11-18-2003,
Day 249, Week 36 (Tuesday)
Hello,
Since
getting Robbie home we were starting to get into a routine when
everything let loose at 4:00 in the morning yesterday (Monday).
I got home from work around midnight and Robbie was doing fine.
Marleen was up around 2:30 and he was still sleeping very
calmly. I got up to go to the bathroom at 4:00 and heard Robbie
breathing very fast. He was breathing at a rate of 75
respirations a minute, 175 beats per minute on his heart, blood
pressure was up and he was sweating like crazy and very tense.
We have been through this before with him and these signs
usually mean he is coming down with something like an infection.
I tried to calm him and keep monitoring him. I got his rates to
drop a little but nothing I was comfortable with. At 5 in the
morning I finally called 911 to have him taken to the emergency
room. We had the fire department with their fire engine arrive
followed by the rescue unit. They checked Robbie out and off to
the hospital we went. Once at the ER his rates had dropped a
little. His Temperature was up so the ER Doc that it was
probably an infection. He has the treach, stomach tube and
catheter in him..... anyone of those things can be a source of
infection. The Doctor asked us how long since the catheter was
last changed. We told him it was changed last on October 29 (two
weeks ago). He said it might be a good idea to change it and
ordered it to be changed. They drew an array of blood samples
and started IV fluids on Robbie. The nurse brought in a new
catheter and pulled the old one out....... that’s when Robbie
let loose and Peed all over the emergency room. His catheter
tube was plugged and the pressure was building since the early
morning hours..... No wonder all his rates were up.... my rates
would be up too if I couldn’t let loose and the pressure was
building... it just hurts thinking about it.... poor guy. Well
at least we learned something new from this experience. He also
has a urinary track infection, which they are treating now. He
spent last night in the hospital and might spend a couple more
days here to make sure he doesn’t have any more infections.
Robbie almost made 2 weeks at home. He is resting very well now
in his wheel chair.
Love,
John,
Marleen and Karen Grinnell
Just
click on the link below for his web page:
www.robbie-grinnell.com
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Sunday November 9, 2003
Wounds are healing nicely,
getting smaller everyday
Jasmine is back helping mom
They are taking good
care of me
Wednesday November 12, 2003
Look at me..... mom figured out how
I can actually wear clothes again
I'm sure glad to get out of
those hospital gowns
Sunday November 16, 2003
If you look closely you can
see how my wounds are getting smaller
and looking a lot better... I'll
be glad when they are all healed
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