Is my friend Julie's baby, Aidan, not the cutest? No, he is. Too bad babies mean work ;)
Here's what Drew was like the last day at the hospital. Yesterday. He was very impatient. I understood why though, it was very frustrating. He was discharged (isn't that a weird term really) at about 3 pm. They had said it would be noon. Gotta love hospital time. Good thing my class wasn't until 7 pm. And I had my paper for it done. Mr prof turned back our 1st assignment for this Geography class. He had written on mine that it was too historical. Yeah, that's what you get from someone studying history! I guess it's not a bad thing. And I got the 2nd highest grade in the class. Of course, I think everyone else is undegrads...

So here's the story with Drew. He has a follow up appt scheduled for Oct 13th. That's with the Plastic Surgeon, not the Vascular team who also has to sign off on his aneurysm being under control. It is as far as we can tell but it's just in case he has any complications after leaving the hospital. So he still has to get that appt scheduled w/Vascular, hopefully the same day or one near it.

The potentially aggrevating thing is that the wound nurse that saw him at UCSF brought up the Abumen and Pre-Abumen level issue again. I'm not sure if I wrote about it before but w/the original Plastic Surgeon we were working with (we'll call him Bob since we had severe problems with him). Yes, he was the bastard who cancelled surgery twice, once the night before!! Anyway, apparently it was because Drew's Abumen and Pre-Abumen levels were too low. Essentially they indicate protein levels. And also lead to tissue development which is what he's lacking in the wound, of course. He had been eating as much protein as we and his parents could afford to get him.

His abumen levels did go up to JUST below the normal level. All other sources outside Bob and others at John Muir Medical told us this was no big deal as they could give him an IV to help with that extra little bit. This new nurse mentioned that if diet alone doesn't bring them up there's supplements or steroids they could put him on. Of course no one from Muir ever suggested that nor set him up w/a nutritionist to set up a program to get those levels up. But UCSF wants him to develop the tissue before he's admitted to the hospital. We just hope it doesn't mean more months of being strung along as his wound gets worse and destroys more good skin. Well, now these levels are apparently really low. Or they were when he entered the hospital when he had infection in the bone of the wound.

The infection's now gone after IV antibiotics he had in the hospital though we have to watch it carefully as he doesn't have any antibiotics now. It was in the interim period between going off the pickline IV in early Sept and going to UCSF that he got the last infection in the bone. Do you see how this takes over our entire lives?! Can you imagine if I was working now? Since the 2nd wound that really wouldn't have been possible as that has completely changed everything. Funny how that happened in early July, just after I quit Barnes and Noble! It was already getting to the point where I couldn't do school, work and deal w/Drew's health. And making sure he eats enough protein is a constant thing. He's not active being in bed most of the day (he can get a up a little now, just has to be conscious of shifting every few minutes but of course not shifting onto his cheek w/the 2nd wound!). So he doesn't get hungry so I have to remind him to eat all the time. I mean he tries to remember himself, of course, but he's always been a big guy so he's liked that he's slimmed down the last few yrs due to a decreased appetite. We don't want him to bulk up TOO much as that wouldn't be healthy either! Try to think of lean proteins he can focus on.

It is at least a part time job. Esp now that I have to do half the dressing changes. Yes, that's right they have decided to stop doing the wound vacuum entirely. Even on the newer wound. So these flat dressings have to be changed twice a day!! Very difficult with my morning to night class on Thurs. I either have to do it at 6:30 in the morning or 11 PM at night after I'm exhausted. The home care will only come once a day. It SHOULD only be until his surgery which better be in just a couple weeks...

Drew has found a version of that old computer game Oregon Trail-remember that one? Apparently Hannah is suffering from exhaustion and must rest. Computer "Art" immitates life ;) Apparently now my leg broke :( At least I don't have typhoid or dysentary!
So it's my birthday on Friday. I'll be old ;)
Cake time...Big thank you to Laurel for letting me have a small party at her house on Saturday! Hopefully, a few people can come.
Guess what time it is? Yep time to change the dressing! Have a good week!