Complications persist

This has been a tough couple of weeks for Susan. A nurse at Broadway by the Sea called late Friday to inform me the blood cultures taken earlier in the week had come back positive for e coli – the infection had spread from her urinary tract to her bloodstream. They were starting her with an antibiotic called recophin to be given IV for ten days. A quick call to Dr Nghiemphu clarified that a blood infection can be serious; but it’s encouraging that they caught it early. She feels the recophin will do the job.
I took Susan for follow-up to UCLA yesterday to visit Dr Uslan with the infectious disease team, who said urinary tract infections involving e coli can be an issue for patients dealing with incontinence and they can sometimes travel to the kidneys and infect the blood. He examined her port catheter also since infections can also result from IVs; but the catheter site looks ok and is contained under the skin. He confirmed recophin as the treatment of choice, took another blood sample, and ordered a follow-up blood test for several weeks from now to check her status.

We finally got Susan scheduled for her lumbar puncture (spinal tap), so we were back at UCLA this morning for the procedure. We checked in to the radiology unit at the Ronald Reagan Medical Center so the neurosurgeon could use their fluoroscopy (video x-ray) equipment. The procedure went smoothly – the surgeon collected about 25ccs of fluid. That alone should help the hydrocephalus for now, while the fluid will be checked for infection. Susan was in a lot of pain since all the bed-wheelchair-car transfers aggravated her back injury. She said everything hurt, so I couldn’t tell what was back pain or spinal tap pain or what. I stopped by the oncology clinic to get Susan some vicodin before we headed back to Long Beach. Nurse Nikki was alarmed that Susan wasn’t kept lying down – standard protocol is to lie flat on your back after a spinal tap to prevent any leakage. (What do I know?) Dear Nikki found Susan a bed in the clinic so she could rest a few hours and gave her some pain meds. Such great staff have made the Jonsson Cancer Center clinic a refuge at UCLA when Susan needs help. We’ll be back next week for MRI, doctor visit, and chemo, and we continue to pray for her healing in all respects.

Susan keeps the physical therapy staff at Broadway by the Sea laughing. One day last week as she was ready to walk while holding parallel bars, John prompted Susan to step towards him. She didn’t respond right away, which is not unusual since she sometimes has trouble initiating an action. He prompted her again, but she still didn’t react. When he encouraged her a third time and she just stood there, he became concerned she might be having pain or something. He asked, “Susan, is something wrong?” She gave a droll reply, “Well, I do have this illness...”