Grace Moments

In the past several years, there have been so many of what I've come to call 'Grace' moments.  I call them that because I simply have no other way to explain them.  One of these days, I'll sit and write about those... but, right now, I'd like to share the latest...
Tim has had a rough time with his lungs.  He's fought through several rounds of pneumonia, several COPD 'flare-ups', blood clots in both lungs... and more.  Some of those fights were intensely rough... but he has always come through, often surprising the doctors with his speed of recovery.  *smile*

In August, we found that his lungs were taking a bit longer to recover.  The oxygen levels in his blood were too low, which puts a person at risk for all sorts of delightful things... ugh.  He started wearing supplemental oxygen pretty much all of the time, which annoyed him to no end... as it really got in the way of the blacksmithing!  He wanted to do everything he could to help speed the healing process, so, after talking with the respiratory therapist, he started getting on the treadmill as often as he could.  That would be great exercise for his lungs and help to get him back into the workshop more quickly.

While walking on the treadmill, he would wear a fingertip pulse oximeter to track his oxygen level... if he was dipping too low, he could turn up the tank.  One day, he noticed that his heart rate dropped while he was walking.  It isn't normal for that to happen, but we weren't sure how reliable the fingertip oximeters are for monitoring heart rate.

That led to questions for his oncologist... as the chemo that had done such a great job during the first part of the year does carry a heart risk for a small percentage of people.  Before he restarted the chemo, we needed to get his heart checked out.

A trip to a cardiologist led to a stress test, which did show an area of blockage in Tim's heart.  The degree of blockage couldn't be determined without a heart catheterization, though, so that was scheduled for Oct 14th.  They would run the catheter in through his femoral artery, up to his heart, determine the level of blockage... and we would go home with either medication, a stent, or both. 

Insert a change of plan.  (And yet another 'Grace' moment)

Sunday night, October 12th, Tim was having a lot of trouble breathing.  I called his oncologist's office, and we made a trip to the ER.  They checked out his heart, to make sure he wasn't having a heart attack... (he is not allowed to have one... and he has already hit his quota of 1 stroke)  His heart was okay... it was his lungs that were the issue, as we thought.  He wasn't running a fever, which was great, and his lab work showed that his body was responding as it should to whatever was going on.

His need for oxygen was up a bit... instead of the 4L he was on at home, he was up to 6L to keep enough oxygen flowing in his bloodstream.  Tests showed he had something brewing in his lungs, and though it wasn't causing a fever, it was making it harder for him to breathe.  They started him on some heavy duty antibiotics, to cover all the bases.

They admitted him that night and moved him to a cardiac section.  The next morning, they let us know that they would like to go ahead and do the heart catheterization that day, Monday.  Tim's mood was good... he wanted them to hurry up and do whatever they needed to do... so he could get back home.  *smile*

The procedure took longer than they anticipated, and Tim wound up being the proud owner of a shiny new stent.  It turns out that Tim had a vessel in his heart that was 80% blocked.  There were two other areas of very minor blockage that the cardiologist is not concerned about.

The main reason the procedure took so long... they ran into trouble getting the catheter through to Tim's heart.  The main branch of the iliac artery that feeds blood to the right leg (where they accessed the femoral artery to run the catheter)... was almost completely blocked.  The doctor was shocked that Tim had not had serious symptoms, or worse, as a result.  The blockage was so severe that they had a very hard time getting through... and had to do so very carefully.

They had to deal with the heart issue at that time... but Tim will have to go back in about a month and have that other artery 'cleared'. 

In addition to the stress test that Tim had, his doctor also ordered a 24 hour holter monitor... which records the heart's activity... checks for any irregular beats, etc.  The results of that, and everything else done, have shown that the only issue with Tim's heart was the blockage.  That means that the initial thing that raised the questions... was never even an issue. 

The blockage in that other artery would never have shown up on any test that Tim would have had done. 

Tim could have had a heart attack, or another stroke, at any time.  He didn't. 

I can't help but consider everything surrounding what they found, and treated, with Tim's heart and vascular system... yet another 'Grace' moment.  The initial question was such a fluke thing... or the nudge of a guiding hand...

Can't help being amazed, grateful, relieved... humbled... and hopeful.

That was Monday.  Tim rested for most of the rest of the day/evening.  Things were pretty calm until late that night.  The nurse came around to check on Tim and check his vitals.  His temp was 99.3... and, for Tim, anything over 99 typically means that his temp is on its way up.  She and I were talking about that... and Tim started having more trouble breathing.  She called in more people... wanted more sets of eyes... and there was a flurry of activity, tests, etc.  Tim's temp jumped up above 100 for a short time.  They bumped the oxygen up to 10L... but it wasn't enough.  They were talking about possibly having to move him to ICU and put him on a ventilator... but, first, they would try him on a bi-pap machine.  (This is often used for people with severe sleep apnea... it helps provide pressure with the supplemental oxygen... kind of a gentle breathing assist.)  After a very short time on the bi-pap machine, his temperature came back down, his blood oxygen level was high enough and stable... and he was much, much more relaxed. 

By mid morning the next day, Tim was off of the bi-pap machine... though he was still on 10L of supplemental oxygen.  It was progress, and we'd take it. 

When Tim went into crisis with his breathing, he had been getting heavy duty IV antibiotics for almost 24 hours.  They can take 24 hours to really start working.  Had we not gone in to the ER Sunday night, we would likely have been at home when his symptoms worsened... at it would have gone very differently. 

Yet another 'Grace' moment.

The doctors let Tim rest and try to recover a bit that Tuesday.  The pulmonologist, lung doctor, was pretty certain that a bronchial scope should be done, as Tim's lungs were really full of infiltrates, with no clear reason why.... and the best shot at being able to treat it would be to identify the cause... which would take the bronch.  However, Tim was a high risk patient for that procedure... so they waited until Wednesday. 

The docs were very clear with us that they felt the bronch was necessary... but that, because it would stir things up in his lungs, Tim may wind up getting much worse, initially.  We tried to prep ourselves for that possibility. 

Tim was cracking some jokes during the prep for the bronch... which really helped... us as much as him... *smile*  We waited... and wouldn't you know it... he spent a little bit of time (less than 20 minutes) on the bi-pap machine after the bronch... and did just fine.  He was cracking up the nurses... I think they might have tried to keep him just for the comedy relief... ha ha... but he was back in his room in no time.  *smile* 

Since then, his breathing has steadily improved. 

So much Grace... so many moments....

The cause of the latest lung bug is still a mystery... but he is improving... feeling better...

We are heading into more chemo treatments, and it is looking like he'll go in stronger than if he had started back up 'on time'. 

How can we not have hope?  How can we look at how things have gone.... yes, we are vigilant, sometimes driving the docs nuts, I'm sure... but that vigilance and knowledge, partnered with the right people and things being in place when they are needed.... combined with the impossible to explain 'moments' when things go the way they need to, in spite of every indication and expectation that they will go sideways... how can we look at that and not have faith?  

This ride is scary... and I dare not look too far ahead... but this man never ceases to amaze me with his strength and willingness to fight when needed...  and determination to live every minute.  

The ride continues... and I really cannot ask for more than that.  We'll keep fighting, living, loving, laughing... hoping... creating... making memories...


 Dawn