Urgent Care Visit

Papa, Abbie and I spent over 8 hours in Urgent Care today. They immediately hooked him up to IVs, heart monitors and oxygen. He was extremely dehydrated, so the fluids helped a lot. He received medicine for nausea, and blood tests were done. His white blood count was extremely high, so the doctor also gave him IV antibiotics, for a probable kidney infection. He doesn’t need a kidney infection on top of all of this, especially considering he only has one kidney!

Anyway, he rested most of the day and they were about to release him for home, when I had to speak up. I told the doctor that he was "wasting" away at home….not eating or drinking, or taking his meds, or getting out of bed and that this was the 3rd time in about a week that he’s had to have medical intervention, so I felt that he needed some extra care, that he’s not getting at home. I explained that I was back to work after being off with him for about 3 months, and he’s getting sicker instead of improving. I asked if we could have a home health care nurse, or if he could be placed in an inpatient rehab program to regain his strength.

The doctor agreed and arranged for a bed tomorrow at a skilled nursing facility. Papa will be fed through a tube for a few days and they’ll monitor him closely to help him get back on his feet. I don’t know if it’s going to work, but it’s worth a try.

I am really concerned especially after the doctor gave us today’s medical records to hand-carry to the nursing facility, and of course we decided to read them..... His diagnosis:

Anorexia, Wasting, Uncontrolled (unreadable), Depression and ? Cancer.........

Now, we’re back to the possible cancer diagnosis?  I thought we’d already dealt with that, but it’s rearing it’s ugly head again. The doctor didn’t mention that in our conversation today, so what’s happening here?