Saturday, July 28, 2007
We're In the Dark!
Well, the kids have been saying we're in the dark for years and now they are right!! Mark had the procedure yesterday in which they inserted the dye for the photodynamic Therapy Treatment. You just wouldn't believe the hunting hat, black knitted gloves and REALLY black glasses they gave him to wear if he goes outside in the daytime!! He also will have to wear long sleeve shirts and a scarf!! It is truly unbelievable and would be so hard to emerge. We are also working on covering a few windows at home in his bedroom and kitchen area so that he will be able to walk around at least half of the downstairs when he returns. This complete avoidance of light will last 6 weeks so I got him plenty of books, a scrabble game and decks of cards along with some reading lights. He is talking about getting outside lights to garden at night!! Gary is suggesting he will turn into a vampire!! What an adventure! He is supposed to start some chemo and possibly radiation as well when he returns home so he may not feel like doing anything anyhow.
He will be in the hospital until the end of next week. His pneumonia is still brewing and his temp is going up to 103 sometimes during the day so that is a real concern. They are going to start a new intravenous IV antibiotic and have been giving him nebulizer treatments too. However, we are less than happy with the staff, lack of attention to the pneumonia and feel that we have to beg for proper attention and treatments. Maybe that is because it is a weekend. The only good result of the insertion of the dye is that it requires him to be in a private room for the duration.
So there is a big sign posted outside of his room stating that it must be kept dark and there is just one dim light on the other side of the room beyond his curtain. He can watch TV and read with a book light.
He is scheduled Monday to have the second part of the photodynamic treatment which is the bronchoscopy inserting light and that procedure will be repeated on Wednesday. His spirits are up and down depending on how sick he feels. I will update you again midweek.
He will be in the hospital until the end of next week. His pneumonia is still brewing and his temp is going up to 103 sometimes during the day so that is a real concern. They are going to start a new intravenous IV antibiotic and have been giving him nebulizer treatments too. However, we are less than happy with the staff, lack of attention to the pneumonia and feel that we have to beg for proper attention and treatments. Maybe that is because it is a weekend. The only good result of the insertion of the dye is that it requires him to be in a private room for the duration.
So there is a big sign posted outside of his room stating that it must be kept dark and there is just one dim light on the other side of the room beyond his curtain. He can watch TV and read with a book light.
He is scheduled Monday to have the second part of the photodynamic treatment which is the bronchoscopy inserting light and that procedure will be repeated on Wednesday. His spirits are up and down depending on how sick he feels. I will update you again midweek.
# posted by The Sheehan Family @ 8:53 PM 
