Septic with Staph

Thursday afternoon, Manny ended up with a 102 plus fever.  By rule, because he has a central line (the brovia), he has to go into the ER for blood tests.  We went to the small, local hospital since it was just for blood tests.  His WBC was 8.3 (normal) so they sent us home thinking it was "just" the flu.  (We were all relieved.)

Friday, he still had a fever but weren't concerned since the WBC was low.  But about 5pm, got a call from the hospital that his blood cultures were positive for several things (they just weren't sure what yet).  They asked us to bring him back in immediately and get more tests.  So we did ... again, thinking we were going home. 

But no ... after many many hours and multiple tests, they decided to admit him but not to that hospital (they can't handle his complications there) and they decided to transport him to our regular hospital.  They wouldn't let me drive him, so we had to go via ambulance. 

He screamed as they put him on the stretcher  and screamed again as they put him in the ambulance.  (I rode in the back with him.)  And then it "clicked" and he realized he was fine (like I'd been telling him the whole time).  But he was sooooo thrilled.  He LOVED every second of it.  He kept saying, "Riding in ambulance."

He was cracking up the EMTs.  And when we drove up to the hospital, he said, "We're here! At the hostipal"  (No, I didn't mistype that, it's how he says it.)  The EMTs were a little shocked that he knew where he was. 

Then it was a ride up to the 8th floor.  This hospital has several kid sections and lately, we've been going over to another building so it's been a while since we've been up here.  Sure enough, just like is true to form, all the nurses and techs remembered us and immediately started doing their "oohs and aaahhs" of how cute and big he's gotten.

By this time it was after 3am and he still had a pretty good fever and only had a few minutes of sleep all night.  (Which is more than I'd had.)  But Manny was in amazing spirits!  He was being the funniest I've ever seen him.  Like a stand up comic.  At one point, there were like 10 people in our room in full out belly laughs at him.  One thing, for example, is he kept answering "No" to everything.  (Not in a snotty way but in a funny way and then laughing.)  He answered no to everything for about 20 questions.  Then they asked, "Is no your favorite word?"  (Expecting him to say "no") But he said "YES". And everyone lost it. 

4am, he fell asleep.  Conked out completely.  About 4:20 he woke up from a dead sleep SCREAMING and clawing at his broviac (he wanted that OUT).  I called for the nurse and we flipped on a light.  Sure enough, he was in a full allergic reaction to the meds.  They stopped it and gave benadryl and eventually it went away.  But man was that a horrible reaction.

Due to the fever, he had to get temp taken every 2 hours.  There were meds every 30 minutes changing.  By 7am, they were in for the morning routine.  Bottom line?  I might have gotten an hour of (non-solid) sleep. 

He woke up a complete grouch and in a lot of pain.  Due to the antibiotics, he is now in full c-diff mode. 

At 3am they turned off his TPN (so they could start the antibiotics) and assured me they would start something soon so he wouldn't crash again.  (Mental note:  Should have gone with my gut on that one.)

By noon, he was starting to act sluggish.  I started asking for the Doc.  They assured me he was on his way.  (Mental note:  I should have insisted harder.) 

By 3pm, he was slipping in and out of awake again. 

3:45, Dan and the kids arrive (forgot pics) with some lunch/dinner.  He is out.of.it.  But finally we're able to wake him up.  (He's just a grump and has to be repositioned so he's not in pain.) 

4:30, doc finally arrives.  Most of the tests are still pending.  But one test is back for sure ... he has Staph A in the the blood.  He also has a yeast in the blood (not sure what kind yet) but it's what they're most concerned about.  They will be sending in an infecious diseases doc tomorrow to discuss what all can be done to help him, to clear the infection and to TRY to save the broviac.  (Remember how difficult it was to get in?) 

I asked him, if he had to guess, how long will we have to stay in the hospital this time?? He said "Weeks".  I about hit the floor.  I'm sure my jaw did.  I could FEEL the energy get sucked out of me and felt deflated. 

I had no clue this would be this long potentially.  And immediately, Dan and I started praying that this wouldn't be so long.  We're asking for a speedy miracle!  Thanks for joining us in this. 

Specific prayer requests:
1) Pain free for Manny
2) Complete healing from the staph and yeasts
3) Healing within days instead weeks
4) Not having to pull the central line/broviac
5) No residual effects

As I was typing this blog, his fever has gone waaaay up.  1 1/2 degrees higher than it's been up until now.  AND he's started retching too (must be another reaction to a different medicine).