Home Again, Home Again, Jiggy Jig!

OK - I'm back at that Ponderosa!  After 11 days in room 2200 at the medical facility, I am now back at home. "Be it ever so humble (aka - mortgaged to the hilt) there's no place like home!

My legs still look like they belong to someone else... some rotund persona that doesn't resemble the adorable little man in the bow tie.  Yes, they are still moving lasix in me... although much less aggressively this time.  Soon I will be changing my name to I.P. Freely!

Stephen cooked a superb coming home dinner following strict ADA and AHA guidelines for low carbs, low fat and LOW SODIUM.  For those of you that actually read food labels (I know - we all think we do...) try making three fabulous meals a day and stay under 2000 mg of salt.  No easy feat, I assure you! In fact, it's near impossible!

After dinner, he managed - out of frustration and desperation, to go through our entire pantry and freezer setting aside oodles of goodies that are strictly "verboten" due to the high levels of sodium.  The food bank will be getting an assortment of canned and frozen goods in short order.

One of my anomalies since my surgery is the inability to sleep for long periods - like through the night.  For instance, I went to bed at 11 pm and woke up at 3:15 am bright eyed and bushy tailed.  Now - what's up with that?  Admittedly, the lasix had kicked in (who came up with the idea of taking a diuretic at bedtime - that's just insane) and I had to take care of business... but afterwards I couldn't even think of falling back to sleep - ain't gonna happen.  Something to discuss with the doctors next week.  BTW - even sleeping pills seemed to be ineffective on this, as I was given them in the hospital.  Besides, every morning at 4 am (I kid you not) Dracula's daughter would appear in my room to take four vials of blood.  Well, maybe with this new habit I'll be more productive? 

Anyway - as noted, I am now home and would love to visit with anyone brave enough to stop by and spend some time. I promise not to talk your ear off... (my friends know that an economy of words is not my specialty) but I'd would just love to see you all.  

Enough for now... have a great Memorial Day weekend celebration!!

LK

Surgery went well... Everything else went to hell in a hand basket!

Greetings from room 2200 at Kaiser Medical Center.  It appears that my kidneys were not very happy with the Lasik regime and proceeded to shut down.  My blood pressure dropped like a stone and I was one messed up cookie for a few days.

Today, Steve was kind enough to bring in my laptop so I could pay some bills and maybe enter a line or two on the blog.  So, that is what I'm doing...

I am humbled by the number of people who are reading this blog and I am appreciative of the messages/comments that you all have written.  It has brought me laughter and joy and tears too. I thank you all for making me smile and remember with great fondness so many wonderful times that we have shared.

Today is a good day.  I lost 3 pounds from yesterday - using a secret recipe from Mr Jelly Belly (much too gross to detail here) and my kidney function has greatly improved. I am hopeful that they will restart the Lasik tomorrow and that my body will cooperate.  If so, I'm changing my name to I.P. Freely...

I'm feeling a bit spent at the moment, so I'll log off.  Thanks again to you all!       LK

Patience ... please

Layne is still in the hospital and is improving.  The kidney functions are improving, but the fluid in his lower limbs is increasing.  His breathing is pretty good and his blood sugar numbers are good.   I  feel almost like a meteorologist at 11 pm.

His spirits are good and we are hopeful that he will be home soon.

I heard Tim Russert talking about the passing of Hamilton Jordan tonight.  Jordan wrote a book entitled,  "There's no such thing as a bad day."  Russert explained that the way the title was obtained was that former Presidential aide Jordan met a young boy who had brain cancer and said to the boy,  that it must be a bad day for him.  The young boy retorted, that as long as he could breathe, there was no such thing as a bad day.  

So despite all of the tsorus and stuff we have gone through in the past week, we are very assured that there is no such thing as a bad day.  Your prayers and best wishes are appreciated.

--- steve

Sunday in the Park ... not really

.... breathing is much improved, the heart is doing well .... however, I never knew that Layne was such a water conservationist. 

As many know there is and will be a water shortage here in Northern California , so Layne is doing his part by retaining fluids.  Not quite the same thing ... but that is the major problem and it will take time for the appropriate reduction.   We expect him to be home within the next few days.  He will be posting soon ...

Later, Steve

Friday Update

Full Recovery is going to be a long slow road.  In our instant message 21st century world, I need to remember (and  maybe Layne too) that the body needs time to heal.

Enough of the philosophic, the IV drip lasix treatment ran its course and one of its side effects reared its ugly head with an episode of low blood pressure.  The aggressive treatment was stopped and we need more patience to have the fluid completely eliminated.  More likely than not, Layne will be in the hospital till at least Sunday.  All in all there has been some more improvement since my last post.

