Jason Has an Infection at Surgery Site: Needs Support

I arrived at Jason's room around nine o'clock and Jason was still sleeping. He was still sleeping about 10:30 when I told the RN that he had not been awake and had not walked today. The nurse woke Jason and they prepared to go for a walk. I returned to Mologne to have a phone visit with my Jungian therapist in Chicago.

When I returned about 1 PM to the hospital Jason was on the phone with Jodi. All of sudden Jason feeling the moisture lifts up his gown, "What is this? Mom get a nurse." I look at the "brown liquid flowing from ?," grab a sheet for Jason to use as towel and run out the door. I yell, "Nurse" (sorta goofy) as Jason is right next to the nurses station and who is sitting there but "Dr. Golarz working on the computer." I stand outside the door of the room and begin to cry.

"Dr G come quick" Dr. Golarz comes in looks at the seepage and says, "He's infected. He will be okay. I am going to remove a staple. Jason do you want morphine?" Jason says, "Yes." At this point Dr. G goes out to the RN and asks for a shot of morphine for Jason. The RN goes in comes back out and says, "He doesn't have an IV" that is an opening. Dr. G says "He needs one." The RN asks me, ''What happened to the IV?" I am thinking "what a question to ask a family member? Shouldn't you know?" "The medicals took it out on Monday," is my reply. So I leave the RN and Dr. Golarz to do their thing after asking Dr. G about my earlier phone call which he had not heard from his response. He did say, "This is going to slow things down."

When I return I find out from Jason,"The Docs are thinking I may have to go to OR and have the wound really cleaned out. It didn't hurt when they took the staples out but it did hurt when they probed around to clean out the pus. The Docs also said I may have to have surgery because the fascia doesn't look good (I think a potential hernia?)." When Doc G comes back later he says, "We don't have to go to OR, we think the fascia is okay. We are going to put a vacuum in the wound." Jason is not to have antibiotics because as Dr. Wichman said on his visit, "If you kill off the neighbors that are living there, then the nasties move in." Which means, don't kill off your own bacteria because Nature will permit bacteria to live there (dark, moist, perfect environment) and this wound is filled with bacteria from the "fecal matter that flowed through the site for six months."

Dr. Golarz was feeling bad about the infection (nothing he could do to prevent). Jason had given Dr. G a set of 4 Goose Island (famous Chicago beer and eatery) beer glasses yesterday as a "Thank you" knowing that Dr. G was leaving soon. Dr. G asked Jason, "Do I have to give back the glasses?" Jason always quick replies, "You're one glass down, Doc. Three to go!"

Now for those who have been reading Jason's journey from the beginning you know what a vacuum is. To those who are new to the blog a vacuum is just that: a sponge is placed into the wound site and covered with a bandage. A pump continually draws out the blood/pus/fluid from the wound and it drains into a container which is changed about every 3 days. The wound heals from the "inside out" in this instance I assume helps the infection to clear up faster. I do not know how long he will have to wear it, but the "butt vacs" were definitely a while.

Dr. Wichman also gave Jason and I a 5 minute lecture on skin and fascia, so here goes (medicals correct me please): we have skin, fascia then fat, fascia then muscle, then a thick membrane a periton____(?) covering the intestinal cavity itself. The infection Jason has is between his outer skin and the underlying fascia, as stated before this infection is "very, very common after such surgery."

Jason was down after the news about the infection and my heart is saddened by his suffering such disappointment. After going through such long rehabilitation, surgeries, and looking forward to being away for 30 days with Jodi, now hopes are dashed in the short run. Both Dr Golarz and Wickman said, "a set back, they do happen, but Jason will heal!" I think they are both the greatest doctors for Jason. Also Dr. W said "Golarz is great and Golarz is human! I can't believe he is a surgeon." I got PMand R docs are not on the level of surgeons according to some surgeons, every discipline having a pecking order? Or are surgeons in their own little orbit?

Soldiers today:
I met with Captain Chaplain Fran. A wonderful beautiful Christian woman. She told the story of her cancer and her hope 75 to 95% cure. She is filled with trust that God is with her and will cure her. She will be receiving her third chemo (the last) in about two weeks. I walked with her to the laundry to move her clothes to the dryer. When we returned, we prayed for her complete healing invoking the Blessed Trinity, St. Mary and the Angels. Joining hands we prayed The Lord's Prayer. I felt humbled and deeply honored to be a chaplain for a such a sister in faith. Her Aunt will be arriving tomorrow to spend a week. I will try to see them on the weekend.

I met a set of parents coming down on the elevator. Their son developed kidney problems in Iraq. Medvac to Germany and on to WR where surgeons discovered his veins/artery to the kidney were criss-crossed, probably a birth defect, raising his blood pressure to like 224/180. They went in and "Padded the vessels apart with fat." (yea for fat!") and he will be returned to Iraq to be with his National Guard unit till September. He is going on Con leave for 30 days, come back get a check up and be on his way. Mom wants him to stay home "but our son wants to go back to be with his unit." Dad is retired military and said, "All my friends say, "I'd go back too.""

I met Eric's dad walking across the Post to Mologne. We shared for quite a while. Today it was a focus on Eric's improvement as they were told "he is a vegetable." Eric surprised his RN last night by saying "Hi" Dad said, "she jumped." Eric can do math and read. Now Eric is Gracie's "the princess's" dad and will always have a special place in my heart and prayers. She brought such joy when we were all on Ward 65 together. A group called "Homesforoursoldiers.org" will build them a home in NC. It sounds like it works like Habitat for Humanity. I will let you know when they put Eric's home on their webpage. May take up to a year. My understanding is they ask for donations for specific items for the home. So loving and concrete, enfleshing the reign of God, God bless them. Such wonderful support for our soldiers. Eric's dad said, "It is so hard to return to WR because of all the suffering by patients and families." He said, "If Eric must come back, I may stay home." My heart was touched by his suffering for his only son and the experiences of others.

I was asked out to dinner by Terry Saunders and Jennifer, and the film crew Eric and Bruce working on a documentary on military health care. I recommended Gilfords, "since 1945" the best seafood in Washington. I spent the evening answering questions about health care and Jason's story. I told them as a hospice chaplain I know, "Grief work includes telling the story. You are new ears and hearts to hear Jason's story. It is difficult for me to share with others at Mologne because they all carry the grief of their own story." That is why I go to counseling once a week. I attempt to make meaning of my experience with a professional and the hour is a safe place to vent. She is also a spiritual director.

Let us pray for Jason's healing and for his hopes and spirit. Let us pray for good Doctors, especially Jason's who do what they can and give so much of themselves for their patients. Let us give thanks for life and our circles of support. Let us give thanks for those who document the stories. Let us pray for all soldiers throughout the world and that peace will bring them home safely. Let us pray for all those who have injured soldiers in their families. Blessings on each of you.