Update 8.17.15

We left for the UWMC at 8:30 this morning and got home at 1:00pm.  The INR, the measurement for the blood thinner, is much too high so they changed the dosing and we will have another blood draw at Evergreen Hospital in Kirkland on Thursday.  It is a much shorter drive.  Apparently, with the LVAD, the INR is critical and if it gets too low, John will be admitted again.  The danger of stroke would be high.

Also, there is still extra weight that shows up in the legs but there is also water in the left lung.  John has lost 7 pounds since coming home and the hope is that the diuretic regimen that he is on will continue to lower the water in the legs and lung.  He had a chest x-ray to compare the fluid level to that of an x-ray from last week.  It looks about the same.  If the lung doesn't clear up, John will be readmitted for a drainage.  The doctor would like to see about 10 more pounds of fluid off.

There has been some resistance to restart one of John's colitis medications, so there was a conversation between the GI doctor, the Infection Control doctor, and the Cardiologist this morning.  The medication will be restarted today.  Restarting this medication will also affect the INR, so we are waiting to hear from the Coagulation Clinic as to how to dose for the next three days.

One of the new medications we were discharged with was rejected by the insurance company today, so we paid retail, and will start the appeal process.  Another of the new meds was approved last week, but when we got the mail today, they have reversed their decision.  That one is OK since the doctor took him off of it today.  But why do we have to fight?

On the bright side, John is stronger each day and walks more each day.  Sleep is still hit and miss for both of us.  Hopefully that will improve.

Colleen and John