Midnight Tuesday April 19, 2011

I just came home to regroup and pack our bags......I wish for a vacation, but unfortunately not.  Ed developed a fever earlier this evening - 101.4 at 8:30 so I called Dr. Menco and we headed to the E.R.  By 9 his fever was 102.5 and by 9:20 it was 103.   Dr. Menco called ahead so they took Ed right in, despite the mash-unit like feel of the ER, crowded with people waiting in chairs and gurneys in the hallways, paramedics unloading ambulances, babies crying and portable machinery and people scurrying everywhere.  They have started him on 2 IV broad-spectrum antibiotics while they culture the bacteria to determine the exact type.   He had Tylenol, and ice packs under each armpit and behind his neck to bring his body temp down.  After a couple of hours he starting feeling better. 

Dr. Menco has admitted him and my guess is he'll stay for a couple of days while they culture the bacteria.  His white count came in tonight at .3 so its dropped even further from yesterday.  Given how germy hospitals are reputed to be, it's kind of scary, but the good thing is that they can monitor him very closely and take all the necessary steps to get him over the hurdle much more quickly than can be done at home.  I'm packing my disinfectant wipes and plan to temporarily adopt a Howard Hughes-like philosophy toward germs.   It's the best we can do under the circumstances and it's just a matter of riding out the days until his whites start to come back.  We'll see Dr. M in the morning to discuss the game plan and I'll let you know when I have some info.  So much for trying to stay off of the roller coaster.  For a reason I don't know yet, someone has other plans.......  I just hope this will be resolved more quiickly and easily than last time.   Continued prayers for Ed are welcome and comforting.