Thanks again guys. It looks like he'll be home tomorrow or Friday with a direct IV line/pump for home use. It looks like another 6 weeks of antibiotics, but at least he'll be home and out of the Leominster Animal Hospital! If you drive by the house, don't be afraid to give a honk!
Thanks for all the support guys. I've gone through some weird stuff in the past 6 months with work and so called friends from my work place. The other night when we were in Canada and I got the phone call that my Dad was in the hospital, you guys never hesitated to call it quits and return home ASAP. Thank you all for taking the pressure off me and being understanding, you were all "true" friends. Here's what I've gathered, since I've been back:
My dad, unknowing to anyone close to him, has been battling some type of infection. Back in December, when him and I had gone hunting he told me he had some normal blood work done which showed an elevated white blood cell count. Thinking the worst while waiting a week or so for another test, he followed up with a nurse practitioner who said he was fine and just fighting a cold? Since then, he hasn't been feeling good and kind of blew things off. During the last storm, he pulled a muscle in his right shoulder snowblowing. The doctors figure that he had an infection that started in his heart and one of his valves started spewing infection throughout his body. The infection tends to go to an injured part of the body, so it set up shop in his shoulder area. He started taking pain meds for the pulled muscle. The pain meds masked the problem and he stopped eating and drinking. His body went septic and formed a monster infection in his shoulder. His white blood count was 33,000, when I guess 10-12k is normal? He went into septic shock and his kidney stopped functioning as well. He passed out in the kitchen and took out some cabinets with his head and back. They had to put him on a breathing machine at this point. If his heart was any weaker or the infection chose a different part of the body, he wouldn't have made it. His chances were only 40% survival from where he was at. Since, Ive been back, he's been getting slowly better. The breathing tube is out, and he's on some heavy intravenous antibiotics. His blood count count is now 17k after a week of antibiotics. He will have to be on intervinous antibiotics for 6 weeks. They are worried about a valve that may have been damaged from the infection, so they are watching that. His kidney function came back as well. They also had to cut out the infection on his right shoulder/chest area...it left a hole the size of a softball that has to heal from the inside out, so they back it daily with a fistful of gauze...nasty. So for now, he's getting better, but he's not out of the woods yet, they have to monitor his heart and make sure the infection doesn't go anywhere else. When he fell, he blew out his back, so their watching the spine area as well. He's was thankful for all your support. That's what I know so far, I'm praying he makes a full recovery without any further complications. Thanks again guys for understanding and your support.
I just spoke to #388 on the phone. It was pretty difficult at first and his life was in serious danger for a while, but now his father is recovering ok. He will be battling the infection for 6 more weeks of intravenous antibiotics. This causes problems since these drugs do damage to the heart valves. It is a long road to recovery and he is in the midst of it.
I just wanted to let you know so #388 would not have to call or post until he's ready. #388 is still at the hospital on Monday morning so all the WPR prayers need to go Ron's way.
