April 30

I can't believe that it's the last day of April already. It seems like just yesterday I was writing an entry for the blog and getting ready for April Fool's Day. Caitlin and I have had a looong day today. We left for the dialysis clinic at about 8:30 a.m. and didn't get home until 4 p.m. We went to Panera's after her blood draw and then got the call that she needed to come back to the clinic for dialysis. She is now tipping the scales at 112.5 but seems to be eating a little better. Her creatinine was up from Monday's blood draw which was up from Friday's blood draw. The doctors are still very reassuring in the fact that they believe she will get 100% of her kidney function back, it's just going to take time. I'm getting kind of antsy about her still having to be dialyzed because I'm 7 weeks into my 12 weeks of leave time thru FMLA and I really thought she would be further in her recovery than she is. I'm hoping that before I have to go back to work she will be off dialysis and PT. Craig, the physical therapist, came yesterday and will be back again tomorrow. I think this is his last week for in-home PT unless he and the doctor feel that she needs to continue. Caitlin is able to get around the house but doesn't have the stamina for extended time on her feet so, thank goodness, she has a wheelchair that we are using. Thank you to all of you that continue to send Caitlin cards for a speedy recovery and all the thoughts and prayers that continue to sustain myself and my family. Chris

April 27, 2008

It's somewhat overcast here in Fairview and looking like rain. Great news for flowers, veggies, grass, etc but what I'm actually seeing is the grass getting knee-high and another afternoon spent mowing!! I can't complain, though, it's good exercise and gives me a chance to commune with nature! Caitlin had dialysis on Friday after she had physical therapy with Craig. They did post dialysis blood work and I got a call back on Friday evening stating that Caitlin's phosphates were back to being on the lower side and her hemoglobin was really low (7.3 - normal is 12 to 13). They didn't want any changes to her medications but told me that if she became short of breath that she needed to be seen in the ER over the weekend. She is expected back on Monday for another blood draw and we'll find out whether she will need dialysis or not. She has had a quiet weekend - her cousins came over yesterday (Saturday) and spent some time visiting which really lifted her spirits. She continues to feel nauseated but it has been over a week since she has actually gotten sick to her stomach. I continue to stay home from both my jobs but feel the love and support from both St. Thomas ER and Cool Springs Surgery Center management and employees. I can't express my true gratitude to all those who continue to offer help, call, visit, pray, etc. Keep up the good work - I know that all the previously mentioned gifts are what has helped me and my family thru this difficult time. I truly feel blessed on so many levels and know that God has been watching over all of us. Chris

April 23, 2008

Caitlin and I have had a reeeally long day today. We left for the dialysis clinic at 8:15 this morning for her blood draw. We stayed in Nashville until the results came in which was at 12:15 p.m. The doctor decided to go ahead and perform the dialysis today because her BUN was increased from the Monday blood draw. They had to go ahead and set up her machine so she didn't actually start dialysis until closer to 1 p.m. We finally got home before 5 p.m. and dropped. The doctor has already decided that she will have dialysis on Friday and will go back on Monday for another blood draw. Caitlin has her appointment for her EGD tomorrow morning so we have to be up by 5:30 a.m. to get there on time. I'm not certain if they'll find anything or not, but she really needs to start getting nourishment in some way because when they weighed her today she weighed 113 pounds. She seems to be eating better and hasn't vomited since Saturday but continues to be nauseated. For any of you in the Fairview area, there was a 3 page article, with pictures, in the Fairview Observer about her illness and her recovery thus far. She has come so far since she was diagnosed but she still has a 'fur piece' to go. We so appreciate all the birthday wishes and get well wishes that she continues to get from folks all over - thanks!!! Chris

Happy Birthday Caitlin!!!

We have had such a celebration today! We had to leave the house this morning to be at the dialysis clinic by 9 a.m. for a blood draw. Rather than go home and wait to see if Caitlin had to have dialysis and drive back into Nashville, we stayed in the area and shopped at Target for a little while then went back to the dialysis clinic to wait. We didn't get the results of the blood work until about noon but the long and short of it is that her numbers still show kidney failure but no dialysis was needed. Again, the doctor wants her kidneys to start working on their own and only use dialysis if absolutely necessary. We go back on Wednesday for another blood draw. The doctor took her off the medicine that they had her start on Saturday because her phosphates are now on the higher side rather than the lower side, as indicated from Friday's blood work. We got home by about 1 p.m. and Caitlin was able to visit with some of her friends in the afternoon. Caitlin got such nice birthday cards, flowers, gifts, and phone calls from friends and relatives all celebrating her 19th birthday. In the past years, she has always looked forward to her birthday but this year she realizes that she is so fortunate to be alive to celebrate, as we all are to be able to celebrate with her. She requested white chicken chili for her birthday dinner and she got her requested Dirt Cake for dessert. All in all, we have had such a great day really enjoying what God has graced us with - life, beautiful weather, friends and relatives, and so much more! Thanks to all of you that make these special times more special. Chris

