Today was uphill all day long, one challenging step after the next. The big challenge is that we thought it would be a fairly easy day. Days that you think are going to be easy are always harder when the expectations for the day don't match the reality.
We started the morning preparing for Doug's nurse to come to train me to give him his IV antibiotics. I thought that would be the most challenging part of the day, but no. With Jared's help he had me trained in about 30 minutes. Now, I hope I am ready for tomorrow, a weekend, on my own.
Doug's blood pressure was very low yesterday. We thought it was because he was not drinking enough fluids. Jared was concerned again this morning when it was only 100/60. We developed a plan to monitor it throughout the day and determined when I would need to take Doug to the emergency if it dropped.
Then I told Jared that I was concerned about Doug's left foot. It was reddish/purple. He checked it and he was very concerned too. It looks just like when Doug first had the blood clot. We decided that I would call Doug's hematologist and ask for direction. Doug has been off the blood thinner for 10 days now, since his surgery.
Jared changed Doug's dressing around the PICC line. That all went well. Pretty well I guess, Trixie was a little more help then either one of them wanted. After the PICC line we rechecked Doug's blood pressure and it had come up a little bit to 103/75. We decided I would just monitor it.
What we thought would be a 30 minute visit turned into a two and a half hour visit. Before we knew it, it was 12:15. Doug really wanted to meet the Presiding Bishop and hear what he had to say. And so we decided we would try to go. It is a lot of work for Doug to get dressed, especially in clericals but we finally had him ready. We also had to get Trixie ready for us to leave. I gave her the medication the vet prescribed, but she was highly distressed. Apparently it is worse having Doug and I both leave at the same time. Finally we were on our way by 1:20.
While driving, I was talking to the hematologist's nurse. The doctor wanted Doug to get an ultra sound today. I told them, that Doug really wanted these two hours to meet the Presiding Bishop. Could we schedule it after 4:00 or first thing in the morning? After 25 minutes of phone calls back and forth while driving, the answer was no, the only time available was 3:45 in Nampa. We said okay, we would go to hear the Presiding Bishop for the first hour.
We got to Boise, to the BSU campus, at the historic little white Episcopal church, and found out that it was not accessible and Doug could not go in. Having been a disabilities advocate for 35 years, to find out that a venue had been selected for this important meeting that we could not attend left us both very upset and disappointed. The Presiding Bishop came out and met us, but we wanted to hear him, participate and interact with him. Poor Doug, he was tired and had worked so hard to get there.
We left, drove back to Nampa, checked on Trixie and went to the hospital for the testing. The good news at the end of the day, is that we found that Doug does not have a clot. We are grateful. I think we are both reaching our capacity for bad news.
We don't know for sure why Doug's foot is turning purple. Probably it is poor circulation since he is too tired and weak to stand. And there may be some small damage to the vein from the previous clot. The stone still has not passed and he does not feel well. His blood pressure tonight was 115/73 thankfully. We picked up Chinese food on the way home. I had a glass of wine, turned on the TV and rested. I was going to go back into Boise for Evensong tonight, but after the day I just did not have it in me.
And so we pray:
God of Righteousness and Power, be with us in Doug's illness. Help us to persevere and find solutions we need for Doug to continue to heal. Having a disability is a struggle even in the 21st Century. Help us to shine a light where change is needed and dispel all feelings of hurt and resentment when confronted with our own disappointment. Empower us to be the change that is needed in this world as we continue to seek equality for all people. In your name we ask it. Amen