No Staph Infection

Doctors say it's not staph, just Karl's body reacting to the blood transfusions. If his counts continue to climb, he might be home this week. He is feeling pretty good, just a little weak from the new blood.

Fever gone, could be staph

Karl's fever is gone, they are taking out his PICC line and puting in a new one. He's getting blood today also. They are not sure if it's a staph infection or not- cultures should be back tomorrow with results. Infectious disease doc thinks it's Staph. Karl is feeling a lot better and requested his Dunkin Donuts today and this time he got first dibs before Anika got her hands on it.

102 Fever today

Karl was fine this morning, ate breakfast, walked around. Boom! 102 fever and no idea what's going on with him. They think his staph infection might still be working its way in his body or it's back. Right now lots of tests being run to figure out what's happening, Karl is resting

"Movin on Up!"

Karl's counts were up to 1.4 yesterday, not sure what they are up to today as of yet there hasn't been a doctor in to see him. Hopefully he will be coming home early next week! Thanks again to everyone for your continual prayer, cards and messages. Karl reads and loves all of them as they touch him dearly and help him to keep going. He is sitting up in the chair in his room for most of the day, walking the halls at least 3 times a day and going to the bathroom to do his business on his own. That's a big step as his strength is coming back.

He loves all the messages you guys are sending his way, his cell phone chimes when he gets them and he loves to read them. Send an email to 2146810172@vtext.com. It's free! It can be simple like, "keep the fight" or "thinking of you" etc. If you want to use your txt messaging on your phone you can also send it to his cell number 214-681-0172.Thanks... the little things are the most powerful!

Karl counts the same

Karl's counts are holding, he fell last night reaching for his urinal and I guess rolled out of the bed. He's fine, not showing any signs of brain injuries or anything. So he continues to get stronger but it looks like he'll be in for the weekend.

Counts Up To 1!

Karl's whites are up to 1- he has to get to 1.5 to be considered cleared for home. YEAH! He's feeling a lot better, walking without assistance and eating his favorite foods. Oncologist believes the Cisplatin built up in his system- long acting chemo drug to cause this long stay.
In other news of note, we were happy to hear the FDA approved Athelios, a sunscreen that has been available in Europe, Canada Australia for years that fully blocks the UVA rays. We get it on the internet from Canada for us and I highly recommend you look out for it in the stores soon! It's very effective, as I have spent days in the carribean out in the sun without getting any color with this stuff on. Karl lives on this applying it daily.

L'Oreal's Anthelios SX over-the-counter sunscreen has been approved by the FDA and now is available in the U.S. The sunscreen has an ingredient that specializes in blocking ultraviolet A rays that are linked to some cancers, and it has been available in Europe for years.

He loves all the messages you guys are sending his way, his cell phone chimes when he gets them and he loves to read them.send an email to 2146810172@vtext.com. It's free! It can be simple like, "keep the fight" or "thinking of you" etc. If you want to use your txt messaging on your phone you can also send it to his cell number 214-681-0172.Thanks... the little things are the most powerful!

Lazy Sunday Karl's Counts Going Up

Well Karl said he was dreaming of Dunkin Donuts last night so Anika and I obliged for his Sunday morning. Unfortunately when we got there he was showering and Anika got first dibs at the donuts- what you see is what she left for daddy! Here they are watching some Sunday morning cartoons. Karl's counts are coming up on their own, he has permission to get up and use the bathroom and shower on his own and sit in the chair. He can't walk around the halls with out the PT guys yet but his goal is to be walking by himself soon. He's back to a normal sleep schedule and terribly bored of being here.

Counts stablizing

Karl's blood counts are stabilizing and we are predicting he should stay that way this week. No sign of going home soon because the one chemo drug he gets hits his system 10 days after the chemo is administered and then stays in for up to 20-30 days. So he's doing his best to eat a lot of protien and chugging his carrot juice to stay healthy. Mouth sores are gone and thrush in his throat is almost all gone- he has his voice back again.

A new day...

