Mexico Round 2

Tonight I am writing this post from home while Elana and Abby (My Mom) are spending their first of four nights at Hospital San Jose in Monterrey, Mexico.  Yesterday morning (Thursday 4/1), Elana and Abby flew to Monterrey and after a delayed departure from Miami, a missed connection in Dallas and a suitcase mishap in Monterrey they eventually arrived around 9:00 pm last night.  By the way, if you are wondering, I don't call my mother Abby when I am speaking to her but it is just easier to write Abby than my Mom every time I refer to her.

After staying at a hotel last night, they checked into the hospital this morning and were quickly brought to their hospital room where they will be living for four days.  They are actually right next door to Jessica Stevens.  I am happy to report that according to Jessica's mother, Sarah, there has been some improvement but unfortunately they are still at the hospital going on eight months.

Dr. Cantu came by around mid-day to get the ball rolling but unfortunately they were unable to start the IV in Elana's arm.  Because of all the IV's that Elana has had in the last few months in addition to the fact that it has always been very difficult to find a good vein in Elana's arms, Dr. Cantu had no choice but to start a central line in her upper chest area.  A central line is not as simple as an IV and must be done in a procedure room with the patient knocked out.  Elana will probably have to have a Medi-Port inserted in her chest when she comes home so that she can receive future infusions without the problems of starting an IV.  One of the other problems that all the IV's in her right arm has caused is RSD like pain and redness in her hand.  We are hopeful that the ketamine infusions will beat down any onset of RSD in that part of her body before it gets a chance to settle in permanently.

Dr. Cantu decided rather than do a standard infusion tonight, that Elana would be served best with a continuous, low-dose infusion of ketamine during the night (15 mg/ hour).  Tomorrow he will administer the first of three 2 hour infusions where Elana will receive approximately 750-1000 mg of ketamine.

While things have not gone exactly as planned, Elana is in good hands with Abby and Dr. Cantu.  I spoke with her earlier this evening and she was in good spirits.  Obviously, I miss her terribly and don't like the fact that I am not there taking care of her and controlling the situation.  However, Elana and I decided that it was best for me to stay home to be with Jesse as he has been without both of us for a good part of the last two months when you combine the first stay in Mexico, the 10 days Elana spent in the hospital after her gall bladder surgery and the near week spent in Rhode Island after Elana's father passed away.  We have been very fortunate that Jesse has continued to thrive and remain a happy little boy the whole time. We know we HAVE to do everything that we are doing, but it does not alleviate our concern about how this whole ordeal has and / or will affect Jesse.  Jesse knows mommy has a boo-boo in her foot and that she has to go to "sleep" in Mexico.  We look forward to the day when this is all in the past and maybe he does not even remember that mommy ever had a problem to begin with.