November 9, 2017

The last couple weeks have been pretty exhausting, emotionally and physically, for our family.

Sarah had a port under her skin near her ribs.  When she is in the hospital her port is accessed with a needle and bandaged up.  Then when we have to do chemo, or lab draws, or IV meds, it's pretty quick and painless.  Her typical chemo round (without any hiccups) is roughly three weeks.  Dressing on a port has to be changed at least every seven days, but Sarah had a hard time ever making it last seven days.  One morning she woke up and her bed sheets were soaked because her tubing had a leak.  So she had to be deaccessed and then reaccessed.  Then on Halloween her platelets were really low and she bled through her port and soaked her nightgown.  She again had to be deaccessed and then reaccessed.  It was a pretty traumatic experience for her.  Then on Saturday she had another hole in her tubing, so she was deaccessed and reaccessed.  Any time you have to deaccess/reaccess your risk of infection increases.
  
Sunday night Sarah starting fevering.  Her fevers were off and on through the day on Monday, then back again full force Monday night.  She was started on antibiotics, but the infection wasn't going away. Wednesday she had surgery to remove her port because of the infection.  She now has an IV in her left hand so she can get the IV antibiotics she needs.  She does pretty well keeping it on, she's a trooper.  When she has gone at least 48 hours infection free they will place a double lumen instead of a port.  She needs the double lumen for her stem cell transplants in rounds 4, 5, & 6.  So now she's just getting it a little earlier than planned.  We are hoping it will cause less trouble than the port.
               
                                                      
                                                                      Double Lumen


Tuesday night I got a text from my mom that I had been expecting, but it hurt....my sweet aunt Marilyn passed away after fighting cancer for almost five years.  She just cried when she heard about Sarah.  She knows just what Sarah is going through.  The last time I saw her she promised me she would be close to Sarah....and I know she will.

                                       

"I believe we need to speak of and believe in and bear testimony
        of the ministry of angels more than we sometimes do....
               Don't underestimate your family on the other side of the veil."  Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

I love you, Marilyn.


Tonight Chick Fil A had a "spirit night" for Sarah.  It was so humbling to know how many people love Sarah and want to help her, even people who haven't met her.  Thank you Chick Fil A and all of our wonderful family, friends, neighbors, and strangers...we love you.

                                      




Comments

  1. MollyNovember 10, 2017 at 11:45 AM

    Ministering of angels. So so true. Continually praying for you Mckell.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nina and DougNovember 10, 2017 at 1:09 PM

    Prayers, constant positive thoughts and lots of love sent your way.... Love you Mckell!

    ReplyDelete

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