Thank You Prayer Warriors

The stent procedure for my right kidney failed Wednesday so we got to do it all over again with a different method today.  I woke up at 3:15 AM and we were on the road to the hospital at 4:30 AM.  Poor old Sable had to stay outside in the cold all day and it was zero when we left.

We got to the hospital right after 5 AM because there was NO traffic on the roads.  Quickest trip we've ever made to Bethesda North on Montgomery Road.  Than we sat in our prep room for a full hour when we asked the nurse what was going on.  They went through their procedures and got the IV started and got me on the gurney.

The Preventive Radiology team had me in position for the procedure when the alarm came, NO GO because my blood platelets were too low.  I was near 40 and they like over 50 and 75 is even much better.  They couldn't take me back to the room I came out of so they kept me in the operating wing.  They piled so many warmed blankets on me my body temperature went to 98.6 degrees for the first time in months.  I slept for 2 hours.

The team had nothing to do while the radiologist saw patients in the wound clinic until noon.  They talked to me and heard my story for over an hour.  I overheard them talking they were impressed that LuAnn was reading scripture to me.  They started my platelet transfusion just before the procedure.  Dr. Hankin showed up and they put me on my distended stomach again and away we went.  I started to wake up just before they were done and wow, more anesthesia, please!  I got through it though and felt immediate relief because they drained a big bag of urine out of that kidney.

Between that, the platelets and the IV, I don't even feel like I have cancer right now.  I feel so good I am afraid it will go away.  I have to really watch for infection now because I am on day 12 nadir and don't have the blood power to fight it off, though the platelets and the backup gone ought to really help.

It was the craziest day I ever heard of in a hospital.  I can highly recommend Dr. Hankin's team to anyone needing Preventive Radiology procedures.  They were awesome.

I sincerely thank all my prayer warriors because I felt the prayers and saw God's Hand at work today.  Sable was sure thankful to see us home after being outside all day and now she has been fed and asleep on her rug.

I should be there late tonight.

Ed