Many of you are wondering how the meeting with supportive services went this morning. Here is a bit of a run down of what the plan is and what’s happening.
Let me begin by telling you, it was decided this morning’s meeting would not cover any of the difficult palliative issues at this time. Those talks will happen, but today the priority was pain management and quality of life concerns.
Patrick’s pain seems to be managed fairly well with the medication he’s on. He’s taking Gabapentin and Valproic Acid. He doesn’t complain of headaches as often as he had been, which is good. Tylenol is being used when needed to help take the edge off at least. It really doesn’t do much for him honestly and thankfully is not needed as often at the moment.
As for quality of life, fatigue is making Patrick’s not so good. He is awake and alert for periods throughout the day, but they don’t last and he tires easily and quickly and falls asleep.
What is causing the fatigue? We wish we knew. The Doctors wish they knew. Could it be the meds? Possibly. Could it be the increased pressure in his head? Sure. Could it be the seizures? Again, it’s a possibility. The fact is, he has been like this before when seizures and medication weren’t in the picture. Both the seizures and the meds won’t help it indeed.
It’s so difficult to write so much out and so that many will understand. It’s easier to inform verbally, but I will do my best. I have considered doing videos instead of writing for updates, I may still, we’ll see.
Fatigue is causing issue and concern with eating and drinking. He’s so tired, that it’s taking 2-3 hours to get through meals and drinking. Tiring, not only for him, but for the caregivers as well. The decreased alertness and increased sleepiness while eating and drinking can become a serious health and safety issue for Patrick. Not being awake enough to chew and swallow properly can cause him to cough and choke and potentially aspirate. Chances of pneumonia increase with aspiration, something he can’t get. We’ve been lucky thus far, but he does cough alot when trying to eat and stay awake enough. He wants to eat, but it tires him so much. It’s alot of work to co-ordinate chewing and swallowing, something many of us don’t realize or think about.
A consult for a feeding assessment is being done as well as a recommendation that Patrick have a G Tube put in. The G Tube will not be to replace his eating, but to help. He will still eat what he wants and can, but in a 20-30min time period. Anything after that will be done by the G Tube.
By doing this, the hope is to improve his quality of life, even if just a bit more and hope that it preserves some of his energy and that maybe his awake/alert periods could possibly start to become longer.
A social worker is going to be asked to become involved as well. As I am usually the one who looks for information and resources for most things I need to know, I’m so tired, I’ve not had the energy to do a whole lot. As Lisa (support services person) told me this morning, she has no doubt how tired I am (you just have to look at me) and that I am doing a great job and being a great advocate, but it will be nice to have someone else involved who can advocate for me/us and do that extra stuff for me. Looking for information and resources. A little reluctantly, I agreed. Social work is apparently going to get me more information on Kids Country Club (their website is down), a respite for children who are technology dependent and medically fragile.
I hope to hear from Neurology next week regarding the 24hr EEG. My thought is now that with them deciding to put a G Tube in, it would make sense to co-ordinate the two since he will be in hospital 4-5 days with the G Tube. Hopefully this will be done sooner than later, so this surgery can get done and he can start recovery and get better.
Lisa did make a point of saying that no one is thinking he will not make it. The reality of it is though, this a very big, complex and complicated surgery and the risks are great. Everyone needs to be prepared for ALL the possible outcomes.
I’m tired and can’t think of the rest at the moment, so I will sign off and update again later.
I did get a call this afternoon though from Neurosurgery Clinic saying they wanted a CT today/tonight or tomorrow for Patrick. He’s having it 730am tomorrow morning. I’m off to bed to get some sleep.
Goodnight my friends, thank you again everyone for your kind thoughts and prayers! HUGS!