April 19, 2008

Caitlin has had a busy few days. She had PT in the morning and we left as soon as the session was over to go to her PCP's office for her 10:30 a.m. appointment. She weighed in at a whopping 117 pounds and the doctor spent quite a bit of time covering all aspects of Caitlin's care thus far. She referred Caitlin to a gastroenterologist for an EGD which is scheduled for Thursday morning. I asked her if she wanted it on Monday, but she said that was not exactly the plan she had in mind when talking about celebrating her birthday! We left the MD's office and went straight to dialysis where they did a blood draw pre-dialysis and then she had to stay for an extra hour after her 3 hour dialysis time for a post-dialysis blood draw. They called from the clinic and said that her phosphate was low and she now has ANOTHER prescription medication to add to her regimen. Brandon and Jordan were able to spend the afternoon with Ryan today at Family Day with the Marine Corp. Caitlin and I were going to go but when I checked the weather report, all I had to see was highs in the low 60's with possible rain - well, Caitlin and I are fair weather fans and we decided to see about getting our hair done instead! Caitlin is not supposed to take showers because of her permacath which means that she isn't able to wash her hair as frequently as she likes. She said it felt sooo good to have her hair washed today and get it cut. She was really ready to leave after the amount of time it took to wash, cut, and style her hair. She was able to rest a short bit of time before we went to the high school to support her cousin (my niece) Heidi in a beauty pageant - Heidi came in third runner-up. All in all, a very busy couple of days. We have nothing planned for tomorrow except to take it easy. I want to thank all the folks that are letting me know in person, by notes, etc. that this blog website is helping them keep up with Caitlin's progress. This has been such therapy for me to be able to write about what our days are like and I'm glad to know that it is helping others, as well. Thank you for all the prayers, offers of help, notes/cards, love and support that continue to be offered. Chris

April 17, 2008

Well, I wish I had better news but Caitlin continues to be nauseated and sick to her stomach which is causing her to not be able to eat. She had dialysis yesterday and they gave her 3 liters of fluid over her 3 hour dialysis time which caused her to go to the bathroom - a lot!!! - but didn't relieve the nausea. I talked with her kidney doctor today and he prescribed a few other medications that may or may not help. Also, he called her internist and she wants to see Caitlin tomorrow morning. Caitlin's physical therapist had to change his schedule around a bit to accomodate the MD's appointment so she'll have PT at 9 a.m., an MD appointment at 10:30 a.m., then dialysis after that. Her dialysis time is 3 p.m. but I'm going to see if they can get her started aound noon so we don't have to drive back and forth into Nashville multiple times. I will be soooo glad to see her recovery back on track again and I'm sure Caitlin will, as well. She had PT today and then we had a lunch date with her Aunt Kathy and cousin Meghan at Kathy's house. Caitlin started throwing up just as we were leaving for Kathy's house and by the time we got there, all she wanted to do was lay down on the couch. Kathy, Meghan, and I had a wonderful lunch and conversation. By the time we were close to leaving Caitlin perked up a little and joined in the conversation. She still tires easily and came home from her excusion and went straight to bed. We also had an opportunity to spend some time with her Granny Brison and aunts, uncles, and cousins to celebrate her Granny's birthday tonight. Thanks to all of you who continue to keep all of us in your thoughts and prayers. The cards are so very much appreciated, too. Chris

April 15, 2008 TAX DAY!!

Ah, the dreaded April 15th Tax Day is upon us. I finally took some time last night to do my taxes (and Caitlin's and Ryan's) and it was close - I'm getting a minimal refund but at least I don't have to pay! I took Caitlin in yesterday morning for her blood draw and they called and said that she needed to come back in for dialysis. They plan on doing dialysis this entire week rather than just drawing blood and making a decision to do dialysis based on the results. She weighed in at a whopping 116 pounds, which is waaaaay too thin for her. The doctor is concerned because she continues to be nauseated and ultimately throws up every day which is preventing her from eating. They gave her some fluids while doing dialysis yesterday because she was dehydrated. The doctor is still trying to figure out if it could be medicine or something else that is causing the nausea/vomiting. Caitlin is so bummed out - like she said, "two steps forward, five steps back." She had planned on going to watch her brother, Ryan, play in his indoor football tournament last night but just didn't feel good enough to go. We're just taking this day by day and seeing what the good Lord has in store for us. It's hard to believe that in less than a week, she'll have a birthday (19 years old on April 21st). Let me tell you, this will be one birthday we will really be celebrating!!! She hasn't told me what she wants her birthday dinner to include but the birthday cake will be her favorite of Dirt Cake. It's a layered dessert of crushed Oreo cookies, a creamy middle filling, then more crushed Oreo cookies on top with Gummie worms coming out. Anyone needing the recipe, let me know! Thank you for your continued support and prayers as we continue down this road to recovery. Chris

