Kevin was readmitted to the hospital today for a temperature. The wound site does not appear to be the source. Current logic is the catheter caused a urinary tract infection. He was pretty out of it with all of the pain and seizure medication today. I left the hospital around 9:30 and he had a temp of101. The doctor ordered some Tylenol and to watch it. He is in a tempera ward until a room can be found for him on the neurological ward. He has started to have some type of seizure or possibly a muscle spasm caused by the deteriorating of the muscle in his right leg. I will keep everyone informed as time allows. He is currently in room14342 at BJC.
Kenny

Kevin is home! He was released Saturday the 28th and got home about noon. He is resting comfortably. Keith and Doris helped to get him home. They stayed with him while I ran a pain prescription to Walgreen's. Dave came over about 5 and stayed with Kevin while I picked up his meds, and went to Outback to get our dinner. Dave stayed and we watched an old movie "Dear Ruth" it was very funny. Kevin slept through the night and the cats were unusually nice and wanted to see what was going on. They have been a lot better accepting him than I thought.

The assessment nurse came this morning. I should have known that what the BJC extended care told us was too good to be true. The nurse will visit times a week and no aid was scheduled. Ellen the intake nurse said she would get an aid a couple days a week. Kevin goes to the Urologist tomorrow and we will know more then. I will call the oncologist tomorrow and see when he wants to see Kevin again and when he will be able to start treatments again.
Kenny

Kevin is coming home on Saturday 3/28 unless something changes in the next 24 hours. He will be in a hospital bed. The bed should fit in our bedroom. He has also ordered a wheelchair, I think he is planning a Camile on me. He will still need a nurse to change his dressing once a day. BJC home health will be doing this. Next week is filled with doctor appointments and getting use to the new routine. Kevin will resume blogging after tomorrow.
Kenny

Kevin is suppose to be released on Saturday March 28. The rest of the details are not yet finalized. He should be coming home in the afternoon. He will still need daily nursing visits to change his dressing, and help with a bath. He has been deemed as needing 24 hour supervision. I get to be the supervisor! He will need a hospital bed and other special items for about 2 weeks. He goes to the Urologist on Monday, and his regular doctor on Tuesday. Then we will contact the oncologist to see about resuming his treatment.
He is feeling much better and is looking forward to coming home. I think the cats will need to welcome him home in their own special way. They have become use to living without Kevin, so they may or may not be happy about his return. I think Max will look at the hospital bed as a new launching pad for higher points to conquer.
I will keep updates as they come.
Kenny

Kevin is progressing better than expected. He has been given a tentative date of 3-26 for release. His energy and strength are returning. He is down to one dressing change per day and the site of the wound is much better. I am usually there when the dressing is changed. He is still in pain but only gets pain medication during the wound change. He can have oral pain medicine but does not usually use it. He is going to the dining room for lunch and dinner. It is very nice to get out of the room. Occupational therapy is suppose to start working with him on getting his contacts in today. We will know more about the chemo treatments once he is released. His spirits are good and he is not sleeping all of the time. I am doing some laundry today to take back to him this evening. Being able to wear his own clothes has made a huge difference. He is more comfortable than the open back gowns. He is getting into the bathroom to brush his teeth and shave now in the wheelchair.
Kenny

Kevin is getting closer to home every day. Yesterday the wound care specialist reduced his dressing changes to once a day. His physical therapy is progressing nicely. He is able to stand without help. He can get from the bed to the wheelchair and back on his own. Yesterday he allowed a group of student nurses to practice on him. He is eating lunch and dinner in the dining room now! We are able to eat together this way. It helps him get out of the room and I can control by blood sugar better. Kevin is getting stronger and more like his old self. He can still be short and crabby, but wait that is his old self. The sooner the wound heals the sooner he can see the oncologist and discuss further treatment. Kevin is truly exceeding all of the expectations anyone had about his recovery.

