Dealing with disappointment - from 10/3/2014

In the grand scheme of things, this is a mere blip and I won't really remember it when I look back, but I find myself frustrated that all signs were pointing to me being discharged by mid-week. As the time drew nearer, Wednesday was the day that kept being tossed around. That morning I awoke to my medication list and my nurse had written "Going home today, Oct. 1." That ended up not happening as my INR (the test that measures the clotting ability of my blood) had dipped below the therapeutic level. To be therapeutic, it needs to be between 2.0 and 3.0. Mine had been fine, but that morning it dipped to 1.8. Close, I thought, I'll get out tomorrow. No big deal. Thursday came and it actually dropped some more...to 1.5. My Coumadin doses had been increased for 3-4 consecutive days, so this was hard to imagine. We always say, Coumadin is "witch's brew." There seems to be no rhyme or reason to it and this was a clear case of that. Today, it crept up to 1.6, but sill it leaves my discharge date in limbo. I foresee a huge jump. I just hope I don't jump right past the 3.0 limit and end up having to stay because my blood is too "thin."

If that disappointment wasn't enough, one of my favorite nurses I've had here brought some other news: as of this past Monday, it is protocol that all heart failure patients attend a class on dealing with medicines used for heart failure and also dietary needs/restrictions, primarily reduced sodium. Apparently, I was not grandfathered in considering I entered the hospital well before the date they added this protocol. I went to the class and, as I suspected, I learned very little that I didn't already know. I have been through this before about a year ago. Still, I can't help but wonder what would have happened had I actually been discharged before I was made aware that this was a necessity to be discharged. Oh well, I guess it doesn't matter as I have now attended class, so I sit, hoping my INR makes the grade tomorrow and I get to leave.  The good news is, if I do get out tomorrow or even Sunday, it shouldn't extend my stay in Cleveland. My two follow up appointments are scheduled already and if all goes well, I can go home at the conclusion of the second appointment - even if it's not a full two weeks.  If my stay goes beyond this weekend, then my appointments will need to be rescheduled and I will be here longer.

Tomorrow will be my 30th day in the hospital. I was admitted on Sept. 5 and so I will have been here a full month, which is hard to imagine. I know I lost a few days due to the surgery and subsequent sedation. Still, it is stunning that I have been here that long. To put this in perspective, week one of the NFL was the first weekend I was here. 

Although I am disappointed to have seen the finish line for this chapter pulled further and further away, the good side of that is that I am getting amazing care here and have had some incredible doctors, nurses, nurse assistants and others taking care of me from the get go. In some ways, I've been spoiled.

I guess that's enough for now. Hopefully my next blog post will announce my release from the hospital.

Thanks again for all the prayers. Please keep them coming. Amy and I both draw strength from them.