Karl is doing well, resting and walking with the PT's around the floor. I complained today to the nurse manager about the Nurse's behavior and she is going to have a talk with everyone about sensitivity levels with what they are addressing with family and patients and agreed that it was done in the wrong way. We are still trying to get the bottom of the "who and why was there a DNR"
Karl is feeling better, spirits are up also because the infectious disease doctor deemed him "clear of staph" and he's not going to do the transesophogeal EKG because Karl's heart is working fine. Also the respiratory doc is not going to do a scope of his lungs and vocal cords because Karl's voice is back- he thinks it was thrush from the chemotherapy and Karl's chest scans showed his lungs and bronchial clear and strong.
So Karl needs positive energy and thoughts to get his counts up so he can come home soon.

Mysteries...

Karl is feeling better today though his blood counts aren't moving up as we hoped. When I got to the hospital he was sitting up in bed...working (no I am exaggerating...Scott & Dave if you need witnesses, ask the nurses here)
The Oncologist believes it's that long lasting chemo drug that is still punching at his system and he could be in for a few more weeks. So more platelet transfusions and blood coming Karl's way this week. Karl donated blood and platlets all the time prior to Cancer. He got called in once for a specific platelet donation for the son of one of his friends in his MBA class who had Leukemia back in Chicago. So we are very grateful that there's a lot of A positive to go around and that he's getting it.
He's sitting up for 30 minutes a day and "walking the halls" with his physical therapists. He also is down to 190 so I am pushing the good proteins as much as I can on him to build his system back up. His back pain is minimized and he's upbeat- he finally got the damn foley catheter out!

He loves all the messages you guys are sending his way, his cell phone chimes when he gets them and he loves to read them.
send an email to 2146810172@vtext.com. It's free! It can be simple like, "keep the fight" or "thinking of you" etc. If you want to use your txt messaging on your phone you can also send it to his cell number 214-681-0172.Thanks... the little things are the most powerful!

All the NERVE!

I HAVE HAD ENOUGH!
We have been experiencing some very strong negativity from the nurses on Karl's floor in the hospital. Last Saturday they approached me about Karl's wishes to be revived if he codes... I said to the nurse... "do you think he will code today?" She said to me, "Well he is stage 4 and you know that cancer patients can look fine one day and die the next, I don't think you are prepared for that" NICE eh? Then she continued to tell me that "WE are not well aware of how bad Karl is and that WE need to prepare for the worst" WHAT! Well, WE are well aware of the situation and well informed on how Karl is doing and if he was anywhere near the point of saying goodbye I don't think the nurse would be the one saying it. I was taken back by this as I thought that we wouldn't encounter this from NURSES of all people. It just made Karl really mad. On top of it we found out ONE of the nurses got Dr. Wyzinski to put a DNR in Karl's file. Karl NEVER asked for a DNR and when we found out today he was enraged and I am ready to sue the hospital. What if he had coded? Let's be honest here, Karl is still fighting, has no intentions of giving up and has a lot of options ahead of him for treatment. By the way, his white counts are coming up and his reds are good....He was so infuriated about the DNR that he yelled and got really upset. His nurse today asked me the same thing, "doesn't he know how bad he is???" " why bother with the DNR". WHAT THE HELL! I told her that part of coping and surviving is a positive outlook and we don't need any of the "end of life" talk floating around him right now and to get Dr. Wyzinski or whoever to take that sticker off his chart and the DNR out of it right NOW.
Dr Wyzinski told us that one of the night nurses said Karl requested it (which is BS...I would support any decision Karl made and that was not one he would have made without telling me) The nurse said Dr. Wyzinski said Karl requested it... We didn't give a shit, Karl wanted it taken out of his chart.
Just because you have stage 4 doesn't mean you will die. Karl intends to do a lot more living and fighting the disease, not preparing for the supposed "end of his life"
I guess we were too upbeat, positive and joking about his visit to the hospital for the nurses and they felt the necessity to "kick in a dose of reality" on the situation. (sarcasm)I guess I should play the role of grieving distraught young wife with child for them now on so they leave us alone (end sarcasm).
Well, know I UNDERSTAND why NURSES are NOT DOCTORS.
Secondly those BITCHES will not take out his foley catheter. Every time the doctor comes in and orders it taken out they complain and it stays in. The man can and has gotten out of bed to go#2 in the bathroom, he can pee in the urinal cup. They just don't want to deal with it and I have asked repeatedly to get it out. (Karl is eating, drinking and sleeping fine without assistance he doesn't need to be on it) The pulmonologist also took him off the pulse ox and oxygen saying he didn't need it and why was he on it---NURSES.
Can you tell I am very frustrated today? Karl is feeling alot better and requested pizza for dinner tonight.

