Medical Jargon

I had a productive conversation with our nurse practitioner yesterday. I am always so grateful that the people that are on our team are so concise and articulate and willing to translate medical jargon to language I can truly understand.

Our first practitioner, who by the way is still in the trenches with us, is always good about saying "research word" in the middle of a sentence. That's my cue to mark that word or topic for a few hours of research. It has helped me have a much better grip on what we're dealing with.

The blood tests that deal with coagulation came back and Coleman does have the blood coagulation issues she suspected. In familiar terms, he has "sludgy blood," which makes detox, clearing bacteria and other bugs more difficult. Once the coagulation issues are documented, the next step is to find out whether they are genetic or due to Lyme. It's important to know because it changes the method of treatment. She has ordered the follow up genetic test using the extra serum waiting in Las Vegas.

In the meantime, these biofilms that trap things in the blood cells need to be broken down for less sludge. The drug approach would be to use a blood thinner or something similar, the natural approach would be to use a series of products that begin to break down those walls. Tomorrow morning we start with the natural, which is a 4 step approach each morning - each step is 20 minutes apart and involves stomach prep, breaking down the walls and then clearing out the sludge.

Today, she received his Vitamin D ratios from the blood work. A normal range is 33-100, Coleman's is 13.5. This tells her two things - the first is that his body is fighting infection and it's using every single bit of Vitamin D store it has. The second is that to her, this puts the icing on the evidence of Lyme.

We have exactly three weeks to do whatever final prep we can to his body for the heavy antibiotics. There are several things we are doing each day and he's up and around much more with his walking stick which is always helpful to every part of his body. I have been amazed what a toll lying in bed takes on a body, and just how fast it does its dirty work.

Things are beginning to fall in place. The best news for me today is we have found a place to stay. My old friend and coworker, JR married a chap from Kansas City and I can't tell you how many years KC was a part of our conversations. Her in-laws keep an apartment there that will be available to us till Christmas. That takes a load off of my mind. My high school friend, happens to live right outside the city and we've been emailing as well. I can't say how much these practical items ease the mother's conscience.

Our first appointment with Dr. R is on the 18th in her clinic, the second is the 19th, on the 20th we go into a local hospital for out-patient insertion of a porta-cath and if all goes well, start the meds that afternoon. We'll go each day for two treatments. We follow up with the doc on the first Saturday evening. Yes, she is clearly working us into her already full schedule and I'm obliged. Our nurse says that there is no one better qualified for the complicated neurologic piece of Lyme than she.

Our transportation out there is still a bit in flux. There is no way Coleman could fly public transportation so today's insurance coverage conversation was about transportation and just how much we could sedate Coleman for travel.

My kitchen table looks like a paper factory exploded on it and its spilling over to the dining room table now. There are so many things to coordinate and I'm thrilled to do every one of them. I truly feel like this is the right choice for Coleman's health.

Ironically, he is very excited about his "new home" and he was telling the social worker that to him it would be like starting over and maybe he wouldn't be afraid of so many things there...maybe "they would like him there". I can't say enough how much this is the one over riding prayer request that I could ask for. Coleman needs to feel confident enough to ride in a car (hopefully a quiet one) and walk into a clinic every day. He also has to face his biggest fear and that's to go back to a hospital. Even as an outpatient, this will cause him the most trouble....then I read:

We know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged.

Here's to a pocket full of change in us all!