Monday, April 21, 2008

I have some unfortunate news.

I'm blogging in Dad's place today because he's been admitted to the hospital. He is doing just fine, though.

The problems he's been having came to a head last night with severe nausea and light bleeding from the nose and anus. We summoned paramedics, and not long after we learned from the ER doc that he seems to have lost some blood. Not a lot, but enough to cause problems.

His admitting physician explained that the liver plays a role in regulating the thickness of a person's blood. Since Dad has some cancer on or at least near his liver, its functionality might be impaired somewhat, causing the thickness of his blood to vary. That, combined with the blood thinners he's been taking since the episode with the clots, resulted in blood that was way too thin, which in turn facilitated the bleeding.

They are going to do a CT scan to determine if they need to do any plumbing work on his kidney, give him some blood (A- it turns out, which is apparently rare), and of course, adjust the dosage of his blood thinners.

Right now, they expect him to be out as early as tomorrow.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the update, Ben. I wondered when he mentioned the nose bleed if something like this wasn't going on.

You're all in my thoughts and prayers.

Anonymous said...

tell him to be a good patient and come home quick......

Ronny Finnerup said...

i did jump once when i saw the heading i really dont like any news starting that way after my past incounters with things of this type, we are both kedeping our fingers crossed you better come home soon

Çuzanne Larson Malliett Finnerup said...

Thank you Ben. You don't know how comforting it is knowing that you are there with him when things like this pop up. And you also deserve big thanks for keeping us updated when your dad can't.
Have I told you lately that your dad loves you so very much.
And to my brother Ben... my fingers are still crossed. Don't waste to much time in the hospital. I hope this is just a little bump and you come home soon.