The next day, her kidney levels went back to almost normal and her doctors said that they'd like to send her home on Saturday. It sounded too good to be true, because it was. I drove down after I got off work on Friday and soon after I arrived, two doctors came in to tells us that a blood culture that was taken from Rachel's PICC line (IV line in her arm) was growing bacteria. This either meant that her line was infected, or her blood was infected. Either way, it was going t mean more IV's. Rachel was set to be completely off IV's and have the line removed the first week of July, but it could be longer before we get to have that. The reason she got the transplant was to avoid hospital stays, and to be off constant IV's, but it seems like since the surgery, she's been in the hospital more, and on IV's for the past 4 straight months...
Anyway, they drew blood from her arm (not her PICC) to see if her blood was infected and we waited for the results. I drove home late Friday night and came back down yesterday afternoon. Rachel's mom, Karen had already left and Rachel was lying on the bed when I walked in. She didn't look happy and I asked what was wrong. "My blood's infected," she replied. We still don't know exactly what kind of bacteria it is yet, but we're treating it with IV meds through a peripheral line, as her PICC has been removed (that's where the infection originated). We're praying that the meds kill the bacteria quickly so she won't have to have another PICC line place and be on IV's for an extensive period of time at home.
The strangest thing about all of this, is that she felt fine before she came down here for the high kidney levels, and she feels fine now with a blood infection! It's probably a mix of her toughness and the massive amounts of medications she has be to be on that is masking the symptoms of a blood infection. Still though, she has no fever, chills, night sweats, or other signs of an infection so I'm hoping that it's because the infection is minor...
Watching someone you love go through something like this and going through it with them is heartbreaking, but I was encouraged by two of my old friends yesterday. The first was Tom, a guy I worked with at my first job at Chick-fil-A when I was in high school. We were talking about how God has changed us both for the better since the days when we worked together. While talking to him about our current situation, I told him what I tell Rachel all the time: God only gave us our struggles because He knows we can handle it with His help. If God thinks we're tough enough to deal with everything, I'd say that's a pretty good compliment.
After seeing Tom, I went out to lunch with one of my best friends, Jonathan, who was with me during Rachel's surgery. We were talking about the trials that we've both been through and how God's worked things out. I always worry about how we're going to handle things financially on top of everything else, and Jonathan has had his own similar struggles.His thoughts were, "It all works out in the end. We're never sure how, but it always does," and I couldn't agree more. We live in an instant world. Everything is at our fingertips and we want everything fast and easy. It takes a good earth-shattering, "wake up and realize you're not in control," moment to really get us to trust God sometimes.
So here we are, sitting in a Hopkins room again, waiting for the results of the bacteria test to know what to do next. And this is exactly where we're supposed to be right now. I'm not sure why, but I am confident that this is what God had in store for us both since the beginning of the world. Rachel and I were made for each other, and made for the life we are living.
Please pray that the bacteria in Rachel's blood disappears, that she won't have to be on a long dose of IV's, and that she can come home soon. Also pray for strength for the both of us.
P.S. On a lighter, happier note: I'm now a full time employee at the YMCA! And the best part about it? Health insurance for my Rachel!
The strangest thing about all of this, is that she felt fine before she came down here for the high kidney levels, and she feels fine now with a blood infection! It's probably a mix of her toughness and the massive amounts of medications she has be to be on that is masking the symptoms of a blood infection. Still though, she has no fever, chills, night sweats, or other signs of an infection so I'm hoping that it's because the infection is minor...
Watching someone you love go through something like this and going through it with them is heartbreaking, but I was encouraged by two of my old friends yesterday. The first was Tom, a guy I worked with at my first job at Chick-fil-A when I was in high school. We were talking about how God has changed us both for the better since the days when we worked together. While talking to him about our current situation, I told him what I tell Rachel all the time: God only gave us our struggles because He knows we can handle it with His help. If God thinks we're tough enough to deal with everything, I'd say that's a pretty good compliment.
After seeing Tom, I went out to lunch with one of my best friends, Jonathan, who was with me during Rachel's surgery. We were talking about the trials that we've both been through and how God's worked things out. I always worry about how we're going to handle things financially on top of everything else, and Jonathan has had his own similar struggles.His thoughts were, "It all works out in the end. We're never sure how, but it always does," and I couldn't agree more. We live in an instant world. Everything is at our fingertips and we want everything fast and easy. It takes a good earth-shattering, "wake up and realize you're not in control," moment to really get us to trust God sometimes.
So here we are, sitting in a Hopkins room again, waiting for the results of the bacteria test to know what to do next. And this is exactly where we're supposed to be right now. I'm not sure why, but I am confident that this is what God had in store for us both since the beginning of the world. Rachel and I were made for each other, and made for the life we are living.
Please pray that the bacteria in Rachel's blood disappears, that she won't have to be on a long dose of IV's, and that she can come home soon. Also pray for strength for the both of us.
P.S. On a lighter, happier note: I'm now a full time employee at the YMCA! And the best part about it? Health insurance for my Rachel!
