Kind of funny...my last post was titled "health restored." Sometimes these infections like to hide out for a few days before they come back with a vengeance!
Dennis had gone back to his urologist on Thursday last week for his checkup. Everything looked fine! BUT the doctor did warn him that the infection could still come back. Friday night Dennis started feeling a little chilled, but nothing bad. He went to work Saturday morning and made it through the day. When he walked in the house around 5:00 that afternoon, tho, he looked like he had been hit by a truck! We took his temp, which was 101. So he put in a call to the doctor's office and was told to go to the ER and what to instruct them to do. We drove straight to Harris (downtown FW). It was such a different experience from last time at PPGH! Within an hour of arriving, they had done a urinalysis, drawn LOTS of blood for various tests and cultures, started an iv, and a doctor had already been in. We had to spend a few more hours in the ER before finally being taken up to a room, but the staff was very attentive to Dennis' needs.
We spent 4 nights in the hospital. They kept Dennis on 2 different iv antibiotics. We finally discovered that he had an E. coli infection that had gotten into his bloodstream (besides his urinary tract and prostate). It didn't turn out to be a resistant strain...they don't really know why the meds didn't work the first time around. I guess they just weren't strong enough to get it all. Hopefully after countless bags of iv meds and an upcoming 10 days of oral meds, it will finally all be gone! Dennis isn't in any discomfort any longer...just weak and tired. He should be able to return to work on Monday.
We had a very good experience with the nursing staff at Harris. The daytime nurse was the same one the whole time...Esther. I don't think I've ever seen an RN who was so attentive to her patients. We got to know her quite well during our stay. She is from Kenya. She was an excellent nurse and fun to visit and kid around with. There was a little difficulty in communicating...she still has a strong accent...but we managed. She has 3 adopted teenage daughters. They were refugees from Katrina, whose mother decided she couldn't (or wouldn't) care for them. They were featured on a tv news program designed to find homes for children, so Esther's family decided to take them in and adopt them...interesting story!
It really felt good to sleep in my bed last night. I'm very thankful that we had such a good hospital to go to for getting Dennis well; but I do not miss the loud beeping of the iv machine, the regular vital checks, the elderly patient across the hall who hollered for hours on end, or the hard and uncomfortable chair that I spent my nights in. So very thankful to be home!!!!!
Jer 33:6 Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.
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