Amanda was up a couple of pounds this morning, but it didn’t seem to bother the team. She is likely right at her baseline now. The cardiologist is planning on discharging us tomorrow if everything holds. Her kidney levels decreased a bit, and they increased the newer diuretic, Torsemide, closer to what it was before. I asked about what we should adjust at home according to the fluid retention we run into. She said the Torsemide would be the one to adjust and, if needed, add the Metolazone to make everything work better.
She said that the heart’s pumping wasn’t the problem, but the stiffness of the heart, which we knew. She described it as a water balloon: if you fill one, there is room to handle more fluid, like a normal heart. If you were to add a couple more balloons inside each other when you would fill that, the fluid could only hold and expand so much, less than a single balloon, and would just overflow. That’s what is happening with Amanda’s heart. Her heart wall has no give and can’t expand to hold much more fluid. So, when the excess fluid comes where a normal person’s heart can handle it, Amanda’s can’t, and it spills over, going around her lungs and liver. Also, when this happens, it causes the pressures in her heart to go up, too.
As I was going down in the elevator, I was at my station; in control of the buttons so I can push the door close button on every floor. There are never more than half the elevators working here, and riding to the top can be frustrating with all the stops. So, I try to speed up the ride as much as possible. With me at the helm of the buttons, you better be at the ready to get on when the doors open, too! I noticed a doctor get in the elevator, which I recognized. I couldn’t place him but knew I didn’t like him. They saw his name and realized it was the head of the surgical side of the transplant board. He was the D-bag that dropped the news of not listing and fought against getting a heart here. I wish I realized that before so I could have selected the wrong floor for him to get off on. Can you tell I’m still a little bitter!
The hospitalist came by; he’s one we had years ago. His family was a big name in doctors or something around here; I remember our old EP telling us. One of the only doctors to write his name on the board, someone had erased it and written it back but misspelled it. I told Amanda I bet he fixes that, and sure enough it didn’t take him long to notice and fix it. He’s a portly fellow who likes to sit down as he talks with us. He likes to come after rounds; I like this approach as opposed to coming before. Already knowing the plan, he has a better idea of where he is needed. So, he knew the discharge was slotted for tomorrow. I asked about a pain specialist referral to be ahead of the game. He said he’d get us one, and as he sat down, he ordered the pain meds now so we’d have them ready to go. I liked that he was on top of things.
Going back and forth today, I saw many people I recognized, some from the apartment, some from other bus stops, and some from the hospital. One I ride the bus with is a janitor from our floor. I typically leave and return around the same time, so I guess I overlap schedules with many. I saw the same old man walking up the street as I returned to the apartment for the third day in a row. He spoke to me and waved like we were old friends!
Amanda called while I was getting ready to take Tank to the vet. The Walgreens that connects to the hospital had delivered a 21-day supply of pain medications. an entire 30-day supply was ordered, but our insurance only covers 21 days at a time. We’ve never had a hospitalist call in an ample supply like that before. That will give us plenty of time to find a pain specialist, and I didn’t even have to pick the meds up.
Tank was a good boy at the vet. I had talked with our vet back home to see what he usually gives him for allergies. I knew it was a steroid shot but didn’t know the name. The new vet tried to talk me into an allergy shot every month to the tune of $275 each or another option of a daily pill for $175 a month. I just stuck with our regular steroid shot that was only $30 that lasts about three months. I had Sybil take him out for an extra walk in between since he likes to drink a pond’s worth of water after his steroid shots.
I’m really praying we get out of here tomorrow. I’m not driving over in the morning, though. I’ll believe it when I see it. I’ll have plenty of time to get the Yukon before she actually gets out after the discharge orders are put in.