Today
is a quiet, waiting day. Yesterday Bob received the second dose of the
immune suppression medication that he takes once a week for four weeks,
so we are waiting to give it a chance to work. Bob is back in the
medically-induced coma, and seems to be resting comfortably. They plan
to bring him out of it again either tomorrow afternoon or more likely on
Friday morning to see if the seizures will stay at bay. If not, they
will put him back in the coma and keep trying every few days. From some
of the literature that Bryn read, it seems that it is the Cytokine, the
once a month immune suppression medication, that really packs the
biggest punch. So it could be that we have to wait until the second dose
of that in three weeks before things are well controlled. In the
meantime, it takes many doctors and nurses working very hard to support
him while he is in this coma state. We are so grateful for all of their
care. His swelling is a bit worse again, which Bryn said is an
indication that his underlying inflammation is not as well controlled as
we would like. We keep doing our ICU Pilates every hour or two to keep
his joints from tightening up. That is the main work that those of us on
his bedside team can do. That and pray and learn a new, deeper kind of
patience and faith.
The
biggest news today is that because one of the leads on Bob’s pacemaker
has come loose, and he does not seem to be relying on it to keep his
heart going, that either later this week or early next week they will
take back out his shining new pacemaker. This surgery carries with it
some significant risks because of Bob’s immune suppressed state. But the
pacemaker is preventing them from being able to do brain MRIs, and what
is going on in Bob’s brain is what is of primary interest to the
doctors who are orchestrating his care, so the benefits outweigh the
risks. We ask for specific prayers that he be protected from infection
during and after that procedure.
Bryn
felt good enough about where we are in Bob’s healing process and the
plans that are in place for going forward that she headed back home to
Las Vegas. My sister Maura, who has been such a blessing, will be here
through tomorrow, and on Thursday Bob’s dad and sister will arrive. I
continue to feel so well supported by the love and care of so many
people. Thank you all for all of that.
-Megan
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