Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Trying to reign in the worry

BR had yet another catheter tube change yesterday, a week earlier than usual. That makes three tubes in five weeks, and none have resolved the bladder cramping and pain, the leaking, and the sediment in his urine. At least it's not blood anymore.

Sediment. What a funny word for "the bacteria are renovating your bladder -- please pardon our dust."

We got a referral to a urologist today. Of course, we got it at 5:15pm, and they all closed at 5. I'm watching him like a hawk for any sign of fever. Without blood, the chances of sepsis are slim, so a fever would be more of a sign that the infection is spreading up towards the kidneys. And kidney damage is something we will definitely want to head off with an ER visit.

Pain killers. Tranquilizers. Adult undergarments. I want them to be enough to keep him comfortable until the urologist can see him. But I can tell they are not. I need a distraction.

Once Jordan and I get BR resting in bed this evening, we will be going to see the new Harry Potter movie. A couple hours at Hogwarts to temporarily displace the worry.

4 comments:

steve said...

Back home. Great movie. BR's eating homemade strawberry ice cream. Good night, y'all.

Cranky said...

Steve - hope BR gets in to see the urologist today. Please keep us posted.

Glad you got a break. Movies are great escapes.

Herrad said...

Hi Steve,

Hope BR got to see the urologist, have been getting quite cloudy urine with some sediment, no pain.

We have these little bags of sterile water which Richie uses to flush through the catheter and that keeps it ok.

Mine will be renewed week afdter next.

By the way on another issue I have been drinking a food supplmenit to0 build me up abit and is s eems to be working wo0nder if that could be good for BR too.

Love,
Herrad

steve said...

Hi Cranky -

I'm thinking of setting the next post to music, can calling it "Sunset Bladdervard". You know, a tribute to the musical catheater.

Hi Herrad -

Ever since the sepsis incident in 2007, I've shied away from any catheter maintenance. If the professionals can so easily mess it up, who am I to be shoving water into BR's touchy bladder?

No, I call the home nurse whenever the thing isn't working right. I'm just not so confident in the home nurse anymore. Or the doctors. Good lord, who can I trust?

BR's weight has been holding steady, and may even be going up a bit. He's had a healthy appetite since the course of prednesone. We also use a supplement drink for days when he doesn't really want to eat. Trouble is, the one he likes is no longer being stocked at the local drug store.