April 13, 2008

Good morning! I'm up somewhat early and it's really quiet in the house. The kids are sleeping, the animals are either outside or in their beds so it's a good time to update the blog. Caitlin has had a rough time since the last entry was written. She has continued to be sick every day, even with Phenergan on board. She wakes up nauseated and stays nauseated throughout the day which makes it difficult for her to want to eat. She'll finally eat a few bites in the late afternoon then she's done for the day. By 10 p.m., she has become so nauseated that she is throwing up but because she hasn't really eaten anything, it's mostly dry heaves. That continues for about an hour, she feels a little better and she tries to go to bed to get some sleep. She didn't have dialysis at all this last week although we took the trip in on the days she was supposed to go for her bloodwork to be drawn and on Friday, the antibiotics were given. Her bloodwork continues to show that her kidneys are still not completely functioning on their own but they are not doing dialysis because the doctors don't want her kidneys to get lazy and depend on dialysis to clear the toxins from her blood. I'm not certain if it could be side effects from the medicines she's taking or if it's because her kidneys are still not completely clearing the toxins from her bloodstream, but she just doesn't feel good. She's so tired of feeling this way and as her mom, it's really hard to sit by and watch your child struggle as Caitlin is doing and has done for the last 5-6 weeks. The bright spot in our day, though, is when the mail comes and the wonderful cards arrive. Thank you so much for continuing to support us through this trying time with your cards, calls, prayers, and visits. Chris

April 10, 2008

Oh my gosh! I can't believe ALL the wonderful notes and letters that have been arriving for Caitlin. You (collectively) are the most wonderful folks to be so responsive - I really appreciate it and so does Caitlin. Caitlin had quite a full day today - her PT came to work with her, she then had to get ready for a proposed lunch with her grandmother before her MD's appointment this afternoon. Just as we were leaving to meet my mom for lunch, Caitlin said she wasn't feeling good and proceeded to get sick. She took a bucket with her in the car, we had to cancel lunch with Grammy, and headed straight to the appointment. Her temperature was 101.6, she had chills, and she hurt so badly all over that she just broke down and said she wished that this ordeal was done and over. We go back to the dialysis clinic tomorrow - they want us there by 6-6:30 a.m. They are going to draw a full panel of blood work including blood cultures and then give her an infusion of Vancomycin, an antibiotic. They are not sure if she may have picked up a virus or if her permacath for dialysis has become infected and is causing an infection in her body. She took some Phenergan when we got home and even though her stomach is still not feeling well, she doesn't feel like she needs to throw up. I've been taking her blood pressure and temp throughout the afternoon to make sure her blood pressure doesn't drop like it did when she first got sick. Please continue to hold her in your thoughts and prayers, she seems to be over the worst but still has a long recovery ahead of her. Again, thank you for the love she/we have been shown, I can't express the overwhelming gratitude I feel for each and every offer of help, the cards/notes, dinners, love, and support we have been given. Chris

April 7, 2008

It's 3:15 in the afternoon and I'm updating the blog. Why?, are you asking, is that significant as you're scratching your head. It's because it's 3:15 in the afternoon and we should be at dialysis BUT WE'RE NOT!!!! I took Caitlin in this morning to have her blood work drawn and they called back in the late morning to say that her numbers were OK that she didn't need to be dialyzed today - we can wait until Wednesday morning to go back. On Wed. morning, they'll draw blood again and decide if she needs dialysis. The doctor put her back on the blood pressure medication that she only took one of last Wednesday before she had a syncopal episode (fainted) so I'm watching her pretty closely today to make sure if it happens again, I'm right here. She has home health PT tomorrow, Thursday, and Friday - I think she'll be released to go to out-patient PT here in Fairview to work with her on her strength and endurance. We had a relatively quiet weekend. Caitlin saved up her energy to be able to go back to the high school to watch her brother in the production of The Wizard of Oz. This time she took some pain medication and so was able to sit in the theatre seats a little more comfortably than on Thursday. She continues to suffer from generalized pain/aching, most especially in her left knee and right foot. She's trying really hard not to take pain medications during the day, but we've had a lot of rain and I think the dampness exacerbated the aching. She has a doctor's appointment with her PCP on Thursday afternoon, so we're still doing a lot of driving back and forth into Nashville. Your continued comments, prayers and cards are very much appreciated - we thank you! Chris

