May 31st - Evernote

May 31, 2012

8:30 am

Dad woke up at 8:30 am and was sleeping on his left side.

His pain level is a 1 or 2 and says it feels like it is getting better, like less pressure in his bad ear.

He says he can hear me a little out of his left ear, can't quite understand me, but can hear me talking.

10:00 am

Dr Mary was the doctor on call today and gave dad his antibiotics IV. She did a great job.

John to be trained tonight at 6:00pm with the Heparin

Dad now has three appointments scheduled

Tuesday, June 5th 11:45, Dr Saiki

Tuesday, June 5th, 1:45 pm, Dr Rabinov

Monday, June 11th, 3:45 pm, Dr Mocha (I am trying to get this date moved up, but so far no luck, his assistant is "supposed" to talk to Dr M and see if he wants to see him earlier, but there are no appointments currently available before June 11th)

(Jim) I know we don't know for sure, but a June 11th appt may mean there is no urgency. Still, I would love a call with the biopsy results, I'm sure you probably agree. (Bill) Jim, I would tend to agree, if I had a faith in the people I talked with. But I believe Dr M has seen the results and probably will tell Dad that they are inconclusive and he wants to run further tests. I believe this is the third biopsy that Dad has had, right?

(Jim) I believe we have the right to ask for the results of his test now, over the phone or a copy of the report via email. Making dad or us wait is pure BS. Having said that, you're probably right.

2:30 pm

Dad got his Ciprodex ear drops and took a nap.

Noticed still a little bleeding in his ear, see picture below. There was just a very slight amount of blood on Dad's pillow over night.

Great news, Bill.

May 29th

Jim brings Dad home from the hospital.

May 18th

I don’t know if they call this “managed” healthcare or not, but I sure don’t. So here is where we are at at 10:40 am Friday. Since my last update, Dr Kitt, an infectious disease specialist came in sometime during the middle of the night. They did start Dad on Vancomycin about 3:00 am and he was done with this IV by about 8:45 when I came in. Dr Rose arrived at the same time and we did talk for awhile. She said they were getting ready Dad for a MRI and that she wanted him to also have a special scan. I asked why the MRI and she said one of the other doctors ordered it along with blood and urine samples. Since they took both in the middle of the night I let those go. That is all they have done so far. Dad’s pain level is currently an 8 out of 10, with 10 being unbearable. This is higher than at anytime yesterday, but not as bad as Wednesday. I just talked with his nurse and they are getting him pain medication. He is getting tylenol with codeine. Dad was just started on two different anti-biotics shortly, they are Cefepime, an injection given through his IV very slowly and Zyvox 600 mg, a pill. These were suggested by the contagious disease specialist. I did ask Dr Rose if they were concerned about Mersa and she said no. Her main concern is whether he has an ear infection that is affecting he mastoid or whether he has a mastoid infection that is affecting his ears. She said treatment would be different depending on what they find. Dr Trang is expected in around 4:00 today. He is an ENT that specializes more in ear problems and is also an ear surgeon. Dr Rose has been consulting with him on Dad’s case. John, I did tell them about Dr Saike and the Aransp injections that he is getting. They said they will inform his doctor and that it is up to the doctor to contact Dr Saike. His red blood count was at 2.85, if that means anything to you and that his calcium is low too. His blood pressure is high, around 160/80. Things move slowly in the hospital, but I do believe we are moving forward. Dad is resting right now. I will let you know if anything else changes. Bill

According to John, Dad received an EPO (Procrit) shot today.

This was not Procrit, but something similar call Aransz and I think the dose was 60 mcg. - John

According to Dr Rose's patient notes:

Dad will have a CT scan today, verbal reporton CT - right and left mastoid opacification, left ME largely opacified, left can filled with tissue, not bony erosion.

