Well, I must say I am glad this week is coming to an end. It has been a rough one but I made it through as well as could be expected. The area where they put the new catheter in is very sore but is in the process of healing. Yesterday was the day I was at Medical Plaza to have the TEE (Esophageal Echogram) and sure enough, they found vegetative growth on a pulmonary valve. It is small and they think they can take care of it with the Vancomycin I am getting MWF at dialysis. This was what they were hoping to not find because this indicates the starting of endocarditis. I certainly hope next week is less eventful.

I must say I am relieved the catheter has been replaced. I was to be “under” the entire time in the operating room but I partially woke up and could hear and feel a great deal of what was going on. It was close to the end of the procedure. I must have started to loose a good deal of blood because I could hear the tone of the people in the room start to rise and could feel the wetness and warmth of the blood. They had blood and platelets there just in case and I feel they did a great job. It was necessary to take a stitch, then two or three and I could feel pressure then the pain of the stitches taking place and finally the cutting of the “thread” they were using. It was a strange thing because I could not say anything but just lay there although I do know I was in pain and wrenched several times during this period of time. I think it was then put under a little deeper and I understand this because they did not need me wrenching around on the table. I really think Dr. Hudgens is a wonderful surgeon and do not feel the outcome would have been as good if he had not done it.

I am sore today and quite weak but I had to go to dialysis this morning and that always takes a toll on me. When the old dressing was changed, the floor nurse said it all looked good. I realize there was no other choice but to remove and replace the old catheter because once they become infected, they must go. I was glad they could use the same area as the old one because that meant less stress and trauma.

Tomorrow I go in for the esophageal echogram that Dr. Barbaro called for to make sure he has a good overall picture of what is going on before I see him.

Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers. They mean so much to my family and to me.

La Donna's surgery was successful. The doctor was actually able to place the new catheter in the old position. She was released from the hospital today. It might be a few days before she will be able to post her thoughts. No need for verbosity as she will be back soon and capable of updating you.

Almighty God and heavenly Father, we give thee humble thanks because thou hast been graciously pleased to deliver from her surgery thy servant La Donna, in whose behalf we bless and praise thy Name. Grant, O gracious Father, that she, through thy help, may live in this world according to thy will, and also be partaker of everlasting glory in the life to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

I go in tomorrow for the changing of my catheter. I received two units of packed red blood cells today in preparation for the surgery. I will first get platelets in the morning but to receive blood and platelets in the same day and then have surgery would have been impossible. The blood takes about five hours to transfuse and the platelets another two hours. That is why I received the blood today so we can go ahead with transfusing the platelets and then surgery about 9:00 in the morning.

A. G. will post to the blog while I am in the hospital and unable to do so.

My latest news is that things are moving very fast. I got the information about what will take place next week. I will have the surgery to replace the catheter on Tuesday at Harris Hospital. Dr. Hudgens will do the procedure.

My hemoglobin is low 8.8 and I will go to the local hospital in the morning for cross typing and then go in Monday after dialysis for the transfusion. I am to be at the hospital by 7:00 AM on Tuesday and they will first give me platelets and then at 9:00 will do the procedure. Since I am considered a high-risk patient, I am not sure how long I will be in the hospital but hope to be able to leave by Wednesday afternoon.

I have an appointment at Plaza Hospital Thursday at 8:00 AM. This one is to do the echogram that requires you swallow the tubing with a camera and shows what is going on behind the heart. This one and the one I had yesterday will give them the total picture of what is going on in my chest. Dr. Malik will do this procedure. If I am not out of Harris, I will have to call Wednesday afternoon and they will have to reschedule. Dr. Barbaro, the infection specialist, wants the additional echo done before I see him. He is booked six weeks ahead but when Dr. Shorie talked to him, he said for me to have the echo and when the results were back, he wants me to make an appointment with him.

It all has been put on the fast track. Every time a doctor says there will be a period of time before they can see me then Dr. Shorie talks to them and things change. This is like a two-headed sword. It is nice to have things moving along but it is also scary that they feel there is such a need for the speed.

The last few weeks have been tough but interesting. I have recovered from the pneumonia and sinus infection but a blood culture found the steph is still there. They have been giving me high doses of Vancomycin but it has not taken it out. The decision was made to continue the Vancomycin but also go forward with replacing the catheter even though there is a high risk because of my lack of platelets. It has the bacteria in it and it does not seem to be getting better until the source is removed. The steph is coagulation negative strain.

Dr. Shorie wanted me to have an Echocardiogram to check for vegetation….yes vegetation. Sounds a little strange so it can also be called bacteria. If found, it indicates the presence of endocarditis. They were backed up for a month but after they found there was an immediate need for the information, they worked me in within 24 hours. As I always say, I have a wonderful medical community that takes care of me. Dr. Mott will review the results quickly and get the info to Dr. Shorie. Dr. Mott came in when the echo was being finished and he said it did not look good and the time had come to replace the old catheter.

I am to see an infection control specialist, Dr. Barbaro, to make sure everything is being done correctly. Because of my situation and many problems, Dr. Shorie wants to make sure there are no mistakes along the way. I will go back to Dr. Hudgens, surgeon, to set a time for the replacement. I saw him over a year ago but because of my platelet count, he did not want to do the replacement until it was absolutely necessary. Well, that time seems to have come. I will find out those appointment times Friday at dialysis. Dr. Shorie will be there and Pat, floor nurse, has been making the appointments for me.

The procedure is usually a day surgery but because of my many problems and being a high risk patient, I will be in the hospital for several days. I will go in and they will give me mega doses of platelets, then do the procedure, then I will stay for a couple of days for them to observe me. I dread what is ahead but we have waited about as long as we can.