��������� Chronology�- Week 3��������


This site is dedicated to Carmen Wagner. It contains the chronology of her illness.

This is the chronology of what has happened so far. It is presented in reverse order, so that the latest events are listed at the top.

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Mom's Story, by Rommel
  • Saturday, October 30 10:30AM EST, 1999

    • The latest from Ron:

    For me, the ebb and flow of Mom's life has been reduced to some numbers on a medical chart and graphs on a monitor. Every day I check them, like a day-trader tracking Internet stocks, searching for some postive trends. Yesterday, in the late evening I thought I found one: her white blood cell counts were dropping. The rest of that evening and into the night, I allowed myself to think that she might be turning the corner for the better.

    This morning, not surprisingly, a doctor brought me firmly down to earth. Mom's lower white blood cell count could be interpreted figuratively as the glass being half full or half empty. The lower white cell count could be because she is sucessfully fighting infection or her body has given up producing white cells.

    Naturally, I prefer to be the optimist. But, his cautionary note should be a reminder that she continues to need your good thoughts.

    On a side note, Cindy is the nurse who first saw Mom at the beginning of this crisis. She is also the mother of one of Jim's tenants. She has a sign at work which says: "Carmen Wagner ('The Mushroom Lady')" and then the web address of this site. I thought that was cute. A little gallows humour never hurt. Thanks to her for that.

  • Friday, October 29 10:00AM EST, 1999

    • Ron's first report as Web Master:

    Every morning I wake up wondering which Mom I will encounter when I get to her bedside. What crisis did she manage to overcome over night? Or will I find her condition worse that when I left her? Thankfully, today is a good day. It is a good day because there is no change in her condition. That is to say she is terribly sick, but holding her own.

    From what I can glean from Dr. Orloff, we are to watch for clinical signs of improvement or deterioration. For all the technological wizardry keeping Mom alive, it has now come down to some simple indicators of life. Can she sustain her blood pressure by herself? Can she breathe better on her own? Does she have a fever or other obvious signs of a pervasive infection? Can her blood circulate properly? On all of those questions she is not getting better, but she is not getting worse. Dr. Orloff says that this little drama will play itself out over the next few days. I have, even need to believe that every day she does not get worse is another step towards recovery.

    She has to face down yet another danger. Yesterday, she cultured another bacterial infection called "Kenkomyicin Resistant ...." (KER). It's alarming, but like the aspergilis infection before it, the real danger is if it spreads. 90% of ICU patients culture positive for this infection.
    Every day convinces me that Mom's morale is key to her recovery, although it may not be the only one. I'm encouraging all of her friends in ther area to visit and lend their support.

  • Thurs, October 28, 1999���� �

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  • 2:20pm�� From Ron, via email:

    This is Mom's current condition.� Right now, it is wait and see.� her blood pressure dropped over night so she had to be put back on medications which� boosted her blood pressure.� Her temperature is up, a possible sign that she could be fighting an infection.� At the moment, there is no need for concern.� It's her trends that matter.� I'll post something more at the end of the day.

    On the non-clinical front, I'm preparing things for next week when Jim will be left alone for the week in the hospital.� I'm trying to arrange cheaper accommodations for friends and relatives from out of town through the local Pastoral care centre.� My thanks to the Monsignor of St. John's Parish, Mom's parish priest, for giving me a contact.

    Right now I'm relying on Mom's network of parish friends to support Jim and Mom next week.� My thanks to Clem and Yolanda because they are planning to visit Mom next week and do the rosary with her.� If any of Jim's friends read this, please try and visit or call Mom and Jim during the week days next week to lend your support.� We wouldn't mind another ear when Jim is given a report on Mom's condition so please try and visit.

    I'm also trying to make arrangements so that we are given reports long distance. Maybe through the web.

    Bye for now.� Keep those good thoughts and prayers coming.� It will be Mom's determination which will pull her through this.

  • Tues, October 26, 1999���� �

    9:30pm�� From Ron, via email:

    I have some excellent news on Mom's short term condition.� So much so I wanted to share it right away.

    I was in the Mom's room with Dr. Orloff, the head of the liver transplant team.� He had some very encouraging news about Mom's short-term condition.� It seems that Mom has dodged a bullet.� He spoke to the Infectious Disease doctors.� They said that it looks like Mom's infection is superficial.� If it were invasive, they would have expected the infection to spread much faster than it has.� However, infection is still the most lethal danger to Mom in the long term.� They are doing all they can to minimize the risk, without increasing the inverse risk of liver rejection.� They are culturing her for every possible infection.� They are closely monitoring the immuno-suppressive drugs she is taking.� They are changing her tubes constantly.

    The second piece of goods news is that the biopsy on Mom's new liver reveals that there is some expected damage to the liver but there is no rejection at the cellular level.� Outstanding.

    Well, I would like to close this report on a lighter note.� My sister-in-law Caroline (a very good cook, too) has noted with more than a little mischievous glee that I am doing the rosary with my Mom.� She thinks that act performed by me would raise Mom from the dead.� Well, I'm asking for a something a little more modest aren't I?

    4:00pm From Ron, via email:

    Mom returned from surgery to stitch up her abdominal muscles early this afternoon.� Reports from the surgical team are optimistic as reported by Jim.� The liver looks good and the cavity is clean.

    This procedure represents a milestone in Mom's treatment.� They may be able to wean her off the respirator because the abdomen plays a significant role in one's breathing.� Again, in the short term, her condition is strong.� Mom is very sick but there are incremental trends ("baby steps") which gives cause for hope.� Her blood pressure is strong and she requires marginally less medication to support it.

    Her infection has not yet become invasive.� While elevated, her white blood cell count has remained stable. Doctors are giving her medication for the fungus.� They are closely monitoring her lungs to look for congestion.� Her immune system is still the major cause for concern regarding her long-term survival.

    Now for some not so good news.� Her kidneys haven't started.� She is still on dialysis.� This is another major issue of concern.

    She is by no means out of danger, so we still need your best wishes so we can encourage her onwards.� I'm already sick and tired of this hospital, so you can imagine how she feels.

    Someone once said that the journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.� As long as Mom keeps taking two steps forward and one step back, she'll make it to the end of this ordeal.

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