Strong - day 6

Joe continues to be in Strong hospital and right now we do not have any idea when he may be released.

The doctors are a little stumped as to why he is retaining so much fluid and they're working to determine the cause of his bladder retention issue. At this point they're beginning new medicine to see if they can relax the bladder to release and see if this will help. If not, it's catheter time - of which Joe is NOT very happy about!

On the plus side he is using much less oxygen and he is not as confused as before. He is walking around the nurse's station without the aid of a walker or oxygen and is in good spirits. His nose is totally unpacked and has not bled. His kidney functions and blood work look good. We just have to get our arms around the bladder issue and he can come home....

On the kidney cancer list serve someone posted this poem - I thought it fitting since we're struggling with Joe's illness and prognosis......

Hope is a complex concept, often misunderstood by many people, including health care professionals
People define “hope” differently
Hope is not optimism or wishing
Hope is a way of feeling, thinking, and acting
Hope is a cognitive/affective resource that is a psychological asset
Hope is a prerequisite for action
Hope guards against despair, and helps to make stress
bearable
Hope is flexible
Hope has a time aspect, and involves a consideration of the future
Hope changes as situations change
A well-functioning hope does repress doubts and fears, but hope does not equate with denial

Hopelessness leads to helplessness
There is not such thing as false hope
There is always something to hope for, no matter how dire the situation

Love
Vicki, Gina & Tom