May 17th

Dad was admitted about 8:00pm, but so far (10:00 pm) we are still waiting for them to do anything. I talked with the nurse who has put in I'V, but nothing is hooked to it. She is waiting for the dr who should be in about 10:30pm. I asked the RN what anti-biotic dad will be on and she did not know. She also did not have any idea how long he will be here. The only thing she was able to confirm is that dad will have a scan in the morning. Dad is at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital, room 586, which is a single bed room. To contact him, call 661-327-4647 then extension 1586. If you want to just call and get information on how he is doing you will need the code word "rabbit". Dad pain level started out as a 1 this morning and went up to a 4 around noon and a 6 around 5:00, before he ate soup for dinner. So eating doesn't seem to be making it worse. He is resting right now as we wait for the dr. He is also leary of taking more pain medicine because he has had the runs this afternoon and evening. Well that is about all we know right now, he is in good spirits and we were doing quizzes I have on my phone. He did very well on the Chicago quiz! Love to all, Bill

This is all the info I have right now.  Dad had his CT scan at noon today.  His ear doctor was going to take tomorrow off and so she rushed to get the results.  From what I can discern, Dad’s ear infection is deeper than we thought and they want to immediately admit him into the hospital for IV antibiotics.  I understand a new doctor will be brought in to assist Dr. Rose and oversee the treatment.  Dad and Bill were here in the store when we got the news.  While Dad was disappointed and sad to get the news, he recovered quickly and said let’s get this done.  Bill took Dad home to get some personal items and perhaps take a nap before going to the hospital.  I believe he will be at Memorial and we’ll keep you up-to-date on any more information we get.

According to Dr Rose's patient notes canal is very edematous, cannot see eardrum, there is scant yellow discharge.  Wants Dad on IV antibiotics. 

May 16th

To bring everyone up-to-date, Dad has been struggling with an ear infection in his left ear.  The drops they were giving him had no effect on the bacteria and so the Dr. changed to oral administration.  According to Mary, the Dr. is considering iv administration as the next step but first she wants to do a CT scan of the ear.  Dad says the earache can be quite painful at times, especially in the evening after dinner.  The ear canal is completely closed up and he cannot get new hearing aids until this is cleared up.  Thankfully the folks at the hearing aid company he goes to had a “demo” amplifier they could put into his right ear and that has improved things.

I played tennis with him this am and he’s tired of these inconveniences but he still keeps plugging along.  He walked up the slope to the tennis courts slowly but without stopping as far as I could tell.  He can’t see the ball for $%$#, but he still managed some good shots.  He had courtside conversations with the other players telling them about Nedra who has sprained her ankle.  He had a fall, I think out of bed, and bumped his head.  There is a half dollar size bruise and it looks like it’s healing okay.

Mary is taking him to the ear Dr. on Thursday, I’m not sure when the CT scan is (it was just scheduled), he gets blood tested today, and another EPO shot on Tuesday.  Bill is considering coming down for a visit next week.

According to Dr Rose's patient notes Dad was seen today, his canal is slightly less edematous (filled with blood) but she still cannot see the ear drum.  Dr Rose added a prescription for tylenol with Codeine.

May 14, 2012 Update

According to Dr Rose's notes, dad saw Dr Rose today.  There is still yellow discharge in dad's left ear which was suctioned, the canal is less edematous, but still cannot see the ear drum.  Dad reports that the ear is less painful.  Dr Rose will schedule a CT temporal bones to eval for malignant OE.  Continue augmentin and rifampin.

May 11, 2012 Update

According to Dr Rose's office notes, Dad was seen today.  The wick in his left ear was removed, there was discharge present, medial half of canal still very edematous.  Dr Rose added rifampin 300 mg Cap to augmentin.  Staph is resistent to cipro and gent, no ear drops at this time.

May 8, 2012 Update

According to Dr Rose's notes dad was seen today and his wick had fallen out, purulent material suctioned and the wick was replaced.  Dad continues on Augmentin.

May 7, 2012 Update

According to Dr Rose's patient notes, Dad's left ear is feeling worse and his right ear feels a bit plugged.  Canal is swollen shut again and the wick replaced.  The wick was replaced and the ear was cultured. 

Dad is on Augmentin 875 mg tabs, 1 tablet by mouth BID, qty 20.

May 1, 2012 Update

Dad saw Dr Rose today according to Dr Rose's notes.  Dr Rose could see dad's ear drum, I believe, there was scant discharge suctioned, the ear canal was opened.