The new update is here! The new update is here!!!

I'm sure that's how you feel each time you see an update from us, right?

Some good news and some not so good news to report.

Good news: probably going home in the next couple of days! YIPPEEE!!!!

Not so good news: they still don't know the specific type of bacteria.

They do know it's not staph or it would have grown something by now. Which means it will probably be another 2-6 weeks before they get any results. They plan to take a portion of the sample - a "DNA fingerprint" and send it off to the University of Washington for specialized testing to determine the genetic makeup of the bacteria. In the meantime, he will be sent home to wait, as well as heal, from all he's undergone this week.

That being said the type of bacteria will most likely be very difficult to treat since it multiplies slowly but wreaks havoc. And it has most likely been in his system a while, smoldering. Crazy part of all of this is the fact that he hasn't had a fever, no elevated white blood count, no chills or any other typical symptoms of infection. Ah, my atypical guy!

They did find his PICC line is infected by a bacteria in the staph family, so he will be treated with IV vancomycin for 7-10 days (at home). They will then do another set of cultures to make sure it is clear. No, the "big" infection is not the same type of bug.

So, why don't they just go ahead and give him a broad spectrum antibiotic?

They have to know specifically what they’re treating - otherwise it may do more harm than good.

It's 11 PM and he's been down in IR since 8:30, due to the PICC infection. They are removing the current PICC in his left arm and placing either a new PICC, or possibly a port, depending on a viable location. We're praying for a new PICC in his right arm, however, since he had an infection in his right arm a while back and had to have a vein removed, that may not be an option. We've always been told small opening, potential for small problems; big opening, potential for big problems. And some of his PICC-related problems in the past have not seemed so small to us, so we'd love to be able to stick with a PICC.

Nuclear scan is complete and we should know results tomorrow, so I will include IR update at that point.

Good night faithful ones!

"God will allow no suffering, no trial, above what you are able to bear." I Corinthian 10:13

There is a time coming in which your glory shall consist in the very thing which now constitutes your pain. - George Matheson, Scottish theologian and preacher