Thursday, June 27, 2013

Here We Go Again !

June 27th, 2013 Day 62.....Just when you think you are moving forward there comes a hiccup to send you backwards ! That is how we are feeling tonight. Today was a VERY LONG DAY for Deborah and Scotty. As they were leaving for the first of 3 appointments nurse Tori (ortho-oncologist) calls to tell them to go to CMC Pineville for a CT scan of the lung  at 11:00 and then to come to the Levine Cancer Center to see Dr. Patt. By the time they got to Dr. Patt's office he had to go into surgery. However, he did leave the X-ray order for Scotty's spine with Nurse Tori and she made sure they were done. The good news is the spine is healing on its on and the radiation has burned the tumor. From that office they went to the Medical oncologist to give them more blood and to see Dr. Ashley Sumrall. She is the one we like and she is not very happy that Scotty has not been checked on by one of her colleagues while in rehab. Scotty's oxygen level is 91 and the CT scan shows fluid in his right lung. Dr. Sumrall gets in touch with the lung specialist while they are in her office and they decide to admit Scotty to the hospital. Scotty was just at the lung doctor last week and everything was good. Now all of this did not happen as quickly as you may think.  There was lots of waiting and neither one of them had any lunch. By 3:00 they are admitting him and Deborah has to go move her car while the nurse takes Scotty over to his room on the 4th floor. Room 4709. As Deborah puts it me and the ticket taker are friends again ! When Deborah gets up to his room the Nurse is taking his vital signs and  the revolving door of Doctors begins ! The medical Oncologist sent her resident who Deborah calls that "Young Boy", the nurse and doctor from Palliative Care comes in, and the lung doctor on call, Dr. Swartz. The Palliative Care people are for pain management and assistance when dealing with serious illnesses. Scotty is scheduled for a broncoscopy  tomorrow at 3pm.. They will flush the lung and try to see what is going on with the lung. He appears to be developing pneumonia again which will be the third time. He seems to go on antibiotics and when he is off them for 10 - 14 days the fluid comes back. He will be in the hospital until they get this figured out because the lung issue is keeping them from moving forward with a plan of treatment for the cancer in the liver.

Please pray for the doctors as they try to solve the issues with the lungs. Pray for Scotty to keep up the fight and for him not to get discouraged. And please pray for strength for Deborah as she continues to care for Scotty and Noah.