And the verdict….ehhh…not really clear

SO if you read recently you know that the hubs was down for a week in the hospital. They diagnosed pancreatitis in the ER and admitted him to treat this condition with one doctor overseeing his care. This doctor then called in a GI specialist who ordered more tests, all the while we are “treating” the pancreatitis by not eating. The GI doctor dismisses the pancreatitis and orders a hida scan and an EGD, one test will look at gallbladder function and another will see whether or not there is an ulcer in his stomach. Well the verdict came back and the EGD was not even performed. My husband’s gallbladder is just plain not functioning. This makes it necessary to have surgery. I can deal with surgery. I have had this surgery. My oldest child has had this surgery. It really isn’t a big deal but it still does not explain that swollen spleen and elevated white count that landed us on this journey. I did notice that they were giving him IV antibiotics though something that previous visits had ignored. I by no means have a medical degree but I have been around enough medical to know that an elevated white count indicates an infection even if you cannot find out where that infection is at….to me that is a no-brainer. SO aside from treating the infection his previous symptoms are disregarded and we focus on the gallbladder. I am glad it is out. He also had an intestinal blockage, but no one really explained that one to us. While I am not stupid I am also not pleased that right after the surgery no one came to speak to me, I waited watching aboard for hours!!! HOURS!! I watched the surgical board for 3 hours while my husband was out of sight and moved from holding to in procedure to in recovery. The procedure took a little more than an hour and I waited and I paced, and I read Facebook posts, as I waited for someone to come and tell me that everything was ok. I never once talked to the surgeon. I was completely helpless to do anything for my husband except pray and these people these professionals completely disregarded me!!! I was scared after a while. I sat with another family as they waited and asked if the surgeon had come to speak to them afterwards and they said he had, I didn’t get that. The surgery waiting room cleared out as this family was told their patient was being moved to her room. And I sat some more…and watched as people passed by…And then an angel asked if she could help me. I told her that I had sat and stared at this board for 3 hours waiting to get some word from at least a nurse and I hadn’t. They told my husband that I was not there. I was there!!! I went to get a drink and to the chapel to pray. Unfortunately the chapel was just a room with chairs because the entire campus is under construction. But I digress….

The answer we got overall was that the pain was his gallbladder and an underlying infection that was not definitive. He got exceptional treatment form the entire staff and I will happily get over my hurt feelings if this is indeed the answer to our prayers and that this pain is over and done with.

So whether it is pancratitis or if the gallbladder was the answer. Either way we know what to o for it now. I am off to enjoy some down time and maybe get some sleep.

IT HAS A NAME!!!!

Ok. I haven’t been keeping up with my writing so much with all of the craziness that has been going on in my house but really I AM RELIEVED!!! My husband’s condition, the reason he has been in so much pain, with no appetite, losing 20 pounds in 3 weeks….acute pancreatitis!!! It has a name!!! We are not crazy!!! He IS NOT some drug seeking person floating in and out of the ER!!! There is a diagnosis!! We can fix this!!! As I type I am accompanied by my 5 year old trying to get him to lay down and sleep. I left my husband in the caring hands of the folks at the hospital to come home and do mom duty. Oh it is the wee hours of the morning and I honestly could use the sleep but my mind races with joy and I cannot thank the folks who are praying!! GOD is GOOD!!! I am so excited. This makes sense!!! It fits!!! And there is treatment!!! It is not pleasant, but there is a treatment!!!
***BACKSTORY*** This has happened before and it took 8 excruciating months and tons of ER and doctor visits to only be told that it was an ulcer that had caused all of the pain. At the time the diagnosis did not matter it only mattered that we had one and the symptoms went away with treatment. The ulcer was most likely caused by the 6 pill a day hydrocodone that the doctor had him taking, but hey I’m just a mom. Pancreatitis fits this case better. It makes sense that what happened 3 years ago was also pancreatitis. Praise the Lord!!

Currently my husband has been admitted to the hospital, one that actually had a sympathetic doctor that understood how frustrating it must have been to have pain with no known cause and to keep being treated as though he were only seeking pain meds!!! Well of course he was!!! He was in pain!! BUT we also wanted to know why!!??? WHY was he hurting so badly that he couldn’t eat? Why was his spleen swollen? WHY were all of his labs coming back “normal”?? There was nothing normal about his pain, the pale face and hands….but I digress. A wonderful man, GOD bless him named Dr. Hamilton has now given me reason to hope!!! This angel has given me answers where I thought there were not going to be any….

Ladies and gentlemen I must get some sort of sleep but just needed to get some very real, very good news out there!!! Acute pancreatitis!!! IT HAS A NAME!!! (FYI the pancreas is really not all that cute at all 😉 )