Irish Beth
07-28-2006, 08:03 AM
So where ya been? I hear you saying. Well I am truly sorry for having been so remiss with keeping up with everyone on the board. Especally with the Jannic drawing ever closer. This has been a pretty incredible summer. – work has been a bear and much of my lack of communications can be blamed on my lack of home internet service. I have just been too busy with work to chat.
Secondly, my sister-in-law, Ruthann, as you may remember, has been struggling with leukemia for the past two years. Her initial bone marrow transfer failed and later this year she was scheduled for a second attempt at bone marrow. July 10th it was decided to remove her spleen as it was believed to be enlarged to about twice normal size. At the time of the operation her spleen was actually three times normal size. After the operation she was taken to her room. Several hours later her blood pressure sky rocketed, her pulse went up to 180 beats per minute, her kidney failed, gall bladder failed, liver failed, she was unable to breathe on her own, and they sedated her to a point of deep sleep. She was taken to ICU and placed on a ventilator. We were not given much hope that she would survive the next several days. Remarkably, she continued to hang in and fight. She eventually began breathing on her own (July 25) got her kidneys working (July 23) and was taken off sedation. Despite warnings not to get our hopes up, we did. She was initially able to squeeze my brother’s hand and communicate with him a little.
Yesterday they tried sitting her up a little, but her breathing became extremely labored. My brother met with all the physicians who advised him that she is in extremely poor condition. Her body has been so ravaged by the leukemia and then the various organ failures that there is no longer any hope of a second transplant. She will not be re-ventilated because that would also involve inserting a feeding tube, something she and my brother decided a long time ago was a step they would not take. That being said, Ruthann appears extremely exhausted and stated that fact to my brother. The game plan at this point is for the MDs to do what they can to remove the poisons from her system (caused by liver and gall bladder) and keep her as comfortable as possible.
So we go day to day, and I have been concentrating on praying for both Ruthann and Michael. I pray they are given the strength to deal with each day. I want to thank everyone here for all the support you have given along the way and I look forward to having the great good fortune to thank many of you in person at the Jannic.
So, how you been?
Secondly, my sister-in-law, Ruthann, as you may remember, has been struggling with leukemia for the past two years. Her initial bone marrow transfer failed and later this year she was scheduled for a second attempt at bone marrow. July 10th it was decided to remove her spleen as it was believed to be enlarged to about twice normal size. At the time of the operation her spleen was actually three times normal size. After the operation she was taken to her room. Several hours later her blood pressure sky rocketed, her pulse went up to 180 beats per minute, her kidney failed, gall bladder failed, liver failed, she was unable to breathe on her own, and they sedated her to a point of deep sleep. She was taken to ICU and placed on a ventilator. We were not given much hope that she would survive the next several days. Remarkably, she continued to hang in and fight. She eventually began breathing on her own (July 25) got her kidneys working (July 23) and was taken off sedation. Despite warnings not to get our hopes up, we did. She was initially able to squeeze my brother’s hand and communicate with him a little.
Yesterday they tried sitting her up a little, but her breathing became extremely labored. My brother met with all the physicians who advised him that she is in extremely poor condition. Her body has been so ravaged by the leukemia and then the various organ failures that there is no longer any hope of a second transplant. She will not be re-ventilated because that would also involve inserting a feeding tube, something she and my brother decided a long time ago was a step they would not take. That being said, Ruthann appears extremely exhausted and stated that fact to my brother. The game plan at this point is for the MDs to do what they can to remove the poisons from her system (caused by liver and gall bladder) and keep her as comfortable as possible.
So we go day to day, and I have been concentrating on praying for both Ruthann and Michael. I pray they are given the strength to deal with each day. I want to thank everyone here for all the support you have given along the way and I look forward to having the great good fortune to thank many of you in person at the Jannic.
So, how you been?