Minor Setback

This has been a bit of a tough night.  Just as we thought things were headed in the right direction and he was going to get out of here today - his fever spiked overnight.  Shawn never runs a fever.  His blood pressure shot up and his heart rate is high too.  He has a pain in his back and his feet and legs are swelling.  

Misty and I were staying in a hotel connected to the hospital.  He called us at just about 2:00 am.  I knew he was worried and was glad he called.  I was back in the room in about 10 minutes.  

They don’t know what is going on.  They gave him some antibiotics and ran blood and urine tests.

We spoke to the doctors about 30 minutes ago and they are not really worried about anything.  His labs came back and there are a few things they want to watch.  They think the fever is simply from the immunotherapy infusion and the heart rate and blood pressure are following because of the “stress” on the body.  Because of his age, they are not really concerned about the high heart rate or blood pressure.  They think he just needs to move more to reduce the swelling in his feet and legs.  So, a good report.  

However, given all the symptoms and given there is some uncertainty as to the cause, they want him to stay here for another day.  






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

5 Years - We Miss You

Image
  It has been 5 years since Shawn Jr. died.   Some days it feels like an eternity has gone by, yet the painful memory of sitting beside Shawn's bed at MD Anderson is as vivid as if it happened yesterday. This past year has been another journey through the ebb and flow of life.   Lots of exciting things are happening in the Helms family (e.g., second grandchild coming any day, Shawn Fletcher growing up fast, younger Helms kids in real relationships, older Helms kids with real jobs and responsibilities, cheerleading, volleyball, school, etc.). I often think about how Shawn Jr. would react to the happenings of this past year had he survived his battle with melanoma.   He would be 26 years old.   He would be super excited about the growing Helms family and looking forward to meeting his new nephew.   He would be giving Noelle a hard time for living in Houston.   He would certainly be thrilled that the Texas Rangers won the World Series, Luka won an NBA scoring title and the Dallas
Read more

Shawn Jr Went Home

Image
Shawn Jr left this earth at 10:56 this morning.  We were right by his side.  He was peaceful.   See information about his memorial service  here . “ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans‬ ‭8:38-39‬ ‭NIV‬‬
Read more

4 Years - Remembering The Little Things About Shawn Jr.

Image
It has been 4 years since July 11, 2019.  On this anniversary of his death, I want to take a moment to reminisce about all the things that made Shawn Jr. so special.  When remembering Shawn, it's funny how the big milestones are not nearly as important as the small things.  It's the little things, the everyday moments, that made him who he was.  As I sit down to write this blog post, I find myself smiling at the memories of him.  I was thinking about his quirky jokes, subtle gestures, infectious smile, and everyday preferences that defined him and made him such an amazing and likable person.  Below is a list of things that his family and friends remember about him.  It’s funny how he didn’t really change but related to all of us in a different way and how we all cherish his memory through our own unique lens.  I will admit, some of these aspects don’t register with me the way they do others.  But, all of these recollections give our collective community a little reminder and gl
Read more