Yet another round of A positive...

Karl's white counts are slowly coming up and they are giving him more blood again...
He is feeling a little stronger today and hopes that things will be better in a couple of days. We haven't been in to see him today yet, going tonight so I am sure I will have more tomorrow.

Another round of A Positive Please...

Well, I was wrong, Karl's white counts are still down but his red are up and doing good. So he's getting yet another transfusion today. He had another incident last night, he fell out of bed! Only because they gave him some Adavain for anxiety and it knocked him out thus he was not with it when he got out of bed and fell. They really have to watch him on that stuff! His back is hurting more than ever but we should be able to clear some of that up once his counts are up and they can drain the abscesses in his abdomen and chest. Physical Therapy is in walking him around. He's being a trooper and trying to eat etc. So everyone keep the positive thoughts and energy coming this way for him! Thanks to everyone who has sent him messages, he loves it when his phone beeps with a new one!
send an email to 2146810172@vtext.com. It's free! It can be simple like, "keep the fight" or "thinking of you" etc.If you want to use your txt messaging on your phone you can also send it to his cell number 214-681-0172.Thanks... the little things are the most powerful!

Karl counts too low to come home

Here's Karl working hard to pass the time. His white counts are .3 and we need them up to a 3 or 4. Docotor thinks it's the chemotherapy working through his system so Karl is not coming home any time soon. Send positive thoughts that his counts will go up.

What Karl needs right now from everyone out there is to know that he needs to keep fighting and that there are people out there supporting him and sending him positive energy. Not all of you know but his mother and father have chosen not to participate in supporting him in his fight with Cancer. So we rely on our other family and friends to fill in those spaces.This is what I need everyone to do and keep doing: During the day when you find yourself thinking about him, send an email to 2146810172@vtext.com. It's free! It can be simple like, "keep the fight" or "thinking of you" etc.If you want to use your txt messaging on your phone you can also send it to his cell number 214-681-0172.Thanks... the little things are the most powerful!

Karl Update--Need your help

Karl is doing better, his counts are coming up and he's ready to come home but the doctors haven't cleared him yet. Some of the suspect melanoma appears to be abscesses that have to be drained. We did however get a scan update-given the PET will be done when he gets out of the hospital. No NEW melanoma to report, he still has some spots on his arms, in his arm lymph nodes a 2cm sausage spot on his back by his original site, some neck spots and the spot on his femur bone. No one seems to be able to give us a positive answer on his brain- because he's had so much going on the report reads like there's nothing new but we are waiting for the experts opinion on it. When Karl gets out he will continue the arm radiation and start back radiation. We are looking at clinical trails for the fall- karl wants to do chemotherapy and radiation for a couple more months before opting for clinical trails.
What Karl needs right now from everyone out there is to know that he needs to keep fighting and that there are people out there supporting him and sending him positive energy. Not all of you know but his mother and father have chosen not to participate in supporting him in his fight with Cancer. So we rely on our other family and friends to fill in those spaces.
This is what I need everyone to do and keep doing: During the day when you find yourself thinking about him, send an email to 2146810172@vtext.com. It's free! It can be simple like, "keep the fight" or "thinking of you" etc.
If you want to use your txt messaging on your phone you can also send it to his cell number 214-681-0172.

Thanks... the little things are the most powerful!

