Bettyjo Update

It has been a tough week here. On Monday Bettyjo was in a lot of pain , felt very ill (flu like) and selpt. On Tuesday, she sneezed and air came out the wound in her neck. Her color was very bad and she still felt ill, so she went to our family Dr., and he ordered some blood work to see if she was getting all the nourishment she should be getting. I am not certain why, but as of today our family Dr. has not returned two calls to his office for the results! We'll try again on Monday.

Yesterday she went to see the ENT about the hole in her neck, and he is not hopeful it will heal on it's own. He told her to go back on 5mg of Prednizone and to get more fluid in her. He said we could do this at home using her feeding tube, or go to hospital ER and have an IV. We went to Riverside for the IV arriving at about 7:30pm. At 10pm Bettyjo still had not seen a doctor. I realize that to them an IV infusion is not high on the priority list, but she was in bad shape and the entire ER filled up and emptied with folks no worse off that she was. At 10:pm she could not set in the waiting room any longer so we left. I gave her a predinzone at home and will put some Gatorade as the ENT had suggested in her tube later this morning. This will take more time, but at least she is comfortable.

Bettyjo Update

Bettyjo had a rough day yesterday. Her arthritis was hitting her knees really hard, she was in quite a bit of pain, and slept all day. We are not sure why she was so tired yesterday. It might be that she needs more fluid, more nutrition, or that she was exhausted by her trip to church Sunday night, or some combination of the three. She is putting a call through to our Family Dr. to see what he thinks, and see if he will draw some blood to make sure she is getting all the nutrition she needs.

Yesterday she was to begin drinking some water with food coloring in it to detect leaks, but was not able because she slept most of the day. While the hole in her neck is healing, she seems much weaker and more frail. Please pray that she can begin eating soon, as I think it will help her to regain strength.

London Homecoming

The girls are attending the homecoming dance tonight. Bob's mom and dad came up last night and went the Varsity Football game, as Brenda cheered. They then went to the JV game on Saturday morning where Brenda cheered again. We played Jonathon Alder, and lets not say anymore about the games. UGH!! Bob's mom and dad then attend Emily's soccer game, as she is on the LHS Girls team. They won there game 3-1.

The girls are now at the dance, I hope they have a good time.

Bettyjo Update

Bettyjo went to the ENT Friday, and as expected has taken a very very conservative approach to her care. He removed the small scab on her neck and used a silver nitrate stick (acid) to agitate the wound and cause it to heal together.

She will be allowed to drink small amounts of colored water on Monday. If that goes well, after one week she will be allowed to eat some applesauce. He does not want her to have any thing with refined sugar because if it does leak into her neck it could encourage an infection.

She has enjoyed driving again (she must wear the collar), and being free from the collar while in the house.

Please pray for continued progress.

Bettyjo Update

Bettyjo went to the Ortho today, and the gap between the two vertebra is filling as the Dr. expected. She is to see him again in three months. Until then she will need to wear the collar while in the car, but can take it off while she is at home. Hopefully, she will have the same encouraging news on Friday when she sees the ENT.

Bettyjo Update

We had a scare last night. Bettyjo's feeding tube popped out. She called the doctor and he told her to push it back in and see him in the morning. If she couldn't get it in, she would have to go the emergency room because the stomach would seal up and then he would have to surgically re-install it. Praise God that she was able to get it in and that the doctor was able to easily insert a new one this morning. She will be seeing the Ortho on Tuesday, and the ENT on Friday. Please pray that we will get good news from both appointments.

Bettyjo Update

Bettyjo's status has not changed much. She had a low grade fever yesterday, but the Tylenol she took seems to have done the trick. We are not sure if she had a virus, or if the fever is a result of her RA symptoms coming back. Good news is that the wound in her neck is getting smaller, and shallower. Hopefully when she goes back to the ENT on the 21st he will allow her to begin swallowing. I think that when she starts eating real food she will get some energy back. The liquid diet she is on now is only meant to keep her alive.