Momnesia

Day 3 of Scott's Hospitalization

12:13 a.m. - After six hours of physically fighting him to keep his ox mask on and stay in the bed, I have given consent to put him on a ventilator. Watching the preparations makes me 2nd guess myself.

12:16 a.m. - I asked the nurse if I am making a mistake. She says no. He is very agitated. We are not able 2 keep him calm.

12:38 - The vent is not improving things.

12:41 a.m. - No one indicated to me just how sick he really is. I've been making jokes to try to keep the mood up. I feel like an ass.

1:52 a.m. - The 2 most terrifzing words in the English language: ''crash cart.''

3:15 a.m. - Scott is stable but currently unconscious on a respirator. This won't get better any time soon. It could be days, weeks - or it could kill him. We just don’t know.

8:48 a.m. - Theories abound. Answers are few. Calling Dr. House...

10:26 a.m. - They may have isolated what's ailing Scott: an auto-immune disorder called TTP. It's Thrombo-somethingsomething-Purpora.

10:53 a.m. - They have a course of treatment that works for TTP - and the class of similar diseases that it could also be.

11 a.m. - They remove his plasma and replace it with both his own blood products & new plasma w/o the deadly antibodies his body is producing.

11:03 a.m. - If it is effective, we could see results in a day or two. It may take longer. & there is a chance it may not work at all.

11:04 a.m. - We've consented to an arterial catheter & they have begun treatment.

3:28 p.m. - Semi-official diagnosis: thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura - ever heard of it? Me neither.

3:31 p.m. - First course of treatment is very encouraging. His jaundice is improved. He just LOOKS better.

3:34 p.m. - Even if he snaps out of this tomorrow, it will be a while before he gets out of the hospital. But here is better than the worst alternative.

5:05 p.m. - Going home for the first time since Friday. Wish Scott were, too. Needed a task to start & finish so I cooked dinner 4 my parents - they did clean my house, after all

7:52 p.m. - Scary again. Some coughing and blood drawn from his lungs. ''Every time he coughs you're going 2 c blood. His chest x-ray did not look good," the nurse says.

8:34 p.m. - He seems to be stable again... But for how long this time? I'm afraid to fall asleep.

8:39 p.m. - They are giving him another round of platelets now.

8:56 p.m. - Nurse says it's still touch and go but that he's on a continuous positive upward swing

9:04 p.m. - By the way: no flowers or other allergins allowed. Don't bother sending them. If you want to help, you can donate blood, plasma, time, or money.

9:41 p.m. - New development: we're giving away our housebroken rat terrier, Scrabble. With a suppressed immune system, I am making an executive decision that we can't risk the allergens. So if you would like to take this very fun and loving dog, please give me a call.