A little scared

fredswilma
fredswilma Member Posts: 185
in Esophageal Cancer #1
Hi all
Mark has been in hospital for 2 days now on intraveneous antibiotics and fluids, still his temperature has not come down, where the antibiotics are going in he is all red like when you see an infection, he is also off all foods nothing appeals to him (notwithstanding the awful hospital food)I bring him up food daily that he has always liked but he is not interested, now he is feeling sick and I don't know what to do, any ideas please, he has been so well up to now I am just gutted how can I help him, has anybody been here and can give me ideas, thanks in advance.
Ann

Comments

  • mruble
    mruble Member Posts: 174
    #2
    You're in my prayers
    Ann --

    It sounds like you are in a scary and lonely place right now and feeling quite helpless. I don't really have words of advice but I do recall when my husband was septic in February it took a few days for his fever to come down. He was in the hospital for just over two weeks and it was only near the end of his stay that he started eating a little bit (in part, I think, because I told him I wasn't taking him home until he ate!).

    Has the doctor talked about TPN or an NG tube as a means of Mark some nutrition in the short-term? It might be a little too soon for that. But you could probably ask to speak to the nutritionist about some foods he could try. They gave Chad some sort of drink that was high calorie. I can't remember what it was called but he tolerated it pretty well and was able to get some calories by mouth.

    It's times like this that being a caregiver is so challenging. You just want to fix things!

    Mary
  • Alaska_Kim
    Alaska_Kim Member Posts: 34
    #3
    I know how you feel
    Ann,

    I have been pretty scarce on the site because my husband has been in the hospital since last Sunday. He finished his 3rd round of chemo on the 12th and was on his "week off" before starting his 4th round. We started noticing more discharge around the j-tube site on Friday and Saturday. Saturday night he was running a low grade fever and in a lot of pain and by Sunday evening I convinced him to call the doctor. 103.7 temp, white blood cell count 1.7 and a lot of pain and redness (but no drainage) at the J-tube site. His fever didn't break until Thursday and white blood cell count up to 3 Thursday. He was on liquids only for 2 days, round the clock antibiotics and fluids and morphine when he needed it it. We are still in the hospital. The pain around the jtube has had him going through test after test thinking that a new one would have to be inserted, but doctors have decided it is fine.

    when they allowed him to start on regular food, he started out great, but as the week has progressed, he is less and less interested in food. I don't know why and I am also at a loss. We are waiting to see his doctor today. Mike thinks they are going to let him go home today (we'll see).

    Good luck Ann, I wish I had good suggestions for you but we haven't gotten very far ourselves.

    Kim

    Good luck Ann,

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