April 4,2008

Well, Caitlin had her hopes dashed this morning when we went into the dialysis center for a blood draw. Depending on the results, she might not have had to have a treatment this afternoon. Unfortunately, her BUN and creatinine were still too high, so off we went to dialysis. She was definitely upset, shedding tears, and right after she got the news that a treatment was in store for her, her physical therapist showed up to work with her. He could tell her heart wasn't in it so he cut the session short and asked her to work on the exercises after he left. Her blood pressure continues to run on the higher side and they almost had her stay for a fluid bolus again due to her heart rate being in the 130's again. The doctor was called and I just have to watch it at home - if her resting heart rate is in the 130's I have to take her to the ER. We go back Monday morning for another blood draw and hopefully there won't be another trip back into Nashville for a treatment Monday afternoon because her numbers will be within the range they're looking at. Caitlin was able to see her brother's performance in the Wizard of Oz last night but only made it to the intermission before needing to come home. We're going to go back tomorrow night for the last perfomance at the time of intermission so we won't have missed anything. Brandon left this morning at about 3 to head back to Houston for a week to take care of some business - we already miss having him here! Thank you for the cards that are coming in with such wonderful notes. Please continue to keep Caitlin and her family in your prayers during this trying period of recovery. Again, Caitlin's address is: 7114 Boone St., Fairview, TN 37062 should you want to pass this information on to anyone wanting to send a card, postcard, words of encouragement. Chris

April 3, 2008

It's a rainy day here in the fair city of Fairview and most likely a lazy day to stay in and reflect (who wants to clean when there is reflecting to do!!!). Caitlin's physical therapy on Tuesday had to be cancelled because her blood pressure was too high. We're hoping today, after starting on her new blood pressure medication yesterday, that her blood pressure will be less than the 160/110 parameter that the MD has set up as the outside limit of when she can participate in PT. Yesterday, Caitlin had dialysis but prior to going had a fainting episode. Very worrisome for her brother who was upstairs when it happened. I could definitely here the panic in his voice and took the stairs 2-3 at a time to get up there quickly. Her doctor has been notified but we haven't heard back from them as to the possible/probable cause. Poor Caitlin, she said she got dizzy and tried to call for me and that's the last thing she remembers until hearing Brandon calling for me. She was upset, Brandon was upset, and me, well, I'm trying to take her blood pressure while she's on the ground. The bloodwork from the dialysis clinic shows that Caitlin's BUN and creatinine are coming down slowly but surely, which is really good. Caitlin had to stay at dialysis an hour longer than expected last night because her heart rate was too high (135-140's). They gave her some saline and called the MD for further orders. As long as her resting heart rate was less than 115-120 they told me she could go home and that I just needed to check it. She continues to have little energy and these trips really take a lot out of her. She's resting up today for a big night tonight - her brother Jordan is the Wizard in the Wizard of Oz, a production by the high school tonight, tomorrow, and Saturday. We're going to try to go tonight and hopefully Caitlin will be able to make it thru the whole play. Please continue to send your messages of encouragement to Caitlin as she really needs them to lift her spirits. Your prayers are always welcome and very much appreciated, as well!! Chris

April 1, 2008

Well, Caitlin had her dialysis treatment yesterday and her numbers still aren't looking good. Her albumin is 2.0 (L), her BUN and creatinine are high, her hemoglobin is 8 (L) which means her hematocrit is low and her blood pressure is high - at one point during dialysis 176/115. The doctor was notified of these numbers during the treatment and a prescription was called in for another blood pressure medication to be started today. She is trying really hard to eat but by the time she gets home from dialysis - at about 7:30/8 p.m. - she doesn't feel very good. She did say that she was hungry for a Subway sandwich to eat for dinner last night so about 9 p.m. she did her best to put a dent in a 6" sub. She got 2 bites into it and started vomiting. It seems that she is her worst after a dialysis treatment, so I talked with her today about changing the diet plans around a bit on dialysis days. We're going to try to get her to eat a good lunch and then just have a smoothie to eat during dialysis and right after. Maybe that will help with the nausea/vomiting that she is suffering. Her skin lesions continue to heal, some are worse than others and will most likely leave scars. All in all, a small price to pay for such an aggressive bacterial infection. She is starting to really feel the effects of being pretty much home based except for MD appointments and dialysis treatments. Any of you folks out there that want to send her messages of encouragement, her address is: Caitlin Brison, 7114 Boone St., Fairview, TN 37062. She's not much into talking on the phone - it just seems to take a lot out of her - but it would be great if she could get cards, postcards, etc. from you to lift her spirits. The prayer chain has worked wonders and if you could make a card chain, I really feel that it would help her in encouraging her during her recovery. Please feel free to pass this address on to anyone you think would send words of encouragement. Thank you again to all who have been sending notes of encouragement, bringing meals for the family, and most especially keeping her and the family in your daily prayers. I will never be able to fully thank everybody for the overwhelming gratitude I have felt and continue to feel during this time in our lives. Chris