Progress!!!

Doug made a lot of progress today! He was able have his catheter taken out, his intestines have finally woken up and he was even allowed to take a field trip off of the 16th floor. Although it was just to the main floor, a quick tour of the gift shop and a little time in the lobby he was out of his room, taking the longest walk of his stay. There is a little issue with his white blood count as it is elevated. It could be as simple as a medicine change or it could be the start of an infection so they are doing a urine culture to make sure. Hopefully the results will be available tomorrow. It is a little nerve-wracking as you could imagine and as much as we want answers we have to practice patience. For those of you who know me well know that is very hard for me! I came home this afternoon after Doug's mom and sister arrived. It was great to see the kids and I think they needed a little mommy time as well. Tanner went off to baseball practice while Claire and I did a little more shopping for Tanner's birthday. The kids were able to FaceTime Doug this evening and they were so happy to see him and hear his voice. He broke the news that his discharge from the hospital has been posponed until Wednesday which means he will miss Tanner's birthday. After they said goodbye I was left with two kiddos in tears but as I talked with them I explained that Daddy is where he needs to be right now getting the medicine he needs. I tried to stress that what is important is that he is much better and will continue to get better so he can come home and that his new kidney is working so well, thanks to Mr. Dan. I know I can't take their sadness away but once he is home everything will be better in their little worlds. As I was tucking Tanner into bed he said "What about my birthday?" I promised him that I would still attend his field trip since Grandma will be at the hospital with Daddy, we will still go to dinner with our family for his birthday and we will take pictures all day long so Daddy can see everything. I also promised him that once Doug was home we would have a second dinner birthday dinner so he can be there. Tanner replied "Two birthdays sounds good to me!" Of course it does to am eight year old!!

Hopefully tomorrow will bring us answers about the white blood count and I'm praying it will be an easy fix. It has been quite frustrating with some of the doctors we have had. Some have been wonderful and some not so much. For those of you who saw Doug before the transplant know that his native kidneys are quite large, one doctor even said they were size of watermelons. The doctors, or one specific doctor is focusing on the fact that Doug's stomach is distended due to air in the colon and yes there was air shown on x-ray but we think the 'air' they continue to focus on is really Doug's native kidneys. This will be addressed tomorrow morning with the doctors during their morning rounds. Unfortunatley I will not be there as I will be getting the kids off to school but I trust Doug will handle this matter and get the doctors to see it for what the 'air' probably is, his PKD kidneys. What I will say is that through this experience I wish that all doctors would have to take an empathy, bedside manners class during medical school if it is not already part of the circulum. The fact that certain doctors walk in start talking and talking and talking leaving little room for equestions if any at all and do not introduce themselves in the process does not start off on the right foot with me. Doug and all of the other patients on that renal floor are just that they are patients and not their diseases or numbers. Have a little compassion!!! Sorry...rant over! It's the patient advocate coming out in me. It's what I do for a living!!!

My friend Kristin delivered dinners for us and the Vaughn's this evening. Thank you Waltz family!! It was delicious! Tanner was able to go with her and deliver one to Mr. Dan. Tanner said "Mom he looked really good. He got up, answered the door and everything!" So there you have it Dan is doing good. Obviously, he is healing and pain is apart of the healing process but Allison assures me he is doing good.

I will update tomorrow as I can! Goodnight...