Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Unexpected Hospital Stay

Sean had been doing his radiation since last week without much problem. He began complaining this past weekend about cold chills and nights sweats and had afever about three times that broke really fast. After his radiation Monday morning he also then had his first chemotherapy treatment directly afterwards. Once we arrived at the hopsital Sean told the staff about his fever,chills and sweats so they decided to do blood work. When the results came back they said his white blood cell count was up and his Dr. ordered that he be admitted due to it. The staff on the chemotherapy floor called the fevers "normal" for a cancer patient calling them "tumor fevers". The rest however was something his doctor was a little concerned with. They admitted him around noon Monday and he literally sat in his room on the oncology floor for hours. Noone had ordered antibiotics nor fluids and he was only told they were waiting on a culture of the blood they had taken while he was up on the chemotherapy floor. After a long period of time we were having nurses tell us that they did not have orders concerning a culture and that noone had drawn one that morning, which was wrong. Seans mother and I literally had to make waves to motivate the nurses to check harder about the cultures only to learn that Seans doctor had hand written the order making it not available to staff via computer...which makes no sense at all. Sean was having no chills or sweats throughout the day and it was not until seven in the evening did they decide to even give him fluids. He spiked a fever of 101.1 once in the night and that was about the extent of it. His temp fell to 99.3 within a few minutes and he still had no complaints of chills. Another doctor came in around seven this morning to assess Sean only to tell us they thought he had pneumonia because they had not found anything either in his blood or urine so far. Seans normal doctor said they did not find anything on the chest xray they took around three yesterday and she may schedule a CAT scan to be sure. She says she believes it maybe something viral. He has been placed on antibiotics and fluids and otherwise is doing great. He has had an appetite and is wanting to go home. They told us that if they did not find anything in his culture that they would send him home. At the moment he is resting to my left with no temp and in a good mood. The 24th is my birthday and we were joking how bad it will suck to be stuck here on it. I told him I do not mind as long as he is okay. They are going to keep him overnight again undoubtly and hopefully we will know something more in the morning and maybe we can go home. They have not gave him his radiation treatment today and possibly won't until they are sure he has no infection. His Dr. (Sousa) said she will want him to complete his chemotherapy however before they allow him to go home regardless.

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