Need some prayers...

[Looper]

There are a couple of very serious health problems with 2 members of my family. First is my 12 year old niece, Maegan. She was diagnosed with Meningitis today. I'm not sure what form it is, yet, but she was admitted to the hospital with some neurological issues (numbness on one side of her body).

Then, this morning, my 59 yr old father-in-law (lives in Louisiana) was admitted to the hospital with severe kidney failure. Apparently, for the last week, maybe longer, he'd been have pain in his lower back and pretty bad swelling in his legs. My mother-in-law noticed some changes in him (sleeplessness, flushes, bad breath, rapid weight gain, etc.), but, at his insistence, didn't take him to the doctor when she should have. This morning she noticed him mumbling to himself and appearing confused. She decided to take him to the ER. This time he didn't refuse.

This initial diagnosis is that he has pretty severe kidney failure. The doctor said he probably wouldn't have lived through another day without treatment. Now, he is undergoing dialysis to clean his blood. It's unclear what the cause is, but I suspect a hereditary defect of some sort. His family has a history of kidney disease. It looks like he might have to go on regular dialysis treatments, somewhere he swears he won't do.

So, both sides of my family needs prayers. I really do appreciate it.

[Doc Nock]

Consider it done.

Tough go with both sides being hammered like this.  Dialysis is no picnic, but a dirt nap isn't fun either.  You have to honor the elder gent's desires and let the chips fall where they may, but it's hard on others to watch.

Meningitis is pretty successfully treated.  

Prayers for them both and all who love and support them.

Keep the Son in your eyes!

[Looper]

Thanks, Doc.

Maegan should come through this okay. The first doctor they took her to misdiagnosed her with a UTI. The antibiotics they put her on messed with the subsequent meningitis tests. The frustrating thing with her situation is that the original doctor totally ignored some pretty serious neurological problems saying something to the effect that Maegan was "faking" the symptoms.

My Father-in-law responded well to the dialysis, but he will have to undergo another tomorrow. His potassium level was 9 mmol/L! They got his blood pressure and heart rate back to normal, but when they put a catheter in, more than 2 liters of urine came out. A subsequent prostate exam revealed a very possible source of his problems.

My brother-in-law said FIL screamed in pain when they did the exam. That definitely isn't good. I think they'll be focusing on that tomorrow.

This has definitely been a wake up call for both him and his wife. My wife says she doubts he's ever had a physical examination his entire adult life, so there's no telling what else they'll find. It does sound like he's changing his tune. He has absolutely no tolerance for pain and is somewhat of a chicken, to be honest, so I think he'll end up doing whatever the doctor says.

Thanks again for your prayers.

Cheney

[Doc Nock]

NOT seeing docs regularly is risky.... seeing docs, can ALSO be risky.  

Not hard to realize how your FIL got to where he didn't want to go, but then things left undiagnosed can just get out of control.

Prayers for all the best for both Maegan and your FIL.

[Looper]

Thanks for the PM. Yes, you are right about not seeing doctors on a regular basis. It's even worse to never see them. He waited until he had about 4 hours of life left. Now, I think he's realized the folly of those decisions.

BTW, a normal potassium level is from around 4 mmol/L. The doctor said he had never seen a potassium level at 9, at least in someone who was still alive.

The misdiagnosis on my niece by that particular hospital is, apparently, not uncommon.  And, situations like hers have been happening there for decades. I honestly don't know how they have stayed open for so long.  I have several close friends that are medical professionals, and they told me, in no uncertain terms, to never go there.

As of right now, my FIL is stable. His heart and kidneys are undamaged and functioning normally, but something very serious is going on with his prostate.  We should know more by the end of today.

Maegan is doing much better and is ready to go home. She be there at least a few more days.

Again, thanks so much for your prayers.

[Doc Nock]

That sounds like decent news all around...not great, but surely an improvement over your original post.

Your FiL is only 59? Guess never to early for prostate issues... God is omniscient, but this mortal will  never understand that walnut sized gland or it's purpose!  Maybe to make old men less ornery?    :eek:  

Prayers continue for you, your wife and family members to regain full health and learn a valuable lesson or 3!

[BenBow]

Prayers for healing for both & justice for the hospital so people can be safe.

[ron w]

[ron w]

[Stone Knife]

Praying the Lord lifts all involved up and brings them closer to him.

[Looper]

Some more updates...

Maegan has recovered and is now back in school, playing volleyball, back to her normal self. She had some form of meningitis, which they were unable to identify.

My father-in-law, Larry, has a mass on one kidney, gall stones, and an enlarged prostate. He will undergo surgery on Nov. 19 to remove the kidney, the gall bladder, and ream out his prostate, all in one go.

The swollen prostate almost killed him. Like I said earlier, he was only a few hours from dying. The good news in all of this is that they found the mass on his kidney, which is cancerous. The cancer hasn't spread to any other organs, that they can tell.

Thanks again for all of your prayers, and, if anybody has been putting off going to see a doctor for regular checkups or needs to have any type of screening done, for heaven's sake, go ahead and do it.

Cheney

[BenBow]

Prayers continue

[Doc Nock]

Wild and bizarre stuff happening in your crew! Glad to hear the good news on your gal Megan, and that with this situation, your FiL will get much needed treatments for varied ailments.  Prayers they take a few lymph nodes with that kidney and he has a long and viable life ahead!

Keep the Son in your eyes and shining thru to the others!

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Prayers sent for continued improvement.