On the brighter side, my conversation tonight with Layne's current primary care physician gave us insight as to how to get information to other treating doctors so that they are more aware of what's going on should we have to face another ER experience.  He also was caring and very easy to talk with so that I could understand the treatment protocols when Layne gets back home.

Finally, as many of you know and have commented, the California Supreme Court decided on Thursday that civil equality shall prevail and that it would be unconstitutional for there to be two systems of personal relationships in this State.  Nomenclature is less important than equal protection.  Simply, it's all about love.

Well, Thursday morning, Layne called me to tell me about the news bulletin of the decision.  I then got an email from our County Supervisor who advised that the Santa Clara County Clerk was preparing gender neutral marriage licenses and he was offering to officiate at any ceremony.

I replied that Layne and I may like to participate.  Then I sent a text message to Layne letting him know what I did.  I immediately sent another text message asking Layne to marry me. I then sent another text message saying, "Ha ha .. I asked first!"  Well he text messaged back .. YES.   

We are first focused on Layne's recovery.  However, we will plan our Celebration for soon thereafter.  Equality has a beautiful feeling.  Thanks again for your prayers and support.

---- Steve

Thanks for the great suggestions. I also want to acknowledge the assistance of my sister who works at Mass General Hospital and Layne's brother Forrest. 

One of our good friends who also works at Kaiser has given me rational advice as to how to get the information and advocate appropriately and effectively. I will be pursing that course also. 

As of this morning, Layne lost 2 pounds of fluid which is very positive and on the right track. I will be seeing him again later tonight and hopefully will have ore positive news.

Finally, my sister gave me the best advice possible, I have a new first name: My name is Attorney Steve Kline. Rarely have used it before, but with some of the bureaucratic gobbly gook that is being streamed from administrators, it may be the appropriate introduction.

No Panic --- But not great news ...

Tuesday morning at 1:00 am ... Layne was short of breath, not feeling well and his ankles were puffy ... some of the warning signs that we were told at discharge.  He called the Advice Nurse who gets 30% for every referral she makes to the Emergency Room and  off we went.

When we got there at 1:30 am, we started what Kaiser calls, "Welcome to Bureaucracy - Thrive!"  We told his story three different times to three different, all of whom wrote it down and must have erased it because the next person asked the same questions.  The best one was the person who asked after being told that Layne had an Aortic Valve Replacement ... How many valves were replaced?   I responded that most people had only one aortic valve so I thought the answer must be 1.   Call me stupid.

Well, he was finally placed on a hospital bed in an emergency treatment room ... two different doctors came in ... and asked the same questions as the three people before ... so much for sharing information ... after all we have privacy laws.

At approximately 6 am a doctor came in who actually had read something more than "Emergency Room Care for Dummies", explained what was going on and that Layne's fluid retention was not that unusual for his surgery given some of Layne's other medical problems. He would be admitted into the hospital.  I left about 8 am with him still in the ER to make phone calls and get some stuff for him.

When I came back at 10 am he was still in the ER .. no bed available at the Inn.  At about 10:54, I called his Patient Care Nurse ... and within 10 minutes  ... 3 cardiac surgeons were in the ER checking out what was going on with him.  I was amazed that at no time from our arrival to my phone call, had anyone called his cardiac team ... so much for Kaiser - Thrive!

Later that afternoon, he was finally admitted.  

Today, he is doing well.  He is undergoing treatment to reduce the fluids in his body.  We are not sure how long the process will be ... but we have been educated in the kinds of questions that will need to be asked.   Your continued support, prayers and good wishes are appreciated.  

Thanks for listening. .... steve

There's No Place Like Home

I just wanted - NEEDED - to take a moment and make a blog entry... three BIG reasons:  1) to let you know that I am now home  2) to attempt expressing (no matter how feebly I am doing this at the moment) how overwhelmed I am by your own blog entries, support, prayers, meditations and thoughts... and 3) my admiration and depth of love I have for Stephen ...and that I see so beautifully and bountifully returned back to me by his very presence.

He has surpassed any and all expectations I have had for his caregiving skills and ability to pay attention to the details of my healthcare.  He is a truly my most devoted advocate and supporter. 

I am still, feeling very weak - and typing this is draining my energy for the moment.  I won't baby myself - but I must sign off for now.  

It is soooooo good to be home!

My love to you all...

Layne

What a difference a day makes ...

... this morning, Layne was sitting up in the chair and he was considerably and noticeably better. Much more alert, not coughing, better breathing.

