The Puddles

We just saw the cardiologist and she said that she is not ready to let Ben out of the hospital.  She spoke to Ben’s regular cardiologist and they decided that they want to get to the bottom of the cause of Ben’s fever. So they are calling the infectious disease team to take a look at Ben. Dr. Simms said that it will probably be another two days at least. 

His echo today looked good. He has some leaking in his aortic, mitral, and pulmonary valve that they are watching. They are looking in particular at his mitral valve. (That is a new leak for him.) He is also struggling with high blood pressure. They are increasing his blood pressure medicines slowly to try to get his pressure down to a normal range.  She said that sometimes, in rare cases,  lasix causes a fever so they are taking him off all lasix medicine. 

So we are stuck here today. I am working on my local connections (aka the Lake-Wallace household) to borrow their washing machine to wash Ben’s clothes. He is out of clean pajamas.  I have a game plan to find fun things to do here at the hospital that we haven’t done yet. He and I have been having a record marathon Connect 4 contest (he is winning). We rented the movie “Space camp” last night. I loved that movie growing up. He liked it too although the computers are completely antiquated on there. 

By the way, we did try bribing the doctors to let us go . . . 

  
It didn’t work. 

My family suggested boxes of Thin Mints as bribes but I don’t have any!! I will work on my scouting connections to see if I can get any. But Ben doesn’t even think that will work. 

I even packed up everything, so we were ready for departure as soon as the doctor said we could go. I fixed his hair this morning. He took a shower so that he looked and smelled really good for the doctors. I charged all the electronics so we had full charges for the ride home. I even ate the last of my dinners and drank the last of my caffeinated drinks.  We told the custodian that we were leaving today so she didn’t have to clean the room. Knocked on wood. Threw salt over my shoulder and crossed all of my fingers. And prayed. A lot. What else could I do? 

So. We are here. Ben is mad. And we again will pray for answers or no fever. Either way it will get us home.