Back Again From Baltimore

We left for Baltimore at 4 am Friday morning. Vic did not feel well, especially since he did not eat anything from 8 o'clock the night before. His appointment at Mercy was at 9 am. We got to the hospital at 8:45 and had just checked in with the nurse, when he started getting sick. The nurse immediately started him on IV and some medicine to calm his stomach down, after I explained why he was sick. He had to wait for awhile since the doctor was doing another procedure but just before he was brought to do his procedure, he got sick again. The doctor was concerned because he was going under anesthesia, but then gave him additional medicine in his IV, which helped. He was out for about an hour and then the doctor came to see me to advise that the IVC filter would have to stay in Vic's artery as it contained a very large blood clot. In other words, the filter did the job it was supposed to. The doctor told me that if he had not had that filter, the blood clot would have gone to his lung and killed him instantly. Thank God we did not listen to that doctor in Hackensack Hospital who refused to put the filter in because "you're too young and never had a problem before" and "if there's a problem we can do it later". It would have been too late! I've always said to listen to a doctor with one ear and use your common sense with the other. This time that was true. Actually, the doctor told me on Friday that this filter procedure is mandatory at Mercy Hospital anytime someone is undergoing major surgery - especially cancer surgery.

Dr. Sardi had refused to do the surgery without this filter, which no doctor in New Jersey would insert. Anyway, the doctor also said that since this filter is FDA approved, he can keep it in long term. The blood clot should dissolve on its own but if Vic really wanted it out, we could go back there in 6 to 8 weeks. I don't think we'll do that - especially since Vic's primary doctor does not want it removed.

We left the hospital around 2:00 that afternoon and we were brought across the street to the Tremont Hotel. As usual, the hospital and the hotel staff were superb! We left for home on Saturday morning and it took us about 4 1/2 hours. Vic felt much better coming home probably because he had the IV's on Friday.

Vic is going back into the hospital (Morristown Memorial) on Thursday, June 11 to have a port inserted and start IV nutrition. He's expected to be there 3 to 4 days and the doctors have told us that when the infusion starts working, he'll start to feel much better. We won't know about the stomach drainage tube until he's further examined by the doctors in Morristown.

As always, Thanks for your thoughts and concerns and prayers.