Paging all nurses!!!

 Paging all nurses....... 

Let me start at the very begining a very good place to start.   Last week Thursday December 19th, Kent had an ERCP.  The procedure that placed a stent in his bile duct.  He did well in his recovery, at the hospital. He walked laps and impressed staff with his gained improvements. He regained strength and found himself coming home on Saturday the 21st of December! 

Sunday the 22nd of December we started of our day watching online church and Kent said, he was hungry.  I quickly tended to what he needed and a bit later found it just didn't agree.  After a few trials we quickly evaluated his health, he still wasn't improving. After consulting with his Chemo nurse, who has quickly become more than just a nurse (a now life long dear friend), she advised us that we should come into the Chemo Clinic to be evaluated, get hydration while that was happening and wait to be tended to by a same day PA. We would consult via PA to hear from his oncoligist. This all resulted in yet another direct admission, and a wheelchair ride in the tunnels from the Chemo Clinic building to a room at our Hospital Hotel.

After entering the hospital...... another nurse quickly came into our room. We were not even there 5 minutes.  She  entered  all the important information needed as a direct admission and we settled in.  We were not there long before we were visted by Doctors , PAs, Nurses, Techs, and family! The consensus was made quickly...Kent was in need of yet another stent in his Duodenum. We soon figured out the Duodenum is important part of the digestive system. Kent had a narrowing of his Duodendum and neeeded help opening it up so food could pass through.

  We entered into the Hospital slightly before Christmas, a time where Nurses who do these procedures like taking off.  A bit later we were visited by someone in GI that told us there was a slim possibilty that we could have the procedure on the 24th. Our hopes were dashed a bit later as we had a Doctor but NO Nurses to assist in the procedure. Paging all nurses...We need you! Please help Kent! We were told they called in sick! Convienant...NOT!!Probably not reality either! Being Christmas eve.

  Dec 26 th..... We were eagerly waiting a same day procedure time, Kent informed me by Phone call that we were on the schedule for 11:30 am. Yay! A Doctor, and a NURSE! 11:30 am came and went, 12 pm came and went, 12:30 pm our floor nurse came to our room  and said, let me check what is going on. While we waited... she checked on the computer in our room and she was shocked to see Kent was bumped OFF the schedule. She consulted the provider and somehow miraculously a while later he was back on the schedule for 3:15 pm. Lydia and I had not eaten yet, so we told nurses we were going to  grab a quick bite near the food court in a part of the hospital that was a bit further than the cafeteria.  We were just going to order as I recieved a call from the nurse saying they are here to get him for procedure and we needed to get back ASAP! 

Kent was quickly transfered down to the procedure intake area, prepped and taken back within 30 minutes. We were all relieved that he was going to be rid of  his intense pain that made him emotionally and physically weak.  As Kent was in procedure we again went back to get lunch and then made our way back to the waiting area were they would call us back. This is where we would consult with doctor to hear how the procedure went.  Kent overall did well!  The procedure went as planned. We saw him aproximately 2 hours after. He was alert momentarly. Kent rested almost 3 hours after and then woke up. When he woke up we had found that his body had somehow reacted by sweating.  He was uncomfortable. We attended to that, helped him get settled in for the night, and nurses again came to keep the pain at a minimum, while he would try to again get rest. We are very thankful to have this procedure behind us! 

Some things to think on, pray for Kent and his continued strength. For him as he gradually is re-introduced to food, to tolerate it and like it again, and to not be affaid of it. Pray that he is able to start Chemo on the 2nd of January and accept that he may not be strong enough to recieve it, but that he needs it. Please pray for Lydia and I as we stand by him giving him care with love but enough encourgement to try for the hard stuff! 

We can not speak enough of the many who have already and will continue to care give for Kent!  Paging all Nurses, we say a heart felt thank you to ALL of you! You have stood by him and encourged him and his family and have not only are you just nurse's but have become life long friends! 

Today, Kent and I celebrate 27 years on the 27th! It may not be the celebration we hoped for, but we are together and have Lydia by our side and that is all we need! 

- Leah