Update #143


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Posted by Update #143 (68.76.186.85) on 13:44:23 01/12/04

We are home. Joey was discharged today around noon. It was a short, but eventful stay. We weren't planning on staying when we went to the clinic on Monday. Joey was lethargic and nauseated, but, he did not have fever. The Accutane seemed to be the culprit, and we were ending that on Monday. So, I just expected he would turn around. The decision was made to keep us when his calcium level was at 19 (a high normal is 11) and he had a high level of uric acid in his urine. The high calcium needed to be controlled because if left untreated, it could cause his heart to go into an arrithymia. So, we checked in for a two-fer at Akron Children's Grand Hotel. Monday night was extremely difficult. The doctors wanted to give him a second IV sight for emergency back-up and also to run his blood and platelets simultaneously with the fluids. He was slightly dehydrated from the week of sickness, so his veins just wouldn't cooperate. So, he became a human pin cushion for the next several hours. They stuck him a total of five times up until midnight without success. So, we went with the one IV we had working. Everytime someone new came in, Joey would say, "Mommy, are they going to hurt me?" Talk about torture. I was sure there was an evil villian in the next room with a Joey Voodoo Doll. If only his Spidey senses were working, we could've kicked his but! Anyway, at 2 am, they almost lost the working IV. That was when I was sure I was going to go to the top of the building to jump. I felt it was time to call in the big guns and I said a prayer to St. Jude for hopeless causes. He came through as always and the IV was saved. Joey was strong throughout. He cried and screamed "I love you Mommy" during each poke. Real torture. After that, though, his stay was uneventful. They hydrated him, gave him blood and platelets, and gave him Lasix to flush out the excess calcium. It all worked and his levels were near normal today. We will go back to the clinic on Friday for a check of his levels. Until then, we'll just hang out. I think we may put up the tree tonight. Time for a little Christmas Cheer around here! Thanks to all who follow us and continue to pray for us.



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