OT: DH update

[Guest guest]

A little while after I wrote my other posting a doc came in and told us that DH had an allergic reaction to the latest drug they'd tried (Imuran) for his ulcerative colitis... this is a GI doc and a partner to the guy who put him on the drug. All of his symptoms and the timing of them were perfectly matched to a reaction to Imuran. It is a rare reaction but it does happen. When his kidneys failed in May that was also a rare (almost unheard of) reaction to another drug they were trying for ulcerative colitis and all this for a guy who had almost no symptoms and the only reason they found it was because of a colonoscopy done to try and find out why he was anemic (they were suspecting polyps and found very small lesions that turned out to be UC)!!! My MIL and I had been strongly opposed to his taking this drug because it is an immunosuppresant and we figured with the damage done to his kidneys he didn't need further suppression of his immune system. I was planning on fighting with his doctors to take him off it (thinking this was an infection his body was having a terrible time fighting off) but now I don't have to because they took him off it today and won't ever be putting him on it again. The doc said he should recover completely and quickly with no lasting ill effects. He was already starting to feel more normal when I was getting ready to leave this evening (the last dose he took was Saturday morning) and was sad I was leaving because he was finally really aware I was there. (He'd known but he was in and out of sleep all day, mostly asleep and had only been really awake the last hour I was there.) Our BIL had visited with him this morning and was thinking he'd come back tonight but DH was so out of it that he figured he'd be better off just letting him sleep and then suddenly DH is feeling better and wishing DBIL would come back (but it was already getting too late so he couldn't). So, even though he was going to be a little lonely tonight, he did have his iPod, a book and the TV and thankfully, it meant he's really coming back to us and feeling much better. The doc that gave us the news told us he didn't see any reason why he couldn't come home tomorrow but had to leave that up to DH's primary care doc. I'm going out there after I get the kids on the bus and am hoping I'll be bringing him home by lunch time but we'll see. I was all set to bring him home today and then couldn't and it totally deflated me so I'm bringing my computer and other things to do just in case they come up with another reason to keep him (I really, truly don't think they will this time, I just talked to him a half hour ago, I called him so he could say prayers with me and the kids since he seemed to be doing so well when I left and he sounded like his old self thankfully). I just want to be prepared, just in case though. I'll send an update tomorrow, hopefully from home.

Thanks everyone!