gave up her status to Christina, but is still in the running …)

 

Chris had an appointment with her cardiologist yesterday.  It was a regular follow-up, but she had definitely had some questions, not the least of which was, why is she still having chest pains and shortness of breath and dizzy spells?  She also asked about the procedure she is scheduled for this Friday where they will insert a monitor into her chest to record heart rhythms and such over a long period of time.  That one is supposed to give us answers about the extremely low heart rate she occasionally has. 

 

So … he told her to definitely have the implant put in.  That is a question that can only be answered by the information the monitor will provide.  It was the other question that concerned him.  The continued heart pains and shortness of breath and dizziness.  The only way to figure out what’s going on there?  Well, step one is another stress test (like the one where she had the heart attack last time).  And if that doesn’t show what he needs to see, another “invasive procedure” is back on the table.  He was absolutely amazed at how much she walks, and he was totally floored when he found out she walks the stairs on top of that.  Still wants the stress test, though. 

 

Chris was Ok with all of that.  She understands the medical gobbledy-gook and jargon.  What she is not excited about, though?  Now, since she is having two separate procedures, that means two separate Covid tests as preliminaries.  Yep, the brain jab kind.  She hates those more than the procedures.  So her schedule looks like this:

Wednesday – Covid test (I failed to mention that we both have appointments with the ophthalmologist on Wednesday as well).

Friday – Procedure to insert the loop recorder

Nov. 1 – Covid test #2

Nov. 3 – Stress test

Oh, we have other things that will be happening all mixed in there as well (not nearly as stressful).  Fall Festival at church.  Babysitting the kids in Waco.  And I’m sure continuing our grandparent-ly taxi service and grandkid assistance program in LaMarque.  Phew.  Keep those prayers a’comin’

 

2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.  Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

 

Father, please invade Christina’s whole situation.  Fill her with your spirit and with some extra strength to fight this thing.  And be with Kel and the kids as they struggle to be a houseful of bachelors (and one little princess).  And please be with Chris through those Covid tests and the procedure on Friday.  Amen.