And a Richard update

I seldom do a straight-laced write. Straight is so hard for me to do, but let’s give this a try.

First, it seems to me I never really told anyone about last night, so let me catch you up. Richard had finally agreed with me that it was time for him to see a doctor. His doctor’s docket was full, but there was a Nurse Practitioner who could see him at 5:30PM. So, we drove down the mountain into Hood River, parked in the closest parking lot and entered the medical building. He checked in, we sat down. Shortly, they called us back. In the short distance from the lobby to the exam room, with a minor detour to a scale, Richard grew winded. He became woozy. The Nurse Practitioner talked to Richard for only a few sentences until she said, “My only real question is, ‘Do you think you can make it to the hospital across the street on your own, in your own car, or should I call an ambulance?’”

An ambulance was there quick as a wink and Richard was rushed across the street. And there started the four hour process of going from a sick, sick man to an emergency room admittee, to a full blown hospital patient. It is an arduous task: one not for the ill or faint of heart.

This morning, I was a mere seconds behind Richard’s ‘Hospital Doctor’ getting to Richard’s room. I had met him the night before. The ‘Hospital Doctor’ is a really pretty cool concept. Not only does your regular or surgical or whatever doctor see you, but there is an additional doctor who is there all the time, and he/she comes to see you, too. The doctor works as an additional advocate for you.

So, I get there this morning just in time to hear the latest. Some good news, and some less than sterling news. They got the blood pressure back to an excellent rate. He is not longer short of breathe, but he also has not been allowed to walk without assistance since his admittance. His blood counts were all reasonable from the test he had last night; all abnormalities with within acceptable ranges considering Richard’s recent treatments. The nausea medication they gave him is working well, the opiate is working to control his headaches and he has lost over 10 pounds in about 6 weeks. They have no idea why he is having troubles swallowing and no clue as to his loss-of-appetite.

Today he had a couple of test. First, he did one of those oh-my-god-oscopies. This one was a colonoscopy that started on the other end. More information than I needed. I’m totally cool with it, just don’t expect me to hold Richard’s hand during the procedure.

His esophagus looks good.

Then he has a CAT scan. There was nothing unusual in the belly or lower tract. There was something in the lung, it could be another tumor, or maybe it is scar tissue. Probably just scar tissue. I forgive the doctor, he is young.

Scar tissue pressing against the esophagus is a reasonably common problem for people in Richard’s position.

Richard is spending another night in the hospital.