1st Day in the Hospital at Johns Hopkins

This has been a busy day to say the least. 10 to 12 Doctors have come in to examine Chris and order tests. Right now she is not doing well. About the same as Saturday which was not a good day. Her liver is not functioning properly. Her bilirubin is very high (not good) which causes the jaundice in her eyes and skin. Her belly filled with fluid. They put 5 liters in since she arrived and some of it just passes through the liver and into her belly region. No lie, she looks like she is 7 months pregnant.

She is in a great deal of pain and is on morphine. Small doses, but enough to take the edge off. She had a CT scan today and is still scheduled for an MRI today.

Doctors are ordering all sorts of tests to get a better picture of exactly what is happening. Lots of assumptions but they need the tests to plan an attack. I won’t list all the possibilities but there are many.

I don’t have internet access in her room but there is some in the lobby. I am sitting in a chair right now looking at her. It is so difficult to see her in this condition and to not be able to help her. She is in very good hands. The nurses have been great and the doctors too. One of the nurses that was working the clinical trial came by to visit her today and her oncologist, Dr. Emens, came by as well. Everyone is aware she is here and working hard to get her better. The nurse that she had today ordered a “sitter” to come in this evening to be with her all night long. They stay in the room just in case she needs anything during the night. During the day I’m here and there is a lot more activity but at night they wanted someone with her all night.

Home life is another story. This really, really turns us on end. Just not being there with the boys is really hard. They are doing good but I wish that I could be there with them too. I need to be here 1^st though. This morning I woke up about 6:20 to see Tyler off to school. Well he was still in bed! I got him up and out the door in time to catch the bus. I laid down around 6:45 for a few minutes. I had to get Mike up at 7 for his bus at 7:30. Well at 7:25 he was tapping me on the leg telling me he was leaving! He got up at 7, made his lunch, got breakfast and got himself together all by himself. Not bad for just 11. I was pretty proud of him.

We talked to Alex today so she knows exactly what’s going on. She knows that it is important for her to focus on school and that she should not worry about her mom. She should think of her often, but not worry.

Chris is in room 5D-11 in the Weinberg building at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

I don’t really know what else I can tell you right now. If you have any questions you can send me an email if you like. I can answer those pretty quickly late at night.

Please keep us in your prayers.