We are Home!

We got home last night...

The gastroenterologist who did the scopes says no surgery. The lump was inflammation and infection in and around the small intestine. He said there is no way to know if there is any permanent stricture until everything is calmed down and that may take a couple of months.

In the meantime, Luke is done with the antibiotics. The midline was put in his upper right arm so that he could come home and still receive the steroids he was getting at the hospital. It is a line that goes into his vein about eight inches or so, up his arm, across his shoulder and ends somewhere by his collarbone. It delivers meds right into his body quickly. They use a midline instead of an IV because an IV must be changed every three days, while the midline can be in much longer. He is going to get steroids like this for 7 days, then switch to oral.

Yesterday, the nurse told me the name of the home health agency that would be sending a nurse out. At that time, I thought they would be coming every day to administer his meds. When I called the agency on the way home from the hospital to let them know we were on the way home, I was exhausted and looking forward to being home. Luke was in good spirits and wanted us all to play a game together. (Steroids are working...)

Then the nurse told me that she would be teaching ME how to administer the medication and that she would be at our house for 2-2 1/2 hours.

She arrived around 8 pm and didn't leave until 10:30. She changed the wrapping around the midline. She showed me the four step process: first give saline flush, then the steroid slowly over 5 minutes, then saline flush, then heparin to clot the line.

She helped me do the first dose at 10:30 last night. Now he will get it at 7 am, 3 pm and 11 pm. This is until next Friday.

Then we have follow up appts with gastroenterologist in the next week which includes small intestine barium contrast. (Yum, Luke's new least favorite thing...) and then decisions on what longterm treatment. Steroids are only good for short term.

Luke's new favorite number is 8787--the number to dial for room service. "Yes, this is Luke in room 341 and I would like to order my dinner. I would like a grilled chicken sandwich with 10 packets of ketchup, steamed carrots, two Activia yogurts peach and strawberry, and angel food cake with strawberries." Ahhhhhh.

As I mentioned though, we are home now. And even though there is no room service, he and I are very glad to be here. Things are good now. He has no pain, just the nuisance of the midline which has to be in the right arm because the line can make a gradual turn up the arm toward the heart.

We are overwhelmed by the love and care and prayers. Luke kept shaking his head whenever we got a text, phone call, email or message of someone who was praying for him. He said, I never knew that many people cared about me. I can't believe they are praying for me.

Luke told me he wants to make sure he is acting how God wants him to act and that God gets the glory for everything. He said he is glad it is him and not his little brother. He knows this is long term and we've had lots of talks about what that means, both physically and spiritually. It is a lot to think about.

We appreciate all of your prayers. We feel them every minute.

Time for the 3 pm dose!