ICU

Sorry I didn't post anything last night, but was too tired. Jim spent the night in the Intensive Care Unit. Yesterday morning he got very, very shaky and weak--had had several night sweats--was peeing every 10-15 minutes large amounts--had not really had a good night's sleep for a week. I called my brother-in-law, Rick, to help me take him to NIH--he could hardly walk. Even though his temperature was below normal, they are treating him as if he has an infection (called it a "cold fever"). They gave him lots of IV fluids since his electrolytes were off, some steroids to ease the Prednisone withdrawal, and two different IV antibiotics. When he continued to sweat profusely, had rigors (shaking and trembling so that the whole bed would shake), his heart rate continued to race at 135/minute, and was very restless and confused they admitted him to ICU. The infectious disease team was called in and two more IV antibiotics were added and drugs were added to reduce the rigors. They inserted a PICC line and after several more major sweats, his heart rate lowered to 104 and he became calm by 9:00 pm. I spoke with his nurse at 5:30 this morning and she said that he was stable, had about 5 1/2 hours of sleep and she was going to let him sleep til he woke up. She said that because his electrolytes are still off they will probably keep him in ICU for at least another 24 hours. Many thanks to Pat, Rick and Michael for staying with Jim and I yesterday and to Erin who went at 9:00 pm to stay with her Dad til God knows when last night.

I just spoke with Jim (8:30 am) and he sounds himself again and typical Jim Fay style is apologizing all over the place for what he put me through. You gotta love him! Barbara