August 26, 2007

An incredible amount of medical “stuff” has happened in the last three days. I had a chest x-ray and a CT scan of my chest that has revealed areas in my upper lungs that could be pneumonia. They did a scope of my lungs to help determine further what might be happening.

While they had the scope in my lungs they pushed a cup of saline solution in each lung and then sucked as much out as they could – it is called lavage. The hope with the lavage is to suck out something that will give them an indication of what they are dealing with. As of now they are treating to cover everything it may be until they find out specifically what to treat.

Unfortunately on Friday it became necessary to remove my central line where all IV medication and transfusions were given. The line and area around it has become infected and until results show what is causing this infection I will not be able to have a new line placed. This means that all infusions must come through temporary lines in the back of my hand which need to be replaced every three to four days.

I can’t have a permanent PICC line put in until the infection in my blood is gone. Because the remove of my central line has not relieved my sensitivity and redness the surgeons are coming in to see if they need to cut small channels next to the areas and flush it out.

I have been developing red spots on my skin and a red rash around my elbows so the biopsy team came and took three biopsies two shallow and one deep. It wasn’t that big of a deal because they numbed the area first. The thought is that these areas indicate possible infection related to the same in the blood. Everyone here at OHSU is working diligently to help me.

I would like to recommend a good book. The title is HEAVEN written by Randy Alcorn. Because of my situation I have been more curious about what is heaven like and what will I look like there, and what I am going to do there and who am I going to do it with. I have not finished the book but Randy has a great way of looking at Scripture with different references to make his points.

For example he brings out the point that Adam and Eve were God creation to live for an eternity. But because they chose not follow God’s plan for mankind their bodies began to age and eventually die. It only makes sense that we will have physical bodies because that was God’s original plan for mankind. However, there are some of his ideas which use scripture but are his own interpretation. On those you need to pray God will give you discernment and fill in your own blanks.

If you have questions about where you will personally spend eternity e-mail me back and we can talk about it.

I thank you all for your kind words and especially for your prayers. You are warriors.