Hello All!

Lots has been happening in the past few weeks with the Hauser family and here is a quick update on Pammy Poo! Roughly February 21st mom started to feel sick and was getting weaker than normal. She was not eating after Tuesday the 23rd and was sleeping all day long and not getting out of bed. That Friday (February 25th) Aunt Cindy and Aunt Penny brought mom to her photopheresis treatment and to see her doctor. The doctor decided to admit mom into the hospital that day and to do further testing on her stomach due to severe pain and lack of eating and fatigue. After her CT scan came back they realized she had a severe diverticulitis flare and they were prepping her to have emergency surgery on that Sunday. Apparently, our prayers and high hopes paid off because moms stomach started to heal itself and she was able to avoid surgery and starting to heal on her own quickly. She had not been able to eat since the previous Tuesday due to her being sick and then they would not let her eat because they were planning on doing surgery. Once they decided that she would not be having surgery they started her on a good ole clear liquid diet. She was then able to work her way up to regular liquids and then to blended foods. She also received some potassium infusions while in the hospital as well. By the time I was able to bring her home the following Thursday she was able to eat small meals with restrictive guidelines. The doctors were in speaking to us about her “diet” when she goes home and they said no raw vegetables for two weeks, so no salads. Mom acted appalled and said “I guess I cant have salads, bummer.” Don’t worry, we all are thinking the same thing… who is she trying to fool acting like she would actually eat a salad anyway. On the way home that day we stopped at Dairy Queen and she got a shake since she could not eat her “go-to food” salad.

The next day she had some other appointments and had to bring in some samples and they discovered on top of everything she had norovirus. She was still on antibiotics from the previous infections from the diverticulitis, this just added another twist to things. Mom was home for the weekend just in time to celebrate her birthday on the 6th! We had a great time visiting her and making lots of food to try to fatten her up since she is losing more and more weight every week. Emma baked her a carrot cake from scratch and Kilena made her by request White Castle Casserole. It was a nice break from appointments for her and she was able to catch up with the family. That Tuesday I brought mom to her photopheresis appointment and she had a few more doctor appointments later that day. After some blood work results came back they saw that she had positive numbers for CMV on top of her GVH again. They lowered her steroids to see if that would help and they said they would monitor it, but they wanted her to meet with the infectious control doctors again.

Later that week she went to the appointment and they let her know that if her numbers were increased within the next few days over 500 that she will need to start infusion treatments, if they were below 500 she might be able to do oral treatments. The bad luck struck again! Moms numbers were 799 within the few days between appointments and she will be stuck doing infusion treatments now, twice a day for 6 weeks. Her blood work also shows that her magnesium levels have been continuously low so she is also getting 4 hours of magnesium infusions this week on top of everything else. Mom has been so weak and is needing someone with her 24 hours a day or else they are wanting to put her in an inpatient rehab center. They are very concerned about her having falls since she is so weak and cannot do things on her own anymore. My dad and I let the doctors know that him and I will be with her at all times since she cannot get up out of chairs or use the bathroom on her own. My dad threatened her to be nice to him or else he will tell them to keep her there, I kept my mouth shut because if moms glare could have killed that day in the doctors office, dad would be a goner! Mom is starting back up in physical therapy since she was derailed by being hospitalized. Hopefully with reducing her steroids, starting back up in physical therapy, all of the infusions and her photopheresis treatments this is just another small set back to her finally starting to heal and recover.

Thanks for the positive thoughts and prayers! Feel free to reach out to me anytime with questions!

Love, Peace, Chicken Grease-

Kirsten