1/4/19 Hospital day #2

She is now on hospital day #2.  Really wants to go home, but her sodium level is too low for her to be safely discharged.  Plan is to treat this with IV fluids and salt pills to see if the number can come up with a tentative plan to head home tomorrow.  Interestingly, the doctor has also encouraged her to eat salty foods.  To that end, Renee just got back from a Schultzy's run with a hot dog and a bunch of shoestring fries.  How's that for following doctor's orders?  
We had thought she was going to get some fluid drained from her lungs this morning.  However when she went down to the interventional radiology suite, they did not see much fluid there at all.  Current thinking is that the X-ray from last week showed “pseudo fluid”, as best as I can tell.  I think that means that the diaphragm was so “smooshed” upwards from the abdominal fluid that it gave the appearance of a lot of fluid when there wasn’t any there. But then again, I’m a little punch drunk sleepy so I may not have heard the doctor right.  At least I’m not in another virtual meeting.

As for how she is doing, well I’ll tell you: she is resting peacefully with her much beloved Frasier in the background (current episode: he has been having dreams about a male co-worker and his brother (also a psychiatrist) is trying to analyze all this, just in case you wanted to know).  When I get my chance to pick, it’s old Twilight Zone or Alfred Hitchcock Presents episodes.  But back to her, which is what this blog is about: she is coughing in fits and starts.  Breathing is OK much of the time.  

I spent the night last night, and I can honestly say that it was the most peaceful hospital stay I have ever experienced. Mind you, we’re comparing this to other hospital stays, not the Marriott or even Motel 6.  But I would say it was quieter than those cheesy motels on Aurora North, or so I've been told, never having had the pleasure of staying in one myself.  Doctor put in an order for us not to be disturbed at night, so she could sleep (Gabrielle that is, though I am sure the doctor was happy to get some sleep too).  It was a welcome change from 2:00 AM, “wake up Mrs. Dudley, I need to check your temperature!” from last visit. 

Gabrielle remains quite sleepy and a little foggy, which the doctor attributes to her low sodium.  Hopefully that will clear up as well when the sodium corrects.  However, the big picture is that her health is declining in spite of the treatments she has submitted to.  Cancer is indeed advancing, with a rising tumor marker, continued fluid buildup, and abdominal pain.  Her big goal right now is to be comfortable and at home.  We feel so blessed that our home is comfortable and she has nice couches and easy chairs to plant herself.  As a coming home present, I have am surprising her with a riding lawn mower, giving her one more thing to sit on.  Next up: a cherry picker so she doesn’t have to climb the ladder to take down the Christmas lights.  I think we can all agree that Christmas lights left on houses well beyond Christmas are kind of tacky, so that's on the "must do" list.  

Thanks again for all your prayers, encouragement, etc. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I either need to sign in to a virtual meeting or take a nap.  Can’t remember which.  Or I suppose I could tackle those Christmas lights...