My dad's health is slowly improving. We still don't have the results of the muscle biopsy that was taken on Monday. If life was like E.R. or Grey's, we would have had it 15 minutes after and my dad would be cured and home by now!! The doctor also finally put him back on a regular food diet, which means he can have anything and can ask for anything. So guess what my mom brings him to eat? KFC!! He didn't eat much, but a few bites is more than he was doing before. But to side with him I've seen a few of the meals they've brought it...I wouldn't feed it to my mom's cocker spaniel and he eats cat poop!! So each day he eats a little more and that's good since his doctor was trying to push a feeding tube on him previously.
So to sum up my dad: he has Minimal Change Disease (kidney disease) and isn't responding well to the steroids (yes, he falls into that 10% that don't respond. Way to be unique dad!) Also his pituitary glands aren't working so that's not helping the kidneys either, which is why the toxins aren't leaving the body. The dialysis seems to be helping with the toxins and the doctor doesn't want to put him on the other drug until his overall heath improves. It's a chemo based drug and right now it would do more damage than benefit for him.
My mom and sister also found a nice transitional center for my dad to go to once his health is up. It's a rehab hospital that will focus on getting him stronger and mobile again. We've made it very clear to my dad "it's not a rest home".
I've had a terrible cold this week so I haven't seen him since Tuesday, but I did print off a bunch of pictures of my dad, pre-illness, that my sister/mom are going to post up all over his hospital room. This way the nurses/doctors can see the man they've been tending to was once a healthy, vibrant person. And not just a sick, stubborn patient. Also we think it will give my dad some hope that he can return to being that person.
I'm still asking for prayers, they seem to be working.
