Since June, Graham has been on a rapid decline. As I said yesterday, he was playing outdoor soccer. He had just signed up for indoor too. Right around Father's Day, he began to feel tight chested. He knew he was going in to see the doctor in a couple of weeks, so he waited it out. Once the appointment came around, they immediately admitted him into the hospital (something that has not happened in such a long time, it caught me off guard) and put a bronchoscopy into the books. This is where they take a camera, along with many other cool tools, shove it down his nose and take a look at his lungs. Graham was able to go home after a day, because this was July 4th weekend, and NO ONE works over July 4th. So at least we got to go celebrate 'MERICA at the Deer Lease with some friends and guns.
Came back for the bronch the next week and the doctor, who I feel the need to say is not his preferred doctor, whom we LOVE, found that he did have an infection and also took a biopsy of his lung. He began IV antibiotics and we thought it was over.
But he kept getting worse.
14 days later we came back to the doctor's office. They ordered another bronch and biopsy. But there was more to it this time. Graham couldn't breathe, he was back on oxygen, it was hard for him to speak, in his heart of hearts, he knew he was dying. BUT NO ONE believed him. They decided to admit him anyways. To find out if one is rejecting or not, the doctors will take a biopsy of the organ, then throw it in a petri dish and watch to see if any cultures pop up. When one feels like they are dying, this wait is excruciating. While waiting on this latest biopsy, we found out the first biopsy came back with signs of chronic rejection. The doctor (who again, is NOT Dr. Rosenblatt - the favorite) believed the chronic was being caused by the infection and if Graham could kick the infection, the chronic would stall. I mentally kick his ass a lot!
But the pain Graham was feeling was not a "chronic rejection" pain, they believed it to be an "acute rejection" that he was going through. The difference between the two: Acute can be treated and fixed with high doses of steroids; Chronic is unfixable, what is done is done to the organ. Since acute can be fixed, the wait was so frustrating. If you can fix his pain and his "dying" why won't you treat it? Stock Answer from NP: We do not want to treat something and might hinder the treatment of something else. One week later we found out it was all worse case scenarios wrapped up into nice package. Graham still had the infection that proved to be a tough little booger (he still has it); he had acute rejection (most likely caused by infection); and he was in chronic rejection. But still the doctor's felt optimistic. Clear up the acute, treat the infection, and this should stall or stop the chronic. YEAAAAA.
But No...I can't put into words what Jordan and I have witnessed over the past 2 weeks since Graham has come home from the latest hospital stay. He went from walking with oxygen, to almost bedridden. He was fighting with all his might to make it to Jordan's first Sting Soccer Game. And he did. We went with several oxygen tanks, a wheel chair, and a Janie (everyone needs one of these - she makes our hearts smile). The OTHER team supplied a quick shade for Graham! Well, we actually know them really well, but still! And he smiled. For 1 whole hour, Graham enjoyed life and it was awesome. But after that hour, Graham crashed fast.
And I realize this is written badly....wine was involved : I
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