Blake Blog Catch-up!

Alright, so there's been a lot going on with us and I haven't shared it on the blog.  Why?  Because I have been in a really bad place emotionally this past week and I just didn't feel like writing because I was so cranky, depressed and frustrated and I thought nobody would want to read that, so I just didn't write.  However, I'm back, so I will try to fill you in in the shortest and most direct way a timeline of what has happened to us since we got home.

Monday, Jan. 13th - Discharged!  HOME!
Tuesday, Jan. 14th - HOME!  All day!  Glorious!

Wednesday, Jan. 15th - Home health nurse out to do labs.  Dr. calls in the afternoon saying Blake's white blood cell count is high.  Asks how he is looking and acting (great!) and asks us to go to Ames for a redraw.  Go to Ames.  By the time we reach the outskirts, we get a call saying we need to come to Iowa City because his WBC count is even higher.

 I tell Blake I'm considering becoming a Cyclone because I'm so sick of Iowa City!!  We were just there for 39 days and back we go.  After lots of tears and some packing, we head back down to UIHC.  Arrive around 7:30.  Cultures taken from everywhere (urine, blood, drains).  CT scan done.

Thursday, Jan. 16th: Nurse getting ready to draw morning labs when she gets a text.  Goes to call back the number.  Comes back saying that it was the lab and that Blake's urine and blood cultures grew: GRAM NEGATIVE RODS.  Yes, that same freakin' thing from the scary day.  Those grew in 12 hours.  I say a silent prayer of thanks we came when we did and that Blake is happy as a clam.

Friday, Jan. 17th-Sunday, Jan. 19th - Blake is still happy.  Antibiotics have brought his WBC back in normal range.  On Sunday, his creatinine (kidney function) has gone up to 1.0.

Monday, Jan. 20th - Thursday, Jan. 23rd - Blake's starts peeing less.  His kidney function numbers are getting worse.  Everybody is concerned he may be experiencing rejection.  His blood pressure is super high (systolic in 170s) and the bp  meds aren't even really doing anything.  His tacro level (another important kidney number) is "undetectible".  Not a good sign.

We did a Mag 3 scan to see if urine was flowing the way it needed to or if there were any obstructions.  There wasn't.  On Wednesday, the doctor decides Blake needs a biopsy to see what is going on with his kidney.  The problem?  His blood pressures are way to high and if they stuck the needle in him, he could have bled too much.  So....off to the PICU we went to start an IV drip for his blood pressures.

Biopsy shows NO REJECTION!!!!  Diagnosis: acute tubular necrosis. Basically, inflammation in his kidneys caused probably by the infection.  We can't say for sure.  Maybe some of the meds he was on too.  It can have numerous contributing factors.

The good news is it is curable, with time.  The other good news is that a complete stranger named Steph gave our Blakers quite a resilient kidney that just keeps on keepin' on. For that, we are thankful. :)

As I type this, we have been at the hospital for 71 of the last 83 days.  Think about that.  That's over two months.  It's a long time with a crap ton of complications.  We ARE going to get to go home and stay home.  It's going to happen.  I don't know when exactly, but it will. Some day, we'll look back at this and wonder how we ever made it through...

"But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me..." 2 Timothy 4:17