Thank you all so much. We have churches of people praying, but just wanted to extend it across the globe if possible, and this forum has been a source of comfort to me since last year.
He has a long way to go, and is still being kept sedated to nearly anesthesia level, so doesn't know that he has a colostomy and peg tube in place. They want to wean him off the respirator today. I don't know when they will lessen the sedation, or how long they can keep him in this state. His vital signs are staying stable, his fever, which I hadn't mentioned before, has not been going above 99, and he seems to have a good strong heart.
He went in with a fever of 103, neck pain, similar to that from lyme, which he was tested for, and confusion, but out of all the blood cultures done, the only thing they can come up with is mumps. He didn't have antibodies to that, and the only way to know is to retest in a few weeks. Once in hospital, his abdomen became more and more distended, so cat scan was done, but no s/s of the c-diff, which he has never had before either. The surgeon was trying to give him a few days on just the vancomycin and flagyl, but by the time he went in to remove the colon, it was really just in time before rupturing. He was able to leave enough to reconnect someday down the road. It was also causing so much pressure on his other organs, esp. the kidneys, that they were at risk and beginning to slow down. This seems to be improving, and may or may not need dialysis for a short time. He is 67 years old and other than arthritis and damage to his shoulders from his job as a mechanic all his life, was in good health, as far as we knew.
It has been a wild week and a half. In the meantime, at home my son, age 20, keeps breaking out in hives, followed by feeling chills and slightly feverish. He is being tested for several possibilities including lyme. The first time, 3 weeks ago, he did have a fever of 101, but since then, has been only mild feeling and by time seen, no fever present. Tested for lyme in hospital, but negative. Waiting for new results. Another dilemma.
All of this has been putting my body to the test, between the anxiety, lack of sleep, and odd eating schedule, but home now and resting, going back to work for now, because we are not able to stay with Dad for any length of time. Need to stay out of the way and let the nurses and doctors do their thing. There are multiple morals to this story and one of these days I will sort them all out, but one thing I wish I had stressed to my Dad is probiotics. Maybe he would still have a colon, but I don't know that for sure either. After this I feel like I don't know anything. All of this seems too impossible.
Thank you again for any thoughts and prayers for my Dad, my Stepmom, while she is also trying to hold it together, and the rest of our family.
Sharon