So What Does Mom Have? Update on Mom

Somebody once wrote, “There are decades when nothing happens; and there are weeks when decades happen.” I have a friend on the frontlines of COVID-19 who tells me that the last month has felt like a year. For our family, this last week has felt like a decade.

Yesterday we found out that Mom had a definitive negative test for COVID-19 after being a suspected case all week. But if it’s not COVID-19, then what made Mom so sick?

Her BAL (fluid from her lung) was found to have a high CMV titer or cytomegalovirus. In healthy people, it presents as fever, sore throat and resolves on its own. In a person who is immunocompromised, such as Mom, it can cause a pneumonitis. Pneumonitis is inflammation of lung tissue. Luckily, there are medicines such as gangcyclovir to treat this.

The fungi tail was also positive meaning she may also have had a fungal infection. Again, something common in immunocompromised persons. Thankfully, medicines such as Isavuconazole, can treat this.

Also, given her troponin was so high, Mom could have also been in heart failure resulting in flash pulmonary edema or back up of fluid into the lung.

Perhaps it’s a combination of all these elements that lead to a rapid decline. Nonetheless, she has remarkably improved this week.

While Mom’s condition is much more stable than 4 days ago, she did have a setback today. She still does not have any cuff leak with deflation for the second day so they suspect an inflamed upper airway. The physicians don’t want any difficulty should they need to re-intubate. Furthermore, she developed vomiting and diarrhea. The physicians suspect this may be due to the tube feeds.

Her ICU physician tells me she is determined to safely remove the breathing tube this weekend. It’s been 5 days of the breathing tube down Mom’s throat and it would be such a leap forward to have this removed when ready. Pray Mom’s breathing tube can be safely removed tomorrow or on Sunday.

Mom continues to be interactive. Earlier today she was giving us orders via text to buy European cookies – one container for the doctors, another for the day nurses, another for the night nurses, and another for the respiratory therapists. Again, we met today as a family on FaceTime. I could see her eyes smile when she saw Evelyn, my 5-month-old daughter, in a headband and dress. David played “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.” Mom’s facial expressions revealed she was singing quietly in her heart inhibited by the breathing tube in her mouth. After Dad read scripture and prayed, he gave a beautiful rendition of their song Moon River. Mom teared up.

As Sabbath approaches, I recognize how much Mom and our family needs rest. It feels like an entire decade happed this week. I’m sleepy and tired. And desperate for the Day of Rest the Creator has promised us.

Rest well, Mother. You’ve been through a lot. Can’t wait to see when you get out of the hospital soon.