Squeaky Wheel

"I think it's true what they say about the squeaky wheel, always getting the grease" 
~James Taylor

As of yesterday, Dad was commanding some major attention at University Hospital in Cincinnati.  No, there weren't any news crews or paparazzi, but he has managed to successfully meet with the hospital Head Nurse, Head Doctor and get a whole Infectious Diseases Team on board to try to determine just what is going on in his system that keeps causing him to get sick and return to the hospital time and again (and again).

Not only did he garner attention from the high powers of University Hospital, but he even got a visit from the doctor who has been his Churg-Strauss specialist for the past 12 years.  He stopped by Dad's room on 7th floor yesterday to consult, oversee and bless ongoing action -- this, in the world of the current medical system is nothing short of a miracle. Anyone who knows Dad will not be surprised that he is taking charge and reporting those who fail to care for him properly, I am sure -- (actually, what is surprising is that it took this long! ;-))

Anyway, he is pleased to see people in action, even though it means they are poking, prodding, sticking and running more tests, of course.

The chest X-ray yesterday showed that is lungs look better now than when he arrived on Monday, so that is good. He continues to cough a lot, though, and sleeps sitting up (when he is allowed to sleep, that is - which never seems to be for longer than hour and a half stretches.... for the life of me, I cannot figure out how it is that the medical system doesn't seem to place any value whatsoever on the healing power of SLEEP.... sigh -- all those years of medical school and common sense gets lost in the ludicrosity of bureaucratic system-ology - ahem, please excuse my rant - and made-up words).

Fingers crossed that system-ology and medical team and Dad's lungs and blood pressure and oxygen levels and blood sugar and everything else align for him to return home tomorro. Sounds like they may give him a pic-line (sp?) to administer ongoing antibiotics at home, which would also mean he'd have a home visit nurse for awhile --- that would be reassuring, but we'll wait and see what today brings.... things are ever-changing, depending whose shift it is and what the test results reveal....

Thanks for your prayers and good thoughts - it means more than you know.

Breath by breath,
Robin