I am going to have all give full time to taking care of him so I have decided to drop my classes for the semester. Kevin will have to have someone with him 24-7 for a while and that is my job. He is excited that he can wear his own clothes now. The gowns had a lot to be desired. The staff has been wonderful except for one exception that Kevin was able to deal with himself. He gets frustrated that when he calls response time is a little delayed. I keep reminding him that this is at a four star hotel. He is also frustrated at his difficulty in speaking. During the best he has some trouble, but when he is tired or medicated he is almost unable to communicate his thoughts. With continued therapy and getting enough rest this should start to become better.

We want to thank everyone for their thoughts and well wishes

Kenny

Kevin is improving quicker than the doctors expected. He starts his full program of rehab today. He still is not able to get out of bed by himself, or for that matter sit up by himself. The therapist will try to get him walking again this week. He is healing well. In the beginning it took three rol of gauze to fill the wound now he is just taking one. His sirits are still good. He is a little frightened to be alone because he can do so little for himself, could have something to do with his control isses. His apatite is doing good. Visits from the family and friends realy help him keep a positive outlook.
I am waiting to hear from the oncologist about when and how we will start the chemo reatments again. I don't think it will be for a few weeks at least. His speech is not good so he is not very willing to have a long conversation. Over the weekend My mother and sister came, Doris and his parents came, and Barb and Jerry came to see him. Barb made some bread to drool over.
Joey anad Becky got their houseand I believe they closed this weekend. They were very excited to get a place large enough and without a flood in the basement everytime it rains. I convinced Jackson (the youngest) that the babtisomal font in the sanctary area was his private swimming pool. Uncle Kenny strikes again!
Dan is progressing on the rehab for the house they are going to live in hile finishing up school. I am sure they, as well as Keith and Doris are anous to get that done. Kiley will be one next month. Kevin will hopefuly be able to get to the party. Zack was four this month and at his birthday party is when Kevin really started to hurt form the infection.
BUT Drew is my buddy, he is so easly currupted. He has learded to do a manical laugh from me, and now we are learning to tell pretty women "back at ya babe". I am sure this is every parents dream. Katie still rembers how to dance with a pole, she has to get through college some how.
Well I must get backto the real world and start another day now
Kenny

!.

Kevin has moved the the BJC rehab facility, no not for that, for treatment and physical therapy. The wound is healing very well. The doctors are very pleased with his progress. He was originaly expected to be in the hospital up to ten days. The facility is located at 401 Corporate Drive in Clayton Mo. The strange thing is he is now directly across the street from Enterprise C0rporate. He actualy lookes out his window into the building that he last worked in. His spirits are up. He is expected to be here for two to three weeks. The doctors are now not expecting to do more surgery and debreetment the infection is responding to the antiboitics far better than expected. Neither of us thought he would come home from the hospital in the beginning. We actualy inquired about the Hospice facilities. But once again Kevin puts my plans for the new condo on hold.
I am not sure the cats will allow him back in our bed. Max has taken over Kevin's pillow and actually sleeps with his head on it and his little tounge hanging out. This is quite a sight to wake up to. But the cats do not snore as loud as Kevin. He will be home with home health care as soon as he is able to get some of his strength back. I am not sure if we have to do more acomodations yet. I will try to keep everyone updated as often as possible.
On a scarry note I think Kevin is just scared that I will try to ballance the accounts now that they are coming in and he will give me very exacting instructions on how to pay what.
Thank all of you for the support and encouragement. We both apriciate it very much!
Kenny

Kevin is in the hopital

On Sunday March 8, I took Kevin to Barnes Emergency because of pain and swelling in his groin. Within a few hours he was rushed to emergency surgery and had to have an incision in order to drain and debreed an infection that had progressed to gain green. After the surgery he was put into ICU, untill tonight. He is being moved to room 6576 at BJC. He is doing well and is on morpheine. The Dr. told us that he has a difficult road ahead. The treatments for his toumor will have to be suspended for a while. The treatments are what allowed the infection to progress rapidly and with few symptoms. He will be in the hospital for 5 -10 days and then will go to a skilled care facility untill the wounds heal.
I would like to thank all of you for your support. Kevin can recieve e-mailes at barnes website. I will continue to update as time allows.
Kenny
P.S. I am a terriable speller and this has no spellcheck!!