Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Well, not good news. Again

It's 3:15am and I'm exhausted so forgive my way of telling this latest update.
Last Thursday, we went to the usual oncology appointment.
We mentioned many things to her.  Shortness of breath, big belly, weak, tired, back is worse, low grade fevers at night (38.1 was the highest it ever got) night sweats and a dry cough.
Blood work that day showed the myeloma numbers going down, which is good but his hemoglobin was at 90, which explains tiredness.  The steroids give you chipmunk cheeks, which he has and most likely the large belly is from steroids.  OK.  I'll take that......I tell the doctor that I'm concerned about the lymph node and wonder if that's why his belly is huge.  Nope.
Monday evening he was exhausted and went to bed around 9:30-10:00.  Yelled downstairs to me to say he was chilly and shaking.  I didn't think much of it.  About 10 minutes later, he yelled down that I should go up to him and help.  I dropped everything and went upstairs. When I entered the bedroom, he was shaking from head to toe.  Badly. I curled up beside him to warm him up but he wasn't feverish.  The shakes were very wild.   I took his temperature.  36.2 no fever.  He was struggling to catch his breath while shaking. Difficulty talking. Remember, walking from one room to another made him winded, imagine this.   I couldn't calm him down to catch his breath.  His eyes looked panicked.  Thank goodness Robert was home.  I just quickly decided to call 911 for help.
Firemen came first.  I told Robert to tell them to make sure they come inside with oxygen equipment. They described his shaking as tremors.  Oxygen was given.  Blood pressure and pulse.  No fever. From the start to calming him, it took about 40 minutes.  I don't remember any of the numbers.  There were so many people in my bedroom, doing many things and asking many questions.  After calming him down, he walked down to the gurney and they took him away.  I followed with my vehicle.
In emergency, they took an x-ray, blood samples and urine.  Nothing wrong really.  Hemoglobin dropped to 80.  At this point, we still had no answers.  I stayed by his side the entire night.  He rested in the emergency.  Early morning my sister-in-law took over while I slept.  The doctor ordered a blood transfusion.  Two units.  (Princess Margaret said it was ok and it wouldn't interfere with stem cell collection next week.  As long is blood was Irradiated)  Plus a CAT scan of his belly to compare the lymph node from back in April to today.
As they were giving him the transfusion, I overheard him tell the nurse that he was getting chilly......OMG.  I looked up and his leg began shaking.  then the other one.  then his torso and then the rest.  Just like at home. Nurse stopped the transfusion, thinking he was reacting to the unit of blood.  Called the doctor.  I explained that it was the exact way as the night we brought him in.  Blood pressure was 187 over something.  No fever.  The doctor witnessing all this happened to be a respiratory specialist.  He was scratching his head.  Again, this seems to be the theme with Tony.  They all say, "never seen this happen before".  ya, well figure it out!  Fast.  This doctor was great.  He looked over the CAT scan and noticed that he had more than one enlarged lymph node.......not good news.  Suspects it is most likely pressing on his diaphragm and making him winded.  However, can't explain the tremors.  So, more blood work and tests.  They have ordered another CAT scan of lung and throat area.   I stayed till about 2am and left him resting with the oxygen mask.  Night sweats continue.   My sister-in-law is with him.  Me, I've gotten a second wind now.  My fingers hurt from typing.....going to bed now.....I'll keep you all posted.
Keep us in your prayers everyone.
Thanks.
Mary

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