Dad Update – 11/8

As I mentioned in my previous update on my dad, he was released on Friday.  I drove back to Chapel Hill from DC Saturday morning, arriving about 12:30.  Since we couldn’t leave before check-out and the room was paid for, we decided to stay in the hotel that night.  Plus, it gave me a break in the drive.  So, after I got back, we hung out and went out for dinner.  My dad was feeling pretty good.

Sunday morning, mom and I both woke up somewhat early and let him sleep in before heading down to breakfast, packing up, and driving home.  When he woke up, he was a little light-headed, but we weren’t too concerned since that often happens when you first wake up and is expected with everything he’s been through.  Then, he went in to go to the bathroom.  While going to the bathroom, he started shaking really badly.  I was able to see him in the mirror, so my mom and I ran in to make sure he was ok.  He ended up passing out (and there was blood in the toilet – the 1st since Thursday night), and I had the hotel call 911.  The 911 operator called back to get more information while we waited for the ambulance.  He had me pick my dad off the toilet and lay him on the floor so that the circulation would increase for his heart and he could breathe better.  He was starting to come around just before the paramedics arrived.  They took his vitals and carted him off to the hospital.  We got down to the ER and they said his hemoglobin was down to a 5.7, the lowest it had ever been.  They gave him another transfusion, which helped him a lot.  The gastro-intestinal doctor came by around 5 to say that since there wasn’t anything they could do via another colonoscopy, they were going to put dye into his blood to see if they could trace that and find out where he is bleeding from.  Once they do that and hopefully find out where the bleeding is coming from, they will decide to either radiologically seal off the bleeding or go in surgically.

My mom was so glad that I was back.  She didn’t dare leave him to call 911 for fear he’d fall over.  And there’s no way she could’ve lifted him off the toilet without me.  And the hotel staff was so sweet.  They came to the room to make sure my mom was doing ok (especially since they didn’t know I had returned from DC), and said we could have the room as long as we needed it.

October Snowflaking

• $6.00 Pinecone
• $280.85 Security Deposit Refund
• $10.00 ING Referral Bonus
• $5.53 Half.com earnings
• $76.26 Interest

Total: $378.64

Dad Update – 11/6

Sorry for the lack of updates.  I’m up in DC right now for work and it’s been hectic.

My dad had another colonoscopy on Wednesday.  The doctor’s did not find that anything was bleeding, and said that the bleeding was most likely residual blood working its way out of his system.  Later that evening, my dad reported that there was no more blood when he went to the bathroom.  So, that’s great news!  Also, his hemoglobin levels increased significantly, meaning that his body is doing it on its own.  As of when I talked to my mom last night, he was set to be released today as long as everything stayed on par.  I will be driving back to Chapel Hill tomorrow, and then we’ll drive home on Sunday.  It’ll be so good having everything back to normal.

Thanks again to everybody for all of your support.  It really means a lot to me and my family.

Top 10 Referrers for October

Thanks so much to those that link to me.  Here are the top 10 referrers for October:

1. Blogging Away Debt
2. Saving4Later
3. Saving to Pay Down My Home
4. Shaking the Money Tree
5. GRACEful Retirement
6. Her Every Cent Counts
7. Shtinkykat’s PF Blog
8. My Pretty Pennies
9. Moving on up!
10. Piggybank savings $300,000

Dad Update – 11/2

Well, my dad was released from the hospital Saturday afternoon.  We brought him home and relaxed around the house that evening.  Sunday, he was feeling pretty good and did some stuff around the house.  We even had spaghetti for dinner.  He was noticing he was still bleeding, but the doctor’s said he’d still bleed some as he healed.

On Monday, he went to a local clinic to have blood work done per the doctor’s orders.  They called back shortly after dinner and said his hemoglobin was back down to a 6.6, which is where it was when they admitted him last week.  He also noticed that besides blood, there was clots when he went to the bathroom.  My mom and I said that means the bleeding is clotting but not staying.  So, we decided to go back to the hospital, but this time decided to go back to UNC since this is where he had the chemo & radiation done and have a better gastro-intestinal team.  We left our house about 11 p.m. and arrived here about 1:30 a.m.  We checked him into the ER, they took some blood, and gave him some morphine for the pain and to help him sleep.  They were going to give him a transfusion and get him admitted to the hospital.  My mom and I left for the hotel about 3:30.  It was a long night.

We’re gonna head over to the hospital in a bit.  It’s funny how even though I didn’t get to sleep until 4ish, but my body still woke up at 7:30 (a little later than normal, but still close to normal).

Earn $25 by signing up with ING

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October Net Worth

My Net Worth for October was $103,999.78, an increase of $1,798.27 for the month.  My savings increased quite a bit, but my 401k came down a bit too.  But, at least it went up!!!

109 in 2009 – October Update

51. Apply to Chapel Hill & Wake Forest – I applied to Wake on 9/30, but Chapel Hill didn’t end up having their application available until 10/15.  So, I applied to Chapel Hill on 10/20, and mailed the supplemental forms on 10/21.

98. Order childhood scrapbook – I ordered it on 10/4.  I received in 10/10.  It came out great.  I’m really happy with it.  My mom now wants me to work on hers.  That will probably be on my to-do list for next year.  It was about 200 pages, and cost $69.95.  I wasn’t able to get a $10 off coupon this time, but I got free shipping.

104. Decide if I want to continue my magazine subscriptions – I had subscriptions to Money, Kiplinger & US Weekly.  I let Money and Kiplinger expire, and I cancelled the automatic renewal for US Weekly.

Dad update – 10/29

Went to see dad this morning.  He is still bleeding some, but the doctor’s say that everything could still be healing.  They’re keeping an eye on it.  If it continues, they’ll look at other options.  They gave him another blood transfusion last night.

While we were there, the doctor’s came in for their daily rounds.  They said that they looked at the CT scan and it’s still early.  They said for the first few months, the organs will be inflammed from the radiation, so it’s difficult to tell what is the inflammation and what is the tumor.  But, from what she could tell, her opinion is that it has gotten a little smaller.  So, we’re keeping our fingers crossed for good news in a few more months.  But that at least explains why the doctors at Chapel Hill weren’t in a hurry to have another scan done right away when the other was hard to read due to the fluid.  Would’ve been nice for them to have explained that.  My mom and I probably would’ve asked that had we been there when the doctor was in, but we had run out to get his prescription filled.  Oh well.

The doctor said it’s possible that he could get out tomorrow if everything looks ok, but they said most likely Saturday, unless the bleeding stays bad.  He’s hoping they’ll give him real food soon, but they’re keeping him on a liquid diet for now since they’re not sure what they might have to do.  But he won’t get released until he eats real food.

Dad update – 10/28

They performed the colonoscopy this afternoon and found the bleeding was coming from the colon.  So, the doctor cauterized as much as he could, and the rest should heal on its own.  The bleeding is most likely caused by the radiation, which causes the organs to be sensitive.  Later in the evening, they took him down for the CT scan, but we won’t know the results of that until tomorrow.  We’re hoping to be able to take him home tomorrow, but they said it depends on when he can eat solid foods and have a bowel movement.  He’s still on a liquid diet right now, but he’s happy that he can have coffee.

It’s been a stressful and long couple of days, but I’m glad I could be here to help both of my parents out.