One Last Fight

We have warned the hospital staff that we have a big family and to expect lots of people here in the next few days. Even with the warning I think they underestimated the Kimbles! Family has arrived and are at Clark's side.

Report from Doctor's Morning Rounds:
We've talked to several doctors who all express their extreme worry because of Clark's condition. He is on as broad a spectrum of antibiotics as exists, without improvements.

• He has an inflammatory pneumonia that is getting worse. He is on 70% oxygen now and keeping his O2 sats up pretty well with the mask on. When he takes the mask off, he desaturates very quickly. If he needs 100% oxygen, they have to intubate him.
  


• He has developed cellulitus which is inflammation of the cells due to infection. He has redness, swelling, and extreme pain in his legs and arms. They have drawn a line around the perimeter of the affected areas to monitor the spreading. Today, it looks slightly better in his legs but much worse in his right arm. If he is going to respond to the most recent antibiotic, they would hope to see the redness improve by tomorrow.
  


• His kidneys are also taking a big hit due to the caliber of meds he's on. They don't think that they have any permanent damage and once the meds were reduced or stopped his kidney's should recover and be fine. However, the longer they are insulted the more they will decline.


• Clark said he ate pizza the night before last but I think that's the last thing he's eaten (besides a piece of dark chocolate that Bishop coaxed him into eating.) He said he wanted Taco Bell last night so we brought him a beefy 5 layer burrito but that went untouched. Jokingly, I offered it to him again this morning, a day old just the way he likes it. His throat has been sore so he ate a popsicle this morning, one bite at a time in between keeping the mask on. He threw it up only minutes later. He ordered biscuits and gravy this morning so we'll see how that goes. He is receiving glucose water through IV but no other nutrition. The two forms, through the nasal passage or directly into the vein, both come with risk of infection, bleeding, and effects to the liver, all of which are very dangerous to Clark. They will discuss what to do about this if/when the time comes.
  


• His mouth has been dry and he had black sores on his tongue and lips. We're offering him water, brushed his teeth and tongue a few times, and keep a mouth lubricant on them so this looks better today.


• He has been having terrible reoccurring nightmares. He said that he is in a dark hole looking up. He can see lots of people standing around looking down on him and crying. Then a door shuts and everything goes black and he realized that he's in his coffin. The doctor said the nightmares are a side effect of a medicine but I know how real dreams can feel and that would be awful. Especially when what you wake up to is laying in a hospital bed, alone. I stayed the night with him last night and didn't notice that he'd had a nightmare.


• His eyesight in his right eye is a little better today. Doctors said that he has a retinal hemorrhage and that the bleeding may be lightening up since his vision is improved.


• He has had reoccurring fevers for a few nights that have kept the doctors concerned. However, last night he did NOT have any fevers! Whoo Hoo!
  


• We are seeing effects mentally as well. He is very dozy, in and out of sleep within minutes. He cannot focus or concentrate on anything for very long. He speak coherently and is very bright even telling me the exact cost of his Taco Bell order, then will train off about something else. He's giving us some good laughs too. He said he hopes the Lakers lose so he can give Bobby crap. This morning he was talking to McLane saying, "Hey bud, what are you up to?" He told me that McLane was up to no good. The next second he snapped out of it, realized he was hallucinating and told me that he thought McLane was at his side reaching up for the ice on his table. He calls out for Hemi a lot telling her to "get in here" or says that she needs to go outside. He saw a transformer flying in his room, told Bischke that he saw his Beretta a few days ago (a car that he had in high school), and asked me if I was using a cream on my face because it was all red, rashy and broke out. When he snaps out of it he always apologizes. It's hard not to laugh at him, and it's probably good for us that we do.


• The doctors also expressed their great frustration with Medicaid, which we all share. The hospital was calling Medicaid daily for two weeks looking for an answer. They have now been told that they are no longer allowed to call. As enraging as that is, we want them to help us so we are trying to keep them happy and not give them any negative feelings surrounding this case. We still wait everyday hoping it's the day for a positive answer. We will talk to Dr. Boyer tomorrow to see if a bone marrow transplant is an option in Clark's condition or if he would have to improve first. It's hard to see Clark and Wyatt, side by side, within an arms reach of each other and know that one literally has life to give to the other, but they can do nothing.

When I asked Clark how he's feeling about everything he said, "It's probably bad to say but I feel like I'm not going to wake up one of these times." He got scared yesterday when Kellen and I walked in the room, followed by Bruce, Logan, and Bischke in white shirts and ties. He asked if the appeal had been denied.

Overall we are staying positive! The doctor started to say his sorries to me again and I told him that we are still hopeful and that we have seen Clark pull through a lot. This morning Clark told me that he has one fight left in him . . . but I think he used it to brush his teeth! Clark is a fighter and so are we. I have put my 100% faith in Heavenly Father as Clark's healer. Doctors, medicine, surgeries and treatments can only do so much, and they have. I have turned it over to Heavenly Father's hands as he knows what's best for Clark. As said in Clark's most recent blessing, the Lord has caused the lame to walk, the blind to see, and even raised people from the dead. As I watched the sun come up over the mountain this morning, I saw it light up the sky, the clouds, the grass and everything it touches. How beautiful is this world. He created all this and what a magnificent creation it is. He has done all this and there is no doubt in my mind that he can heal Clark.