| July 18, 2004 Jake has another wound infection but this time it's not MRSA. It's a combination of E Coli and some others for a total of 4 different bacteria. That is why he hasn't started on his new wound (gel) treatment yet. He's feeling ok though - in fact it's almost gone. He's been on an antibiotic for about 10 days now. The good news is that it doesn't have to be administered via a picc line, which means he didn't have to return to the nursing home. |
| If you have been emailing him, rest assured he will answer you eventually. Gateway has had his computer since May now and it doesn't look like he'll be getting it back in the near future. Gateway might be good for support (I guess that might be questionable too) but it sucks for repairs. |
| August 1, 2004 Jake said that his wound will be debrided at the hospital tomorrow. But that changes so fast it may be postponed. The debridement is the first step in the new wound care treatment. |
| He still doesn't have his computer back - but it's only been 3 months - give Gateway a chance to find someone who can fix it. |
| August 3, 2004 -happy birthday Terri! Jake had the debridement yesterday. Yes!! The autologel was scheduled for 1:00 today. They do that at home. His nurse, Kathy, does it. Jake is excited, yet the anticipation of COMPLETE bed rest gives him a bitter-sweet feeling. He's looking at it as "the beginning of the end", so hopefully that outweighs the frustration he'll feel with the total bed rest order. |
| This treatment is considered 'experimental' and if he isn't compliant (about complete bed rest) they will stop the treatment. |
| If this doesn't work it will be major surgery and he'll be hospitalized for a month on a sand bed, which he dislikes immensely. |
| It would be much easier for him if he had his computer, but unfortunately, Gateway is still 'fixing' it. So it's TV for him, and hopefully, visitors. |
| Jake wants to start college next January. He needs to be healthy for this - no more setbacks. |
| I have finally posted two pictures of his wound. The link is on the 'Photos" page. They are very graphic pictures. |
| August 9 Jake is feeling pretty good, "considering that I am going crazy from being in bed for over a week". Just his normal self. :) The visiting nurse has told him that it is possible that the wound might heal by 20% in one week. So maybe we'll hear good news tomorrow. |
| It would be (slightly) easier on him if he had his computer. do you hear that, Gateway??? what is your problem??? There - I feel better. It's good to vent once in a while. |
| Please remember Jake in your prayers. |
| August 10 Jake has another autologel treatment today. He explained it thus: "they remove blood from me, mix it in a spinner with other stuff, then pack it in my wound. They have 26 seconds (after mixing) to pack it before it starts to gel and get hard. The first two hours are critical. I can't move onto the wound at all. After that I am allowed to do pressure releases." |
| He also got a new mattress thanks to the wound nurse, Kathy. It's half foam and half air - it's firm and Jake's back is feeling much better since laying on it. The air fluctuates, giving him auto-pressure releases. |
| Jake's been eating very well - home made food. "I've plumped up a bit". He thinks he may have gained 5# or so. |
| He promised to get the wound measured today when the nurse comes. Maybe some pictures. |
| August 14 Jake has a staph infection in his wound so they have temporarily stopped the treatment. The good news is that his antibiotics are oral meds, so he won't have to go back to the nursing home. |
| August 2 Another UTI. His primary doc is on vacation so new doc took care of Jake. She refused to put him on the antibiotic that would work until all cultures came back. |
| Sept 10 The antibiotic that the new doc put Jake on might as well have been sugar candy. His infection is worse. Primary doc is back and finally Jake is on the med he should have been on to start with. |
| He had a picc line inserted but for some strange reason all of a sudden it is not mandatory that he return to the nursing home unless he cannot find someone to administer the drugs. This of course delights him. He has everything covered up until the following weekend when he might have to spend two nights in Lexington nursing home. |
| Jake likes his primary doc very much. He says she gets things done. |
| The autologel will not be restarted until his infection is cleared and he has seen an infection control doc. This is good advice and I am truly sorry that I didn't think of that. |
| Jake is in excellent spirits, even though he still does not have his computer back from Gateway. They've had it a very long long time. |
| Sept 13 Terri and I drove up to see Jake this past weekend. We spend more time on the road than we do visiting him. It was a wonderful visit. He is still very thin but he is working on that. He has an IV in due to his UTI. The nurse comes X3 daily to administer antibiotics. He if feeling great, and he looks great. Of course he could use a shave and haircut. Maybe soon. |
| Jake told me that he has regained some sensation in his fingers and his feet/toes. This was great news! He has no voluntary movement there, but he has feeling. We will take what we can get. |