Memorial Day weekend at the hospital

In a recent twist of events, my mom is residing at St. Mary’s hospital while they run a variety of tests to determine what is wrong with her pancreas.

Mom suggested that I post updates to this website so her family and friends can stay appraised of her condition.

On Thursday afternoon (May 26), Mom made a doctor’s appointment because she was experiencing blood in her urine.  After running some tests, they determined it was kidney stones (which she’s had at least once before).  However, when they ran the tests (doppler ultrasound) to diagnose the kidney stones, they found that there are other problems and they admitted her to St. Mary’s Hospital for further testing.
On Friday night, they ran a contrast catscan and identified a blockage in her pancreatic duct.  See here for a diagram of the pancreas.
Also, here’s one site (of many) that describes the function of the pancreas.

This afternoon (Saturday the 28), doctors did a cool-sounding procedure (to me, but I’m odd like that) called endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) where they ran a tube down mom’s throat, through her stomach, and to the doudenem.  Here’s a nice website describing that procedure.
Unfortunately, the endoscopic tools were not able to clear the mass that was blocking the tube leading out of the pancreas.  As a result, we’re now waiting until tomorrow when doctors will try a different procedure.

At this time, Mom says she feels just fine (besides having been in the hospital for the last couple days, being on a liquid diet, and having an IV).  Her potassium levels are very low (probably as a result of her pancreas not being able to secrete its enzymes, and I think she has slight jaundice.  Her bloodwork has shown abnormalities (which is why they found all this in the first place), her gallbladder is enlarged with possible gallstones and her liver apparently has fatty deposits.  It’s quite likely that these are related symptoms, but the doctors still have some work to do to find out what is wrong.

Tomorrow, the plan is for doctors to use a needle to come at the pancreas from the side.  I’m not sure which procedure this is, but the word from the doctor was that they were hoping that using this technique that they’ll be able to clear the blockage, insert a stint into the currently blocked pancreatic duct, and get a biopsy of the offending mass.
I think it’ll probably be a few days then until we hear back about the results of that test (being Memorial Day on Monday).  Doctors have ideas about additional tests to run on Tuesday, but I don’t have any details on that yet.

That’s a rough description of the situation over the last couple
days.  Maretta came home from college last weekend, so all four of us kids are home, and between us and Dad and Terry, we’re keeping Mom well-occupied.  I plan to update this site as we know more.
All the best,
Althea

Baby Dotzour Weekly Updates – first trimester

11/19/2004

An update for the raspberry this week

Here’s the update I got today: Your baby isn’t much bigger now than last week in actual size — another quarter inch at most — but that’s almost double what he was last week. He’s now
the size of a raspberry. If you had a window into your womb, you’d notice his eyelids forming, the tip of his nose developing, and his distinct, slightly webbed fingers and toes.

Your baby still appears to have a small tail (actually, it’s an extension of his tailbone), which will disappear in the next few weeks. But that’s the only thing getting smaller. Now almost half an inch long — roughly the size of a raspberry — he
has elbow joints and distinct, slightly webbed fingers and toes. In his oversized head, both hemispheres of his brain are developing. His teeth and the inside of his mouth are forming, and his ears continue to develop. Eyelid folds partially cover his tiny peepers, which already have some color, and the tip of
that nose you’ll be tweaking someday is emerging. His skin is paper-thin and his veins are clearly visible.

Your little one also has an appendix and a pancreas, which will eventually produce the hormone insulin to aid in digestion. His liver is busy producing red blood cells, and a loop of your baby’s growing intestines is bulging into his umbilical cord,
which now has distinct blood vessels to carry oxygen and nutrients to and from his tiny body. You can’t feel his gyrations yet, but your baby is like a little jumping bean, moving in fits and starts around his watery home.


12/03/2004

the raspberry is a grape!

Nine Weeks!  (we think…)

Your new resident is nearly an inch long — barely the size of a grape — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce, but he’s poised for rapid weight gain now that his basic physical structure is in place. He’s also starting to look more and more human. His embryonic “tail” is now completely gone and his body parts — including organs, muscles, and nerves — are kicking into gear.

His eyelids are fused shut and won’t open until 27 weeks. He has earlobes, and by week’s end, the inner workings of his ears will be complete. His upper lip is fully formed, too, and his mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. The tips of his
fingers are slightly enlarged where his touch pads are developing. All major joints — his shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees, and ankles — are working, enabling your baby to move his limbs. As for his heart, it has divided into four chambers now, and the valves have started to develop. External sex organs are there, but won’t be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks.

Thought you might enjoy seeing my weekly update on the the baby.  It’s my friday morning treat:)  Well, that and a peppermint steamer and an almond scone. Have a great day! Althea


12/10/2004

It’s a kumquat!

10 weeks (estimated)…  Our ultrasound is on Dec. 21, so hopefully we’ll have a better date (and a photo!) after that.

Taken from http://www.babycenter.com/mybabycenter/110.html

Your baby’s started growing tiny fingernails and toenails and can now kick and swallow — pretty impressive for someone the size of a walnut. Within the next few weeks, your featherweight baby will more than double in size, from just over an inch to nearly 3 inches. At your next prenatal appointment, you may be able to hear her heart beating with a stethoscope-like instrument called a Doppler.

Your baby is no longer an embryo! Though she’s barely the size of a kumquat — just an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, she now has completed the most critical portion of her development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in her body rapidly grow and mature. Her vital organs — the liver, kidney, intestines, brain, and lungs — are now in place and starting to function (although they’ll continue to develop throughout your pregnancy). Her liver continues to make blood cells, and the yolk sac, which previously supplied these cells, is no longer needed and begins to disappear.

During the next three weeks, your baby’s length will more than double to nearly 3 inches. Her head is proportionately smaller now than it was a few weeks ago, but it’s still almost half the length of her entire body. Her forehead temporarily bulges with her developing brain and sits high on her head; it will later recede to give her a more human appearance. Each day, more minute details — including tiny fingernails, toenails, and peach-fuzz hair.

Yay! A website!

Sending a big thanks to Ben and Melanie for setting up our website for us.  We’re really excited to have this as a forum for sharing photos and stories of our expanding family.