Code what? To where?

Well, I've been trying to figure out what to report, and what I really don't need to report. It's been a very frightening couple of days, and I'm still a little freaked out.

On wednesday, when they went to replace the Hickman IV in his chest, they were unable to do it. A peripheral IV was needed so that he would have access to his pain pump and they could not place an IV. Brent is never hard to find veins on, and they even had a Life Flight paramedic try for an hour and he could not place an IV either. He could not have his TPN that night because there was no available port to use to infuse it. It was a long night, and I felt the need to stay with him.

On Thursday, things were a little better through the day. We kept waiting for them to come get him to try to replace the Hickman again. Finally at about 4:00 they took him down to Heart and Lung Angio. I was in his room when I hear the hospital intercom call a code to Heart and Lung Angio. I knew instantly that it was Brent. I can honestly say throughout all of the crap we've been through in the past five years, this was most scared I had been. The nurses station didn't know anything, but his nurse was thinking it was a code for him too. Meanwhile I called my sister-in-law who works across the street and she came over. Finally the nurse came in and said that yes,it was Brent, but he was now stable and ok. Apparently while they were replacing the Hickman, which is located right by the heart, something triggered his heart to go into SVT with a heart rate over 200. They tried everything to get it to go back down, but finally had to administer a drug that essentially re-boots the heart. It stops it and restarts it. The heart did go into normal rhythm after that. Geesh. I wouldn't believe them that he was ok until they let me see him. I totally understand the need for calling a code over the hospital intercom system, but perhaps it would be better if you couldn't hear them in the patients room. I think I had enou adrenalin flowing for all of us. Craziness.

I finally went home and slept. Today he is doing much better. Hoping I can take him outside for some fresh air since it is such a gorgeous day here in Utah.

Surgically speaking, Brent is doing great and healing. It all the other weird stuff that we are dealing with.

Thanks for the love and concern. We are ok at home and eating well there. Thanks Janice!

Have a good weekend, and for those of our LDS faith, have a great conference weekend. Looking forward to watching General Conference.

Lisa