Karl update

Karl was doing better on Sunday with the strong dose of morphine out of his system. He however developed mouth sores from the chemotherapy. He had a platelet and blood transfusion on Sunday to boost his blood counts- that's working well as his counts are up. They haven't done the transesophogeal heart scan yet, his counts are still too low. He also accidentally had his main line come out- the bandages holding it in place were lose yesterday and I told him to say something to the nurse. He must have moved his arm to quickly or stretched it and pulled it out. The nurse tried to tell me he was "disoriented". I told her no, the line was lose when I left two hours ago and had Karl told her to check on it? And Karl was busy working on his computer and gossiping with me - meaning he's been very coherent. She shut up and said something to the fact that it could have come out. So they put a PICC line in him last night which took 2 hours! He had no pain medicine for his back or wound from the mediport removal and hadn't eaten dinner but was being a real trooper anyways. Anika and I were there and had to leave so I called him later and he was eating pudding and going to sleep having gotten his pain medicine. Doctor says maybe later this week he can come home.

Sat bad day for Karl

Karl was put on a pain patch for his back pain due to the melanoma on his back. It was a littel too high of a dose for him and he had an adverse reaction. He tried to get up at 3am and fell going to the bathroom. He's fine, just a little sore. They moved him to room 683 (927) 981-2683 so he can be closer to the nurses station. The medication also caused his pulse oxidation to do down so he was sleeping, on oxygen, being monitored and not feeling good yesterday. We are going in this afternoon to check on him and see if the pain patch has worn off completely

Karl Test Delayed to monday

Karl had a nuclear imaging test yesterday to make sure none of his veins and vessels were damaged by the staph infection BUT the Transesophogeal scan is delayed until Monday due to Karl's low white cell counts-probably because the chemo has hit his system and he's working through it. I was pissed because they with held water and food until about 3pm yesterday- Karl's throat was very hoarse and he was not able to really talk because of it. However Karl is feeling a lot better and was working and on conference calls when Anika and I went to visit him again on Friday night. So feel free to call him, I know he's starting to get bored being locked away in the hospital room (he can't walk the halls because of his white counts)

Karl test today

They are running a series of tests on Karl to make sure his staph infection has left his body. This includes an Trans esphogeal EKG where they go down his throat to get closer to his heart and then scan it. Karl has been very tired today as he's not allowed to eat or drink at all until the tests are taken care of so he has spent most of the day sleeping. Anika and I will stop in later this evening to aviod missing him as he goes for testing. Depending how things turn out he could be home early next week.

Karl Doing Better In the Hospital for At least another week

Karl continues his recovery process- his white cell counts are still down so he's going to get some neupogen shots for that which he hates because it makes his bones ache terribly. At least in the hospital they can give him something strong to help with that ;-) His mediport wound is open to make sure all the staph is gone so he's seeing the wound doc for that. I always hate the gaping wounds because Karl just heals too fast and runs into complications when we have this and I spend the next month or so treating the wound at home for him.
Other than that he's got his computer and is checking email and doing work (he must be feeling better!) and requesting his favorite junk foods. Anika and I just brought him a chocolate shake from Mc Donalds!

Karl's doing better, Happy 4th!

Karl's surgeon and infectious disease doc both said his medi-port was infected and very pussy with staph- not something that happens a lot. They both believe that his recovery with be faster now that the source has been taken out of his body. He said this morning that he feels better than he has in months. He will stay in until the docs believe his staph is gone (including ekg and other tests to verify it's not sneaking around in his body)- probably another week. He's still confined to the bed-he didn't see any fireworks last night from his hospital room (he's on the 6th floor with a great view of Plano) but saw the 2am storms and lightening.

Karl Staph infection Not out anytime soon

Karl has caught yet another staph infection, this one is taking longer to treat and get rid of in his body. Staph infections can be bad and cause permanent damage to organs and bones if they are not aggressively treated. He is on strict bedrest, no getting up for even the bathroom. He had a blood transfusion on Friday and platelet transfusion on Sunday. His white cell counts are low still and haven't come up at all.
Today he had his mediport taken out, a 20 minute operation. He's bummed because that means another PICC line coming out of his arm for 3 months.
He also is very tired because of this and doesn't have a lot of energy. We don't see him getting out for the 4th! Otherwise he's hanging in there trying to make the best of his situation along with the many visits from us!

He's in room 687
972-681-2687