Ok so I’m lying here in the hospital (I know you’re shocked) and I figured I would give a little update on what’s going on in my crazy life. Oh ya, I should probably let you know I’m having a blood transfusion as I type this so I think I deserve a hall pass for any errors in this blog. So, what’s been going on in my life since my last blog post last Saturday? That’s a great question and if you have seen the move Groundhog Day, that should give you a pretty good idea. Friday through Sunday were pretty good days. I had a good appetite and was getting up and walking without any issues. On Monday morning I woke up feeling horrible with a 103 degree temperature and sore throat from hell. I think Neuro surgeons think fevers are a little beneath them because my doctor had to call a “regular” doctor to come see me. After we figured out I had a high fever we also discovered that I had a rash covering the majority of my body. My skin had been irritated for a couple of days prior but I just figured that I’m an itchy person. My “regular” doctor and every other doctor that wanted to come in and see “rash boy” decided that some of the antibiotics were causing the rash and sore throat. They have spent the last few days trying to figure out which one of the 500 antibiotics, they have me on, is the culprit. Wednesday was pretty much another Groundhog Day. I think my temperature was 102.8 degrees when I woke up and I pretty much spent the entire day in bed pushing my pain medicine pump button while trying not to scratch my rash (entire body). Even though I was so sick on Wednesday we were still hoping that I would be released from the hospital so that I could make it to Houston for, what else but, a doctor’s appointment. I put my best negotiating skills to work…………… with no luck. I guess there’s some stupid rule that says you must be fever free for 24 hours before you can be released. So I missed my second appointment at M.D Anderson in 2 weeks. I guess that brings us to Thursday, another Groundhog Day. My rash had only gotten worse and covered 90% of my body and I was still running a 103 degree fever. I knew there was no chance of me getting go home, but I was not prepared for what was to come. On Thursday afternoon I learned that my blood levels were very low and that I had no choice but to receive a blood transfusion. A person my size should have a blood count of 16 and mine was only 7.4. This was really not what I wanted to hear but they insured me that it would make me feel better. They said the whole process would take about 7 hours. About half way through the transfusion I was greeted by two neuro surgeons who informed me that the recent CAT scan showed that there was another infection in my head. They went on to tell me that the only way to get rid of the infection was to go in AGAIN and get it. My reaction to the news was not a pleasant one. Not only would I be having a 3rd brain surgery…. but Dr. Mickey is in China so a doctor I have never heard of would be performing the surgery. With the other two surgeries I had a few days to prepare myself, but with this one I was given less than 24 hours. That takes me to today, Friday…. The doctor said that the surgery would be in the afternoon sometime, but I am pretty sure he was looking at a different clock. They came to take me into surgery at 10:00 this morning. It was all a little crazy and I could not believe that I was going into surgery for the 3rd time in less than a month. The surgery went well and the doctor felt good about getting out all of the infection. When I woke up I still had a fever as well as the very painful rash. They shaved more of my head this time and they also put two drain tubes in my head. Thankfully the drain tubes have not been as painful as the one after the second surgery was. I was actually able to get up and walk shortly after my surgery. This is defiantly a first one for me. I figure that the sooner I can walk and eat, the sooner I can get out of here. I have never missed Amarillo this much, and I am anxious to get back home. Thank you so much for all the prayers and support that you have given me during the last month. Please continue to keep me in your prayers! God will see me through this!
