Monday, Oct. 20, 2003            Pray for Nancy and Greg..an update

Dear Family and Friends,

PLEASE PRAY THEY CAN GET THE TREAK TUB IN HIS THROAT SOON!

Today started with opening up e-mail at 4am. After answering some
personal mail I called a local friend that I can call at 6:30. She and I
talked until 7. Then it was time to tackle the insurance company. About
a week and a half ago I was told by someone that the insurance would
only cover 60 days in the hospital. Panic, that really turned me into a
tail spin. I was also told that they would not cover a Rehab hospital.
That was what lead to my looking for a butcher track for the ceiling so
that I could bring Gregg home and care for him. Last week when they
realized I was serious the hospital staff decided that I needed to have
a conference with the doctors. Today while dealing with the Blue Cross
people and the LACERA (Los Angeles County Employee Retirement
Association) people, they are all wondering why Gregg is not covered by
my Social Security.
When I called the Social Security people the first person I got told me
he would have to get half of my check, and then because of his age he
could get Medicare. The second person told me no he couldn't get half of
my check but he could get the Medicare. The first person said I could
complete all the information over the telephone; the second made me an
appointment for some place in San Marcos which is about 25 miles away.
(I wish I could get back to the first person again!)
It is about 3:00 when I get to the hospital. I stopped at the Drug Store
and picked up some very good skin cream so that I could start working it
into Gregg's skin. At the hospital I stopped at the Administration
office. They told me that the Director of the Department was looking for
me. They called him and we have an appointment for tomorrow morning. I
even had a charge nurse tell me that the inhalation tube made it a
sterile area! Gregg's night nurse told me she read an article stating
that they should brush the teeth of the patient as the germs that grew
in the mouth were very unhealthy for the patient. Doubt if these people
would understand that they would have to use the suction along side the
toothbrush. So tomorrow he will hear what I think of their training/and
some of their attitudes!
Up I go to see Gregg, he has a mess and I start to change him. After
that I talk with him and he is squeezing my hand in response. I asked
him if he wanted me to rub his feet with some cream and he squeezed the
Yes! I got him all greased up and then I started to look around his ears
and hair. No one has bathed those areas and I was taking off dead skin,
scalp gunk and dirt from the beard that was unreal. I told the nurse
that I was going to bring in my hair clippers tomorrow. They are
skeptical but I am not.
He is scheduled to have the feeding tube put directly into his stomach
through his side. I don't see why they can't do the throat at the same
time. By this time a "specialty doctor walks in and introduces himself.
He is in charge of blood functions and problems. They are trying to find
out why Gregg's blood does not clot and why the blood products they have
given him are not really maintaining it. He talks to me for 15 minutes
about colloidal Silver. As he is leaving said to him: I did my
castrations on the farm and butchering. I had a powder that was used as
a clotting agent to keep the animals from bleeding; don't you have
something comparable in medicine? He said we use a sterile room, and we
are accountable to the patients, we're not butchering. Pissed I boiled
for the next two hours. Talking to the night nurse she said she thought
there was something they could use that was comparable. Then I asked her
to tell me what Gregg's diagnosis was? After looking through a file that
is five inches thick she said colloidal silver. I thought so. The
doctors saw Gregg's skin color and asked me what had caused it. I told
them and they stopped looking for anything else. I am going to ask them
what scientific test was done to determine their diagnosis! I personally
believe that it was caused by the excessive treatment of his kidneys
with Solidac, which at about 12 years is know to cause the kidney's to
shut down and he was on it for 18 years. The other explanation is that
he got dry heaves, and did not have any intake for 4 and ½ days:
Dehydration, causing the organs to shut down. Those last two are more
reasonable then their assumption. I am also going to ask them what tests
were done to substantiate the diagnosis. In the two ultra sounds that I
have seen there have been layers of tiny white calcium deposits all
through the kidneys. If they could some how flush those out that would
probably allow them to come back to full function! If they were at full
function they would produce the chemical needed to make blood and we
would recover!
His primary doctor called me in the morning he wanted my consent to do a
brain scan. They are still looking for signs of a stroke. I told him of
a fall Gregg had about three weeks before he got sick. I told him it was
our 30th Wedding Anniversary. "Moseltoff" came his reply, "and to many
more." He is a very kind and sincere doctor. He asked me for two weeks
to see what he could do and I told him he had two weeks and if he made
progress I'd give him another. Today I told him he had all the time he
needed and he would have to come to me if the situation changed. He saw
me praying and singing hymns in Gregg's room for hours, so he knows I
don't want to get rid of a husband.
I was going to go home about 9 o'clock and Gregg said he wanted me to
stay. Again by a squeeze of the hand and he wouldn't let it go. I stayed
until 10:30 and then I had to get home and eat.
Kathy has been sick since Friday. She has had bronchial pneumonia, I am
sure. I have stayed away. I started to get sick yesterday and I took a
lot of vitamin C every four hours.
The doctors' conference has been changed to Thursday. Dr. Trussmann
agreed with me that Gregg would do a lot better if he had the traciotomy
done.
Thank you all for your continued prayers and support. It was an up and
down day for me.

In His Love,
Nancy for both of us.