Well, he had walked and did very well. He also had eaten solid food although it was soft. All in all there was much relief on both our parts and the care that he had been given overnight was very good.

I met with the discharge planner after being sent through Kaiser Voice Mail Hell. "A joy with lots of assistance." I'm beginning to sound like Layne. Layne noted that my questions were ones that the guy did not expect .. I thought they were pretty simple ... but it's okay .. my confidence level was on the rise.

I saw him walk in the afternoon and while it was shorter and he did have breathing problems .. they were not as severe as yesterday.

They are talking about him coming home... maybe as soon as tomorrow ... but our agreed process is to make sure that we can handle the transition and his arrival .... not to be dramatic ... but we want to know how to handle all of this in our little abode that doesn't have Code Blue!

It has been an experience and an education. On the up side .. Layne read the blog today for the first time since his last entry and he was moved by your comments and best wishes ...

just keep those comments comin!

We're baaack ... into Cardiac ICU

... not the best headline ... and there is no need to panic ... just a speed bump on  the road to recovery.  Yesterday, there was another speed bump of sorts in that Layne had a rapid heart beat which was slowed down with medication.  All in all it was a decent day, but he still was having breathing problems.

This morning, they started talking about him going home, which I felt was too soon, given that he hadn't really walked very much and that his breathing was still not very good ... but what do I know ... I only play doctor in the courtroom or the deposition office ....

At any rate, later in the afternoon, they became concerned when his Oxygen level wasn't as high as they liked and they didn't like the xray and a couple of other things ... (I hope Layne signed that HIPAA waiver I gave him after going into this much detail)  Well about 5 pm they decided to take him back to Cardiac ICU in order to monitor him every minute.  In the other place one nurse monitors four other patients ... so we came back here .. put in a new set of tubes and met olde friends  (nurses, doctors, assistants) ... he's breathing better and his O2 level is much stronger .... they may do some other things later to night to rule out other complications ... but right now, he's doing better and getting the appropriate care ....

As I told him earlier, the challenges of his breathing problems ... asthma and sleep apnea were going to be part of all of this ... after all they replaced a valve ... anything done while they were in there for lungs would have been extra $1.50 ... and you know how cheap he is ....

I know you are all concerned and your prayers and great spiritual energy is very helpful .. we probably need a little more for a few more days .... it is all good and it is all appreciated ...  will try to write more ... it's good therapy for me  ... i am going to start selling T-shirts downstairs that are printed  "Don't F*ckin Ask Me --- How am I doing?"  Everyone who walks in any of these rooms, that's the first or second line out of their mouths ...  I guess its important but even  housekeeping says it ....

Okay I'm done with my rant .. thanks again for all your continued support.

--- Steve

Movin' on Up ... to the Eastside

to a big deluxe apartment in the sky ... yeah we're movin ....

Got ya singing yet?

Okay, Layne moved from Cardiac ICU to the Transitional Unit ... formerly known as Step down ... where he is comfortable.  While he was at the Cardiac ICU, he walked a little bit. We start with baby steps ... and he did very well.  He is in a single room and is sleeping.  Doesn't have the just outside the room single nurse like in the other room .. more like a regular hospital ward ... a little noisier ... but he is being monitored quite so closely ....

We met the Physical therapist who helped him get out of bed and started to teach him how to walk  ... for those of you who may not understand this process ... while the heart and its condition is very important and critical ... the hardest and longest part of the recovery is the fusion of the breast bone which was cut to allow the surgeons access to the heart. That's what will take 6 to 8 weeks or more for a proper fusing and healing.  It is also where a lot of the pain is located.  But the stitches look very nice ... a kind of lattice effect for one's chest ... maybe we can have the same stitching in T-shirts?

His breathing is better and all in all he looks pretty good ... more sleepy than cranky today ... the object of his disaffection is gone today ... you see all things are impermanent. 

... maybe in a day or two ... I can get him to type some of those words ... till then .. off to a commercial ... gotta keep the silly metaphor going ....

Cardiac ICU - Day 2

.... spent all day with Layne at the Cardiac ICU.  

First and most importantly, he is doing well.  The numbers on all the vital statistics are within the range of what the doctors want them to be.  

When I arrived in the morning, the breathing tubes had been removed and he had the a bi-pap on which while was not his favorite thing, was assisting his breathing.  During the day, his breathing improved.  He was moved twice from the bed to a chair.  By the end of the day, he had started eating. 

Overall he's looking pretty good and the long process of recovery and getting the breast bone to fuse and heal is on the way.

It goes without saying, we appreciate your support and best wishes.

I'll write again tomorrow.

--- steve